I'm reading through these boards (and doing some research on my own) and when I come across things like catheter, endscopy, and barium swallow I get a little freaked out. It would really help if somone would walk me through the tests and things you have to go through to get evaluated and prepped for surgery, so I know what to expect.

So for those who are banded, what medical tests did you have to do (x-rays, blood tests, etc) beforehand? And then on the actual day of surgery, what do you have to do? Does the surgeon draw lines on your belly? Do they stick a bunch of needles in you? They pump you full of gas? Is there an enema involved? *shudder*

Give it to me straight. I'm prepared to be horrified, but it's got to be better than what I'm imagining!

I just had my surgery yesterday! Pre-op I had a physch eval (although the doctor I ended up choosing didn't require it). It was a multiple choice test with ?'s about my feelings - it took like one hour and wasn't at all bad. I had an endoscopy and colonoscopy 4 months before surgery b/c I was having problems which turned out to be a hiatal hernia. Don't know if my doc required this but he did see the pictures. That was no big deal - I was knocked out thru the whole thing. Pre-op on Tues I had blood drawn and an EKG that took 5 seconds! No big deal.

Surgery day - showed up at 7:15, filled out some paperwork and put the sexy robe and booties on. Went to sleep. Woke up - drank barium and had a stomach x-ray - hardly remember that. Went home by 2 and now I'm sore but ok. That's the gist of it. Alot better than I ever would have thought although I won't lie - my side and shoulder are sore!

Pre - op

Blood draw (6 tubes, a little pinch)

EKG (takes 5 min. they put these little stickers on you and hook the machine up to the stickers, get a reading and your done, no pain)

Psych eval (1/2 hour with the psychologist to make sure you understand what changes this procedure will bring to your life)

Gallbladder ultrasound (jelly on your belly, took about 1/2 hour, no pain)

2 support group meetings (kinda fun, very informative)

Nutritionist visit (got to try some protien shakes)

Depending on your medical history they may also request - Cardiac Echo (if you took Phen Phen this is a must), sleep study (if you have symptoms of sleep apnea), Pulmonary Function Test (I didn't need these three)

Pre Admission testing for the hospital

EKG (same as above)

Blood Draw (4 tubes)

Consult with anesthesiologist

Surgery day

Start an IV and your on your way.

Post op

Catheter (SP?) - hated it but it wasn't painful

Barium swallow - I have eaten worse stuff but this is on the top 10 list (liquid amodium AD was worse) but it is over quick.

There wasn't anything that I was required to do that involved pain or discomfort (no enemas!) but every doctor is different. Yours should give you a list up front of what will be required.

Good luck,

I had to have

1. blood work

2. chest x-ray

3. barium swallow (taste like chalk)

4. esophageal manometry this tests the esophagus (small tube up the nose most doctors do not require this)

5. psych eval (ins required)

6. EKG (took longer to put the stickers on then the actual test took

7. nutritionist meeting (I shared mine with another patient)

8. 10 pre-op liquid diet (some require some don't)

At the hospital the morning of surgery, I was prepped with an IV and they gave me something for my nerves even though I was really not nervous. I was taken into the operating room and before I could remind the anesteolgist (I know I spelled that wrong) that I had a precious baby to wake up and take care of I was out. The next thing I remember is waking up and having some ice chips. I was sore in my shoulder and had some gas pain that night. I had to stay over due to a minor complication and the nurse refused to call and get me a script for gas-x. When I got home the next day, I walked around my neighborhood and felt really good. I took chewable gas-x for about 1 week and I think it really helped. I was only on pain meds for 3 nights and only at night so I could sleep. I used liquid tylenol for about 5 days for the discomfort. I was banded July 28 2005 and I am already down almost 40 pounds. ~Mandy

im getting banded soon

i have had to go for a sleep study

have blood tests

see a dietitian

and thats all i have to do

I had:

14 Blood tests (only had to go in twice, though. I just got a $1400 bill for the bloodwork- self-pays look out for that!)

EKG

Full Physical and history

Resting Echocardiography

Stress Test

Colonoscopy and Endoscopy

Psych Eval

But I had a starting BMI of just under 35 so I had to do a lot of this stuff just so the doctor would perform the procedure. If you have a BMI of 40+ my understanding is that they don't put you through as much.

That looks like a lot of blood tests. *faints*