How to prepare for your gastric sleeve consultation

A first consultation is a conversation, not a test. It is your chance to meet the team, share your story and get clear answers about your own situation. A little preparation helps you get more out of the time, whether you come in person in North York or meet us online.

What to bring

You do not need a referral to book a free consultation at 360 Sleeve. If you have any of these, bring them, or have them ready on screen for an online visit:

• A list of every medicine you take, with the dose, including vitamins, supplements and herbal products.
• Your main health conditions, such as type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, sleep apnea or reflux.
• Recent bloodwork or notes from your family doctor.
• Reports from any earlier operations, especially surgery on your stomach.
• Sleep study results, if you have had one, and whether you use a CPAP machine.
• A short history of your weight and what you have tried before, such as diets, programs or medicines.

If you do not have every paper, that is fine. Come anyway. Your care team can help you gather what is needed later.

What your surgeon looks at

Canadian guidelines say the assessment before bariatric surgery should look at your medical, nutritional, mental and functional health. At a first consultation, that usually starts with these topics:

• Your height, weight and BMI, as a starting point.
• Weight-related conditions, and how well they are controlled.
• Your medicines, allergies and earlier operations.
• Heartburn or reflux, which can change which procedure suits you.
• Smoking, vaping, alcohol and sleep.
• Your goals, and the support you have at home.

Be as open as you can. Nothing you share is there to judge you. It helps your surgeon explain which procedures may suit you and which risks apply to you.

Tests that may follow

If surgery looks like a good fit, the next step is usually a set of checks, similar to those in the public bariatric programs in Ontario:

• Bloodwork, often including blood count, iron, vitamin B12, vitamin D, calcium and blood sugar.
• An ECG, a quick tracing of your heart, and sometimes other heart or lung tests.
• A sleep study, if you may have sleep apnea.
• For some people, a look inside the stomach with a thin camera (gastroscopy), for example if you have reflux.
• A visit with a dietitian. Canadian guidelines recommend this for everyone considering surgery.
• Sometimes a talk with a mental health professional about eating habits, mood, stress and support.

These checks are about your safety. Expert recommendations describe the mental health assessment as a way to find possible challenges early and plan how to address them, together with you.

Questions to write down

• Which procedure do you suggest for me, and why?
• Which risks apply to me, and how are they lowered?
• Which tests will I need, and roughly how long does it take to get ready?
• What will my diet look like before surgery?
• How much time off work should I plan for?
• What does the price include, and what does follow-⁠up look like over the years?

After the consultation

You leave with a clear plan and a price with taxes included. There is no obligation. Take the time you need, talk it over with the people close to you, and call us if new questions come up. If a sleeve is not the right fit for you, your surgeon will say so and talk through other options.