Had my consult today!!!
I just got home from my consult. Wowzers!! it was over an hour long. I was given a big 3 ring binder with all the program information. The cover and the side says it's for the bariatric surgery program so they gave me a bag to carry it in so when I need to go to appointments it isn't obvious to other people in the waiting room what I'm there for. I thought I might get by without the 6 month medically supervised weight loss program since I worked with my doctor for 12 months. But they require the 6 months to be completed with the dietitian. I'll meet with her once a month starting May 1st. That's when her first available new patient appointment is. I am going to call to get on a cancellation list. The program coordinator looks for cancellations to get people in earlier. After the 6th appointment they'll submit paperwork to my insurance. I am not required to lose weight before surgery, I just can't gain.
Their program psychologist didn't have a new patient opening until June 1st, but there happened to be a cancellation tomorrow morning so I grabbed it!! I have the upper GI endoscopy on the 10th. I have the physical therapy appointment on May 1st to help set up an exercise program.
I was super super impressed with the consult!! They took my picture so when they have their twice monthly team meetings (dietitian, physical therapy, psychologist, surgeon and coordinator) and discuss cases I am a face, not a chart number. I was asked which surgery I wanted and why I thought it was best for me. She agreed the VSG is the right option for me because of my medication. She said even though my Effexor XR could be switched to a non XR version she's learned that's one medication they try not to mess with. I will have a consult with the outpatient pharmacist to discuss if I need to change times I take my medication because I take a small handful and that would fill up the pouch. I had a breathalizer test to detect any smoking and since I don't smoke I passed with flying colors. She told me to call her with even minor questions or if I run into any problems or have any complaints. She said she was impressed with my level of thought and research, lots of it thanks to this website and some good youtube videos. She thinks I will be very successful. She did say the estimated excess weight loss is around 60% but that so far their program has seen most of their sleeves get to the 70% and beyond. I think that's due to their intensive pre and post surgical program.
I told her about all the long term losers *****gularly post and how they support those going through the process and help with stalls. She thinks it's great people on here are so helpful. I wouldn't be surprised if they started recommending this website.
I like it's an all female team because I work much better with women vs men.
I'll tell you a secret then . . . I went with the less experienced surgeon (by far) in the practice I chose. And you know what? I had multiple nurses on the bariatric ward AND the nurse anesthesiologist in the hospital tell me I made the right choice. They said that my surgeon is extremely meticulous with his work and his patients recover a lot faster than the patients of the more experienced surgeon.
It's a "secret" because it's hard to say without looking like I am slagging off the other guy, and I don't mean to. I just mean my surgeon is fantastic, it isn't just me who says so -- medical professionals agree, and I would pick him again every day of the week and twice on Sundays. Good luck to you!
My surgeon is super meticulous too! Always looking for ways to improve, no complacency with her!! I think that's a trap more experienced surgeons fall into too often. I think her pre and post op program is more rigorous than Mayo Clinic, even though we are a satellite location 90 minutes away. The post op dietary stuff is the same but that's about it.
