Hi Everyone,

I have my pre-op appointment with the Dr. on 5-16-06 and am scheduled for surgery on 6-19-06. I know some of the obivious questions to ask the Dr. but based on your experience, what would you have asked you Dr. prior to surgery knowing what you know now,

Thanks,

Dwayne

Hi Dwayne! Welcome to LBT!! Great to see another guy around here! We do have a few, they poke their heads out every now & then to shout. :eek:

Congrats on your decision to get banded! We've got a couple of great threads about questions to ask your doctor. I'll link to them here:

http://www.lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=12541

http://www.lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=15595

Keep reading on here... it'll bring up tons of questions for you! :eek:

What kind of closure will you use on surgical wounds? Subdermal with glue (in my opinion) is what you want to hear. That's the type of closure plastic surgeons use. Staples is what you don't want to hear.

What are my options with regard to location of my port/port wound? I found out after surgery that some people have the port placed near the sternum. It is my understanding that the port is easier to locate and that a fill is easier to perform with the port in this location. I don't know this for a fact, that's just what I've heard. Mine is left and just below my bellybutton - right in the way of where my pant/skirt waistband rests. I wish it was lower. Or higher. Or somewhere else.

What kind of follow up care will you provide? How much will it cost or is it included in the cost of the surgery? What happens if I have complications?

Do you perform fills under fluoroscopy? In office? In hospital? Will I have to pay additional fees due to location? Do you use a tilting table? Will the needle be inserted into the port under fluoroscopy or after location with a sonogram? You want the fill to be performed under fluoroscopy - needle inserted into port under fluoro. Use of a tilt table allows doctor to view your barium swallow while the needle is still in the port - that way if you need more fill or a slight unfill you don't have to be stuck again.

I'm sure I'll think of more - just give me time! lol

Good luck on your weight loss journey.