All my paper work was submitted last week now I'm officially going in for my first visit. They said this will take 2 1/2 hrs. They said something about meeting with a dietician/Nut. and then somebody else. Just curious what you experienced during your first visit.. Do they do anything physical?? They did say that they would get me scheduled for an EKG and bloodwork....and then I believe after this appt they give me the go ahead to meet with the Psych.

Any insight as to what happens at this stage is very welcome!!

Thanks!

Well I've done my first dietitian and only Psych visit. My second dietitian visit is the day BEFORE my first visit with my surgeon. I called to make my appointment with him back in Jan, but he is so booked that I could not get in until March 20th!! So I got permission to do as much of the insurance pre-op stuff as I could, done in the meantime.

The Dietitian was easy. Went in, got weighed then we talked about what was going to happen. I made a video blog about it but wasn't planning on making it public until next week. If you would like to see it I can go ahead and make it public now.

The Phych was a little rougher but not hard. I talked about my decision, and she made sure I knew what I was getting in to. Then I was handed two books of questions I had to feel out. THAT video blog is public if you want to see it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-vm3fe9R3gk

I just wanted to post the link, lol. Not the video!

My first visit was very informational! I walked in with about 22 questions for the surgeon, and only had to ask around 15 by the time he told me his story. Beyond meeting him I met the wonderful office staff, his fantastic nurse and finished off with the patient navigator, who gave me my to do list. My surgeon told me what he recommended for me, the sleeve (I actually walked in thinking bypass) they took my weight, height, BMI. Set their weight loss goal for me, and he told me his expectations for me (loose 5# and do my homework) The patient navigator sat down with me, introduced me to the NUT and helped me set up most of my appointments. I am now slowly getting thru all those appointments.

I spent an hour and a half in the Psych office today filling out paperwork and questionnaires (575 True/False questions) I was going crazy by the time I left. I have met with the NUT, I have an appointment next week with the Psychologist and exercise physiologist. I still need to do my blood work, EKG and barium swallow. (I have a history of anxiety related PVCs and GERD so he said better safe than sorry) I won't see my surgeon again until my pre op appointment, so I made sure I asked everything I wanted to know, I know I can always go thru the patient navigator to get answers but I wanted to walk out comfortable with him, and my choice.

One of the requirements from my surgeon is to read the book "The Expert's Guide to Weight Loss Surgery" by Garth Davis M.D. He has a chapter about questions you should ask your surgeon and that was how I came up with my questions. Some of my questions were....

• Approximately how many cases are done by your practice each year?
  
• What is your conversion to open rate?
  
• Am I awake when the catheter is put in? (I am a nursing student and have done an OR rotation and knew that they are generally put in under, but I really wanted to make sure!)
  
• What is the average hospital stay?
  
• Will I have drains?
  
• What are your complication and mortality rates?
  
• What is the most common complication you have seen with this surgery?
  
• Do you recommend certain vitamins? (my NUT gave me a ton of samples)
  

Like I said he answered a lot before I even asked, but he was completely open to any question. He told me that he wanted me to be comfortable with him and if I needed to know his favorite football team, favorite food, or where he vacations then he would answer that for me. Good Luck!

My experience was quite different. I contacted my surgeon's office directly about two weeks before my insurance was actually going to go into effect. They scheduled me an appt for February 1st, which was the day that my insurance became effective. I met with the doctor's staff, who weighed & asked me questions. Then the surgeon came in and we discussed everything. He answered all my questions. We had a nice chat. Then, I met with the insurance coordinator, who gave me a printout of all that my insurance required before they would approve surgery (one nutrition visit, one psych evaluation, and clearance from my pcp.) The ball was in my court after that. I called the next day (a Saturday) and scheduled an appt w/ the psychologist for my psych eval for the following Thursday. I also made an appt w/ my pcp for Monday (three days after my surgery consult) and my nutritionist for that Tuesday (four days post-first surgical consult.) I completed all my requirements in less than a week.

My insurance coordinator had all the documentation she needed within a week after my first appointment with my surgeon, and she sent it all to the insurance company on February 11th. I was approved on February 18th. My surgeon's office wanted to schedule me for March 4th but I took a date in April, because I needed time to get all my stuff together. I have a 2 year old son and had to make arrangements for his care while I'm recovering, as my husband will be working from home the week of my surgery but then has to return to the office. Plus, I wanted to give myself time to make sure I had covered all my bases.

All that is left is my pre-admissions medical testing to the hospital, which consists of another EKG, blood work, and a barium swallow. That is scheduled a week before my surgery, and are my surgeon's requirements, not my insurance.

I should also mention that I had been through the pre-op process before with another surgeon in 2011. I lost my insurance last minute and had to start back over. I was very educated on WLS before going into my appt so I didn't have to attend a seminar or anything like that.

It can happen quickly. I walked into my surgeon's office thinking I had 6 months of a medically supervised diet ahead of me, only to find out that all I had to have were three visits that would be completed in less than a week. Had I taken the March date, I would've had my surgery a month from the day I started the entire VSG process. My advice is to be fully prepped, because you never know how fast it will happen for you. Best of luck to you!