Ok everyone I need some advice. I have finished my 6 month medically supervised diet and have been approved for the lapband with Bluegrass Bariatrics. They are the only physician group I contacted when I began this journey. After researching on the board I decided I wanted to check in with another group just to make sure I am making the right choice so I have sent my paperwork to Dr. Sonnanstine. I also have become very interested in the bypass surgery instead of lapband. I need pros/cons of each group of physicians. Tell me what you know so I can make an informed decision. I plan on weighing the information I get here and meeting with both physicians before I make a final decision on the group I will choose. Also can anyone give me pros/cons they had with the hospital they used. I am looking at  Baptist East in Louisville, Georgetown Community, or Central Baptist in Lexington.
Thanks again for any information you can give me, this board is awesome!

That is wonderful!
Congrats on the loss!

Leslie

that's great that you didn't have to wait long for insurance approval. I talked to Keri, the insurance person at St. Joes. WLS, today and she set me up with my first appointment on 2/18. I was all excited about it until after I talked to my supervisor to get that date off. My supervisor told me that I couldn't have that day off or any other day off for the month of Feb. due to a staffing shortage. So now I have to wait until March to be able to schedule my first appointment.

That's cool that we're in the same town.


Take Care
Andrea

Hi Sherry,...It's so hard when something like this happens and I totally agree abou****ching closely the paperwork the hospital gives.  I went back a second time as they left out my OR notes.

I do know you are referring to Dr. Sonnanstine and I had hoped this all took care of it's self once he got settled in at G-town.  Dr.  Sonnanstine was in a very difficult position where he was "employed" ...   When their disagreements became so bad that he fought back, the hospital suspended him--so he was pretty much forced to quit as he knew there was no way to resolve the differences that was part of his philosophy of good patient care..  Therefore leaving him in the situation of no contact with his patients (not at all by choice)...the sad thing was that his patients had no idea what was going on..(.it is my opinion and those of many others who worked with him and along side him) that the blame was that of the facility .., seeing to it their post -op care was taken care of.... From the time he left until he opened his own private practice in Gtown, he could not "legally" see a patient ..he could not practice, nor see a pt..at another facility as the hospital held him to the "non-compete"clause..it's sad..and was very, very difficult for him..Dr. Sonnanstine took this very hard and was upset about leaving his patients..He was offered other positions but chose G-town for a number or reasons...but his priority was to be close for his patients .. Once he opened his doors at his new office it was again "legally" up to the patient to get their records and come to him, not the other way around.
this is all very difficult to understand ..but the law steps in and stops things from happening.  Working with many different surgeons now..two of which just left one facility and came to ours..I watched the exact things happen..making me realize even more what he went through.
I am glad things turned out well for you..I was fortunate...Dr. Sonnanstine took over my care from a plastic surgeon who didn't seem to care I had problems and there was no reason for him to not take care of me...I was very, very ill...  Dr. Sonnanstine is passionate and cares very much about his patients..to the point of being controlling and protective at the same time.  I have seen him fight for them against other docs..I have seen him sit up all night with a patient when they came through the ER with a dumping syndrom..I have seen him cut his vacation short or cancel them completely..to be with a patient.  I am so very sorry you felt neglected and left behind...this must have been very difficult for you.....
Brenda

I sure hope she isn't referring to Dr. Sonnanstine-I think he's amazing!  Words can hardly describe how wonderful he is.