Doctor says wait

I went to see my PCP yesterday. I have lost a total of 12 pounds since I last seen her. I was so excited when the scale said 318. I lost nine pounds in two weeks following the pre-op diet. My excitement was short lived. My PCP doesn't want me to do the surgery until I have given this diet more time than six months. I love my doctor. She is wonderful, caring, gentle and kind but I want the surgery. I don't want to go to another doctor just to get the surgery---but it looks like I am going to have to. I don't want to stop the pre-op diet because it feels so good to really loose this weight, but I need her referal. Has this happened to anybody else? I am still going to meet my surgeon on Monday. I will just give this over to God and hope It will all work out

Hope everybody has a great day and weekend!     Nancy

I was very upfront when I went to the doctor... I told him "I am here to get a referral for surgery, can you do this for me?"

He said "we'll see" and I said "see you later, I am going to another doctor" and he said "OK... I will refer  you"

Tell her exactly what you want... and if you don't get it, go to a doctor who will give you the referral... I know you said she is wonderful and all that, but I get irritated a little when doctors start acting like they know more about what I want than I do.

Nancy,

I started at 320 pounds. My PCP was behind me 100% but the surgeon wouldn't accept me until I lost mega poundage. He felt I was too high risk.

Off to the dietician, got on her diet plan, lost weight and the rest is history.

It felt like forever to wait and about drove me nuts. I looked at the situation as my WLS Internship and wanted to get straight A's. (and be healthy for the BIG DAY)

Do what you need to do and it will work out for the best. Hang in there.

Annette

Hi Nancy,
I am in the middle of a similar situation.  I am in the process of meeting the requirements for wls set by my insurance. So far I have completed everything except I am in the last month of my medically supervised diet. I have lost 25 lounds during this past 5 months but 43 pounds since last December. My pcp, endocrinologist, dietician and psychologist all think I can continue to do this without wls. So at this point I am continuing to do all the things that I have been doing to see how far I can go and if I continue to lose great  but if I stop losing or get to the point that I feel I need the extra help that wls wil provide I will push harder for the referral to return to the surgeon again.  In the meantime I am also meeting with a psychologist to get my head on right and figure that as long as I am making progress I have a better chance of taking this weight off and keeping this weight off with or without wls. I figure that at some point I am going to need the abdominal reconstruction so maybe losing the weight without surgery is ok too.  My main focus is getting/eating healthy and changing my lifestyle permanently to encourage  and maintain weight loss.  This group wil support you whichever route you end up on, I know that from first hand exxperience. Good luck to you in whatever direction your path goes.

BTW last summer I was 292, today I am 242.
Paulette

Hmmmmm .... so you HAVE TO HAVE HER OK? My PCP was anti-WLS but I went and had it done anyway and she is really impressed now. I had tried her diets and advice and ended up fatter ... lol. She is young and slim. Fortunately I did not need her referral. Check with your insurance. Your insurance may also have that 6 month PCP diet requirement and she is going on that.

Best wishes sweetie

I was very fortunate since all my doctors (pcp, cardiologist and endocrinologist) was all in favor of my wls. My pcp does have a problem with wanting to control things but she is delighted with the loss so far. She backed me up but I could tell that she still wanted to be in control. I guess I see this since I am a control freak too. But shhhh no one knows that! Yeah right. lol

I know that you are on the right track since you are giving it over to God. He will make it happen in His time and no one elses. He has no clocks or calendars. Just keep that in mind. We are here to support and love no matter what happens.

Nancy...you do what you feel is right for you. If you want surgery then you should have it.

I could always do the diets and lose....I couldn't do the keeping it off part...I always gained it back and then some. I really need this tool!

Good luck in whatever you decide to do.

Hugs, connie d

I was fortunate that my PCP (not my current doctor, who is thrilled by my weight loss) was so much in favor of the surgery he recommended that I go to this particular bariatric group. He had only seen me for a couple of years, but he knew what my obesity was doing to me and we talked about WLS when I asked ... he didn't bring the subject up. He said he would write a letter of referral, and he did. So did my pain doc. I did not have to do any six-month diet, just the two-week pre-op diet. Now, when I first go the bariatric center, I was at 318 pounds, and my surgeon wanted me to lose 30 pounds. I thought I could possibly do that. But then I waited for six months as they played around with my insurance clearance ... then they wanted me to go through the whole process again ... in the meantime I got depressed and balloned up to 355 at my heaviest. They didn't drop me from the program; I'm four years out and today weighed 165. I dieted before WLS and always lost 50-60 pounds but never kept it off, always regained and then some; this is the only success I've ever had.

You have to do what you want to do. If he won't refer you, and you want the surgery, find another doctor.