Questions to ask doc. at initial meeting?

Hey there! I have just barely begun my RNY surgery. I meet him next week and was just wondering if any of you lovelies out there had any important, MUST ask questions would be good for me to ask him.

Thanks in advance! I appreciate any and all feedback!

Hello,

Many surgeons have a "clinic" or informational gathering with documentation on the surgery pre and post op.  It is always a good idea to feel out how prepared they make you feel pre surgery.  Asking about after care is very important.  Do they have support groups for their patients to attend there at the hospital?  What about  nutritional support, do they provide guidance on what to eat at what stage of recovery?  How experienced is the surgeon.  Has he/she done many?  Talking to other post op patients is always a good idea to get their feedback on his or her experience with this doctor.  The more support systems you have in place, the better chance of success you will have.  Hopefully by the time you have surgery you will be very knowledgeable as to what to expect, what possible risks are involved and see the path very clearly ahead of you.

Have you also researched the Sleeve and the Duodenal Switch? It's important to understand all your options in order to make the very best choice for YOU. Both the Sleeve and the DS preserve the pylorus and all normal stomach function, and still allow you to take NSAIDs.  The long-term results are about the same for the Sleeve and the RNY, and the DS has the very best long-term stats for maintained weight loss, period. (It also has the best stats for resolving or preventing co-morbs like diabetes and high cholesterol.)

'Must ask' questions would include things like how many times has he performed this surgery, what's his complication rate, how successful (per centage of excess weight lost/maintained at 5 years out) are his patients, how much follow-up care is included in his fee, does he have a nutritionist on staff, does he offer a support group where you can meet some post-op patients.

Hope this helps!  http://www.obesityhelp.com/content/questionstoaskyoursurgeon .html

Thank you all so much! This really helps me get a little more focused. It has all sort of been feeling unreal to me, no matter how many blogs I read or videos I watch, it's hard for me to realize that this is a decision that I am going to be going through as well. It's CRAZY! Thank you for the suggested questions, I am definitely asking them!