1st appt today!

carrierae · June 21, 2011

Hi All - My first appt is today. I will meet my surgeon and get started on this process. I am hoping that since June will be my 1st appt that I can be submitted begininning of November and have surgery around Thanksgiving. He may tell me this is unrealistic though.

Geez I am so nervous that he will refuse me for some reason. I am 5'6 and weigh 333 so my BMI is 53. I should have no fear but I do.

Here are some questions I have come up with. If I am missing any you think are important please let me know. I leave for my appt. in 3 hours.

1. How big will my stomach be?

2. What size bougie do you use? (not sure how to pronounce bougie)

3. Do you use a drain?

4. Do you perform a leak test?

5. How many sleeves have you done? What kind of results have you seen short term and long term?

6. What kind of complications and results of those complications from sleeves you have done?

7. Hospital stay and timeframe for standard stay?

8. Since 6/21 is 1st appt. July would be 2nd, August would be 3rd, Sept would be 4th, Oct would be 5th and hopefully beginning of November 6th. In your practice has this been sufficient? Realistically can I get this done this calander year?

9. When can I go ahead and schedule appt with nutritionist (and are they in house) and psych eval (are they in house) for insurance requirements? I dont want to wait to do those after 6 months.

wondering1 · June 22, 2011

Carrierae,

Congratulations on beginning your journey! Your list of questions looks great. I would also ask if you are required to see a cardiologist and a pulmonologist. These are appointments you would have to make on your own. Some places require clearance from them and some do not. So your first appointment was today. How did it go? In my experience, you should begin your nutrition program as soon as possible. This is the thing that insurance companies can use to hold up your surgery date.

Keep us posted, and congrats