How Did You Find and Choose Your Bariatric Surgeon?

[NewLife'sGr8 241]

I'd seen a co-worker achieve amazing success with her bypass WLS. I asked her about it & she told me who she went to & what she had done.

I then researched the various available WLS options; Bypass, RNY, Banding, DUO Switch (or whatever that's called); each procedure's benefits, fallbacks, possible complications, the actual procedure details, the risks, how many die on the table from each WLS procedure, and each year from post-opcomplications, the prognoses on each procedure, pre-op protocol, avg hospital stay, post-op protocol & long term prognoses.

When I decided on the banding, I conducted a parallel analysis between the Lap & Realize bands (I chose the Realize).

Then, I checked out the surgeons' practices, online. Read every page. I read every detail about each surgeons' Education, Colleges/Universities attended and whether they earned multiple degrees/ other specializations, their college ranking (if they're dead last in their class, I don't want em!) whether or not they graduated with honors or were awarded Fellowships (only the best of the best are), their affiliations & memberships & what boards/ committees they're serving on, whether or not they are graduate-school, teaching doctors, their practice histories (whether or not they've moved around a lot-not a good indication of quality), other specializations, their WLS philosophies & if they stay abreast of latest technologies, their success rate, if they participate with my ins. & what's covered / what's not, their surgery schedules (how far out they're booking surgeries), etc.

Then, I went to Health Check site which shows patient-rating scores on a number of patient-driven experiences with their surgeon, plus with commentary. This site covers docs across a broad range of specializations, not just WLS. The site also shows whether the surgeon has been sued for malpractice or sanctioned by their licensing agency/oversight org. - for any number of possible violations.

I found Malene Ingram to be an excellent fit for me & she was. After the surgery, though, you only see the PA's for fills, etc. I imagine the PA's refer more serious issues back to Doc Ingram, if it looks like more surgery is necessary.

[lisacaron 5,075]

I can give you all my statistics and tell you about all my gains and losses and why "I" chose the band, but those things are not what is really going to help you.

Everyone can find success and failure with any WLS modality. For that matter people can find success with Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig or Medicinal intervention. For most of us our reasons for choosing Weight Loss Surgery was because we have exhausted all other other attempts to lose our weight, keep it off, get and stay at a healthy weight.

I can't tell you that your diabetes will go away because it may not. I can't tell you that you won't have high blood pressure because you may lose all your weight and still be hypertensive. I can't tell you that you won't get cancer, but I can tell you that losing weight will greatly reduce the statistics that these things will kill you.

The reason to choose one WLS over another is YOU and your medical team. You can have a Gastirc bypass lose all your weight only to gain it back 3 years later, the same can be said for the sleeve or the band.

You are the key here friend. YOU and only you can make this choice for yourself. What do YOU feel would be the most successful surgery for you? What do the doctors who have been taking care of you think? Do they agree with what you think? If not why not? These are some key questions to ask.

After doing exhausting research on the modalities of WLS, finding out the pro's and con's of each surgery, and let me tell you that the worst "con's" against any surgery are almost always people's negative experiences amplified and not so much "fact". For me I need the facts, and no matter which one you choose or how you spin it the worst is always death, and/or major complications. This would be true of any surgery, for any reason.

While some think this is an "elective" surgery for me that is not how I view it. For me it was a life saving surgery as much as if I needed open heart surgery and that's the idea I went into this with.

I chose the band based on my research and personal experiences meeting others who have had other surgeries, witnessing their experiences and knowing myself well enough to know what it would take for me to be compliant with all of these types of surgery.

I chose the band, because at this point in my life I am not ready to re-wire my entire digestive system. I do not want to have part of my stomach removed if it does not need to be. I knew I could and would be compliant with the band surgery and make it work for me and I loved the fact that I could alter it to fit my life and my life style.

I can add Fluid and remove Fluid. I have done so when I have gotten sick and then put more in when I was well. My husband who is also banded was able to loosen the band and take fluid out so that he could recover from hip replacement surgery smoothly, and then was able to put the fluid back in once he was off the medications he needed to take.

Most of all when you hear all the good the bad and the ugly, take the time to work out and understand the mechanics of all the surgery options. Read all you can and I always advocate @@Alex Brecher books!

Decide what is best for YOU with the guidance of your doctors and medical team.

I wish you all the best on your journey!

[labwalker 1,177]

Everyone can find success and failure with any WLS modality. For that matter people can find success with Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig or Medicinal intervention. For most of us our reasons for choosing Weight Loss Surgery was because we have exhausted all other other attempts to lose our weight, keep it off, get and stay at a healthy weight.

Well said... the current results for the band have improved over the past few decades... better devices, more experienced surgeons, improved surgical techniques.

You can find folks who have serious problems with hip and knee replacements or any other surgical implant--look at the TV ads for hungry lawyers preying on the industry.

When a doctor says people fail the band, it is a generality that applies to a majority of the cases. But like any elective surgery, there always risks, and things can go wrong. And, there are good and bad surgeons.

[VMacT 1]

I choose a first rate hospital that was a reasonable drive, just under 2 hours won out.... I choose Sarasota Memorial Hospital in Sarasota Florida... they are a 3 time Magnet Hospital and they didn't get that rating for nothing.... then I googled a bariatric surgeon that had privileges

at Sarasota...... I couldn't have been any happier.... excellence for sure from both the hospital and the surgeons that practice there. I'm one week post op lap band with no issues yet......

VMacT

[kimodell69 138]

I choose a first rate hospital that was a reasonable drive, just under 2 hours won out.... I choose Sarasota Memorial Hospital in Sarasota Florida... they are a 3 time Magnet Hospital and they didn't get that rating for nothing.... then I googled a bariatric surgeon that had privileges

at Sarasota...... I couldn't have been any happier.... excellence for sure from both the hospital and the surgeons that practice there. I'm one week post op lap band with no issues yet......

VMacT[/quote

I am having Gastric Bypass at Sarasota Memorial too! Dr. Nora is my surgeon. My surgery is scheduled on October 29th. When is your surgery? Who is your surgeon?

[Sleeve_Sistah85 193]

When I called my insurance to ask about coverage they gave me the names of surgeons who are part of the Bariatric Centers of Excellence. What this means is that this facility has a high surgical procedure rate with a low complication rate.

At first I couldn't decide cuz there literally a hospital across from my apartment. But I wanna do what the insurance company says so I get approved and so I lower my risks of complications.

[MoneyPro 0]

I wasn't sure what kind of doc did a VSG, so I used my health insurance directory and called a gastrologist. The receptionist there recommended the doc I went with, Dr. Lisa Medvetz in Southern New Jersey. She's awesome. Really down to earth and someone you can feel comfortable with.

[topgamma 0]

^{My surgeon had the best success rate in the area and I knew many people who had their surgery done by him. I'm really pleased with his work. I'm just a very slow loser and thought I would have lost more weight by now.}

[mscarlar 19]

Hubby and I did lots of research looking for a doc that has a good reputation, a good surgen and at a reasonable cost as we were self pay. We found Dr. Dirk Rodriguez in Dallas Texas. Absolutely loved him and his office staff. Would use him again.

[Fishermen 0]

On line reading reviews and friends that had surgery.

[Fishermen 0]

On line reading reviews and friends that had surgery.

[4MRB4PHOTO 3,900]

I researched the hospitals, then narrowed down my choice to one and attended an informational session. Afterwards I researched the bariatric surgery surgeons to look at their credentials and experience via the hospital's website, the AMA and internet -actually I should have gone to a weight loss support group to speak to other patients, but I was very confident in his skills before I even met with him.

[2twinkle 86]

I went to the top clinic and asked for the best doctor.

[courtneyd 59]

You used Google (or another search engine) to find surgeons in your area.

So, I was looking into WLS when I found out I needed my gallbladder out. So I searched for a general surgeon who also did bariatric surgery. I read reviews, looked at his office and staff, the hospitals he had privileges at, etc. He took out my gallbladder and did great so we proceeded with VSG and then I found out my friend (new-ish friend) had her RNY with him and loved him, so that confirmed my decision.

[monalyssa33 138]

The hospital/surgeon I went to is with the county hospital and since I work for the county, my insurance covered everything except the $125 hospital stay copay. I could have gone somewhere else and paid the out of network price (and in the past when I tried to qualify I went to a different place), but since the county hospital is a Bariatric Center of Excellence just like the other place was, I figured it was a good option for me financially and medically. My surgeon was great though. I felt like I was in good hands.

Edited October 1, 2017 by monalyssa33