Suggestions

Hey all! I am still pre-op and meet with my surgeon for th first time on the 23rd for the hour long consultation. I have been to the wls seminar as well as the support groups the surgeons office offers monthly. Besides that I have done countless hours of research online regarding the rny. My question is when I go in for the consultation, I don't want to go in empty handed. I want a list of questions to ask him and have came up with a few but not many. Is this common? For instance one of the questions I will be asking him is since they have such a hard time finding my veins to take blood or start normal IVs on me does this mean I will have a jugular IV? Another question I have for him is that I have had edema in my feet and ankles since February and want to know if surgery is going to help with that. Plus I have a few more.What kind of questions did you guys ask your surgeons on your consultation? Please any suggestions or feedback would be appreciated.

Thanks!!
Tawnya 

Does your surgeon have a website? Mine did and I found the FAQ very informative.
My surgeon did most of the talking during my first visit. He pretty much answered all of my questions before I even had a chance to ask.

I could tell you that getting an IV before surgery is usually a piece of cake because there will be someone at the hospital that can give IVs to "fluffy" arms. The anesthesiologist gave me my IV.

Are you on a water pill for your edema?
In my case, the swelling in my feet and ankles went down so much that I had to buy new shoes about 6 weeks post op.

 I had been on 2 different diuretics, but I stopped them because they were causing my back to hurt whenever I used the bathroom. The swelling right now isn't extreme but it is noticeable. The IV thing isn't because of my arms being fluffy, they have always had issues with my veins since I was a child, they are too shallow and they move, they always have to draw blood using a butterfly rather than the usual needle and the places on my arms that they have places IVs are almost unrealistic and the veins almost always blow. This has happened since I was thin.

I noticed you live in Spokane, are you going to Rockwood? That is where I am having surgery, my surgeon is Dr. Rawlins. My surgery isn't until 5/22, but I have found everyone at his office to be very helpful and very imformative. It is my understanding that this is the case regardless of who the surgeon is there.

 Yes, I am going to Rockwood, my surgeon will be Dr. Bright. Thanks for the input, are you in Spokane as well?

Actually no, I live in Royal City (you probably haven't heard of it..as most people haven't...lol) but it is about 35 miles SW of Moses Lake, we are pretty close to the Gorge by George as well. I don't think I will be making support groups in Spokane which is why I really like this site. I do not know of any support groups near me. I know someone who has had Dr. Bright and she really liked him also someone else I met on here has Dr. Bright as well. Rockwood is great and very good at answering questions. Have you met your nutritionist yet or the nurse/dietian? I go to Katherine (nut) and Megan (nurse), I saw them last Friday and both are just great at their jobs and told me that plan to follow and help me through this every step of the way!!

 I have met the Nut when I went to the seminar. And met Megan at the support group and when I did the walk for obesity two weekends ago, I met Dr. Rawlins at that time as well. Yeah you are a little far for the support group, although there is a lady that drives in from Moses Lake. She is 2 years out from her surgery, I met her through someone on youtube in Ontario that told me about her and it turned out she had Dr. Bright :) How long did your process take from seminar to getting surgery date? What all tests did you have to do besides the MMPI?

My consult is on Friday, I have about 10 questions or so that I am planning to ask - maybe they will give you inspiration or a starting off point.

1. Do you follow the ASMBS recommendations for vitamins post op?

2. Why do you perform the surgery open as opposed to laproscopic?

3. How long do you follow patients post op?

4. What percentage of excess body weight loss is generally seen with your
   patients?

5. Do you have patients return for revisions?

6. Have any of your patients died as a result of the RNY/complications, etc?

7. What should my goal weight be? How long should it take, idealy to
 reach that goal?

8. Do you require a liquid diet in the week(s) leading up to surgery?

9. Do you have an in-house Registered Dietician & Psych?

10. Are classes with a Dietician & psych eval required prior to surgery?

11. Should I look into have a bone density scan done prior to surgery?

GL!