So now i have finished all of my doctor appts, test's , classes and misc. requirements that the program has requested of me -- the approval from insurance has been in for several weeks and still no surgical date. All i am waiting for is a clearance from the pulomonoligist. He holds the key to my future ...... So last week, after i found out that information i wrote a very nice letter to him and faxed it ... basically asking him to please fax my clearance to my surgeons office ... and so i wait .... now thinking - wait thanksgiving is coming up and i still have the 2 weeks of liquid protein shakes to do ..... i realize that patience is a virtue and seriously after doing everything and getting to this point the waiting makes you a little crazy. i sit by the phone waiting for it to ring ( hypothetically ) i can t make any plans , cant really do much until i get that phone call - and i was told not to call the surgeons office because they are busy and once they get my clearance they will call me .... and so i am continuing (Sp) my journey in patience . Please let me know if anyone else has gotten frustrated with the waiting ......

I am losing my patience too. I haven’t been waiting a long time, but I’ve been extremely proactive. I got my last 5 years medical records; I had my PCP order ultra sound to make sure I am not having issues with my gall bladder or have hernia. I have been waiting for 2 weeks for the coordinator to schedule one more test and 1 week for the coordinator to submit to my insurance. I don’t understand what is taking so long. My biggest issue not returning my calls. I think 48 hours should be enough time to return a call. I understand people get busy but this is the office that performing my lap band surgery AND I did all the work to get everything to submit to my insurance. I am going to give my doctor until Thursday than I am going into the office for answers.

Would you consider calling the pulmonologists office to se if they received your letter and to check the status of your clearance?

Moxi

hi and thank you for your suggestion , but i have called and was told to be patient .... so thus my journey in patience continues.. I have to laugh because reading so many of these posts .. the majority of the problems are getting the insurance to approve the surgery. That was my easiest part -- approved the first time around. The surgeon i am seeing is excellent and the amount of patients that go through this facility is amasing so i realise that i am not the only person, i would just appreciate the respect of being treated like a human being. I also realise that good things happen to those who wait ....hopefully soon one day i will be able to join the world of the bandsters....

Ah, I saw that you weren't supposed to call the surgeon but didn't see about the pulmonologist. Honestly it shouldn't take them that long. If they have already seen you and done all the testing then all the Dr. needs to do is dictate a letter and you should be good to go.

I do know what you mean about the patience. The place I am having mine done requires a lof of visits (with psych, nutrition, group etc) and attendance at 2 support group meetings. They will not even submit my info to the insurance until I had met all these requirements and in some instances I was waiting a month in between visits! Also they told me my insurance takes 6-8wks to approve(thankfully it didn't) So it was frustrating. I amazed at how quickly some people on herer seem to get things done.

I guess in the big scheme of things, that pulmonologist can't take forever. He will do your clearance, you will have your surgery and all this will be a distant memory.

Good luck....I hope you hear good news soon.

Hi I am new to this site and was wondering how you attach the ticker to you signature. I just cant seem to get it to transfer over.. Any and all help is a appriecated. Off for my pre op blood work.. Fun..

Thanks again...

I have finished all the requirments and have been approved by my insurance but I haven't heard anything from the surgeons office. I did try calling yesterday but they never called back. This is driving me crazy!

Hi I am new to this site and was wondering how you attach the ticker to you signature. I just cant seem to get it to transfer over.. Any and all help is a appriecated. Off for my pre op blood work.. Fun..

Thanks again...

Michelle, go to your user CP and then under signature; you copy and paste the code they give you on the ticker site there.

Moxi

Hi - i just spoke to my pulmonoligist office and my MD is on vacation .... It would have been nice to be told this .. and so i go back to my journey on patience ... are you starting to see my frustrations ? he will be back on Thursday and depending on his schedule ( as it should be ) he will get to my clearance by Thursday or Friday and by the time the center calls me and arranges of me to get the Protein shakes and i follow the regiment - 2 weeks we are looking at the week of Thanksgiving .... When originally i was to be "fast tracked" through this program and should have had surgery say mid October .... Now i am still excited by like everyone else there are work schedules and family issues to deal with ... and since i am in limbo-land i cant plan anything --- but soon i will be one of the bandsters .... so i have to remember that good things happen to people that wait and that everything happens for a reason so i have to trust in that .....