Anyone have surgery in Grinnell?

I have an appointment to see Dr. Coster any pt. out there?

I'm not post opt yet but I saw Dr. Schwartz there. I heard Dr. coster is really good. Good luck!!

had the bypass 5/15/03 belt lipectomy 12/23/04 with Dr. Eibes all the docs in Grinnell are excellent. you can also check, I believe there is message boards just for that, and we do have a yahoo group for Grinnell patients too, but its not very active.. any questions, feel free to ask, but Dr. Coster will answer A LOT of them when you go meet with him. I recommend writing a list of questions. When I went, I also got a video that answered a ton of questions too good luck! Judi my email is [email protected]

Also have your Phsyc. Eval and letter form PCP done before you go. That will speed up the insurance approval. I had to have both before they would submit my info to insurance. You should get a packet by mail from them before you go that will tell you to have this the PCP letter and the phsyc eval done before you go if you can. I had my appt. with them Jan 27 and they are just now submitting this to insurance because I didn't have those 2 things. My packet got returned by the mail to them so I didn't know I needed this stuff. I also got the video and a booklet. It was helpful.

I had my surgery with Dr. Swartz in Dec. and I really was impressed with the staff. They are all so helpful from his office staff to the hospital staff. One of my roommates had Dr. Coster and from what I heard I thought he was a real good guy. His bedside manner was better than Dr. Swartz. He appeared to be a very compasionate guy. Don't be afraid to ask lots of questions and feel free to call them with any questions you didn't think of ahead of time they will answer them any time. The more informed you are the less scarier it is. Cindy

Had Dr. Coster Nov. 2002. LOVED HIM!!! Very great man, answered all my questions, GREAT bedside manner, and felt VERY comfortable with him....that's so important with such an emotional reason for seeing him. Think that Grinnell was a top notch place, hospital and doctor. Only down side I felt, was the follow-up care after getting half-way to goal was lacking.....the blood tests for level checking wasn't brought up. Was set "free to go" once I lost the weight and even though it felt great to "graduate", still feel like touching base with the specialist on this procedure would be nice to do once in a while. Dr. Coster is FABULOUS with this procedure and I'm wishing you all the luck and a SPEEDY recovery! Hugs, Carol in Washington, IA

How long were you in the hospital? How long was it until you were back on your feet and out of pain? Sorry for all the questions! Just nerves I guess. I am going for my consult on May 2nd I will have my eval and all my paperwork I think.. What is the Pcp? Hopefully I will be able to have my surgery in June!?! Jenny

I was in 3 days I believe, whatever the normal stay was.....and on my feet within 4 hours after surgery, and feeling good enough to go out about a month after, I think I was slow healing from the gastric bypass. Out of pain within a week, and no major pain really ever. PCP is "primary care physician" or your regular doctor! no problem with asking questions....I remember being in your shoes!! Ask away!!! Hugs, Carol

Hi Jennifer I was suppose to have my surgery done by DR. Coster on January 24th 2005 but I haven't had it yet because my husbands job sold out to another company and his insurance changed on JAN 1st which messed it all up for me I had to go through another approval again which I'm still waiting on. DR. Coster was very nice when I met him at my consultation he said he is going to have the University Hospital put in a green field filter so I wont get any blood clots after surgery and thats because I had a blood clot in my lung 4 years ago and I am now on oxygen all of the time which sucks I now have pulmonary hypertension and I weigh 400 pounds so I hope and pray my breathing will get easier after I lose weight but the DR's are still not sure if I will ever get rid of the oxygen. Anyways the only thing that I have been frustrated about this whole situation is the lady that takes care of DR. Costers paperwork delayed everything for me if she would of done her work the way she is suppose to do I'm sure I would of had my surgery along time ago. With my first approval she received all my medical records from me and I called her to see if she sent my paperwork to my insurance company she said no not yet thats after her having my medical records for a week allready. I waited another week after she told me she would send my medical record after we talked on the phone. I would call and her answering machine would come on I would leave a message for her to call me and 2 weeks later she returned my phone call and she says I am so sorry I been so busy and then I asked well did you send my medical records she says oh not yet mind you thats 3 weeks that she still had my medical records and had not sent them so she promised she would do it and I had my insurance company call her she finally sent them. A week after my insurance company received my medical records they denied me they wanted 6 month DR. supervised diet plan so I sent more medical records and I also started a supervised diet plan. She then took another 2 weeks to send my new medical records after she hid behind her answering machine which she is very good at doing and believe me no lie she takes at least a week to 2 weeks to answer you back. well all in all my insurance company answered back fast each time she took 5 weeks all together and my insurance company took 2 weeks for final answer and then I was approved I was so happy until I got the news that my husbands insuranced changed. I cried because i knew I was going to have to deal with her again to get my medical records sent to new company. I was right here it is March and I asked her to send my medical records back in January well finally she did in February and it took my insurance company 30 days to exact and they denied me and guess why? Well she didn't send any of my medical records so they requested my medical records I was so pissed I called her I talked to her answering machine she would never would call back so my family DR told me to report her and tell her that he was going to take over so I left her a message then she got scared and she called me and apologized and she said she would send my medical records right away well guess what she just sent them last week so I might get lucky and have my surgery by May its ridiculouse I had to wait 4 more months just to get a new approval all because of her not doing her job right and yes when I see DR. Coster I am going to report her so other people don't have to deal with what I went through it's very frustrating and stressful. I wish you luck just keep on her if she doesn't move fast enough and always check on your status just don't assume that shes sent your paperwork shes very slow. Good Luck I stayed with DR. Coster because i heard he is great if it wouldn't of been for that I would of went with another surgeon to get my surgery done. I wish you the best. Lavonda