Dr. Wooldridge @ Ochsner

Has anyone seen Dr. Wooldridge or has he performed anyone's surgery? He will be performing my RNY later this year and when I met with him, I really liked him.  However, I know that he is very young and has only been performing these surgeries for about a year.  I was just hoping to find someone who has dealt with him, too! Thanks

I really can't help you with Dr. Wooldridge, but I can tell you that Dr. Richardson from Ochsner performed my surgery four years ago.  If Dr. Wooldridge is anything like Dr. Richardson, you're in extremely good hands.  Good luck with your surgery. 

If there is anything I can help you with, please let me know.

Linda D

Yes, I hear great things about Dr. Richardson.  I feel very comfortable with Dr. Wooldridge and I am sure that he is held to the same level of excellence as Dr. Richardson is, but it would definitely be nice to talk with someone who has had surgery performed by him! Thank you very much for the well wishes!

My gastric band surgery was done by Dr. Wooldridge on November 5th. He is so sweet and caring. I felt really comfortable with my decision to have him perform my surgery even though he is around my age. He will answer any questions you have.

Oh I am so excited to find someone who had Dr. Woodridge! I know he is pretty young but I have faith in him.... Thanks so much! You are the only person I have found that has had surgery performed by him.  How is the band working for you so far?

Sorry I was out of town the last few days. Yes he is a great surgeon and really cares about his patients. I stayed overnight after my surgery and I didn't find it all that bad.....the nurses were great when I was there and I only saw 2 residents during my stay and Dr. Wooldridge was usually not long behind them to check on me.  Actually I went today for a follow up visit and was supposed to see Amber the physician assistant and he ended up coming in himself to see me instead of her and asked me all kinds of questions about how I was doing and looked over my incisions and such. I am actually still on liquids but tonight I get to start mushies so thats a plus just to be able to chew something. Good Luck keep me posted on how things go with you

Dr.Richardson is an excellent surgeon.  Ochsner 5th floor is horrible.  Just make sure you let him know you want to see him and not so many residents.
-Ochsner is a teaching hospital so you will have interns,medical students, and residents handling your care.  If you let your doctor know upfront what you except he should honor it.
-I wish ppl told me about the care at Ochsner.
-I had my surgery with Dr. Richardson on 10/22/09 and he was great.  The hospital was horrible so beware.  Make sure you have family to stay with you doing your hosptial stay.

I had surgery several months ago with Dr. Wooldridge and I agree with you 100%.  He is awesome but the overnight stay was horrible.  His clinic staff can be very insensitive too but my personal experience with him has been exceptional.  I guess Ochsner got tired of my complaints because they quit sending me their famous evaluation forms and the staff in patient services quit returning my calls after I complained as well.

After my vertical sleeve surgery that I had in Mexico, I had major complications.  It was found a few days after I got home, I was very sick, and weak, went into the work that morning, and my boss made me go to the hospital, so I did.  At first I went to East Jefferson Hospital, and I was told that I had leaks caused by my vertical sleeve surgery.  I had to be operated on and for them to try to fix the leak, and they had a tube for drainage in my stomach.  After a number of CT Scans, being fed through the IV and a hospital stay resulting in approximately 2 1/2 weeks, the doctor at East Jefferson told me that I could be discharged.  I wanted to be discharged, but was still very very weak.  It was only about two days after my discharge when I began feeling stomach pains, had fever and then was rushed to the hospital, but this time I went to Ochsner.  Dr. Wooldridge was my bariatric surgeon taking care of me at Ochsner, and I was in there for approximately 1 1/2 months.  I had multiple abdominal abcesses, they had to do surgery on me also, they had to place a stent to try to correct the leak, I was not given any food or drink because they didn't trust that my food or drink could make yet another abcess, so they fed me through IV.  He was a great doctor, and told you everything you needed to know.  He would consult with many physicians, and other experts in the field on how to handle my case, because actually I almost died.  I was very very sick.  I was very very weak for quite some time.  But, it was through Dr. Wooldridge that I am here today.  I am much better, he virtually saved my life.  They told me also that there are numerous times when there are leaks after weight loss surgery, but sometimes they don't occur right after surgeon, perhaps it could be days or weeks after surgery, but they do have these more times than what they say.  I would caution anyone not to go into this surgery, thinking everything will be okay, sometimes it will be okay, but like in my case, I almost died, but thank God, I am here.  I don't know what caused the leaks, but any little strain could have caused it, and I don't think it was done at the time of surgery, because if that was the case, they would have found the leak in the leak test they done before I left.  Anyway, Dr. Wooldridge fixed me up, and I thank him today, that I am alive.  He is the best.

Debby Luv