Preop visit tomorrow...what questions to ask

[PSJ71 0]

Hi all,

I am going for my preop visit tomorrow and wanted to know if anyone can give me some ideas on what questions to ask? I have a list and I will post it, but please feel free to add to it if you can think of anything. I have decided to go with the Realize band, but I am going to talk to him about it further. So far, my questions are as follows:

1. When will my husband and I be able to resume sex?

2. Which band are you most comfortable placing?

3. Which band seems to show obtaining quickest restriction?

4. How long should I take off work?

5. Which band has shown more complications that he has placed with tubing, ports, etc.

6. Hair loss?

As I said, if you guys can think of anything else, please let me know.

Thank you bunches!

[TopTier 0]

PSJ:

I got a huge chuckle out of your priorities!

:smile2:

[PWoo10 7]

:smile2:

Love the first one. Thank goodness that area won't be touched. My first question to the doctor was, What is the average time it takes to heal and be able to resume normal activities.

Also ask how many of these procedures has your doctor performed and what is the average weight loss.

How long will you be in the hospital is this an outpatient or over-night stay.

I know that everyone is a different case and some of us can heal much faster than others you know your body and how much you can handle.

Good luck I keep a folder and put everything in it and take it to all visits so I can "jot" down anything I am thinking about and it helps me remember what I want to ask.

Also if you forget to ask something don't worry you can call the office and they will be more than happy to answer the questions for you. Alot of us leave the office and say "crap I forgot to ask that one."

[PSJ71 0]

PSJ:

I got a huge chuckle out of your priorities!

:smile2:

Glad that I gave someone a smile.... Better than a frown. )

[TopTier 0]

Hey, your Number 1 is a very important question! Wonder how many people want to ask but are embarrassed to!

[bobbiezhere 0]

Can you please be sure to post your doctors response to question #1? :thumbup: Thanks!

[PSJ71 0]

Can you please be sure to post your doctors response to question #1? Thanks!

Oh! I forgot to post that, huh? lol

Well, I asked the question and he told me basically when I felt up to it, but not to get too rigorous LOL And if it got to be too uncomfortable to stop. :thumbup: Well, (duh) LOL :thumbup:

[PWoo10 7]

So what do you think after your visit? Are you going to go through with it? If so what did he say is your next steps?

[Cleo's Mom 257]

Ask your doctor how you will get in touch with him outside of normal business hours. Very important. My former doctor didn't even have an answering service. We were required to go to the ER and they would page him. Just one of the many reasons he is now my FORMER doctor.

[PSJ71 0]

So what do you think after your visit? Are you going to go through with it? If so what did he say is your next steps?

Yes, I am most definitely going through with it. I have been going through all of what was required since September beginning with the seminar. I will be at the hospital at 6 a.m. on July 7th! My next steps before surgery is going to be some preadmission testing next week sometime. As well has having a vena cava filter placed, just for precautions. So, I am good to go )

[PSJ71 0]

Ask your doctor how you will get in touch with him outside of normal business hours. Very important. My former doctor didn't even have an answering service. We were required to go to the ER and they would page him. Just one of the many reasons he is now my FORMER doctor.

Hi Cleo's mom! Thank you so much for your reply. They do have an answering service. I am really excited I found out that he is doing the one-incision procedures now and if I do well on my preop diet (starting Saturday) and my liver has shrunk and it is good and soft and mobile, then he will do the one-incision procedure. I would love to just have one incision.

[Headhunter 6]

Hi, PSJ71;

Good luck with your Surgery!

I wish I had seen your thread earlier, I would have been happy to give you a few questions....

I am curious as to what led you to this particular doctor, and if you did any research on Him/Her before you chose them?

Choosing your Surgeon is one of the most important parts of the process, and can make ALL the difference in the success/failure of ANY surgery.

HH

[PSJ71 0]

Hi, PSJ71;

Good luck with your Surgery!

I wish I had seen your thread earlier, I would have been happy to give you a few questions....

I am curious as to what led you to this particular doctor, and if you did any research on Him/Her before you chose them?

Choosing your Surgeon is one of the most important parts of the process, and can make ALL the difference in the success/failure of ANY surgery.

HH

Hi Headhunter!

I attended two different seminars for two different doctors. The first one I almost went with, but as soon as he finished his 30-minute lecture he was out of there! He had about 10 minutes of questions and then he was out of there! He left the rest of the answering of questions up to some other staff. They were talking about all of these things that the insurance did not pay for such as the psych eval, which would have been 250 dollars. Nutritional consult with their nutritionist another 200 dollars, their "own" preop diet 200 dollars, postop diet 150 dollars. All of that the insurance didn't pay for. So, I called my insurance and asked about covering psych evals, nutrition consultations etc, and they told me yes they do. The NUT and the psychiatrist would have to be covered by my insurance, but they would cover it. I didn't like that about that doc.

So, I attended another seminar with my doctor I have now. VERY meticulous during the seminar ( although he was a little late due to surgery) but very, very thorough! I asked them up front about the psychiatrist, nutritionist, etc. My insurance covered them all and I only had to pay 10 dollar copay each time. Except for the NUT class and that was 50, but still lots cheaper than the other doc. Also, my doctor has not lost a lap band patient. I don't know about bypass, as I didn't ask that. But, he is very careful and makes sure everything is safe for the patient before doing any surgery. I am on medication now for a peptic ulcer, but I can still have the band placed. He said once I am banded for a few months he wants to do another EGD to check things out down there.

He stressed how important it is for me not to indulge in alcohol, NSAIDs, aspirin or even caffeine due to my ulcer situation. He sold me the first time at the seminar and I felt comfortable with my decision.

I hope that answered your question If you want to ask me anything else, ask away.

[Headhunter 6]

Sounds Good.

Yes, it's amazing how some of these Doctors can really mess up in their seminars. If they were smart, they would simply plan them so they could give their presentation and then just stay and TALK with the potential patients, all evening if necessary. That would really win them a lot of clients. If you are rushed through the presentation, it is likely that you will be rushed through the surgery and the aftercare as well. You want a Doctor that is not only competent, but is willing to spend the time YOU need them to, for whatever it is you need...questions, advice, anything.

I tend to be on the very, VERY cautious side of Surgeon selection, based upon my past experiences. In addition to the seminars, I would also check with your State medical board for any malpractice actions. I would also contact a couple of local Malpractive Attorneys to see if they have any opinions on the Surgeon. I have found when researching Doctors for friends, that many Malpractice Lawyers are happy to give you a couple of minutes on the phone to give you an opinion on a Doctor. And the lawyers will very often know a LOT about the various surgeons in the area and their reputations.

Years ago, I needed to find a gastroenterologist to help me find the source of some stomach pains I was having (this was WAY before my Lap Band problems, many years ago). I didn't know back then how to find a specialist, so I asked a client if he had any advice. He said that it was very simple....his brother was one of the top Malpractice Attorneys in the L.A. area, and I'd be welcome to give him a call, which I did. The Lawyer chatted with me for a few minutes, referred me to a top Doctor at UCLA Medical Center. It was funny, when I saw the Doctor and he asked me who referred me, I told him, and his jaw dropped. He treated me like ROYALTY while I was seeing him.

So, that's just a little advice on researching a Doctor.

Best of luck, i'm sure you're making all the right decisions, and your outcome will be exactly what you are hoping for!

HH