Follow-up bloodwork, etc.

 So, I am currently scheduled for August surgery w Dr. Ortiz in TJ (any feedback about him or Mexico appreciated) and was wondering what anyone out there has done regarding lab tests, etc? Basically, I don't even know if I should disclose that I've had the surgery to my doc when I come home. I'm afraid they won't want to cover anything if I need general labwork, etc. I mean...how would they know that I wasn't just dieting on my own and needed B-12 levels, etc? Any feedback anyone can provide on their own follow-up experiences in the U.S. after surgery in Mexico ?? Thanks!

You must never lie to your doctor or your lawyer.

I agree... U should always be up front w/ your doctor.... With holding vital medical information can affect your future medical treatment

I agree with the previous posters - you need to tell your Dr.  I actually discussed my decision to have WLS surgery with my Dr before making the final decision because who knows my attempts to lose weight and weight history better than her.

 You definitely MUST give your doctor an accurate Medical History!  Knowing you have had weight loss surgery, elective or not, is essential to both the ordering of the right bloodwork panels plus the correct interpretation of those results.  The lab reports only indicate normative ranges based on age and gender.  The limits of some of those ranges might be different knowing you are a bariatric patient in the weight loss phase.  Liver enzymes are a classic example.

Other types of after care you will need, or may want to pursue, like pescription strenth PPI's or Ursodiol, you will need to be upfront with to get.  For example, without the WLS do you have any other indications for either omeprazole or usodiol?  Or would your plan be to ask for them without any reason.

What if you have a complication, God forbid?  Without knowing you had surgery, your doctor could completely misinterpret a symtom of a leak and treat it wrongly.  That could have fatal consequences.  That would not be malpractice on their part, but your responsibility for not accurately disclosing your medical history.

Plus, Unless your doctor is a complete idiot, they should be able to put two and two together to figure out that you have done something drastic to lose weight.  The rate at which you will lose especially in the first coupl of months is pretty telling.

If your concern is for insurance coverage, not medical care, then you need to talk to your insurer - not lie to your physician.

 I dont think it is a big deal. I had surgery in Mexico, and then 6 weeks later i went to a local walk in clinic, told them i had the surgery done and had the doctor examine me and I got a full work up of blood work. I then sent the results back to my doctor in mexico to ensure that everything was normal. I did not want to go to my family physician because I was not ready to tell her I had gotten the surgery done. 

Ok, lets start at the beginning.

I, my husband and my daughter have all had VSG with Dr. Ortiz.

The clinic is clean, the nurses top notch the attending doctors all educated, friendly and knowledable.
The only downfall I have for them is their follow up plan for nutrition and the highest weight loss possible. You will walk away with a packet that has a list of follow-up blood tests to get done at 3 months and you must email them after 3 weeks and request the written transcript of the surgery.
Both of these you will give to your PCP, keeping a copy for your records.
My husband was vite D deficient, mine were fine and my daughter is due for hers in a couple weeks. 

Second...

YOU tell the DOCTOR what you NEED and WANT!
Do not let doctors dictate your life. 

My PCP I have had for 25 years. I did not ask her for permission for the VSG, I simply gave her the list of blood tests I needed to have done and a copy of the surgery notes. 
She was concerned and told me she did not know how to follow up/treat me after this surgery. I told her that I would let her know what I needed and if she wasn't comfortable I would get another PCP who was. 
this surgery is done here at a local hospital. There are surgeons who will give me the name of a PCP who is on board with the surgery if necessary. But, I think once she sees how well I recover and how easy the follow up is. she will be more comfortable. 

DO NOT LIE OR OMIT INFO TO YOUR PCP! 
IT ONLY HURTS YOU IN THE LONG RUN!

Be right up front about everything and tell them you will find someone else to handle the follow up if they are not up to the task. 

Good luck to you,
donna 

 I appreciate everyone's responses. My primary concern is with insurance. My insurance company kind of sucks and I am concerned that they will try to get out of covering EVERYTHING due to my having this surgery...especially in Mexico. Unfortunately, I have only lived in Charleston for a couple of years and my PCP just moved out of state. So, I do not have an established relationship with a physician I trust, which would make things easier. I was just curious to hear feedback from others as to their follow-up care, especially from self-pay patients such as myself. 

I was self pay for my surgery for the same reason... my insurance does not cover any form of wls.  So far, they have covered all of my postop lab work.  Just because your dr knows you had surgery doesn't mean that the insurance gets to decide to not cover your blood work.  It has to do with the way the dr's office codes it on the invoice. 

My husband, who has different insurance from me, also had to be self-pay for his for the same reason, and his insurance also covered all postop labwork.

 Thanks, Moonglo...that's kind of what I figured. I mean...you could go into a doc and complain of fatigue and they might draw all of those labs. I just wish I had a doc that would be supportive. Physicians can be funny creatures and I'm concerned that I may face bias because of using a Mexican surgeon. Unfortunately, most are ignorant on this topic and think you have to be some kind of moron to do such a thing. LOL. I guess I'll just have to look for a new doc and see how it goes.