April 9th-Easter Monday
Well, I got the call on Firday and I'm scheduled for surgery! Yea! Although it is scheduled at a hospital that is not near my house (farther than the one where I thought I was going to have surgery), it is still sooner than if I waited for one near the house. So what, if the family has to drive a few extra miles to check in on me! Right?
I'm very excited but I don't feel like I know everything that I need to know about post op instructioins. I'll make sure I have everything before the surgery, THere's probably a hand-out that they give to us to atthat last appointment. Plus, I have 3 weeks to cram using the information I find on this website. I'm new here so I have a lot to learn and read.
Congratulations, Tex. Welcome aboard. The A-team is here to help. 
Here's a list of questions I brazenly "stole" from another board. Pick the one's relevent to you and write them down, to ask at your next appointment. If your like me, if you don't write them down you'll forget. Good luck.
DD
Pick your favorite 25-
Write questions down on a sheet of paper and write answers are you are given them. This is a few that may be of interest to ask your surgeon.
Any that you don't ask this time, ask the next, and the next, then call back, and so on...
Ask the Doctor
1. Are you listed with the ASBS.
What are the surgeries you do and why did you chose the surgeries you do?
2. Do you offer more than one type of procedure?
What is the difference?
3. How long have you been performing this surgery
and how many do you perform a year ?
4. What are the biggest risks/complications of this surgery?
5. Is the surgery reversible and how common are reversals?
6. How many staple line disruptions have you had?
7. What is the mortality rate for this surgery for you/at this hospital
8. What are the chances of getting an ulcer or hernia in my type surgery?
9. How common are spleenectomies at this hospital/doc?
10. Do you have a gallbladder policy?
What is it? (I have noticed that many people have gall bladder problems after surgery).
Specific Surgery Application questions-
11. Do you transect the stomach?
12. How much intestine will be bypassed? Feet length?
13. Is this called this distal or proximal?
14. How small will my stomach/pouch be after surgery?
(Have the doctor draw a diagram of the exact way he will do your surgery on a piece of paper, because there is so many versions of each surgery.
The doctors modify the surgery somewhat to what they feel is most successful.
Some request the Fobi pouch style specifically because they want the restriction and less chance of staple disruption).
15. Do you use staples, stitches or blind stitches for the incision . How many staples/rows of staples do you use? Will the staples set up security alarms in airports?
16. Will my incision be covered with bandages and tape? (I'm allergic to traditional tape used on bandages and my skin welts up. Is there an alternative product you can use on my skin?)
17. Will a binder be used? How long do you recommend I use the binder?
18. Do you visit with my "loved ones" after the surgery to tell them how it went?
19. Does the hospital have a Bariatric Ward?
20. How many days is the usual hospital stay with my type surgery?
21. How many days/hours in ICU? Is a "loved one" be allowed in the recovery room?
22. Will I have a personal recovery room? Can a "loved ones" spend the night?
23. How many hours before I am awake and oriented and what kind of pain will I experience?
24. Will I have drainage tubes in my incision?
a. How many?
b. For how long? what if I'm allergic to plastics?
25. What are some reasons the surgery may not happen after you open me?
26. How long is the average recovery time for my type surgery?
27. Will I be allowed to shower the day after surgery? Can I get the stitches wet?
28. Do I need to purchase any special wound care products for after surgery like gauze or peroxide. What do you recommend using to speed the healing?
29. Will I have an opportunity to meet with the anesthesiologist before surgery?
30. Am I given something to calm me before entering the Operating Room?
(this is the Good Stuff!)
31. How do you chose which anesthesia is better for me? Is the anesthesia gradually induced by IV or am I given a shot?
32. Can I expect to experience any delayed reactions in the days following surgery?
33. Will I be on a ventilator? NG tube?
34. Will I need a catheter?
35. How does lap work? How do you remove anything through the small holes?
Pain Control-
36. What about pain medication? Will I have the option of an epidural?
37. What types of pain management do you provide: morphine pump?
a. at the hospital?
b. at home?
***38. What type meds for 'breakthrough pain' will be available to the nurses in case I need them and you're not around to prescribe them?
Pre Op Testing and procedures..
39. What kind of pre op testing is there? What pre-testing do you require? (Blood test, EKG, gall stone ultrasound, upper GI, lung testing, chest x-rays, etc.)
40. Will I meet with a nutritionist before and after surgery and is it arranged here?
41. What can I do to prepare myself for surgery and be successful with as easy recovery as possible. Exercise, lose weight, breathing machines? How can I prepare for surgery mentally- medications to keep me from anxiety?
42. How soon can we schedule surgery? Can I choose a specific date?
43. Will I have to have any blood transfusions during surgery? Can I donate my own blood for transfusions?
44. Will I need to begin taking an antibiotic prior to surgery?
45. What if I have had or during testing found to have H-Pylori?
46. How many trips will I make to the clinic before surgery and why?
47. Any special instructions 2 - 3 days before surgery? If you are on medications of any kind, you might want to ask whether you should keep taking them before and after surgery. Should I stop taking certain medicines like aspirin?
POST-OP-
48. What type BM's and how often are BM's in hospital and out?
49. If I should overeat, what should I expect?
50. What type of post-op diet do you recommend? Can i have a copy of this?
51. What type of after care does is provided? Maintenance - how often will you see me without charging me a fee?
52. Is there a list of other Post op patients that I may contact for referrals?
Here's a list of questions I brazenly "stole" from another board. Pick the one's relevent to you and write them down, to ask at your next appointment. If your like me, if you don't write them down you'll forget. Good luck.
DD
Pick your favorite 25-
Write questions down on a sheet of paper and write answers are you are given them. This is a few that may be of interest to ask your surgeon.
Any that you don't ask this time, ask the next, and the next, then call back, and so on...
Ask the Doctor
1. Are you listed with the ASBS.
What are the surgeries you do and why did you chose the surgeries you do?
2. Do you offer more than one type of procedure?
What is the difference?
3. How long have you been performing this surgery
and how many do you perform a year ?
4. What are the biggest risks/complications of this surgery?
5. Is the surgery reversible and how common are reversals?
6. How many staple line disruptions have you had?
7. What is the mortality rate for this surgery for you/at this hospital
8. What are the chances of getting an ulcer or hernia in my type surgery?
9. How common are spleenectomies at this hospital/doc?
10. Do you have a gallbladder policy?
What is it? (I have noticed that many people have gall bladder problems after surgery).
Specific Surgery Application questions-
11. Do you transect the stomach?
12. How much intestine will be bypassed? Feet length?
13. Is this called this distal or proximal?
14. How small will my stomach/pouch be after surgery?
(Have the doctor draw a diagram of the exact way he will do your surgery on a piece of paper, because there is so many versions of each surgery.
The doctors modify the surgery somewhat to what they feel is most successful.
Some request the Fobi pouch style specifically because they want the restriction and less chance of staple disruption).
15. Do you use staples, stitches or blind stitches for the incision . How many staples/rows of staples do you use? Will the staples set up security alarms in airports?
16. Will my incision be covered with bandages and tape? (I'm allergic to traditional tape used on bandages and my skin welts up. Is there an alternative product you can use on my skin?)
17. Will a binder be used? How long do you recommend I use the binder?
18. Do you visit with my "loved ones" after the surgery to tell them how it went?
19. Does the hospital have a Bariatric Ward?
20. How many days is the usual hospital stay with my type surgery?
21. How many days/hours in ICU? Is a "loved one" be allowed in the recovery room?
22. Will I have a personal recovery room? Can a "loved ones" spend the night?
23. How many hours before I am awake and oriented and what kind of pain will I experience?
24. Will I have drainage tubes in my incision?
a. How many?
b. For how long? what if I'm allergic to plastics?
25. What are some reasons the surgery may not happen after you open me?
26. How long is the average recovery time for my type surgery?
27. Will I be allowed to shower the day after surgery? Can I get the stitches wet?
28. Do I need to purchase any special wound care products for after surgery like gauze or peroxide. What do you recommend using to speed the healing?
29. Will I have an opportunity to meet with the anesthesiologist before surgery?
30. Am I given something to calm me before entering the Operating Room?
(this is the Good Stuff!)
31. How do you chose which anesthesia is better for me? Is the anesthesia gradually induced by IV or am I given a shot?
32. Can I expect to experience any delayed reactions in the days following surgery?
33. Will I be on a ventilator? NG tube?
34. Will I need a catheter?
35. How does lap work? How do you remove anything through the small holes?
Pain Control-
36. What about pain medication? Will I have the option of an epidural?
37. What types of pain management do you provide: morphine pump?
a. at the hospital?
b. at home?
***38. What type meds for 'breakthrough pain' will be available to the nurses in case I need them and you're not around to prescribe them?
Pre Op Testing and procedures..
39. What kind of pre op testing is there? What pre-testing do you require? (Blood test, EKG, gall stone ultrasound, upper GI, lung testing, chest x-rays, etc.)
40. Will I meet with a nutritionist before and after surgery and is it arranged here?
41. What can I do to prepare myself for surgery and be successful with as easy recovery as possible. Exercise, lose weight, breathing machines? How can I prepare for surgery mentally- medications to keep me from anxiety?
42. How soon can we schedule surgery? Can I choose a specific date?
43. Will I have to have any blood transfusions during surgery? Can I donate my own blood for transfusions?
44. Will I need to begin taking an antibiotic prior to surgery?
45. What if I have had or during testing found to have H-Pylori?
46. How many trips will I make to the clinic before surgery and why?
47. Any special instructions 2 - 3 days before surgery? If you are on medications of any kind, you might want to ask whether you should keep taking them before and after surgery. Should I stop taking certain medicines like aspirin?
POST-OP-
48. What type BM's and how often are BM's in hospital and out?
49. If I should overeat, what should I expect?
50. What type of post-op diet do you recommend? Can i have a copy of this?
51. What type of after care does is provided? Maintenance - how often will you see me without charging me a fee?
52. Is there a list of other Post op patients that I may contact for referrals? Thanks for the "Welcome!" When I first started reading this I thought to myself, "I know the answer to that...that...that...that...wait, I think that's a great question!"
I appreciate the list. I know the answers to most of these questions to discuss with my surgeon, however, it is good to go back over things with him before the surgery. You're right, we never do remember all of what we need to ask when we go to the doctor.
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