Received date for surgery, but not happy.....

Today was my visit with my surgeon. He recommended me to have an open vsg. That is not what I had in mind, so now I feel a little down. I wanted a laproscopic RNY. I was even okay with having the sleeve, but I don't want an open surgery. My surgeon's assistant told me that my dr. prefers to do open surgeries, so I figure he must not be too good with the laproscope. Well, he said that since I want laproscopic then he will do it, but if anything goes wrong he will have to do open. That makes me feel like when i wake up Im going to have laproscopic scars and the long scar from my breastbone to my naval. Should I request another Dr.? Right now my date is for Nov. 20, but I am not at all excited..

You should definitely NOT proceed with a surgery that you do not want.
This might be a good time to do some additional research on other docs. Maybe I'm wrong, but I always kind of assume that surgeons who don't want to do lap are lazy. Or perhaps he just hasn't bothered to take the training. Whatever the reason...YOU are the patient...the doc is working for YOU. Don't settle. Don't take something you don't want just to have the surgery done.

If you're not getting that warm fuzzy feeling stop the process.  You need the be 100% confident in your sureons abilities.  If he is not skilled in the procedure you want, the way that you want it performed, you have selected the wrong doctor.

The only reason to accept a different type of procedure is if the change is medically best for you.   The doctors preference does not over ride your preference. 

This is your life and your journey. If you don't feel comfortable then don't settle. You need to go after what makes you happy. I would keep looking for a different doctor.

I agree with everyone else do not SETTLE.  You need to be completely sure with your decision about what procedure and what doctor you want.

But I do want to add this...There is nothing wrong with a doctor who wants to perform an open surgery. That does not make him an incompentant doctor whatsoever. My doctor only performes surgeries open and he has been doing it the longest in the area and considered the best in the area.  Now he does have other doctor's who does it lap in his office for those who choose to go that route. I had another surgeon before the one who ultimately peformed my surgery and he did it lap but he told me as well if while performing the surgery if there something happens they will convert to open if they have to. This is not a bad thing. You want a surgeon who is skilled enough to make the decision to switch to open if he has too. When you are laying on that operating table your life is in that doctor's hands. He is not going to be concerned about the length of your scar. He is going to be concerned with saving your life.

Edited to add: You should do some reasearch as far as why a doctor will start out lap and convert to open in the middle of your surgery if need be. I will tell you that I had a friend who had his doctor tell him the same thing. Due to his size he was 400 plus pounds doing it lap was going to present more of a challenge. He lost a few pounds before surgery and was able to have his lap procedure with no problems. You need to do more research on this subject. Do not automatically assume this doctor is incompetent. You may end up being told the same thing somewhere else. Research Research Research.

I only partially agree with the others.  You definitely should not settle.  Did you ask your Dr. why he suggested open?  I had open also but I was told it was due to my high BMI.  When there is a lot of fat in the middle area, it makes it harder for them to do the surgery lap.

Don't know if that's the case for you, but that was my surgeons reason. 

Talk to your Dr.,  tell him your concern and if needed, get another surgeon if open is not what you want.  It's all about YOU!

I'm with Kim, I partially agree with the others. Did he give you a reason you would have open? Scar tissue concerns? High BMI? There is an extrememly well respected RNY Dr here in DC. He only does open. He's been doing the surgery for years and years and thats what he's comfortable with. I'd rather have my surgeon of choice be comfortable. If lap is what you want, go to a surgeon that uses that as his method of choice.

FYI every single lap surgery can turn into an open once the surgeon is in there. I had to sign agreeing to that matter.

You need to run away from this guy!!! there are other doctors!!!!!

Is there a reason why he wants you to do the VSG over the RNY?  I really don't see the benefit of doing an open VSG.   I would pass on using him as a surgeon if he only does open.  Makes me wonder if he does open for a Lap Band.