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Surgeon Says No To Surgery.



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I am so very disappointed. Today, my surgeon decided not to do the surgery. I have insurance approval, my family doc and my psychiatrists approval... I even had a surgery date.

But I am bipolar and take a handful of psychiatric meds every day. I have switched meds frequently because of side effects. The surgeon is not comfortable performing the surgery as I haven't been on the same consistent meds for over a year. A year would show that the meds are working, and that I am stable.

But the thing is, I *am* stable. My moods are VERY stable. I still fight depression and anxiety some - but they do not hold me back from living life. I am totally compliant with my medications and my doctor's appointments - and I have a long, documented history of this. I have NEVER been on the same meds for over a year, and I doubt I ever will be.

But she is worried that I am not stable enough to handle the hormonal changes after surgery.

My heart is broken. This blow might affect me more than the surgery itself might have.

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Is there another surgeon you can talk to at a different location? Maybe find someone who has expierences with this situation? Don't give up. Worst case, call insurance and ask about out of network doctors.

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There is a very real period of depression that happens for many of us after surgery. Your surgeon is acting with an abundance of caution, but is also probably truly concerned for your health and is being true to the spirit of the oath she took when she began practicing medicine.

You may want to talk to your psychiatrist again. I know of someone who was on anxiety/depression meds and even with those had a horrible experience with severe depression a few weeks after surgery. It may be different for different people.

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I agree, don't give up. Search around for another surgeon and get a second opinion. Or maybe get your doctor who you work with for your bipolor medications to talk to your surgeon about your situation.

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I do understand why your surgeon decided to not do the surgery. My surgeon's took me off my medications a few weeks before the surgery and for quite a while after the surgery. And after surgery there is hormonal reactions that can trigger some severe episodes that will cause havoc for you. wishing you the best. :(

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Update: I talked with the surgeon again, and she agreed to look into it more.

Well after many, many hoops to jump through, multiple appointments with my psychiatrist and THEIRS, and personality testing... both psychiatrists are saying that they recommend me for surgery and I am stable.

The surgeons office will receive the other docs' reports by the end of the week... so the surgeon will make the final decision then. I hope my insurance approval is still valid and didn't expire.

Cross your fingers for me please!!

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i suffer from depression and anxiety and was honest with my surgeon about this, i am a little worried about becoming depressed also after surgery.. but i figure it can't be any worse than hating my self into depression to begin with. I am keeping close wraps on my phychiatrist and therefore if i have problems we will address them at that time. I hope everything works out for you. Pray about it, if it is good for you and God's will then it will come to pass!

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    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. summerseeker

        Life as a big person had limited my life to what I knew I could manage to do each day. That was eat. I hadn't anything else to look forward to. So my eating choices were the best I could dream up. I planned the cooking in managable lots in my head and filled my day with and around it.

        Now I have a whole new big, bigger, biggest, best days ever. I am out there with those skinny people doing stuff i could never have dreamt of. Food is now an after thought. It doesn't consume my day. I still enjoy the good home cooked food but I eat smaller portions. I leave food on my plate when I am full. I can no longer hear my mother's voice saying eat it all up, ther are starving children in Africa who would want that!

        I still cook for family feasts, I love cooking. I still do holidays but I have changed from the All inclusive drinking and eating everything everyday kind to Self catering accommodation. This gives me the choice of cooking or eating out as I choose. I rarely drink anymore as I usually travel alone now and I feel I need to keep aware of my surroundings.

        I don't know at what point my life expanded, was it when I lost 100 pounds? Was it when I left my walking stick at home ? Was it when I said yes to an outing instead of finding an excuse to stay home ? i look back at my last five years and wonder how loosing weight has made such a difference. Be ready to amaze yourself.

        BTW, the liquid diet sucks, one more day and you are over the worst. You can do it.

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    • KimBaxleyWilson

      Three months and four days ago... I was in Costa Rica having a life changing surgery! Yesterday we had a followup visit with Dr. Esmeral via video chat and this morning my middle number changed.  I'm down 47lbs and two pants sizes. I can wear a Large tshirt for the first time in like... 14 years! Woot!! Everything is going great. I have zero regrets. I went down to the riverwalk with a friend and walked 2 miles on Monday without even getting fatigued. And no more snoring or chugging pickle juice for crazy leg cramps! I need to go to the gym more... I'm making new shirts next week so that will motivate me. LOL But I'm also just not as TIRED all the time! I have a LONG way to go...but seeing the progress on the scales and in the mirror is a huge motivator!! Thank you all for cheering me on and supporting me!!
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