1st Dr. Consult Appt This Wednesday, The 28th...gastric Sleeve Surgery Question

[GonnaBHotMama 18]

Hey everyone! I have my first Doctor consult this Wednesday and I am reaaallly excited. I think that if I am this excited about the first office visit, I'll be impossible by the surgery date. lol My main question is just what to expect on this visit. Since Ive never had one, I find that the nervousness is from the not knowing. I'd love to hear how some of y'all's first consult visits went and what all happened. It would help out a ton for me. Also I just had to make a gripe lol. I went to a family doctor appt regarding my joint pain on Friday, the 23rd, and got my BMI according to the nurse. I am 5'5 and 242 pounds, which makes my "BMI" 40. But according to the nurse, eventhough I was wearing shoes, by inches, I am a little taller than 5'5 and my BMI is 39.96. I got a trip out of that...just saying. That .04 percent is much needed for my insurance to cover the procedure. A little worried now, that the .04 percent will keep me from getting the surgery. I dont think I have ever "wanted" to be juuuussst a little heavier. lol Thank goodness holiday eating was done before my first consult visit. lol Hope all is well with the sleevers! Good luck y'all!!

[his2my2our4 120]

Good luck this week!! You wont regret your decision! :-)

[Lissa 2,631]

My first surgical consult involved the doc and I discussing WHY I wanted to have WLS, WHAT I thought I'd get out of WLS, HOW WELL I thought I could comply with the post-surgery dietary requirements, WHEN I wanted to have surgery and the details of my 22 page pre-consult forms. The forms asked all of the above, plus asked me to tell which procedure I wanted and why.

The forms took me hours of thinking to fill out, which, IMO, was fantastic. It made me look at myself from a different perspective and helped me talk out my issues to myself so that I could articulate my dreams and goals to the surgeon. IMO, my psyche consult was less invasive and thorough than the doctor's pre-consult forms.

When I go now, I write down all of my questions in my iPhone Notes app as I think of them. Then I go over those questions with the doc at my consult. Other docs may vary, but mine spends the time to make sure all of my questions are answered and that I'm still doing well with my sleeve. I really appreciate that!

[GonnaBHotMama 18]

Good luck this week!! You wont regret your decision! :-)

Thank you! I do believe it will be one of the best decisions I have ever made!

@Lissa

Thank you so much! That helps out a lot! I'll definitely use the memo pad suggestion. I didn't think there'd be that many forms for pre consult, but you are right, they would be eye opening for sure. I have definitely had many of those, just while researching each procedure and the after surgery. I enjoyed the Doctor's seminar, so I think the consult will go great. I'll be looking forward to the post that says "I got approved". Thanks for the help!

[Enerfina 50]

My first meeting with the doctor, i got to meet the surgeon, which i had heard that it was rare to see him the first visit.. he personally examined me, the usual, breathing, pressure, and my abdomen.. at first he was like u don't look like u need this procedure, but when i let my stomach out omg lol.. i died of embarrassment lol.. n my jumbo thighs lol.. but like Lisa said, they asked why you want to do the surgery, which one and past attempts to lose weight, and they also asked me my goal weight.. i said 150 at first, n then i said no 135 n he smiled and said hey why not, and he put 135 as my goal weight...so exited!!! well good luck on all your visits!

[Pookeyism 1,143]

I doubt my visit was more than typical, and everyone is giving you good information, so I will just try to add to it.

I made a voice recording of the appointment for future reference. I also made written notes, and followed up with an email in the form on "Just following up on what we disccussed". Which I used an outline style to go over the topics and how I understood them, rather than a lengthly reiteration of the meeting.

Do some research about your healthcare plan, and what your healthcare offers pre-op and post op as far as covering needed equipment. Depending on what they cover and what you may need, you can begin to plan ahead for expenses that will definately not be covered. For instance, a friend has a bidet in her master bath, which made a friend of hers look into post op equipment and her health care would not cover it, but her doctor added it to a "prescription", so she is taking it off her taxes

(so she says and is confirming with a CPA).

Which goes to another thing:Keep all reciept for everything, ANYTHING. That chapstick, those slippers, that medicated soap, those bariatric supplements - and then take it to a CPA that has alot of expense helping people in your income bracket itemize medical expenses!

Taxes...okay a little further from your question...record you driving to and from doctor's visits, mileage, reciept for gas, any parking you had to pay for, taxis or valet or toll, etc. If travleling outside the country, and plan to combine the vacation, maybe rethink that - you can count it off your taxes easier if you can demonstrate it was a trip with no opportunity to relate to leisure or vacation. You can deduct medical expenses but there are guidelines, and what may and may not fall into that will vary. the 12$ for hospital supplies - chapstick, slippers, etc - and that miscellaneous 10$ a month after that - if you are sleeved in June that is 70$+, and follow up visits and such for travel, at 3.00 gallon...it adds up, and you can get that back. You could pay a medical loan off at the end of the year.

One very good thing came out of this. With my initial doctor, the bariatric coordinator gave me very bad, very incorrect information about something, and if I had not followed up with the email, I would not have any proof she gave me the wrong information. This situation even escalated recently when the doctor contacted me and asked me to go into detail about my conversations with her - I implied from our conversation) there has been more than one person who has said they were given wrong advise or information was omitted, and she denied it.

This isn't as much work as it sounds. Use it to start a journal that you can keep track of your doctor, nitritionist, etc visits...

TAKE PICTURES!!! Take them outside the office, take pictures shaking hands with the doctor, the nureses, etc. These people are helping you take a giant step. You will want to remember them. I regret not having pictures of the day of my first visit, of my nutritionist, etc. I will have them of the surgery!

sorry for the novel...but I hope it helps.

[GonnaBHotMama 18]

@ Enerfina- lol on the stomach bit. I also have a goal weight of 135. I dont look like I weigh as much as I do, so I am not sure how it will work on weight, but, for right now, 135 sounds awesome to me! lol I always joke about my belly looking like Im preggers when I relax... I am looking forward to not having to worry about that! I am lucky in that my surgeon is very involved with the patients. He does a personal seminar where he gives advice and answers questions. It was great to get to know a bit about him before the first visit. Good Luck to you!!

@ Pookey-Very true on the information bit! My mother always tells me to get names and what was told when so you have a reference to look back to. It didnt occur to me to just record the visit. That would be better than writing it all down in a hurry and forgetting something! Also, the pre and post op supplies! I'll definitely have to look that one up when I get all the info. Great advice!

Thx y'all!

[shemom83 0]

I have my first Dr's consultation on Wednesday too. I also have a weight goal in the 130's Unfortunately my insurance does not cover this procedure. My neighbor had sleeve surgery last year and she looks great. I visited with her a few nights ago and she was very helpful and offered a lot of upcoming support.

Best of luck with your appointment. I'll be checking in with your posts.

[GonnaBHotMama 18]

Good luck to you too! Mine is at 3 in the afternoon...Im gonna be anxious all day. lol But I cant wait till its over too so I can move on to what's next! I'll be posting ASAP Wednesday and will look for your posts as well. The support is what makes all the difference.

[SrHogan 6]

I have my first initial consult on monday jan 2nd. i am so excited and cant wait. have really no clue what to expect. all i have done so far is gone to an information session.looking forward to seeing your post after your initial.