Looking for Info on VanWagner....

I am considering going to HOAB (Dr. Van Wagner) for my surgery.  Has anyone had any problems?  Or any praise for him.

Hi there, Dr. Wagner did my surgery on the 27th of August. He's a nice man...pretty quiet and straitfoward...His office manager is great..she will help you a lot. He has done a lot of lap bands and RNY so whichever you do, he has the experience. I had the lap band. Overall he is very nice and proffesional....you shouldn't have any problems with him. Stacy :)

I really liked him but have  2 problems with him. He did my fills for me but not the surgery. I had that done in Mx. Paid cash for my fills, $400 the first time, and $200 after that, wasn't charged for unfills. First problem: when he gave me one of my fills he had a bubble in the tube when he injected me with the fluid, he didn't check for that before sticking me with the needle. The band became very tight the next day. I complain to his office manager saying I was to tight. She told me to give it more days it might loosen up. I did that. I had pain, couldn't eat or hardly drink. called the office again complaining, Finally got in to see the dr. he removed all the fluid and the bubble (which made the band  tighter)and did say he was sorry for doing that. I had to wait several weeks to get another fill from him to let my stomach rest awhile. When I went back for a fill, I was charged $200 again from his office manager, which I felt it should be free, it was his fault he put a bubble in my band which made it tighter and gave me pain.  Second problem: He was the doctor in my story that I wrote about when I first got onto this board, when he wouldn't check to see if I had any fluid left in my band . He said it was probably my heart. If he would of checked, I still might have my band today.  It took some time before my band slipped due to throwing up each night for months and the pain that I felt wasn't necessary. This is what I wrote before on the board: This is my story. I self-paid, no insurance. I went to Mx to have it done. After a year, the band became unlocked, (had x-ray done) went back to MX to lock it up again.  I had no pain, but I could eat anything I wanted. Having the band,doing fills, sometimes it is to tight or to loose.  I loved my band and happy I was losing, I had to lose 100 lbs.  My 3rd. year of the band, had another fill, it was too tight after couple of days, Return to the lap-band dr. and had the fill removed alittle. More days passed and the pain was still there. Had him remove all of the fill, but the pain was still there and I was still throwing up.  Days later had x-ray done to see if it slipped, dr. said no it didn't.  Maybe it was my heart the dr. said. Went to the heart dr. had test done, no, it wasn't my heart it was the  band to tight around my stomach they said. Went back to the lap-band dr. I had here, asked him to please check to see if he removed all of the liquid from my band. He refused, and told me to get more test on my heart, he said it wasn't the band giving me pain. Four months of pain, throwing up, not eating, going to the emergency room several times being put on different medicines, the lap-band didn't want to touch me anymore, he continued said it wasn't the band, the heart dr. said it was the band and he didn't need to see me anymore either. My family got the money together and off I went back to MX , I trusted that dr. completely with my life. I did feel it was the band giving me trouble.  I told him if it is the band to remove it, I couldn't afford to come to Mx anytime something  happened. When I woke up he told me their was still fluid in the band and the band did slip, he removed the band, and I been fine ever since. Now, I have medicaid, and going for the Rny since medicaid won't pay for the band.  And my family is happy I'm not going to MX anymore. Helen