| Things You Should Know about Your Surgeon Although the physician that usually explains a bariatric procedure to a patient is a doctor in general medicine, the physician who performs the surgery should be a certified Surgeon accredited by the American Board of Surgery (ABS). Patients must listen carefully to the doctor, who will explain the surgical procedure providing the name of the gastric bypass surgeon in charge.
Discussing with your doctor any alternate solution to your obesity problem is only part of the introduction process. Do not be shy and ask any questions you may have related to the surgeon to make sure he has the credentials to perform the surgery. Doctors in general medicine are usually surgeons but with no specific training in bariatrics, unless they can show this qualification with a certificate.
Once that patients are sure of the basics related to the procedure, the assigned medical staff, including the doctor, a nutritionist or dietician, a psychologist, the gastric bypass surgeon and all other support staff, including nurses, sign the consent form which is necessary in order to perform the procedure.
As a patient, you must make sure to read the form carefully before signing and if there is something that you do not understand, simply ask, and do not sign until everything is clear. Once your satisfaction is made, the doctor will begin writing down your complete medical history, perform a deep screening and complete physical examination to make sure you are healthy, despite your weight.
The gastric bypass surgeon will require your blood tests and some other diagnostic tests that your doctor will order. Women who are pregnant will not qualify to undergo gastric bypass surgery, however, it does often occur that a woman gets pregnant after have been approved for the procedure, but then must wait until after the birth of the baby.
If you are a woman and suspect pregnancy, notify your doctor immediately. In fact, all woman of childbearing age may receive birth control advice to avoid get pregnant. The gastric bypass surgeon will simply reject the procedure to avoid health risk for the developing baby and the mother-to-be.
Individuals that are sensitive to medications or have any form of allergy should also notify the doctor, particularly if the allergy is related to iodine, latex, tape, or whatever local or general anesthetic agent. Do not forget to mention all the medications that you might be taking, including prescription and over the counter drugs, as well as herbal supplements or remedies.
Notify the gastric bypass surgeon if you have a medical history of bleeding disorders or taking any sort of anticoagulant or blood-thinner medications, because some medications, such as Aspirin, affect blood clotting. Bleeding is a risk factor for any surgical procedure and your medical staff should be notified to prevent complications.
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