For those of you that had surgery outside of the USA

Do you find that you have difficulty finding a follow up dr. in the US? Because of costs I am now considering going outside the US and am worried about how easy it will be. I have been told that most doctors won't touch you if your surgery wasn't in the US

THanks
Susan 

I tell my PCP what labs are due and when and he writes the orders and reviews the results.  I email my results to my surgeon, Dr. Marchesini in Brazil (who by the way is a brilliant surgeon and a wonderful and kind man) for his input and follow his recommendations.  He is a believer in the knowledge and experience of Michelle (Vitalady) and refers me to her for assistance with adjusting my vitamins if needed.  (She has been fabulous, too!)  So far this partnership has been working well.  BTW--I got the buy-in for this from my PCP before I had the surgery so there were no surprises early on.  Lisa

 Sorry for the dumb question, but what do you mean by "buy in"

I discussed the DS in detail with my PCP and my plans to go to Brazil for the surgery.  I told him that I needed him to order my follow up labs, etc. and he agreed to do so.

What doyou mean by "follow up doctor?"  I have not seen a DS surgeon in many many years.  I do not need a surgeon in my life for any reason whatsoever.  I have a competent internist and hematologist.  I see a gastorenterologist and endocrinologist once in a blue moon.

Others have had great difficulty, even with a US surgery, in finding a PCP who understands the DS. Obviously, the more rural you are, the greater the difficulty and increased need to travel.

Newyork***** has a good network of drs caring for her. Notice none of them are PCP. My DS surgeon does all his follow up visits, but he is an internist.  I didnt realize that most people DONT have annual checkups with their surgeon. 

By "buy in" , I believe she is referring to her PCP's suport and commitment to getting DS educated so that she can get good after surgery care. It would be a great gift to have a PCP support you like that. I know mine was not happy that I was having weightloss surgery, and she also wasn't familiar with the DS. 

This topic was discussed within the last month either here on the DS forum, or over there on the DS or main forum. 

My internist is my PCP.  A PCP is simply "primary care physician."  This can be an internist,  family practitioner,  or sometimes an ob/gyn or a pediatrician if it's a child.  PCP does not refer to a specialty or a board certification.  It is a term coined by the insurance industry.

Your surgeon is also board certified in internal medicine?  Who is your surgeon?

eta: Lutrzykowski is not an internist.

I wouldn't dream of seeing a surgeon for longterm followup care.  It's simply not what they are trained to do.

I had my surgery done in Kuwait but I lived there at the time. My PCP over there managed my aftercare. She ordered all the test that she could. There were some that you couldn't get done in Kuwait. Then I came home a year ago. I got a new PCP, took all the information from www.dsfacts.com and explained my surgery to her. She ordered all the tests I needed. I know that some people have trouble with their PCPs. If you do the go PCP shopping. As much as some of them do not like to believe it, doctors work for you.

Shop for a doc before going abroad for surgery.

Be absolutely frank with them about what you intend to do, and ask them if they will be willing to be your PCP and help you with following up on labs and care required as a post-op.

If you're not sure where to start, look for a GP doc that is associated with one of the RNY or LB programs in your area.

They don't have to be DS experts right now, just willing to learn.

Steve

And you (the patient) usually have to teach them.  You must be knowledgeable and assertive enough to do so.

Also,  it's not just labs..what if something is WRONG in your labs....they have to be willing to learn what you need.  Like iron infusions,  the right forms of calcium and fat soluble vitamins,  bone scans as needed, etc., etc

They will be OUTSIDE THEIR COMFORT ZONE - for example you will need as much Vitamin D (dry form) as most doctors consider toxic.