New to vent

[dawns]

So I don't post on here very often but I read the posts every night so I thought I would share my experience that I had at a doctors appt. today. We have a doctor supervised weight loss program here at the hospital in my town in Kansas. I have been going to this weight loss clinic for about a year now and my last appointment was in May. At that appointment I had told them that I was checking into having surgery in Mexico at the OCC. I scheduled a follow up appointment for today knowing that I would hopefully have had surgery by the time I went back for my follow up appointment.

I had my surgery on Sept. 1 and I decided I would keep my appointment at the weight loss clinic today even though everything has been going pretty ok since being banded last Monday. I really wanted to visit with the RD to make sure I was getting enough protein and such. So I got there and checked in and the nurse called me back to weigh me. She asked me if I had had my surgery and I told her yes and she wanted to know if I had gone to Mexico like I had planned, I told her yes. She didn't say too much more and took me to the room where I would see the doctor. She shut the door and said to me "now are you sure you got a band?" very condescendingly. I looked at her funny not sure I was understanding what she was saying and she said again "are you really sure that you have a band because we had a patient that went to Mexico and he came back with only a port, he never got a band. You just never know what you get when you go someplace like Mexico to have surgery". I could not believe what this woman was saying to me. First of all I am a RN also and she knows that I am a nurse and she said this to me! I said to her that I was very confident that I left the clinic with a band and that I was very well taken care of and that being a nurse I thoroughly did my research on Dr. Ortiz. She smirked and left the room to get the doctor.

The doctor came in and she has been very supportive all along but then she tried to tell me that there is no such thing as a 10 cm band that only takes 4cc's, that the only FDA approved band hold 14cc's no less. I told her over and over again that there are different sized bands, one is bigger than the other and holds more saline and the OCC only uses FDA approved bands. She nicely kept telling me I didn't know what I was talking about. Finally I just gave up. I asked her how many fills they do at the hospital and told her that Dr. Ortiz says that a women usually only needs 2 fills maybe 3 in their lifetime. She said that they do way more than that and that must be because they use the FDA approved 14cc band. I let it go at that point and decided that I will go to OCC for my fills and not mess with them anymore.

I did get to see the RD and she said that my diet (even though it is the liquid phase still) looked good and keep up the good work! During my visit with the dietitian while I was trying to listen to some of the stuff she was going through I just got madder and madder about how the RN had treated me so I said to her that I know that in the US especially in the healthcare field it is supposed to be such a bad thing to go to Mexico to have any kind of procedure done but that I felt like I had made a very good decision for myself and I was happy with it. She wanted to know what I was talking about so I told her what the nurse had said to me and she apologized and said that the nurse was out of line and that she would say something to someone about what was said to me. She also told me that the story that the nurse had told me was not true. I have fumed about it all day long and then decided its not worth it to let closed minded people get to me.

Thanks for reading my book and letting me vent.

dawns

[Kittycat]

I am sorry that you had to endure such nonsense. Of course you got a band, what an idiodic thing to insinuate.

Some people can be so negative. You will do great!

Good Luck!

[nothereanymore]

Isn’t it amazing how much ignorance there is in the world?

I love Mexico; I know there are good things and bad things there. (I'm a teeny bit Latino American and my new grandson is mostly Latino American) We landed on Plymouth Rock, I'm everything....

I love the US – I also know there are good things and bad things here. (I’m a proud DAR and we have a lot of history in this Country).

One important thing – I know that in the US we don’t have a run on all of the best doctors or knowledge in the medical field. I’m a smart lady and I respectfully acknowledge that many Countries have more experience in certain fields than we do. A perfect example is the lap band – since it wasn’t approved in the States for 10 years after its first use throughout Europe I grudgingly understand that they have more experience and knowledge about this procedure than we do. Dr. Ortiz has proctored many of the Doctors in the US, and I respect his knowledge – whenever someone makes assumptions without research I consider them an idiot. So unfortunately the nurse you dealt with is an idiot in my book. Drop them like a hot rock and move on. Stupidity is something that I have no tolerance for and I would be afraid to have them looking after my needs.

Best,

Lisa

[BandDiva]

Isn’t it amazing how much ignorance there is in the world?

I love Mexico; I know there are good things and bad things there. (I'm a teeny bit Latino American and my new grandson is mostly Latino American) We landed on Plymouth Rock, I'm everything....

I love the US – I also know there are good things and bad things here. (I’m a proud DAR and we have a lot of history in this Country).

One important thing – I know that in the US we don’t have a run on all of the best doctors or knowledge in the medical field. I’m a smart lady and I respectfully acknowledge that many Countries have more experience in certain fields than we do. A perfect example is the lap band – since it wasn’t approved in the States for 10 years after its first use throughout Europe I grudgingly understand that they have more experience and knowledge about this procedure than we do. Dr. Ortiz has proctored many of the Doctors in the US, and I respect his knowledge – whenever someone makes assumptions without research I consider them an idiot. So unfortunately the nurse you dealt with is an idiot in my book. Drop them like a hot rock and move on. Stupidity is something that I have no tolerance for and I would be afraid to have them looking after my needs.

Best,

Lisa

My primary care Doctor and myself have talked about lapband for the last couple of years as an option for myself. When I called his office last month to leave a message with his staff to have him call me so we could discuss my decsion about having the surgery I got his nurse. Ofcourse she wanted to know what it was regarding. She went off! She said, "He is not going to like this." "We don't like our patients going to Mexico, for ANYTHING!" I said look, "would you just have him call me?" (I was a little ticked) When he called, He said, Hi Dana, What is going on? To make a long story short......He said,"What Dr. in Mexico? I said Dr. Ariel Ortiz. He said, I totally support your decision and I think you will do just great. I want you to fax all your test results and call me as soon as you can and let me know how everything went."

I was really excited by his response and his support! I love & respect my Dr!!! When I heard that, It just gave me more peace about going to Mexico! It just goes to show you that Dr's over here do have his respect for Dr. O & these nurses (sometimes) are just stuck up snobs that don't know any better.

[bandgroupie]

I've been called a "Mexican patient" before.

Sheeesh. Makes ya want to cuff em!

[momonamission]

Ya know there are doctors everywhere that cut corners to make extra money. I am sure that there have been patients that have gone to Mexico and did not actually get the band. As there are patients here in the USA who have had bad experiecnes with doctors undeserving of there title. There are always going to be sharks out there who want to eat the little fish. It is our job as the little fish to do our research. I felt confident with Dr.Ortiz. I read posts for over two years and followed his work. I am now thinking about sometime next year when I get close to goal to get a tummy tuck and my boobs lifted and stuffed. I would not be telling the truth if I said I was not worried about going to Mexico for this. If it were Dr.Ortiz I would do it in a second. But, I have to do my homework. I hope to find a forum like this one but for patients with those procedures. So I can follow that doctor's work and feel just as confident when I go there again. Most peole that say stuff like that have heard a bad story and are acting off fear and concern. Just think of plastic surgery? How many horror stories do you hear of in the states. Just think of Pricilla Presley...AAGGHh....poor lady. She looks horrible and I just found out her doctor is in jail for putting stuff in peoples faces that are not even approved. You hear of peoples nipples falling off and afer tummy tucks that there new belly button has pubic hair that they have to shave everyday. Those are Ameican doctors. So as I was saying ....every country has there doctors that do not know what the hell they are doing.

[julieburns]

When I hear a story like this it makes me crazy :lb20:

As a nurse I can't believe how health professionals can be so ignorant and out right rude to patients. It takes all kinds I guess. I am glad your Dr. responded appropriately and even made you feel more assured with your decision as he should!!(if he's informed which he must be, lucky you).

[vix]

The ignorance that people display is absolutely amazing sometimes! When I had my knee surgery 2 days ago, I had to tell them that I was less than 2 weeks out from lapband surgery. The nurse who was putting my IV in and getting me ready was a bit surprised when I told her (she looked shocked and raised her eyebrows), and she said "You certainly are a gutsy lady," but she was really nice to me and didn't say anything negative. She did ask about the clinic itself and the nurses, etc. I told her it was absolutely immaculate and that everyone was wonderful.

I personally think that the people who are negative about it are just jealous...either of the fact that you took charge of your weight while they can't, or that they wanted you to have your surgery there so they could get the money. I would have been mad too...but just chalk it up to ignorance... :lb20:

[Cujo]

"She shut the door and said to me "now are you sure you got a band?" very condescendingly. ... You just never know what you get when you go someplace like Mexico to have surgery"."

My sister asked if Dr. Ortiz charged me extra for the hiatal hernia repair. I told her 'no, he took a kidney in lieu of payment'.

I don't think she knows I was kidding. It totally fit into her perception of Mexico.

[stormy]

"She shut the door and said to me "now are you sure you got a band?" very condescendingly. ... You just never know what you get when you go someplace like Mexico to have surgery"."

My sister asked if Dr. Ortiz charged me extra for the hiatal hernia repair. I told her 'no, he took a kidney in lieu of payment'.

I don't think she knows I was kidding. It totally fit into her perception of Mexico.

HA, HA you crack me up !! I love it!!

[jhawkchick75]

It just blows my mind how ignorant people can be. It's funny to me how I have all these friends that get boob jobs and things like that and nobody has a problem with it, but I get this done and they have an issue. I have no problem with plastic surgery - to each their own if it makes them feel good, but I wish others felt the same. So frustrating! Don't let it get to ya. They are just ignorant!