Slightly different question: where did you get your information about plastic surgery options?
(deactivated member)
on 10/11/09 10:24 am - Haleiwa, HI
on 10/11/09 10:24 am - Haleiwa, HI
I am completely serious Charming!!! This man has no time to come on the boards and post about himself! Believe me if I would have had bad results, I would be shouting from the rooftop! I know it is hard to believe that his patients are that happy with his work, but it is the truth. I know you don't have to believe me, but I have no reason to lie either.
Jessica
Jessica
You're right Jessica, if he's spending 13 to 15 hours in the OR making us beautiful, he has absolutely no time to be reading the online stuff. I think your pictures before and after and your story tells it all as far as Dr. S is concerned. Others who have gone to him make it impossible to think that he is anything other than an artist and a very special man! I prayed to find a good surgeon and I researched online - and I am just thrilled with everything I've read, heard and seen of Dr. S's work!
12/09 and 6/11, 9 skin removal procedures with Dr. Sauceda in Monterrey Mexico
Revised to the Sleeve after losing 271 lbs with the LapBand.
(deactivated member)
on 10/11/09 12:42 pm - West Central FL☼RIDA , FL
on 10/11/09 12:42 pm - West Central FL☼RIDA , FL
It sure does look like he does good work. So happy for you ....and the group who are there with you know. Must be nice to have others there to share the experience with you.
Take care....get lots of rest!
Take care....get lots of rest!
I understand perfectly what the previous poster said. We had a situation on the DS boards where two members of a surgeon's staff were (we desperately hope, without authority from the surgeon) posting about how wonderful he was, and lied about who they were. I don't know for sure whether he is wonderful or not -- but there is something WRONG with what they were doing, and the surgeon has lost some of his otherwise good reputation because of it.
Surgeons are often viewed by some of their patients as demigods. I am not one of them. I distrust raves as much as rants. I want an objective opinion.
Surgeons are often viewed by some of their patients as demigods. I am not one of them. I distrust raves as much as rants. I want an objective opinion.
1. Doctor referrals, because I believe that they're likeliest to know what goes on behind the scenes, and to have access to reliable word-of-mouth info that I would never be able to find out otherwise. I started with my bariatric surgeon, and then moved on to my rheumatologist, internist, gynecologist -- in a lot of ways, L.A. is a very small town, and word gets around fast when there are problems;
2. Follow-up research checking out various board certification sites -- and I had to find that everything was perfect;
3. Interviewing doctors (consults) to check out the personalities and practices of the top contenders in order to determine whether or not I felt I could work with them, check out the "vibe" and get a sense of the "gestalt" of the practice; also to take a look at their "books" in order to find out what THEY consider to be their best work;
4. Price was a remote consideration because I knew that my insurance (at the time -- no more, alas) would cover a huge chunk of the procedure. I also don't believe in shopping medical care by cost, because competence costs, it's my body, and it's also the only body I'm being issued in this lifetime;
5. Location was a consideration. I considered someone in Orange County (about 70 miles away) but in the end, the top two surgeons were equally qualified, and it made more sense to go with the guy who was 5 miles away, instead. My experience with bariatric surgery taught me that follow-up is just as critical as the initial surgery, and I have been grateful many times over that my surgeon and his practice were a stone's throw away.
In the end, there were three top contenders, I whittled it down to two, and then did rock-paper-scissors. I concede that I have absolutely NO way of knowing who is the best, or even a remotely qualified surgeon because it is not my area of expertise. It's a huge area of vulnerability, and I have to go with referrals and data, because I truly have no clue.
My belief is that going by personality and hunch are terrible methods. Going by message board referrals is potentially catastrophic because boards are easily "seeded" (or "larded," as one person put it) with fallacious referrals by the doctors and/or staffers themselves -- and I believe that this is genuinely a common practice. People also tend to persuade themselves that the made (or are making) the right choice by repeating that very thing, over and over again -- though it defies rational thinking.
I did post a question here about my surgeon, but got few responses, and wasn't really planning to give them much standing anyway.
2. Follow-up research checking out various board certification sites -- and I had to find that everything was perfect;
3. Interviewing doctors (consults) to check out the personalities and practices of the top contenders in order to determine whether or not I felt I could work with them, check out the "vibe" and get a sense of the "gestalt" of the practice; also to take a look at their "books" in order to find out what THEY consider to be their best work;
4. Price was a remote consideration because I knew that my insurance (at the time -- no more, alas) would cover a huge chunk of the procedure. I also don't believe in shopping medical care by cost, because competence costs, it's my body, and it's also the only body I'm being issued in this lifetime;
5. Location was a consideration. I considered someone in Orange County (about 70 miles away) but in the end, the top two surgeons were equally qualified, and it made more sense to go with the guy who was 5 miles away, instead. My experience with bariatric surgery taught me that follow-up is just as critical as the initial surgery, and I have been grateful many times over that my surgeon and his practice were a stone's throw away.
In the end, there were three top contenders, I whittled it down to two, and then did rock-paper-scissors. I concede that I have absolutely NO way of knowing who is the best, or even a remotely qualified surgeon because it is not my area of expertise. It's a huge area of vulnerability, and I have to go with referrals and data, because I truly have no clue.
My belief is that going by personality and hunch are terrible methods. Going by message board referrals is potentially catastrophic because boards are easily "seeded" (or "larded," as one person put it) with fallacious referrals by the doctors and/or staffers themselves -- and I believe that this is genuinely a common practice. People also tend to persuade themselves that the made (or are making) the right choice by repeating that very thing, over and over again -- though it defies rational thinking.
I did post a question here about my surgeon, but got few responses, and wasn't really planning to give them much standing anyway.
I researched the plastic surgeons locally through word of mouth then booked my consults. I got much more info on options at the consults from the surgeons but did my prelim. research on the web (no site in partcular). They keep operating times very short here so we can't get many procedures done at one time, so that leaves many possible combinations of options (limited by $!).
O. Kufi
on 10/11/09 11:05 am, edited 10/11/09 11:18 am
on 10/11/09 11:05 am, edited 10/11/09 11:18 am
Dont have anything to add to what has already been said on finding your surgeon.
But I do hope you do find a surgeon that YOU are ultimately satisfied with!
because in the end thats ALL that matters!
Hateration has risen from the abyss once again!
But I do hope you do find a surgeon that YOU are ultimately satisfied with!
because in the end thats ALL that matters! Hateration has risen from the abyss once again!
We love because God first loved us (1John 4:19)
Diana
From what I have seen from your posts for the last two or three years ( yes I read a lot before even joining - including waiting until after my WLS to join OH ) - I know you will do tons of research and check then double check out everything . I also think you are a very smart lady who knows enough to have certain people on here and other boards that you trust .
And I have seen you time after time help people on the other forums with questions or problems -- even if it was not what they wanted to hear (which is the one thing I like the most about you ) so I am sure some of them would give you very honest answers .
I hate to see a few on here be so neg. about trying to get help from others . We all know there are a lot of different types of surgery and surgeons and most have a little different style of the way they do things . I really think talking to other patients and seeing their results would be the best way to help you .
But I just wanted to wish you the best of luck with picking your surgeon, what you have done and even trying to get ins. to help pay for it .
Tony
PS -- Just from what little I do know of you -- I know you are smart enough not to let something like a game of "rock-paper-scissors" decide anything so important in your life . I would have to say use you mind , heart and what is left of you stomach to help you make the choice .
From what I have seen from your posts for the last two or three years ( yes I read a lot before even joining - including waiting until after my WLS to join OH ) - I know you will do tons of research and check then double check out everything . I also think you are a very smart lady who knows enough to have certain people on here and other boards that you trust .
And I have seen you time after time help people on the other forums with questions or problems -- even if it was not what they wanted to hear (which is the one thing I like the most about you ) so I am sure some of them would give you very honest answers .
I hate to see a few on here be so neg. about trying to get help from others . We all know there are a lot of different types of surgery and surgeons and most have a little different style of the way they do things . I really think talking to other patients and seeing their results would be the best way to help you .
But I just wanted to wish you the best of luck with picking your surgeon, what you have done and even trying to get ins. to help pay for it .
Tony
PS -- Just from what little I do know of you -- I know you are smart enough not to let something like a game of "rock-paper-scissors" decide anything so important in your life . I would have to say use you mind , heart and what is left of you stomach to help you make the choice .
I appreciate everyone's input. I'm pretty much committed to having my surgery with Dr. Agha on the 28th -- the deposit will be in the mail early this week -- but I am also a belt-and-suspenders kind of person. I have had consults with at least 8 reconstructive surgeons, including in the Bay area, in Costa Rica (while I was on vacation) and by email/pictures. Now that it is becoming real, I want to make sure I have looked into even more possibilities, as I realized that I have only myself researched (1) surgeons I heard about byword of mouth from people I know; (2) surgeons in my very large medical group; and (3) surgeons who have been mentioned on OH. I'm sure there are many other sources of information I have not tapped. I'm also sure that I cannot be entirely thorough, or I'll NEVER make up my mind and take the leap.
So, just in case someone mentions something that makes me question my current choice, I want to ask the question. And of course, this is just the first of at least 3 surgeries, so I would want a back-up plan in case something changes after the first surgery -- including where I live (which could easily happen, given my current job situation).
Would it surprise anyone to know that I checked the house prices in my neighborhood obsessively for YEARS after I bought my houses -- to see if I still thought I made a good deal??
So, just in case someone mentions something that makes me question my current choice, I want to ask the question. And of course, this is just the first of at least 3 surgeries, so I would want a back-up plan in case something changes after the first surgery -- including where I live (which could easily happen, given my current job situation).
Would it surprise anyone to know that I checked the house prices in my neighborhood obsessively for YEARS after I bought my houses -- to see if I still thought I made a good deal??
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