PCP woes

 I hope no one minds my venting about this here, I'm not really looking for a solution (not sure there is one), just venting. 

I just moved back to MD a year and a half ago, so I had not established a PCP here.  When I first started the process to get revised to a DS (from my horrid lap band), I decided to find a PCP who'd be supportive if at all possible and thought I had found one.  I've seen her three times over the course of the last six months or so and have been totally honest with her about everything, my lap band (which I got ten YEARS ago and have since gained 80 lbs!), my plan to revise to the DS, that I was doing nutritional and exercise counseling through my surgeon, etc.  

She actually encouraged me to go ahead and gain 5 lbs to ensure I would qualify for the DS per my insurances 50 BMI requirement. 

Never, ever, did she say she wanted to know more of my history.  Never did she request that I do any kind of counseling or program through her office.  I saw her three times during this six months and kept her updated the whole time. 

So I went to see her last week, both for the surgery and to go over some bloodwork.  I asked her if she could possibly write a recommendation letter, which my surgeons office said would be helpful getting insurance approval... 

And she... FLIPPED THE **** OUT. 
She was like, I can't write a letter for you, I barely know you, I have no idea what your history is or whether or not you should even get this surgery!  You've been doing counseling through them, so let THEM write the letter!  

I explained that it is not the surgeon's office *****quires this, it's the INSURANCE.

So she called my surgeons office and yelled at them.  No, really, she was yelling so loud I'm sure everyone in the office heard her, about how she has no idea about anything about me.  I swear she acted like she'd never met me before, or done my pap smear, or talked to me AT LENGTH about this surgery.  She was extremely rude on the phone and was like "I don't want to be part of your program!!!"  Which, wtf???  There are not a zillion DS surgeons in this area, so it's not like she is going to affect the business of an excellent surgeon!

So she came back in and was all, well, I am not upset with you, but I am upset with them.  You should have done your counseling through us.  I got upset then and was like, you never mentioned that at any time in the past six months!  You never said I could, or should, do counseling here!  She said I should have asked!  WTF?!???  How would I know to ask that?

So she said, don't worry, I will write it this time.  I want to talk to your insurance though first and see what they require, so I will call you back.  

I gave her a copy of my denial letter from my initial submission (before I did the six months required counseling), talked to her more about it, left.

A few days later, some staffer from her office calls me...someone I've never met... and is all "well your insurance is so difficult, I spent 45 minutes on the phone with them and they said your case is closed!"  Well of course it is closed, you dumb ninny, my claim was denied!!!!  I am in the process of resubmitting!!!!!  FFS!!!  So you spent 45 minutes harassing them on the phone to find out the piece of paper in your hand was accurate????   Then she said, "the dr. recommends you do six months counseling through US."  WTF, so who is out to get my money now?  I already DID six months nutritional counseling! 

So of course she is not writing the recommendation, and for all I know she may have messed up the chances of my getting insurance approval by ruffling feathers over there.  I don't want to change PCP's right now, but I need someone who will be supportive and order tests for me and stuff.  I am so upset and pissed and I was actually pretty humiliated to have her hollering about my personal business so loud that anyone could hear, and clearly this is incredibly unprofessional behavior.  She was couching it in trying to imply that the surgeons office is trying to corner the market, so to speak, and steal my business in an unethical way.  But it's not unethical for them to encourage people to use the counseling programs that work with the surgical programs!  Those people all know each other, work together, know what they are doing, etc!  That is not unethical!

I'm sooooooooooooo pissed.  If anyone has a super awesome PCP in the MD/DC area, please let me know, because this one has got to go.  

 I'm so sorry you had to go through that!  I Know how it feels.  I've had a few uncooperative PCP over the past 20 year quest to have WLS.  One even told me to "just pretend you've had the surgery and eat less"  Are you Kidding me!!!! (as he sat there with his belly sitting on his lap!)
Now I am in search of one who is willing to learn about the DS.  So far not much luck.
Good luck with your search, and in your journey for your surgery!

~~Ginger~~

What an awful experience. And, yes, sounds like she was very unprofessional.

I love my PCP, bit when I first mentioned that I was looking into revision to another RNY, she suggested that i just pretend like I'd already had it and shoot for 500 calories a day,

  Well, at least this one didn't do that!  

She was totally unphased and seemed very understanding about my failed band and desire to revise.  That's part of why I was so blindsided by this.  At the time I was mostly mortified but now I am just in shock that she could be so unprofessional!  

Good Lord :-(. I wish you lived in my neck of the woods, cuz I have a very fine PCP.

I love my PCP too, but when I got my abscess from my DS, she was useless because she didn't want to touch someone else's project (ie: my surgery).  Completely useless to the point where I was seriously considering switching PCP's.

I'm sorry you're having such a hard time. 

 Janine, that sucks!  I'm so sorry you have developed an abscess, I hope it is getting better!  

Honestly I could have even understood (and half expected) her to just say "No," I didn't expect THAT though.  Gah.  Now I can't decide if I should just switch or if I should call and ask her if she can be supportive for the other things I will need.  I told her several times during our convo "if it is a problem for you, don't worry about it!"  

You should get all the counseling dates and service written down and given to your NEW PCP. I went to a new PCP cuz I had just moved to the area. Asked her to do a physical, told her my plans, with my weight she agreed I needed to do something. showed her my research on the DS (cuz originally I was going to do the RNY) She was impressed. I also had my past PCP record to give her. She did an EKG, it wasn't perfect so she had me go to a cardiologist, which had me jump through some hoops, but she passed me, then she wrote a note just stating I was in healthy enough to have this surgery and that she recommended I do it.
What happened to you is really ridiculous. There is no need for such drama. Find a new PCP! have them get your old PCP's records and move on. You don't need that. Good luck!