Nurse Practitioner - Nervous - worried - scared - excited all at once

I have my NP appointment tomorrow and I think this is the one I'm worried about the most. I've come to accept that my Vit D was a bit low at my bloods in June (just had more bloods done yesterday so we'll see how they come back).

I really hate the power dynamic that comes along with these appointments. I fully understand and appreciate why they are the way they are but knowing that these people at the appointments have veto power to something that means so much to you is difficult.

From my understanding she'll weigh me again, take a waist and neck measurement and discuss my health history as well as the results of my blood work. She'll talk about the implications on my health by having the RNY and make sure I fully understand how my life will look postoperatively.

Am I missing something?

My general feeling with all my appointments (at a different hospital) was that they do want you to succeed. They don't seem to want to veto anyone. I know it happens, but I believe it is usually for the best. If someone isn't ready or not healthy enough to undergo this surgery it shouldn't be done.

That being said, I'm sure that you do not have anything to worry about. At my NP appt they did what you mentioned, also took my blood pressure and did a thorough Q&A about my health history. Those questions seemed to go on forever - LOL. They may suggest raising or lower your current vitamin regimen. I had also mentioned this pain that I get in my upper back, so I was sent for a stress test, just to rule out any heart issues. It was straight forward and didn't hold up the process at all because I was able to do it before the next appointment.

Good luck with everything tomorrow!

Hi anncha,

Tomorrow will be great! I agree with everything TheRealMeWithin said. My experience too wasn't that any of the practitioners are trying to veto us... they really want us to have the surgery, but make sure we are healthy for it, body and mind. Just be yourself and it will be great. Be honest so if any precautions need to be taken, they can be.

I have severe asthma and was super worried I would be rejected based on that. They didn't but they did take extra precautions during surgery, which I needed. Not telling them about it would only have put my own health at risk... even though my fear of rejection was so huge I debated not telling them. I remember sitting with the social worker, and crying, as I asked her if I could get rejected over it. Honestly, I was that nervous!!

Just be you... they are there FOR you. You got this!! ((Hugs))

I have a new family Dr - we've only just found one taking on new patients since we moved to Sudbury in July. It's his first practise and he is very, very thorough (I think i'm one of his only patients so far lol).

He has changed my blood pressure medication (which has made a difference) but he wanted me to have a 24 hour heart trace down as my heart rate is too high. I had this done on Monday (returned the monitor yesterday). My heart rate has ALWAYS been high - it's usually the late 90's early 100's and this has been the case for around 20yrs. I've had an ecg done in the past with nothing abnormal found with the rhythm or anything. I've had a csection and gall bladder removal during this time with the high heart rate.

My worry is because I'm now under investigation for issue it'll delay it again (even though it's 100% normal for me).

I'm just a bundle of stress and nerves at the moment.

Almost every appointment is a repeat of previous appointments. You get asked the same things over and over again. She will do all the things that you mentioned and she may look at your prescriptions since she is actually a medical professional and discuss those with you. She will go over the blood work and possibly make suggestions on increasing or trying something different. Don't be surprised if they prescribe the D2 that you take for 6 or 7 weeks since your levels are low. No idea who the NP is in Sudbury now as Mary left many years ago unless she came back. Last time I was there, they no longer had any NP, just an RN. From what I was told, it isn't up to just one person to say no, it is discussed at the round table meeting so I wouldn't worry about just one of them, it's a decision made by a group. Not many are declined and some are just delayed for valid reasons but outright declined, I think I saw it once and I don't even remember the reason why.

The NP is new apparently and only started in the last month or so. Her name is Lauren I'm told.

Ack - what'll be will be :) I feel really healthy actually (despite high blood pressure). I'll just need to wait and see.

I totally understand not liking the power dynamic; I felt the exact same way.

Like the others have said, they just want you to succeed, and they want to make sure you're as healthy as possible before you have surgery. If your Vitamin D is low they'll just ask you to increase the dosage until it comes up. I was taking 8 Vitamin D pills a day for months.

Did they delay your surgery until your levels came up?

I was soooooooooooo nervous but you know as I went through them I realized it was just prep .... and assistance for the journey... you will be fine!

I hope your appointment went great! Every appointment has a point and reason. Have faith in the system to do what is best for you.

Penny