• Select a primary care physician if you don't already have one, and 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. For men, this may include a prostate-specific antigen test, or PSA.
• Make a list of all the diets you have tried and bring it to your doctor.
• Bring any relevant medical information to your appointment with the surgeon. This includes reports of special tests (echocardiogram, sleep study, etc.) or a hospital discharge summary if you have had a hospital stay.
• Bring a list of your medications with dosage and schedule.
• Stop smoking. Surgical patients who use tobacco products are at a higher surgical risk.