question about follow up apointments

Hello I am having my surgery soon and I was just wondering what kind of follow up appointments they usually have you go to? I will ask my own Dr of course but I was wondering what to expect before i can speak to her. Also do they do lab work often?

Thanks!

Every surgeon is different.  I had a life time post op schedule with follow up blood test, support meetings and access to an exercise and nutrition specialist.  Sadly, I see posts where some surgeons offer none.  Check with your surgeon and I advise members to not have surgery with a surgeon that does not offer post op follow up support.  

I know they have support meetings and exercise programs. Also, dietitian help. I just wondered with the actual surgeon.

It varies. Most often you see followups at one or two weeks after surgery, then 1 month, 3 months, 6 months, and a year. But there is wide variety.

There are 2 kinds of lab work. Early after surgery ygey are doing basic bloodwork to make sure you are healing, liver and kidney function, etc. Long term, they are also checking vitamins, minerals, iron, etc. There isn't much point in checking vitamins in the first 6 months. It takes a while for those deficiencies to develop.

Mine schedule was similar to this - one week post-op to get checked and cleared to drive.  Then at 3 month intervals

Plan RIGHT NOT to go to the monthly support groups - either offered by your surgeon or by a local hospital.

All the best with your journey

My schedule was 1 week post-op, then 1 month post-op...and every single month for the first year - with blood work every 3 months. Once I get to 1-year, visits are reduced to every 3 months.