don't write a surgeon off because he's not on the short list of vetted surgeons

I get dr. kemmiter is not listed as a vetted surgeon for revisions of rny  to ds patients but we should not write him off because he is not on the short list of vetted surgeons. He may have been doing this type of rny to ds surgery for years and  maybe just maybe those patients don't come here so he's not on the list. I think im  smart enough to realize i will need to get as much info on how many of these rny to ds surgeries he's done before laying down on the table and letting this doctor slice me up. I will also talk to former rny to ds patients of this doctor to get there experiences with this doctor good or bad. I just want to thank those who've responded to my posts regarding this doctor with there honesty and openess .

Well said! It comes down to doing us diligence and asking plenty of questions. We are our own best advocates...

i wish i could agree but i would never put my life on those chances. nothing replaces experience. believe me i know when you have little options....i am from Montana we do not have any ds surgeons and forget about revision surgeons plus NO neighbor state has a revision surgeons either. even though i was limited i would never let myself under hands that was not experienced in revisions. the reason i want this surgery is to live not to die. i have heard of people dieing and i have heard of people who have had success but i am not willing to take that chance or agree. some people might be ok with their chances but you know what i had complications from an experienced surgeon on a virgin ds. imagine if i was in the hands of a newb! omg i would be dead! i like being safe and to be safe you have to make safe choices.

whatever you choose, i wish you luck and health.

also want to note that i am not bad mouthing your surgeon, i am not :) i know he is a good surgeon but what i am saying maybe you should find his patients that are 'revisions' RNY to DS and see how they are fairing. i know several women i keep in touch with that have had the ds with my surgeon. maybe you should find some to do some research. seeing his pt's a few years post op speaks volumes:)

 

Where EXACTLY is this "vetted list of revision surgeons".  DSFacts.com is the ONLY reliable source for all things DS, and I see no list of vetted revision surgeons there (although, being in conversations with the site owner personally, I know there has been intent to do so, it is just difficult to capture that as revisions are not "cut & dry" and are determined on an individual basis with the surgeon & patient).

You may be "smart enough", but you are certainly coming off differently in your posting -- just a word of advice, don't alienate people here, you WILL need them.  Kemmeter (my own surgeon, who I highly recommend, and I originated the MIDS group for support of the MI DS patients, and interact with many other DS patients *Kemmeters or not*, and interact with Kemmeter himself), will NOT be there to hold your hand post-op.  He is a cutter, a most fabulous cutter, but he is NOT his support staff, who frankly, do not understand the DS as well as they should.

http://weightlosssurgery.proboards.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=fix&thread=5664&page=1#78718

 Kemmeter was just recently added.

 

I saw most of your response to me before you deleted it.  Just an fyi... you haven't alienated me.  I take this VERY MAJOR surgery seriously, and appreciate other people that do -- you DO fall into that category because you ARE gathering your facts.

I really did want an answer to where the vetted revisions surgeon list was though, I wasn't just being an ass.

still being fairly new to the board i don't have a list i think whenever someone mentions a surgeon who does revisions and this is only my opinion but from the responses i see on this and other boards  some believe that a if a surgeon is on that ds facts list he's considered a vetted surgeon. Now i could be wrong but i've seen posts here where someone mentions a surgeon and someone responds "he's not a vetted surgeon if he's not on ds facts.com

Cool, thanks.  I really did want to know if this existed somewhere that I was not aware of.

Yes, surgeons on DSFacts.com are "vetted".  They are "vetted" via the site owners criteria (she had input from vets), but I believe the criteria to be very solid.  Of course, I would, because Kemmeter is on that list because I pushed for him to be vetted (and take this as you will, but there is another surgeon in his practice CAPABLE of the DS, but not on the list, for VERY GOOD reason, imnsho).

Really, bottom line is you're in very capable, but also compassionate, hands with Kemmeter.  Confirm with him that you WILL be getting a TRUE DS anatomy (everyone should do this, and not just assume, and UNDERSTAND the difference if it starts to sound fishy -- a good surgeon will indeed explain / draw it out / whatever for you, not just assure you), and be firm with him on what you would be willing to accept post-op (as in, what happens when he gets in there, if he has to make another call -- make sure it is YOUR call, and not just his).  For instance, *I* would accept waking up with a VSG, I would NOT accept waking up with a RnY; he could close me right back up if anything but the DS or VSG were going to happen -- and he better have a damn solid reason WHY the DS didn't!