after starting this process in January, going through a 6 month supervised diet program and a psychiatric evaluation, i've been approved for surgery on august 30th. i was hoping for an earlier surgery. i have been asking my surgeon's office since April to schedule me earlier and they refused until they officially received my approval letter. i'm a teacher and was really hoping to go through the surgical and recovery process while out for summer break. i'm thinking about switching doctors so that i can have the surgery earlier.

so thankful to be approved, but also disappointed that it's for august 30th. kind of pissed off actually since i practically begged the doctors office to schedule me earlier. has anyone had any luck changing doctors in order to get an earlier surgery date?

Sorry for the wait, but at least you are done the 6 months :thumbup: I have a question for you.. I had my initial consult today, and they want me to show that I have already done 6 months of WW, but all I have is my credit card statements.. what proof did you have to give them?

well Skat, that should be enough, my doctors wanted me to provide as much as possible. it wasn't enough so they suggested i do the 6 month diet. do you have anything else like you books that show your progress? did you just pay and not attend? try to submit what you have. if you doctors office feels like it's not enough and you'll be denied they will suggest the 6 month diet. it's a long and arduous process but will pay off in the end.

good luck

While I understand your frustration, keep in mind that if it is through your insurance this is THEIR policy not the doctors office. I cant not even begin to look at a surgery date until my 6 months is up and waiting for the insurance approval which can take up to an additional 8 weeks. I am not sure about the doctor you are going to but ours is a very busy man so he booked far in advance!

Keep your chin up and just remember you might regret changing doctors....specially if you have already got aquainted with that one...

Congrats on your surgery date!

hey hutchandmarleysmama, you must have misunderstood me. i have completed all the insurance requirements, been approved, received the approval letter and everything. there are several people on this blog who have been scheduled before they receive their approval letters. while each doctors office is different, i really hope they would make an exception and allow me to schedule my surgery earlier. after all they anticipated me being approved otherwise they wouldn't have suggested i go through the 6 month supervised diet. i'm just really mad (but thankful to God) that i have been approved. my husband has been the voice of reason and just said be patient so i guess i just need to do that. i'm going to call tomorrow and see what happens.

Scheduling is at the discretion of the doctors office, not the insurance company. when i was approved the insurance company didn't know the surgery date because the doctors office still hadn't scheduled it.

Edited July 22, 201016 yr by losethemess

Sorry for the wait, but at least you are done the 6 months :thumbup: I have a question for you.. I had my initial consult today, and they want me to show that I have already done 6 months of WW, but all I have is my credit card statements.. what proof did you have to give them?

Doesnt WW have a record as well? Its best to show the actual weight loss history I think.

hiddn

My NP told me that MOST of their pts return to work within 5 days of sugery. Try to think if it as an extended summer vacay! Sorry for your frustration! Thin days are ahead!!!! :thumbup:

I, too, am a teacher. When I called my Dr.'s office to schedule the pre-op appointment with my Dr. they told me that that is when I would be scheduling my surgery. I explained that I am a teacher and that I couldn't wait until then to schedule as that would put me too close to the start of school, so they went ahead and tentatively "penciled" me in for surgery, but it was contingent on everything going well with the appointment. Now I am confirmed for Aug. 3 and am also working on getting my room ready now, as there is much to be done (we moved school buildings this year because they are building us a new school). After surgery, all I will have left to do is some filing and planning - the lifting and heavy duty stuff will be done. My surgeon's office worked with me and said they get a LOT of teachers in the summer - they totally get it. Sorry you didn't get the same cooperation from your surgeon's office. My advice - get all your work done in your classroom ASAP and get you a good sub for a couple of days. Teaching itself is not physical, getting things ready for the school year is. Get others to help you with the physical part and convince your doctor that you can go back to work in a few days. Hope this helped! :thumbup:

Edited July 22, 201016 yr by steggegirl

I am in the same place I am a teacher too. My school year starts Aug 9 and my surgery is Aug 27. As of today I still don't know what grade I am teaching and what classroom I have. My surgeon's office knew when I will be on break but they scheduled appts when I was ready not when I will be on vacation.

I have to look it at it this way my health is important to perform my job to the best of my ability.

I, too, am a teacher. When I called my Dr.'s office to schedule the pre-op appointment with my Dr. they told me that that is when I would be scheduling my surgery. I explained that I am a teacher and that I couldn't wait until then to schedule as that would put me too close to the start of school, so they went ahead and tentatively "penciled" me in for surgery, but it was contingent on everything going well with the appointment. Now I am confirmed for Aug. 3 and am also working on getting my room ready now, as there is much to be done (we moved school buildings this year because they are building us a new school). After surgery, all I will have left to do is some filing and planning - the lifting and heavy duty stuff will be done. My surgeon's office worked with me and said they get a LOT of teachers in the summer - they totally get it. Sorry you didn't get the same cooperation from your surgeon's office. My advice - get all your work done in your classroom ASAP and get you a good sub for a couple of days. Teaching itself is not physical, getting things ready for the school year is. Get others to help you with the physical part and convince your doctor that you can go back to work in a few days. Hope this helped! :thumbup:

I'm so happy you understand what I'm talking about. I called my doctors office this morning and left a message for the nurse who does scheduling to call me back. Hopefully by some miracle they can push the date up. We only get a limited number of sick days for the entire year, I hate to have to use they during the first month of school. Good luck with you surgery. When do you start your pre-op diet?

I am in the same place I am a teacher too. My school year starts Aug 9 and my surgery is Aug 27. As of today I still don't know what grade I am teaching and what classroom I have. My surgeon's office knew when I will be on break but they scheduled appts when I was ready not when I will be on vacation.

I have to look it at it this way my health is important to perform my job to the best of my ability.

Yes you are right my health is my primary concern. But hopefully they can more the surgery date up. If not August 30th it is. We are only three days apart. When do you start your pre-op diet?

My mother had a hip replacement last year and the doctor's office gave her a surgery date that was like 2 months out. So frustrating. One day they called and said "Oh by the way we've had a cancellation do you want to move up your surgery 3 weeks?" Ah Yes! So I would ask to be put on a "stand by list" if you can do the surgery on short notice. I would get your class room ready so that you can do the surgery if they call you. If could'nt hurt to call them weekly as well to check on any cancellations. They may claim to put you on a cancellation list but never really plan on calling anyone.

My mother had a hip replacement last year and the doctor's office gave her a surgery date that was like 2 months out. So frustrating. One day they called and said "Oh by the way we've had a cancellation do you want to move up your surgery 3 weeks?" Ah Yes! So I would ask to be put on a "stand by list" if you can do the surgery on short notice. I would get your class room ready so that you can do the surgery if they call you. If couldn't hurt to call them weekly as well to check on any cancellations. They may claim to put you on a cancellation list but never really plan on calling anyone.

Thanks Honk, great advice. I'll ask about that when I speak with the nurse today and I be sure the keep in constant, contact with them. I already do and I'm sure they are sick of me.

My date has tentatively changed to August 30th to the 16th. I report back to school on August 16th. That date is too late as well, but I took it. Pray for me I just need an earlier date and I'll be set. I asked the nurse via email, she didn't bother to call me, to call me if an earlier dates becomes available. But like Honk suggested I will call periodically to ask if any one has cancelled and if any earlier dates are available.

I am in the same place I am a teacher too. My school year starts Aug 9 and my surgery is Aug 27. As of today I still don't know what grade I am teaching and what classroom I have. My surgeon's office knew when I will be on break but they scheduled appts when I was ready not when I will be on vacation.

I have to look it at it this way my health is important to perform my job to the best of my ability.

So how many days do you plan to take off from work? How many sick days does your school you? We get a limited number so I'm extremely hesitant to use them at the beginning of the year.

I hope it works out for you ltm, and you score a cancellation appointment. I would hate to start a new school year with sick days! It seems they might have taken your position into consideration and penciled you in pending approval.

I also wanted my surgery asap, and it's not happening. I was led to believe being self-pay cut out the hassle and hurried things along. wrong! lol

I began my journey at a seminar in April, called the doc office the next day. I was disappointed to have to wait until May 27th for an appt with the surgeon. For the past 2 months I have been squeezing in the pre-req tests, taking personal time off work. So far I have met with a GP (recommended by my surgeon) who did my EKG and helped schedule blood work, endoscopy, colonoscopy (due to low iron) chest x-ray, abdominal ultrasound, mammogram (just because), RFT/pulmonary testing, sleep study and psychiatric exam, the latter 2 still pending. I don't have a tentative date for surgery yet. I'm afraid by the time my psych exam rolls around I will truly be a mental case. :biggrin:

Hang in there!