I'm sorry - I need to vent.

I've enlisted NJ Bariatric Center (NJbariatriccenter.com) for treatment because it was recommended to me. I feel like I am being given the run around. This place is an hour away from me and every step along the way has been exhausting and stressful.

My BMI is 40. Which qualifies me for insurance coverage without any additional issues. Because I answered apparently incorrectly on a stupid online questionnaire, they wanted me to take a sleep apnea test....over an hour away. Thankfully, I convinced the sleep doctor to send me the at home test. Took the test, apparently failed - and now NJBariatric Center (only after me reaching out to them to follow up with them) am being told I have to get a CPAP machine and visit now with the sleep doctor (UP BY THEM - 1 hour away).

I mean, is the expectation to have this surgery to be completely 100% health? Everything they've asked for I provided in a timely manner and have had to take time off of work. I expected to have to take time off of work for surgery - I did not expect to need two months off of work JUST TO SATISFY THIER OWN REQUIREMENTS.

Well, if it is insurance paying for this, then I can totally see why they are doing this. Some insurance carriers make you jump through tons of hoops to get approved. Very aggravating I agree.

Apnea is a risk and will likely clear after surgery and weight loss. Odds are, you didn't know you had it. Your insurance carrier may require that apnea be dealt with before surgery is approved. It also can affect anesthesia risk, so while the whole hour away thing is a pain in the ***, Would it be worthwhile to consider using a surgical group closer to home, or do you like the team at your current facility enough to put up with the inconvenience of everything being an hour away?

I'm not sure where in NJ you are, but there are quite a few Centers of Bariatric Excellence in the state. Here's a link to the list for the whole state. https://www.facs.org/search/bariatric-surgery-centers?page=1&n=25&state=NJ

For me, it was important for me to feel like my team wasn't giving me the run around and were available for what I needed. Best of luck in resolving the situation.

12 minutes ago, Navigating the Wilderness said:

Well, if it is insurance paying for this, then I can totally see why they are doing this. Some insurance carriers make you jump through tons of hoops to get approved. Very aggravating I agree.

if my BMI was under 40 (between 35-39) - I would need to have some other weight related illness (such as sleep apnea). Being I'm at 40 (right at the line)- having the sleep apnea helps; but I feel like this is more of a run around situation and literally no consideration for me.

Just now, Ouiser said:

but I feel like this is more of a run around situation and literally no consideration f

I hear you! Venting is encouraged, and sometime mandatory on here.

6 minutes ago, Diana_in_Philly said:

Apnea is a risk and will likely clear after surgery and weight loss. Odds are, you didn't know you had it. Your insurance carrier may require that apnea be dealt with before surgery is approved. It also can affect anesthesia risk, so while the whole hour away thing is a pain in the ***, Would it be worthwhile to consider using a surgical group closer to home, or do you like the team at your current facility enough to put up with the inconvenience of everything being an hour away?

I'm not sure where in NJ you are, but there are quite a few Centers of Bariatric Excellence in the state. Here's a link to the list for the whole state. https://www.facs.org/search/bariatric-surgery-centers?page=1&n=25&state=NJ

For me, it was important for me to feel like my team wasn't giving me the run around and were available for what I needed. Best of luck in resolving the situation.

That's my issue. Why do I have to now clear the Sleep Apnea before having the surgery that supposedly will clear the issue? Your last sentence says it all. I want to feel like whatever team is working with me and not against me.

When you look up surgeons on this site... I noticed mine was listed as "STARTER..." what does that mean? I looked up another one that was recommended to me and his comes up "GOLD..."

53 minutes ago, Ouiser said:

That's my issue. Why do I have to now clear the sleep Apnea before having the surgery that supposedly will clear the issue? Your last sentence says it all. I want to feel like whatever team is working with me and not against me.

The issue is that the doctors need to know everything about your current level of health before they operate on you. I had no co-morbidities at all, but I had to have several tests and a medical clearance from my PCP (with more tests) before everything was finalized. That is just part of the process when going through insurance. (And, frankly, it is just good practice even if you were paying out of pocket. After all, we are talking about paying for a major surgery, not a new appliance. And I know that last time I bought a new dishwasher, I asked the salesperson about 100 questions before I committed to it...)

Saga continues. I've come to terms with needing the machine just for recovery as the bariatric place stated. But now the sleep study place wants me to use the machine every day before surgery and prove that I'm using it. I'm actually in tears over how stressful doing the right thing is.

Probably will cancel surgery by the end of the week if these places can't work with me. I cannot quit my job just to satisfy repeated follow ups for lollipops and temperature checks.

I had so many setbacks and hoops it took two years to get through everything.
I was frustrated but just did what they wanted so I could get the surgery. They're an 1 1/2 from me and it was definitely inconvenient. You can always cancel if that's what you want.
I will say that I'm glad I got through it and am going on three weeks out and 22 lbs down.

27 minutes ago, Joann454 said:

I had so many setbacks and hoops it took two years to get through everything.
I was frustrated but just did what they wanted so I could get the surgery. They're an 1 1/2 from me and it was definitely inconvenient. You can always cancel if that's what you want.
I will say that I'm glad I got through it and am going on three weeks out and 22 lbs down.

I definitely want to share your happiness. Just don't know if I can afford the surgery without insurance because I lost my job from so I can drive 1 1/2 to have someone smile at me and check my temperature.

I definitely want to share your happiness. Just don't know if I can afford the surgery without insurance because I lost my job from so I can drive 1 1/2 to have someone smile at me and check my temperature.

I know. I asked for them to condense my appointments into one day. So, often I'd see the NUT, psych and NP within a couple hour time frame. Sucked sitting around but it was better than driving up again. Maybe you could ask if they're all located nearby?

18 minutes ago, Joann454 said:

I know. I asked for them to condense my appointments into one day. So, often I'd see the NUT, psych and NP within a couple hour time frame. Sucked sitting around but it was better than driving up again. Maybe you could ask if they're all located nearby?

Yea, I did that with a few other appointments. It helps condensed the amount of days I have to go up sometimes. I think the real problem is the place I choose to have the procedure done. Unfortunately - I'm at a point where my options are limited to quit my job or have this surgery.

Since no one else is speaking in plain English tryingbeing nice...

The Sleep Apnea machine requirement and the whole sleep study is so you don't die on the table.

This is major surgery and you need to be in the best health possible before you have surgery. Anesthesia is dangerous. It is the same reason why they make people do pre-op diets so their livers are smaller to make surgery easier.

This isn't just some random hoops, these are for your safety.

I had to do the same and while I was frustrated at the time, it was for my benefit and not to "jump through hoops". Having maximum oxygenation going into surgery will minimize risk and speed up recovery. So it is necessary.

I was able to find a different clinic that offered early morning appointments so I met up with the Dr at 8am and then did the tutorial on the machine at 7:30am. After that all the data is transmitted electronically so there were no follow up appointments.

Like I said, I was frustrated, but it was worth a couple more inconveniences to get the surgery. I am a month out and down 25lbs. (RNY)

19 hours ago, OutsideMatchInside said:

Since no one else is speaking in plain English tryingbeing nice...

The sleep Apnea machine requirement and the whole sleep study is so you don't die on the table.

This is major surgery and you need to be in the best health possible before you have surgery. Anesthesia is dangerous. It is the same reason why they make people do pre-op diets so their livers are smaller to make surgery easier.

This isn't just some random hoops, these are for your safety.

I get it. There are other things that are questionable:

1. I spoke with another surgeon with a gold status on here - and a patient needing their own CPAP machine to bring with them for use with recovery is rare and done only in the most extreme cases. Since majority of overweight patients considering surgery also likely have some degree of sleep apnea - its not uncommon to experience some breathing difficulties in recovery in which the hospital will provide a CPAP machine on the fly for such cases. <<< Never have I had a complaint or noticeable issue with sleeping. I had my appendix removed and did have difficulty breathing in recovery...they hooked me up to a machine for the night (which I had to stay anyways) and that was the end of it. I was not required to bring my own machine first or asked to continue use of it post surgery.

2. All that being said - I made peace with having to have a CPAP machine of my own for recovery. What I did not make peace with is the requirement from the sleep doctor to be on the machine for several weeks (in which they would verify its use through information stored on its processing chip) before they would authorize me for bariatric surgery.

It is very clear - that every doctor has their own preferences or concerns that they highlight more than others. This other doctor, thought what this doctor was asking was extreme an unnecessary.

To my knowledge - no one has died from sleep apnea in a recovery room in a hospital. If they did - I'm sure the hospital would get sued 3 ways from Sunday.

19 hours ago, Maxthecat said:

I had to do the same and while I was frustrated at the time, it was for my benefit and not to "jump through hoops". Having maximum oxygenation going into surgery will minimize risk and speed up recovery. So it is necessary.

I was able to find a different clinic that offered early morning appointments so I met up with the Dr at 8am and then did the tutorial on the machine at 7:30am. After that all the data is transmitted electronically so there were no follow up appointments.

Like I said, I was frustrated, but it was worth a couple more inconveniences to get the surgery. I am a month out and down 25lbs. (RNY)

Went to another doctor. All settled. Completely unnecessary for me to be on a machine for several weeks leading up to surgery. Having one IN surgery/recovery is fine (even though the hospital will provide one).

More frustratingly, same doctor - my mother used - double my age, multiple more health concerns - didn't even have to take a sleep test, never mind this.

Frustration levels would be less if location was closer. New doctor significantly closer. Shame on me for not looking around myself instead of just accepting a reference.