Anyone have the DS at Madigan?
If you have had the DS at Madigan please let me know. I know the Dr. is new at doing these, but has done them. I would really love to hear from you. Please!
I want to have the DS and the Dr. is going to do it, but I continually hear that we should only have a surgeon that has done a lot of them. I don't have a choice as I am not able to self-pay.
-Not sure how a Dr. gets his start if no one trust him early on.
First I had the decisions as to do the lap-band versus RNY - that was an easy decision - then the DS over the RNY - That was an easy decision and now that I am feeling good about the DS I have to worry about the Dr.
To many decision left to me - so if something does not go as planned I will only have myself to blame - Darn! I think I am just kidding, but not sure.
)
Michele
I want to have the DS and the Dr. is going to do it, but I continually hear that we should only have a surgeon that has done a lot of them. I don't have a choice as I am not able to self-pay.
-Not sure how a Dr. gets his start if no one trust him early on.
First I had the decisions as to do the lap-band versus RNY - that was an easy decision - then the DS over the RNY - That was an easy decision and now that I am feeling good about the DS I have to worry about the Dr.
To many decision left to me - so if something does not go as planned I will only have myself to blame - Darn! I think I am just kidding, but not sure.
)Michele
I too am seeking the DS from Madigan, so I would love to hear the answer to this. I know it is NEW to them, but they are skilled surgeons, so I am going to be asking a LOT of questions during my Pathway process!!!
I am a revision, so Dr. Preston may be my only available surgeon, so I may have to have the RNY if he does not do DS. I do not know of any other surgeon that does the revisions....I could be wrong, and hope I am!
Good luck Michelle!!!!
I am a revision, so Dr. Preston may be my only available surgeon, so I may have to have the RNY if he does not do DS. I do not know of any other surgeon that does the revisions....I could be wrong, and hope I am!
Good luck Michelle!!!!
Lisa
229 / 148/ 135
Open DS Surgery with Dr. Martin @ Madigan
Revision from 2006 - VBG
Hernia repair and tummy tuck - 05/12/2010
Michele:
Dr. Matthew Martin does the DS laprascopically at MAMC. In what way do you think that he needs to have done hundreds? He's done many. There isn't a lot of ''call'' for the procedure because the number of patients who need it is much less than the number of patients who can benefit from just the lgb. Do the least surgery necessary.
They are not crazy different from LGB once you start the procedure. There are a few additional steps and staple loads, a few different measuring techniques. Normally the procedure is frustrating and difficult only because of the BMI of the patient and not because of the technical aspect of the surgery itself. In other words, the size of the liver, the amount of internal body fat, the size of the mesentery, etc. all makes it a technically difficult procedure to perform. If you can make it easier, by losing as much weight as possible on your own prior to surgery......participate in your own care, then you will be aiding the surgeon and the whole team and yourself. Liquid diets like medifast, etc....even the loss of 20 or 30 pounds in the weeks prior to surgery are a huge aid. Really.
I've probably assisted on 6 or more of these in the last 2 years maybe more, haven't really kept a count. Maybe 250+ laprascopic RNY's and perhaps 50 or more open RNY's. About 20 bands. And many many sleeves.
Dr. M does a huge number of Bariatric cases at MAMC. His numbers are going to be higher than an outside private physician because his client base doesn't have to seek financial approval from an insurance company. He just has to find them to have the proper reasons for surgery and find surgical time to operate on them. The military pays. The residents learn, the physician teaches. The patient heals and loses weight. Dr. Martin's patients are very successful losing weight and I can also tell you that we see very few of them back the OR with any kind of issue other than for panniculectomy. (tummy tuck)
Your best bet is to go have a frank discussion with Dr. Martin. He can advise you on which surgery to have, the DS or the LGB.....and why. And he is a very straight up man....a very straight shoot from the hip sort of person. I think you will find him to be very easy to deal with because he won't give you a bunch of hemming and hawing around. He will tell you what he thinks. There are clear cut reasons and lots of clinical data about how much weight loss each procedure will result in over the course of time for what type of procedure, etc. So, go talk to him and then trust him.
:-)
Dr. Matthew Martin does the DS laprascopically at MAMC. In what way do you think that he needs to have done hundreds? He's done many. There isn't a lot of ''call'' for the procedure because the number of patients who need it is much less than the number of patients who can benefit from just the lgb. Do the least surgery necessary.
They are not crazy different from LGB once you start the procedure. There are a few additional steps and staple loads, a few different measuring techniques. Normally the procedure is frustrating and difficult only because of the BMI of the patient and not because of the technical aspect of the surgery itself. In other words, the size of the liver, the amount of internal body fat, the size of the mesentery, etc. all makes it a technically difficult procedure to perform. If you can make it easier, by losing as much weight as possible on your own prior to surgery......participate in your own care, then you will be aiding the surgeon and the whole team and yourself. Liquid diets like medifast, etc....even the loss of 20 or 30 pounds in the weeks prior to surgery are a huge aid. Really.
I've probably assisted on 6 or more of these in the last 2 years maybe more, haven't really kept a count. Maybe 250+ laprascopic RNY's and perhaps 50 or more open RNY's. About 20 bands. And many many sleeves.
Dr. M does a huge number of Bariatric cases at MAMC. His numbers are going to be higher than an outside private physician because his client base doesn't have to seek financial approval from an insurance company. He just has to find them to have the proper reasons for surgery and find surgical time to operate on them. The military pays. The residents learn, the physician teaches. The patient heals and loses weight. Dr. Martin's patients are very successful losing weight and I can also tell you that we see very few of them back the OR with any kind of issue other than for panniculectomy. (tummy tuck)
Your best bet is to go have a frank discussion with Dr. Martin. He can advise you on which surgery to have, the DS or the LGB.....and why. And he is a very straight up man....a very straight shoot from the hip sort of person. I think you will find him to be very easy to deal with because he won't give you a bunch of hemming and hawing around. He will tell you what he thinks. There are clear cut reasons and lots of clinical data about how much weight loss each procedure will result in over the course of time for what type of procedure, etc. So, go talk to him and then trust him.
:-)
On June 24, 2009 at 10:10 AM Pacific Time, dupont wrote:
Michele:Dr. Matthew Martin does the DS laprascopically at MAMC. In what way do you think that he needs to have done hundreds? He's done many. There isn't a lot of ''call'' for the procedure because the number of patients who need it is much less than the number of patients who can benefit from just the lgb. Do the least surgery necessary.
They are not crazy different from LGB once you start the procedure. There are a few additional steps and staple loads, a few different measuring techniques. Normally the procedure is frustrating and difficult only because of the BMI of the patient and not because of the technical aspect of the surgery itself. In other words, the size of the liver, the amount of internal body fat, the size of the mesentery, etc. all makes it a technically difficult procedure to perform. If you can make it easier, by losing as much weight as possible on your own prior to surgery......participate in your own care, then you will be aiding the surgeon and the whole team and yourself. Liquid diets like medifast, etc....even the loss of 20 or 30 pounds in the weeks prior to surgery are a huge aid. Really.
I've probably assisted on 6 or more of these in the last 2 years maybe more, haven't really kept a count. Maybe 250+ laprascopic RNY's and perhaps 50 or more open RNY's. About 20 bands. And many many sleeves.
Dr. M does a huge number of Bariatric cases at MAMC. His numbers are going to be higher than an outside private physician because his client base doesn't have to seek financial approval from an insurance company. He just has to find them to have the proper reasons for surgery and find surgical time to operate on them. The military pays. The residents learn, the physician teaches. The patient heals and loses weight. Dr. Martin's patients are very successful losing weight and I can also tell you that we see very few of them back the OR with any kind of issue other than for panniculectomy. (tummy tuck)
Your best bet is to go have a frank discussion with Dr. Martin. He can advise you on which surgery to have, the DS or the LGB.....and why. And he is a very straight up man....a very straight shoot from the hip sort of person. I think you will find him to be very easy to deal with because he won't give you a bunch of hemming and hawing around. He will tell you what he thinks. There are clear cut reasons and lots of clinical data about how much weight loss each procedure will result in over the course of time for what type of procedure, etc. So, go talk to him and then trust him.
:-)
Jilly BR/BL April 15, 2009!!
I second that. You do sound like someone on the inside. Who are you?
I appreciate your input. My questioning the Dr.s #s are not a personal thing. With any WLS it is rumored and written to seek out a Dr. that has done a lot (I imagine that is the case with any surgery).
I am actually schedule with Dr. Beekley and have already met with him. I have only heard wonderful things about both Dr. Beekley and Dr. Martin, so I know that I would be in good hands. As anyone selecting to have surgery there are concerns and questioning that I think are a natural part.
I am grateful for your insight and it is reassuring to me.
Thank You, whoever you are,
Michele
I appreciate your input. My questioning the Dr.s #s are not a personal thing. With any WLS it is rumored and written to seek out a Dr. that has done a lot (I imagine that is the case with any surgery).
I am actually schedule with Dr. Beekley and have already met with him. I have only heard wonderful things about both Dr. Beekley and Dr. Martin, so I know that I would be in good hands. As anyone selecting to have surgery there are concerns and questioning that I think are a natural part.
I am grateful for your insight and it is reassuring to me.
Thank You, whoever you are,
Michele
I agree that whoever does your surgery, you are in good hands. I've heard nothing but good things about both of them, as well as all the surgeons in the clinic. I also agree that questions are very natural, in fact, when I met my surgeon I had a 3 page list of questions and he sat down with me and answered every single one until I had no more questions. I really appreciated him doing that and I'm sure all of them are the same in that respect. I'm sure they would be more than happy to answer all your questions 
M:
Dr B is also a good surgeon and the only reason I didn't mention him is because he is leaving the towards the end of the year and I don't have any idea how far down the pathway you are. Dr Martin isn't leaving or scheduled to deply that I know of, because he just got back.
I work with both of them, inside the OR....and I came to this website because I will be getting an LGB from a seattle based physician ....unfortunately I am not eligible for care from my own surgeons......ugh. As I stated in another post, I've lost most of my weight, but I can't get it all off on my own. I've hit a plateau of more than 2 years duration, I must get it off in order to live, I have lupus, and a few other co morbidities, and its just a matter of life or death for me. SO.....when I saw your post and you were so frustrated I thought I'd answer you. Didn't mean to sound so secretive, and I'm not meaning to be. I've worked there many years, love my job and love the surgeons I work with. I've worked in many large med centers in the southwest and MAMC is a fine place to work. There are great surgeons there....I especially enjoy Dr. Eggebrotten, Dr. Carter, Dr. Martin, Dr. Sebesta, Dr. Beekley, Dr. Kjorstad. And no, I haven't told any of the doc's I work with that I am going to have the surgery. I just made this decision, and I truly would give anything to have Dr. Martins new innovative technique for LGB, but I am stuck with this seattle physician due to my Government employee's insurance. And I sort of want to keep it quiet. I'm kind of embarrassed about not being able to use the people I most trust even though its not my fault! I know that's dumb, but its true. I feel like a traitor.
I am actually not going to tell anyone at work. I'm just going to take a few days off and go back and not say anything. I have enough health issues, they won't even notice if I have another surgery.
Anyway, if I can answer any other general questions, just ask. I can't help you with specifics related to you personally, but broad things I can answer.
Dr B is also a good surgeon and the only reason I didn't mention him is because he is leaving the towards the end of the year and I don't have any idea how far down the pathway you are. Dr Martin isn't leaving or scheduled to deply that I know of, because he just got back.
I work with both of them, inside the OR....and I came to this website because I will be getting an LGB from a seattle based physician ....unfortunately I am not eligible for care from my own surgeons......ugh. As I stated in another post, I've lost most of my weight, but I can't get it all off on my own. I've hit a plateau of more than 2 years duration, I must get it off in order to live, I have lupus, and a few other co morbidities, and its just a matter of life or death for me. SO.....when I saw your post and you were so frustrated I thought I'd answer you. Didn't mean to sound so secretive, and I'm not meaning to be. I've worked there many years, love my job and love the surgeons I work with. I've worked in many large med centers in the southwest and MAMC is a fine place to work. There are great surgeons there....I especially enjoy Dr. Eggebrotten, Dr. Carter, Dr. Martin, Dr. Sebesta, Dr. Beekley, Dr. Kjorstad. And no, I haven't told any of the doc's I work with that I am going to have the surgery. I just made this decision, and I truly would give anything to have Dr. Martins new innovative technique for LGB, but I am stuck with this seattle physician due to my Government employee's insurance. And I sort of want to keep it quiet. I'm kind of embarrassed about not being able to use the people I most trust even though its not my fault! I know that's dumb, but its true. I feel like a traitor.
I am actually not going to tell anyone at work. I'm just going to take a few days off and go back and not say anything. I have enough health issues, they won't even notice if I have another surgery.
Anyway, if I can answer any other general questions, just ask. I can't help you with specifics related to you personally, but broad things I can answer.
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