"My big problem with Dr. Watson is with his after care, and because of this, I would not recommend him to my worst enemy. Sure, he’s personable, friendly, and very interested in you and your upcoming surgery, but once he has done the cutting, you might not ever see him again. I never did, even though I tried repeatedly.
Even when I was in the hospital for my surgery, I only saw him twice. Once the morning of the surgery, and I think that maybe he came by when I first woke up. The only doc I remember seeing was his junior partner and not my surgeon.
There is no structured after-care program, only a liaison named Pat who will *sometimes* call you back if you have questions. Pat is not, however, a medical, psychological, or nutritional professional. She is just a lady who was Dr. Watson’s very first gastric bypass patient. (Apparently she had a number of problems and has enjoyed additional surgery or surgeries. Perhaps it was safer to put her on the payroll than to risk a lawsuit. That’s my suspicion, anyway.)
Pat dispenses advice and frequently forgets that she is not a medical or psychological professional. Want to know the very best part about my experience with Pat? My husband talked to her when he had concerns about my libido three months after the surgery. I was still easily exhausted and just not interested. Anyway, Pat told him to consider the possibility that maybe I was getting “it” somewhere else, as it wasn’t uncommon for bariatric patients to lose a lot of weight and go crazy. ^&%*&%^~!!!! Do you have ANY idea how long it took me to calm my husband back down? (I am not making this up, I swear.)
Follow-up eight months later: I've haven't seen my surgeon since my surgery, although I've been back three times. The first time I got a nurse who removed my jp-drain, and doc wasn't even in the building. The second time I got a nurse that I didn't exactly trust and the third time he was called out for emergency surgery and canceled everyone's appointments. (It doesn’t help at all that I drove for an hour and a half to get there, and no one from his office even bothered to call and tell me.) It's a day from work each time I go and a drive of almost three hours. If I try this again, then I am definitely taking my big notebook full of questions and refusing to leave until he sees me. Now I can't even talk to the nurse I didn't trust because he fired her or she went to work somewhere else. (sigh)
Follow-up TEN months later: Guess what? I STILL haven't seen my surgeon!! I did make another trip over the Christmas season, and he was never even in the office. No, his staff did not call me and let me know, either. I found out not when I arrived but when I refused to hand over my copay until I actually, really, truly saw my surgeon. Then the girl looked startled and informed me that he wasn't even there - again. I took my notebook with me - you know, the one full of questions that I never get answers to. We even asked the office manager if he could *call* and bill me for an appointment, just so I could have answers. She said no, he doesn't do that. What a $#&$&#& joke.
Fast forward five years: I’ve done fairly well in several respects, but I’ve had a couple of persistent problems that I have had to rely on my GP for. Since I am still having those issues, I am considering trying to persuade Dr. Boyce in Knoxville to see me.
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"I had the room across from the nurses station, and the noise was absolutely horrible. I could not sleep for the slamming and banging around, nurses laughing and talking, the phone at the nurses' station ringing, etc. "
