Update
I'm sure it could be devastating to find out such scary news after getting such good news. But please please please don't take a chance that you will wake up from surgery with an RNY.
Make sure you talk personally with other patients who got a DS from this surgeon.
My guess is that after he scopes you he will try to convince you that you can't have a DS. I'm really concerened for you.
Becky
I have not heard of Dr. Hoddinott, but it's great if there is a surgeon in Florida doing the DS, so many other Floridians have been searching for one after the last one moved. My surgeon is not on the vetted surgeons list on dsfacts.com, either, but I had faith in his surgical ability. Just make sure you ask the questions of him and his staff to assure yourself what your getting into, etc.
Good luck!
Loving my DS!!
I agree with those that have posted above and having a frank conversation with your surgeon - since he doesn't seem to have many peeps around here as patients.
The DS is a complex surgery and I would want someone to have had a lot of experience before they get to me!
Good luck!
Dr Hoddinott only came to the Ocala, FL area in August 2008, so less then a year and a half. In talking to him, he was happy that I had decided on DS. He stated that DS was his preferred WLS but that because of the expense and insurance usually disapproving it that he did far more RNYs. Apparently it is unusual for a patient to come in to him already knowing what a DS is. He was originally in with Dr Overcash who is the surgeon in Ocala that had so many problems. I've talked directly to some of his patients and he is bad news. He is gone. The office that Dr Hoddinott works out of is ran by Monroe Hospital and that is the only reason they were even together at all. I was told that Dr Overcash no longer has privleges at Monroe. Everyone I've talked to (including a few patients here on OH) that used Dr Hoddinott in PA have said he is great. Here is an excerpt from his bio that tells about his experience:
Dr. Hoddinott joins Munroe Regional after practicing for 12 years at St. Luke's Hospital in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. He had served as the Driector of Bariatric Surgery at St. Luke's since 2005. In addition to practicing at St. Luke's, he also worked as the clinical assistant professor of surgery at St. Frances de Sales University in Allentown, Pennsylvania since 2000. Dr. Hoddinott is certified in general surgery and vascular surgery with the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons. Dr. Hoddinott specializes in bariatric surgery, including revisional weight loss surgery. He completed his doctor of medicine and residency in general surgery at Memorial University of Newfoundland, Canada and his fellowship in vascular surgery at the University of Toronto, Canada. He is an active member of the American Society of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery, the Society of Vascular Surgery, and served as a board member for the Pennsylvania Society of Bariatric Surgery.
Needless to say, I'm hoping/expecting that Dr Hoddinott is simply one of many good surgeons that can and will do a DS but has been overlooked. I can't remember the number but the office said he had done a lot more then the 25 DS that are listed on this site... the info is just old and they never bothered to update it. Even the info on the Aetna web site on him is old and still lists him in PA and only as a vascular surgeon.
He will be scoping me on the 23rd. If there is anything that would change the operation then it would come up then. Changing while I'm under is simply not an option. There is no one to sign off. I'm single, never married, no kids, parents dead, only child. My best friend, Maye, will be at the hospital with me. She knows full well that only a DS is acceptable and understands all the reasons why. I told her of the concerns here on the board and she assured me that after she had finished chewing him up and spit him out that she would then tell him not to touch anything and just sew me back up. I love her to death but she has all the tact of a wild rhino that's been hit with a cattle prod! But I really don't think this will be an issue. I think he is very qualified and has just been overlooked. He even commented that if it was him or one of his family getting WLS that it would be the DS that he would want. That is not something that someone planning a bait and switch would say. So please everyone put your energy toward this being a successful DS surgery and our community will have finally found a surgeon in Florida.
In some ways it would be great to go to one of these well known DS surgeons but I'm restricted in several ways. First of all I have to use one that is covered by my insurance. Secondly, I really don't want to be away from home for several weeks. I have horses and while I will have the neighbor boys coming to feed and tend to them, I will still notice any issues long before they would. Many of these horses were born at my farm and those that were not have been with me for years. I know them like no one else... they are my kids. So if at all possible, I need to have the surgery locally. And before any of you get concerned... I can safely walk along the fence and see them without them being able to get to me and knock me over or anything. Additionally, if I did it out of the area then I'd find myself alone in an hotel room for at least a couple weeks in a city I didn't even know. All my friends work and could not just take off like that to tend to me.
Diane (from here on the board) came over yesterday and got to meet all my horse! It was great and we were instant friends (we share horses and going down the path of getting WLS). She is going to be my angel on the board and update everyone on how I'm doing.
Kathy
