Great Info

Hi Guys, First off I apologize for the length of this post but I got it in my email yesterday and it has some fabulous info in it for us pre-ops. Sue ************************************************ Hello Sue! I'm writing to wish you the best of luck with your upcoming surgery 2 weeks from now. Congratulations on this wonderful step you are taking in your life! We would like to offer you some hints to make your journey easier. Prepare yourself before surgery by getting as much exercise as you possibly can. - If you smoke, quit at least 6 weeks prior to the operation and check to see if your doctor would want to order a pulmonary consult (lungs). - If you do smoke see if you can get an incentive spirometer to practice with and use before the surgery. - If you dont smoke, an incentive spirometer is still a good idea. - Remember, while in the hospital, you need to be out of bed within hours after the surgery. Some bariatric surgeons have patients walk from stretcher to bed when they return to their room. Others have patients out of bed 4 hours later. Then the next day you should walk on the unit at least 4 times. This helps to prevent blood clots. Plan on this for your aftercare: - Have a good attitude. Attitude is 95% of this process! (If you think you are going to feel awful, you probably will). - Take your temperature every day for the first several days. - Know the signs and symptoms of infection. - Don't be timid about calling your surgeon, if you have questions (or his nurse, who is usually first in that chain of command). - Expect to feel fatigue in the first days after the surgery. - Expect to need someone to drive you while you are taking pain medication. - Expect to feel some sad, even weepy feelings at times.... don't worry, that is just from the anesthesia and the medications. - Expect that you possibly will ask yourself why you did this! (Most people do a time or two after surgery, and it's ok). - Don't spend time worrying if it will hurt when the tubes/staples come out. The staples are a breeze...the tubes not too bad. (Take some pain med before coming to the office that day). - Don't cheat on your food intake. In other words, if you are on liquids, don't try something more. The first time you cheat sets you on the wrong path. - All of those things above (and there are more) should be given to you by your surgeon as postop instructions or discharge instructions. Above all, do four things: (These are very important). 1. Follow your surgeons instructions exactly. 2. Report any problems, don't put them off. 3. Attend the support group. 4. Exercise as tolerated and increase each day (walking is great). Pre-Op Anxieties Have you felt afraid about your upcoming surgery yet? Have you had any 2nd (or 3rd or 4th or 5th...) thoughts? If you haven't yet, don't worry, you will. The important thing to remember is that this is perfectly natural. We have collected a great deal of input from pre-ops on this topic over the years that can be found in our library. Click below to update your profile: http://www.obesityhelp.com/morbidobesity/newupdate.phtml?First_Name=Sue&Last_Name=G&Password=hmalg2&Type=Email_14_Pre From the library page, click on the sections on pre-op concerns. Preparing for your hospital stay. We have thousands of postings in our library about the hospital experience. Below are just a few (you can find many others by looking around in our library yourself): Hospital Stay http://www.obesityhelp.com/morbidobesity/bookanswers.phtml?N=11 What to bring http://www.obesityhelp.com/morbidobesity/question.phtml?N=v1016234851 http://www.obesityhelp.com/morbidobesity/question.phtml?N=x940618033 http://www.obesityhelp.com/morbidobesity/question.phtml?N=g965046714 http://www.obesityhelp.com/morbidobesity/question.phtml?N=m1001575171 Do you have an Angel? Make sure that you have an angel from our site to keep in touch with you while you are in the hospital. Your angel can get updates from us back to you during your stay. Click below to learn about our angel program: http://www.obesityhelp.com/morbidobesity/beanangel.phtml Important : Log into your profile system & prepare: Click below to see important parts of your profile system, described below: http://www.obesityhelp.com/morbidobesity/newupdate.phtml?First_Name=Sue&Last_Name=G&Password=hmalg2&Type=Email_14_Pre Postop Clinical Survey Please log into your profile (above) and check this out. This is where you will be indicating how your weight and any pre-op comorbidites change over time after surgery. We depend upon your keeping this section current as we work with bariatric surgeons around the country to compare post operative outcomes. Also, this information is important in demonstrating to a wide range of health care providers that bariatric surgery is effective in treating a host of medical conditions. Prepare to collect your hospital bills Your profile system contains a section on the costs of bariatric surgery. Please look for it. You can probably start filling the pre-operative testing part of it out already. This section allows us to make the case to the world that bariatric surgery is a valuable and viable program. With your help, we can increase hospital support for bariatric programs. Please fill out what you can today, and take a look at the types of information, i.e., hospital billings & hospital reimbursement (not the same thing), that might be reaching you by mail in the weeks after surgery. Final Word..... I would like to take this opportunity to personally thank you for being part of our community. When I first started this site back in 1998, I remember the excitement I felt as it reached 100, then 200, then eventually 500 members. Since then, it has been blessed with tens of thousands of people helping one another through this important journey. It would never be what it has become without people like you. Thank you, Eric Klein Founder, ObesityHelp.com

Hi Sue, First of all great info. What is a incentive spiromiter? I quit smoking over a month ago, will I need that test? Also do you have an angel yet? I don't but would really like one. I love the support I get on this site, it's also an incentive to me too. Cheri