Question:
Help!!! Military wife who has questions about follow up.....
I am a military wife who had to move from where I had my surgery. My PCM here doesn't seem to know anything about follow up for my gastric bypass. I just had my gallbladder removed Monday. Should I ask that surgeon about follow up. I don't want to leave this to the guess work of the local PCM. — heartsablaze (posted on June 7, 2008)
June 7, 2008
My Sergeon suggest that you join a support group if at all possible when
you move. All support groups as all hospitals will accept you regardless
of your surgeon. He ask that you send him a quarterly written report with
one paragraph on each issue and one for just your overall happieness with
your current progress. One of our ladies in our group that had surgery in
Texas and move to Florida had to have her gall blatter out, so she took her
cell phone to the gall blatter sergeon and arranged to call her old sergeon
and have a call with the new one on the line to report her progress. Most
doc's know people move but they are more than willing to work with you or
give you a refferal to a new sergeon in your area for your follow-up
visits. Best of sucess to you.
— William (Bill) wmil
June 7, 2008
You can see a surgeon in your new location, but other than removing
stitches (if any), and monitoring for signs of infection, there would
normally be only one follow-up visit after gallbladder surgery.
If you mean f/u after bypass, see a local bariatric surgeon.
— nancycarle
June 7, 2008
Tracy, you are right on the money, get a referral for a gastric bypass
surgeon to follow you up. Also, contact your original surgeon and get a
copy of all those records, one for you and one for your new surgeon.
Always be your own best advocate. If they say you won't get a referral,
call Tricare directly and challenge them. A little challenge can get you
what you need. I was told a week ago that we could not see a dermatologist
because the base provided one here. My point to them is that they are a
minimal care facility (medical hobby shop), and I won't trust mole removal
for my children to a hobby shop. They put in the referral, and I got it
for our children. Sometimes you have to remind them that we do get
choices. Your surgery qualifies you for specialized care, so be sure you
get it in your local area. Also, you may want to call around and see which
surgeons will take patients from other areas. Some surgeons are picky and
won't take patients that had surgery somewhere else. If this is the case
with you, I would go to one of their informational sessions, and talk with
the doctor directly. If you are following the program and taking good care
of yourself, they will see that and you have a better chance to be taken on
as a patient. Best to you, take care! Patricia P. (Military Wife -
retired!)
— Patricia P
June 8, 2008
It depends on your surgeon. After my bypass which was March 25, 2008. I had
a 10 followup and a one month followup and a 6 month
followup. Then you have annual followup after that. I hope this helps.
Mini
— minimckenna
June 8, 2008
If your local PCP is Military they should be able to find a surgeon in the
Hospitals network to refer you to. If it is civilian any support group will
help. Good luck
— chell1957
June 8, 2008
You may also want to find a Bariatric specialist in your area. If you look
on the home page at the top there is a link to help. Also you can look at
the current state you are in under support groups and you can find help
there. If you still cannot find someone contact Obesity Help directly and
they will point you in the right direction
— Ira Sansolo
June 8, 2008
Hi Tracy...Im in the same boat as you....had surgery Feb 20, and moved from
CA to WA at the end of March. I was due for my 3 mo F/U in May. I
registered at my MTF (Bremerton Naval Hosp) and scheduled to see my new
PCM. I advised all involved that im post op. I had my labs done prior to
seeing my PCM, and once I saw my PCM, we reviewed my labs (all were great).
Although they dont do GB at Brem, the closest MTF that does is
Madigan...My PCM will talk to the GI at Brem, and will send me to Madigan
if needed. Not all PCM's are not in the loop. Unless you have pain or
other complications, pulling your labs periodically by your PCM should
suffice.
Good luck!
Cheryl
— clh333
June 8, 2008
I am also in the same boat. My RNY was in March and now I am moving to the
middle of nowhere in KS. My surgeon said pretty much what Cheryl above
said. he told me just to see my PCM and if he had any questions about my
care, he could call him. PCM's don't really know how to treat patients
with our needs but I would hope they would learn if they had a new patient
who had gastric bypass. =) Mary
— Mary G.
June 8, 2008
I'm Tricare too...and my surgeon was only covered for 6 months...after that
I had to get back into the tricare system. My Primary Care Physican (PCP)
doesn't have a CLUE how to treat me, help me, what labs to do...To make a
long story short...GET A REFERRAL!!! Do not let those General practioners
help you if they have no experience or protocol for GB...Trust me...I was
pretty sick because of mine and I am now my own personal health care
advocate...I'm so fed up right now with my PCM that I'm ready to write a
complaint. Just get a referral and even when you do your yearly labs...Have
a surgeon review the results...One that knows what vits we need and which
ones are useless to us. One that will not give you aspirin or motrin or
time release caps of any kind! Just trust me!! LOL
— .Anita R.
July 15, 2008
First how far out are you from surgery? Your other surgeon would most
likely be able to help you but if all else fails... Contact tricare and let
them know you were not done with your post surgical follow ups they may be
able to refer you to a local surgeon that deals with the bypass.
— Melanie C.
Click Here to Return