Looking for referrals to excellent post bypass doctors. I am 8 years post op and was doing well up until about 5 years ago. My health started to d

[Wolfpack654321]

Hello,
My name is Karen and I am new to this support group. This is my first time reaching out now to members in the Seattle area. I had my bypass surgery in a different state and we are relatively new to this area. What i am seeking is advice as to who is ”the best” doctor in this area. I am not looking for a surgeon but a highly skilled doctor/practice who can help me with the multitude of medical problems i have since the surgery. I have been to many specialists in this large medical group that has a office in my area where i live but the procedure in this group requires a referral out to specialists In their organization. That would be fine except there is very little communication, if any, back to my primary or with the other specialists Ive seen. Basically, if my complaint does not involve their “organ” or area of expertise, I am shuffled back to my primary who is expected to figure it out. Then back to another specialist and back to my primary and so on. Not one person seems to care about the patient, the whole person, me! No diagnosis or even a hint of what i should do next. I am guessing out of fear of a lawsuit for crossing the line into a area that is NOT their area of expertise. Unfortunately, my medical issues are apparently beyond my primary who is a PA and not in a position to put all the pieces together and develop a diagnosis and plan. Well, It has been 5 years and i honestly feel like I am dying. I have gotten progressively weaker over time and now I am unable to even walk 10 feet without assistance. I am now officially afraid and would really appreciate help with a name of a bariatric doctor who can help me, soon! I still have a family who need me especially because 2 of my kids are disabled. Can anyone help?

 

[JustMe]

Wolfpack6t4321,

How are you doing? I just joined this group this month. Did you find a good bariatric doctor? I hope you did!

 

[dianeseattle]

Hello,
My name is Karen and I am new to this support group. This is my first time reaching out now to members in the Seattle area. I had my bypass surgery in a different state and we are relatively new to this area. What i am seeking is advice as to who is ”the best” doctor in this area. I am not looking for a surgeon but a highly skilled doctor/practice who can help me with the multitude of medical problems i have since the surgery. I have been to many specialists in this large medical group that has a office in my area where i live but the procedure in this group requires a referral out to specialists In their organization. That would be fine except there is very little communication, if any, back to my primary or with the other specialists Ive seen. Basically, if my complaint does not involve their “organ” or area of expertise, I am shuffled back to my primary who is expected to figure it out. Then back to another specialist and back to my primary and so on. Not one person seems to care about the patient, the whole person, me! No diagnosis or even a hint of what i should do next. I am guessing out of fear of a lawsuit for crossing the line into a area that is NOT their area of expertise. Unfortunately, my medical issues are apparently beyond my primary who is a PA and not in a position to put all the pieces together and develop a diagnosis and plan. Well, It has been 5 years and i honestly feel like I am dying. I have gotten progressively weaker over time and now I am unable to even walk 10 feet without assistance. I am now officially afraid and would really appreciate help with a name of a bariatric doctor who can help me, soon! I still have a family who need me especially because 2 of my kids are disabled. Can anyone help?

Welcome to Seattle and believe me, you are not alone. I searched for a doctor for many years before I found mine. She was in her first partnership since graduation and just a smart, lovely person. Twenty years later, she's still my doctor. I have a very complicated, long medical history (I'm about to turn 75) starting in the 1950s. I've been at the beginning of every medical frontier from polio to birth control to RYGB surgery.

It's great that you can enumerate your symptoms so thoroughly. It sounds like your PA lost interest about halfway through the list. But you really just need a better doctor, and maybe you could trim your complaints to fewer than five symptoms. Seeing specialists can really confuse your diagnosis. Weakness and difficulty walking are big tipoffs. I saw 19 doctors in a matter of weeks, each referring me to the next, when I had Graves Disease, which is the most common form of hyperthyroidism, because it has so many big physical symptoms, which confused one doctor and alarmed the next. This wasn't in Seattle, but I ended up making a special trip to the UW because no Central Washington doctor could figure it out.

I feel comfortable referring you to Franciscan Medical Care. I'm not sure which side of Lake Washington you're on, but my doctor is in Westwood Village, close to White Center and on the way to West Seattle. I had my surgery at the UW Medical School, and have been treated for things like sleep apnea at Harborview, which is the Northwest's premier trauma center. You really don't need a bariatric physician except maybe an endocrinologist. It would be more worthwhile to find a great dietician. Honestly, doctors don't really have much interest in WLS, and a good dietician/nutritionist can refer you to relevant MDs.

One of those options has to be fairly nearby, so I'd make some calls and audition any docs that interest you. Tell any candidates in advance that you are really just looking for a permanent doctor. They might have their credentials online or in a pamphlet they can mail or email you.

Best of luck!