VSG vs DS for me?

[trace]

True, true. @galaxygrrl

Did you see my other post just now? Thoughts while I have you here?

 

[trace]

Think twice, cut once.

Find out about the DS approval. Don't just settle for the VSG only because you were approved.

Okay. Yes. But, let's say it's the 6-month thingie. What then?

 

[galaxygrrl]

OMG, OMG, OMG. The doctor's office I initially met with, the guy who only does band, sleeve, or RNY, just called and said my insurance approved surgery for me. The business person there thought the 6-month waiting period was odd because she has worked with people from my husband's company before, and they never had a waiting period at all. So she submitted a "case" for me. And she just got the approval!

Soooooooooooooooo, now what??????

Holy crap, I'm in a panic. I could get VSG as soon as 10/25. I have no idea if DS would be approved as quickly or as easily because I still haven't heard from Dr. Srikanth's office. Help!

That is awesome! I'd call Dr. Srikanth's office again and have you PCP call too. My insurance company approved all types of surgery for me. So, I hope that is true for you.

 

[trace]

My primary care doc? Would she be influential? @galaxygrrl

 

[galaxygrrl]

My primary care doc? Would she be influential? @galaxygrrl

My experience has been that when my PCP calls an office and says I really need something, my PCP gets a better response than I do. For example, before my surgery in Mexico I needed to see a cardiologist. I was told by my PCP who to call and they did not have appointments until Oct. My PCP got me in Aug 2.

Good luck

 

[Larra]

If there was no 6 month requirement with the first surgeon, there won't be one with Dr. Srikanth either. Call his office again. Let them know what happened. See if you can get in for a consult soon.
I get that you are suffering NOW and want something done NOW. But remember no matter what operation you have you won't wake up thin and pain free, you will need to lose a bunch of weight first, so having a better and more effective operation a little later isn't going to ruin your immediate future. And you would probably lose more quickly with the DS (not to mention the far better long term results) so you really won't be postponing your benefits at all.

 

[trace]

Gah. That calmed me down. Thanks, @Larra. I think I'm super frustrated at the slow response from Dr. Srikanth's office. I called them this morning and explained how I'm reluctant to leave one office before I've even setup a consultation with their office. But that was before I knew about the insurance approval. Should I call again and let them know that? I'm just talking to reception. I have no idea who actually handles the insurance stuff. ETA: But I was told she wasn't in the office this morning when I called.

 

[Larra]

If it were me, I'd call again, just be super nice, maybe even apologize for calling twice, and see if you can speak with the insurance person to let them know what's going on. I would think they would want to get you in as you are one patient where they won't have to wait for insurance approval to get you scheduled, but that may depend on his schedule. You won't know until you ask.

 

[southernlady]

I'm like @Larra as I would call again. Also once you do get an initial appt, ASK to be put on the cancellation list.

 

[galaxygrrl]

Here is the person who handles the insurance - http://www.centerforweightlosssurgery.com/profiles/our-staff/meghan-patient-coordinator

Google is a wonderful thing.

 

[DianaCox]

My understanding is that you have approval for bariatric surgery, without limitation to a particular procedure? You need to find out what the precertification says.

It should NOT be terribly difficult to change the precertification for the SURGERY to a different (presumably also in-network) surgeon. But I would think that you will need to be accepted as a patient of Srikanth for the DS before you set about changing things.

I would call the insurance company and say this carefully: "Now that I have precertification for bariatric surgery itself, with Dr.X, I would like to get a second opinion from Dr. Srikanth regarding which would be the best bariatric surgery for me - this is a very important decision to make, and there are several standard of care procedures from which to choose. Please let me know what I must do to get this second opinion authorized, and also how to manage the process in the event that I decide I want Dr. Srikanth to do the surgery."

 

[Kate]

You have received excellent advice here re: calling so I will simply add that I have always found Dr. Srikanth's office to be helpful if a bit slow to respond and I see nothing wrong with calling again as Larra suggested.

 

[trace]

Thanks for the responses, everyone. @DianaCox I was approved for VSG. According to the person who called to tell me about the approval, if I wanted to switch to a different procedure, even within their office, she would have to resubmit the case.

I'm trying to find a quiet enough moment to call Dr. Srikanth's office.

 

[hilary1617]

I resorted to using one of the scooters at Target yesterday. Do you know how ashamed I was? I was there with my three children, so they thought it was hilarious, and they are too young to comprehend any social stigma attached to it. So I laughed it off with them, and we had fun with it. But inside, I was cringing. I didn't want to make eye contact with anyone in that store. Other children stared. And yet, it was by far the most pleasurable shopping experience I've had in months, simply because I wasn't wincing in pain with every step I took. It was the first time in recent memory I have arrived at my car without beads of sweat on my brow from the sheer effort of balancing myself in such a way that I minimize the pain..

On the matters of scooters, embrace them. First of all, they are there for a reason. Second, they can be great fun, especially with children in tow. Third, why not give them something to talk about!

Having had a DS, I now readily blend into the crowd. Only, a couple of months ago, I jumped out of a chair too enthusiastically at the airport when my name was called from a standby list - was a bit too eager to get home. Best guess from the symptoms and lack of stability that I injured my patellar tendon - but I'm holding off on MRI in the hopes it heals itself as I have too much going on to face any sort of leg repair. I have been limping profoundly for a few months now as I can't put any weight on my leg with my knee bent without falling over. I love those scooters. Bottom line is they make shopping possible. I'll be your scooter sister. Beep beep!

Congrats on the insurance clearance for VSG. Talk with Diana and Larra and see if DS is possible. I think it's worth the effort and a wait to try if it won't ruin your opportunity for a VSG.

 

[galaxygrrl]

The scooter thing is all in your head. It's not a big deal, your body is a little sick, it needs TLC. Make a game out of it for your kids and the other kids staring was most likely not judgement, but just kids checking it out.