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Consultation - questions that should be asked?



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Hi all! I have my consultation visit with the VSG surgeon I'd like to use in a couple of weeks and I'm trying to compile a list of questions to ask him. Outside of the number of surgeries and the number of patients with complications, what other questions should I be asking? I know there are plenty but when it comes down to me remembering to write them down when I think of them... well... oooh look a shiny thing! ????

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I'm sitting here now trying to create a list as well. My appointment is in 10 days. So far all I have is:

how long is the procedure. complications during and after.

healing time.

if my smoking is an issue.

His mortality rate.

How long will I be in hospital.

What do post op appt consist of.

Do I really have to do 6 months of evaluation.

That's all I have as of now. Hoping to see others replies in case I'm missing something important.

Not sure if your name reflects the year of your marriage. You may want to ask about pregnancy after your surgery. I have no intention of any more kids. 3 teenage boys are plenty for me lol.

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I'm sitting here now trying to create a list as well. My appointment is in 10 days. So far all I have is:

how long is the procedure. complications during and after.

healing time.

if my smoking is an issue.

His mortality rate.

How long will I be in hospital.

What do post op appt consist of.

Do I really have to do 6 months of evaluation.

That's all I have as of now. Hoping to see others replies in case I'm missing something important.

Not sure if your name reflects the year of your marriage. You may want to ask about pregnancy after your surgery. I have no intention of any more kids. 3 teenage boys are plenty for me lol.

Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

No kids for me! I ended up having to have a hysterectomy five years ago for cervical cancer, so it's just me, the hubby and fur babies!

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I'm sitting here now trying to create a list as well. My appointment is in 10 days. So far all I have is:

how long is the procedure. complications during and after.

healing time.

if my smoking is an issue.

His mortality rate.

How long will I be in hospital.

What do post op appt consist of.

Do I really have to do 6 months of evaluation.

That's all I have as of now. Hoping to see others replies in case I'm missing something important.

Not sure if your name reflects the year of your marriage. You may want to ask about pregnancy after your surgery. I have no intention of any more kids. 3 teenage boys are plenty for me lol.

Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

No kids for me! I ended up having to have a hysterectomy five years ago for cervical cancer, so it's just me, the hubby and fur babies!

First off, congrats on getting rid of cancer! I hope and pray it never shows its ugly self within your body ever again.

Fur babies are the best ain't they? After 3 boys (practically men) I got a baby long hair calico cat. She's 4 yrs now. But still my baby.

Self pay huh? I would ask for discounts! No seriously. I would. I was reading another post where parts of your surgery may be tax deductible. (Vitamins, binders etc) I don't think the surgeon himself has those answers but I'm sure the Cordinator does.

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What, if any, pre-op dieting regimen do they use? Surgeons vary all over the map on what they require, from nothing at all beyond the usual day before pre-surgery thing to weeks of liquid only fasting.

Personally, I would avoid any of these guys that do the weeks of liquids only dieting as you want to be as strong as possible going into major surgery, and fasting for weeks doesn't do it.

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A complete list of all contingencies for worst case.

Since you are self pay, you may be on the hook for any complications from the surgery. KNOW how much that could cost.

[NOTE: I'm a single dad, I needed to know what could happen so I could plan out contingencies for my kids. Finances are important, and I needed to understand what insurance would cover even though I self paid the surgery in Mexico]

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You should find out about the pre op and post op diets if you don't have that already.

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I've heard dive offices make you but tier Protein powders/shakes. Ask if that is a requirement or if you can just simply buy them on your own.

Ugh. Buy their *

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Smoking Is an issue due to complications healing

The 6 month thing is insurance. So probably No

Why are you going with the VSG versus the RNY? Not trying to be nosey

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I'm sitting here now trying to create a list as well. My appointment is in 10 days. So far all I have is:

how long is the procedure. complications during and after.

healing time.

if my smoking is an issue.

His mortality rate.

How long will I be in hospital.

What do post op appt consist of.

Do I really have to do 6 months of evaluation.

That's all I have as of now. Hoping to see others replies in case I'm missing something important.

Not sure if your name reflects the year of your marriage. You may want to ask about pregnancy after your surgery. I have no intention of any more kids. 3 teenage boys are plenty for me lol.

Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

My doctor requires quitting smoking at least 30 days prior to surgery or he won't do it. The test during the pre-op panels and will straight up cancel the surgery.

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What, if any, pre-op dieting regimen do they use? Surgeons vary all over the map on what they require, from nothing at all beyond the usual day before pre-surgery thing to weeks of liquid only fasting.

Personally, I would avoid any of these guys that do the weeks of liquids only dieting as you want to be as strong as possible going into major surgery, and fasting for weeks doesn't do it.

the purpose of liquid diet before surgery is to reduce the size of your liver so that it wont be as close to your stomach and in danger of getting nicked...my liquid diet included Protein shakes, which i used a blender, Protein powder and almond milk and i was allowed to have sugar free, fat free pudding, so i mixed chocolate pudding with shake and it was pretty good and pallettable.... i had surgery on monday night, was done at 9:30 and was awake and up walking around at 12:30-1:00 am, home now and all going well, dr.s said routine surgery, no complications.

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    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. LeighaTR

        I hope your surgery on Wednesday goes well. You will be able to do all sorts of new things as you find your new normal after surgery. I don't know this from experience yet, but I am seeing a lot of positive things from people who have had it done. Best of luck!

    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. summerseeker

        Life as a big person had limited my life to what I knew I could manage to do each day. That was eat. I hadn't anything else to look forward to. So my eating choices were the best I could dream up. I planned the cooking in managable lots in my head and filled my day with and around it.

        Now I have a whole new big, bigger, biggest, best days ever. I am out there with those skinny people doing stuff i could never have dreamt of. Food is now an after thought. It doesn't consume my day. I still enjoy the good home cooked food but I eat smaller portions. I leave food on my plate when I am full. I can no longer hear my mother's voice saying eat it all up, ther are starving children in Africa who would want that!

        I still cook for family feasts, I love cooking. I still do holidays but I have changed from the All inclusive drinking and eating everything everyday kind to Self catering accommodation. This gives me the choice of cooking or eating out as I choose. I rarely drink anymore as I usually travel alone now and I feel I need to keep aware of my surroundings.

        I don't know at what point my life expanded, was it when I lost 100 pounds? Was it when I left my walking stick at home ? Was it when I said yes to an outing instead of finding an excuse to stay home ? i look back at my last five years and wonder how loosing weight has made such a difference. Be ready to amaze yourself.

        BTW, the liquid diet sucks, one more day and you are over the worst. You can do it.

    • CaseyP1011

      Officially here for a long time, not just a good time💪
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
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