Hiya y'all …blowing off steam... so i have just started the process…i got all my referrals and made all my appts…the only thing left was my primary care doc….*sighs* i showed up as a walk in and boy i was early…way early…in walks the charming doc..i told her why i was there and got an ear full…"why didn't you do it and MY hospital"…i have to fill out these forms?..am not doing their job…(surgeon)..u know we are all digital…all these forms…. normally I'm pretty hot tempered but this is real important…in a milli sec…i would be sending emails to her supervisors... but i was looking at the big picture…why tell her what i really think about her…. at this moment when i needed her…so i took the high road... doc i said maybe i worded it incorrectly…i would like u to assist me since U are my primary care doc…for the last three years…and since this sleeve would hopefully reverse my diabetes i would be grateful for you're assistance…. my intend is not to make you feel like my surgeon is stepping on you're toes or a bossy boot to you….crickets…..finally she said heres what we do at MY hospital and started another lecture…i sat there counting to 100…and finally before i hit the magic number and security removing me she relented….

Hmmm totally unprofessional on her part. I think I would be looking for a new Primary Care Physician after all this. Good luck on your surgery.

For sure i will..am just waiting until the three months are up and its see ya!!!

I completely agree with 1Day -- def look for a new PCP. Perhaps your WLS surgeon can refer you to a good one! lol

Good for you for keeping your cool and getting what you needed. Shame on her for acting that way, but kudos to you for rising above.

My surgery is April 11th.... I was so afraid to speak to my PCP that I didn't go see her until last Friday, March 21st....

I've seen her for five years so I feel I know how she would react...no! To my surprise she was somewhat supportive. She did not however like the idea of me going to Mexico for surgery....even suggested I gain more weight for insurance to pay so I could stay in the US for the surgery.

Either way she did agree to see me after surgery for a follow-up, so that was productive.

She did make it extremely clear that she would not be able to preform any "repair" surgery - I did let her know that I'm pretty clear on the difference of a PCP and a surgeon.

I have been very lucky with my entire PCP office. Everybody from the receptionist, nurses, PA and Doc have been extremely supportive. I just got an email from my PCP. The email was in response to my bloodwork I had drawn the other day to check my thyroid again (my meds had to be decreased). At the end of the email she congratulated me on my continued weightloss. I am 7 months post-op and it feels good to know that my doc whom I hardly ever see (I typically see her PA) remembers me and my struggles.

This can be translated into... We docs do each other favors and I would rather send you to someone I know.... Same exact thing happened to me. But, you are the consumer and you have a right to choose your surgeon. I told my PCP I had been researching and found a specialist that was apart of A Center of Excellence. The fact is, your insurance is going to require certain paperwork regardless of what surgeon you choose, so she'd be doing it anyway. Doctors want to work within their circle of contacts.

Don't get me wrong, when I left my doctors office after she belittled me for handling my own referral, I got in my car and cried like a baby. But I was prepared the next month to stand up for myself and tell her what I was comfortable with. The next visit went smoothly. I think she had researched my doc and found that he had really good statistics... Her attitude had totally changed.

You are the decision maker, sometimes they need to be reminded who the boss of your healthcare is