Did anyone else have to go thru this?

I have been reading posts about pre-operative procedures and was wondering if anyone else had to go through this? (and these are standard procedures that all patients of my Dr. have to go through)

1. original consult

2. written clearance from all physicians (sleep dr, pulmonary, cardiac, etc)

3. full body scan with metabolism testing

4. full (and I mean FULL) blood work

5. nutritionist consult

6. exercise consult

7. upper endoscopy w/ biopsy

8. psych consult

9. group meeting on pre and post operative procedures and expectations

10. finally surgery.

 

 

Had to do it all except the exercise consult. My first appointment with the surgeon was in early October. I was able to get all the requirements done and ready for surgery in January. It can be done. Don't fret. It's not as hard as it seems.

Yes to all, except I didn't need clearance from a ton of doctors (I didn't have a sleep doctor, a cardiac doctor, etc.).  It's definitely a commitment!

1, 2 (only my nurse practitioner), 4, 5, 8, 9, 10 :)

I did not have to do all those things.  I had the initial consult with the surgeon.  I did not have to have a sleep study or see a cardiologist or pulmonologist.  I did have to get written clearance from my PCP.  I had to have a psych eval and consult with a registered dietician.  I had to attend a four hour pre-op class at my surgeon's office.  I had to get blood work done, a chest x-ray and and EKG.  I had to have an endoscopy but they did not do a biopsy.

I didn't have to do #3, 6 or 7

No biopsy nor exercise everything else I did

Yes, two times.  I started with one program and only had the cardiologist visit left to be cleared, and then I decided to switch to a different surgeon and repeated the process.  I did not have to have a sleep study because I have been using a cpap for five years and I did not have to have an endoscopy, because I had one two years ago.  The first program did not include an exercise-fitness consult, which was one of the reasons I decided to switch programs - I wanted a more integrated program and I am really glad that I did.  I also liked the nature of the support groups much better. 

I considered every appointment as getting my step closer to my surgical goal, and it felt like I was accomplishing something along the way.  

Good luck to you!

I was a self pay in Mexico but still had to have 1, some 2 (EKG) 4, 7, with 5 and 8 in MX with their staff, then finally 10.

Nope. I had 1, modified 2 (clearance from my PCP), 4 (a pretty complete panel of bloodwork, not sure what you mean by FULL), 5, 7 w/o biopsy, and 8.

It amazes me that programs can be so different from one another.