Late decision change.

[Navigating the Wilderness 824]

I was scheduled for RNY this coming Thursday, but over the weekend I kept thinking about the VSG option, and the more I thought about it, the more a VSG made sense. So this morning I called the surgeon and asked for a procedure change. Of course they were upset I waited so long and I had to hear about how it messed up their surgery schedule, and they would have to start the whole process over from scratch and the surgery would be postponed for 4 months. In short they made me feel like garbage over the change of heart. Has anyone else had this kind of change of heart and how did it go for them? I certainly feel the VSG is right for me, but I do not want a strained relationship with the surgeon as I will be staying with him post-op for pretty much for the rest of my life.

[Icantbelieveit 955]

Why would you stay with him the rest of your life and not your pcp?

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[Navigating the Wilderness 824]

I will stay with both, but he will be the go to since quite frankly PCPs do not understand the needs of post bariatric patients as well as the surgeon does.

[imightknow 39]

I don't think you should put your relationship with the surgeon over what you feel is right for your health. Your health comes before their convenience. It is crazy that you have to redo 4 months. Shame on them for trying to make you feel like garbage.

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[Shell Renewed 176]

I agree with @imightknow. Inconveniencing their surgery schedule affects them for a few hours. Your choice of surgery affects YOU for the rest of your life. It was unprofessional of them to guilt trip you.

[Navigating the Wilderness 824]

Many thanks for all of your kind words. It was a horrible feeling to get told to go to the back of the line just because I felt one surgery was better for me than the other. Especially since insurance was willing to work with them to get it done this week.

[IMissVegas 23]

Was it the office staff or the surgeon who made you feel bad? I'd make an appt w the surgeon to discuss why you changed your mind and why you need it done sooner.

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[Navigating the Wilderness 824]

It was the staff that said everything, though I am sure it was the surgeon that yelled at the staff. Either way, they refused to see me any earlier than 2.5 weeks from now because "There are other people who have been waiting". As if I had not been waiting for the last six months. It was just very disconcerting to be feel like I was thrown away because I changed my mind on the procedure I was most comfortable with. Basically I just can't believe they would treat me this way. I never missed an appointment, diligently went through all the surgery clearances, which I am guessing I will now have to repeat in 3 months. Went through education class, went through pre-op at the hospital. I spoke with my insurance and they said all it would take was the surgeon to call them and explain why the procedure was being changed and they would then approve/deny the same day.

[gigiinDC 70]

Perhaps they were trying to deter you from changing your mind? Either way they are being really mean about it! There's no excuse for that when they can just get insurance yo reauthorize the procedure... it's vsg a shorter operation than bypass? I don't understand why it would be so much of an inconvenience for them...

Anyway... I'm just curious why you believe vsg is better for you than bypass... is it the malabsorption or healing process concerns? Just curious.. I'm having vsg on Thursday.

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[Navigating the Wilderness 824]

Anyway... I'm just curious why you believe vsg is better for you than bypass... is it the malabsorption or healing process concerns? Just curious.. I'm having vsg on Thursday.

Good question.

As it turned out I was put into a pre-op class with all VSGs. I have always known VSG had less complications and was a much quicker recovery time, but having the difference between what the VSGs had to go through vs what I would have to go through spelled out in detail was very eye opening.

It's a mixture of less time in the OR/hospital, less supplements for the rest of my life, less things that could go wrong afterwards. It was literally like sitting through a punch list of reasons why the VSG was a better choice for me than RNY, though it certainly wasn't like it was presented that way on purpose. I'm sure that was not their intention, but that is how it ended up playing out.

As for your surgery, I wish you all the best and a very quick recovery!

[gigiinDC 70]

That definitely makes sense a lot of sense.

You should try to get an appointment with your doctor rather than dealing with his/her staff. Perhaps the doctor will be more reasonable than staff.

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And thank you!

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