I am going to be self pay, so I didn't have to a referral from my PCP or do the whole insurance 6 month diet thing. Before when I've discussed weight loss with my PCP she just tells me"Oh sweetie if you eat right and exercise, you'll loose weight." DAMN WHY DIDN'T I THINK OF THAT! UGH!!! Anyway! since that's her attitude I havent told her i'm having lap band surgery, but of course when i go in for my annual pap and check up i plan on telling her. Am I being sneaky, should I discuss this with her before i have the surgery, not that anything she can say is gonna change my mind though. i'm just saying!

Jennifer

LOL! Well if you're gonna be self pay and she's not super helpful, I wouldn't tell her until after it's over, but that's just me and not at all sound medical advice.

Do you really like your PCP? If she is just okay, I think I would find another that would really support me. It may make it easier for your success.

I am going to be self pay, so I didn't have to a referral from my PCP or do the whole insurance 6 month diet thing. Before when I've discussed weight loss with my PCP she just tells me"Oh sweetie if you eat right and exercise, you'll loose weight." DAMN WHY DIDN'T I THINK OF THAT! UGH!!! Anyway! since that's her attitude I havent told her i'm having lap band surgery, but of course when i go in for my annual pap and check up i plan on telling her. Am I being sneaky, should I discuss this with her before i have the surgery, not that anything she can say is gonna change my mind though. i'm just saying!

Jennifer

Hey I am in same boat as you. Self pay just got banded yesterday. I did not tell my PCP. I didn't want to have that conversation!

I would have to say that if my PCP didn't support me I'd go find another one. It might be fun to flaunt in front of her in a few months once you've dropped some weight!

Hey I am in same boat as you. Self pay just got banded yesterday. I did not tell my PCP. I didn't want to have that conversation!

Self pay here also and I didn't even tell my family let alone my PCP. I am sure he or staff knows because my surgeon requested my records be sent to him.

My surgery was a breeze (knock on wood).

I know how you feel Jennifer. A several years ago I went to my then PCP, I was so miserable with my weight that I wanted something, ANYTHING to help (i.e., diet pills or whatever). This woman looked me in the face and told me that I needed to push away from the table. Here's the kicker: SHE WAS ABOUT 100-150 LBS OVERWEIGHT!!! As I looked at "Jabba the Hut" sitting there telling ME that I need to push away fromt he table I got so angry I wanted to explode ... but, at the time I was also so miserable, and feeling so bad about myself because of my weight I just hurried out of her office and cried in my car. I NEVER saw her again!

Good luck to you with your surgery. Give some thought to finding a new PCP. I know it's hard to change. My current PCP is a real sweety, but I don't think he is very thorough ... so I am going to find a new doc, even though I don't want to.

~Fran

Thanks everyone for your replies. Hmmm i really like the idea of flaunting in front of her once I drop some real weight! LOL! I dont really have many health challenges, so I basically only see her once a year for my annual PAP. So I guess I really dont care what she says and dont have the time or energy to find a new PCP. Now if she starts pissing me off that's a whole nother story!! Wait is nother a real word? LMAO! Thanks for the replies guys! I love this site!!!!!

You may want to reconsider the self pay - many of the surgeons may still require you go through a certain amount of dieting and several clearances. I thought the 6 months would be horrible but I've really changed a lot during these 6 months and have used it as time to educate myself better on what to expect. My PCP did not agree with my decision but I walked into his office one day with my mind made up and told him I was going to do it whether he agreed or not! He actually referred me that day (then found out I didn't even need a referral, I could've just gone straight to the surgeon!) Oh well...

Another Dr. you can consider for a referral is your gynocologist! The surgeon mentioned that to me because that is the only dr I see regularly and he needed to obtain a weight history from them. So if you trust your gyno, consider discussing with them. Instead of letting them think you want their opinion, go in there and explain to them what you HAVE tried, this is how I got my PCP to jump on board. I had printed off numerous papers with my exercises, dates & times documented. Also different diets I tried and this seemed to be very convincing.

I don't think you're being sneaky! If you don't feel comfortable talking to her about it again, then don't! It's not her choice and dr's don't always know best (Not their fault, many of them are overworked and have way too many patients to remember EVERYONE's issues and history).

I am going to be self pay, so I didn't have to a referral from my PCP or do the whole insurance 6 month diet thing. Before when I've discussed weight loss with my PCP she just tells me"Oh sweetie if you eat right and exercise, you'll loose weight." DAMN WHY DIDN'T I THINK OF THAT! UGH!!! Anyway! since that's her attitude I havent told her i'm having lap band surgery, but of course when i go in for my annual pap and check up i plan on telling her. Am I being sneaky, should I discuss this with her before i have the surgery, not that anything she can say is gonna change my mind though. i'm just saying!

Jennifer

I think it's time to look for a new PCP....... Over the years mine has tried many different ways to help lose weight, and when I brought up the topic of lapband, she referred me to one that was absolutely wonderful.... I don't think I would have known who to choose without her..... Just something to think about 

I am in the same boat...have not told my PCP....I am from a small town and although at one point my PCP prescribed Meridia to me for weight loss. I think that he might find what I am doing a little extreme. I have about 75lbs to lose and I have been unsuccessful on my own. Yo-Yo should be my middle name. Have any of you gotten your PCP to do your fills for you. I live about a 4hour plane ride from the clinic where I am getting the procedure done and I am self pay.

yeah, i was self pay too and only 50lbs overweight. i called my pcp right before my surgery to discuss and hear his opinion. he and i have a really good relationship and i trust him but i wasn't going to necessarily let him change my mind. but i wanted to hear his opinion. of course, he said i shouldn't do it and that he has another patient who had complications and is now on dialysis because of it. i went ahead and did it and then saw him afterwards and he was fine and not judgmental. he said he supported my decision to do what's right for me.