What Sort Of Questions Should I Ask My Surgeon At Consultation

[pinkladyMK]

here's a list of questions culled from years of posts. Take a look & then take what pertains to your operation:

wls consult ques.​

1. How will the incision be closed? Stitches, steri- strips, glue or staples?
2. How will the procedure be done: Open or lap?
a. If open, how long of an incision?
b. If lap, how many poke holes?
3. How long should the surgery take barring no complications?
4. Can my gallbladder and/or appendix be taken? Do you always take them?
a. If not, will i be given meds to prevent gallstones?
5. Can i listen to music during surgery?
6. Will i go home with a “g” tube?
7. Will i have the booties that help to prevent blood clots?
8. What type of r-n-y (proximal or distal) – if you’re having a gastric bypass?
9. How small can you make my pouch?
10. How much intestines can you bypass?
11. Are you board certified?
12. Can i continue to take my birth control pill?
13. Will i be getting a binder in the hospital?
14. What about my piercings?
15. What are my chances of getting an ulcer after surgery?
16. Can i get an epidural?
17. Will i be tested for h. Pylori bacteria?
a. Is there anything that i can do to prevent it?
18. Have you ever started a wls but couldn’t complete it?
19. Will you leave a surgical marker that will show the location of my unused tummy?
20. Will i have a drainage tube in my tummy?
21. What type of painkillers will i be given for home use?
22. Are there gowns in the hospital for someone of my size?
23. When (after surgery) can i resume my normal activities?
24. Do i have a limit on how much i can carry or lift?
a. For how long?
25. How much should i lose?
26. Can i still take advil or aspirin (or other anti-inflammatory meds)?
27. Do you have a list of drugs that i can and cannot take?
a. Will my medications be properly absorbed after surgery?
28. What about pregnancy?
a. Will it be considered high risk?
29. Should i get a medic-alert bracelet?
30. When will the stitches, steri- strips, glue and/or staples be removed?
31. Regarding the rny: What do you consider proximal or distal? Which would you do on me?
32. Will i get shots of heparin to prevent blood clots?
33. Will i experience hair loss? Will taking zinc help to prevent hair loss?
34. When can i start to exercise?
35. Typically, do more complications occur with lap or open?
36. Typically, how long does it take to perform open surgery?
a. How long for lap?
37. How many of your patients have lost their spleens?
38. What are my odds of getting a hernia?
39. Can i actually cause a hernia?
40. Will i have a central line?
41. Will i have an “a” line?
42. Will i have a foley?
a. If so, how long does it stay in?
43. Will i have an “ng” tube?
44. How long do i stay in recovery? Barring complications, will i spend any time in icu?
45. After surgery, how do you detect for leaks?
46. What are my odds of getting a uti, bladder infection or yeast infection?
47. Can i meet the anesthesiologist ahead of time?
48. How soon will i be able to shower after surgery?
49. Because of a family history, can i get a dexascan?
50. Will my nasty heartburn go away? Will the surgery cause heartburn?
51. Can i get lupus?
52. What do you think of rny, bdp/ds, gastric band and vbg? Do you do all of them? How many have you done of each?
53. When is the soonest i can be scheduled for surgery (after going thru the program)?
54. What are my odds of adhesions?
55. What are my odds of a staple line breakdown?
56. Will i have a greenfield?
57. Can i be given something non-narcotic (i don’t want morphine) like toradol?
58. What about drinking alcohol?
59. How long am i out of work for?
60. How often will i need labs done? How often will i need an office visit?
61. If i am vomiting or nauseated after 3 weeks, what will you do for me?
62. Can i have my ‘apron’ removed during surgery?
63. Do you transect the stomach or do you just put in a staple line?
64. What is the youngest person that you would perform this surgery on?
a. What is the oldest person that you would perform this surgery on?
65. How many patients have you lost?
66. How much protein will i need each day?
a. I can only eat tiny meals. How can i get all the protein i need?
67. I used to be able to eat dairy products, but now they give me gas and diarrhea. What’s wrong with me?
68. Do you have a nutritionist familiar with the surgery i’m having? Does he/she have food lists, quantities, amount of protein, etc. Or some type of written guidance to give me pre and/or postop?
69. Will i have a problem with foul gas and loose bowels?
70. What are the differences between the ds and the rny?
a. Why do they have to remove part of the stomach in the ds?
b. What is the difference between the “distal gastric bypass/duodenal switch (dgb/ds)”, and the “biliopancreatic diversion/duodenal switch (bpd/ds)”?
c. What is a common tract and why is it significant? How long will my common channel be?
d. Can the bpd/ds be performed laparascopically?
e. Will malabsorption cause me to become malnourished?
f. How much will i spend on vits/minerals each year?

fantastic your wonderful!!!
Ive printed it off and taking it with me tomorrow to my educational meeting thanks so much
ur a diamond
xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 

[Roch]

fantastic your wonderful!!!
Ive printed it off and taking it with me tomorrow to my educational meeting thanks so much
ur a diamond
xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Lol my printer is not working Natalie so i will just leave it up to you to ask all the questions lmao

 

[pinkladyMK]

Lol my printer is not working Natalie so i will just leave it up to you to ask all the questions lmao

lmao ok babes ill have the paper with me so we will be ok
lol

 

[Spikeyjaycee]

What I did was carry around a little note book and everytime a question popped into my head, I would write it down. I then used that note book to get the answers when I saw the consultant. It shows you've done your homework and researched the op too.

 

[Karlos]

The questions you should ask are

Who do I contact in the event that I need urgent medical help post op.

Who will handle my aftercare.

Will I see you post op or will my case be handed to a specialist nurse

What happens if I get any future complications as a result of this procedure that require medical/surgical intervention. Who pays, or will it be left to the NHS to sort them.

These would be my main concerns if I was going the private route.

Good luck with your consultation chuck.

 

[EmmaLouise81]

The questions you should ask are

Who do I contact in the event that I need urgent medical help post op.

Who will handle my aftercare.

Will I see you post op or will my case be handed to a specialist nurse

What happens if I get any future complications as a result of this procedure that require medical/surgical intervention. Who pays, or will it be left to the NHS to sort them.

These would be my main concerns if I was going the private route.

Good luck with your consultation chuck.

Thanks everyone...these all really helped. I so need to ask the who do I contact in an emergency as I am in N.Ireland so who the heck do I go too?

Going to write these down, going to make a phone call tomorrow to Shaw Somers office....so nervous but I really need this help.

Glad you guys are sensible, showed a friend 'THE FAT DOCTOR' and her question were...Are you married Mr Somers? If not can I have your number!? Honestly you wold think George Clooney was operating! Only good thing is it takes the negativity of their minds!

About this question- 62. Can I have my ‘apron’ removed during surgery?

Do people get this done? It it like a tummy tuck? Wish I could have mine taken off or and my boobs lifted at the same time!