Meeting with DR

So I have my consult appointment on Sept 8. I am very excited I really can not think of things to ask. What kinds of things did you ask on your first appointment? I am doing private pay due to no insurance.

 I had a long list of questions.


I asked about pre op requirements like what type of tests I needed, pro op diet, hospital requirements, anesthesia questions, etc.

I asked about the actual surgery and what EXACTLY he would be doing.  If he flung a hernia would he repair it?  If he found my gall bladder looked bad would,he remove it?  How long to expect to be there, etc.

I asked about 
Post  op life
What I would eat, when I could exercise, when I would get fills.
How much fills cost
Who would do my fills and how often

What his emergency care policy is like
What I should do when traveling if I had band problems

What about medications, policy on NSAIDS, etc

I had more questions at each appointment and I sat there until I was satisfied with the answers to each one.

One of my main concerns was how long he had been in practice and how many procedures he had done.

I asked about their practices slip rate and re-operation rate. I wanted percentages. I would ask about their follow up care. Do they prime the band during surgery? Is there a NUT on staff and when can you see her? Does it cost more to see her or is it in the cost of your reg. appt.? Do they have a support group?

HOW MUCH ARE ADJUSTMENTS!!! This was the one thing I didn't think to ask, I did have insurance, for the first 4 months after surgery. Then lost my job, lost my insurance and adjustments were $854 each. I could not get another surgeon to do them either without a hefty program fee since my surgeon was still in business.

Also, be sure that lapband is what you want... read, read, and then read again... talk to people who have had the band for 2, 3, 6, 10+ years and see how it goes. Be sure you are going to be able to financially handle the adjustments that come with it, even at $200 each, will you have $200 for a fill, then find a week or so later when it actually hits that it is too much, then have to go back and pay another $200 to get some taken back out.

Look into the Sleeve, does the same thing the band is supposed to, with restriction without the adjustments. The sleeve gastrectomy has been done for over 100 years for ulcer and cancer patients, only the past 20 years or so for weight loss as a stand alone. It is also the first step for many for the DS surgery in Super Morbidly Obese patients.
Not trying to scare, just trying to help you be aware of all options... I have had my band for 3 years, had to have a complete unfil a year ago yesterday, band will be coming out later this year as soon as insurance requirements are finished being met and sleeved is what I will be.
Think twice cut once!!!