Calling all Dr Giovanni - Dr Pohl patients....

I've been reading along and all this blood talk is freaking me out.  Does Dr Giovanni and Pohl require the 20 something vials of blood?  What about the dreaded ABG?  Oh my gosh!  I'm gittin' scared!  I will have my pre admission testing done at Roger Williams as well as the sugery there.  I'm having a lap band.  Thanks!  Jules

Hi Jules,

I didn't have the ABG or the 20 vials of blood testing.  The only blood work was done the week before surgery and that was just a few vials.

.....dave

 

I had neither of these....

I did have all that blood taken either.  What's an ABG? Pat

I don't know what the ABG is either but I can tell you it's on my scheduled lists to be done for the Lap Band. It's listed as " Pulmonary Function Test & ABG". Hope that helps....  

ABG- Arterial Blood Gas.  Basically, they stick a huge needle stragiht into your wrist to find the artery and draw blood from it.  You cant make a fist, move, tense up or do lamaze breathing.  I was like, WTF, I cant just sit here while you fish that freaking needle all around my wrist.  OOOHHHH No.  When the results came back it showed that I was hyperventilating-well DUHHHH, I was freaking out.  From what I hear, they give you some novicane to numb you in RI hosp., not at Newp. Good luck to all that need this test.  IT was my worst one, by far. Jen

Opps! I meant I did not have to have all that blood taken.

Hi Jules, I had all my tests done at RI Hospital. When it came time for the ABG I explained to the technician that when it comes to blood test I get so nervous cause I have very deep veins (even in my hands) and if you probe around to long I start to feel faint. When she checked my wrist sure enough those arteries where deep as well but she was wonderful explaining to me that my pulmonery test where fine and she will give me a shot of novicane and try only once and if there was no success she will not do the test. She made me feel so relaxed and with the novicane shot it was a success on the first try with absolutley no discomfort I recommend you suggest the novicane if they don't use it I felt nothing Good Luck

Hi Jules. 

I had my pre-op testing yesterday and heres a basic outline of what happened.

 

I arrived about 15 minutes before my scheduled time and was almost immediately taken back, they went over my information and had me sign a few forms about living will, etc… Then I went in to a nurse, she went over my history and asked a ton of questions about past surgeries, illnesses..etc. Then I sat for a few minutes and waiting before the anesthesiologist took me to another room where she went over more questions about my history and past surgeries and then outlined the anesthesiology portion of the surgery and I signed more paperwork acknowledging the risks, that I was informed…etc.

 

A few more minutes waiting and they took me into another room where they drew 4 tubes of blood (not 20!) and hooked me up and did an EKG. Then they sent me to Xray to have a chest Xray done. I went in and changed from the waist up into a gown and then was only waiting a few minutes when they came and got me to do the X-ray. They took 2 x-rays and then I waited while they checked the films. I had to have a second round of x-rays because someone had loaded 2 sheets of film instead of 1 in each but, that only took a few minutes and they redid the X-ray. I went to change while they rechecked them and as soon as I was finished changing they came in and told me I was done.

 

 

I was there a total of about 1 ½ hours. And it was extremely easy…No ABG, no 20 vials, and I’m not sure if everyone has to have the EKG and chest X-ray, that could be because I have a heart murmur, but it could be standard I’m just not sure.

 

 

Good luck!!

 

I did not have to have either.