Tips To Prepare You For Your Bariatric Consultation
If you’re considering bariatric surgery and you’re waiting for your preliminary consultation at our office, congratulations! You’ve made an incredible first step toward changing your life and your health. Realizing that you may not be able to do it alone and confronting your weight issues head-on are not easy and your decision should be commended. By the same token, you probably also realize that there’s a lot of work to do to make sure your surgical procedure is a success.
How To Make The Most of Your Consultation
During your consultation you and Dr. Tsuda or Dr. Ryan will discuss a wide range of physical and emotional considerations, relevant both before and after your surgical procedure. But ultimately, you have a limited amount of time during the consult. Therefore, it is very important that, if you haven’t done so already, you watch our online seminar. You will learn more about the key points and considerations when deciding to undergo bariatric surgery.
Second, it is important that you begin the conversation about bariatric surgery with friends and family members who will be a part of your post bariatric life. It is virtually impossible to fully succeed without the support of these key stakeholders in your life. But these same people may be scared or unsure about the decision you’ve made. Sometimes that comes across as indifference, while other times it may come across as pushback or even anger. During your consultation, we encourage you to talk to your bariatric surgeon about how to broach the subject to family and friends and we can offer concrete advice to help get them on board with your decision.
You can also take this time before your consultation to collect any necessary labs or imaging that we need to ensure your suitability for bariatric surgery. There will be certain tests necessary before surgery to ensure that you are a candidate and that bariatric surgery can, in fact, be safe and effective in your circumstance. These tests do not necessarily have to be performed through us, although we can certainly arrange them for you. So, if your primary care physician has access to prior tests, you can collect those and submit them to our office as soon as possible.
You need to also come prepared. It’s one thing to be prepared with pen and paper, but it’s quite another to be prepared mentally. Bariatric surgery is a difficult decision in and of itself, but the changes you will experience after surgery require willpower and psychological strength. This can start when you arrive at consultation. Make sure you understand your responsibilities after bariatric surgery and how you can best prepare yourself for the postop lifestyle, even before you’ve had surgery.
Lastly, come to your consultation with lots of questions. Many will have been answered for you during a seminar or through your research online. However, you will undoubtedly think of more questions as you get closer to surgery. Don’t be afraid to discuss any concerns or fears that you may have. Surgery is a big decision. There’s no shame in speaking up about your feelings.
We look forward to having you in our office for a consultation and want you to be as prepared as possible for what is to come after surgery. Remember that all of us here are rooting for you to success and will stand by you throughout the surgical process and long into the future.
To watch our bariatric seminar, click here or to schedule a consultation or ask any questions of our office, please contact us.
