Anyone have Dr. Lautz as surgeon?

Hi, I am new to the message boards and I am scheduled for surgery on 8/28/06. I am not very nervous about it, but was just wondering if anyone else had Dr. Lautz and what their stay was like at Brigham & Women's hospital? Any info would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

Hi Leah, My husband and I had Dr. Lautz at Brighams - both our surgeries went fine , no complications.. The stay we each had was quite different . Our surgeries were exactly 6 weeks apart. Mine was Nov 7,2005, husband John's was Dec 19,2005. For some unclear reason I was put on floor 11 which is the Thoracic(chest) floor.. My husband was sent to where I was supposed to go on the 15th floor - gastric-...... To put it in a term to make comparisons - his care was like a Lincoln Towne Car- mine was like a Used Ford Fiesta... they gave him excellent care - I was forgotten and made to feel very unwelcomed . The booties that you'll have on afterwards are hooked up to a small portable pump/ air compressor - it's to keep the blood from pooling in the legs and prevent blood clots...a nurse/caregiver took them off me after about 12 hours kicked them under the bed and said to heck with these - I ain't gonna put these back on ya...- I have a history of blood clots - it was in my charts.... I got blood clots about 4 weeks later. I was treated as though they were tolerating my presence ...... and hubby was treated like a king . Joyce S

Thanks for the input Joyce! I hope you and your husband are now doing fine and I'm going to hope I am not put on the 11th floor. Leah B

Leah, I had Dr. Lautz and he was great! I am very pleased by my whole experience. I was put on the 15th floor. They say it is a dedicated gastric bypass floor, but it is not. They try to put all gastric bypass patients there, but tehre are other patients as well (my roommate was an 80 pound, 90 year old Russian woman in a coma). However, the nurses were great. I came and went as I wanted, walking around even outside the hospital, and was released less than 2 days after going in. I live in Manchester, NH, but was so happy at the hospital, I go there for all my medical needs now. I am even going there for a tubal ligation reversal. No worries! You'll do great! Carrie

Thank you Carrie and hope all is well with you as well! Leah

Hey, Carrie! Looking great!!! Just to clarify for potential Brigham patients out there, the 15th floor IS where all WLS are supposed to go (and the nursing staff there have specific WLS-care training/experience) but it is not meant to be solely for WLS patients. I believe the Brigham did approx. 300 weight loss surgeries total last year - obviously not enough to keep a whole pod/wing full. Caeli

Caeli, Thanks! And you look great as well. I love your picture! Carrie

Another option for Brigham and Women's is to sign up for "The Pavillion" which is a private room on the top floor (15th?, 16th?). It cost me an extra $300 but was money well spent. I had emergency surgery a year ago for serious broken leg (5 days in hospital, 6 weeks non-weight bearing, months of rehab) and had a succession of roomates from heck so I was very anxious to avoid that again. I had heard if you got the bariatric floor, and especially a private room, all is good but they can't guarantee anything. The pavillion was super with a quiet room, lots of nurses and the cook on that floor had had a lapband the year before and was happy to chat with me about what it would be like and knew exactly what to send me on my tray - broth never tasted so good . Also, because it was a dedicated private wing, someone always had time to get me out of bed (take off the booties, etc) and walk with me and help me get the booties back on and so on. Either way, BWH and my surgeon were great. Good Luck, Kim

I'm scheduled for october, same doctor and same hospital. I can't wait to get this behind me.

hello Leah I had Dr Lautz. My surgery was done on 3/14/05. I had it done laproscopic. I was in a lot of pain the first few days but they gave me good pain medication. I was back at work after 3 weeks. The only thing I did not like about my hospital stay is that they wake you up all thru the night taking your vital signs. But i'm sure you will be fine. Good luck.