Question:
I'm having a problem finding a surgeon for follow-up after I moved!
I had open rny in August, 2000 in Phoenix, Arizona. In May, 2003 I moved to Northwest Montana. I didn't have insurance until January of this year so I haven't had any follow-up care with a surgeon. The surgeon my doctor in Phoenix recommended won't see me because they didn't do my surgery. I've called five offices within 500 miles of here and ONE has said they will see me. What's a person supposed to do when they move? I can understand why a doctor might choose not to see someone who went to Mexico or another state for surgery because it was cheeper, but to deny care to someone who moved? What's a person to do??? Any suggestions? — georgiacarol (posted on April 18, 2006)
April 18, 2006
now i'm not an expert and others may have a better suggestion but have you
tried seeing surgeons who do revisions? Not saying that you need it but i
would imagine that they see people that they didnt do the inital operation
on. Or maybe ask your PCP to refer you to someone.
— phranny19
April 18, 2006
Maybe the surgeon who did your RNY could make some phone calls for you? It
can't hurt to give them a call and ask. And other doctors might be more
receptive to the surgeon's call than yours.
— nicolerod
April 18, 2006
Have you tried John Pennings in Post Falls, Idaho?
— JeanneV
April 18, 2006
Hi, I live in NW MT also and am concidering Lap band surgery with Dr.
Sanchez. I have found a Dr. in MT that will do after care for patients
from Mexico. Dr. David Rohrer out of Great Falls. 406-771-8411 email is
[email protected] Hope that helps. Sharon
— SharonMT
April 18, 2006
This is one of the reasons I wonder about peoples followup care when they
travel long distance for surgery, ESPECIALLY should something go wrong. No
one wants to take care of someone else's mess. I found that out the hard
way. But as someone else mentioned, ask you doctor if he can contact
someone for you. Good luck.
— Danmark
April 18, 2006
I have also moved since surgery. Why do you even need to see a surgeon???
are you having problems. There is no reason your PCP cant do your lab work
and follow ups on that. When I moved I made sure I had 'a name' of a
baratric surgeon and which hospital they practiced; if you had an emergency
- you would go to the hospital; you could then tell the ER staff to consult
with this surgeon if they didnt have a baratric surgeon on staff. But as
far as followup care; a baratric surgeon wouldnt be doing anything. after
a year - its strictly 'lab work' - and again a PCP is great since they are
coordinating all your health.
— star .
April 19, 2006
Thanks to all those who responded to my question. I will call my surgeon in
Phoenix and see if he can make any headway with the doctors in Missoula. I
think I need to followup with a bariatric surgeon because I am having a few
problems - abdominal pain and weight gain. My PCP here doesn't seem to be
that familiar with wls and I don't know if I should see him or the GI
doctor that he pawned me off on when I was diagnosed with anemia. He was
positive I had a GI bleed and insisted I had to have endoscopy and
colonoscopy right away. He wouldn't even consider malabsorption as the
cause even when occult blood tests came back negative. GI doctor tried to
talk me into tests (of course he would, it's $$ for him) but agreed the
cause was most likely malabsorption and the fact that I am still
menstruating. He put me on iron and levels have skyrocketed in less than 2
months. My PCP's office only ordered a CBC as followup and when I asked for
an iron level treated me like dirt for even asking. It took 2 weeks to get
the results and then they only faxed them with no acknowledement. I'm so
frustrated that a few months ago I was so sick that I had to have these
tests immediately and today I can barely get a blood test ordered. It's
just hard for me living in a small town and not having the support from my
longtime PCP and trusted surgeon that I had in Phoenix.
Thanks again for your support!
— georgiacarol
April 19, 2006
contact your insurance company and have them put on the pressure? to the
dr offices? I had similar problems moving from where i had the surgery in
MI to PA where i live now.
— Kimberly Felan
April 20, 2006
Yes, I was going to suggest that maybe your sugeon in AZ could make a phone
call to a surgeon of your choice and put in a word for you with the doctor.
— ChristineB
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