Question:
Should I request more from my dr?

I have had 1 appointment with the PCP and 1 with the surgeon My surgery is on December 5th. I guess that I am jeoulus of the ones that have specialist that give classes and make sure their patients are ready mentaly & physicaly. Without the support of the board I would be so uneducated on the whole process. Should I demand more and if so what? I have requested to see a Nutritionist after surgery and they are putting in that referal. Am I crazy to think there should be anything else. All they did for pre-op testing is EKG, chest xray labwork and a once over from the PCP. HELP, I only have 6 days left.    — Kathy P. (posted on November 29, 2001)

November 29, 2001
Hi Kathy - it seems to me you got a surgeon who may very well be excellent at what he (she?) does in the operating room but who doesn't know a great deal about the total picture if WLS. There are many sugeons jumping on this band wagon as it is becomiing extremely popular and makes them a lot of money. As far as the pre-op exam stuff - Ithink you got just about what everybody else does. The exam is not extensive. However, there is a lot to learn about how to care for yourself after surgery and, of course, diet. My suggestion is to get whatever you can from this website and then get yourself a good book about WLS. My doctor, Louis Flancbaum just had a book published. I haven't read it yet, but this surgery is just about his total focus right now. He has been doing this for 10 years and is the chief of bariatric surgery at St. Luke's - Roosevelt (a major hospital complex) in New York City. You can get his book or I'm sure other books and you've got to be your own advocate. I'm 4 months post-ip and, thank G-d, doing well. If I can help answer any questions for you, I'd love to do so. In the meantime, the best of luck with the surgery, the recuperation, and the weight loss. Nancy
   — Nancy Z.

November 29, 2001
Hi Kathy. I agree with the previous poster. Also you may want to check and see if there are any support groups in your area. You can call the local hospital for starters and ask them. Or another thing you could do if there are no support groups in your area.......go to the "find peers" page on this site and find people in or near your town. Email some of them and see if they know of any support meetings near you. If there isn't, maybe you can get one started. I know when I went to support meetings, I felt this was a really good thing for anyone pre or post op to do. There's nothing like meeting and talking to people who are in the same boat as you or who have already gone thru the surgery. Support group meetings are great! I wish you luck.
   — Kim B.

November 30, 2001
It sounds like your surgeon doesn't know much about wls. He might be technically profient in doing them; but, that's only half of the process. He's setting you up for failure. Surgeons like that infuriate me. It's mandatory that you get nutritional counselling by a nutritionist who KNOWS about wls. Any old nutritionst won't help. I went to one after I gained 10 pounds and I knew more about wls than she did! She was less than useless! Find a support group. Call the nutrition department at the hospital where you are having your surgery and ask her about wls support groups. Call all the hosspitals in your area, that's how I found the one I attend. My surgeon holds one in his area...but...I live 60 miles from him and needed a local group. This site is terrific on-line support group and on Yahoo.com there are lots of wls groups. It's a family, we email and support each other. If you stick with this particular surgeon, you are going to have be proactive and search out information for yourself. Good luck....half the battle is won.....you found this site.
   — [Anonymous]