Good post-op GB-care doctor please

Does anyone know of a doctor, surgeon or otherwise, who is excellent in educating post-op GB patients and is in the general Seattle area? My husband's surgeon was quite good, thus he doesn't have time for much else but surgery. Issues like supplements, testing for the years following surgery, EVERYTHING has been hit and miss. More detailed, complex questions are, understandably, not a priority, when doing surgery and caring for fresh post-ops is on his schedule. I wish we'd just been referred to an "after care" (?term) specialist who HAS the time for it and the expertise. Nobody's perfect, and our surgeon spent time with my husband's internist to educate him on the surgery. Often it seems that patients' input is the best, and we have gulped up tons of great info on this site, but having a truly involved, expert doctor in the Seattle area for education and follow-up "watching" would be great, well, it is necessary. Two years out, my husband is doing most things right, but not enough. Yes, this is one of the few things I help my husband with, as I'm an LPN and unofficial fanatic about nutrition. He works fulltime and I'm at home. Previously, on another site, everyone went nuts telling me I was co-dependent and blah blah blah. I'm not. I'm just realizing that my husband won't do it, and sometimes a spouse does have to **** off their spouse by intervening when it really counts. My husband is actually doing quite well, looks and feels pretty well, but doesn't even know what questions to ASK. He doesn't need to lose much more weight and has maintained for quite awhile, just the fine tuning and fundamentals of what he MUST do daily like supplements, water, anti-osteoporosis exercises, knowing what symptoms are danger ones, etc. Thank you. I'm simply hoping for a doctor's name (or more than one), not advice on anything else, although that is fine, too. I can't recal when I've enjoyed such generosity and initiative in the advice and very helpful advice, recipes, and so much more as here. As I mentioned before, my surgeon or his nurse would often wait a week to call back, likely beyond their control I guess, so my online information was often just hours ahead of when I needed it. Sincerely Katy

Hi, Your husband is the only one who can manage his stuff. As long as someone else is doing it for him, he may not take full responsibility for it. This includes attending meetings and actively finding info as we do here on this board. You are not responsible for his stuff; if he goofs, you need to just let it go. I know it can be hard. Attending Al-anon might help you; it can help for problems other than drinking. LM

Katy, I wish I had someone to refer you to but I am just beginning this journey. Your questions just made me think back to the first educational meeting with my future surgeon this week. He has a whole team who works with him. To start the process, you have to attend an educational meeting, a post-op meeting (to talk with people who have been through it) , meetings with physical therapists, a nutritionist and a psychologist. Then you meet with the surgeon and set the date and then you attend two pre-op meetings. Afterward, you have access to the team and the post-op support group. SOunds like a lot to me but I can see the wisdom in all this doc requires. For those of us just starting out, it is something to check out when we are looking for a surgeon. Wish i could be of more help to you! Hope you find the answers you and your husband need. Suzie T PS Sounds like you care about your husband and all the literature shows that men very seldom take care of their health issues unless they have a "significant other" hounding them. I have been a family therapist for many years and in general, men can't handle the stress of having to deal with anything that has to do with change. So you do what you have to do to find out what you need to know. You sound like a good wife and friend.