XP: Two week follow up with surgeon's office

Okay, so I went in today for my 2 week followup. I took in my list of meds/OTC meds which I do for every doctor visit when anything has changed. That list is usually the one that changes the fasted and taking a typed list in is easier than trying to remember them all.

Anyway, it has all my vitalady list under my prescription meds.

First off, she goes:

Nurse: Are you taking all this in addition to our multi?
Me: No, turns out your chewable made me nauseous post op so I switched to the chewable my husband is using. And yes, I am taking all this in addition. My PCP saw this same list earlier this week and has no problems with it.
Nurse: You need to let us handle your vitamins, not you, we know what you need.
Me: I'll let my labs decide that when we have them.
And speaking of labs, I need a hard copy before I leave that day of my labs. I always get a copy of all my lab work cause I keep an eye on my lab values myself.

Nurse: (under breathe) "sigh" Okay. (as in yes, you can have your labs and I give up on the vitamins. (guess I qualify for non-compliant according to them)

Next: We discuss the mixup on who "pulled the plug at the hospital on two meds I was taking that are titrated meds. Dr. B didn't accord to my conversation with him on Wed morning but on Tues night, the nurse on duty said he had it on my file not to give them to me. As a result, I was feverish and hallucinating.

She then said I should stay on liquids another two weeks cause my pouch still needed to heal.
I said, I don't have a pouch, I still have my stomach, it's smaller but it's still there.
Oh, I know but like the pouch, your stomach is still swollen near the top (okay, I don't get that one cause he didn't touch my stoma) and needs to heal or soft foods will make you throw up.

I didn't tell her I've been on soft foods, haven't thrown up yet and doing just fine.

11 months and two weeks is all I have to put up with these people. My primary care is handling my husband's aftercare for Dr. Pomp long distance and is doing very well. As soon as my 1 year surgiversary comes up, I am handing off my care to my PCP.

Upside: I've lost 15 lbs and 20% of my body fat.

I love it!  I had a similar conversation with a NUT from the Bariatric Center where I had my surgery....  Seems no one EVER got back with me about my labs and I tweak them based upon the results.

No one is a better advocate for you than you are!

I had to bite my tongue!!!!!!!

We DSrs are such a PITA and we love to rock the dang boat! Keep up the good work, babeee!

--gina

Liz, great job on the 15 lbs.  It is amazing how they think all WLS's are the same and require the same thing.
I actually had RNY and was on puree from the day I left the hospital and never had any problems.  I weighed and measured everything.
Linda

Good job advocating for yourself!

Do yourself and every DS'r after you a favor and be honest with them!  The only way they will learn what is right for all of us is if they KNOW what we are doing!  It's ok if they label you as "non compliant" because those who are non compliant are the ones who eventually change the rules!  Look at Gina's noncompliant butt.......LOL  She is causing big change within her program!

You go girl!!

Sorry side note......I think what she is getting at is that your stomach is still swollen where it was sutured.....that being said......One of the biggest concerns with people eating soft foods and not staying on liquids is that some people lose sensation and may over eat causing a suture line break down which in turn can cause a leak then sepsis.   I've even seen one person die because of it!   It is one of the main causes I've personally seen people come in to the ER immediately after surgery.  You know the horror stories you hear about.....what many people leave out in thier story is that they overate themself into the ICU 2 weeks post-op.  But this is just my opinion based on what I've seen.

Heather, I get what you are saying about my stomach but for her to call it a pouch just crawled my butt, esp when she had the wrong area on top of it. IF she had had the suture line at the BOTTOM of my stomach, I would have followed her logic, but she didn't, she had it at the top near my polyoris and was more worried about me throwing up than about me busting a suture line.

I am being careful with my stomach, my surgeon told me it held 4 oz so I am watching the amount I ea****ching my fill signal (and it comes fast). I am not pushing my limits as to harsh foods, I'm sticking with soft stuff. Not making my new tummy angry with me. I tend to graze and I can't tell you how much stuff I have throw away cuase my eyes are still way too big for my new tummy, LOL.

Liz

Liz,

I'm confused by what you wrote.  The way I read it is that you are saying your pyloris is at the top of your stomach.  That is incorrect....The pyloris is the bottom or last section of the stomach. 
Stomach anatomy  Please correct me if I'm wrong.

I know it's frustrating when people use the wrong termonology for things.  I hate when people refer to WLS as "stomach stapleing".....NO I had RNY gastric bypass......when you say stomach stapleing I think of the WLS that were performed years ago with very little longterm success. 

I'm sure you are doing well with your surgery!  You seem to be well intune with your new stomach and as long as you listen to it you will be fine!  Unfortunately there are many out there who don't have that same connection so early out.  Ah hell....I know I still struggle some days!

She didn't actually say pyloris, *I* did later in posting...she indicated the top of my stomach when talking about what was still swollen. So I must have meant Stoma???? She was talking about the bottom of what would be the pouch. Which I do not have. Okay, My bad, LOL.

It just crawled my butt that she called my tummy a pouch, as much respect as I have for rny'er's I am NOT ONE!!!! I am a DS'er!!!! I mean I can understand a layperson or someone in a medical office NOT in a bariatric practic calling it that by mistake but for a bariatric to do that is beyond the pale. That is just so wrong. I can NOT wait for this year to be over as far as my time with them so I can move on and be done with them.

Liz

I hear ya!  Don't you have to follow up with them anually?  I'm sorry you've had such an experince that you can't wait to run away!