What kind of pre-op tests?

[TnT 0]

I keep reading that there is extensive testing before surgery to make sure that you can have the surgery...what kind of tests? I assume blood pressure, etc...but can't find any place on line that tells me all of them.

Also, I have some pretty substantial swelling in my lower legs that my doctor attributes to my weight. I take lasix for it, but it doesn't do much...is this going to be an issue for my surgery?

[Tiffykins 672]

I had a full panel of blood work, eKg, chest xray, and some other diagnostics performed directly related to my clotting disorder, and other medical history. Some require an EGD, sleep study, stress test, etc etc based on each patient's own medical history, and ailments.

I'm not sure about the lasix issue.

[kansas1973 1]

I just finished my pre-op testing today.

I had a sleep study done a couple of months ago, followed by an EGD (endoscopy) a month later.

Today, I went to the hospital that I'm having the surgery at (in a week!). A nurse took a quick medical history, vitals (blood pressure, pulse, heartbeat) then took me to a lab for an EKG, which is totally painless. Then I had a couple of vials of blood drawn for standard pre-op testing (CBC, Chem-7, Full Metabolic Panel, etc.) and gave a urine sample. Then I had a chest xray and that was it.

[euphoric-in-tx 0]

The only text I was required to do was blood work and an EKG. I'm thinking because I am fairly young and have no previous medical history of my own only (family medical history that is horrible)

[Donna4545 13]

I had chest xray,blood work, ecg, physical and medical history, pulmonnologist consult because I have asthma, psych eval, nutrition class. The xray and ecg and blood work were done in my gps office, the psych eval, nutritionist, surgeon consult, and info session weRe all on the same day in the bariatric cliNic.

These tests had to be within 30 days of surgery

[Calgarygirl 0]

where are you all getting your surgery done?? Im going to Mexico and I think its done that morning? Im not sure yet though as I still need to find out all the ins and out still :confused1:

[Roseib 13]

I keep reading that there is extensive testing before surgery to make sure that you can have the surgery...what kind of tests? I assume blood pressure, etc...but can't find any place on line that tells me all of them.

Also, I have some pretty substantial swelling in my lower legs that my doctor attributes to my weight. I take lasix for it, but it doesn't do much...is this going to be an issue for my surgery?

Hello, I too have swelling in my legs, primarily the left leg and my surgeon required me to have a cardiology clearance. Luckily they worked me in quickly and within five weeks of my initial consult with surgeon (5/21) I had surgery 6/29. All's well so far!

The cardiology clearance involved an EKG, an echocardiogram of my carotid arteries and my heart, an ultrasound of my legs to check for vein blockage (blood clots), and a stress test. I'm self-pay and had to put up another $1500 for the cardiology tests which was a bummer, but better safe than sorry on the operating table. Nothing painful except a little discomfort on the stress test as I have severe osteoarthritis in knees, so they induced stress through medicine. It wasn't bad, though.

Hope that helps. All doctors are different. Yours may not request the cardiology clearance, but one of the the worst possible things that could happen would be a blood clot to break lose during surgery.

Good luck!

p.s. the ultrasound and echocardiogram were kind of neat! The technician had the sound turned on so I could actually hear the blood swishing through the veins in my legs and also the sound of my heart. The biggest expense as a self-pay was the stress test -- almost $1,000!

Edited July 16, 2010 by Roseib
added p.s.

[Sunshine 1]

My pretesting consisted of the following (it was done 2 days ago):

- Upper GI (swallow test)

- EKG (done it about 2 seconds...literally)

- BP, P, R and they took blood

That's it. It was all done in less than 2 hours.

[Maddie 9]

It depends on your ins. company, your doctor, and your medical history as to what tests will be required. I personally had to have:

endoscopy

sleep study

ekg

stress test

pulmonary function test

blood/urine work

Edited July 16, 2010 by Maddie

[Papillon 7]

Our surgeon required:

Clearance from a Psychologist

sleep Test

EKG

Ultrasound

Upper GI - Barium eww

Blood work & urine test (you need to fast)

Clearance from your PCP

So far... that is the gauntlet. Waiting on insurance approval now..

[Lori21769 14]

I had:

chest xray

lower extremity doplar

upper endoscopy

sleep study

pulmonary function test

psych eval.

nutritionist consult x2

endocrinology consult

cardiology consult

ultrasound

blood and urine

ekg

I think that was it.

[mommytoethan 1]

i only had blood work, an EKG and a chest x-ray done.

[Hokie-Amber 5]

I don't know if anyone has had surgery with Dr. Schirmer at UVA. I am having a Gastric Sleeve surgery and in order for my insurance to cover it I am on a 12 month program where I speak to a nurse monthly via phone for 30 minutes. My graduation date from the program is March 8th, 2017. I scheduled my regular Annual for March 10th and my bloodwork is March 6th for my annual. I am trying to get this all done asap after I graduate. But I am scared that they wont schedule my surgery for months after the program is over. Anyone have any insight.

Edited November 22, 2016 by Hokie-Amber