Unwanted opinions

I think the majority of us have been very clear about not being interested in Mr. Simpson's opinions, so I suggest rather than engaging him and pumping up OH's new attempt at revitalizing "our" board, that we entirely ignore him. Do not engage in any way and wait for the crickets to start chirping as OH's advertising goes downhill. Boycott the threads and wait for real issues to appear.

Why don't you just let people make thier own  decision what they want to participate in? What is the gain for OH to loose advertising dollars and go down the tubes. This resource then would not be available.

Hmmmm let's see you started here today, I've been here 7 days a week for over 6 years yeah I so respect your opinion Mr. Simpson! Fake IDs don't impress the smart viewers here.

Debate the opinions - do not attack me.

Engage in statistics and what works  - don't assume your experience and those who have a similar experience is universal

Learn what works - and what doesn't

Like any forum - you can ignore or engage

But if you engage, do it in a positive manner

You don't like my opinion - please ignore me - please do. 

If you have something that is constructive to say- then do so

You don't like me because the cut of my jib- that is fine, you don't have to like me. If you hear bad things about me, you can ask about them - and I will be happy to answer.

Well, the problem is that so far you haven't been overly honest here.  You tell 2% of truth and leave the rest behind.  So to respond to your statement that we should just ask you, I don't think so.  The facts that are public record speak for themselves.  The patients you have treated have spoken well over the years.  There is really little to ask of you.

I don't know if you have a lap band or not, there is no way to tell.  It works for a small few and mostly not for the majority.  Ask the US govt about that one.  But from looking at your photos can you see why it is fair for us to question why we should listen to what you preach vs. what you practice?  If it is so darn easy to lose weight with your instructions, why haven't you?  I don't mean that as a slam in the way it sounds, merely that we have ALL had obesity issues and we all need to find what works for us.  It is my sincere hope you find what works for you.  That's all.

I have noticed something concerning.  I read an article you posted on your website about a death of a patient.  You were ohhhh so compassionate and concerned.  You questioned leaving surgery, blah blah.  Be honest, that was damage control.  Your real personality speaks well right here when you show arrogance and absolute hate for anyone that does not believe a band is God's gift to fat people.  You tell them to stop posting here, go away, etc.  Quite frankly, that just isn't your call.  You don't get to dictate who posts here or what they post.  But the real point here is when you are doing damage control on your website for a death you are well aware your other patients knew about, and admitted such, vs. your usual and the way you treat your patients and the way you have treated people here.  It is without excuse.  A spoiled child behaves that way, not someone who is educated and should have a grasp of the English language.  Why such a huge difference in the way you present yourself?

To respond to your other post, you do not have the slightest idea who I am.  I merely know many people who have been to you and I know what public records show.  I know your rep within the medical community.  I have no reason to share my personal info with you considering this is a message board designed for people with a band, considering a band, or those who had a band to exchange information.  There is no OH rule that claims we have to post our full name, address, SS#, DL#, place of employment, nor our spouses info.  That simply isn't any of your business.  MOST here do not use their full name.

You want to know which Karen I referred to?  She is the one with no WLS benefits and you billed her non covered fills for a diagnoses she does not have and never has and you were paid $600 per fill.  THAT is the Karen I refer to.

You claim you have only removed 20 bands.  I really don't believe that.  I do know someone who works for a surgeon that has removed a great many of your bands as well as a great many bands from other surgeons.  I am not picking on your skill in this case, bands are bands and they aren't even meant to last for the life of the patient unless the patient has a couple of years to live.  I do believe you are so financially invested in lap bands you are trying to save a lost cause.  Most people do need to have them removed over time because of the complications we have tried to explain to you.  But all you can do is infer we are stupid, too stupid for a piece of plastic and then tell us to go away.  I have news for you, the band isn't that complicated.  It is not difficult to place a band, it is not difficult to follow the rules of a band.  It is most difficult to live with a band long term.  You are not going to convince a bunch of vets otherwise.  It isn't going to happen.  You can stomp those feeties and demand anyone who disagrees with you leave, but we aren't going anywhere.

Sorry- no Karen. We have a fill price of $100 for our patients. We went through the records- and don't see that person. I don't code for the patients billing - if she has an issue with it she can email me directly. If she paid $600 for a fill then she definitely needs to email me, because that is not what we do.

The long term data from O'Brien would disagree with you about long-term results and band removal. Since he is in a closed system- that is the Australian health care system, they have great follow up. They don't leave the country to get healthcare - I suppose a few do- but their follow up is outstanding .

Please let me know which surgeon has "removed a lot of my bands" and I will happily call them and get that information. 

Happy to debate the literature. 

Not asking anyone to leave.

Funny when someone says they know a lot of my patients - it is a small world, but not that small. So far, the one person you name we go through all our electronic medical records and pull all karens and guess what- we just can't find that person who you say I put the band in, who I taught, and who had a band out by someone else. Pretty specific information - and we have searched. So, if you do indeed know that person, and we have missed them (perhaps that isn't their name) and they paid that mu*****ash to us- then by all means, that person should email me directly (they have my email address, all patients do) and I will investigate it.

The problem is, your credibility just isn't that hot.  As I wrote previously, you do tend to leave out a lot of information.

I am aware of your cash pay for a fill.  Karen was not a cash pay person, as I very clearly explained to you in detail, her insurance company paid you $600 for an extended office call each time.  In reality, it was a FILL.  I seriously doubt she is going to call you, she is far better off to take her EOB to her insurance and tell them what really happened.  She was willing to pay you the $100 for a fill.  YOU insisted on going through her insurance.  The EOB and check cashed by you don't lie.

There are so many surgeons all over the world that refuse to do banding because it simply it not safe long term.  No matter how much you insult and degrade people with band problems the stats don't lie.  People do not do well with a band at all, those same people go on to get sleeves, bypass, or DS and get to goal nicely without a surgery to place the band, a surgery to unlock the band, a 3rd surgery to relock the band, many fills and unfills, and then the cycle of more surgeries to unlock and relock the band again.  Maybe for people like that we could just put a zipper in them, you think?

It is the US government that has their panties in a bunch of the massive number of people losing their bands.  Oh, I am sure you honestly do believe that you are the only good band mill in the entire country and only your patients don't lose their bands but you and I both know that isn't the truth.  Do you still dislike the term band mill and prefer band boutique instead?  Clearly, there is no difference in the two.  Only someone embarrassed about being a band mill would suggest a new name for the type of practice.

Why in the world should any of the surgeons removing your bands or the bands of any surgeon's patients have to explain this information to you?  If a patient decides to go to another surgeon for band removal, they aren't your patient anymore.  You have no rights to that information.  That is as unrealistic as it sounds and you know it.  If a patient goes to you claiming that for whatever reason, personal medical, financial, any reason they simply do not want to go to their original surgeon, do you call their surgeon and tell them all about it or do you maintain any amount of patient confidentiality?  Do you Dr. Simpson?  Why would any other surgeon be any different?

You most certainly have suggested, no- you have told people on this very thread to go away.  Not your place.  Got it?

Amazingly, Arizona is a small state when it comes to bariatrics.  (wink wink nudge nudge)

First - I don't insist on anything when it comes to how a person decides to pay for an adjustment. Second, if there is a mistake we are happy to correct it. Third, still can't find a person with that name - who has a band removed - in our system- and my office is following up with Karen's in our record.  Finally - just asked our billers - we have never received 600 for a fill, or fill and visit, or anything like that. What is charged, and what is paid  is two matters. What a patient with the insurance you indicate she has pays is a $3 co-pay. 

Arizona is a small state when it comes to bariatrics  and yes, if I get a patient from another physician we have to (a) request records from that physician and (b) we do send a follow up letter - that is not a breach of confidentiality that is called continuity of care. Some physicians do not do this- but if a patient of mine ends up in another ER we do get a call, if for nothing else than the records.  

So again- you seem to be full of it.  Still looking for a Karen, and still asking for a doctor who has taken out a lot of bands. 

Great Band places in Phoenix - Weight loss Institute of AZ (Dr. DeBarros and Dr. Orris) and TrueResults (Dr Nirmul and Stevenson) - they are all band almost only.  By the way- we are not just band only.   All good guys, know them well- some were at my wedding. Dr. Nirmul and I have covered each other a number of times.  Dr. Blackstone - she is a great surgeon, have high respect for her - and we have done a number of things together. I've played golf with Dr. Juarez a number of times. Neither Blackstone or Juarez do many bands, but they do from time to time, and I have sent each of them bands that were not on insurance plans that I am on.  I have also sent them other patients who I thought were not candidates for bands. If they see one of my patients, or I see one of theres (as happens, because - let us be quite honest - not every surgeon is for every patient and some prefer them or me, it is just fine). So- I will contact those folks and ask if they have taken out more bands than I am aware of and what that number might be. By the way- when a band comes out- the serial number and some clinical information goes to Allergan as a part of the reporting system, so I will double back and see if Allergan has any information I should know.

You seem to know a bit about me- much of it information from a few years ago- you like to tell partial truths, either because you don't know or you make stuff up. 

In terms of long term results-  perhaps you prefer to debate the literature, and statistics. No?

You still aren't being honest.  You are dodging questions, posting the worst case scenario studies for sleeves vs. typical and average stats, when asked if your own surgical stats are as bad as what you claim the norm (and what is to be expected) for band to sleeve revisions as well as virgin sleeves, you dodge that question.  See what happens when we exaggerate?  It doesn't make anyone look very good.

You have inferred I am a previous employee (do you really have that many angry previous employees?), previous girlfriend (OMG, bite your tongue and know full well- you could only dream!), you have done your very best to blame the victim, discredit band victims, you have treated us in a rude, obnoxious, and totally unprofessional/unsupportive manner.  You have run in here playing the role of saving the day, we are to do as you preach and not as you do, you slam dunk people for not using their full names on a board designed for support for private medical issues targeting folks considering/living with/previously had a band.  You have attempted to dictate who may post here and what they may write.  Again, this isn't your board.  You don't get to make those decisions.

You have posted outlandish claims about the band, attempted to make people feel stupid for choking on water one day and being able to eat anything the next, you have assumed- no, you have accused anyone with band problems of doing something wrong when in fact, the majority of bariatric surgeons, the ASMBS, the US fed govt all disagree with you and why?  All in the name of saving the rep of an old, dead, pharmaceutical POS that even the band makers don't want anymore?  Why is Allergan trying to sell of a dying piece of their company?  And why do you think nobody has wants it even though it's been up for grabs for over a year?

Here is my take on what is going on with you right now.  You used to do all the surgery types.  Then the band came along and my own personal opinion is that you saw a cash cow.  You began downing all the other surgery types saying they were dangerous and ineffective and bands were the way to go for everyone.

What does this mean?  Multiple surgeries for the same person and a lifetime of aftercare (and yes, sometimes at $600 a pop).  You thought life would be easy living from then on out.  Now, the band hasn't turned out to be what everyone thought it would be and it is a bit late for you to go back and say that now since the economy is bad maybe those other surgery types that people are wanting today, aren't so bad.  They are now safe because overall the economy is not great and people don't want bands.  Can't really do that with a straight face, can you?

I am very sure you had quite a thing going a few years ago.  Again, my personal belief is that the greed comes back to bite people in the butt eventually.  That goes for darn near everyone.  

And btw, if I ever went to a doctor for a 2nd opinion, personal, medical, financial, etc., reasons and that doctor contacted my old physician without my signing a HIPPA form and consenting to the release of such information that doctor's ass would be in front of the medical board, a personal lawsuit, and a HIPAA complaint in a nano second.  If your patient goes to an ER because you are not available then you are still the treating MD and it is appropriate for you to have that information.  If someone goes to you for ANY reason without signing a consent for the release of info and you decide to blab anyway, you will be in a world of hurt.  You know it as well as I do.  If I go to Dr. A and I don't like him for whatever reason and I obtain my medical records and take them to Dr. B, if Dr. B takes it upon himself to contact my previous physician and blab about private medical info you tell me where HIPPA says that is acceptable.  SHOW ME!

Another issue we will make very clear here.  It is up to the reader to decide.  I do not claim partial truths.  The best you can accuse me of is not using Karen's last name on a public message board regarding a private medical condition and your choice to bill ins for $600 instead of what she planned, a $100 self pay fill.  I have not lied, I have not exaggerated, I have not dodged questions.  I have not slam dunked everyone posting because they don't like my opinions.  That would be projection on your part.

Let's take issues one at a time here.  You posted that virgin sleeves have a 3% leak stat and revision sleeves are 5.5%.  Do your own stats match these numbers?  A yes or no will be fine.  No need to drone on and on about everything else, no reason to dodge the question, just a yes or not will be peachy.

I think there is still concern here about basic honesty.  For example the $600.  It was clearly stated that you did not bill that for a fill you billed that for another procedure.  So when you say you did not bill $600 for a fill, you are being technically correct, but evasive and not fully honest.  When you say that you never received $600 from her insurance company you are doing the same thing.  Anybody who has read an EOB knows that the amount paid is rarely the amount billed.  It is a pre-negotiated amount for the service that was billed and typically less.  So by saying you didn't receive $600 you are being technically correct, but you are not being fully honest.  The same thing with using only the first 90 days post op to compare complication rates between different procedures.  This appears, to me, to be a pattern of deceptive behavior.