I keep going back and forth about whether to tell my pcp about my upcoming sleeve surgery or not. I'm low BMI (31) and have no comorbids so I feel she will find it unnecessary. I'm having the procedure in Mexico and would like for someone here to be aware.... just in case of emergency, but I don't know. Theres not much follow up with the sleeve and I'm otherwise healthy. any words of wisdome on this issue

Thanks

Stacey

I would tell them. You don't have to tell them that you are going to Mexico. But, you'll want a medical professional to help with the aftercare labs, and to be at least informed in the event you do need them.

My PCP knew nothing about VSG. Well, least to say now, he is pretty well-versed, and I feel confident with him pulling my labs in between visits to my surgeon. I also had low blood pressure that is related to my weight loss so I had to go to him for those diagnostics.

It is a huge alteration to your body, even if all goes well. If you don't feel comfortable sharing with your pcp maybe shop around for a physician you are comfortable with. I was nervous too and pleasantly surprised when my doctor said I am certainly not her first patient to get the surgery out of the country.

I am a registered nurse and would strongly encourage you to tell your PCP about your sleeve. It is important for any health care provider to have accurate medical information including any surgical procedures you may have had done. This helps determine what care you may need (and could prevent damage to your sleeve). More and more information is being stored in an electronic medical record that can be shared with a PCP clinic and a hospital(s). It could be important to have this information in your record if you are brought to the hospital in an emergency and can't speak for yourself.

I too have a lower BMI. I told my PCP that I was going to have lap band and she didn't blink an eye (skinny little thing that she is). I then changed my mind and had the sleeve and will be telling her at my next visit - and providing her with the op report that your surgeon should provide you before you leave Mexico. Good luck.

thanks for the input guys. I have an appt thursday. I guess I'll tell her. It might not hurt to get a little liquid prozac either.

Stacey

thanks for the input guys. I have an appt thursday. I guess I'll tell her. It might not hurt to get a little liquid prozac either.

Stacey

My primary was a new doctor to me as we changed insurance last fall. I was very afraid to tell her - and then by the time I decided to tell her, she was out of town until after I got back.

I wrote her a letter and then had a followup with her when I got back. I was very surprised to hear the office staff telling me about other patients who have gone out of the country for a variety of surgeries. She has been very supportive and even printed my weight chart as a souvenier showing how much weight I had lost! :001_smile:

She was not familiar with VSG so I was glad I had given her printouts, etc. She was totally thinking bypass, malnutrition, etc.

any suggestions about what info I should bring. Specific links that are informative or summaries of procedure?

thanks

stacey

I'm afraid to tell mine too. I know if my insurance company finds out, they will do whatever they have to do to blame WLS on anything and not cover it.

anything that gives a good overview of the surgery and a picture of what they actually do. maybe something like this: Gastric Sleeve Surgery

a post-op diet guideline like: http://www.cornellweightlosssurgery.org/pdf/dietary_guidelines_sleeve_gastrectomy.pdf

I am sure there are lots to choose from online. I would find something simple tho; your dr probably won't have a ton of time to read a book : )

yea oregon daisy... I worry about that too. I dont know the answer there. Insurance companies will do just about anything not to pay.

PNW... thanks for the info. I'll print out for doc.

stacey

I can see this from both sides, but what would be the problem with waiting until you return from Mexico to tell the PCP about the surgery and providing them with the surgeon's reports? Then, if they're not supportive, you can start looking for a new doctor. If the thought of the stress you might suffer from dealing with negative, unsupportive comments from the doc is bothering you, why put yourself through that?

Now, the issue of not telling AT ALL after surgery...that seems really risky, but I can see OreganDaisy's point about that also. I hate that some of us even have to be put in that position because of these BS insurance companies.

Good point about the negatibity. I certainly don't need any of that right now.

It wouldn't be the end of the world if my pcp dropped me. I'm mostly worried about my insurance (kaiser) looking for reasons not to cover stuff.

stacey

Re to "tell or not to tell your PCP" I got back from having surgery in Mexico on a Saturday and by Tuesday I made appiointments with my gastroenterologist and PCP - I took a copy of the Op Report to them, plus the X-Ray of the new stomach. The gastroenterologist was very "high brow" about it - he said to me: "I hope you realize that if you have any complications no one in this country will want to touch you." The PCP basically was not familiar with the VSG - so I took informatin for her so that she could understad what was done. She has ordered my 3 month labs and 3 month Stomach imagining. Personally I think some physicians in this country think that the U.S. has a corner on all surgeries and medical issues and that no other country can touch us in quality - I happen to disagree - which is a very surprising thing for me to say because until I went to Mexico for this procedure I would have never thought so. Let me put it this way: the physician who was going to do the VSG on me in this country had done 36 of them - and the surgeon in Mexico has done 850+ - "practice makes perfect" and this is what I explained to my physicians here - I went to Mexico not because of the money but because of the expertise.

Re to "tell or not to tell your PCP" I got back from having surgery in Mexico on a Saturday and by Tuesday I made appiointments with my gastroenterologist and PCP - I took a copy of the Op Report to them, plus the X-Ray of the new stomach. The gastroenterologist was very "high brow" about it - he said to me: "I hope you realize that if you have any complications no one in this country will want to touch you." The PCP basically was not familiar with the VSG - so I took informatin for her so that she could understad what was done. She has ordered my 3 month labs and 3 month Stomach imagining. Personally I think some physicians in this country think that the U.S. has a corner on all surgeries and medical issues and that no other country can touch us in quality - I happen to disagree - which is a very surprising thing for me to say because until I went to Mexico for this procedure I would have never thought so. Let me put it this way: the physician who was going to do the VSG on me in this country had done 36 of them - and the surgeon in Mexico has done 850+ - "practice makes perfect" and this is what I explained to my physicians here - I went to Mexico not because of the money but because of the expertise.

It's sad that a doctor would even say or think something like this. It's not like you went to Mexico to have a new set of butt cheeks put in - something totally elective and pretty unnecessary. You went for a procedure that will improve your health and increase your life expectancy.

Why would someone want to turn you down for treatment just because you had a procedure out of the county? There are plenty of incompetent doctors right here in the good ole US of A and I don't hear anybody refusing to treat the patients they've messed up.

And besides, even if you did get some new butt cheeks in Mexico and needed follow up care, why should that matter? Doctors take an oath to treat people in need and if they don't want to do it they need to find a new profession instead of passing judgement. :cursing: (End of rant!)

It is something isn't it. I think a lot of it comes from a belief in stereotypes and myths. Too bad, you would think an MD would be more educated.

stacey