I finally have made it to consultation day!!! I find out my surgery date today! I was curious, cam anyone think of any really good questions I should ask? My mind is drawing a blank here. The only question I could think up was a question about my medication, other than that I can't think of anything!

Ask them how they want you to eat. Sometimes there are different stages. Ask about what size bougie they use for measurement of the stomach. Talk about your anxiety with the surgeon. You got this! Let us know how it goes.....

Here is a list I came up with to share with a friend who is going for his consultation soon:

* What is your readmittance rate?

* What is/are the typical reason/s for readmittance?

* How many of your patients have had leaks? How long after surgery were the leaks typically discovered? What was the resolution (% healed on their own vs. % needing surgical intervention)?

* How many rows of staples do you place?

* Are the insides of the staples checked, too?

* Do you sew over the staple line?

* Exactly how do you test for leaks immediately after surgery (before the barium swallow test the next day)?

* Is the part of the stomach that is removed also tested for leaks?

* What size bougie do you use to measure the “sleeve?”

* What is the biggest factor in failure after this surgery?

* What is your mortality rate? Of this, what % is attributable to the surgery itself and what % was from pre-existing conditions?

* What type of post-surgery support do you offer? Is there any additional cost for the support?

* Where were you trained? Are you board certified?

* How many sleeves have you performed? Over what period of time?

* At what hospital will my surgery be performed?

* Why do you believe you are the best surgeon to perform my surgery? What differentiates you/your practice from the others in the D/FW area?

* When can I return to work post-surgery?

* Based on your experience, in this practice, what % of excess weight does your average patient lose with the sleeve? How long is the loss maintained? What can I do to increase my success?

* Why do you feel that your pre/post surgery nutrition guidelines are the best? Have you tailored your plans for sleeve patients or do you use the same plan for sleeve, bypass & lapband? If the same, why?

* Do your patients have a support group on FB or via other social media? Other than the formal support group/monthly classes, do your patients have informal support groups? How do I join these groups?

* How much interaction should I expect with you, the surgeon, vs. with your staff? If mostly your staff, what is their training and experience with bariatric WLS patients? Will I typically see the same staff members on my post-op check-ups or will it vary?

* Are your staff members, such as nutritionist, available for one-on-one consultations? If so, what are the charges, if any?