Trying to Decide on Houston Surgeon

I'm starting with a holy mess from a lap band (and I never want to see that surgeon again, thank you very much) but revising to a DS due to multiple problems and now Type II Diabetes.  I've done some research and found both Dr. Erik Wilson and Dr. Ricardo Bonnor on DS Facts.

Both are covered by my Insurance, and I'm looking for patient opinions on both.

The closest experienced DS surgeon is Ayoola in Denton.

Hi Patty,

Taking a trip to Denton isn't really an option for me for a number of personal reasons.  I'm looking at my options in Houston and the immediate area.

Wow….you sound just like me, only I’m about six weeks ahead of you. The search has been relentless, enlightening and dis-appointing all in one. You name it, I’ve heard it and done it. I will just narrow it down for you….I had SOME luck on these boards, but, found out a lot more in person when I met with a FB group of DS’rs locally here in Houston a couple weeks ago (due to a nice ladies invitation from this board I might add), so let me just cut right to the chase…I don’t want to say anything bad about any Dr.’s, BUT, most in Houston are NOT real experienced with the DS and will either try to talk you out of it, or say they probably will have to do it it two stages which is a whole other thread and is sometimes done on purpose and referred to in these circles as a “Bait and Switch” There are only THREE true DS Surgeons in Houston and they are Dr. Eric Wilson,  Dr. Scarborough and Dr. Spiegel, I’ve interviewed SIX surgeons so far and the very last one will be a week from today and then I will decide which one of the two to go with. Unfortunately,  Dr.Scarborough is not covered by my insurance, but his partner, Dr. Yu is and I seen him also, so….you definitely posted at a good time, good luck to you and I will help anyway I can with what I have found out…..the hard way!!!!!

Best of luck to both of you.  There is a reason why you haven't heard from dozens, or 10, or even 5 of these surgeon's patients.  But there are a few out there and you may hear from someone yet.

Yes I know Houston has a world class medical center.  I was a research scientist and a Fellow there.  Houston is great for hearts and cancer but not the DS.  

When you meet with the doctors you mentioned make sure they are offering you a true DS.  I know of more than one patient who went in for a DS and wound up with an experimental procedure, the SADI.  And if they say they have to do the surgery in 2 stages, they are assessing their own skill level.  And if they aren't skilled enough, run.  Run all the way to Denton and Dr. Ayoola.  Really, it's a 5 hour drive.  Think of all the folks who went to Spain, Brazil, and Belgium.

FWIW, it's called Bait and Don't Switch.  It's a common practice for surgeons to advertise the DS to get you in the office.  Then they tell you why you shouldn't have the DS but you should have whatever surgery they are selling.  Or they want to do the sleeve and then the intestinal switch sometime down the road after you have lost some weight.  Always follow the money.  Do you really want to have 2 major surgeries and recoveries instead of one?  And if they tell you it's all about your health and condition, keep in mind that real DS surgeons have done the whole procedure in one OP on people who weigh 800lbs.  And most people who weigh that much are really sick and loaded with comorbidities.  Think twice cut once is a good place to be.

Thxs Patty for the reply and advice. You are so right about all of it. I am real close to just saying F it and go off to Dallas.

Hi i'm a patient of Dr. Bonner's, I will be having VSG in Dec.,  I have found Dr. Bonner to be very professional and direct.

I had my DS with Dr. Bonnor, I went in looking to have the RNY but he suggested I have the DS because of the amount of weight I need to lose and I agreed. He did warn me that he may have to do the surgery in 2 stages which I stressed to him that I want it in one. He was able to even with allot of scare tissue repair from a previous surgery. I have talked to someone that used him that he only did the sleeve the first go around, and even thou she was disappointed she understood why he did it that way. Also my common channel is longer than most but I still lost weight and meet his goal in less than a year out and now at a year out still losing. Also his food and vitamin plan is the same for an RNY (like most surgeons). His office staff is great! And he is to the point and lays it all out for you. So I have nothing but a great experience with him but I understand that there are issues with some of the things I mentioned.

New here and from the Houston area. I heard about Dr. Garth Davis and The Davis Clinic from a friend that had complications from a previous WS and had Dr. Davis do a revision. She was extremely pleased with him, so I went to see him about a year ago. I left his office with my first introduction to what DS was, although I wasn't ready to make that big of a decision yet. 6 months later, I had a talk with my primary care doctor and he referred me to the same doctor. He told me Dr. Garth Davis was the best in his field here in Houston. His office is between Katy and Houston at I-10 and the Beltway. I believe he works with 4 other doctors in his office including his father and they are partners with UT Physicians.

I am pleased with the staff so far and have just completed all the hoops I had to jump through for my insurance. Just awaiting final approval and a surgery date.

I'm open to comments about this doctor, especially before I let him cut on me, but I'm hoping I've made the right choice.

Jeff