Scared Pre-op, can you Vets offer any words of wisdom?

Right. If a co-morbidity is going to become fatal under surgical stress, though, it would probably also happen with any surgery. Say, gallbladder removal or hysterectomy.  But, it is much better to be in the hands of a surgeon who is familiar with the signs of impending trouble and experienced in dealing with them.

Despite the pre-op testing Dr. Ungson requires patients send him before scheduling surgery, when Rena arrived in Mexico some additional testing he did troubled him. Even after traveling all the way from the Pacific Northwest, Dr. Ungson sent her home to resolve the problem he found where she had insurance coverage for all the medical care.

Deeply disappointed, of course, she did exactly that. And because of her inconvenience, Dr.  Ungson didn't charge her for her DS. Of course, her surgery was a success and she recently returned from a missionary trip to Uganda.

That's the kind of quality, ethics, and the experience to know when to back off that you want in your surgeon. When you've signed on with a surgeon like that, the prospect of surgery is a whole lot less frightening, imho.

 I didn't know Stephanie.....but reading everyone's posts about her death has had me nuts.  I HAVE alot of co morbidites, I'm 44,  diabetic, CHF, PCOS, osteoarthritis, COPD, sleep apnea and probably more that I'll find out about.  Bless her heart.....I thought of her as I went to sleep last night and wondered if I was doing the right thing.  I woke up with her on my mind this morning.  For me, and I'm sure others as well......I feel like I COULD be making the choice to DIE.  Of course, being fat, I am DEFINITELY making that choice, so it's kinda damned if you do and damned if you don't in my mind.

I know there are risks to every surgery, and I'm desperately trying to overcome the intense fear I have over it all.  I've googled and googled the doc I have chosen...Dr. Hugh Houston....and haven't found anything.  I guess I'm worried about just how much CAN go wrong and I'm a FLAMING chicken.  I'm worried about the surgery, but I'm more worried about the health issues I have and what MIGHT go wrong because of them.  I'm so glad this thread was started......I'm a virgin dser too, so if anyone knows anything I DON'T....please holler at me.

RIP Stephanie.....I didn't know you, but you've touched my soul.

When you meet with a surgeon, please ask them about their complication rates.  I'm sure you know this, but it is important for all of us to know that things can and do go wrong with the best of surgeons, and sometimes it is diffficult to know if it was the surgeon or the patient's own body freaking out.  Have you gone to Houston's seminar yet? Interviewed and asked questions yet?

Unfortunately, I had to delete this post due to privacy concerns.

Shelli-
I'm freaking out because I feel like I'm in hyper-paranoid mode, like I have to watch out for every little possible detail I may have missed, almost like planning a wedding must feel, it's insane! Of course, if I screw up, there's so much more at stake than a stale wedding cake.

Scared Pre-op am i.....
i've read everything on DSfacts and different surgeons sites. How do you prepare?
I made an appt today to do the consulatation with a surgeon in Glendale. My insurance won't pay for the office visit unless i'm approved for surgry. But i won't know if i'm approved until i go to the consult and do the paperwork?

Is it just me or is that Shady???

Anybody else have to pay $280 upfront? Just to meet the surgeon? For some odd reason i feel like thats my chance to interview him for a job and If he passes them i would sign up.

Anybody else have anything like that?

 Who's the surgeon? Is he on dsfacts.com list?

Yes, I had to pay for my surgeon consultation. It's not unheard of, even for the reputable DS surgeons. My lawyer charges for consultations, so do my company's PHP developers and PR firm...  You have to compensate professionals for their time, it's pretty universal no matter which profession.