Question:
Do I have to go back to my Doctor for check-ups????

To make a long story very short... My doctor ridiculed and embarrassed me. Saying I was eating the wrong kinds of foods and that's why I was throwing up for more than 5 hours a day. It turns out I had a stricture. I don't like him and don't think he is worthy of being my doctor.. I am 2 months post-op. Do I need to go back to him or can I see other doctors...    — ebenitez510 (posted on January 12, 2007)

January 12, 2007
Oh gosh, if there was a reason you were doing this, aka a stricture....I think I would go back and make him apologize. Then tell him not to be so judgemental and to pay attention to what his patients say and not make rash decisions. Of course that is what I would do. I don't know if you can see another doctor or not...keep me posted. Who was this guy anyway?
   — Diane C.

January 12, 2007
Is this guy your PCP or your bypass surgeon? If he is your PCP you have the right to change physicians (according to your healthplan guidelines) and I would do so, immediately! He sounds like an insensitive goof and I wouldn't want him anywhere near me, or have to rely on him for curing any kind of ailment I might have... Some Doctors really need to be schooled on bedside manner. Just my opinion... Oh and sorry that you had stricture, that must have been awful. Hope you are doing better. Good luck!
   — DCHEERMOM

January 12, 2007
You can call around to other area surgeons and see if they would be willing to take your case, but chances are they will want you to stay with your existing surgeon for at least the first year - unless you move and he would refer you to someone else in your new area. If this was me, I'd make him eat crow. I'd demand an apology and also suggest that he pay more attention to what's going on with this patients. I'd also bring to his attention that this is something that you could take to the State Medical Board and bring him up on ethics charges. I wouldn't take that step unless it's the last and final straw because it "might" cause you problems with other surgeons as they all talk to each other and share issues with patients. I'd just dangle it over his head as a threat and make him think. Again, just my thoughts on how I'd handle it. You entrusted him with your care and when you had an issue he handled it inappropriately. He needs to be more sensitive to his patients. Who knows, he might have been having a bad day but you still didn't deserve to be berated for something you weren't doing and was an actual medical problem. Also, if you CAN switch doctors without his referral, I'd do so and tell your new doctor what happened and then ask HIS thoughts on reporting his colleague. Again, they talk and that might embarass HIM in front of his peers. Just be careful about taking action with the Board as I've heard horror stories, but if it's necessary that shouldn't stop you from filing a legitimate concern.
   — oceanrayne

January 13, 2007
Beth, you pay for good care, and if you are not getting it, you need to confront him, perhaps with a trusted friend/spouse. Keep a log to prove you are doing right, and remind him that you are following directions and that he is being rude. If he does not change his attitude, then you may need to change surgeons, however, finding another surgeon to back up a prior-surgeons work is difficult to find. The best time to change is before surgery. Don't give up though, no one has to pay for poor service and not say anything. But the main answer is YES you have to have follow up care with your surgery. The problem is the surgeon, so don't punish yourself and your health because of a doctor being an idiot. Also, don't forget to put a comment or two on this site so that others know that you had a poor experience with him and for others to take caution before choosing him as a surgeon. If the surgeon is correct on his assessment of your food intake, or if some things can be correct that he says, even though he said it very poorly, please consider some changes, it can only benefit you. You may still want to change surgeons, but sometimes truth hurts, but it doesn't change that it was truth spoken. So even if he did it painfully, please consider what he said, and protect your new tool and your new habits. Best to you. Patricia P
   — Patricia P

January 13, 2007
I had a (life threatening) bowel adhesion about four months post surgery. The same surgeon who performed my laproscopic RNY surgery was also in the OR to correct the adhesion problem. During surgery a gastrostomy tube (a.k.a. 'G-tube) was inserted into the larger section of my two stomachs. I was told my surgeon that the G-tube would have to remain in place for about six to eight weeks before he would remove it. I told him that I wanted a 2nd opinion. His response was that that it was my right to get a second opinion but offered intimidating words to discourage me from doing so. He took no subsequent action to get me a 2nd opinion from any other M.D. at the VA. ----Well, I began developing some serious pain and abdominal distention (bloating) after about two weeks and large quantities of gastric fliud were constantly leaking out from around the perimeter of the G-tube. My physical (and mental) well being deteriorated rapidly but my bariatric surgeon flatly refused to remove the G-tube when I saw him three weeks post surgery (for the adhesion). All he was willing to do was provide me with colostomy bags to catch the oozing gastric fluid. Let me tell you that the sticky stuff on those colostomy bags that is supposed to seal the bags to your skin is no match for the stomach acid that was being pumped out on a regular basis. My clothing continued to get stained with gastric juices that the bags failed to collect. And my skin around the G-tube became reddened and painful (burning sensation).---- As nature often does, it corrected the problem I was having. While I was cleaning uo the gastric fluid mess around the G-tube and colostomy bag one evening before bed, the G-tube fell out in my hands. Of course it was off to the ER for this. At the ER, a doctor there indicated that he wanted to insert another G-tube, to replace the one that came out. I said that I would not sign any authorization to have that done. He finally decided to send me home without a new G-tube but with more colostomy bags and some antibiotics to handle any bacteria that might now be collecting inside my abdomen but outside my alimentary canal. My physical and mental states of well being began improving almost immediately the next day. My pain subsided, my abdominal distention receded. The hole from the absent G-tube finally sealed off on Jan 7, 2007. Today I feel great. ---- So what is the point of my telling you all this? It has to do with my bariatric surgeon. I think he did a good job with my RNY procedure and he also did a good job in correcting my bowel adhesion during emergency surgery. As a pyysician (not as a surgeon) he did NOT make a good decision by refusing to remove the G-tube that was causing me so much pain and suffering. I have no will or intention to seek legal action against my RNY surgeon but I WILL refuse to let him see me in future follow-up visits. As you have stated, he is no longer worthy of being my doctor. ---- So YES, you can and should seek the services of another doctor for your post surgery visits. You should also go to your old doctor's office and fill out and sign a request/authorization for release a copy of your private medical information to be forwarded to your new doctor. They can not refuse to do this and you do not even have to see your old doctor again to get this done; it can all be handled by his front office staff without his intervention. ---- The bottom line is that if you are not happy with your doctor, GET ANOTHER ONE. If you're not happy with that one, push on and get another one until you find one with whom you can have a productive and satisfying doctor-patient relatonship.
   — [Deactivated Member]