Question:
How did your surgeon prepare you for your WLS?
I am very curious to know how everyone's surgeon prepared them for pre-op, WLS, and then post-op care? I had WLS almost 3 years ago and my surgeon's office had us attend pre-op visits with detailed instructions as well as gave us a lot of reading material. I saved everything and put it into a 3 ring binder and referred to it often in the beginning for the most part. The reason I'm asking is that I'm becoming very concerned about some of the questions that I'm seeing asked here. Very basic stuff that it seems as if adequate patient education hasn't been done. It is very disconcerting to think that people are having major surgery and haven't been properly prepared or given even the basic amount of information. Don't get me wrong, I love being considered a WLS veteran and helping everyone, I'm just seeing a pattern of very basic questions being asked that make me wonder what is going on.... or perhaps not going on. Seems like the basics should have been covered. I'm just curious and am hoping this question doesn't offend anyone as it certainly isn't intended to. I do appreciate the fact that sharing of information on this site is an integral part of everyone's journey as a support system... I'm not trying to knock that in any way. I'm just an advocate of patient education. Peace. Dawn Vickers — DawnVic (posted on March 27, 2009)
March 27, 2009
I agree with you Dawn. Lately there does seem to be some seriously WLS 101
questions being asked. I know that my medical group and my surgeon both had
vigorous patient education classes, etc. prior to having surgery so I felt
overly prepared. I think it's a surgeon/medical group problem. A lot of
surgeons and medical groups do not have mandatory patient education
classes. Also a PPO vs HMO problem. I had an HMO when I had surgery done
and every patient education thing was mandatory. Now that I have a PPO, I
would just have to pay $$ and get the procedure done. All of the medical
group hoops would go away and just the surgeon's classes would remain. So
if the surgeon doesn't have a patient education forum - then you would get
nothing. It is sad to see, I agree - BUT having our OH family for support
and question answering, etc. from people who have been there, done that is
the best advise you could get and possibly the best "education"
you can receive.
— jammerz
March 27, 2009
Hi Dawn, I just read your profile and I'm a little confused. By your weight
chart it looks like you've steadily GAINED weight in the past year or so.
Is this right? I had my Realize band done 8/26/08 and I'm down 52
pounds as of today. I see that you're a life coach; that's great! I, too,
have wondered about some of the OH questions I see here. I'm very fortunate
here in Coos Bay, Oregon to have a great bariatric center with a large
support group and easy access to the doctors and nurses there. It does seem
like some questions should be answered in group or by the surgeon. I'd
enjoy learning more about your coaching skills. I'm a 62-yr.-old gramma of
2 who just celebrated our 32nd wedding anniversary. Please contact me, jeri
— wildj
March 27, 2009
I think the questions that are being asked are really because those of us
who are waiting to have the surgery are so excited and we want to hear
answers from people who have actually gone through the process. My
surgeons office has a great program. I had to attend 8 classes total for
nutrition, post-op, pre-op, psychologist, surgeon etc. And they have the
nutritionist and psychologist available long after your surgery is over
along with support groups and encourage you to use them. So I feel I am
very well informed. But again, it is different hearing people who have
actually gone through the experience talk about it and sitting in a class
or support group. And the excitement, as I am sure you can remember is
over the top. So really it is just a way of connecting and hearing the
great stories that further excite you and keep you going until the surgery
date is here. Donna
— gonnabethinfinally
March 27, 2009
I'm sure it's slightly different with each surgeon and the insurance
companies have an influence on this area as well but I think that
primarily, WLS patients are responsible for educating themselves. I am
still in pre-op stage myself and I had to go thru a 6-month diet program to
satisfy insurance criteria. This was offered thru my surgeon's practice.
I feel it was a good program as it was geared toward lifestyle changes,
exercise and good nutrition which is very important, but the specifics of
each available surgery was not the central focus of that program. Details
of the RNY surgery (or other types) aren't provided until the end of the
program, usually after insurance approval. They call it Bariatric
University and they then cover more in-depth about your specific surgery
type. But I agree with your impression that it does seem a little strange,
even scary, that a few don't seem to have the basic concepts about what the
future holds after RNY and the permanent change made to their digestive
tract. That said, at least they've made their way to a site that gives
great input and we (I) definitely appreciate all the knowledge you veterans
so freely share. On my own, I have purchased several books about bariatric
surgery, various cookbooks and I know several people who've had RNY and
have done my best to learn as much as I can on my own in addition to what
the NUT and the other support staff offers. The best thing about this
website is the availability of getting answers, usually quickly, to
specific questions and the wonderful moral support as well. A lot of
times, doctors aren't available (or their support staff). There are quite a
few cut-n-run docs around from what I've been reading and sadly there
always will be. Those posters need you and others like you all the more.
Thank you, I'm glad you're here!
— Arkin10
March 27, 2009
I for one am at the beginning of the process,i have met my surgeon and now
i'm waiting to go to all my scheduled appointments...so a lot of us are new
and haven't gotten all the info yet and like the post above said..were
excited to hear from other newbies and oldies...i'd like to know i can ask
ANYone advice on here...thanks to all who have helped me understand it
better so i will know a little more when the time comes for my NUT & DR
talk to me again....all have a great weekend!
— carolyn1970
March 27, 2009
my surgeons office required we attend atleast 3 support group meetings,
there we received the info we need before and after surgery, from people
who have been thru it, most surgeons offices do not have people who have
been thru it working there. Hope this helps. Kim
— gpcmist
March 27, 2009
I just wanted to jump and and say, yes, my surgeon's office is doing a
wonderful job with getting me ready for the surgery. Im having the
vertical sleeve and the meetings Ive attended have been more generic for
all types of the surgery. so there are many questions that I find the
answers too here that I want to know. I too was given a large packet and
Ive put all of it in a 3 ring binder with expandable page protectors and I
read thru the materials often. But here, so many have already gone thru the
problems that might come up and it is soo comforting to know that actual
people have gone thru what the packets say I MIGHT go through. I love
reading every answer here and Ive learned sooo much that will help me.
Please, all of you try to be patient with those of us {before surgery}
people. everyday, I learn more and you are right, some do not have the
support of their drs etc.
— suzette N.
March 27, 2009
I too agree with you Dawn. Unless things have changed since I had my
surgery last year, I was not required to go to any informational meetings.
There's a monthly support group meeting for pre-op patients and of course
going on a monthly basis for doctor visits/weigh ins. I'm educated in the
human body, having gone through college nursing program and I'm a licensed
massage therapist, but for those folks who are not and received the same
level of education that I did, may have a more difficult time understanding
the concepts of the digestive system, the foods that are needed to help and
that hurt you in this process. I received handouts on my initial visits
and there were no mandatory meetings. The only thing that I was mandated
to do was to lose weight every month for six months. Much more education
is needed. Patients need to relearn what food is meant to do for your body
so they don't let it do to them what got them to point in the first place.
Sue
— yankeefan75
March 27, 2009
I imagine that a portion of the people coming to this site haven't even met
with their surgeon. Although I didn't post, I frequented this site for
several months before making a decision to pursue the RNY. So at first,
some of the terms and WLS concepts were a complete mystery to me. I didn't
have to post because others were posting these questions and so I learned.
Although I am sure that the patient education isn't always adequate, and
it's a great point that you raise, I would be willing to bet that a
significant portion of these questions are from people who are
"learning about WLS" and haven't begun the formal process.
— Ananta
March 27, 2009
Darn good question Dawn. I wonder the same things when I read these posts
sometimes. I was so beyond prepared, my Doctor put us thru so much and I
also put everything into my binder and even took it to the hospital with
me. You always have such wonderful answers for people and we appreciate
your input, well at least I do! I am a "lurker" I hardly ever
respond to anything. I do read a lot of the questions and learn from them
and some I just shake my head and wonder. Maybe these are the people that
put an IPOD in their ears and didn't listen during the long informational
sessions? Maybe they are just with the wrong surgeon because of insurance
requirements. I agree they should be more informed if WLS is going to work
for them!! Thanks for being there for us Dawn!
— ToniLee
March 28, 2009
Hi Dawn,
I love this question! I've thought the same thing myself at time. I'd like
to pose this one theory: obesity is a disease of isolation--we are isolated
by our physical limitations and by a "thin" culture. Some of us
just plain do not know HOW to ask for help--as in asking questions in a
seminar or calling the surgeon's office to ask a question. The only place
some of us are comfortable asking for help is here in the anonymity of
these forums and this Q & A section. I know it's frustrating,
especially in that some of the questions are very basic.
Also, I must say that my own surgeon's program, while very good with the
education, was a little light on the printed material for patients to refer
to later. If I hadn't done so much research beforehand, or if I hadn't been
educating myself about nutrition and trying to improve my eating habits for
a couple years before my surgery, I might be on here asking WLS 101
questions myself.
And then too, I think there are some surgeons out there who do not provide
much in the way of education, I hope those are rare and hope they
understand how damaging this lack of knowledge can be.
— Tina G.
March 28, 2009
I am still pre-op. I went to two informational seminars last summer. At
the first one, the "audience" was in a big hurry to get out -
people who are interested in major surgery but didn't have 2 hours to
listen to someone tell them what they were getting into. The second
seminar was packed - not nearly enough time to ask all the ?s I had. Then
I started "lurking" here & on the DS board...and I found out
about a lot of things that weren't even mentioned in the seminars. So I
asked the "oldies" what questions I should ask my surgeon, when
or IF I ever got to SEE him/her. Now I have a list of over 100 questions -
some are WLS 101 but I just want to be SURE - to ask Dr. Anthone when I see
him on April 6. What I'm saying is, maybe a lot of us don't know what
questions to ask, and doctors being doctors figure that we know everything
about the surgery unless we ask questions. And then we are afraid to ask
some questions because we don't know the proper terminology or whatever, or
we don't want to appear dumb, and we are just more comfortable asking peers
on this or other message boards. Thank you to those who have asked and
those who have answered questions here...you've all given me guidance &
info that I know will serve me well in the future...
— sem51
March 29, 2009
First, I attended a seminar given by the surgeon in August, where he
brought patients who had had surgery as recently as 2 - 3 days earlier. We
listened to Dr. Snyder for almost 2 hours, and watched his powerpoint
presentation, and then had time to speak with his patients about what
they'd been through. Then, there was paperwork available at the back of
the room about support groups twice a month for people who had already had
or were considering having WLS, and I began attending THEM. My insurance
demanded me to jump through all kinds of rings just to be approved for the
surgery, so I began doing all the required tests before I even spoke to the
surgeon. That included either a 6 month pysician supervised weight loss
program, or a 3-month "fast-track program" where you saw your
physician monthly for weight checks, diet and exercise updates, and other
stuff.... and also saw a registered dietician monthly, and followed her
eating plan... and made an effort to lose weight before surgery. I began
seriously living the "life" in October.... and lost 30 pounds
before surgery. I went to a required nutrition class a couple of weeks
before my surgery date, and was given a sizeable notebook with probably 20
tabs.... "what is WLS?" "What are your choices" -
"What to expect pre-op" - "Grocery list" - "What
to expect in the hospital" - "what to expect post-op" -
"Bariatric diet - in the hospital, and week by week after going home,
with sample foods and schedules" - "Warning Signs" - and
many many other things. That notebook is my bible. I check it every time
I go to the store, to see what kinds of food I can be eating this week, and
how much. I don't know how I would make it without it! However, Susan
Maria Leach has a very good book called "Before and After", and
it has a pre-op journal that she kept, a post-op journal, a chapter on
questions and answers, a list of recommended foods, and the second half of
her book is all recipies... I highly recommend it.
— Erica Alikchihoo
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