You will probably have a million questions that you want to ask your surgeon at your initial consult. Write them down on a piece of paper and take it with you. Often, people forget questions they wanted to ask if not written down.  Here are a few suggestions:

1. Are you listed with the ASBS?

2. How many surgeries have you performed? Success rate?

3. Mortality rate?

4. Do  you offer more than one type of procedure?

5. Do you transect the stomach?

6. How much intestine will you bypass? (proximal/medial/distal)

7. What is the difference?

8. What type of surgery do you think is best for me?

9. What kind of pre- op testing is there?

10. What is your most common complication?

11. What is the long term success rate of your patients who have had this particular kind of surgery?

12. How many days will I be in the hospital? ICU?

13. What kind of pain will I be in?

14. What about pain medication?

15. How long is the recovery?

16. When can I return to work? Drive? Sex?

17. What about the support group? When does it meet?

18. Can I get a copy of the post-op sample diet?

19. How soon can we schedule surgery?

20. How many follow up appointments do I have to have?

21. What can I do to prepare myself for surgery and be successful with as easy recovery as possible?

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