So, my insurance FINALLY approved me (woo!) for surgery and I have a date set on August 2nd. I am super excited, it's finally starting to feel real! But I'm also nervous. You read so much about people who have all kinds of trouble getting approved, and I've has such good luck so far with this whole process. Maybe I'm just expecting that something HAS to go wrong somewhere...

Anyway, the reason I'm concerned is that I haven't been to the doctor since early June, and the last time I saw my surgeon was probably sometime in May when he did the EGD (EGD? EKG? I get them confused. They knocked me out and put a tube down my throat!). When the nurse called to tell me that I was approved, she first tried to schedule a pre surgery appointment and asked if I had met my surgeon yet. I told her that I had but it was back in May. She asked me if they gave me any sort of folder, which they did, so then she tells me that WAS the pre-op appointment and that we could go ahead and schedule surgery. I have no more appointments at all until then. Is it normal to go so long without seeing the surgeon before the surgery date? I have health issues at all other than all of the weight. Another reason I'm a little concerned is that when I went for my last visit before being submitted to insurance, I brought a long list of questions. The nurse answered most of them, but there were a few that she suggested I ask the surgery team about instead, at my pre surgery appointment. It's possible she just didn't know I'd already been there, I guess.

I'm with True Results in Houston and they've been absolutely perfect so far, I really have no reason to doubt them.... buuuut I'm sitll nervous, I can't help it. So, is this normal? How long did you go between visits right before surgery?

i had my surgery on a wed, june 6th and saw my dr for the last time may 30th

i had my questions for my dr/nurses the day of surgery.

all the best to the wonderful new you

I saw my dr the day before surgery. I was 3 hrs away tho so they tried to make it easy on my travel.

Good luck with your surgery!

Marci

My pre op appointment with my surgeon was July 2nd and my surgery is August 1st.

Hi!

Good luck! I had mine with True Results in Houston as well, Dr. Reilly. They have been great and I had my surgery in June 2011. I had an EGD as well and only saw my surgeon for the EGD and actually surgery.

I met with my surgeon on January 4. January 7 left for a ten day cruise. Got back on January 17. Started my pre-op diet on the 18th. Had surgery on the 31st. The last time I was weighed was on the 4th, so I have no idea how much gain I had on the cruise, so I really don't know exactly how much I've lost.

There was only a week between my only pre op visit with my surgeon and my surgery date.

I would expect that someone on the staff at the office (an RN or PAC) may be able to answer some of your questions. You may want to consider scheduling a consultation appointment also, though it may take some time to get one.

The morning of my surgery the doctor visited me in the surgery suite to discuss the medication that they give you prior to the surgery (heparin), which the staff had neglected to tell me I would have to have. I had concerns, because I'm allergic to it. The surgeon came in to discuss my prior reactions to the medication, and we were able to decide on an alternative. He was unhurried, and took the time to discuss my situation, though I would not have wanted to wait to literally the last minute to discuss routine questions.

Best wishes as your journey continues...

Thanks for all of the answers! You guys are always great.

The staff answered almost all of my questions, and all of the more serious ones. The only ones they couldn't answer were kind of odd questions that they probably don't get all the time. Like whether the incisions could be moved so that they won't be right where my bra/pants sit, or what kind of surgical scrub I need to buy. But I can easily call the surgeon's office and ask the ladies there. They're pretty booked so I'm really hoping I won't have to do any other appointments between now and the surgery. It's nice to know that there are others out there who went a while between appointments too.

I had my pre-op appt last week with Dr. Reilly and one of the nurses. The instructions I was given was to use Hibicleanse on the morning of surgery. The nurse emphasized not to use it on your face or in your hair because it is extremely drying. For that reason, moisturizer can also be used but only above your neck and below your thighs. There is an instruction packet that you may not have which includes a very important page regarding preparation for surgery. If you don't have it, make sure to contact them. Some medication you have to stop taking days before surgery. I hope this helps

It does, thanks! Do you know where I can buy some Hibicleanse?

I saw my doc on April 24th, I saw him again on July 5th for a 10 minute visit after all of my info had been compiled to make sure I was sitll wanting the surgery. I won't see him again until August 21st which is the date of the surgery,and I'll probably be knocked out then, lol.

My next visit at the office is August 3rd to meet with the NP and nutritionist to start me on my liquid diet... but I haven't had much contact with the office at all, to be honest.

I am going through True Results in Houston as well. Different surgeon though.

My surgery is this Thursday (eeeeep!!!). I met with the doctor last week and have my pre-op at the hospital on Wednesday.

What part of town are you in? I am in the energy corridor/west Houston.

How exciting! Only a few more days for you! How is the pre-op diet treating you?

I'm also on the west side, about ten minutes west of the Galleria. (when I don't have to account for the always lovely Galeria traffic)

I saw my surgeon for my consult and then saw him again 3 weeks later on the morning of surgery. That's it.... that's all. I had zero hoops to jump through and zero pre-op testing.

I had a telephone consult with the NUT and with someone from the hospital. The nice thing about doing it this way is it didn't really give me any time to freak out about it.

Hibiclens can be purchased at Walgreens, CVS, and in the pharmacy section of most grocery stores. The bottle is about 8oz - light teal green with a white top. Costs about $10. Found a $2 Walgreens coupon on google - not sure if it's valid in our area but I'll try it anyway.

Lucky you, Hummingbird! I wish that had been the case for me, but then like everyone on here says, that six months really did go by fast.

Overjoyed, I went and picked up the Hibicleanse and all of the other fun meds I'll need post-surgery today... Dulcolax and Gas X and that sort of thing... really, HEB, do you have to put THOSE items on the FIRST shelf in the pharmacy section, right by the check out!?!? Felt like the whole store was watching me, I thought I was gonna die... but I survived the horror and now I'm even more excited, woo!