Hi Everyone,

I had my appointment with the surgeon again today. Before that, I had the nurse practitioner and radiologist look at my band, do the flouro and barium swallow and both came to the same conclusion. My pouch looks a little better, but not a lot better considering my liquid diet. They sent me upstairs to my new surgeon and he looked at the photos and felt that the situation would not improve. He started talking about concentric slippage and also prolapse. Started talking about the options:

He was willing to wait one more month, but he didnt think the result would change. Since my insurance with Humana will run out at the beginning of November (my hubby was laid off by Motorola after 8 years) I will have to move quickly if I want my insurance to pay.

When the doc suggested I go on liquids only again for another month, I told him that I didnt think I would make it another full month without some kind of appetite suppressant. IT was at this time that he voiced his opinion on the matter and said that he knew about my inquiry to his office earlier about this topic and did not support my decision to use a suppressant to get through another month of liquids. He had planned to tell me that he was going to "fire me", but that he felt he would give me another chance. I asked him what he meant by that. I did not feel that it was an unreasonable request to ask for this and that other bariatric practices offer this support. At this stage, he suggested I go somewhere else if I did not agree with his policy. I didnt say anything else, but I was totally floored. He is obviously not the right surgeon for me and I am in the process of finding another. The big problem is that most surgeons dont want to touch another surgeons patient. I felt that was part of the problem. Many of them are in a position to turn away patients since they have a long line of cash pay patients. At least thats the way I feel today.

I called my insurance company to see who was in my plan. THere are actually quite a few, but when I called a couple, they did not want to take on a patient of another local doctor. Two already said no over the phone. I did contact my original surgeon's office and they think I can get an exception from my insurance company to operate again, however, I dont think that the hospital he now operates under is in network. I will explore all my options and then see what to do.

I am crying a lot. I know I shouldnt, but after today, I really feel like a loser.

(I did lose more than 8 pounds on the liquid diet last month.....) but thats not what I mean....

Babs in TX

334/180 ish

Babs, two weeks of liquids after surgery was enough for me. I would hate to have to go through not one, but two months of liquids, IMO, you have every right to cry.

Good luck with finding a new doctor.

Hi Babs, I'm sorry you're facing this. I noticed you are in Texas. I'm not suggesting that you go to Mexico for surgery, but have you thought of getting an opinion from one of the very experienced surgeons there like Dr. Rumbaut? If I was in your situation, I might do that. (I was banded in the US, and feel I have the best band surgeon in my large metropolitan area. I trust him, but know that he just hasn't has as much experience as the better Mexican docs).

Your posts have reminded me to treat my band more carefully. I had my last fill removed and am limiting my portion size to 1/2 to 1 cup whether I feel I can eat more or not. I want to keep my miracle band happy and safe.

I'll be thinking of you and hope you get a resolution quickly.

Lucky

1/31/05

274/154/145 5'8"

Babs...

I'm truly sorry to hear about this latest turn of events. Nothing like smacking us when we're already down, huh?

I worry all the time about the various complications: slippage, esophagus dilation, etc. Does the dilation cause more problems, or can you just choose to live with it?

HI Everyone,

Thanks for the support. I found someone in Dallas who can help me and I am working on this right now. I may not need another surgery. As confirmed by another surgeon who looked at my photos, an EGD would give more information since I am asymptomatic for a slippage. I am going to explore this option first and then consider surgery.

The really bad news is that I finally saw my true weight. I gained significantly more than I thought and I am sticking to liquids for two meals a day (since myband is empty anyway) and eating one meal only. I need to drop some pounds.

I keep you all updated.

Babs in TX

Since your doc is practically dumping you would he be willing to set you up with another doc and/or give the o.k. to another doc to take you on - maybe a referral to someone you would like to see? Sorry you have to go through this. I also ordered phentermine over the internet many times, you have to find a site that offers doctor approval or you have to fax a rx - it may take some searching but their are many many of those. good luck,

Interesting.

All you did was ask for an appetite suppressant and he wanted to "fire you" as a patient?

I work in a different speciality and we have very specific rules on medication and have the patient fill out a contract saying they have to be seen to get medication (we work with a lot of pain control issues) but we have never fired a pt simply for asking about a medication, the answer may still be no, but it's not something we would threaten them over.

Best of luck to you.

Hi carrie,

ITs strange you mention this. The guy did fire me and leave the room solely based on EGO, although 3 weeks ago when I called and asked, his nurse called me back and told me that although he doesnt do it and he said go to my PCP. Which I did. I was NEVER told not to take them or to go and get them, he simply said that he would not provide me with a prescription.

The conversation about the diet pills only came up when he suggested that I go on liquids for another month, (although he didnt think it would improve the situation regarding my need for another surgery) and I told him I didnt think I could do it for that long without some kind of intervention. He then got irate with me and said that when he heard that I asked for them, he almost fired me then (whatever that means). THats when I asked him what he meant and let him know that before I made the call to my PCP, I had checked with some other docs online and other banded professionals whether my request was unreasonable to ask my surgeon for an appetite suppressant. I mentioned the names of several practices that offer this option to their patients when they are on extended periods of time only on liquids. This is when he went off on a tangent, got up and left the office and said he thought that I would be trouble and he did not want to take care of me. I was given my file back by the nurse who looked totally floored. I did not agree to this, nor was this a consensual decision since he is closest to me, takes my insurance and has done some rebanding.

I am a firm believer that everything happens for a reason. BUt I am upset that I did not have time to find someone else since its clear I will probably need another surgery. I guess I didn't know doctors could do this.

Babs in TX

Who employs who here? He's 'firing' you? Boy.. he must be REALLY important..

Hi Leatha,

I spent a lot of time going over the conversation in my head, trying to figure out what I did wrong, how I might have offended him and the ONLY conclusion I can draw is that he didnt like the fact that I could cite the names and locations of others that were professionals in the field that supported my case . I was not going against his wishes, since he was the one who told me to get the suppressants from my PCP. If he didnt want me to do that, he should have said so when I first called about it.

He DID fire me. TO be honest, I dont know if that is even legal..... I may have my file, but I wasted several visits which he is being paid for, two flouros which result in an empty band and time which I dont have now to go out and find someone else who will care for me. And worse yet, I may have something going on in there causing more damage and its gonna take some time before I can get answers. Of course now that he made the choice to fire me and he hasnt given me a choice in the matter, I no longer want to see him anymore. I know I am better off without him, but it doesnt make me feel any better.

Babs in TX

Wow, Babs, what a pain to have a bad doctor when you're facing a situation that needs addressing now! It kills me to hear about doctors "firing" their patients, and it often seems to be the most informed, smartest patients to whom this happens. Your attitude is stellar, though, and you're really lucky to have a variety of doctors available to you.

Stay strong, you'll get through this and come out better than ever!!

Wow, I guess I have never heard of a Doctor firing a patient. Something just don't seem right in that statement!

I am like you, I believe everything happens for a reason, and you will probably be much better off going with someone you can trust. Good luck, and keep us posted.

Doctors can "fire" pts- however in Texas he has to give you 2wks-1month notice in which to find another AND be available for emergencies or band related problems.

Discharging patients is something that is fairly common. Most do it for unpaid bills, failure to be compliant, no shows for appointments, drug seeking behavior- narcotics, high medical-legal risk type pts which goes back to compliance.

It may be better he terminated the medical relationship- you do not want his medical judgement clouded by personal feelings- which has obviously occurred!!

Find someone else and be glad you know this now. Once trust is betrayed on either side it is no longer a good medical relationship.

I agree w/ Gonnabethin.....we have 30days we provide care by law in FL until they find someone else. It's better that you find someone else that is not "emotional" as this doctor seems to be. I"ve never been personally dismissed....but I have chosen not to go back to doctors and dismissed them!

Praying you find someone you have confidence in!!!

God Bless,

Melody

Banded 3/20/06 -85lbs

Hi Gonna be thin,

He did not give me notification. He does not have reason to terminate. I am not high risk, I did not violate any known protocol, since I called first and asked and he referred me to my PCP regarding the appetite suppressant. I showed up on time, I have paid for my visits. He did not give me notification and I am sitting here with my file on my desk trying to figure out how to go about finding someone else. The problem here is that I don't want to see too many providers. They do need the flouros I had done to do a determination. They all want to see my history which will now include my original banding surgeon of 3 years, the new surgeon and the fill records. Too much history and jumping around will just look suspicious even though this was not my choosing. My first surgeon is no longer in my insurance network. Getting an exception to continue to see him is a pain in the butt. THere also is no guarantee that the problem did not occur with my band because the placement was less than ideal, although it is highly likely that since I lost so much weight so quickly, that the band slipped and is not very effective anymore and just needs to be fixed. I am not blaming anyone, but I do need a reliable opinion about what I should do.

Babs in TX

Way too often patients are intimidated by doctors, especially with older people, with the exception of me, LOL. My point being, you are the one paying, and he/she should be fired.

My old saying, I was looking when I found ya, I can find someone else!

Be your own person, stand up for yourself, no one else will. Good luck!