First appt with Mr Sufi

[Twiggie]

I've got my first appt with Mr Sufi in the morning and I'm sooo not prepared for it!

I'm stuck in a hotel room tonight so not much I can do about it now but my mind has gone completely blank about what I'm supposed to be doing or what I need to ask him!

Help! :cry:

 

[Mini]

Hi Twiggie,

Good luck with your appointment tomorrow.

It is only natural to nervous and it is very common for your mind to go blank.

Here is a list of questions I found on the site below and perhaps these can help trigger your own mind as to what you want to ask...

If they do be sure to write them down and take them with you tomorrow and don't be afraid to use the list to refer to when talking to your surgeon as he will understand that under stress it is very difficult to remember what you want to say and this is a very important appointment for you.

Questions to Ask:

• How many years have you been a bariatric surgeon?
• Are you a board-certified bariatric surgeon?
• Are you a member of ASBS (American Society of Bariatric Surgery)?
• How many and what type of weight loss surgeries do you perform each year? (Shows overall skill level)
• Based on my personal health and weight, what surgery do you recommend for me?
• What are the advantages of this procedure?
• What are the disadvantages of this procedure?
• What are the risks of weight loss surgery?
• What are the risks of this procedure?
• How many of my type of surgery (lap-band, gastric bypass, DS) have you performed? (An experienced surgeon should have done at least 250 of your procedure)
• Do you perform the surgery laparoscopically or open? (If possible, laparoscopic surgery has a quicker recovery)
• Will you perform the procedure, or an assistant?
• Will you be in the operation room during the entire procedure?
• Where will the surgery be performed?
• Is the hospital or clinic a Center of Excellence?
• How many people on the entire medical team?
• Is everyone of the medical team licensed?
• What pre-op testing will be done?
• What post-op testing will be done?
• Why don't you recommend the other procedures for me?
• What changes will I be expected to make with regards to diet and exercise?
• Do you have an insurance and/or financial coordinator available to patients?
• Do you have a nutritionist available to patients?
• Do you have a psychologist available to patients?
• Do you have a support group for patients?
• Do you have someone I can call if I have a question during non-office hours?
• What is expected weight loss?
• Ask for specific statistics regarding complications and outcomes with your particular type of surgery. They should be willing to provide the information and not try to hide any negative results.
• If lap band surgery, what type of band? (Inamed or Johnson & Johnson)
• Are you certified with that type of band?
• Regarding lap band surgery, what is rate of infections? (should be less than 1%)
• Regarding lap band surgery, what are your slip statistics? (should be less than 3%)
• Regarding lap band surgery, what are your erosion statistics? (should be less than 1.3%)
• Regarding lap band surgery, are fills included in post-op care? If not, what is the cost for a fill? (many doctors provide fills for the first year if they perform the surgery)
• Do you have patients who are willing to share their experiences with me?

Questions to Ask Your Bariatric Surgeon

The above is an American site but I thought the questions were very good!

I hope that helps.

Hopefully someone else will be able to help out with more advice.

Love Mini xxx

 

[Twiggie]

Oh wow, thanks very much! That will certainly give me a lot to read through as doubt I'll get much sleep tonight lol

 

[Mini]

Be sure to let us know how you get on!

Sleep well!:vibes:

Love Mini xxx

 

[Sambucca]

good luck for today Twiggie x

 

[Cuppacocoa]

Good luck Twiggie! :cross:
Cuppa xx

 

[shelbell]

Blummin heck Mini that's some list you're a star!

 

[Caroline101061]

Hiya

I may have walked past you this am - was in seeing Lucy the nutritionist. Hope you got on ok - you are in the best hands - promise!

 

[swizzlestick]

Hope all went well this morning twiggie and you managed to ask all the questions you wanted to.

Xx

 

[thinkbethin]

Come on then!! let us know how it went lolxxx

 

[Meggie]

I'm guessing you will have had your appt by now......how did it go?? From everything I hear Mr Sufi is lovely AND amazing!!! I'm sure you had a lovely time and are sitting there now wondering what you were stressing so much about (I know that's what I did!!!).

Let us know how you got on!! Are you going to the Support Group in November (19th I think). I'm trying to get time off work to go but failing miserably at the moment!!!

 

[Twiggie]

Hiya

I may have walked past you this am - was in seeing Lucy the nutritionist. Hope you got on ok - you are in the best hands - promise!

Now you mention it, yes, it was you! Your face looked familiar but I have such a terrible memory I wasn't sure where I'd seen you before but now I remember it was at the support group!

 

[fairyringuk]

Hope everything went well and you feel happier today I have mine tomorrow so know just how you felt lol

Jay xx

 

[Twiggie]

Thanks guys!

Just got home, well about an hour ago but needed coffee and fired off an email to Kirsten too as I think I've totally messed up today! :cry:

I forgot to pick up my notes from the hotel this morning as I was in such a rush! Finally fell asleep around 5am and overslept so didn't wake up until 8am!!! Got to the hospital about 5mins before appt time but felt very stressed and hot n bothered by then, sweat pouring off me!!

Had my ht/wt & BP done then sat and waited to see Mr Sufi. Managed to run through in my mind some things I needed to mention but when I got in there ...

a) there was a student doctor, and I always get nervous when there's more than one person in the room!

and ...

b) there were several interruptions from another doctor discussing another patient's case as well as phone calls during my consultation which completely distracted me and I forgot a huge chunk of very important information I needed to discuss with him.

I'm not very happy as this could influence the type of surgery he wants me to have and cause extensive delays with lots of tests. If he thinks I need them anyway then fair enough, but if not then I'd rather not hang round longer than necessary and perhaps cause delays to other patients needing appts.

So yeah, I'm still feeling rather stressed and uncertain about everything! I've got to go back about another half a dozen times for various tests and my next appt with Mr Sufi isn't until the end of Feb

 

[Caroline101061]

Yo Twiggie. All sounds perfectly normal for a consultation with Mr S + tests etc and next appt - you did the right thing by emailing Kirsten - she will sort you out. You could email him too if you wanted. He replies really fast.

 

[Meggie]

Hi Twiggie,
Hope you don't mind me asking but did you have an ECG today?? I didn't have one when I had my appointment at the Whit and have heard from two other people that they did. I'm a little worried that I was meant to go for one on that day!!!

From your post, and what others have said about Sufi, it sounds perfectly normal!! My appointment with Heath was about 8 minutes long so I didn't really get the opportunity to ask anything!!

 

[Twiggie]

Hi Meggie, yes I had an ECG today and a barrel load of bloods taken lol

I've got to go back for an Echocardiagram, Gastroscopy, Sleep Apnea test, Eating Disorders Clinic and I'm sure there was something else which I've forgotten. I know he said I needed 5/6 appointments before I see him again in 4 months time. I really wasn't expecting there to be so many tests but I guess it's better to be safe than sorry.

I'm just feeling really down about it all right now and wondering if I can even go through with all this. The travelling really takes it out of me so the thought of making so many more trips, as he also wants me to attend the support group meetings, is preying heavily on my mind. I still struggle with agoraphobia so it will only take one bad experience or panic attack to set me right back, but if I don't do it then I might as well just give up now!

I'll be ok in a few days, just physically and mentally exhausted right now :cry:

 

[POPPET]

Hi Twiggie,
Just to say hope you got a good nights sleep & feel more energised today
It always amuses me when they take your blood pressure as you arrive-having walked miles round hospital corridors!
Luckily I had an appointment with the consultant on the same day as the support group meeting-so perhaps if you explain about the travelling etc., you could do the same-
'cos those meeting really help & you might get to meet other "minis"

 

[Twiggie]

Yo Twiggie. All sounds perfectly normal for a consultation with Mr S + tests etc and next appt - you did the right thing by emailing Kirsten - she will sort you out. You could email him too if you wanted. He replies really fast.

Hi Caroline, could you PM me Mr Sufi's email address please?

I know it might sound stupid but I am so much more articulate in writing these days (too much time on the internet!!!) than speaking to "real" people. A far cry from dealing with numerous clients on a daily basis!

I guess it comes from spending several years housebound with only my son for conversation! I know I've been getting out and about a lot more recently but I still find it very difficult to process my thoughts quickly enough to hold an actual conversation and get easily flustered.

If any of you get to meet me in real life, which I know some of you have already, then please don't think I'm ignoring you or don't want to speak to you, it's just that I've forgotten how to interact with people in real life. Crazy, I know!

 

[Meggie]

Hi Meggie, yes I had an ECG today and a barrel load of bloods taken lol

I've got to go back for an Echocardiagram, Gastroscopy, Sleep Apnea test, Eating Disorders Clinic and I'm sure there was something else which I've forgotten. I know he said I needed 5/6 appointments before I see him again in 4 months time. I really wasn't expecting there to be so many tests but I guess it's better to be safe than sorry.

I'm just feeling really down about it all right now and wondering if I can even go through with all this. The travelling really takes it out of me so the thought of making so many more trips, as he also wants me to attend the support group meetings, is preying heavily on my mind. I still struggle with agoraphobia so it will only take one bad experience or panic attack to set me right back, but if I don't do it then I might as well just give up now!

I'll be ok in a few days, just physically and mentally exhausted right now :cry:

Hmmmmmmmmmmmm, maybe I was meant to have an ECG aswell!!! Better check!! I'm having nothing but issues with my appointments at the moment!!

Your appointments will be here before you know it hun!! Then you'll be safely taking your place on the losers bench!!!

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