Question:
Question for Surgeons

HiI'm a newbie here and I was just wondering if there was at all available a list of questions to ask the surgeon. I'm hoping to have my first consultation shortly and I think that a list of questions that I would be able to print out would be most helpful. Thanks alot, Nela    — Manuela S. (posted on September 13, 2000)

September 13, 2000
I have a little starter list of questions if you want to email me privately. [email protected]
   — vitalady

September 13, 2000
Here are some links to the database of this site where this question has been asked before. http://www.obesityhelp.com/morbidobesity/question.phtml?N=953690164 http://www.obesityhelp.com/morbidobesity/question.phtml?N=i930451993 http://www.obesityhelp.com/morbidobesity/question.phtml?N=E928858452 http://www.obesityhelp.com/morbidobesity/question.phtml?N=926684856 http://www.obesityhelp.com/morbidobesity/question.phtml?N=926684760 http://www.obesityhelp.com/morbidobesity/question.phtml?N=n961762725 . Here is an additional site that has a good list of questions http://village.globaldrum.com/pow/OSSG/FAQ4.txt Hope these help.
   — Lynn K.

February 20, 2001
I found this information further down the list and it is from another member in here, and looks like good questions. Here is the list that I used. Hope it helps 1. What are the different types of Gastric bypass surgery that you do? 2. Which procedure do you prefer to use? 3. What type of after care program do you have? 4. What are the risks? 5. How long of a hospital stay would I have? 6. How long should I be off work? 7. How many of these surgeries has he done? 8. Success / Failure rate? 9. Deaths? 10. Do you have a list of post op patients that I can contact for referrals or is there a phone list I can sign up for? 11. How much can I expect to lose? 12. How small will my stomach be after surgery? 13. What is your most common complication here? 14. For the incision, do you use staples, stitches or blind stitches (inside that you can't see? 15. What is the long-term success rate of your patients who have had this particular surgery? 16. Do you have a gall bladder policy? I have noticed that many people have gall bladder problems after surgery. 17. How many days in the hospital? How many, if any, in ICU? 18. How long off solid foods? 19. What hospital is used and does it handle all of your bariatric patients? 20. How many trips will I make to your clinic before surgery and what for? 21. Do you run a support group? Do you know of any local support groups? When does it meet? 22. Can I get a copy of the post op sample diet? 23. What is the national mortality rate for this surgery? 24. How small will my stomach be after surgery? 25. What pre-op testing do you require, such as blood tests, gall stone sonograms, upper GI, lung x-rays, etc? 26. What can I do to prepare for the surgery, such as dieting, deep breathing, etc? 27. How long will I be in surgery? 28. What kind of post-op care/help will I require once I go home and for how long? 29. Will there be medications that I can no longer take post-op, or medications I won't absorb normally? I would also add something about pain meds. 1. Will you make pain meds available to the nurses in case I need them and you're not around to prescribe them? 2. What vitamins/minerals will I have problems absorbing, and what should I take to compensate? - Paula Gamber
   — defatbroad