I'm firing my surgeon.

[Mcsleevy 8]

I had surgery on 7/13/2016.

I weighed 331lbs. on 7/4/2016.

Today I weighed in at 281lbs. 50lbs. lost, I was feeling really great.

I had a post op follow up appointment that I specifically made with my surgeon after seeing his physicians assistant instead of him at the post op appointment. Today the P.A. asked me if I was eating bread or Pasta. I told her yes , but very little. She explained that if I ate more Protein and had vegetables and fruits I would lose weight faster. I do eat a cracker, a half piece of toast, or a spoon full of quinoa and brown rice. Not a portion a bite or two.

50 pounds in 5 weeks!

I told her that and she stuck to her guns as if I said nothing. I played along so I could leave, after being told to follow up with my primary care doctor with my medication management.

So my surgeon doesn't keep his appointments and his P.A.'s work off a script they can't deviate from....your fired.

I have been cleared for full physical activity and am eating normal food. My doctor is more than able to manage my care from here on and I have no reason to return to surgical practice.

I'm a lucky person, I have good insurance and I think thats what their after now. Money and data for an ongoing study.

[beyondgrief 93]

50 lb in 5 weeks?!? Wow. Congrats! I'm at 32lbs after 4 weeks (7/20 sleeve) and wish I was on your pace!!

Working beyond grief for a better life!

[Valentina 2,642]

I would probably do the same, BUT after I had a face to face with my surgeon. He/she needs to know how you feel, hopefully so they can delvelope a "plan of correction", and YOU need to vent your frustrations.

[Healthy_life2 8,330]

@@Mcsleevy

Congrats on 50 down!

Question: Were you given written bariatic diet instructions for post op? Did the instructions state you add carbs to your diet? Ignore my post if your paperwork said to add carbs in your weight loss phase.

Most instructions are a one size fits all. no/low carbs until you lose 75% of weight. No surprise that the PA said " if I ate more Protein and had vegetables and fruits I would lose weight faster"

Your surgeon office does have a (script) Its the cookie cutter instruction all patients are given. It has worked well for long term sucess. Its a choice to follow them or not.

[theantichick 2,204]

I agree with him.

I cannot be on a diet low enough in carbs to put me in ketosis or it will cause my blood sugar to fall dangerously low. I also personally believe based on my understanding of physiology from my nursing training that a ketogenic diet is not a long term good idea for most people. That's not to say I think simple, refined carbs are a good idea, but many of the ultra-low carb diet plans restrict ALL forms of carbs.

Hearing all the low carb and ultra-low carb plans here presented as if that's the only option had me worried until I met with my surgeon. My surgeon doesn't push ultra-low carb in the first place, but part of what convinced me that she knew her stuff was that she was prepared to modify any and all of the eating plans as needed for my personal medical situation. Not the progression for the healing phases, but the composition of each stage.

A cookie cutter approach without any deviation no matter what is a sign of the inability to account for patient's individual situations and/or laziness IMHO. Now, maybe if the surgeon had met with him instead of having his PA do it, the response would have differed. That he made a specific appointment with the surgeon and instead got the PA is disrespectful in my book unless the surgeon was ill or there was an emergency, in which case he should have been told that by a phone call before the appointment or at least when he checked in and given the option to reschedule.

[Sharon1964 2,530]

I believe the surgery has a 90-day global period, which means routine followup within 90 days of the surgery is included in the fee paid for the surgery. At 5 weeks, they are not getting any more money for seeing you (unless you have complications), which is why most surgeons use PAs for this. You should not have copays for visits in this time period either.

[LisaMergs 2,857]

I believe the surgery has a 90-day global period, which means routine followup within 90 days of the surgery is included in the fee paid for the surgery. At 5 weeks, they are not getting any more money for seeing you (unless you have complications), which is why most surgeons use PAs for this. You should not have copays for visits in this time period either.

This is true- but my surgeon sees me for the entire year post op at no additional charge- including co-pay- and it is HIM I see. The nurse specialist sees me first, goes over things with me, then he comes in after and spends an appropriate amount of time with me. Last visit we chatted about plastics and he examined my "flab" and thought my skin was going to tighten pretty well and possibly not require skin removal. Not a hit and run appointment by any means.

Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

[suzzzzz 1,005]

I believe the surgery has a 90-day global period, which means routine followup within 90 days of the surgery is included in the fee paid for the surgery. At 5 weeks, they are not getting any more money for seeing you (unless you have complications), which is why most surgeons use PAs for this. You should not have copays for visits in this time period either.

All offices are different. Mine includes aftercare for a year with no co pay and the surgeon meets each time with his patients. He doesn't use a PA and makes it very personal.

[LipstickLady 25,682]

I'm going to back out of this discussion right now.