Abandoned for a "Support Group" Meeting

I am so sorry you had to go through this.   Hugs

CindyF, Thanks for the words of encouragement.  I'm sorry I had to undergo unnecessary discomfort, too, but other than having a lousy doctor, everything else is on track.  My wife says I've lost enough weight aslready, but I am between 15 and 25 pounds of achieving my goal... and I plan on hitting it soon. Thanks again for your support.

That is awesome and very inspiring.  We are at the same point.  About 15 pounds from goal.   It is a dream come true  I love my sleeve. Hugs

This is the second time you have posted this. You said some thing about opinion and A**holes. Yap we all have them. My Doctor was not there when I was dischared from the hospital either. He was in surgery. His PA was there and answered my question, which where not many since I done my homework and new what was going.

When I read this post the first time I thought, opps he didn't do his homework, and he didn't ask or read enought to know what was going on. If you had done your home work, you would have know more about the surgery and *****ally "pioneered" the surgery. But that is to late now.

No matter what you think he is a bussiness. He didn't do anything wrong. He just didn't hold your hand for discharge. I am sure your doc did/does care about his clients, if you fail, so does he. No matter what you think or how your feel. Or how any of us feel, we are ALL numbers to be tabulated.

My doc had no room for flexibitity either, he gave you a set of rules and you had to flowing them. PERIOD!!! Which I did with out a problem, I didn't do my surgery to go back where I was. To me this was a life SAVING surgery. 3 years out and I still follow the rules.

Sorry you a bad time of it. Maybe you should have checked out more docs first.

Yap just my a**hole.

Luana

LustyLu, Hay, thanks for your input.  I was under the impression that forums, especially those on ObesityHelp.com, were meant for obese (pre- and/or post-op) people to come and voice theit a**hole opinions. You're right, I should have checked out more doctors before deciding upon surgery. You're absolutely right about following the doctor's orderss to a "T,", but at what point do you begin to doubt the doc's sinserity when you present him with more and more symptoms of a possible problem only to have him dis my VA docotors as if they were inferior to him.  I always thought that VA doctor's needed to hold a valid medical license from their corresponding states in which their medical facilities are located as well as believing that the VA doctors also possess a medical degree from an accredited university. Cirangle went to the Uniformed Services University of the Health Science, Bethesda, MD where he became an Army doctor.  Nothing special about that school. 

In so far as following the doctor's rules, I did until I was hospitalized for symptoms which resembled malnutrition.  The doctors, nutritionalists and dieticians at the VA were aghast that I lost 120 pounds in five months while starving myself on 800 cal per day.  They ran extensive testing and I started feeling better when they put me on a high protein, low fat diabetic menu that really sucked (the food must have originated from the Hall of Culinary Catastrophes), but I started to feel better, my blood pressure, which was very low went back to normal and I was discharged, by the same doctor, who explained to me that rapid weight loss is such a short time was not only traumatic to my internal organs, but could cause kidney stones (which I experienced after surgery), it was not in my best interests to starve myself and that on a nutritional diet comprised of between 1500 and 2000 calories per day, I would still lose the weight, but at a slower pace. I took his advise.  Now, I make sure I get between 120 and 150 gms protein a day, eat almost as many carbs, but keep my fat intake low (50-60 gm/day), I am steadily losing weight and feeling better.  I have trouble with balance because I have to adapt to a new center of gravity now, but I am in excelent health.  I ride the bike for 10 miles and then lift weights. In spite of my wife's desire for me to stay where I am, I still have between 15 and 25 pounds to go, depending on whose scale you can believe.  I selected an operation where my stomach is bound by physical constraints (staples) where the doctor removed 85 percent of my stomach.  His literature stated that I'd be left with more stomach then I had.  He pissed me off. But you're perfectly correct in your supposition that I should have checked out more doctors, because if I did, I would never have chosen Dr. Paul T. Cirangle, MD as my surgeon. But again, all I offer is my a**hole opinion. Thanks for your support.  Keep up the good work!

I am so confused. Did you not know that you would be eating a high protein diet after WLS and that rapid weightloss would occur? Also, kidney stones are very common amoung WLS patients after rapid weightloss. Are you saying this was not explained to you prior to your surgery and you did not know this? I don't know about you, but before I go get cut on and my stomach  bound "by physcial restraints" I would have done my research BEOFRE I made this dramatic decision. I guess I just don't understand why you are upset with your surgeon. It sounds like you should be more upset at yourslef for not doing your research and upset with your decision of having WLS.

Does his literature really say you would be left with more stomach then you had? I find that hard to believe and just a little amazed you didn't do research yourself to find out this is a MAJOR surgery and that your stomach would actually be smaller after surgery?

Even if you would have chosen another doctor they would have done the same exact procedure and you would probably not be happy about that either since you didn't go into this fully educated with the procedure.  Sounds like you need to be pissed off at yourself and not your doctor. 

 

I guess I'll have to see what the California Medical Board has to say about my complaint.  I am pissed off at myself for choosing Dr. Cirangle, but I'm also pissed off at him, too.

My surgeon was not there upon discharge either. His PA did it and I have no problem with this. I have no problem calling his office with any questions or concerns I have- there is always someone there to answer my questions. A lot of physcians don't have good bed side manner and personality sucks. I work in a hospital and see it everyday. It's a sad thing but that is the reality- a business. Personally, I measure a physcian on his ability to do the job, reputation and the availability of his office and not by his smiling face. Most surgeons specialize in surgery not bed side manner. I also don't see anything wrong with what the sugeon in your case has done. I am sorry you don't feel the same and wish you the best. That pretty much sums up my as*hole like Luana's. 

I am having my surgery tomorrow - performed by Dr. Cirangle.  My expectation is he will speak to my family after the procedure.  I do not expect him to discharge me - I expect he will be in surgery, helping someone else.  I know his RD will see me before my discharge to make sure I know what I need to do nutrition-wise. I know I was given a very complete pre-surgery packet and it contained a 16 page consent form I had to sign, not to mention the pre-testing I needed to complete. I am choosing a surgeon for his surgical skill.  That is the most important aspect to me.  As far as I am concerned, his office staff is there to handle the rest.  I have phone numbers and email for at least 4 people in his office in addition to Dr. Cirangle's information.  There has not been 1 time that they have not answered me when I have called or emailed with a question. I am sorry your experience with Dr. Cirangle was not what you thought it should be.  You clearly have issues around this, since your surgery was a year ago.  Best of luck finding some peace with this.

Redroads, Hay, thanks for your input.  I was under the impression that forums, especially those on ObesityHelp.com, were meant for obese (pre- and/or post-op) people to come and voice theit a**hole opinions.

I have issues when he makes decisions regarding my body before he actually gets Metoclopramide Hcl, it is used to control bloating and gas.  Use it a lot and you will get diarrhea, so watch out for dehydration.  Make sure you get an RX for Lomotil before you leave as it works wonders with closing the gap.  You've selected a wonderful surgeon.  I think Dr. Cirangle is an excellent surgeon.  I had no surgical complications and getting through the clear liquid diet for two weeks is a difficult struggle, but like all things, it gets easier to stomach (if you'll pardon the pun) the diet.  Moving from clear liquid to a soft food diet is a big jump.  Stay away from beef for a while as it is hard to digest.  
You're ought to follow the doctor's orders to a "T,", but when you get to a point where you're nauseous all the time and feel weaker and weaker from the stringent diet, just take time to listen to what your body is telling you.  If it goes against the grains of the doctor's orders, follow the path your body tells you.  In so far as following the doctor's rules, I did until I was hospitalized for symptoms which resembled malnutrition.  The doctors, nutritionalists and dieticians at the VA were aghast that I lost 120 pounds in five months while starving myself on 800 cal per day.  They ran extensive testing and I started feeling better when they put me on a high protein, low fat diabetic menu that really sucked (the food must have originated from the Hall of Culinary Catastrophes), but I started to feel better, my blood pressure, which was very low went back to normal and I was discharged, by the same doctor, who explained to me that rapid weight loss is such a short time was not only traumatic to my internal organs, but could cause kidney stones (which I experienced after surgery), it was not in my best interests to starve myself and that on a nutritional diet comprised of between 1500 and 2000 calories per day, I would still lose the weight, but at a slower pace.

I took his advise.  Now, I make sure I get between 120 and 150 gms protein a day, eat almost as many carbs, but keep my fat intake low (50-60 gm/day), I am steadily losing weight and feeling better.  I have trouble with balance because I have to adapt to a new center of gravity now, but I am in excelent health.  I ride the bike for 10 miles and then lift weights.

In spite of my wife's desire for me to stay where I am, I still have between 15 and 25 pounds to go, depending on whose scale you can believe.  I set a goal and intend to reach it, although it feels pretty good wearing a size 36" waist.  Haven't been there since junior high school.   I selected an operation where my stomach is bound by physical constraints (staples) where the doctor removed 85 percent of my stomach.  His literature stated that I'd be left with more stomach then I had been left with.  In my opinion, Cirangle f***ed me over.

I sincerely wish you the best of luck with your operation.  ai hope you reach the goals you set without being hospitalized.  I should have checked out more doctors, because if I did, I would never have chosen Dr. Paul T. Cirangle, MD as my surgeon.

But again, all I offer is my a**hole opinion.

Remember that your surgeon, like the process of your phenominal weight loss you WILL experience, are but tools to reach your goal.