Pre-ops and some Post-ops!

Please people, make sure your PCP is on board with your surgery! 

Make sure that YOU know enough to help educate him/her if necessary!  Make sure YOU know what your labs should be and at what point they are in the danger zone!! Make sure that he/she is willing to consult with your surgeon, a hematologist, endocrinologist,  gastroenterologist, whatever is needed.

Should your PCP not be interested in learning, shop until you find one that is interested!!

I was reading about someone that needs serious attention and needs it now. She is being told
to wait!  Wait for what?? permanent damage?  Holy Cow!

Know what YOU need and make sure YOU can get what you need.

I thought we covered this in Pre-op 101!

Michele

Great PSA, Michele!

I am really fortunate that the PA that I routinely see in my PCP's office is really on-board with my DS and is always asking me tons of questions about it whenever I see her.  She actually seems more interested than my PCP, hence why I choose to see her.

Heather,

I have followed your posts and I KNOW you are on top of things!

It's just that I see so many now that decide that their surgeon is going to take care of them for the rest of their life or they just flat did not get anyone on board before they jumped into surgery. They run into problems and then they don't know what to do or where to go.  So unnecessary!!

This surgery is no joke and will be with you for the rest of your life!!  People need to learn it to live it!

Thanks,
Michele

I agree!  The funny thing about thinking that your surgeon is going to take care of you forever - I haven't even SEEN my surgeon since my six week check-up!  I see one of his PAs now every time I go for a check-up.  She is okay, but she misses a lot of stuff on my labs still.  I had to tell her to write me a prescription for Proferrin because of my iron issues - she never even mentioned that my iron numbers were low - and even with the Proferrin, I might be soon looking into infusions because I can't make enough progress on them.  But that's just the kind of stuff peeps need to be aware of and be proactive about...you can't rely on the aftercare from your surgeon's office to be exactly what you need.

Thanks for the kick in the pants....I don't have a PCP. Never have. Seems like I've been pregnant for most of the last 10 years so OB/GYN was my only doctor. In between pregnancies I usually just run down to the closest Urgent Care clinic if I have a need.

I'm off to find a fabulous PCP!

Good luck!!

At least find one that will listen and be willing to learn.  I try to talk to them on the phone first but that isn't always possible so I have had to pay for a visit only to find out that it wasn't going to be a good relationshiip. 

I usually take in Diana's letter to a PCP, a diagram of the surgery and my spreadsheets from the last 6 years of labs to start with.  The PCP I have now is OK. I live 20 miles from the middle of nowhere so not a lot of options.  I saw a light come on with him when I mentioned, "the surgery was similar in some ways to 'short bowel syndrome'" He was familiar with that!

Happy Hunting!
Michele

Hi as a pre op,

I wondered can anyone access Diana's letter? I have already printed off the anatomy of surgery card from DS facts.

I believe anything that assists people who have had surgery in their ability to advocate for themselves is a great thing,

Thanks

The letter is in DS facts also:

http://www.dsfacts.com/conversation-with-your-pcp.html 

Do NOT proceed with your DS until you have a PCP.

Man, my PCP is more attuned to my nutritional needs than my surgeon has been.