For all MGH Patients in Boston

[DR1220 3]

Hi all;

I started this weight loss journey back in 2012 and what I am telling you is by no means to scare anyone rather just inform you of a very unhappy experience. Maybe it was just my perception but I felt obligated to tell my story.

I met with Janey Pratt in 2012 and she was pregnant at the time, I had gone thru the seminars and was a candidate so I chose her to be my surgeon. Mid way through, I came across her assistant who had to be the most unhappiest of people I had ever met. I had gone to nut and psy and met all the requirements and when I asked Carole, the assistant when surgery would be, the answer was "I have no idea! You'll have to wait for her to come back from maternity leave she is booked solid". I was stunned and didn't know what to say, she suggested I meet with other surgeons since they all are "highly trained". I did just that and looked into meeting with Denise Gee. Very formal and very knowledgeable, however, I noticed that she didn't know me in the way I had hoped a surgeon would. I wanted a sleeve performed and had all my tests done there at MGH. I am still a patient there and see many doctors and everyone of them have access to my records. I had a endoscopy done and was told I had moderate to severe GERD. Still, no one (not one surgeon, nurse, PA, assistant)anyone tell me that the sleeve would be a poor choice with such bad GERD.

It was my own research and sitting day and night on forums reading about GERD and the sleeve and what could happen that on the day before my appointment, I had to meet with Dr. Gee. I brought this question up and my husband was sitting next to me at the time. I asked her clearly, "Dr.Gee is this procedure going to make my GERD worse"? Her answer was, "there is no way to tell but it certainly could and if you feel uncomfortable I would be willing to do a RNY"!!! I almost fell off the table...after 6 months of nutrition and psych.because of my insurance with Cigna, I was not prepared in any shape way or form for a RNY...why didn't someone tell me this earlier when we met? I looked at her and said "you know what Dr. Gee, I am not comfortable with that and I am completely confused". Her response turned into a bargaining game is what it felt..."I can do a lap band if you prefer though I don't really recommend it". At that response, I said "I think I will wait on this and rethink this whole process". I was scared out of my mind, confused and sad! I had waited for over 6 months, gone thru the whole process and to have to back out like this was to say the least disheartening. The worst of it came as my husband and I were leaving, Dr. Gee looked and said "good luck with whatever you chose but could you call the Weight Center and let them know you cancelled, I don't want to lose my time in the OR"!!!

Needless to say I left the MGH, which is an outstanding hospital...would never go back there for any WLS and have now signed up with Beth Israel Deaconess Medical. I am in love~~~they are thoughtful, kind, happy and thorough. ..they make you feel like you matter as opposed to the MGH in Boston where everyone was so unhappy. I had a friend who had Dr. Hutter and she loved him and he was wonderful however, for me and the admin staff, it was an utter disgrace. What hurt the most, Dr. Gee and her comment over losing her OR time. I told that story to my own primary and many other doctors all who were in dismay at such a horrible thing to say to any patient. I wish all and any of you luck with MGH but it just was not for me. They should have known about my GERD and told me about the sleeve and RNY difference, it was not my job to research the effects of it.

I wanted to inform any that go there to just be completely open and honest and NOT be afraid to ask and ask until you are satisfied. I'm sure they are wonderfully qualified but they need a lesson or 2 in people skills~~~

Good Luck