scared as he**

[Sands4me]

I am so scared of having sx. I have had others before that only cause it was nessacery. This is by my choice. I am so scared that when they give me anesthesia I won’t wake up back up!! I am also scared cause while my Dr. has done other weight loss sx. He hasn’t done many gastric sleeves. He says I will be is 10 one. Kind of scary!! He sits on the board of bariatric sx at 2 different hospitals so I guess he has to be good. has anyone heard of any bad outcomes with the gastric sleeve? I have this feeling the day before sx i am going to be a nervious wreck and end up calling my dr and say ok deals off i want the band instead!!

[Buffalogal317]

I would guess that if he didn't know what he was doing they wouldn't allow him to do them. You can always google his name to check for reviews.

[Lauren T.]

Take a deep breath and think back to what brought you to bariatric surgery. Back then, it made all the sense in the world to do this. Now, write down all the reasons why you originally chose the gastric sleeve. You can even do a pros and cons list, and I'll guarantee you that the pros side will be full while the con side will be severely lacking. Your fears of surgery are quite normal, especially because it is an elective procedure, but consider the real fears you'll face with your health and happiness if you don't act.

[TXMOM]

I personally would not choose a surgeon who has only done 9 gastric sleeves. My surgeon had done at least 700. The sleeve can have negative outcomes directly related to the knowledge and skill of the surgeon. The stomach has to be carefully freed from the upper fascia and connecting tissue; then the surgeon uses a cutter/stapler that makes a seam, much like the sleeve of a pant leg across your stomach. He needs to be skilled in knowing how much and where to cut. They use a tube called a bougie that anesthesia inserts through your esophagus to guide the surgeon in how big to make your stomach.
Also, there is a risk of leaks and bleeding. The bleeding is not a massive bleed, but a slow trickle from the suture line. If this happens, the surgeon will have to go back in and close the area that is leaking, and some patients need transfusion. This is not very common. I believe less than 1%. Also, the leaks can occur up to 6 weeks after surgery. Usually you will know that something is wrong. Your left shoulder will hurt. You might run a fever from escaping stomach contents forming an infection outside the stomach cavity. A leak is treated by surgically placing stents that will drain out any escaping gastric contents to the outside of your body while the hole heals. I know that sounds gross, but it does work.

You should really consider calling your insurance company and checking out other bariatric surgeons in your area who have a great deal more experience than yours. I really think you will be safer and happier with a different surgeon. The surgeon's job is to explain the risk/benefit ratio of your particular situation in having surgery vs continuing to stay obese. The band is also very controversial at this time. They are having a lot of problems with the bands. They are slipping, causing erosion, and vomiting. The biggest problem is a "narrow therapeutic window." This means that when the band is tight enough to cause weight loss, patients cannot swallow well or they vomit, and food gets "stuck". When the band is open enough to be comfortable for eating, it does not produce enough restriction to cause weight loss. The amount of weight you can lose with a band is much lower than with a sleeve. So, depending on how much you need to lose, the band may or may not produce the amount of weight loss you desire. The sleeve patients can lose as much as gastric bypass patients.

I hope this little overview has been helpful to you. You obviously do not feel comfortable with your decision, or you would not be writing to us.
As far as the anesthesia goes, I think that is the absolute least of your worries. Most of the nurse anesthetists and anesthesiologists are well versed in giving anesthesia. That is one of those areas where if you aren't good, you don't last too long. If you are nervous about the anesthesia, then once you know the facility you are going to, call the anesthesia department and ask them for a consult. This is where you can go in and meet the head anesthesiologist, or the person who may do your case, if the surgeon uses the same person or group of people each time. You can discuss your concerns with them, and they can write an order for you to have something to calm your nerves prior to surgery. Being calm makes the anesthesia induction (The beginning of the procedure of putting you to sleep) go much smoother. I have actually had an anesthesia consult before. It made me feel a lot better.

Good Luck to you.

[N2DVN_Hubby]

You need to be comfortable with your surgeon before you make your decision as to what kind of surgery to have. Even if your surgeon has been sitting on the board for two years, that does not mean that he is a good surgeon. It just means that he has held a position for two years. Do your research on your surgeon before you decide that you want him to be the one to work on you. Ask him for references and if you can talk to the others that he has performed the same procedure on. In my opinion , I do not believe that you would be satisfied with just the band, when you had the opportunity to have so much more.

[TXMOM]

Also, if you google for the medical board in your state, you should be able to look up any board certifications (Special training) and any complaints or sanctions the MD may have against him or her.

I have done this before, too.

[BBARB]

There is a risk connected to any surgery (we all must be aware of) and there are risks of complications that come with it. In the case of gastric sleeve the complication is a leak. Said that you need to do a good background on your surgeon. When you said that he has performed other WLS, did he mentioned which ones? If he refers to Lap band only , I personally would fish around more. If has done Bypasses, then ask how many, the outcomes and percentage of complication. You want to have this surgery in a bariatric center of excellence, there are many and I am sure your primary and insurance can help you in finding this. Remember that you are in control.

[Sunflower]

At least your surgeon was honest with you. That being said, I would think twie about going with someone with such limited experience doing the sleeve. In addition to other possible complications listed above, an inexperiencesd surgeon may not remove enough of the stomach to give you the best restriction. Maybe your fear is about the doctor not having a lot of experience.

[LindaJ]

Of course you should check out your surgeon first and foremost. I would throw out there for consideration however, that it might be better having a surgery with a surgeon who has only performed 10 of that specific surgery, as they would likely be more careful than someone who has done 700 and could get careless as it is so mechanical to them by now. something to think about. Good luck!

[Sands4me]

Thanks so much for reminding me I can look him up on the medical board. I just did and it was clean. He is the only dr. in my area who does the sleeves well besides his partner.

[TXMOM]

Melissa: Since he is the only doctor in your area, you can also check other areas, and consider traveling to another area for surgery, possibly staying overnight the night before surgery in a nearby hotel. Then you can spend the night in the hospital post surgery until you are ready to go home.
The other thing to consider is that every surgeon was once where your surgeon is in terms of "learning" the sleeve. My surgeon was once on his 9th sleeve.
And he had never had a patient with a leak. So, that 9th sleeve went just fine. So, that is something to help you make up your mind. (It's just that I didn't want to be his 9th sleeve. Someone else did that......) However, your surgeon obviously has done plenty of other types of operations, is familiar with anatomy and is sincere about his service to you. So, weigh it all out carefully. Many people on this board have travelled to have their surgeries in Mexico and other cities. It is not unheard of. You have to be comfortable going in.

Good Luck

[excited&scared]

Hey Girl!! Don't sweat it!! We have talked on PM and you know he is GREAT and I was his 1st. You really need to come to support group it will help you so much. He was aware of how scared I was and was with me the whole time. He was the last face I saw before I went under. He made sure he checked on me a couple different times in recovery and when I got discharged and called him to tell him I was getting sick he called me back within minutes and called me twice a day until I felt better. So I understand that you are scared that is natural but you have to trust him he wouldnt do anything to hurt you! Hope to see you at group