My doctor is a tease!

Hey folks! (I posted this on the VSG forum as well, but would love your input too)     I am really upset and disappointed right now. So much so that I had to login from work and vent! I've been in the pre-op preparation stage since last October. Until about a month ago it was in preparation for open RNY. I met with my doctor at that time and he brought up VSG as an option. He explained it to me and I was very receptive to the idea of having a laproscopic less invasive procedure. He told me he had to meet with a colleague to discuss my case and I thought he was intending for me to have this procedure. Fast forward to about a week ago. I get a call from his office that I have a date! I was extremely excited until she started going over the details and said I was being scheduled for an OPEN RNY. Confused, I asked to speak with the Doctor directly. When he called me back he said that when we had our appointment he was under the impression the course was RNY unless his consult with his colleague suggested otherwise. The hospital he works with has not done the VSG and he needed to speak with the folks at the hospital about doing this procedure. I was disappointed, but figured he is a very good bariatric surgeon with a stellar record and would have no problem being his first VSG patient. I was willing to wait but he didn't give me any indication of how much of a wait it would be.     Anyway, I called his office this afternoon and spoke with the bariatric coordinator and she said that it could take up to 6 months or more for the hospital staff to be trained and the dieticians to prepare and so on. I was figuring he would be able to put it off a month or two but NOT SIX MONTHS!!!!! I cannot wait that long and I refuse to have an open RNY. He won't do the RNY laproscopically because he is concerned about my high BMI (over 70).     I don't know what to do and I am in a panic right now because I worked so hard for the last 6 months based on the notion that I was going to have this surgery by April. I cannot and will not put this off for 6 months so this hospital can learn this procedure.     Anyone here on this board have experience with surgeons in Connecticut that have done this procedure? At the moment I am seriously considering going to another doctor with the hope that I wont have to go through all the pre-op crap again.     I can really use your input and encouragement on this. Thanks! God Bless, Jim

Jim,  I would look for another surgeon if I was you.  There are other surgeons in the Hartford area  that does these procedures.  I would take all my pre-op work up with you and see if they can help you.  Being an OR nurse you don't want to be one of the first pts after the staff has learned the procedure.  There is a group at St. Francis and Hartford hospital with lots of experience in laparoscopic procedures.  Weight your options. God Bless and good luck PS  there also is the group from Yale   Dr  Bell and  Dr Roberts   I hear they are really great surgeons and people too

Jim,  I feel for you...it was over a year and a half for me...a very long 18 month weight...Dr.Bell is an excellent surgeon...my greatest fear in switching surgeons would be the post op requirements, but call other offices and tell them your situation...have faith that it will work out...don't let this discouraging scenario drive you to distruction... you are in my prayers. Jennifer

Many of us on here have had open RNY. It's not as bad as everyone thinks it is. Good luck in what ever happens.

Jim, How many times has your surgeon performed the vertical sleeve surgery himself?  Not just how many times has he done it at this one hospital, is the biggest question of them all... Don't be a surgeon's guinea pig...all I smell is complications. Go with your gut (no pun intended!) on this...you will know if it's right for you. Dr Aranow does all open RNY's...both my husband and myself have had it from him and it's not that difficult of a surgery.  He prefers open over lap cause he can get his hands in there and feel around and make sure the staples are gone correctly, etc.  It's only a 4 1/2 in*****ision. Why does he think you'd be better with a VSG than an RNY?   ARGH...miscommunications from surgeons and their staff...I'm glad you're on them often and asking to speak to him directly...make sure he makes everything CLEAR to you prior to going under...you don't want to wake up and have a lap band or something else! Paula

Jim, I am not sure I understand your reservation regarding the open RNY.  I was glad to  know that Dr. Aranow, like Paula said , will only RNY open so he can be sure all is well before he closes you up.  I would rather my Dr. be sure he did his job 100% and have a scar than have it done lap and risk nicks and leaks.  Of course everyone has to make their own choices regarding their surgery and what Dr. they feel most comfortable with.  If you aren't feeling your Dr.  I would move on.  You are trusting this person with your life.  Death is a reality in this surgery and to be sure you are with the best... ask all the questions you can to ease your mind.  If you don't like what you hear... run. I wish you luck with your journey.  Please keep us posted! Hugs,  Chrissy

Hi Jim, you sound pretty definite about not having an open RNY and that's your call to make, certainly, but I can't help but wonder why you are so opposed to the procedure.  Can you speak to that?  There was a woman who presented at the Middlesex SG meeting last night who had the VSG, here name is Terria and she is a therapist in the Hamden area - did anyone at the meeting last night happen to pick up her business card and, if so, can you share her phone number with Jim? She would be a good person to talk about the surgeons in CT who are doing the VSG.  For my part, I have absolutely no reservations in recommending you reconsider the open RNY. I had my surgery (Dr. Aranow) in March 2004; I weighed 360 lbs. and I am now maintaining my current weight of 142 lbs.  I have had absolutely no complications, all my comorbidities are totally resolved (hypertension, diabetes, sleep apnea), and I am as fit and strong as I've ever been in my life. Best of luck and let us know what you decide to do. Maureen

Jim, like some of the others who have responded to you, I also wonder why you are so against open RNY.  I also had this procedure with Dr. Aranow and sailed right through, no complications, no reservations.  Dr. Aranow only does the procedure open because, as others said, he found that he has fewer complications because he can actually feel that he has no leaks, etc.  There are reasons why laporoscopic procedures can be dangerous for people with higher BMIs.  Please don't rule out open RNY so quickly.  Also, please fully research the other surgery before diving into it.  Some insurers don't cover it yet, for a variety of reasons.  Ask what the weight loss results are with it vs. RNY as well. You may be surprised at what you find. Where ever you come out, best of luck to you.  We'll be here to support you.  Regards, Laurie

Jim- I certainly understand your frustration and such with the lack of communication.  I agree- 6 months would be FOREVER to wait for your surgery after all that you've been through. I'm not sure what your specific reasons for being against having an open surgery are- But, I had open RNY- and it's really something that you should consider.  There are as many benefits to an open surgery as there are to a Lap one.  And, the recovery is NOT that bad.  I was back to work (desk job) 1/2 days after a week and full time after 2 weeks.  My incision is only about 5 inches. I would not let Lap vs Open decide wether or not I had surgery.   If you trust in the skill of your Dr. you should take his advice on what kind of surgery he feels you are apropriate for.  If he says open, then you should consider it seriously. Good luck to you!

Hi everyone!     Thanks a ton for all of the responses. I've detailed much of my journey in my profile blog but I'll give you a summary of where I am at...     I'm definately not dead set against the open RNY. When I last had an appointment with Dr. Giles I was in the last stages of preparing for the open RNY. He brought up the VSG as an option explaining that it can be done laproscopically and would much less invasive. He also said that I would be under for less time which all together is much safer for a person of my BMI (72). Additionally, I feel more comfortable with the fact that it is not malabsorptive and doesn't require the reconnection of the intestine to the new pouch which seems to be a point of potential complication. He also told me that if I have the open RNY, he would like me to move to a rehabilitation center after the surgery for about a week or so until I get healed up a bit. With the VSG, I would be able to go directly home. After doing quite a bit of research on the VSG, I felt that it is a procedure that suited me well in my particular position. Another factor is that I am self paying for this procedure and saving the expense of time in a rehab center is significant.    Back in 2004 I went to see Dr. Aranow and I was lighter than I am now at about 475. Dr. A told me I needed to try to lose at least 100 lbs. before he would do the open RNY. For detail on this, I invite you to read my profile. I didn't deal with it very well and figured if I was going to lose 100 lbs. I might as well give natural weight loss another try. Needless to say, it was another failure. When I re-committed myself to the surgery option I went to Dr. Giles because of his excellent history and because he was closer to me.    I have contacted Dr. Bell's office at Yale/New Haven and hope to speak with him soon about my current situation and get his opinion on which direction to go. I would feel better getting into his office and having a surgeon with experience with VSG do the procedure. If that is not an option, I think that, based on all of your thoughtful responses and encouragement, I will reconsider the open RNY option. I certainly will not wait 6+ months to have surgery. I just can't. It has taken all of my energy and focus to get to this point with the motivation of having the surgery this spring. When I heard about the 6 more months, I almost felt defeated.     Thankfully with the encouragement of all of you wonderful folks here, I feel back on track and focused on moving things forward. Thanks folks! God Bless! Jim