Phone call with Dr. Miranda

[Alana]

I hope this doesn't sound rude, but I felt the need to say it. While Dr. Miranda is considered a doctor in Mexico, she would not be in the US. Nutritionists are not considered doctors here. When it comes to the major decisions, leave those up to the surgeons there. Not that the nutrionial aspect isn't important in this. And as someone said earlier, of all the people at the OCC, Dr. Miranda is the only person I didn't enjoy meeting and working with. She was very critical. She even went so far as to tell me about her nose job and how she was able to follow all of her doctors orders perfectly, so why couldn't I? I don't think a nose job and the LapBand surgery are quite on the same level. It seems like no matter what you tell her, she just automatically assumes that you did something wrong and disobeyed her orders. I had my surgery back in May and my conversations with her STILL bother me.

[karenlynn79]

It's funny because I am usually sensitive to people's professionalism and if they treat people well and I don't remember disliking her. It's been a while but I do remember she was very fast and didn't seem to invidualize anything. I think she is like the typical doctor here! Compared to the other docs at the OCC though I can see how she comes across as rude or uncaring. But you are all right, we shouldn't be treated like cattle or not individuals by anyone there because everyone else is so great! I think she might get wind of this.... To her credit the few times I have emailed her she has been prompt with the responses though they didn't seem to be specifically tailored to my needs either....

[cckcsharp]

Well, I can honestly say that I would not classify my experience with Dr. Miranda as "being rude" even though I am the one who started this whole thing. I would classify her actions toward me more as "unrealistic, unfair, or not really listening." She didn't yell or talk in a disrespectful way. She just seemed to be asking things that were unreasonable and suggesting that I wasn't telling the truth. Like I said, let Dr. Ortiz look at my liver for himself.

Vix, in response to your concern though, you have a much lower BMI than I do, so your not required to have regular contact with Dr. Miranda prior to surgery. You do need to do the pre-op diet, I think 1-2 weeks before surgery. But because my BMI was so much higher, I have had to do weekly check in's with her for the past 6 weeks and had to lose more weight before surgery. I wouldn't worry about your status. Just do the protein drinks for the next week until surgery and you should be good. I am certainly not worried about myself at this point, so I don't think you should worry. Besides think of it this way

SHE'S GOING TO BE TOO BUSY BEING MAD AT ME TO EVEN NOTICE YOU!!!!! I am so excited that you will be there with me.

[erin2796]

I had to do the pre op diet and never spoke to Dr. Miranda on the phone. I sent her an email asking if I needed to call her and she replied back that I just needed to follow the diet and would be fine. I emailed her two additional times and she responded back promtly. My BMI was over 40. I did not actually speak to her until I got there for surgery. When I got there I had only lost 2 pounds of the 12 that I was required to lose and that was with following the diet. She said she was concerned and that I could not eat a meal that night like everyone else. Bottom line I still had surgery the next day and Dr. Ortiz did not say anything about me not following the pre op diet so I guess my liver was okay.

Just sending this out so that you can feel a little more relaxed about it. I do not think they will deny you the surgery as you have already lost more weight than I did on the pre op.

Good luck!

[jena]

Wow! There must be 2 Dr. Miranda's working there. She was nothing but kind and supportive to me. When I met her she was darling.

As a matter of fact, I had pictured her as a kindly older woman and when I got there she was a beautiful young woman.

My BMI was over 50, so I had to talk to her on the phone about my weight loss and which diet to follow and then email her every week. Here are some quotes from her email replies...

"Hi Jena

That means you are 50% done with the preop weight loss, a little bit more Dr. MIranda"

When I emailed her my weight, I told her I was taking swimming lessons..."SWIMMING I LOVE SWIMMING!!!!! they sell some ipods now for under water there the best!!!

Dr. Miranda"

"JENNA!!!! you are doing GOOD!!!!

Swimming huh? is allways a plus I love swimming too.

You are fabulos.

Dr. MIranda"

When I met her I had my stepmom with me. My step mom talks to everyone like she's known them forever. (Everyone who was getting banded with me called her Paula Dean because she reminded them of her. She's from Savannah too and has that same accent.) Anyway, she asked Dr. Miranda lots of questions and Dr. M was as nice as she could be.

I think some of her "coldness" comes from her belief that you really have to change your lifestyle and she doesn't tolerate breaking the rules very well. She told us that everything the patient goes through in the weeks before getting banded is a direct correlation to how well they will do once banded. They have seen enough patients walk through their doors to know what they are talking about.

You are doing GREAT! After I lost 3 pounds more than she wanted me to, she told me to keep it up and to lose another 10 pounds. LOL!

[mistyband]

I wasn't banded at the OCC, but it sounds like someone needs to speak with Dr.O about Dr.M's bedside manners....You are human and you have feelings! It sounds to me like you have done a fantastic job at your preop....don't let someone with a sour personality or bad manners get you down....Keep up the good work, and ask for a comment form before you leave the OCC!!

[mom12]

I didn't talk to her at all until I got down there and she was fine but my husband was in the room with me and I would dare her to try to be rude to me in front of him.

[cckcsharp]

Wow! There must be 2 Dr. Miranda's working there. She was nothing but kind and supportive to me. When I met her she was darling.

As a matter of fact, I had pictured her as a kindly older woman and when I got there she was a beautiful young woman.

My BMI was over 50, so I had to talk to her on the phone about my weight loss and which diet to follow and then email her every week. Here are some quotes from her email replies...

"Hi Jena

That means you are 50% done with the preop weight loss, a little bit more Dr. MIranda"

When I emailed her my weight, I told her I was taking swimming lessons..."SWIMMING I LOVE SWIMMING!!!!! they sell some ipods now for under water there the best!!!

Dr. Miranda"

"JENNA!!!! you are doing GOOD!!!!

Swimming huh? is allways a plus I love swimming too.

You are fabulos.

Dr. MIranda"

When I met her I had my stepmom with me. My step mom talks to everyone like she's known them forever. (Everyone who was getting banded with me called her Paula Dean because she reminded them of her. She's from Savannah too and has that same accent.) Anyway, she asked Dr. Miranda lots of questions and Dr. M was as nice as she could be.

I think some of her "coldness" comes from her belief that you really have to change your lifestyle and she doesn't tolerate breaking the rules very well. She told us that everything the patient goes through in the weeks before getting banded is a direct correlation to how well they will do once banded. They have seen enough patients walk through their doors to know what they are talking about.

You are doing GREAT! After I lost 3 pounds more than she wanted me to, she told me to keep it up and to lose another 10 pounds. LOL!

I have emails from her that are nice too. She said things like " I like your attitude on weight loss." And similiar things like that. And like I said, I don't feel she was rude. I feel she was unreasonable and I do feel she spoke to me in a cold and uncaring tone. Almost drill sargent like. I would understand this if I hadn't lost weight, but I thought I was doing well and so her tone with me was very unexpected and I just didn't understand it. But I have considered that maybe she was just trying to push for the best results possible. I just personally don't think that is the way to go about it. I felt discouraged after talking to her and I wanted to go out and binge. Had she told me I was doing well and complimented my weight loss, this would have actually encouraged me to lose even more before surgery. But instead she made me feel like all the work I had done was just simply not enough and I could do better. After the tears, I did shrug it off though. What she thinks of my success is not important to me. I know how hard I have worked and I know I have not lied, as she implied, and that is all the matters to me.