what can you tell us about your surgeon?

Since this board does seem a bit quiet, how about we get to know more about the surgeons and patients in the Kentucky area. Please reply giving us a little info about when you had surgery and who performed it. If you have not been approved but are going through the process lets hear about it. This is so helpful for those who are searching and needing info. Are you waiting for your surgery date?? What was your experience at the center you chose? I had my surgery in Dayton, Ohio two years ago..Today I am a patient advocate for Dr. Thomas Sonnanstine at St. Luke West, Florence Kentucky. ..I am very fortunate to have met him a year ago, he has been very good to me by teaching me about this surgery and how to deal with people who don't have a clue what this is all about. When I talk to preops and they tell me things they have heard from a family doctor or other medical professional, well for example... A surgeon can't see as well doing laparoscopic surgery,( I have been in surgery with him with lap and open, yes you can SEE BETTER doing lap!" or " I was told I am to large to do laparoscopic"(bogus info, I have seen him do that one too) and the best yet.."I can't have this surgery because I still want to have children" (if you were at the Regional Conference in Cincinnati and heard him speak you know this is false info!) All this bad information just blows me away. What is important to me is each person searching find a good surgeon, someone you are comfortable with and who also has a great after care program. What can you tell me about your surgeon??? next.............

Hi all! I have just begun and am at the very beginning of my journey. I have an appt with Bluegrass Bariatrics in Georgetown, KY. on 10/12 for my psyche eval and dietician, etc. etc. etc. It will be an all day thing and it should give me a good taste of whether this will be a long or a short approval process, right? I have heard glowing things about Dr. Weiss and Dr. Oldham. I have a friend that attended college with one of them and just recently tlaked to him....I found that out he recommends this for my weight loss issues, and supports it too. I haven't heard anything negative about this office and the staff and am anxious to get going!! Now that I've made the decision to have the surgery done, I want it done YESTERDAY! I look forward to others that have goen through the process and have met their goal and used BB. Hugs, Jojo

Jo Jo..I met Dr. Oldham and Dr. Weiss and then spent time with them a couple of weeks ago..I really enjoyed my visit and the time I spent with them in surgery. It's obvious how well they work together. I also spoke to Dr. Schantz on the phone, he is a plastic surgeon in that area and a friend of Dr. Weiss. I hear he is very good..

Brenda, I just had plastics with Dr. Schantz. He is a very skilled surgeon. Add to that his great bedside manner, wonderful sense of humor, and being cute as a button makes him a 10 in my book. IF I were to ever decide on having more plastics I wouldn't even think about going to anyone else. I also had Drs. Weiss and Oldham for my bariatric surgery. Dr. Oldham was my primary surgeon. I have been extremely pleased with their overall program. I have talked to friends who have gone to other surgeons, some in other states. I couldn't believe the lack of pre-op education and follow-up. I asked one friend who had RNY about her vitamins and she asked "what vitamins". The docs/staff in g-town are there for you 24/7. The docs and staff put you through the wringer as a pre-op, but they want to make sure you know everything you need to know to not only be successful at losing weight, but remain healthy in the process. You are a patient for life with them. I also think support is important. They offer support groups twice a week, one for bands and the other for rnyers. they also offer a monthly meeting for both types of surgery.

Robin these comments are good to hear! I had a very good impression with Dr. Schantz and I am anxious to meet him in person..He had me laughing on the phone... I have met alot of surgeons within this last year as I put together the Cincinnati event..I have to admit that Dr. Sonnanstine is my favorite and as I posted he wasn't even my surgeon! I will be leaving here in a few minuts to spend the day with him as his patient advocate..but I can tell you that Dr. Oldham and Dr. Weiss are right behind him..I feel they are alot alike in some ways and know getting together with them is going to be a blast. I am going to email this thread to Dr. Weiss so he can read it. I think that will make him feel pretty good to hear his patients like them this well.. Have a great day Brenda

Hello Jojo. I see that you have Fed BCBS, that's what I have as well. The insurance lady at my doc's office says that this is one of the easiest to work with. I had all of my stuff together for them (minus weight loss records, they don't normally require them, a really good thing for me since my PCP screwed me) and was approved in LESS THAN 24 HOURS. Yes, it blew my mind too. From consult to surgery was like 4-6 weeks for me, but I was really rushing it since I had classes starting soon. As for your docs, I chose Dr.Bolar, but I hear the ones you have chosen are really good as well, and supposedly very good looking? Good Luck on your journey, I hope it's smooth sailing for you from here on out. Take care and God Bless. Angi 301/256/150

So what do you think, if my eval appt is 10/12....how soon will they schedule my surgery??? Will I be losing by TDay?? LOL Thx Angi! Jojo

Lets see. My consult was the 12th of July and I had my psych done on the same day as well. I had my sleep study on the 14th. I was approved on the 20th and scheduled for August 4th. Wow, it wasn't even a month was it, I just noticed that. I guess I never really looked at the timeline as I was going through it, Like you I wanted it done yesterday. As for you, I guess it all depends on your doctors office. Like I said, I went thru Dr. Bolar at Bariatric Institute of KY. If they are on the ball though you possible could be ready by Turkey Day, I would say by Christmas as the most. If you do get delayed though let me say this, maybe its not your time yet. For well over a year I searched and searched for a job. I have an AA degree and have a great portfolio. But no one would touch me, I was so disgusted with myself and was really on the verge of losing it from all of this rejection. Hello??? one lady interviewing me told me she couldn't figure out why I couldn't find a job, (I was overqualified for her position, go figure). Any way my point, sorry. If I had gotten a job, I wouldn't have looked into surgery and in turn I wouldn't be here talking to you today. Everything happens for a reason is the way I look at things anymore. Like just last week, I went on yet another interview, and started to go insane. I called to check in and they said they won't be making any decisions for about a MONTH. I just have to put it in the Lord's Hands and if HE wants me to have it, HE will give it to me when its my time for it. I look at it this way, the Lord helps those who help themselves. You do everything on your part and let him deal with the rest. Easier said than done but we gotta have faith. (Sorry I rambled, it must be my day for it) Angi

Hello all. I had surgery just two months ago in Lexington by Dr. Bolar at Samaratin Hospital. Everything went great and have had no significant problems. Dr. Bolar is great, he is really knowledgable about the surgery and looks to know what he is doing. One of the things that impressed me the most was in my initial consult (there were 3 of us) he told us about the patients that he lost. Now don't get me wrong, I was very scared and nervous about this issue but I just didn't know how to broach the subject. Like I said though he really impressed me by bringing it up, to me it was like he knew exactly what we were thinking and his being honest about the negative as well as the positive is one of the characteristics I like. As for my hospital stay, the staff was great. The poor respitory therapist (sorry Jericho?-I think that's his name) took alot of flak from me, I just didn't want to do the breathing thingy. It hurt, and with the help of morphine, my family said I was quite adamant about it. My family also said they didn't know I could snore like that, supposedly you could hear me all over the floor. Good thing I don't remember or I would be embarrassed. One of my other issues at the hospital was when I woke up I wouldn't stay in bed. I was terrified of dying from a blood clot so I annoyed the crap out of everyone about wanting to get up and move around. Then when they finally let me I kept getting sick at my stomach. I ran them like crazy, again, I'll blame it on the morphine. They were great though, I don't remember the names of all of the staff that treated me, but they all treated me with compassion and respect and I strongly recommend this facility, all private rooms were a plus too. All in all though everything has been great. I feel so much better now, my only regret is not having surgery years ago. I'm not even down 50lbs yet, like 45 lbs in two months isn't alot, but my life has so much better of a quality. I jogged last week for the first time with my son, not a marathon mind you, but I DID IT!!! I can wear clothes again after years of them being too small and they don't look too bad if I say so myself. I am so excited about the prospect of being "normal". I have been obese since a preteen and I am so looking forward to getting all of this fat off of me and finding out what it's like to just be normal. To be able to cross my legs, walk into a store without heading for the plus department, doing things with my family and husband that I couldn't do before. Oh well, the list goes on and on. For those of you considering surgery, weigh your pros and cons (no pun intended there!), pray to the Good Lord Above to help you make the right decision and if its for you GO FOR IT. As I seen on another person's profile here, I leave you with this thought that helped me make my decision. (((((((((If the Lord brings you to it, He will bring you through it)))))))))) Take Care and God Bless Angi 301/256/150

Hey Thanks Angi, sounds like you are doing fabulous and I think the weight loss is awesome as well!!!