Hi Guys,

I am due to have my first consultation with the doctor on November 5. I was wondering if any of you would give me some information on your experiences, what the doctor said, what is asked of you. I was told by the receptionist that the appointment would be about four hours long and I would talk to the doctor and office dietitian. But that was about as much information that I got out of our talk. Also, what step should I be taking up to that date? Should I be talking to my insurance (Blue Cross Blue Shield) and talking to my primary care physician?

Thanks In Advance

Stephanie

Hello - I was just banded 8/6 so a lot of this is still fresh in my mind - here are some thoughts:

*Keep in mind all doctors and programs are totally different as you will notice from reasing this list - experiences, diets, and doctors really vary*

At the pre-op appt. I met with the surgeon, talked about the diff. types of surgeries (gastric bypass, band, etc) to decide what was right for me, what I wanted, and why I wanted it. We discussed if I was a candidate and what my goals were. They took my weight and went over my medical history (I had to bring all my medical records) and what medications I take. My dr. requires pre-op testing depending on medical history (EEG, EKG, sleep study, Xrays, upper GI, etc). I was lucky to only need the upper GI which my Dr. requires of everyone. There are also some medications that can't be taken after surgery so we discussed that, too.

I also met with a dietitian to discuss what my weight loss/gain and dieting history in the past was like. She wanted to know what kinds of diets (atkins, weight watchers, etc) I had tried, how much weight I had lost in the past, etc. What my physical activity was like, what I expected out of the band (they want to make sure you are committed and do not have unrealistic expecations).

After that I had to see a psychiatrist - which my Dr. requires everyone to see. It was a 15 minute appt. to make sure my expectations were realistic and also to make sure I was able to consent to the surgery and make medical decisions for myself.

To prepare for my consult I contacted my primary care physician and get all of my medical records to bring to the appt. I also did a lot of research about the band online and wrote out a list of questions to ask the Dr. It would be helpful to have an annual phsycial with your primary if you have not had one in a while. For me, my surgeon required I have a phsycial within 6 months of my operation. Also, for insurance, you will probably need a referral from your primary Dr.

You can also check with your insurance company to see if there is anything special you need to do - some require 6 months of a Dr. supervised weight loss program before they will approve the surgery. Some also have hospital co-pays which can be as high $1000 - it's good to know if you have to pay anything out of pocket.

Like I said, all doctors are ridiculously different and require different things. Some are more strict than others - that was just my experience. Good luck with everything, for me it has been a great experience so far.