Anyone Else Have A Lap Band Surgeon's Office That Is Not Working With You?

[jayeedee 7]

When I went in for my first pre-op visits in October, I told them straight up that there are 2.5 weeks in December when I can have the surgery. They assured me that wouldn't be a problem. In fact, they wouldn't be surprised if it didn't happen sooner. I had everything required for insurance right away, was able to get all my necessary appointments within 1 week of that appointment. They had all the results the next week. The results were in and everything just needed to be submitted to insurance, which they delayed saying a sleep study was required by insurance... which was not true. I had them submit and scheduled a sleep study, despite not having any sleep problems. Insurance approved. Sleep study results came back showing I have no sleep problems what so ever... Despite them having access to the sleep study they didn't pull the results. They sent me an email saying we couldn't discuss scheduling until they had them.

I told them where they were and if they were unable to pull them to let me know how they need them sent over. They wrote me an email saying they were able to pull the sleep study, but, despite having no recorded sleep problems, because they did not put me on the CPAP they are refusing the results of the study and I have to go in and get another one. I am a doctoral student who also has to teach. I had everything worked out to work with the time my final papers are due, winter break and the time period before class start for Spring semester with 1-2 weeks recovery time... and now this is all shot.. .and I'm going to have to pay for another sleep study. We had money budgeted to take care of all the out of pocket stuffs but this was totally not in the budget. I am sort of at a loss for what to do. I got everything they wanted and every time I do what they tell me to do rather than moving forward, they find something else. I've never dealt with a doctor's office like this before.

[elcee 3,343]

I thought it was common knowledge that the medical profession always does things to suit them selves not their patients!

[SumthinsGottaGive 35]

I'm sorry you're having such an issue hun! I don't know what you're going through, my surgeons office is phenomenal. But I would suggest that you ask them straight out why they're stalling. Find out what's going on. You're ready and have been assured that you would be able to get scheduled and you're looking to do that asap.

One of the good things is recovery time is not 2wks, it's only about a week and many people have said they were fine to return to work within 3-4 days..so you haven't lost as much time as you think. It's only the 2nd. But you need to push harder. Get with the office that did your sleep study and make them send the results to your surgeons office. That kind of stuff is not supposed to be your responsibility to get. The dr's offices should be communicating that information amongst themselves. And you should not have to pay for another sleep study after having done one already. My psychologist was not affiliated w/my surgeons office, but I made damn sure she got my paperwork to them!

Just keep pushing hun! Don't give up and whatever you do..don't get discouraged. Stay strong and make them accountable!

All the best!

[Damander 11]

I agree with the above poster on the recovery time. I had surgery Thursday (11/17) and returned the following Monday (11/21). I also would fight not to pay for the second sleep study. Your surgeons office scheduled the sleep study or at the very least, had to send orders for what they were wanting the sleep study done for. The fact that they did not put you on a CPAP is not YOUR fault and I would absolutely appeal having to pay for that. That is absolutely ridiculous.

[Violet953 46]

Hey hun,

I'm sort of going through the same thing...while my surgeons people are really nice and seem to be on top of things, something happened that really annoyed me...

I got everything done and was all ready to have the surgery this month, they sent my paperwork to the insurance and I had to wait over a week just to have them send a message saying I needed to see a cardiologist before they would approve me. Now why wouldn't they have had me do that months ago? Why all of a sudden is that something I need to do? I didn't know every single appointment I had to go to, they did. Which is why that frustrated me so much.

All of my plans are shot now too, because now my insurance is in a spend down so I have to wait not only until I get it back but they are saying I won't be having the surgery until the beginning of January now.

While all of this is stressing me out and ruined my plans, I know I will be getting it done at some point, and I've waited over a year, I can wait another month or so. It WILL happen. I would definately call them asap and get everything straightened out, explain everything to them. That's what I did and so far they have been working to help me.

The only thing I'm worried about now though is the fact that they didn't put a CPAP machine on me either when I did my sleep study, but I was found to have severe sleep apnea, and I sleep with my machine now...but I wonder if they are going to say I need a sleep study with one? Why wouldn't they just make that standard for overweight people in the first place? Hang in there hun!