getting pcp involved???

trish5713 · 01-05-2008, 11:37 AM

hey everyone! so i'm on my way to bandland now. i'm enrolled in the 6 month diet/education program that my surgeon requires and have my first appointment with the bariatrician the 16th (monthly visits required). my question is, should i be talking to my pcp about this? cause right now she has nooooo idea. i would go talk to her about it but she no longer takes my insurance and i don't know if it's really necessary to pay her out of pocket just to tell her. but should i?

soozan · 01-05-2008, 11:42 AM

Get a different primary who is in your plan.
You can let her know when you ask to have your records sent to the new Dr.

kacee · 01-05-2008, 01:40 PM

I personally did not involve my pcp when I did it. She wasn't even that knowledgable about the band. I followed up with her to get my BP meds adjusted about a month later.

gkeyt · 01-05-2008, 02:01 PM

I never talked to my PCP about it because before I had surgery she told me she didn't "believe" in weight loss surgery. I really like her otherwise and she is a great doc, but she's sort of a natural athlete and I got the impression she felt people didn't need to have WLS. So we never discussed it after I had surgery. I have been meaning to ask my surgeon to send a dictation to her so it's in my records, but I keep forgetting. I wouldn't worry about your current PCP if she's out of network now, just find a new one in your plan and let them know you've already had surgery.

gkeyt · 01-05-2008, 02:04 PM

oops, now I see that you haven't had surgery yet. So let me revise that to say if you find a new PCP, let them know you are in the process of getting approved for surgery. If you have other medical issues, or are on meds, it's a good idea to have your PCP involved, I think, but if you don't you may as well go to a new one the next time you need an annual and let them know then.

jfc193 · 01-05-2008, 05:41 PM

I had to change PCP since she did not believe in WLS, She was monitoring my diabetes and I really like her but I was tired of losing and gaining weight back. I switch to a PCP who made a recommendation to a doctor for a LAP-BAND^® and have been very pleased with my process so far.

I hope that in two months I will not be on any medication. I also had to use a CPAP machine prior to the LAP-BAND^® but I no longer have to use one.