Back from Dr. S's office!
Hi Folks,
I'm back from Bathurst!!!!!
The new Dr is very nice. I will have surgery before christmas or the first week of January. He dosn't function like Dr. B.
Keep in mind that these are two different surgeons with different ideas and different practices.
I will be getting the lapband! His program is not fully set up yet like he wants it to be because he just started on Monday. One difference I noticed is that you have to sleep at the hospital the night before the surgery. Also, there are not 5 appointments before you get surgery.You have the consult which I had today. You have to get the pre opt tests, which also involves seeing a dietcician and that's it. Then it's surgery time.
I am happy that it's the way it goes. Not because I don't agree with Dr. B's method. I think it's great that he educates his patients to the fullest, but I've known several lap band patients (including two of my very good friends), I've read an excellent book cover to cover a million times, and I already see a psychologist. I'm happy I get to see a dietician because that's very important.
Like Dr. B, you need to follow a strict diet for 2 weeks of shakes, but I think he weights you on the surgery date and then decides to postpone the surgery if you've gained.
So this was my experience, overall a good one. I think that if you are seeing Dr. S for the surgery that you ensure you write down all the questions you need to ask him so you don't forget and that you truly educate yourself on the procedure- I don't mean like how he does the surgery because he explains this but because I don't believe he has his all day info sessions set up yet, if he will have any. I know that in Dr. B's info session you get to meet an past patient and this good for folks who never met one and learn the psychological affects. Tthis dr started monday so his program and schedules aren't officially launched yet.
I have a great book to recommend on the band, what to expect, every thing you need to know and it's written by a surgeon and really good, if anyone is interested.It even talks about skin, the psychological effects, it has diet ideas, and even has a bunch of patient testimonials and they cover both positive and negatives of it.
I am officially on the way to my journey.
YAY ME
I'm back from Bathurst!!!!!
The new Dr is very nice. I will have surgery before christmas or the first week of January. He dosn't function like Dr. B.
Keep in mind that these are two different surgeons with different ideas and different practices.
I will be getting the lapband! His program is not fully set up yet like he wants it to be because he just started on Monday. One difference I noticed is that you have to sleep at the hospital the night before the surgery. Also, there are not 5 appointments before you get surgery.You have the consult which I had today. You have to get the pre opt tests, which also involves seeing a dietcician and that's it. Then it's surgery time.
I am happy that it's the way it goes. Not because I don't agree with Dr. B's method. I think it's great that he educates his patients to the fullest, but I've known several lap band patients (including two of my very good friends), I've read an excellent book cover to cover a million times, and I already see a psychologist. I'm happy I get to see a dietician because that's very important.
Like Dr. B, you need to follow a strict diet for 2 weeks of shakes, but I think he weights you on the surgery date and then decides to postpone the surgery if you've gained.
So this was my experience, overall a good one. I think that if you are seeing Dr. S for the surgery that you ensure you write down all the questions you need to ask him so you don't forget and that you truly educate yourself on the procedure- I don't mean like how he does the surgery because he explains this but because I don't believe he has his all day info sessions set up yet, if he will have any. I know that in Dr. B's info session you get to meet an past patient and this good for folks who never met one and learn the psychological affects. Tthis dr started monday so his program and schedules aren't officially launched yet.
I have a great book to recommend on the band, what to expect, every thing you need to know and it's written by a surgeon and really good, if anyone is interested.It even talks about skin, the psychological effects, it has diet ideas, and even has a bunch of patient testimonials and they cover both positive and negatives of it.
I am officially on the way to my journey.
YAY ME
Casey_B
on 10/9/08 8:37 am - Fredericton, Canada
on 10/9/08 8:37 am - Fredericton, Canada
I have been waiting all day to hear how things went for you today!! Congratulations. I'm so glad to hear the differences between the two so I have a better idea of what to expect. I'll be calling my dr's office tomorrow to make sure the referral is on it's way!@!
YAY YOU
YAY YOU
Thanks for updating us. You said that there was the consult and the preop tests but is there going to be an all day info session? Where does the surgery take place, is it in the hospital? How many lap bands has he done? What did he say about follow up, like port fills or any complications? I'm sorry to ask so many questions, but if you can answer them, that would be great. Thanks again for the update!!! YAA for YOU
No all day information session, I'm not sure whether it's because he's just starting or not. I mean he explained that he didn't have his program fullyset up and that things may change when I get the call because he's only starting in december to do surgeries, so his program is in the works.
he said I was meeting a dietician for sure and he explained the surgery for me, which I already know. He told me the chances of me dying very extremely low. He talked about complications, the usual slippage and errosion.
I will have a fill after the first four week, and then fills about 4 times a year (it varies by people)
the surgery is done in the Bathurst hospital and you have to sleep there the night before. Then you can go home and you follow what the dietician tells you. There's a two week shake diet to shrink your liver.
He studied & practiced in Quebec and he's done bands before, as far as how many bands he's placed, I didn't ask. I mean they all started somewhere and Quebec is where Dr. B studied for WLS.
he said I was meeting a dietician for sure and he explained the surgery for me, which I already know. He told me the chances of me dying very extremely low. He talked about complications, the usual slippage and errosion.
I will have a fill after the first four week, and then fills about 4 times a year (it varies by people)
the surgery is done in the Bathurst hospital and you have to sleep there the night before. Then you can go home and you follow what the dietician tells you. There's a two week shake diet to shrink your liver.
He studied & practiced in Quebec and he's done bands before, as far as how many bands he's placed, I didn't ask. I mean they all started somewhere and Quebec is where Dr. B studied for WLS.
I think it's so important to be able to relate with others on this- I mean it's terrifying but exciting at the same time! No one likes surgery but I know it's for me.
It will be cool to compare.
Today in bathurst my mom came with me and Dr. S is on the 3rd floor and just going up the stairs- my asthma was so bad I had to stop before going in to take my inhalant and my mom just looked at me and was like, "gets go in, it's time for you" and she's right- I can't go living like this. I've made mistakes, I ate too much, and i've tried losing the weight and I've succeeded and failed. i want to breathe!
I'm so excited to go up the stairs and cross my legs!
It will be cool to compare.
Today in bathurst my mom came with me and Dr. S is on the 3rd floor and just going up the stairs- my asthma was so bad I had to stop before going in to take my inhalant and my mom just looked at me and was like, "gets go in, it's time for you" and she's right- I can't go living like this. I've made mistakes, I ate too much, and i've tried losing the weight and I've succeeded and failed. i want to breathe!
I'm so excited to go up the stairs and cross my legs!
So I'm wondering if what he means by "things might change" is that you'll have to attend an all day session before you are able to have the surgery...?
Do you get your fills there in Bathurst? It's such a loooong drive - I wonder if we could get them done elsewhere??
Did you get an appointment to go in for the pre-op tests? How long from that, to surgery?
Heh - I'm a major P in the A....
Do you get your fills there in Bathurst? It's such a loooong drive - I wonder if we could get them done elsewhere??
Did you get an appointment to go in for the pre-op tests? How long from that, to surgery?
Heh - I'm a major P in the A....
Yes you are!!!!! Kidding :P :P :P
He said he was still getting his "Team" together. Meaning that when he starts his surgeries in Dec, he may have a psychologist, or more of a program going but he never talked about an information session at all. Like I'll have a session with a dietican at the same time as my pre opts.
He said all I had to do was wait for the call from the Bathurst hospital for my pre opt admission, which he said would be about two weeks before the surgery date. On that day i will past all the regular tests, see the dietican and start the shakes.
He said he would try to be at my pre admission if he could, but I may only see him again the morning of the surgery. I also have to go for a sleep apnea test because he's concerned I may have it, so I'm going in my city instead of driving to bathurst.
Concerning the fills, I asked and he said that finding someone else willing to do fills would be hard because Dr. B is swamped so I will need to travel to bathurst for the fills. I can understand that if you're from Freddy it would be a long drive- i'm 2 hours away so it's not bad.
Let me know if you have any other questions, I really don't mind.
He said he was still getting his "Team" together. Meaning that when he starts his surgeries in Dec, he may have a psychologist, or more of a program going but he never talked about an information session at all. Like I'll have a session with a dietican at the same time as my pre opts.
He said all I had to do was wait for the call from the Bathurst hospital for my pre opt admission, which he said would be about two weeks before the surgery date. On that day i will past all the regular tests, see the dietican and start the shakes.
He said he would try to be at my pre admission if he could, but I may only see him again the morning of the surgery. I also have to go for a sleep apnea test because he's concerned I may have it, so I'm going in my city instead of driving to bathurst.
Concerning the fills, I asked and he said that finding someone else willing to do fills would be hard because Dr. B is swamped so I will need to travel to bathurst for the fills. I can understand that if you're from Freddy it would be a long drive- i'm 2 hours away so it's not bad.
Let me know if you have any other questions, I really don't mind.
I guess the feel I got was that he is simply gathering his list and doing consults but he plans on oficially starting in Dec or early new year so right now he dosn't have all the answers but he gave me a quick overview of how things would go.
I'm excited for you guys to go now to see if things have progressed
I'm excited for you guys to go now to see if things have progressed
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