Anyone on here in Kansas?

[AspieMom 13]

Yea - I'm interested to hear too....

[tgarner 1]

Congrats!!!!! That's so exciting your so close!!!! KC Bariatrics is such a wonderful facility. I love all of the staff there and they make you feel so welcome!!! I wish you the best and quick approval!!! Im in Overland Park. I had Hoehn' date=' I'm about 2 months out coming up! Keep up everything your doing it will feel so incredible once you get your date set!! Keep me posted and let me know if you got any questions I can answer =)))))[/quote']

Thank you so much!! I agree everyone at KC Bariatric has been great so far!! If you don't mind me asking...how much weight have you lost so far post-op and how was your pain level and recovery time?

[tgarner 1]

I am a former patient of Hoehn's and if anyone would like the "skinny" so to speak on why I left I would be happy to talk to you a little bit about why I think you should consider going elsewhere. I don't have a ton of drama to dish and NO he didn't nearly kill me or anything exciting like that but I did several eye opening experiences that really woke me up.

I'm very interested too!

[Julieann87 19]

Day of surgery I was at 246 12/6 I'm at 208 ...the pain SUCKS lol there is no sugar coating that bad boy but it goes quick and is worth it for sure. I didn't start feeling 100% myself until about 4 wks after and I went back to work 2 wks after it truly helps to start being up and moving walking not alot of bending or abdominal stress but up moving

[caramelbaby10181 30]

Just curious how many people on here are in the Kansas City area? =)

Im in Kansas City, near Grandview. Having my surgery with Dr Hoehn on February 28th. Im so excited. I only have to do a one week liquid diet, but Im gonna do two weeks that way I can ween myself into it and not feel bad if I cheat the first week. Good luck and congratulations to everyone.

Btw, yes he is a very gorgeous man. :wub:

[NurseGrace 509]

Since there is interest I will go into it but I wanted to preface this with saying that I was is patient for YEARS so my picture of how things go at KC Bariatric is a pretty broad one, but I will ALSO tell you that I have not been back there for about 18 months so you have to take what I am saying in light of my experience but also the time frame. Things may or may not be different now, I suspect they are not different but I just want to have that out there so everyone knows.

Everything was FANTASTIC at first (I had a band from him - not my sleeve - I would not let him touch me after the band fiasco) my appointments went smoothly, surgery went pretty smooth although at the time their pain control left something to be desired. Since the band is an outpatient procedure I was pushed out the door fairly quickly even though I let it be known that my pain WAS NOT under control - whatever though, I am a nurse, I know how it goes but that did set me up for a very rough few days. Also I might add that I had warned them that I was allergic to acetaminophen ahead of time and would be needing something other than the usual lortab post op. They refused to deal with that ahead of time stating "it wouldnt be a problem" and of course - IT WAS. They ended up giving me cough medicine for the pain. That might have been OK but like I said - I wasn't even really under control when I left the hospital so it was a huge problem. I went almost all of that day without anything for the pain and then when I did get something thats what it was.

I recovered from that and everything was OK for a little while. The band though - was a problem. From the very begining I was having trouble with it. This is where I want to point out that IT WAS NOT DR HOEHNS FAULT I WAS STRUGGLING Some people just do not tolerate a band well and I was one of those people. To this day I do not believe that it was anything to do with his surgical skill. He is more than likely a fine surgeon.

The problems became clear in the aftercare though. I was having very unusual problems and looking back they were classic signs of a slip of a bad placement but no one would listen to me. The after care was terrible. You never see the surgeon again after you have surgery, you always see his PA, and his PA is sweet, but I would be lying if I told you that he helped me, because he didn't. For years they gave me the run around telling me that I was "too tight" or whatever when I was telling them that I could eat like I never had sugery. It was a farce.

Long story short, I ended up in the emergency room and had to have the band removed. There was evidence that it had been in a bad position for a long time, but the office never even ordered as much as an xray or a barium study to see what was going on with me. I am very dissatisfied with the care I received although I do not blame the doctor specifically for everything although I do think that if he is going to deligate his aftercare he needs to make sure the people proving that care are doing what they need to do for the patients.

I will not go so far as to say that you are in bad hands or anything like that, but what I want you to understand about that office is that you need to be your own advocate for your own safety. If something doesn't feel right and you KNOW its not right like I did, PLEASE DEMAND medical attention, because you might not get it otherwise.

[NurseGrace 509]

Also I wanted to add that my current doctor was surprised at my lapband scars, saying they were quite large for a laparoscopic procedure and seemed to allude to the fact that they were on the sloppy side, which I already knew because I am a nurse, but wasn't going to say lol.

[MizzouFan1 88]

NurseGrace,

I have heard the same thing about Malley. The aftercare is horrid. Two woman in my office both used him and BOTH had horrible complications due to negligence and had to have the band removed. They refused to order tests, refuse to listen to the patient. One of my friends was a group leader and she ended up having an erosion and Malley refused to believe it. He "fired" her from her support group role because he didn't want the bad publicity. She ended up having to go to the ER and having it removed and the hospital called Malley and he refused to do the removal. BAD BAD BAD experiences. I am leaning more on the side of the sleeve but there is no way in HELL i will go to Malley. Now, I am nervous about KC Bariatric which means I am getting fairly limited on whom is available. I had a similar experince with my spine surgery as well. The facility was fancy, the doctor was right there, the service was great....the aftercare was like out a horror movie. I never saw my doc again only his PA, nurse or med students. They couldn't get me "scheduled" to take out my staples in my back so the skin had grown around them leaving knarly scars. I won't make that mistake again. AFTERCARE is just as important as pre-care. I want the same kiss-ass, they want my money service after the do the surgery. I have heard from several women that as soon as complications arise their doc is nowhere to be found because they don't want the negative stats. I hope I can find a better surgeon than these two.

[cfergie911 90]

Im in kansas!! From Hutchinson being sleeved in Feb at Tallgrass in Topeka.

I am going for the seminar and for my surgery as well. who was your surgeon?

[btrfylvr 0]

I live in Topeka, I have Dr Hoen too. I'm Getting my EGD on the 5th of Sept. then I have to wait and get a date. I can't wait!

[racoon_439 25]

I am going for the seminar and for my surgery as well. who was your surgeon?

Omg i just saw this lol i was sleeved by Jennifer McCallaster on march 1st 2013. Just saw her for a check up today and im down 127lbs. Bmi went from 50.9 to 30.6. I still have a ways to go but im a lot closer than i was!

[cfergie911 90]

Omg i just saw this lol i was sleeved by Jennifer McCallaster on march 1st 2013. Just saw her for a check up today and im down 127lbs. Bmi went from 50.9 to 30.6. I still have a ways to go but im a lot closer than i was!

I have my surgery date for January 20th 2014 by Dr. Jennifer McCallaster. But my insurance doesn't cover the sleeve so I am getting the RNY gastric bypass.

[ChangingMichelle 34]

Hi. I live in KC and was sleeved 12//3/13 by Dr. Hoehn. A great experience so far.

[beeteroo 166]

Since there is interest I will go into it but I wanted to preface this with saying that I was is patient for YEARS so my picture of how things go at KC Bariatric is a pretty broad one, but I will ALSO tell you that I have not been back there for about 18 months so you have to take what I am saying in light of my experience but also the time frame. Things may or may not be different now, I suspect they are not different but I just want to have that out there so everyone knows.

Everything was FANTASTIC at first (I had a band from him - not my sleeve - I would not let him touch me after the band fiasco) my appointments went smoothly, surgery went pretty smooth although at the time their pain control left something to be desired. Since the band is an outpatient procedure I was pushed out the door fairly quickly even though I let it be known that my pain WAS NOT under control - whatever though, I am a nurse, I know how it goes but that did set me up for a very rough few days. Also I might add that I had warned them that I was allergic to acetaminophen ahead of time and would be needing something other than the usual lortab post op. They refused to deal with that ahead of time stating "it wouldnt be a problem" and of course - IT WAS. They ended up giving me cough medicine for the pain. That might have been OK but like I said - I wasn't even really under control when I left the hospital so it was a huge problem. I went almost all of that day without anything for the pain and then when I did get something thats what it was.

I recovered from that and everything was OK for a little while. The band though - was a problem. From the very begining I was having trouble with it. This is where I want to point out that IT WAS NOT DR HOEHNS FAULT I WAS STRUGGLING Some people just do not tolerate a band well and I was one of those people. To this day I do not believe that it was anything to do with his surgical skill. He is more than likely a fine surgeon.

The problems became clear in the aftercare though. I was having very unusual problems and looking back they were classic signs of a slip of a bad placement but no one would listen to me. The after care was terrible. You never see the surgeon again after you have surgery, you always see his PA, and his PA is sweet, but I would be lying if I told you that he helped me, because he didn't. For years they gave me the run around telling me that I was "too tight" or whatever when I was telling them that I could eat like I never had sugery. It was a farce.

Long story short, I ended up in the emergency room and had to have the band removed. There was evidence that it had been in a bad position for a long time, but the office never even ordered as much as an xray or a barium study to see what was going on with me. I am very dissatisfied with the care I received although I do not blame the doctor specifically for everything although I do think that if he is going to deligate his aftercare he needs to make sure the people proving that care are doing what they need to do for the patients.

I will not go so far as to say that you are in bad hands or anything like that, but what I want you to understand about that office is that you need to be your own advocate for your own safety. If something doesn't feel right and you KNOW its not right like I did, PLEASE DEMAND medical attention, because you might not get it otherwise.

I recently went to a seminar at their group and it looks like they use improved their aftercare. The showed us the X-ray machine and require frequent swallow studies with their band pts. I'm not going to them only because another surgeon in KC could get me in sooner. I'm not messing around, I want this done ASAP! I'm a nurse too and I'm so concerned about all the what if's.

[NurseGrace 509]

my experience was years ago, and I own that some of my problems were absolutely my own doing, but I also was not listened too and when the band needed to be removed it wasn't handled well, but lots of time as passed. TONS of people have bariatric surgery through them, do great, and have great stories so I'm not hugely invested in swaying people, but I will tell my story so people understand that ULTIMATLY its up to us as patients to get the care we need. I did NOT need to suffer for as long as I did, but I made choices that made me be not taken very seriously, like gaining weight back. I know its hard for them to believe I was throwing up daily when I was still managing to put on weight, but thats exactly what I did and it didn't help me case at all.