Swedish Covenent Hospital Bariatric Center

Dr. Nazarian has a very quiet nature and is very patient. His quiet, easy demeanor put me at ease. No question was dumb. He wants you to ask as many questions as possible. He will even draw pictures if it helps you to understand the procedure better. I connected with him right away! Each time I saw him in the office, I felt more comfortable talking to him. I liked his office staff very much. The one thing I most disliked was how they scheduled appointments. Patients were stacked back-to-back. The wait sometimes was almost two hours to see him but if you bring a good book to read that helps. Also, you should take this opportunity to talk to other patients who've gone through the procedure. A lot of questions that could have caused me anxiety were diminished just from sitting in the doctor's office talking to people who were one or two years post-op and looked and felt great! I was really encouraged by these people.
I suggest you bring a list of questions each time you make a visit to see the doctor so you won't forget once you finally get in to see him. He really stressed aftercare and the importance of changing your eating habits, taking care of your incision, etc. He was very direct about the risk of surgery. He didn't hold anything back. He knew I was coming back to China shortly after having my surgery. He prepared my incision using sutures that dissolve. My incision really looks nice. I didn't have any problems with it whatsoever. I give Dr. Nazarian and "excellent" rating overall. His surgical competence and bedside manner were both great!

He is a very quiet person. Was very friendly and answered any of your questions or concers. He was also very polite. His office staff is great. They were all very friendly.

I met Dr. Nazarian on January 3rd and immedeatly liked him. I saw him again the following Monday and set an appointment for my surgery on the 11th of January. His office staff has been very helpful and they are all very nice. I would incourage anyone considering the surgery to see Dr. Nazarine, as I have felt and still feel very safe in his care. I don't know any other doctors that do this type of surgery, but I would rate Dr. Nazarian as the best, as far as his surgical competence and you can't beat his bedside manner. All and all I have been very happy with the way I have been taken care of. I do not regret having the surgery and would do it again in a heart beat. I have lost 85 pounds since my surgery on January 11, 2002 and the fat keeps melting away with each day. This has been a statement of my personal impression, from my personal experience and I can not make any statement about what any other people may have experienced.

Doctor Nazarian and his staff are really great. They have always worked around my schedule, making me feel important. Doctor Nazarian is very respectful to his patients WHEN you have his attention. As Rick Mark calls him, he is the "LATE Dr. Nazarian".

I also felt like he knew me personally. I'll never forget him yelling down the hall, "Are you ready Lisa Rutherford?" (with a smile) I was on a gurny in the surgery room and thought I was imagining things.

Rick Mark is great at working miracles with insurance. He knows just what to do but plays by the rules.

The only thing lacking here was that I feel I got way more information on my own via research. They only give you one little booklet and even that I had to ask for. If I didn't, I would only have my discharge papers.

Also, I sure wish there was a support group in my area. I want to be around others to share with, talk to, and get ideas from. I live just a little too far for Dr. Nazarians.

My first impression when I first saw Dr. Nazarian was that he appeared to be very reserved. He is a very kind soft spoken gentleman who takes the time to listen to all your concerns and to answer any questions you may have. He is very detailed in his explaination of the gastric bypass. I think the man can do the operation with his eye closed! The office staff was very kind and his office in Beverly Hills is very nice. I have nothing negative to say about Dr. Nazarian. He's OUTSTANDING to say the least. He makes you feel very comfortable and very reassured about the procedure.

I have seen Dr Fobi on several television specials and was always impressed. He seemed so down to earth and friendly. Well, he was just the same when I met him in person. Takes his time. Doesn't rush you. The office staff were also very nice and helpful. You know that they know what they are doing and you don't worry quite so much.
I have switched drs after finding someone in network with a great reputation. I met him in Las Vegas at a support group and seminar. He is quite softspoken but very knowledgeable. He takes his time and answered all my questions. His program manager was wonderful and helped immensely with the insurance side. I have intake interview next week.
5/16/02. In case i didn't make it clear, I have changed my surgeon to Dr. Nazarian. I have met the office and Dr Nazarian for the second time. They are all so helpfull and made me feel that I have made the right decision and that they will be with me all the way.

The first surgeon that I picked was Dr. Fobi. Unfortunately I got all the way through the process and to the Dr.'s consult before I was told that he required $7,000 up front for his services because he would not accept Blue Cross/Blue Shield. I again went back to the doctor’s list and choose Dr. Nazarian and was immediately told that he is on the Blue Shield preferred care list and does accept them. I have had a consult with the doctor. He is a kind caring man and was straight up with me on all the procedures and time needed for approval. First letter for approval was sent out on 09/25/01. I go for my second consult on 10/08/01. I called the Insurance people to check on my letter (10/03-am) and they said they were preparing a letter today, but didn't know wither it was approval or refusal. I called again later and found out that the doctor's office had left out some history and the insurance was sending the doctor a list of the info that they needed. More waiting...

10/22/01-I now have all the info from my former doctors on my weight control. My insurance is requiring 5 separate documented dates, one per calendar year, for five years. Dr. Nazarian's staff is putting the letter together again for the Insurance Company. Hopefully this will satisfy them.

11/02/01-Elain from BS and Elain from Dr. Nazarian's office called me on a three-way hookup and informed me that I was approved for surgery.

11/05/01-I have tentively been scheduled for surgery on 11/13/01.

12/04/01-Surgery went well. I have a mild infection on one stich and some draining.

5/13/02-The small infection finaly cleared up but I have a small herniated area that the doctor says he will address when I have all this loose skin taken care of. Weight loss has slowed but I am still losing weight. I have been going trough the "losing your hair" period, it has thined out a great deal. I am hoping the doctor is right when he said it would grow back. I still have a hard time with any soft bread products but have discovered that if I nuck a cheese pizza in the microwave I can tolerate a couple of pieces (if I take small bites and chew slowly).


Weight:
11/13/01-283
12/03/01-254
5/13/02-224

5/5/02: Dr. Nazarian is wonderful. I cannot say enough compliments regarding him. He is kind and patient. He truly about the patient. He is always but I don't care because when he does get to see me he is focused and interested in me.

12/1/01: I have not actually meet the doctor but thanks to all of the positive comments on the site and the fact the Rick Mark is incredible, I have decided to just do it. Rick worked with my insurance company who initial said it would be 4 to 6 weeks to get approved. He got me approved in a week. Unfortunately, I had already made the deal with my boss for the time off so I am schedule for surgery on 12/5/01. Dana was actually the first to contact me and has been extremely helpful in answering all my questions. I am really looking forward to this - I can't wait to start the next stage of my life.

I met Dr. Nazarian in Santa Clara last month at a seminar. I liked him. He seemed very professional and willing to answer questions. I havent been to his office. I am interested in talking to others who have had him preform their surgery. Any comments?

My first impression of Dr. Nazarian was that he was a wonderful man. He was all smiles and jokes. I think that he used that as an ice breaker. He walked in to the room where my mom, my husband and I were waiting nervously and directed himself to my husband (a very fit man) and said "I take it we will be discussing surgery for your obesity, right?" He put us right at ease. My impression of him did not change at all. His staff doesn't leave such a good impression. The girl at the front desk is very dry and kind of rude. The nurse that takes your vitals is very nice, the only thing that kind of bothered me happened in the beginning. There were not enough rooms so she took me to a room where there was another couple. She got me on the scale and I was praying that she would not say my weight outloud.(anyone with a weight problem knows what that is all about) Well sure enough she said it loud and clear. Not only that she said the wrong number, she added 20 pounds to my weight. "OK YOU WEIGH 144 POUNDS, SUSAN"!!! I was horrified!!! There was nothing that I disliked about the Doctor. Future patients should know that he is very soft spoken and polite. He did address the risks of surgery and he said that we would talk more about them on my next appointment. I would rate Dr. Nazarian a 10. I think that both surgical competence and bedside manner are important, he seems to have them both.