What if I move?

Hey Zonie friends and OH members.   I just hit the 6 month out mark, and have been extremely fortunate not to have any post-surgery complications.  I'm 5 lbs from my arbitrary goal which I think I should increase by 5 lbs because I've been very happy about where I'm at for some time now.  My surgeon has been great, but honestly I haven't needed to use him as a resource much since surgery because I've been doing well.  Because I'm only 30, there is a good chance that I may relocate for career purposes within the next 10 years.   What concerned me is a previous post about people who had surgery not being able to find a surgeon in a new city to "follow-up" with post surgery.  Should I be concerned about this?  Just looking for some opinions of folks out there.  Am I pretty much "out of the woods" when it comes to needing follow-up from any surgeon?  I'd think so at this point, but I'm looking for outside opinions. --Dave

I haven't seen my surgeon since my 6 week checkup.  I do want to have the backing of a bariatric surgeon's office (PA or whatever) so that they can monitor my bloodwork and I would also have access to the nutritionist and whatever else I might need.  I am over a year out and haven't had any problems but I still would like to have a relationship with a gastric bypass surgeon just in case. 

I just moved from AZ to Round Rock Texas.  It's definately a problem to get another bariatric doctor to follow your case.  You should see the forms the only place in Austin that will even consider taking another surgeon's patients.  Then, I have to obtain the records from Scottsdale, and pay this other group approx. $500 to review those records before they will even see either of us. They told us our insurance won't pay for that.  The other surgeon's in the area want nothing to do with another doctor's patient.  I can understand if it was an out of the country doctor, but you wouldn't think this would be such an issue.   

I can have and am having blood work done through a new PCP in Round Rock so I'm not worried about that.  My husband needs a fill, I don't, the closest place we can go to for a fill would be Houston, about 2+ hours from us.  I think that's the route we're going to take as neither of us have any complications. 

This to me just doesn't seem right, but it's the way it is at the moment.  Hope you have better luck.

 

Carole,  I was thinking about you the other day, wondering how you both were doing.  I had know clue you moved!  WOW.  Its difficult enough to find another doc in town to follow-up with let alone one in another state.  I would have to just come back to AZ for my fills and follow-up sinceI am too far out to change to another program. Good luck and keep us posted! Jen

Thanks Jen for the kind words.  I think my husband just found a bariatric doctor from San Antonio that is setting up an office here in Round Rock, also takes our insurance. 

We're doing pretty well though, now that we're somewhat settled in the area.  I'm back to work, and so is hubby.  We're about to get ourself back on the program, we've been pretty distracted lately, but haven't gained any weight and lost a few along the way.  Want to get the exercise going again too. 

How are  you doing?