you would think (rant about my new doctor)

[moonlitestarbrite 902]

he would get what a big deal this is for me.

went for my yearly physical today. my lovely PCP closed her practice in feb and i started with this new doc.

i have lost 85 pounds since last july. i had major surgery. my medical status has totally changed since summer.

did he ask me one single question about my surgery? about my goals? my physical changes? concerns? upsets? NOPE. not. one. single. question. didn't even mention my weight loss. and i have lost 15 pounds since i was last there. he didn't even congratulate me on my loss. not one single word.

it baffles me that he cant even see a little bit how big a deal this is for me. how important WLS is in my life. nope, he tried to talk me into a tetanus shot. wtf??

are these doctors so clueless??? my 6 month follow up at the hospital was the same. except the nurses aide raved about my weight loss before she took my blood pressure.

i can't believe he offered me so little support for these changes. it's so disappointing and frustrating.

[InfiniteButterfly 438]

Wow. I'm incredibly glad for my regular doctor. He had his nurse call to check up on me two weeks post-surgery, since he won't see me until July and he wanted to know how the surgery had went and if there was anything I needed from him (he also prescribed my Iron at the same time...he'd noticed I was slightly anemic in my pre-surgery labs and wanted to make sure I was covered afterwards).

I would think your doctor would at LEAST ask a few wellness-based questions from your weight loss and surgery. It IS a big deal and something he should be monitoring as well.

[moonlitestarbrite 902]

my old doc (who closed her practice in feb and is moving to canada with her family) was totally psyched for me. she was my cheerleader. she told me how awesome i was for taking control of my health and helped me through the really rough first 6 weeks after my surgery. (my surgeon was awesome too) she cheered all of my weight loss, even if it was just 5 pounds. we are still friends on FB and she always gives me kudos for doing what i needed to do to get healthy.

but this doc. ugh. where i live is short on family practice doctors. finding someone who was taking patients was hard. i might still look for someone else. but i have a feeling i was totally spoiled.

[NMJG 1,266]

So find a new PCP. You don't need a cr@ppy attitude like that.

[InfiniteButterfly 438]

my old doc (who closed her practice in feb and is moving to canada with her family) was totally psyched for me. she was my cheerleader. she told me how awesome i was for taking control of my health and helped me through the really rough first 6 weeks after my surgery. (my surgeon was awesome too) she cheered all of my weight loss, even if it was just 5 pounds. we are still friends on FB and she always gives me kudos for doing what i needed to do to get healthy.

but this doc. ugh. where i live is short on family practice doctors. finding someone who was taking patients was hard. i might still look for someone else. but i have a feeling i was totally spoiled.

I don't think it's spoiled to expect your new doc to at least ASK about your surgery/weight loss. After all, it does impact on other areas of your well-being. He doesn't have to be a cheerleader to show appropriate, professional interest in how you're doing.

[terrydumont46 1,954]

my pcp does all my blood work for vit. minerals, lytes etc. my wls and pcp leave me notes to take to the other one on concerns etc. I wouldn't want a pcp that wasn't tuned into my band. I do have to explain stuff but at least he is asking all the right questions.

[Bandista 7,466]

I hope you find the good doctor you deserve......that connection is so important. You may have been spoiled by the previous relationship but you can at least get some one better than this one who may not be empathetic enough or may have issues with WLS as a solution. Any medical professional who doesn't get how amazing this is, how you have recovered your potential for a really healthy happy life, is not worth your co-pay.

[Sparklingbeauty53 202]

The PCP needs to be replaced. Find another one. You should be congratulated and supported by your doctor-if not then he is not right for you. Trust your instincts and find one who cares! Congratulations on your success!

[kat6745 8]

Wow, that's really crummy of your PCP. Having such a huge life-change ignored feels just as bad as if he were totally negative about it.

I am thinking about finding a new PCP, too. My husband and I are going to be having lap band surgery in about 6 months (insurance requirements - DOH). We have been seeing a husband and wife pair of doctor's as our PCP's for about seven years. About 6 months ago, before I had even really decided to get WLS, my doctor and I were discussing my latest weight gain and how difficult the previous year had been for me. I asked her opinion of WLS and was totally FLOORED when she looked me straight in the eye and said she "I think it's the absolute worst thing you could do". I was shocked. She went on to tell me about studies and there being no evidence that long-term weight loss was the norm after WLS and more negative stuff that ended with her telling me about what a "wonderful example of someone who got it right, the actor Jason Alexander", was. Apparently, she saw him on tv talking about how seeing a shrink and "fixing what was going on in his head finally helped him lose the weight". So, not only was she basically insinuating that I would be stupid and wrong to get WLS and that I was crazy, to boot. My husband has since found out, through conversations with her husband, his PCP, feels pretty much the same.

We just really need to find another doctor, because we are both dreading telling them about my decision to have WLS and just don't really want to hear what they has to say on the matter.

We've only told my Mom and my best friend about our decision, who are both very supportive. I am nervous about telling my sister, too.

[VSGAnn2014 12,992]

Yeah, you guys whose doctors and you are not on the same page really do need to find new docs.

It might mean having to drive a bit farther. So what -- make it a field trip. And for the flu, go to an urgent care center closer by (if that works for you).

Good luck!

[kat6745 8]

whoops, still new to this site. Accidentally reposted my earlier message while checking out the app. Doh.

Edited June 21, 2014 by kat6745

[greensleeve 457]

I have to say, there's a place I go to for urgent care. They always congratulate me on the surgery and my loss and they aren't even my PCP!

Find a new doctor. They should at least ask you about complications.