I have my Dr talk tomorrow at 11:15 pacific time. Are there any important questions you all feel I need to ask him? I have my own list, but I don't want to miss any important questions.

All your help is greatly appreciated. Surgery date 02/10/10.

You may want to ask:

What size band you will have (many people don't know, including myself)

How your Dr does fills (or if he/she even does them his/herself) (with numbing/without...etc.)

And what kind of medications you will be on long-term (I was suprised that I have to take a gal-stone preventative, nexium, and Multivitamin w/ Iron for the next few years at least)

My questions would be fill related. How often can you have a fill, does he/she allow variation from patient to patient or is it a set 4 weeks, 6 weeks, whatever between. How do they determine how much to put in, again, a random number? Or do they work with you while filling to see what makes you feel resistance? You want someone who will work with you and isn't stuck with a set formula of we do A then B then C....Good luck!!

I see my surgeon on Thursday. What is your list of questions? They might help me make my list longer!

Here are my suggested questions (none of which I knew to ask before surgery. .):

1. What size band will you have (in other words, how many ccs (cubic centiliters) of saline will it hold?

2. What is your doctor's philosophy on fills -- will s/he give you a decent fill to start, then adjust as needed, or make you suffer through a series of tiny fills . . where you have to pay for each appointment and wait a few months to get to restriction?

3. What surgery technique will s/he use on you? Will you have 5 scars, 2 or another number?

4. What is his/her pre-op diet?

5. How soon after surgery can you get a fill?

6. Does your doctor have a set waiting period between fills? OR, can you come in the next week if the last fill didn't get you to decent restriction?

7. Is there a support group at the doctor's office (if you're interested. . honestly, between this site, my blog and my wonderful therapist, I was fine).

8. Do your doctor's patients do a clothing exchange?

9. What results can you realistically expect during the first year (and beyond)?

10. Where does your doctor plan to place your port (just out of curiosity . . not such a biggie)?

I hope that helps!!

Best wishes,

Catherine