new on my journey

I am getting close to scheduling my surgery. But the closer I get, the more nervous I get. I just recently found out that because of my extreme morbid obesity, I am going to be required to do another procedure where they will go thru my neck and put some type of strainer in my stomach which is to catch any blood clots that may form. Does anyone know anything about this?

 
Are you sure the "strainer" will be in your stomach and not your carotid artery?

Those are inserted to prevent a stroke.  

You need to have a face to face with the doctor (cardiologist?)  who is oing this procedure or your surgeon and have a thorough understanding of what they are planning and why.

IF this is a step to prevent a stroke, it sounds like a good idea.

But, honey, I am not a doctor and do not play one on the internet.

Ask questions until you get answers you understand from those hwo know your medical history and the plan for your surgery. We can only guess and that is not good enough.

best

t

Thanks T

I had this done because I have a clotting disorder, it was easy and painless. It is a vena cava filter that goes in the vein to stop any clots from getting to your heart or lungs. It was an easy out patient procedure where I was sedated and asleep but not as strong as anesthesia. I had a tiny band aid on my neck after, no big deal. Be sure to get it taken out about a month after the surgery or when your doc tells you to as they can also clog up over the years and cause problems. It was really a very simple procedure.

Thanks, this was very helpful. For some reason I thought I was told that it could not be removed...Also, they are calling it the Greenfield Filter???? I am awaiting my next appt to get more information from my doc and am also searching on the internet for more information. Thanks for your response.

What proceedure are you getting?

Its called the Greenfield Filter?? It is supposed to stop blood clots. I have been told different things about it such as it cannot be undone once they place it into your body, but a comment from someone said they had it done and it can be taken out. I am really nervous, but am definitely going to get a lot more information before I have it done.

This is called a Greenfield filter, and it goes in the vena cava, not your stomach. It's no biggie.

How extreme IS your morbid obesity? I ask because if your BMI is high, you REALLY should research a procedure that your surgeon does not do, called the Duodenal Switch, or simply the DS. It has the very BEST long-term, maintained weight loss results for patients of ANY size, but especially so for those of us with a BMI greater than 50. It also has the best stats for preventing or resolving co-morbs like diabetes and high cholesterol. You can learn more about the DS at www.dsfacts.com and on the DS board here at OH:www.obesityhelp.com/forums/ds/

You should also check out the Revision board:www.obesityhelp.com/forums/revision/

Thanks Mrs Batt. I will definitely check more into the DS. My BMI is 51. :(