Hello- pre-op concern

overthehill · February 12, 2006

I am presently 5'6" / 250 lbs. and have been considering banding for over a year now but the only weight loss dr. in my general area does only the full gastric bypass, and will not do banding. He insists on 6 months of psych. counciling along with 'verified' prior weight loss memberships before he will consider anyone for this surgery.

I have just found a dr. about 25 miles away who does banding. I have made up my mind to call for an appointment tomorrow.

Is this the general routine? (prior counciling, etc.) Approx. how long from initial appointment to surgery? I want it done Now!!

Alexandra · February 12, 2006

Hi and welcome to LBT!

Yes, the routine for bariatric surgery is generally the same for banding or RNY or whatever. There's typically a battery of physical exams, a psychological exam, and at least one meeting with a nutritionist. Depending on whether you're going for insurance coverage or are self-pay, and depending on how busy your surgeon's practice is, and depending on how quickly you can get all the tests done, and depending...

Well, you get the point. The quickest turnaround time even for self-payers is a couple of weeks, I'd guess. Insurance slows things down a lot, but your doc's office would probably be the best source of information on scheduling.

Good luck!!

Iluvharleys · February 12, 2006

Welcome to LBT! I was a self pay and I didn't have to do all that testing. Good luck in whatever you decide to do!

overthehill · February 12, 2006

Thanks! and congratulations on a job well done! ..Wow..only 8 lbs to go!

migbt · February 12, 2006

Hi.... It is good that you are asking questions. Try not to rush the process to much. You need time in your mind to become ready for what is to come.

I was self pay so a lot of the pre-test stuff is required by the insurance industry not the doctors office. I had started looking into the surgery aspect of weight loss a year ago. From the time I went to a bunch of seminars and decided which procedure I wanted, it was 6 weeks til I got banded. As part of getting ready... even self pay, I made sure I:

visited my therapist. I wasn't in therapy at the time, but she knew me really well. Alot better then someone who I was meeting for the first time just to evaluate surgery.
I had a complete physical by my Primary doc including tests and bloodwork. She recommended me for the surgery.
I lined up a support group, which I recommend you go to before surgery. Mine turned out to not work for me.
I lined up fills. I was banded in Mexico so a lot of the docs here won't work on you.

Good luck on your journey......

overthehill · February 12, 2006

I guess in my mind I have wanted this for over a year... Never had time or $ and still don't... but I can't seem to lose wt otherwise and feel desperate.

ralheit · February 12, 2006

It took me a year to get my approval. My insurance required the usual testing, psych evaluations (I had to have 4 visits), 5 year weight history, documentation of my arthritis, sleep apnea, etc. and I had to have a documented 6 month weight loss program, which I didn't have because the last documented doctor supervised diet was more than a year prior. So they wouldn't approve until I went through another 6 months of dieting and being supervised by my doctor. Of course I didn't loose anything, but I do have to admit that I at least stopped gaining. Then when I submitted everything to my insurance, my company decided to change insurances, so I had to resubmit to them. But with having done everything prior to the change, they approved me in 13 days. I'm scheduled for March 7th banding.

So depending on so many things, you may have a lot to look into before you get there. But from everything I've seen and heard, it's still gonna be worth it.

overthehill · February 12, 2006

One of my big problems is that I am not a fighter. I go for the path of least obstruction. Sounds like I am going to be discouraged before I start!

Archermom · February 12, 2006

Hello Overthehill;

you don't have to be a fighter - just be persistant. All these test are for your safety - to make sure you make it good through the surgery without any other problems all of a sudden surfacing.

You do want to enjoy your new, thinner live - don't you?

Just take it as "Quality assurance" and don't worry, most of us had to go through this too- even if it make the wait a little longer . Stay on it!