Blood Pressure

So last week I met with this new doctor. Dr. Bypass told me that I needed a new PCP to see me with my post surgery issues. When I walked into the building where the office was located, I was impressed. It was well-lit and had marble floors. The security guard let you into the lobby and then I had to be buzzed into the doctor's office.

As I stepped into the office, it looked like circa 1952. The hallway was dimly lit. The rugs were thin and dark and thread-bare. I was suddenly concerned. I figured that this Dr. Fink was going to be old and decrepit. Then I saw his diplomas handing on the wall. Columbia University 1999! I started to feel better about him.

What I liked is that the receptionist was very nice. Not like the ones at Dr. Bypass's office! I had to fill out some paperwork and then was whisked into a room. Dr. Fink came in right away. He was actually very nice. We went through my entire medical history in a flash. All their records were computerized too. No more paper files for this office. I explained why I was there, at least as far as I understood it.

He explained that he was the director of bariatric at the hospital, and did most of the follow up visits with gastric bypass patients so he is very familiar with the issues we face post surgery. He asked me if I knew what sort of complications can be the result of the surgery. Um, Death is a possibility, so is leakage, hernia, blod clot and infections. He was happy that I just reeled them off to him.

He asked why I thought I overate. I said I was an emotional eater. He said that of all the times he has asked this question, only once did someone say that they were hungry all of the time. He pointed out that whatever issues I had would still be there post surgery and so I had to work through them, which I acknowledged. I'd have 12-18 months of a honeymoon period of weight loss and then after that, I'd know how to beat the system so to speak and while the surgery would make my stomach full, it wouldn't change what was in my head. Yes, there is going to be a shrink in my future and not just in pants size.

The nurse took my blood pressure when I came inand it was crazy high. 150 over 100. WHAT! Yeah, so he took it again and it was still high like 145 over 100. As I gain weight, my BP goes up. If I lose weight it goes down to normal. He said I was hypertensive and wanted to see me next Monday. If my BP was still high, he would prescribe a BP medication to get me through the surgery.

All and all, I liked Dr. Fink. He seemed nice, not jerky like some docs are. He also had a sense of humor, which I happen to like in a doctor. I told him I was having the stress test. He said that as long as the test was okay, he'd approve me to have surgery.