Ok, Sell Us Your Non-Vetted Surgeon

My surgeon is not on the "vetted DS surgeons" list, but he was actually doing the DS before his partner, Dr. Kemmeter, and was the one who trained Dr. K to do it (Dr. K *is* on the list).

I have met and spoken with his some of his past patients.  The only negative thing I've ever heard is that Dr. Foote really, REALLY likes to do the VSG, and tries to push that on people rather than the DS.  In my experience with him, when I told him that I wanted the DS, he said, "That's a lot of surgery for someone your size" (I was a "lightweight").  After I explained to him my reasons for wanting the DS and proved to him that I had done my research, he was completely fine with giving me a DS.  He explained his philosophy on the DS for lightweights - a really small sleeve and a longer common channel - and I was completely fine with that.  It has worked out extremely well for me.  I also know of one person who was his patient whom he made the mistake of revising from an RNY to an ERNY and that was a disaster, I guess.  But as far as his DS track record, I have never heard of any bad results.

Dr. Foote took excellent care of me.  He is a great surgeon, and his surgical experience and training in both bariatric and general/trauma surgery are reasons why I chose him.  He is not as big of a proponent of the DS as his partner, Dr. Kemmeter, which is, in my opinion, one of the reasons keeping him off the vetted list.  I think one of his worries with the DS is patient compliance with vitamins and supplementation.  To be honest, the aftercare in their office has not been the best, but is getting better due in large part to pushing from vets like Kimberley and Julie R.  Luckily, there is a growing number of us DSers in mid-Michigan who have all come together to support each other and make sure we all know how to take care of ourselves!

I don't believe after care is a factor. Ungson has no after care to speak of and he is vetted. Some of the best surgeons are lacking in that department. Since it is pretty much understood that we are responsible for our own care, I don't see after care being an issue.

I don't know anything of the history about Foote and can only guess why he was taken off the list. I imagine that if enough people went to him looking for the DS and felt like they were getting the "bait and don't switch" treatment to get a VSG, that would do it.

Understand that a lot of noobies are directed to that list. As we are promoting the DS, we want to refer them to quality surgeons who also believe in the DS. Not to surgeons who try to convince them to get a different WLS.

I know a surgeon who often does DS in two parts but is still on the list...

Who?

Mine! :P

Okay , i know he is extremely well respected in the DS sphere, but if he is doing it in 2 stages often then why is he on there if technically that doesnt even qualify as a DS? 

He always finishes it. It's the revisions that tend to be 2 stage. He is also going by the 4 hr time limit. I brought this up because I think Dr. Pomp is similar.

Really? Since when? This is the first I've heard of it.

I can't say when it started but I can say I was one of those people. I have never heard of him doing a virgin WLS in 2 parts.

Revisions are a horse of a different color. The vetted list does not apply to revisions because the list of surgeons qualified to do revisions is significantly shorter.

The vetted surgeons list is intended for virgin DSes.

So it seems he doesn't do two part DSes, just two part revisions to the DS. Big difference.

*sigh of relief*