Guest guest Posted December 27, 2004 Report Share Posted December 27, 2004 LaWanda, What a day! I have not had my psyche evaluation yet, so I don't know what to expect. He sounded like a jerk.....so far I haven't ran into any doctors that feel that they are being put out like he seemed. I wish you good luck and am sure that things will go just fine. As far as the alcohol and caffeine, I think that you are suppose to stop about six weeks before surgery. I don't have my paper here in front of me, but it seems to me that is what I remember. Anyways, I hope all goes well....happy new years...... Patty Riverside LaWanda Ezell wrote: Hi everyone, today I had my psyche evaluation here in Sacramento, just as I requested and Doctor Dutta agreed. Don't know if I got the approval of the psychiatrist or not, but it is my impression that he really didn't like me. You know in the sixties how people used to refer to bad vibes, well they were all over the place today,. Now I have had therapy, and I feel pretty comfortable with psychiatrists, so I don't believe it was me. What I think happened was this:When the office called to give me the appointment, my husband was here and I was not, so he took a message and a number for me to call if I needed to talk to them. Just for my own peace of mind, I decided to follow up their call with one from me, even though they had left the appointment time and date with my husband, and that time and date was last Thursday at 2:30 P.M.When I called, they confirmed the time and date of the appointment with me, and they also told me that I would need to come in 45 minutes early to do paperwork. I agreed to do that and told them that, if they had paperwork they needed from me, they would need to provide someone to assist me in filling it out as I was blind and could not fill out the forms. I further explained that I did not just routinely have sighted assistance--in fact I almost never have it and usually don't need it--and the person on the phone said not to worry, they would provide the assistance I needed.One day last week, while I was away at school, my husband took another message from them cancelling my appointment for last Thursday and rescheduling it for today at the same time, 2:30. Well I didn't call them back this time, as I felt I didn't need to call them back and since I had a bit to do that day. I did finally decide, however, to call them back this morning just to confirm that my information about the appointment was right, and I learned it was, and then I asked if the person who had made the notes about my need for assistance with paperwork, had left any notation there when the appointment was cancelled. The woman who answered the phone didn't seem to know anything about that part of things at all, but she told me not to worry because everything would be all right.When I got there, I arrived way early because of Paratransit and the need to be early with them or you will surely be late, and there was no one there. After awhile though, someone did arrive and I told her that I was there for my two thirty appointment with Doctor Reins, and that I knew I was early but that someone had asked me to come 45 minutes early so that I could do the paperwork. When I reminded her that someone was supposed to come and help me fill out paperwork, again she didn't seem to know anything about it and told me to take a seat.In a few minutes, she called to me asking me if I knew anymore about someone filling out my paperwork and that Doctor Reins wanted to know. I said that I had told her all I knew, and presently Doctor Reins himself came out wanting to know who had told me that some would be out to fill out my paperwork, and when I told him that I had been told that on the phone number 525 6100, he just accepted that and went back in.He came back out to get me just a few minutes later, at two instead of two thirty, and we went into his office where he explained to me that he needed to ask me some questions that everyone was asked who planned to have the surgery. He asked me things like whether I knew the risks of my proposed surgery, what I felt caused me to overeat, if obesity ran in my family, and various other things like that. I found nothing at all wrong with the questions, in fact I thought they made sense for them to ask, though I think I had been asked some of them before in other places. What annoyed me was that he wouldn't always let me finish answering the questions he asked, saying things like let's move on.When we began to talk, he wanted the name of my doctor, and I told him it was Doctor Alder, at the Point West Kaiser, and then he wanted to know where I lived, not my address but in what section of town I lived. When we came to near the end of the interview, he said he would send the results to Doctor Alder, and then when I told him that it was Doctor Dutta, my surgeon in Freemont who wanted the results, I thought he was going to lose it. He demanded to know why I hadn't gone to Freemont to see someone, and so I explained to him that I had requested a local appointment because Freemont was about a two day trip for me, he just really didn't have anything else to say to me. He was courteous to me, but I just felt like he either minded the fact of my blindness with its attendant needs for assistance with paperwork or that he minded doing the consult. Oh he also asked me if I drank alcohol or cafeine, and I told him that I had a very occasional drink, he asked when the last time I'd had anything to drink was. When I told him that I'd had about half a wineglass of sakhi on Thanksgiving and couldn't remember when, before that, I'd had anything to drink, he asked me if I drank cafeine, and when I told him that I drank two cups of coffee daily, sometimes less but never more, he told me that I had to be abstainant from both cafeine and alcohol for a year prior to surery. I told him I hadn't been told anything like that, but that I understood that drinking cafeine was out after the surgery. It was right after that little interchange that he told me he was done, after asking me if I'd been to any of the requisite consults. I told him that I'd been to the orientation and the initial class, and also to the consult with my surgeon. Has anyone else here heard that about cafeine and alcohol?Sorry this went on so long, but I really am upset, and I guess that the bottom line is that I felt, throughout the interview, that the man had his mind made up before I even got in there. I am feeling very discouraged right now, and I'm not too sure what, if anything I should do about it. I had allotted a couple of hours for the appointment, in part based on the 45 minutes of paperwork they told me I would need to do, and the whole thing ended up taking not quite a half an hour. In fact the brevity of the interview, and the nonexistence of the supposed paperwork, is another part of what makes me feel that these people had their mind made up. Anyway thanks to everyone for listening, if you've managed to hang in with me for this long ramble. I am keeping a copy of this email, just in case I need it down the line for anything. LaWanda __________________________________________________ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 28, 2004 Report Share Posted December 28, 2004 How frazzling to go through this. Try to keep a positive outlook and get those results before worrying too much. The doc may just hate doing these evals. As for not letting you answer questions fully, he may have been looking for certain answers and didn't need a full explanation. He may have had diarrhea and needed to finish fast... <G> There are a world of possibilities. Let's hope the results are what you are hoping for and if they aren't, then request another eval from a doctor that your surgeon recommends or at least one who is more experienced with the positive benefits of the surgery. Best to you! in OR Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 28, 2004 Report Share Posted December 28, 2004 Hey thanks for your support, I have kept a copy of my post and will show it wherever I feel it is necessary to show it. LaWanda At 08:49 AM 12/28/04, you wrote: >-LaWanda > >Im so sorry you feel so bad about the evaluation. He probably told >you lets move on because he felt you knew what you were talking >about. But if your bad vibes prove true, remember you can ask for a >second opinion. Call patient assistance, show them this post and >request another evaluation with a different person even if its at >another facility. Dont give up...we all support you and know you >will make it through this hoop too. > >Huggles > >-- In gastric-bypass-support-kaiser-patients , >LaWanda Ezell <konfuzed@s...> wrote: > > Hi everyone, today I had my psyche evaluation here in Sacramento, >just as I > > requested and Doctor Dutta agreed. Don't know if I got the >approval of the > > psychiatrist or not, but it is my impression that he really didn't >like > > me. You know in the sixties how people used to refer to bad >vibes, well > > they were all over the place today,. Now I have had therapy, and >I feel > > pretty comfortable with psychiatrists, so I don't believe it was >me. What > > I think happened was this: > > > > When the office called to give me the appointment, my husband was >here and > > I was not, so he took a message and a number for me to call if I >needed to > > talk to them. Just for my own peace of mind, I decided to follow >up their > > call with one from me, even though they had left the appointment >time and > > date with my husband, and that time and date was last Thursday at >2:30 P.M. > > > > When I called, they confirmed the time and date of the appointment >with me, > > and they also told me that I would need to come in 45 minutes >early to do > > paperwork. I agreed to do that and told them that, if they had >paperwork > > they needed from me, they would need to provide someone to assist >me in > > filling it out as I was blind and could not fill out the forms. I >further > > explained that I did not just routinely have sighted assistance-- >in fact I > > almost never have it and usually don't need it--and the person on >the phone > > said not to worry, they would provide the assistance I needed. > > > > One day last week, while I was away at school, my husband took >another > > message from them cancelling my appointment for last Thursday and > > rescheduling it for today at the same time, 2:30. Well I didn't >call them > > back this time, as I felt I didn't need to call them back and >since I had a > > bit to do that day. I did finally decide, however, to call them >back this > > morning just to confirm that my information about the appointment >was > > right, and I learned it was, and then I asked if the person who >had made > > the notes about my need for assistance with paperwork, had left >any > > notation there when the appointment was cancelled. The woman who >answered > > the phone didn't seem to know anything about that part of things >at all, > > but she told me not to worry because everything would be all right. > > > > When I got there, I arrived way early because of Paratransit and >the need > > to be early with them or you will surely be late, and there was no >one > > there. After awhile though, someone did arrive and I told her >that I was > > there for my two thirty appointment with Doctor Reins, and that I >knew I > > was early but that someone had asked me to come 45 minutes early >so that I > > could do the paperwork. When I reminded her that someone was >supposed to > > come and help me fill out paperwork, again she didn't seem to know >anything > > about it and told me to take a seat. > > > > In a few minutes, she called to me asking me if I knew anymore >about > > someone filling out my paperwork and that Doctor Reins wanted to >know. I > > said that I had told her all I knew, and presently Doctor Reins >himself > > came out wanting to know who had told me that some would be out to >fill out > > my paperwork, and when I told him that I had been told that on the >phone > > number 525 6100, he just accepted that and went back in. > > > > He came back out to get me just a few minutes later, at two >instead of two > > thirty, and we went into his office where he explained to me that >he needed > > to ask me some questions that everyone was asked who planned to >have the > > surgery. He asked me things like whether I knew the risks of my >proposed > > surgery, what I felt caused me to overeat, if obesity ran in my >family, and > > various other things like that. I found nothing at all wrong with >the > > questions, in fact I thought they made sense for them to ask, >though I > > think I had been asked some of them before in other places. What >annoyed > > me was that he wouldn't always let me finish answering the >questions he > > asked, saying things like let's move on. > > > > When we began to talk, he wanted the name of my doctor, and I told >him it > > was Doctor Alder, at the Point West Kaiser, and then he wanted to >know > > where I lived, not my address but in what section of town I >lived. When we > > came to near the end of the interview, he said he would send the >results to > > Doctor Alder, and then when I told him that it was Doctor Dutta, >my surgeon > > in Freemont who wanted the results, I thought he was going to lose >it. He > > demanded to know why I hadn't gone to Freemont to see someone, and >so I > > explained to him that I had requested a local appointment because >Freemont > > was about a two day trip for me, he just really didn't have >anything else > > to say to me. He was courteous to me, but I just felt like he >either > > minded the fact of my blindness with its attendant needs for >assistance > > with paperwork or that he minded doing the consult. Oh he also >asked me if > > I drank alcohol or cafeine, and I told him that I had a very >occasional > > drink, he asked when the last time I'd had anything to drink was. >When I > > told him that I'd had about half a wineglass of sakhi on >Thanksgiving and > > couldn't remember when, before that, I'd had anything to drink, he >asked me > > if I drank cafeine, and when I told him that I drank two cups of >coffee > > daily, sometimes less but never more, he told me that I had to be > > abstainant from both cafeine and alcohol for a year prior to >surery. I > > told him I hadn't been told anything like that, but that I >understood that > > drinking cafeine was out after the surgery. It was right after >that little > > interchange that he told me he was done, after asking me if I'd >been to any > > of the requisite consults. I told him that I'd been to the >orientation and > > the initial class, and also to the consult with my surgeon. Has >anyone > > else here heard that about cafeine and alcohol? > > > > Sorry this went on so long, but I really am upset, and I guess >that the > > bottom line is that I felt, throughout the interview, that the man >had his > > mind made up before I even got in there. I am feeling very >discouraged > > right now, and I'm not too sure what, if anything I should do >about it. I > > had allotted a couple of hours for the appointment, in part based >on the 45 > > minutes of paperwork they told me I would need to do, and the >whole thing > > ended up taking not quite a half an hour. In fact the brevity of >the > > interview, and the nonexistence of the supposed paperwork, is >another part > > of what makes me feel that these people had their mind made up. >Anyway > > thanks to everyone for listening, if you've managed to hang in >with me for > > this long ramble. I am keeping a copy of this email, just in case >I need > > it down the line for anything. LaWanda > > > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 28, 2004 Report Share Posted December 28, 2004 Thanks Sandi, I thought all of that stuff too, and I really can't give up coffee right now as I've gone back to school so that I can take on another career at the age of 55. Alcohol has never been an issue with me, and I could stop drinking it today with no problem. The cafeine will be a little more difficult, it just shook me up when that shrink said that I couldn't have the surgery if I had cafeine or alcohol within the last year, as I'd not heard that at any of the sessions I'd been to with any of the doctors or any Kaiser personnel. When I called him on it, he did finally say that it was up to the surgeon. LaWanda At 12:35 PM 12/28/04, you wrote: >LaWanda and everyone: >Even though I had my surgery through Pacific Bariatrics in San Diego, >I believe these issues are the same for all WLS patients. > >Caffeine is an appetite stimulant as well as the acid can cause >ulcers. I even avoid decaffeinated coffee because it bothers my >stomach. > >Carbonated beverages can overfill the new small stomach with gas. > >Chewing gum is also an appetite stimulant. Plus, if you accidentally >swallowed chewing gum, it could " gum up the works " (block the >digestive track). > >Alcohol is not only a possible cause of ulcers; it also hits the >gastric bypass patient's body much stronger. A drink that formerly >might have only given you a little buzz could seriously get you drunk >and/or sick after WLS. > >However, I have not heard of any rule saying that you need to be >caffeine and alcohol free for a year prior to surgery. I've heard of >patients who just cannot quit their daily coffee and only stop for a >short while prior to and after surgery. But I don't think they were >Kaiser patients. >--Sandi H. (5 ft 1 inch tall) >Dr. Leo  San Diego (Thru Kaiser) >315 at orientation (May '03) >252 at surgery (6/03/04) >Last weighed at 190.0 (12/25/04) >Hopefully someday below 140 >sandiantoytrain @ yahoo . com > > > > HI LaWanda, > > At Orientation in SSF that was one of the first things that they >told us to do was not drink caffeine drinks and also not to drink >soda. The reason for the caffeine is that it is an appetite >stimulant. The soda was I think more to learn not to drink gassy >products because after surgery you will not be able to drink them. >Another thing we had to give up which wasn't hard for me was chewing >gum. That is also and appetite stimulant. Also At a support group >meeting that Gitty held in SSF she said that after surgery there >should not be any consumption of alcohol and that was because of the >possibilities of it was causing ulcers. I have not heard of any rule >though of a person having to wait a year because of the coffee >consumption. As for the alcohol I am not sure on that one. My >opinion is that when you go to your next case management meeting talk >to the case manager about your encounter there. I am sure they would >be willing to help you with your situation. Good luck > > Ramona > > > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 28, 2004 Report Share Posted December 28, 2004 I guesss that shrink didn't know it all, did he. He probably wasn't even a specialist in interviewing potential WLS candidates. But I guess Kaiser was trying to accomodate your travel problems by having you see him. I just think it would be great if Kaiser would set up a Gastric Bypass unit in the Sacramento area! We have so many candidates in this area. Just my opinion, though. --Sandi . . . it just shook me up when that shrink said that I couldn't have the surgery if I had cafeine or alcohol within the last year, as I'd not heard that at any of the sessions I'd been to with any of the doctors or any Kaiser personnel. When I called him on it, he did finally say that it was up to the surgeon. LaWanda Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 28, 2004 Report Share Posted December 28, 2004 Mine too! LaWanda At 03:20 PM 12/28/04, you wrote: >I guesss that shrink didn't know it all, did he. He probably wasn't >even a specialist in interviewing potential WLS candidates. But I >guess Kaiser was trying to accomodate your travel problems by having >you see him. > >I just think it would be great if Kaiser would set up a Gastric >Bypass unit in the Sacramento area! We have so many candidates in >this area. Just my opinion, though. >--Sandi > > > . . . it just shook me up when that shrink said that I couldn't have >the surgery if I had cafeine or alcohol within the last year, as I'd >not heard that at any of the sessions I'd been to with any of the >doctors or any Kaiser personnel. When I called him on it, he did >finally say that it was up to the surgeon. LaWanda > > > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 28, 2004 Report Share Posted December 28, 2004 Hi.. the reason for no caffine is it deydrates you and you need all the water you can get in at least 64 ounces a day and the gum is because we have a habit of swollowing it and it can clog us up.. i went to a 12 week class at kaiser fontana and a siminar for the pacific bareatric in san diego ca,, no rasins either for at least a year or more and no fresh coconut forever is what we are told,, no bread unless it is toasted.. take care and have a happy new year and great weight loses shirley of fontana socalsweetgemlady656@... wrote: HI LaWanda, At Orientation in SSF that was one of the first things that they told us to do was not drink caffeine drinks and also not to drink soda. The reason for the caffeine is that it is an appetite stimulant. The soda was I think more to learn not to drink gassy products because after surgery you will not be able to drink them. Another thing we had to give up which wasn't hard for me was chewing gum. That is also and appetite stimulant. Also At a support group meeting that Gitty held in SSF she said that after surgery there should not be any consumption of alcohol and that was because of the possibilities of it was causing ulcers. I have not heard of any rule though of a person having to wait a year because of the coffee consumption. As for the alcohol I am not sure on that one. My opinion is that when you go to your next case management meeting talk to the case manager about your encounter there. I am sure they would be willing to help you with your situation. Good luck Ramona Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 28, 2004 Report Share Posted December 28, 2004 Hi Shirley, and thanks for your info. I understand why one can't have cafeine after surgery, but my objection was to having to stop it for a year prior to surgery, as I had been to several classes as well and had not understood that at all. I now believe that the information he gave me was erroneous and applied to after surgery. LaWanda At 07:29 PM 12/28/04, you wrote: >Hi.. > > the reason for no caffine is it deydrates you and you need all > the water you can get in at least 64 ounces a day and the gum is because > we have a habit of swollowing it and it can clog us up.. i went to a 12 > week class at kaiser fontana and a siminar for the pacific bareatric in > san diego ca,, no rasins either for at least a year or more and no fresh > coconut forever is what we are told,, no bread unless it is toasted.. > take care and have a happy new year and great weight loses > >shirley of fontana socal >sweetgemlady656@... wrote: >HI LaWanda, >At Orientation in SSF that was one of the first things that they told us >to do was not drink caffeine drinks and also not to drink soda. The reason >for the caffeine is that it is an appetite stimulant. The soda was I think >more to learn not to drink gassy products because after surgery you will >not be able to drink them. Another thing we had to give up which wasn't >hard for me was chewing gum. That is also and appetite stimulant. Also At >a support group meeting that Gitty held in SSF she said that after surgery >there should not be any consumption of alcohol and that was because of the >possibilities of it was causing ulcers. I have not heard of any rule >though of a person having to wait a year because of the coffee >consumption. As for the alcohol I am not sure on that one. My opinion is >that when you go to your next case management meeting talk to the case >manager about your encounter there. I am sure they would be willing to >help you with your situation. Good luck >Ramona > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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