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- Select a primary care physician if you don't already have one, and establish a relationship with him or her. We can recommend physicians who support bariatrics and will be happy to work with you. Work with your physician to ensure that your routine health maintenance testing is current. For example, women may have a pap smear, and if over 40 years of age, a breast exam. And for men, this may include a prostate specific antigen test (PSA).
- Make a list of all the diets you have tried (a diet history) and bring it to your doctor.
- Bring any pertinent medical data to your appointment with the surgeon - this would include reports of special tests (echocardiogram, sleep study, etc.) or hospital discharge summary if you have been in the hospital.
- Stop smoking. Patients who use tobacco products are at a higher surgical risk.
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