Okay I went to my family dr today because Ive had a sinus infection for 2 weeks and I told my dr that I was having lapband surgery coming up in April and I was scared and excited hoping for some words of wisdom and he said you know the lapband isnt very effective.It struck a nerve with me I told him I had researched and done my homework on this surgery!!I guess I wont be getting his support:angry

*laughs* We can look around this LBT alone and see that the good Dr hasn't done his research. Many Dr's don't even know what the lap band is yet. If you like your Dr for all other care, perhaps you could help inform him of some places to find out more about the band so he can help other patients of his who may someday be banded. If you don't like him anyway, move on. You're going to need someone who supports your entire well being.

It's unfortunate that some doctors are not well informed and feel they should share such misinformation as being accurate. People tend to trust what a doctor states as being gospel... You may want to ask him where he gets his information and statistics and why he has formed such an opinion?

I was very lucky... my primary care physician was very well informed on most of bariatric procedures and was extremely supportive.

My PCP and my Cardiologist at the time both told me to not get the surgery and they would NOT recommend it. Well when I went to my PCP for a follow up about three months post banding he wanted to know all the details about the band. He was fascinated. So I ended up giving him a tutorial on it. He said he was wrong about the band and could see the merits of such a surgery.

SOmetimes they just don't have the correct data to understand how it will actually work.

Or they have their heads so far up their egos that they think THEY know what is best for YOU.

When I told my PCP I wanted it she was SO supportive, and told me she has seven other patients who are banded. I had no idea! I said something to her about how it seems like a lot of doctors don't believe the band works, are simply don't know what it is. Her response, verbatim, was, "That's because they dont read their literature."

Ah yes, another case of 'doctors are just people' I was SO scared to ask my doctor for a referral to my lap band surgeon. In Canada, that is how we have to do it, even though we are self pay. Anyway, she referred me so easily, I could have kissed her I was so relieved. I though she would really give me the gears, but I guess the fact that she herself is obese and has an especially beautiful daughter who is obese, was in my favour. lol!

But ah yes, many will react like your doctor did. Don't let him get to you, HE DOESN'T KNOW EVERYTHING.......hugs and good luck with your upcoming surgery.

Paulax, so in Canada you have to wait, like, six months for your surgery? Or is there just that long of a line? Are you worried that they might meet their "quota" before they get to you and stop doing that procedure for the year?

I didn't tell my primary care doctor until after I had it done. He has been very pleased with my results. Hubby had it done in January and is getting his first (long overdue) fill Thursday.

Don't let him discourage you, you have to do what is RIGHT FOR YOU.

dsrjrr,

I'm so sorry that your MD seems so ill-informed. I agree that you have a choice here, either find a new PCP who supports you and your health care decisions or become his teacher. It's your body and you're the one who's going to have to live with your decisions and after care.

I was lucky, my PCP was very supportive of my decision. She came across as glad that I was taking control of my obesity. She did not claim to be an expert at WLS nor did she try to persuade me to choose one surgery over another. We discussed lap band together and why I chose it over any other surgery. She wrote a letter of recommendation for me to help with insurance approval. She was great about it.

Good Luck,

Here is your opportunity to prove him wrong!!

Good luck........

Print off the thread Before and After photos and send it to him. Ha!!!

Megan

Paulax, so in Canada you have to wait, like, six months for your surgery? Or is there just that long of a line? Are you worried that they might meet their "quota" before they get to you and stop doing that procedure for the year?

So far, in Canada, we need to get a referral from our GP, have some upper GI, Barium and sleep apnea tests. From there we get a consult with the surgeon where he books a tentative date, mine is July 14.

This is the ONLY surgeon in British Columbia that has been trained in this surgery so far. Otherwise I'd have to travel to Ontario. My surgeon, Dr. Leung is vascular and something else surgeon. He is booked. I don't believe he has any quotas. But he is booking upwards of 6 months in advance. Cost about 15, grand.

At least this gives me some time to REALLY thing this through and be prepared.

When i told my PCP about it he said well if you are going to do that what is going to stop you from going to get the remote control to it and make the opening bigger so you can eat what you like. I just died laughing right in front of him and then i had to instruct him on the product, he said well still you know what i mean and i said actually i don't. its not like i bring the surgeon home with me and tell him what to do and when to do it. I haven't gone back to my PCP since.

I have a wonderful young and I might add beautiful female dr. as my primary physician. She, herself, had been researching the surgery and suggested it to me. She said she would not in any way give the OK for RNY but she thought this might be something for me to look into. The only problem we both knew was getting my cardiologist to agree....Wow, the guy had also done his homework and was all for it. It turns out he was in the building with one of the doctors that does the lapbanding and they were friends. I got the go ahead. The road got harder from there as the dr. here did'nt take Medicare. Not to be deterred, I mentioned it to my daughter who called around her hometown and lo and behold there was a dr. that had done over 1000 lap bands....and so I see him on Apr. 13 and hopefully after seeing the dietitician and perhaps 2 weeks later will have the surgery. I had the complete support of both of my doctors, so it's nice to know the medical world is keeping up. They are probably both tired of my glum and depressed face over the weight gain since I stopped smoking. My mom had two sayings "Where there is a will there is a way" and "God helps those who help themselves". I've found both to be true. Sometimes we have to fight for what we want and find an alternative route. I'm staying with my daughter for mo. throughout my fills and untill I feel ready to come home, and looking forward to it.

Becca, you have to understand.....Your PCP is going to be out a lot of money when you quit going in for all those weight related problems... (excuse my french, but) WHAT AN ASS!