Meeting with my surgeon for Pre-Op

Folks; I'm meeting with my surgeon at 3:00 PM and am working on my list of questions to ask him. Do you have any questions you might suggest that I ask?

Here are some thoughts:

1.  How many procedures (and which type) have they done.  And which procedure (and why) would they recommend for you personally.

2.  What is their personal rate of complications (leaks, conversion to open, etc.)

3.  Do they have Nutritionists on staff and do you get to meet with them at every appointment.

4.  Do they have dedicated surgical staff and trained nurses and staff on the recovery floor.

 

Thanks. I have had that meeting; but this is the 2-week pre-op meeting. So, we are getting down to the wire.

Ah.  Well, then I can't think of anything new to ask if you are this far along.

You may have already discussed some of these things, but I would ask:

1) how long expected in hospital

2) what to have ready at home both food and medicine (most have to be in liquid form for a while)

3) expectations regarding return to work (if appropriate) and energy levels

4) level of pain to be expected and how to treat

5) specific diet to follow immediately after hospital stay

Hope this helps.

Very helpful. Thank-you very much.

I don't know if this matters to you but it was my #1 concern.

What size boughie will be used?

And will the staple line be pulled tight, as in right up on the boughie or will a little room be left between the boughie & the staple line?
Pulled tight in my opinion is better, it gives you more restriction. My surgeon left no room or at least that's what he told me.

After you're healed up how many ounces does your doctor think you should be able to eat at each meal?
My surgeon told me no more than 1/2 cup.

I hope this helps, Good Luck,
Hilary

Excellent thanks. The Boughie question is the second one on my list! ;-)

I walked in with about 20 questions for him.  He talked about the procedure in more depth and covered all but 1 question I had.  The only question I had for him that he did not cover was about getting a video of the procedure.  I thought this was a shot in the dark but I still asked.  To my surprise he said sure, no problem.

Here were some of my questions, at least the ones I remember:

1.) Bougie size?(I asked this in the beginning and then confirmed at pre surgery meeting)

2.) Is the staple line over sewn?

3.) Catheter?

4.) Is a drain left in and if it is when does it come out?

5.) long term multivitamins some say 2X the dosage some say single dosage and other say VSG does not have malabsorption so do we even need to take them long term as long as labs come back with proper levels?

6.) How do I take my pills post surgery, crushed?

 

Good Luck!

Great questions. Thanks so much for helping me out with this!