[jj20030]

well, i got a call from my weight loss center and said my first appointment with a physcologist was cancelled cause he has to go out of town tomorrow. they told me my next appointment next monday will still be a go. this will be with a dietician and then the surgeon , anyone know what i should expect ? the woman that called me said a few guidelines from the dietician and talk about the surgery from the dr. ? said they will reschedule the 1st appointment later ?

[mlg78]

With the dietician, she has always just asked me about my current eating/drinking habits and then gave me an overview of what to expect immediately after surgery as well as what to expect for the rest of my life.

As for the surgeon, he just discussed the surgery itself with me and talked about my co-morbidities and why the surgery would help. Good luck!

[Cheryl24]

I had 2 dietitian appopintments. They recorded my weight (didn't have to lose but just maintain-not allowed to gain weight) I needed to journal my eating and exersizing during this time and she reviewed it with me and made suggestions.

When I met with the surgeon we just discussed the surgery , where the incisions would be, length of time in the hospital, amount of time away from work. Importance of getting up and walking asap and answer any questions I may have. My husband also came with me and I think it helped him feel better too.

[MsVickie]

The physic person is to see if your mentally ready to have the surgery. I have only ever seen one say they were denied. They may request additional appoitments before or afterwards also. This is a good appoitment to go to acutally. This was one of my most relaxing ones.

The Surgeon explains eveything to you and be sure to ask questions. This is why you have to wait a while to see one. They schudule you for a longer appoitment because of questions so dont be afraid to ask.

The dietitian will help you decide what to eat and when you eat it.

[Sharon_T]

For my first appointment I met with my doctor only. They measured me and him and his nurse went over the surgery in detail. My next appointment was with the psychologist and she just asked questions about my past and the present. I think more so to make sure I was mentally able to have the surgery. The next appointment was with the exercise physiologist and the nutritionist. The exercise physiologist went over an exercise plan prior to surgery in order to prepare me for after surgery and what to expect (thank goodness I had already been walking 2 to 3 miles a day. I would definitely start walking just to get into the swing of things). The nutritionist went over what is good and not good to eat and what my diet would be after surgery and how I would have to eat.

All of my appointments were informational. They helped a great deal. Even though most everything was in the hand out they gave me, I still took a notepad and pen and wrote down the key points. This helped me out a lot!

Good luck to you!

[qt82699]

welcome!! i had 3 dietician appts. she just always went over what i am eating and basic nutrician at the different stages, oh and had to get on the dreaded scale..lol

[stella blue]

I saw the dietician for 10 months before surgury and learned how I would be eating post OP (and lost ALOT pre op) It was frustrating but worth it bc/ I lowered my BMI and had a safe surgury. My 1st appt w/ the surgeon (that I waited the whole 10 months to have) was cancelled bc/ she was called in to the OR that day. Bummer. It happens. Hang in there...It will happen and soon everything will be moving at whirlwind speed!

[Hookemhigg]

JJ it really just depends on where you are going. The dietician again does talk about your current and past eating habits, and exercise. They put you on a diet to lose prior to surgery and insure you know what life will be like after the surgery etc. You will see them depending on how long your Surgeon wants you to as in how much weight they may or may not require that you lose before surgery.

The Dr. will basically talk about your past medical history, and history with weight loss, and insure you understand totally what you are getting into. They will also talk to you about the surgery and answer any questions you may have, so write them down so you don't forget any that you might have.

THe Psych is just to insure you are in the right frame of mind and prepared for the undertaking and to deal with your choice one it is done, it is tough for some right after the surgery. I know my surgbery was last Wed here in Houston and after getting out on Friday, the next few days were very tough.

Good luck.

[Perfesser]

JJ,

There's an awful lot of stuff to get out of the way pre-op. Appointments with psych, nut, nurses, doctors, chaplains (okay, I made that one up) etc., etc., etc. It can get confusing and intimidating, but it's all for a purpose. The patient is a part of that purpose, but there are other factors in play, too.

I was only allowed to see the surgeon after I had everything else on my ticket punched. I live about 70 miles from the medical center where I had it done, so I did a lot of the appointments here and made sure the records were shipped. Lesson #1 - stay on top of the process. You're the one benefiting from all this, so it's to your advantage to be sure that everything gets recorded in the surgeon's office.

My insurance company switched rules in midstream on the nutrition, taking it from 3 months to 6 without saying anything to anyone. The nurse at the surgeon's office discovered that after I had everything done and she submitted and was denied. She appealed, though, and I was approved under the old rules. I had done extensive research about this beforehand, and the dietitian didn't really add a lot of value to the process. She did add a signature in the right place, though, and she was a pleasant enough person, even if she really was at a loss to counsel a WLS patient. (They don't do this at our local hospital, so she had very limited experience with the whole thing.)

As has been stated, the psych is to be sure that you are mentally prepared for this whole adventure and have a determination to follow through with the discipline it will impose on you. No ink blots, just a friendly discussion with a stranger who cares deeply about you for $150 bucks an hour.

At one point, someone decided that I should have an EKG. It appeared to show a blip after I was done with the exercise and was resting, so they did a more intensive test involving radioactivity and a demonic treadmill. I outlasted them (they got tired of it first, as it wasn't showing anything) and the cardiologist gave me a clean bill of health. Be prepared for stuff like that. This is major surgery, and with all the lawyers lined up in the waiting room looking for a free lunch, the docs practice defensive medicine as an art form! Anything at all that someone thinks looks ... unexpected ... may trigger an expensive goose chase to make sure they understand what it's all about.

There are informational meetings with the surgeon's staff. One kicked off the whole process and was recorded as the start date of the application. One was within two weeks of the surgery and was intended to kill butterflies. It was more helpful for my wife than me, as she was a lot more nervous about the whole thing than I was.

Months after starting the process, I finally got to meet with the surgeon. This was a turning point for my wife, who had heard basically that I was going to die or worse as a result of the operation and that I wouldn't be able to eat anything edible for years after. There's a lot of misinformation and disinformation out there! This is the reason we haven't told anyone about how I have achieved this weight loss. We have a family reunion next month, and no one has the slightest hint that I won't be all there! (That should be fun!!)

After going through all the hassles of getting everything lined up and all the boxes checked, the surgery itself was an anti-climax! There was a brief moment of consternation when a semi-alert nurse (I had to be there at 5:30 AM for the prep) noticed that the EKG results were missing. I pulled out my records (Lesson #2 - hand carry a copy of EVERYTHING with you. My doctor's office doesn't open until 9:00, and the surgery was set for 7:30!) and pointed out the results and the note that they had been sent. After photo-copying my information, she found that she actually did have that stuff in her file. The file at that point was about an inch thick, and she was getting ready to poke me with a long, sharp needle, so I gave her a pass on it!

The pre-op liquid diet is important to follow through. It's a chance for you to learn how to get nutrition and protein through a straw in a stress-reduced setting. For a week or more after surgery, this is how you will eat (if that's the right word for it!). Immediately post-op you will have other distractions, so learning how to do it before the knife is a wise thing. You will have no choices in the matter once you hit recovery, so get good at it beforehand. I lost 15 pounds on it before the operation, so it was all good.

There will doubtless be other questions I haven't hit on, but that's why we have a bunch of highly experienced folks here to help you. Guys are a minority here, so let me tell you something you might not hear elsewhere. It seems that guys do better with this surgery, and achieve faster and more long-lasting results than the ladies do. Even though nature is our friend, the success you experience is up to you. The most important tool in all this is in your brain, not your belly. This operation will give you the potential for great results, but it's up to you and your own discipline to make it work.

Good luck as you start the journey. We're all here for you!

CT

[Trulykath]

well said perfesser!!! I love the part about the psych being a stranger who cares deeply about you for about $150/hour!!! TOOOOOOO funny!!!