Question:
If your gall bladder flares up preop can you get through the insurance acceptance pr

cess more quickly? I think I am experiencing problems with my gall bladder, but I am not sure as I have never had these symptoms before. I checked out the webmd site and I definitely have lot of the symptoms they listed. I am going to call my family doctor and hope to get in to see him tomorrow. I am in the early stages of the paperwork process for RNY. Everything is in but my psych eval and I hope that will be completed this week. I have been preparing myself for the typical long processing time, and my surgeon said to expect 4 weeks to 4 months on average. This week-end I noticed more heartburn/acid reflux and last night the other gall bladder "attack" type symptoms hit me. I know lots of people have their gall bladder removed during RNY whether it is diseased or not just to avoid possibly needing another surgery later. Has anyone ever gotten their paperwork "rushed" through more quickly because their gall bladder needs to come out now or real soon? From all the reading I have done on this site, my impression is medical issues do not help anyone through the approval process more quickly. Am I right?    — [Anonymous] (posted on June 4, 2001)

June 3, 2001
It Helped only in the sense that I got into my new surgeon faster. The girls at the desk know how uncomfortable GB pain is so in that aspect it helped. I still waited 6 weeks for surgery. I even had another surgeon lined up incase it was too long with WLS. I was at a program where they decided last minute that the procedure was too difficult for me(I had acid reflux surgery which made RNY risky). So, after they dumped me I'm like what about my Gall Bladder? Well, I went back to other surgeon to see if he'd remove and he was shocked that his associate who does WLS didn't do the GB. Anyway. I can say for the first time in 2 years I haven't had any chest pains(related to my GB)
   — Linda M.

June 6, 2001
Yes, I think my approval and surgery date were definitely speeded up because I have gallstones. My surgeon was booking consultation appointment several months in advance, but I got in within a week or two and my surgery has been scheduled.
   — Ann M.