I need to VENT so please bear with me – plus this is my first week giving up diet sodas *sigh* so that adds to my being cranky.

I know I have to jump through a million hoops, have lots of tests, etc. etc. to get approved for weight loss surgery – but yesterday was the final straw that got me really frustrated and a bit angry too (had my follow up appointment with the pulomonary office). I’m feeling like I have no say in anything – because the doctors can hold approval for the bariattric surgery over my head like blackmail. But at this point, I’m cranky and out of sorts between the rudeness of two of the doctors and what feels like additional unexpected and what feels like unnecesssary tests (but most likely just being over cautious I suppose).

I just have this feeling it’s all interconnected and they are all making a bundle off this whole process since the weight loss surgery office is designating which doctors I have to go see. That’s fine with me – but want I resent is the added stuff and the rudeness.

NOTE – the folks at the weight loss surgery office are great, and the surgeon is well respected and well known in our area – it’s the other doctors I have a problem with.

It started with the psychiatrist 3 weeks ago – he was two hours late before he came up to the office (it is a big hospital so no idea where is was for those 2 hours) – once he walked past the desk the nurse said you have a patient waiting (that would me – I was the only one there) – he waved her off and went to a back room for another 15 minutes, then came out and started talking to a another doctor standing there for another 10 minutes discuss his vacation. When he finally called me into an office, it was an office in a busy hallway, and he didn’t even close the door – on top of that – five minutes into his questioning his personal cell phone rings and he takes the call and talks on the phone for several minutes like I’m not even there. I was fine with him being rude – it was annoying – but at least I never have to see him again.

The next doctor I had to see was the gastroenterologist – she asked when I had had my last colonoscopy I said five years (so NOT due for another five) – she INSISTED I have one along with the scope I needed for pre-surgery approval, saying the preparation for both was the same – but from what I read no the preparation is definitely NOT the same. But fine so she wanted to make a few extra bucks by examining my colon – and I suffered through the torture of cleaning out my bowels and burning buttock for 24 hours preparing for the unnecessary colonoscopy. But after the procedures she never stops by to see me – just leaves a list of what she found – gastritis and barrett’s esophagus – and a note saying see her in two or three months. NO instructions, no medication, zip, nada just go forth on your own and take care of this. Fine, I’m a big girl, I can look it all up – I have worked a plan for dealing with it. I have no idea how this will affect the surgery – will have to wait until I see the weight loss surgery director next week. But my main concern is the barrett’s esophagus – which from what I’ve read is irreversible (the cells have changed) and it can turn to cancer so it needs a yearly exam — what kind of a doctor gives you a diagnosis like that with NO information what so ever. I had cancer when I was 20 – for years I have some tests come back odd but the doctors said you can’t have cancer you are too young so would never investigate further, I fought with them over and over and finally someone did a test and said oops you have cancer and ripped out everything. So when a doctor says you have something that could one day maybe be cancer – I sit up and notice.

So already annoyed I had my next appointment yesterday to get the results of the breathing tests I had taken two weeks ago. I met with pulmonary folks and this was the tipping point where my frustration has just gone over the top – I don’t even get to see a doctor just the nurse practioner – which again is fine with me. Since the tests I had taken 2 weeks ago all showed everything was fine and was cleared for the surgery – BUT !!!! hold on – she won’t clear me unless I go for a sleep test. What the heck!!!!!!! Because I answered honestly on the forms that I wake up after three or fours to go to bathroom at night (with a full demanding bladder!!!!) and often don’t fall back to sleep so I’m often very tired – they are insisting I be tested for sleep apenea. As far as I can tell I have no symptoms of sleep apenea. And even if I do end up having mild apnea – it will be from being overweight, and will clear up after the bariatric surgery and I lose weight. It just feels like they are again making money off a captive audience and doing a test that is NOT necessary. At least all the staff are nice. Plus it’s more appointments and more poking – and well it all just makes me grumpy.

Now if they wanted to do a urine test for infection, or a bladder test that would make sense. If they wanted to check my blood sugar – that would make sense (diabetes can cause frequent urination) – but NO they want to make even more money and force me to take a sleep test. I don’t have diabetes – but it would make sense to look into it. And I’ve mentioned the frequent urination over and over to other doctors (about every 2 or 3 hours) – but no doctor has ever thought it was problem – till now.

I do find it odd that not one doctor thinks anything wrong because I pee a lot – or that I hold so much water – I can literally feel the fluid filling up under my arms sometimes – various triggers but usually any kind of exercise or if I have had a very busy day, and sometimes I can feel the water filling up even around where the leg meets the hip – or that I can gain 9 lbs in one day if I exercise or 16 lbs in a week if I try to exercise a few minutes each day – I’ve told all my previous doctors and most of them make it perfectly clear they don’t even really believe me.

****deep breath****
I know it is all part of the process, I know there is nothing I can do but just forge ahead – the time will pass, the tests will be over eventually – and hopefully I can get to the other side and have the weight loss surgery and get healthy and the results will be all worthwhile – but geeeez I really didn’t expect quite this much frustration.

Thank goodness at least I can see my very own cardiologist who I know, he’s my mother’s doctor – I’ve met with him once so far but he seems very nice and supportive and he was the one who suggested the weight loss surgery last fall. I see him in May for my regular checkup and will get the pre-op clearance then too.

After I take the sleep test and see my cardiologist I will at least finally be done with all the pre-op exams. The only other hurdle will be to be to find out if  the gastritis and barrett’s esophagus are something that will keep me from having the surgery or what kind of treatment plan the doctor recommends (which I’ll add to what I’m already doing with natural remedies). And I will also most likely have to have another scope done by the gastroenterologist to follow up on the gastritis – wont’ that be fun *sigh*

***deep breath***

Thanks for listening! Feeling a little better, just a little cranky. 

***grumble, grumble***

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