1st Metting with Surgeon

This coming Friday I will meet for my surgeon for the first time? I will weigh in, meet with the nutritionist, etc. I'm having the surgery done through the hickory surgical team at Frye Medical Center in Hickory, NC.

Anyone want to share there meeting with their surgeon?

I met with a couple of different surgeons to get opinions. I also had a list of questions I took with me and took notes as I went along.

Here's my list of questions- it's a long one:

From Web MD:

1. Is this the right time for me to consider weight loss surgery?

2. Which type of weight loss surgery is best for my situation?

3. How will the bariatric surgery help me lose weight?

4. What are the risks of this surgery?

5. How could bariatric surgery affect other health conditions I have?

6. How long will I be in the hospital, and off work recovering?

7. What type of follow-up care will be necessary?

8. How much food will I be able to eat afterwards?

9. Are there certain foods I won't be able to eat?

10. Will I need vitamins after my surgery, and if so what types?

11. When can I start exercising after surgery?

12. How likely is it that I’ll regain weight after surgery?

13. Are you board-certified by the American Board of Surgery?

14. Are you a member of the American Society of Bariatric Surgeons?

15. How many weight loss surgeries do you do each year?

16. How many of your patients have died from weight loss surgery? The average death rate is less than 1%.

17. How often do your patients have complications? What side effects are most common?

The questions I asked in addition to the above:

What is your level of experience?

How long have you been a Bariatric surgeon?

How long have you been any kind of surgeon?

What is the difference between losing the weight on my own versus having surgery?

What kind of surgery do you recommend for me based on my health history and weight?

What is best for my GERD and Barrett's esophagus, as well as high cholesterol? Why do you recommend this particular surgery?

What are the risk factors for each kind of surgery, what are the benefits and disadvantages?

Can the surgery fail? What will be due to the surgery, and what will be due to me not following recommendations and treatment plan? What are the statistics for success?

What are the factors supporting success?

If there is a type of weight loss surgery you don't recommend or perform, why not?

Is the surgery reversible if I change my mind or I have complications?

How will the surgery effect my body and health over the long haul?

Will I have to change any habits after surgery?

If there is a malabsorption factor to the surgery, how long will that last?

What will maintenance be like? What will I have to do to manage that?

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I also want to recommend you make your choice of type of surgery only with your licensed professional Bariatric surgeon. You will find that people here will recommend types of surgery for you to consider, but we are not professionals, only strangers over the internet, and we have no idea of your particular unique needs. Also, people will mostly recommend the kind of surgery they themselves have had, which may not be the best fit for you.

Plus there is no perfect weight loss surgery- they all have their advantages and disadvantages.

Be proactive for yourself!

Thanks Anne!  I guess I'm part of a really good program because before we even think about getting to meet with the surgeon, we have a seminar with a surgeon in the group and past patients, we have a physc. evaul and we have to attend an educational class.  I feel that all of my questions have been answered.  Can't wait to talk one on one with the surgeon and get the surgery scheduled.

 

You never know when you might think of a new question, pre- and post-op. And remember that, when it comes to your health, there ARE NO stupid questions. Even if it seems dumb to you, ask anyway.

Thanks Bette I will be sure do joint anything down that I come up with. 

Surgery is sure one of the best things I've ever done for myself! My health is so much better, I like fitting into small clothes, I'm much more self confident, and I'm proud of myself for working it as hard as I do.

Because that's the main thing- you will have to work the advantage of the weight loss forever day by day for the rest of your life. I find maintenance as hard as I did pre-op with managing myself with food and exercise, plus the vitamins and supplements. But, oh my, the payoff is worth it for me!

This site is also useful for research and information- check out the different forums, plus the "MORE" drop down at the top of the page.

Thanks Anne, I can't wait to start my own journey.  I'm planning on taking full advantage of this site.  So glad I found it !!

Just through happenchance, the surgeon my husband wanted to use was the one giving the informational seminar, so we actually met him before the first private appointment.

He had already talked through a lot of options in the seminar and since my husband and I were the only ones in that particular seminar, we had already heard from him what one he thought was best for my husband. My husband was ALL ABOUT the band and Dr. Melkonian explained about the high failure rate, slippage, complications, etc and due to his having diabetes and GERD recommended the RNY over any other choices. He does not do the DS and said he did not feel my husband needed it, but did refer him to a practice that offered that if he was interested.

We had done a lot of surgeon research prior to picking Dr. Melkonian and so my husband did not pursue the DS and frankly, we're still glad today that he went RNY. 

The meeting with him was maybe 15 minutes, but the seminar was over 40 minutes. It was fabulous to not have anyone else show up that day! I have been there for others where 10 people have been there and then of course, they do not get into patient specifics. 

For us, (we are 7 months apart in surgery), we did not meet the nutritionist for about a month after our first formal surgeon appt. We were given an information packet that we were to bring back at each visit and the appropriate pages were covered at those visits. We saw the surgeon 3x pre-op and the nutritionist 6x pre-op.

I am not too far from Hickory, but attend my suport group in Charlotte and really enjoy the in person support I get as well as the weekly phone support group, too. And of course, OH is a huge part of my support system, too!

GOOD LUCK TO YOU! 

 

Thanks Pethairmaganet!  I don't think most people understand how much research that we do before making a decision like this.  I'm really glad that there are so many outlets and people to share info with.

 

Many questions about the changes expected and life during and after can be answered by the nutritionist. If the program is a bariatric center of excellence, all of the certifications will be up to date.