GP Refferal Nightmare

There is no reason a Dr. can refuse a referral, and you can take this further if you wanted, and complain to the division of GP's and state GP's association and even the AMA if you wanted to. Although it wont help much. I got a referral from my gp to see my Dr. re. a lapband, and made my mind up to have the sleeve between seeing the nurse, and the Dr (about 20 min in between appt's). I had been to the info evening, and they covered the band, but also touched on the sleeve a little then. As long as you have a referral for being overweight/obese it doesn't matter what op you end up choosing. The referral is still valid. Hope the new GP helps you out, or you could go to a medical centre and get one but as you said its nice to have a supportive GP. Good luck

Thanks Rice Cakes :)

I know and its such a horrible thing to have my bloody gets flooded with insulin (so to speak) which makes
me really tired all the time.

My Kate Morgan meal replacements so be here today whoo hoo. So ill be able to atleast try kick start off some weight
loss before summer.

it''s not the GP''s decsion. I really dont understand why this happens, i remember someone else on the forum had this problem. It is the surgeon who decides if you are suitable for the surgery. The whole referral thing is because if you dont have it then you wont get the medicare rebate.

Anyway, another trick is to see who your doctor sends you to, then say you want the sleeve and if that surgeon doesn''t do them, you just ask him to refer you on to a coleague who does.

But i do hope the new doctor you are seeing will help sort it out. You are very young and already have the hyperinsulinemia so I think you are right in saying you need it.

Big problem in US right now is with Gov wanting to change everything about our health care. I called my doctor (the one that did my sleeve) when I decided I was interested in surgery. A few days later I went to a class, saw the doctor, had my labs done and came up with a surgery date. I would say from the time I made the first phone call and the day I had surgery could not have been more than a few weeks. I think it could have been sooner but I was gona be on a cruise and she really wanted to wait till I got back rather than have the surgery and me go on the cruise a week or so later. I was cash pay so I do understand that makes a difference. My health insurance does not cover any obesity surgery. But those that have obesity coverage with their insurance do not have to wait too long. Now those with government insurance have to jump through many hoops to get surgery....Lots of insurances here do not cover the sleeve anyway. With all the sleeves success that may change. It is my hope that here we can keep our insurance and not be forced into the public option if the government passes it. Competition is good thing. Just the other day one private insurance company denied coverage to an 18 month little boy because they considered him overweight. The same company denied a 5 year old coverage because she was too thin (she was in the 3% of 5 year olds). Many people heard about this and changed private insurance companies. Hopefully this company will dry up and blow away. If we had government insurance we would not be able to voice our concerns without going to DC and begging someone to listen... One other thing, if you have what the government is suggesting.......You cannot pay cash if you have the government run health care. If you do the doctor will not be able to take government patients for a year and patient may not use his government healthcare for at least a year. Somebody really wants to change the way we do business in the USA...

Well if this doctor ends up saying no to the sleeve i may ask her to just give me a referal for a lapband and then when i get to the surgeon i'll ask him for the sleeve :P lol sneaky sneaky

i will know by Tuesday or Wednesday next week and i have already made an appointment with Dr France for early next month (with hoping i would have my referal by now lol) because he was really hard to get into to see. I spoke to his receptionist the other day and she said if it ends up going ahead i may be able to get into a spot for early January :)

What a great new years resolution

My referal was for a lapband, then the doc told me about the sleeve.

Just a thought.....ask the surgeons rooms if they can give u the names of docotrs in ur area who refer to them?? Mine told me they could do that if mine didn't give me one!
Good luck. :)
Linda

Wow. I also thought if you went to your GP for a referal they couldn't refuse.

Hopefully this new doctor will help you.

Hi Bella,
where in SA do you live, I have an excellent GP if you are anywhere near here.
I am at Ethelton which is sort of Semaphore way.

Cheers Gail

I was really lucky with my doctor, infact because i have moved since my initial referal, my new doctor has been just as supportive which is good. Im sorry you have had a hard time. i thought that if you asked for a referal (for anything, not just weight loss) then the doctor cant really refuse?? I dont know but i just thought that was the case??

I agree with Tamara. When I saw my GP for a referral I just told him that I wanted to explore the possibilities and that I needed a referral to do so. When I actually saw Alan Thomas tho he gave me both options and I chose the sleeve.

Im so sorry you are having such a hard time getting a referral.

Is there a surgeon who does both the band and the sleeve? I know that I actually only had a referral to see a surgeon about weight loss surgery not in particular the sleeve, maybe you could be sneaky and just get the gp to write out the referral for you (for the band), and then once you see the surgeon it's up to him (or her) what procedure they do on you.
I understand that you want the support of your gp, it might be worth a thought if the new doctor wont give you the referral?

I also understand about wanting to do something while you are still young - as you know Im only 25, and I am so very grateful that I was able to have the surgery now, and get the most of out my life now, instead of waiting (and wasting) the next 10, 20 or 30 years.

Good luck with the new doctor, I hope that she does go ahead and give you the referral.

xx
Tamara

I really should have proof read that before i sent it. The spelling and gramma was SHOCKING


And thanks kyles, i really cant wait. Ive started today doing kate morgan to get rid of some excess weight until i am able to
have the surgery. It actually tastes really nice which is a bonus!

I have lost around 5kgs now since i first joined this site Whoo hoo :D

Good luck with it all honey :)

I know there are many of us on here that wish we had done it sooner, so totally understand how you feel!!!

I've seen two local GP's in my town will no one will give me a refferal to see the surgeon for the Sleeve :(

I think it is all lack of knowledge about it on their behalf and the fact that i am only 21years old and there concerned. And they keep trying to convince me to have lap band instead as it is reverseable. I flat out said no i didnt want it. My new doctor
is lovely and she said that once my blood results come back next week she will decide then if she will give me a refferal.
Fingers crossed. I have bad hyperinsuliema since i was about 13 so i really think she is going to try everything to help me.

I can go to a bit more of a dodgey doctor who i know will give it to me as i wanted the support of a good GP
here so that when after i have it i know i am in good hands.

If i can get this now while im young i know i will be able to enjoy the rest of my 20's :) and finally be
ride of this hyperinsuliemia Fingers Crossed :) x x