Charles Callery Bariatric Surgeon M.D., F.A.C.S.

Dr. Callers was an awesome doctor. I'm reading all these people saying they can take NSAIDS after surgery. Had my surgery in 2000 but a doctor said I could take naproxen. Ended up with an ulcer stomach hole and severe vomiting bleeding and months of healing. Had to go back to Dr. Callers and he fixed it and said never take NSAIDS ever. So for those who want to risk it. Your sky diving without a parachute. Need the excitement go for it

I have known Dr. Callery since 2003, 10 years. I had Gastric Bypass Surgery in 2003 and after going through many tests prior to surgery, it was found that I had 3 gallstones that were going to erupt therefore, I had my gallbladder removed during the same time as my surgery otherwise, I would have had many health problems. During this time, I was well taken care of by Dr Callery, his staff, and the hospital personnel.

Dr. Callery treated me with the upmost respect and answered any and all of my questions. I'm still very much impressed by his gentle manner and kindness. Since then, he has seen me for breast biopsy (one of which was removed surgically by him and all went well. No malignancy), general questions, blood work, and a test to review my stomach pouch. Dr Callery and his staff educates and prepares all patients pre/post for the many changes that occur from loose skin, hair lost, appetite etc…

My impression of Dr Callery was he is very helpful, supportive, knowledgeable, and has a good bedside manner. To my surprise he took an interest in me and many of his other patients…that is rare, but much appreciated. My impression over time…has not changed one bit…Dr Callery still makes himself available to me for any questions I have. That within itself shows the dedication he has for his patient's.

Dr Callery’s office staff was attentive and supportive. I could always count of them for anything. My only recommendation would be to use the many electronic mechanisms we have today to use for faster correspondence by office staff/doctor to patient although, I understand some information is private and should be left to that personal touch face-to-face (F2F) or phone-to-phone (P2P) as I know Dr Callery prefers depending on the situation and/or results.

For past/present/future patients, I would say “look in the mirror” Blame shouldn’t be on the office staff/doctor/parents/spouse/friends…….you are the one that made the decision to have the procedure therefore, you only have yourself to blame if you DO NOT FOLLOW THE RULES! Like anything in life, nothing is 100% proof. Once you have the procedure and after time months/years and you gain a few pounds remember you are the only one that puts the food/drink/sweets in your month….no one else does.

If you’re not following the daily vitamins, follow up 2x’s a year on blood work, and your food choices…and I don’t have to tell you what you should or shouldn’t eat…you already know that answer. Moreover, exercise is very much a part of keeping the weigh off, along with food choices especially after a few years or 10 years. The choices you make are up to you. Also, this procedure is not the answer to never exercise it is still very much a part of the routine to weight loss.

I hear some people blame others for their actions or they gained weight and this frustrates me to no end. Dr Callery and his staff instills on aftercare: by support groups, mentoring with other patients (past & present), and following the guidelines pre/post that is encouraged from the start. Back to Basics (B2B) is the philosophy we must adhere to when we struggle with our weight. Dr Callery has offered his office space for many years for any questions about aftercare and has delegated to others from his staff to capture questions/concerns for improvements. He is always willing to listen to constructive criticism, not complaints which sometimes can be misconstrued as non constructive and/or bitching.

Dr Callery addressed any and all risks from the start/middle/end about the procedure(s), he is candid, honest, and forthcoming and I appreciate that very much. The risks involved were made very clear to me and others at the time of the seminar. No question is a dumb question and he and his staff were there for me and others.

Dr Callery doesn’t look at his patients as a statistic he encourages people to see a nutritionist, as I did and took a course at Palomar College on Nutrition. It is our job to become knowledgeable in healthier choices and not to impose on the doctor for the answers. We should hold ourselves accountable and no one else. Dr Callery also encourages support groups, let’s keep in mind talking to others patients that have gone through the same procedure are better to answer the questions then the doctor that has not gone through the procedure.

The weight loss surgery bump started me to lose the weight and to get off all the medicines and to become HEALTHY, not to be a size 2, 4 or 10. My surgery was in 2003, 10 years since I had my surgery. I have no words to express how this has changed my life. I feel wonderful, I feel healthier, and I have developed several friendships that shall last a lifetime. Moreover, my confidence level increased tremendously, after my procedure. I went back to school to obtain my bachelors degree, started a new job in Aerospace, went back to school to obtain my M.B.A, started kickboxing class, and bought and ride a Harley etc….

If I had to say anything negative it would be to have Dr Callery present at some of the support group meetings, not all, as he is a very busy man. Having the doctor present at a few meetings shows an even more positive influence and may stop some of the excuses people make for themselves.

My experience with Dr Callery and his staff was respectful, supportive, understanding, and helpful. Kelly was also great and when I went for my follow-up visits, I made sure I went to see her as she was an integral part of this process for me. I heard Kelly had since left, however I have all the confidence in Dr Callery that he has brought someone in just as good. While I was at the hospital recovering everyone there had nothing but positive and kind words to say about Dr Callery and this was over 10 years ago. My Husband just went through this procedure a year ago and would say the same positive reinforcement information about Dr Callery and his staff as I have.

I would give Dr Callery my highest recommendation!

My experience was:
While Dr. Callery himself is very personable, as is his staff, the aftercare provided by the same is horrid. If I knew then what I know now, I would have found a different surgeon. Being valued only as a statistic and being told to go to the support group when I asked for **professional** nutritional advise and **help** about nutrition and platuing (sp) was just not good enough. So while personable and helpful before surgery, in the long run, this doctor and staff just doesn't have the right stuff.
In addition, the before surgery education does not prepare one for the massive changes such as the extent of loose skin and the aging of ones appearance. While these issues deal with aesthetics, they can be important to some people and should be explained fully.
Drop the sales job and tell it all. Not just the good stuff. Patients need to be prepared for whats to come.
I have to say, this surgery has damaged me in more ways than one. Had I been better prepared and provided with more support after the fact (especially when i identified a need for it to my Doctors staff), I don't imagine I'd be in my current situation.
Another thing to be prepare for is if you need late in the day appointments, prepare for those to be cancelled by Dr. Callery's office frequently.

Dr Callery and his staff go above and beyond. I meet Dr C at his info seminar and knew he was the surgeon that I wanted to do my RNY. A few months later I was approved for the surgery with the help of Dr C and his staff. He takes the time to answer all your questions and even any questions that your family might have. He calmed my nerves and I felt I made the right decision. On the day of surgery he visited me and my family in the pre-op room and was so nice and assured me I would be fine. After surgery my sugar levels were high so he decided to keep me in ICU and checked on me often. I stayed 2 nights and was able to go home on the 3rd day. I would recommend Dr C to everyone..I'm only a few weeks out but feel great and am thankful everyday for the tool that he has given me...

I have to say how impressed I am with Dr. Callery and his staff. They've really been wonderful to me. I called them for the first time around the 1st of February this year. My husband is leaving for Iraq in a few weeks. I advised them of that and asked if there was any way they could get me in for gastric bypass before he leaves. otherwise I would have nobody to take care of me, and our 3 kids. They said, of course, that they couldn't promise me anything. It would be up to me to get all of my stuff in and the insurance company to approve it. Well, I'm sitting here less than 2 months later (after the 1st seminar on 2/10) and I'm scheduled for surgery on 4/6/10. I read on another review of Dr. Callery that he has "no bedside manner". I disagree. He's been very kind and caring everytime I've seen him and talked to him. He's also got a wonderful sense of humor! And I LOVE Kelly! She's amazing and I really can't say enough good things about her! I also really liked Karen, the nutritionist. She really focused on the positives of how I eat. Even though we did talk about the negatives, she didn't make me feel bad about it. She's very upbeat and nice to be around. The whole office staff is awesome too. Again, they don't make you feel bad about your weight and they're so sweet. They've really been helpful to me and have been able to squeeze me in wherever possible so I can get this done quickly. Over all, they've emphasized to me that this is a major operation and is not a "cure all" for weight loss. I know that I still have to watch what I eat and make sure that I'm active. They have several mandatory classes and seminars that you have to go to before they'll schedule surgery for you. They want to make sure that you're informed and therefore successful in your weightloss. 1 thing that you should know is that even though most PPO insurance will cover this (if you meet the guidelines), they do charge Dr. Callery's fee of $1500 that needs to be paid on your Pre-op appointment. This covers his fees not paid by insurance and all of your aftercare (unlimited- and insurance co-pays included) for the first year. This is actually a good deal. I would highly recommend Dr. Callery to anyone. They've made this a positive experience for me so far and I appreciate that. I'll update after I've had my surgery. :)

Warning: Dr. Callery performs a Proximal version of Gastric Bypass. Which means instead of Bypassing the current average of 4-6 feet of intestine, He only bypasses 2 feet. He will not share this information with you, unless you ask about it. From my research Dr.Callery's patients lose weight much slower than patients of surgeons that do the Distal Gastric Bypass. Please don't make the same mistake that I did, know the facts before deciding on a surgeon.

If you have any questions about my personal experience, please feel free to message me.

Now on another note, as far as my experience with him and his staff goes, I had a very negative experience with Dr. Callery. He was very disrespectful, and actually resorted to name calling. Kelly wasn't much better. Lisa was very kind but seemed to have trouble returning calls, and Karen (the nutritionist) was an absolute delight to be around. Without Karen, their team would be an all together negative group. Thank you Karen for being such a nice and understanding person!

While I was in the hospital recovering after surgery, numerous nurses there told me that they had had negative experiences with Dr. Callery and Kelly. So if you are looking for a surgeon with good bedside manner, He is not the one for you. He sent me home one day after surgery even though I had said I didn't feel comfortable or stable enough to leave. The night I went home I got a fever of 104 and was in such horrible pain that I had to be rushed to the ER. He ended up re-admitting me into the hospital for another night and day which just created a larger bill for me than if he had just kept me there in the first place.

When i first met Dr. Callery he came off as a very nice and charming man, PLEASE DON'T BE FOOLED LIKE I WAS!

-Tatem Kennedy

He seemed very gentle, but was hilarious! My impression didn't change...the staff was really cool. they actually seemed like they cared about you and worked really hard and fast to get my surgery date! I even had a major bump in the road the day before... but they helped resolve the issue and i was able to have surgery. I have no complaints or gripes about Dr. Callery. I have been told that he's the best in San Diego County! Each member of the staff all had areas that they shared their expertise on. There is an RN - Kelly, Nutriontionist - Karen, Office Manager - Lisa, Receptionist-Grisel. So I had meetings with everyone except for the receptionist...We went over the risks and complications... so far I haven't had any. I had surgery on Tuesday mornin around 11 a.m. and was released at 3 on Wednesday afternoon. 9 days out and I've lost over 16 pounds. They call you at home after surfery and ask questions and you have a week post-op appointment... they reiterate everything you have been learning up until surgery. it's kind of a reminder appointment to make sure you understand the importance of self care. They were great! and i owe them ALOT for giving me the tool in order to change my life! THANK YOU DR. CALLER AND STAFF!!!

I was completely secure and prepared for what this operation would entail. Dr. Callery and his P.A. were professional, compassionate and most of all patient. Such rare characteristics to find in the medical health field these days. My stay at the hospital was completely coordinated with my doctor's and aftercare. Their sincere concern for my well being and healing process was so appreciated. Dr. Callery made sure I was aware of the risks as well as the benefits of the whole procedure. I will never regret the decision I made under Dr. Callery's care.

Dr. Charles Callery is a total pro at Bariatric Surgery. His bariatric program covers the total introduction, education, preparation, pre-op, surgery, recovery and post-op follow up. It leaves no stone unturned for the patient who is on this weight loss journey.rnHe seems to be a man who is right to the point and is more a man of few words. Thrown in there comes just the right touch of humor and fun which relaxes the patient and makes you know that he is totally comitted to you and your health. I was totally informed at every stage of the process and he and Kelly were very attentive...visiting me pre-op and post-op at the hospital every day. His office staff is excellent, from Kelly Neil who is his assistant, Lisa Haas, his office manager, Karen Merdinger, his nutritionist, and Griselle at the front desk. They are totally competent, kind, and helpful all through the process, and I want to thank each of them personally for their tender loving care! Bravo, you guys...you are the BEST..!!!

Met him at the educational seminar. Nothing not to like so far and he answered everyone's questions more than adequately. I am ready to meet him one on one at my pre-op consult!rnNow I am post-op and I think he's a wonderful surgeon. I have had no issues from surgery and I am referring my sis to him as she can't find anyone in her area experieinced with her health issue. He has the experience and has offered to take her as a patient(from out of state).rnAll of his staff have been most helpful and understanding. First impression of one wasn't so, but I guess I jsut needed to get to know her.rnSince I am relocating at only 2 mos PO he has offered to help me make a connection with a surgeon in my new area and send all my records. He has a wonderful support sysytme here that I will still be involved with online.rnrn10/17/06-Dr Callery's office has been in touch this yr, just checking in to be sure all is going well and to ask me some questions.rnI assured them all IS very good and he also advised me as to which labs I should have drawn at the 2 yr point back in the Spring of 2006. All t eh labs were FINE!rnrn