doctor trouble

loretta cowels
on 10/4/11 10:40 pm - MI
RNY on 04/16/12
I need some advice. Ok so i picked a doctor he seems like a good doctor and hes not that far away. But now i feel he misled me am i being emotional or is this how things allways work. Ok so i wentto my first appt with him it was good he told me to make appts. to see my diatician , the evaluation get an upper gi. and then sleep apnea test. ok all these appts. are set for october. then in nov, clerence from my doc. Ok good i thought then when trying to get back ahold of doctor to shedule a presurgery date no luck two weeks nurses wont return calls or email. Finnally after getting though by email i get a etter saying i have to do three months of weight loss with my primary doctor. Not that i mind this just i could of started this three months ago and been done. i see that he is really busy and also have seen that he does this to by him time because hes so busy but i feel i was purposly not giving all info. i would of rather been told ok this is what you need to do but you still may have a while wait. my ? is should i go to a diffrent doctor even though ill have to drive a couple hours away.
Hislady
on 10/5/11 9:09 am - Vancouver, WA
I don't know that I would change just because of this, he may have thought you already knew this because many ins. companies require a medically supervised diet. Yes it's a pain to find out now instead of sooner but actually you are lucky because most require a 6 mo. supervised diet. Have you already checked with your insurance to see what they will require to cover surgery? You need to know their requirements as well as his. Of course if this continues to be the way his office works you may want to look for another doc but I wouldn't jump into it right away. Good luck!
loretta cowels
on 10/5/11 10:33 am - MI
RNY on 04/16/12
i would of thought that this was a hund sight thing if he didnt give me a list and say this is what you need to do. and when i went on a message board other people have had the same problem. well now i find out medacare dont require anything but my other insurence requires 6 months. so i either need none or six months. The other thing is i need to have a endoscope because my stomachs tied well this doctor wants some one else to go in an do the enoscope theother doctor will do the endoscope him self this makes more since since he will be the one going in to untie my stomach shouldnt he be the one to look in there. I dont know just feel so lost right now scared of the whole thought of it all scared of dieing my baby needs me. I just need to talk with you ladys who have had this and how you got through.
Hislady
on 10/6/11 9:10 am - Vancouver, WA
Can I ask what you mean by your stomach is tied? Have you had another procedure of some kind? If so you may need to find an exceptionally good surgeon who deals with that sort of thing. I know when people revise from a RNY surgery to a DS surgery that there are only a handful of surgeons qualified to do that surgery as it is much more difficult to do. Hope that isn't the case, cause it could put a real wrinkle in the whole process.
loretta cowels
on 10/7/11 12:32 am - MI
RNY on 04/16/12
ive has nission fudmulacation. What that is is my stomach is tied around my esophugus. This was for acid reflux but to do the bypass witch is the only one i can have done they have to first untie my stomach. They do this at the same time as surgery.
(deactivated member)
on 11/1/11 6:32 am

I had a DS paid for by Medicare.  It's wise to do the 6 months anyway, because that way, you are covered on all sides.

It's true, the DS does not cure GERD (acid reflux) but I have no problem with having to take a proton pump inhibitor for the rest of my life.  I also had Barrett's esophagus from the acid reflux pre-op, but I wanted the long term success of the DS. Nexiuum for a year cleared up the Barrett's.

Medicare only covers two bariatric surgries, RNY gastric bypass and the DS.  I had co morbidties and a BMI >50, so approval was a piece of cake.  The waiting was the worst! 
I was required to do six months of support group and  a pre-op class prior to surgery. If you have Medicaid (low income based), they will pick up what Medicare doesn't pay for your surgery.

My weight gain, helped along by long term prednisone, was making my disbilities worse (lupus and fibromyalgia) so my surgery was already medically necessary.

Look into the DS.  It is highly malabsorptive, so there is a stringent routine, but with the DS, if PPI's haven't worked for you before, they probably will after the DS.   You will have less gastric tissue, producng less acid, because 3/4 of your stomach is removed.  with the RNY, after about 2 or 3 years, you will lose most of your malbsorption, and you may gain your weight back. 

Malabsorption and restriction are forever with the DS, and it's a really hard surgery to mess up by gaining weight.
Hislady
on 10/7/11 12:55 pm - Vancouver, WA
Thankyou for sharing,that would make a difference!
loretta cowels
on 11/6/11 8:01 am - MI
RNY on 04/16/12
i dont know much about the ds what do they do for that one my doctor does not do that one only ryn thats covered by my medacare i have medacare and bluecross blueshield
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