I had a different lap surgery one time that apparently required me to be fully nude on the operating table. It did involve my artery in my upper thigh but that I think could have been overcome. It was embarrassing to say the least.

During lapband surgery you are semi clothed at least right?

Most patients having any kind of abdominal surgery WILL get catheterized in OR. It may just be an in and out cath to drain your bladder or they may leave it in during surgery and remove it while your still asleep, or you may wake up with it. It is a safety measure to ensure your bladder doesnt get knicked during surgery. I would say it is done 90 to 95% of the time. Now HERE is something to worry about... Did you know they tape your boobs out of the way?????? Unless they are small of course...

Kathy

I suppose you might be able to negotiate with the anesthesiologist about having spinal or epidural anesthesia, though I've never heard of them using it for this.

They wont do it with a spinal.. your belly will be so full of air you wont be able to breath on your own.. they have to use general so they can intubate you and help you breath. Believe me.. you wont know a thing about it...

I think a lot of obese folks may have issues that involved childhood sexual abuse and being this vulnerable is scary. It certainly was for me when I had GYN surgery, but I kind of sucked it up and moved on.

I'm sure you meant well by this comment, but I think it's irresponsible and offensive to state that "a lot" of obese folks were sexual assault victims. While it is true that some people who were abused as children gain weight as a defensive measure, the reverse is hardly true.

Again, I'm sure you didn't mean anything by it, but man, it really rubbed me the wrong way.

Well I know I was naked......they originally asked me to remove everything and put on the gown, a nice big gown, that I was able to cover my butt with when I ran out to the rest room before being wheeled upstairs.

Never dawned on me that I would be naked....:omg: But when the OR Nurse started slipping my gown away, I (buzzed on valium) asked her ummm and I going to be naked?

She said, yep sweetie, can't have anything contaminating the operating area of your skin. I was a bit embaressed but before I could really reply I was waking up in recovery, no cath, but indeed back in my gown :clap2:

Having never had surgery before or any kind of anethesia, I guess I conked before I could be embarressed lol

But yanno, Dr. Hung had already seen most of my naked flesh, and I have had to strip for nurses in the past. At least this time I got to sleep thru the whole thing lol

Sheesh! Usually when I offend somebody, I know I'm being insensitive! In this case, I'm suggesting that the very folks you've described (those survivors of childhood sexual abuse who gained weight as a response) may be anxious about being unconsious and exposed, and that we shouldn't dismiss their concerns! Just to clarify, I don't know whether it's "a lot" or "a few" or "some" but if it's "any" obese folks who were sexual abuse survivors, we should be nice to them. (That category does not include me but I've had friends who had this issue.)

Kathy, thanks. That makes sense. I very much appreciate the technical details, (though I might be better off not knowing all of them!)

The prohibition on nail polish is because they look at the color of your fingernails to see if you're getting enough oxygen to your fingers. (I'm not sure whether they care about toenails.)

Ah, that makes sense. Thanks.

they tape your boobs? ouch!

I'm sure you meant well by this comment, but I think it's irresponsible and offensive to state that "a lot" of obese folks were sexual assault victims. While it is true that some people who were abused as children gain weight as a defensive measure, the reverse is hardly true

I dont understand what you mean by "the reverse is hardly true".. what is the reverse???

If your doctor insists that you have one ask for it to be done after you are asleep in the OR. There is absolutely no reason for any one to have a catheter with this surgery. IT is usually outpatient and you are up in a few hours and on your way home. I do not understand people staying overnight unless they have complications. They are not working any where near low abdominals which would be the only reason to use a catherter in the first place.

:omg: I was nekkid under my gown. I feel sorry for everyone who was in the operating room!!!

I dont understand what you mean by "the reverse is hardly true".. what is the reverse???

The reverse would be the suggestion that "people who are obese have been sexually assaulted, which is the reason for the obesity." Now before I get flamed on this, I KNOW she didn't say that. It was just the suggestion.

She's also clarified what she meant, so all is well.

I am obese, and a former special victim's unit prosecutor. I know that some victims gain weight. I am just a little touchy when I think someone is suggesting that because someone is obese, they must have been assaulted. Again, I know she didn't mean that now. That's just where I'm coming from.

Most patients having any kind of abdominal surgery WILL get catheterized in OR. It may just be an in and out cath to drain your bladder or they may leave it in during surgery and remove it while your still asleep, or you may wake up with it. It is a safety measure to ensure your bladder doesnt get knicked during surgery. I would say it is done 90 to 95% of the time. Now HERE is something to worry about... Did you know they tape your boobs out of the way?????? Unless they are small of course...

Kathy

Yeah, I had gallbladder surgery and they made me get naked under my gown. Later, I had orange/yellow betadine looking stuff on my stomach and the underside of my boobs were sticky, like they had been duct taped out of the way..lol. I'm not comfortable getting naked in front of ANYONE, but they give you some happy drugs before you go in and then you're so knocked out before and after, you don't even think about it. THe worst is the anticipation. Once you get to the hospital and get in the gown, you can actually ask for something to calm you down. It worked for me!

I am a nursing student and recently had the opportunity to witness several surgeries. In all the surgeries the patients were only wearing gowns. There is however a draping procedure and the drapes are sterile. It is scary to think you will just be naked on a table. In all of the surgeries I witnessed no one was ever exposed anymore than they needed to be. The nurse's job is to act for you since you cannot act for yourself. Talk to her before surgery and tell her your concerns. In all honesty, they will not just whip off the gown and leave you naked on the table.