I have never heard of the dr office being the holdup in submitting to insurance...nor have I ever heard of the Nutritionist requiring four to six weeks of food and exercise logs BEFORE seeking prior approval. My insurance doesn't require it...I understand they want to be sure of my commitment but 4 to 6 weeks is crazy!! And the surgeon schedules surgery for an additional 4 to 6 weeks out!! It seems they are dragging their feet... My goal was to have surgery by Halloween, but now it may not get done before the end of the year!! #SOFRUSTRATING!!!

GIRL, I feel your pain! My dr's office is doing me the same way...dragging out what should be a very quick process now that they only had to put in a stupid date and I'd be approved and I can go to surgery and be DONE and not bother them anymore!!

hope they help you soon!

GIRL' date=' I feel your pain! My dr's office is doing me the same way...dragging out what should be a very quick process now that they only had to put in a stupid date and I'd be approved and I can go to surgery and be DONE and not bother them anymore!!

hope they help you soon![/quote']

That's right!!! I told the lady yesterday, "Look, I'm not going anywhere!"

I've heard of this but it was a Dr and a few staff members who hate WLS. They try to get you to fail so they don't have to approve you. I'm scared my Dr will start this crap. I want mine by the end of the year.

Wow that's crazy the place I'm using performs these surgeries perform them all the time and is a center of excellence in wls guess I'm a lucky one and everyone in the office has been so helpful my date is 2 wks from today it's coming fast

It will be at Tobey Hospital in Wareham,Ma

Maybe they dont understand what this means to us, or our families? If they have never had a weight issue then maybe they dont. But they shouldnt work in a n area where sensitivity is needed....if they dont have any! I have worked in the medcial field for 25 + years and NEVER have I treated a patient like they are not worth me helping...and having understanding of their situation. Everyone has a unique situation at times.... compassion goes a long way!

Wow that's crazy the place I'm using performs these surgeries perform them all the time and is a center of excellence in wls guess I'm a lucky one and everyone in the office has been so helpful my date is 2 wks from today it's coming fast

It will be at Tobey Hospital in Wareham' date='Ma[/quote']

Big Don, if I were in a small town where this isn't a common procedure I would feel like, ok, they're not interested in helping make this difficult process a little easier, BUT I'm in Charlotte, NC!! Not only is this group of surgeons a Center of Excellence, but they hold an additional accreditation given above that...

I've decided to "shop" around in the next few days to get a feel for other's timelines. Maybe that will help and maybe not, but I feel like a good portion of $ is coming out of my pocket, and I wouldn't frequent a store that I feel isn't interested in helping me, so why wound I put my very life in the hands of someone who I feel might have priority issues...does that make me crazy??

My insurance required a 6 month diet plan and monthly diet classes including a edonscopy, weight loss seminar, EKG and other labs before I was even allowed to speak to my surgeon. So after all that I saw my surgeon and then it was 6 weeks at least before my surgery. So I saw PCP last August, first diet class in September and my surgery was June 7. So you guys are getting in a heck of a lot faster than my process took.

Big Don' date=' if I were in a small town where this isn't a common procedure I would feel like, ok, they're not interested in helping make this difficult process a little easier, BUT I'm in Charlotte, NC!! Not only is this group of surgeons a Center of Excellence, but they hold an additional accreditation given above that...

I've decided to "shop" around in the next few days to get a feel for other's timelines. Maybe that will help and maybe not, but I feel like a good portion of is coming out of my pocket, and I wouldn't frequent a store that I feel isn't interested in helping me, so why wound I put my very life in the hands of someone who I feel might have priority issues...does that make me crazy??[/quote']

Call my Dr. Carolina Weight loss Surgery. They are very good.

Big Don, if I were in a small town where this isn't a common procedure I would feel like, ok, they're not interested in helping make this difficult process a little easier, BUT I'm in Charlotte, NC!! Not only is this group of surgeons a Center of Excellence, but they hold an additional accreditation given above that...

I've decided to "shop" around in the next few days to get a feel for other's timelines. Maybe that will help and maybe not, but I feel like a good portion of $ is coming out of my pocket, and I wouldn't frequent a store that I feel isn't interested in helping me, so why wound I put my very life in the hands of someone who I feel might have priority issues...does that make me crazy??

Dont come to Spartanburg SC... thats where I am and they are the SAME here... center for excellence maybe for the Dr's....NOT the office staff!!

I also am having my surgery at a center for excellence in northern Va though. My insurance required 3 months of classes with dietitians exercise coach behavior modification etc then documentation from my pcp for 3 years of wts.

Once I got that done I thought I would get a date the next month. That was July 24 and they set my date for September 25, 2 months away. I am

Ok with that now but was a bit disappointed it wouldn't be August. I had a few issues with the office staff ( see my blog the third and Fourth installments for full Details). After my meltdown they really showed me some compassion and helped me get my date, the info the insurance company needs, and all my appointments set up. I feel way better about the office and the whole deal. This whole thing was hard enough I am

Glad that part got straightened out!

Everything depends on your doctor & insurance company. I didn't wait long at all in 2 months I had everything done including surgery.

My insurance doesn't require anything other than a couple years' worth of medical records indicating that obesity isn't a new condition...other than that, just the regular things everyone requires: Endoscopy, Physical, EKG, CXR, etc...I'm not looking to have surgery tomorrow (lol...because that's the RIGHT thing to say), but I would like to think I'm less than two months out. I think if I've done my "homework" the date shouldn't be something I'm hoping to pin down "by the holidays." Working4shoes, How long did the process take there...I'm really close to Carowinds, so Concord is a good ride...although I'd happily make it to have my goal of surgery by Halloween.