Dr. Lester Cooperstone - Patients

Feedback, please.  Thanks!

Hi, I met Dr. Cooperstone when I was interviewing surgeons. He ONLY does Open RNYs, and I wanted Lap RNY....so I looked further. I didn't want the large scar, the longer healing time, more pain post-op, etc. Best of luck in your journey! Hugs, Karen

Karen, Thanks so much.  I'm still on the fence although I am just about finished with the pre-op requirements, 1 more appt.  The scarring bothers me. Dr. Cooperstone kept insisting the lap has a higher mortality rate.  He's the 2nd surgeon I have met with.  And from what I have read on the boards regarding post-op of gastric bypass I'm terrified. I think it may be best to keep researching. Thanks again.

Ok now that Donna was more honest than I was the first time...I'll add to my opinion! Dr. Cooperstone pushed OPEN because he can't do LAP! His data about there being more fatalities is totally outdated. Also: He still uses a Silastic Ring on the stoma....another method that is outdated. He'll swear by it but I didn't find another surgeon who agreed so I did my own research and found his argument praising it to be false. My Mom had her RNY in 1998, Open, and back then many used a Silastic Ring. Well....HERS POPPED!!!! It's gone now and she is awaiting a revision. And, one more comment: I always brought my sister or mother with me when I met the prospective surgeon; they are both RNs so I valued their opinions. Well....we all found him to be very abrupt, pushy, and almost rude when we asked about the reasons he used a silastic ring and why he didn't do it LAP. That was the biggest turn off for me. He was not patient and wanted to "brush the issues under the rug"...but we pushed him for answers and he was not nice at all. Anyway....really think this through; this mans hands are going to reroute your plumbing, so to speak, FOREVER. Hugs, Karen

I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE HERE HAVE NOTHING BUT WONDERFUL THINGS TO SAY ABOUT HIM AND HIS PATIENT COORDINATOR FERN. I MET WITH HIM 5 YEARS AGO. AND THEN HE WANTED TO TO AN OUTDATED WEIGHT LOSS PROCEDURE WITH A HIGH FAILURE RATE ON ME...THE VERTICAL GASTRIC BAND. WHEN I MENTION THAT I WANTED A RNY HE DIMISSED IT, BECAUSE I CARRIED MY WEIGHT WELL AND DIDN'T LOOK LIKE I WAS 100 OVERWEIGHT. I FELT HE WAS REALLY PUSHING THE VERTICAL GASTRIC BAND.  FUNNY (AFTER THE FACT STORY) ABOUT HIS RECEPTIONIST, SHE WAS VERY ANNOYED THAT I DIDN'T HAVE THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF MONEY FOR A CO PAY. I HAD A 20 DOLLAR BILL AND MY CO PAY WAS $15, AND SHE DIDN'T HAVE ANY CHANGE. I TOLD HER TO KEEP THE ADDITIONAL $5, BUT SHE INSISTED THAT I GO BREAK THE 20 DOLLAR BILL. SO I HAD TO LEAVE HIS OFFICE GO UP AND DOWN JERICHO TPK TO FIND SOMEWHERE TO BREAK THE $20 BILL AND PAY HER BEFORE THE DOCTOR WOULD SEE ME.   :) NEEDLESS TO SAY I DIDN'T USE HIM !!!  DONNA OPEN RNY MAR 18 2003 282/144/140

Donna, Thanks!

I am a Dr, Cooperstone patient.  I am 7 wks out and anytime that I meet with Dr. C I find him to be pleasant with me.  He answers all my questions.  He does only do open RNY though.  I had no problem with that and my scar isn't that bad.  I also didn't think my recovery was that bad either.  I was walking within 3 hrs of surgery and was in a great hospital with great pain management.  But everyone is different and has a different level of pain tolerance.  It's just a matter of preference.  He  attends his support group meetings and answers questions there too which impressed me.  I had gone to a couple of different support group meetings and there wasn't a dr in site.   I didn't find and never had any problems with him or Fern.  Like I said it is a matter of preference. 

You have to be crazy and uninformed to undergo an open gastric bypass when all of the data clearly states that the laparoscopic approach has the best data.  Alll surgeons that can do the open technique always do it laparoscopically and can honestly tell you the differences.  A surgeon who only does open surgery will tell you it's the greatest thing in the world because you will have to go to another a surgeon if you want laparoscopic.  The open approach actually has higher complication rates like wound infections, wound hernias and lung problems.  Dr. Cooperstone is a dinosaur trying to survive and will soon be extinct.  Seek another surgeon.