Surgeon questions

Hi all, I'm in the very early stages. I met with a surgeon my gyno recommended. I'm dealing with some insurance issues and my insurance agent is trying to get me coverage. He also had a rec for a surgeon.

The one one I met with recommends the sleeve and has done over 600 surgeries and has a lot of pre-testing which I like. I'm very scared of the surgery and everything involved, especially at my very high weight, and I feel the most pre tests to besure I'll be ok going under is best. She has cardiac, sleep apnea, pulmonary, psychological, colonoscopy and endoscopy and also go to my endocrinologist. There might be one or two more, I don't have my paper in front of me.

The dr my insurance guy recommend has done over SEVEN THOUSAND surgeries and seems almost like he invented some of the techniques. But on his website they only mention a colonoscopy as far as testing. That doesn't seem like nearly enough. Especially after talking about sleep apnea with the first dr if this guy has done so many is it just like a factory?? Pumping people in and out?

I was was thinking about going to him for a second option and just seeing what he recommends.

Any tips? How did you pick your surgeon? Maybe the second dr would require those tests too, I guess I'll only know if I meet with him?

Thanks!!

I would get the second opinion. If the surgeons have support groups I would see if you can go to those, too. Do your research on both surgeons.

Why did the first surgeon recommend the sleeve? What was his rationale? Sadly, I believe some surgeons recommend it because it is an easier, quicker surgery for them to perform. I would also ask what percentage of excess weight his patients typically lose.

I chose my surgeon from TV. He had a show on at the time. I researched online, went to support groups, and lurked here on OH to find more information.

Good luck!!

there are/were five surgeons in my city who do the surgery, so I went to an orientation session with all five of them. There were two whom I particularly liked, and with one of the two (who works in a group practice), I overheard a staff member say "if I was getting that surgery, I'd go with him" - so that nailed it for me (plus, he'd been doing the surgeries a lot longer than the other person to boot - which was another plus in my book).

A lot of surgeons require a lot of that pre-testing you mentioned - although I didn't have to get a colonoscopy (I'd had one five years previously - although that's quite a lot of time). Pre-testing is good - then they know if you're going to be able to handle the surgery and anesthesia. I'm surprised the other surgeon you talked to only requires a colonoscopy.

P.S. I would go talk to the second surgeon, though. It could be he requires more pre-testing than what's listed on his Web site. And some of the pre-testing could depend on the patient's age, BMI, etc. For instance, my surgeon required a nuclear stress test for all patients over age 50, plus anyone under 50 who'd had heart issues. Since he didn't require it of ALL patients, my guess is he wouldn't have listed it on his Web site (although to be honest, I don't think he listed any of the required pre-testing on his Web site - I think he went through those at his orientation session or at my initial consult with him)