KNOW YOUR DOCTOR!!!!!!!!!

Hi, I'm 7 weeks post-op and have had nothing but problems ever since I came home. First let me say that I was scheduled for LAP and was then opened due to "complications" after he had already started the LAP. We never really got any explanation of exactly what "complications" there were. I came home on a Saturday by Tuesday I was in such terrible pain I couldn't get out of bed to use the bathroom. I was told to rest for a few days that I most likely overdid things alittle. OK fine, that's what I did when the infection in me just kept on brewing and I exploded. Was rushed to the hospital, reopened, with no warning and I've been seeing a visiting nurse now for almost 6 weeks. OK, my incision is healing, after fighting the 2nd infection and having to make a decision to go to a "wound care specialist". I'm thankful I'm still here and on the loosing side. But, please, get to know your doctor. Ask questions, no matter how stupid they might sound. Be sure you know what they're going to do to your body in case an emergency might occur. Make plans, just in case. I went in there thinking so positivly that I never, ever thought about the what if's. This surgery is a wonderful thing, JUST BE PREPARED FOR THE UNEXPECTED!!!

Hey Merrilee, So sorry to hear about your troubles. It will get better, hang in there! I do agree with you most whole heartedly. Even with a qualified surgeon, things can go wrong. This is a big surgery, it is SO important to research your surgeon. I get nervous reading these boards sometimes, because people want to go with who can get them in sooner and I'm afraid they're compromising their options. It took me 3 years to decide to even do the surgery and when I finally got the name of a surgeon, I checked around. Got lots of great references from people who used him. Then when I had my first consult, I asked him the questions I wanted answers to, how many of his patients had died and why, what complications had HIS patients had (not what are the complications, I already knew that from researching for 3 years). You are about to have something major done to your body and are going to have a perfectly working organ manipulated - make sure the person who's doing this is WELL qualified! Just because he's a surgeon, it doesn't mean he/she is well trained in RNY, LAP or open. You need to ask - how many of these has he/she done? What kind of training did they take to learn how to perform this operation? I know it can be frustrating trying to get the right surgeon. Having been overweight all my life and finally deciding to do this, I wanted it done yesterday! But I also wanted to have it done right and the 8 months I waited was well worth it, even if it was the longest wait of my life. Thanks for sharing your experience Merrilee, we need to remember, things don't always go perfectly sometimes. Take care! Denise