What Center Are You From & Pre/Post Op

Hi Everyone.

I can only assume that I am not the only one that wonders about what Center people are part of. I would also love to know how many of us are in the preparation and anticipation side of the fence or on their way to being seasoned vets. Those of you in the latter it is always encouraging to see how long it has been since surgery.

I am in the Hamilton St. Joe's location and am pre-register and figuring mine will likely be in the fall.

Hi, I am also going to St Joes Hamilton. I was referred in Sept 2016, have now completed everything except for the dietitian appt (June 28). I hope I am good to go in the fall sometime. When I spoke with the social worker she mentioned that the OR organization is complicated and people do not always go in order of first to last, but that doctors have schedules and want to plan out the days e.g. put someone in with BMI of 40 in a certain spot or specific surgery type in another so it's a bit of a guessing game being anywhere from 1-2+ months after meeting the surgeon. Can you please tell me if you needed to bring your food log with you to you dietitian appt?

~Julie

Hey! The I did have to take my food log and the goals you set at the pre-nutrition class. I posted this in another conversation about my appointment

1. They are going to ask about your lifestyle. Are you busy? Do you take set meal times? Is your schedule flexible. How are you going to incorporate your new lifestyle into your existing?
2. make sure you know about the different surgeries and what was involved. We went pretty in depth on this because I have a biochemical background but I doubt that is the norm since we were going into studies and what not.
3. Understand dietary requirements immediately after surgery the different phases and long term
4. Goes over the goals you set at the pre- nutrition class
5. Go over your meal tracking (I was like the annoying kids at the front of the class that brought in 21 days of journals since it was one of my goals)
6. Current vitamins and what you will have to take
7. Goes over the tests you have done so far
8. Your support group available
9. Life history from a health standpoint (psych is from an emotional)
10. We went over my Lapband experience. What went on during that. If I was able to lose weight. What I learned. What problems I had.

Have you had the internist appointment? What is that like?

Both the dietician and the psychologist said that they typically say surgery is about 2 months from the surgeon appointment.

Thanks for the information... very helpful.

I have had the internist appointment. We went through my medical history. discussed surgeries I have had, medications I take, current medical issues and discussed the risks assoc. with surgery given my current health status and also went over the tests I had done to see if anything was concerning. They felt I am a good candidate, so I hope the last scheduled appointment with the dietitian also goes well. I am an RN so we also talked about recent research, and older research, why to be cautious about what your read, as appraisal is important and understanding that many of the surgeries have evolved and so no longer done in the same ways, so its not an apples to apples comparison.

All the best :) Julie

Thank you!

I had my surgery at Guelph just over two years ago. Seems like only yesterday, but long enough that I've forgotten some of the aspects of pre-op and just after surgery life. My SO and I were talking the other night about when I was on opti. He said he remembers me always talking about and craving food. I remember crying on my way in to surgery and calling him at work, bawling my eyes out. Once I got to the hallway outside the operating room I was totally calm. The last thing I remember before surgery was them asking me to confirm what surgery I was having that day.

Meg~

It is crazy how fast time can fly. I would say it is a great thing that you can barely remember the aspects of pre-op life! I would think it means the post-op way of living is truly habitual.

Oh, I should clarify... In terms of pre-op I meant the clinic process leading up to surgery. Some days I will eat something -- today I had two crackers and four baby carrots as a snack before dinner (way carby, but it's what I felt like having). I sit and stare at the dish thinking it's not enough food. And I will catch my reflection and think I look weird in this body. It gets more habitual/normal every day, but I try not to feel too complacent because I don't want to gain the weight back.

I have heard not getting complacent is the key to success. It is crazy how our mind reacts and can't process changes in how we look.

Hi!

I too am in Hamilton. I was referred last May and had my orientation in July. I am just now in the midst of all of my appointments. I saw the psychologist today. It went really well. I'm feeling very well prepared. He told me they are starting to book appointments for surgery in August now. Next week I have a colonoscopy scheduled, then the following week I have the internist appointment and then the very next day my appointment with the dietician. I was told today that after these appointments, then I would meet the surgeon. I was told today that if all goes well, I should expect my surgery in the early fall. I'm pretty excited!!