Raymond Drew Bariatric Surgeon M.D., F.A.C.S.

I just meet my surgeoun yesterday (8/13/02). He came highly recomended from two of my doctors. The staff at his office are great (especially Judy and Christa). They have you go to a class before even signing up to get the processing going to have the surgery.
Future patients: see if you can get Judy to bring either surgeones to the class (Drew/Schwartz).
After care: the doctor sees you 3 weeks after the surgery and then every 3 months for a year. I think this is nice and I know my other doctors will be incontact with me.
Address risk of surgery: He addressed them very well and was very open to answer any questions my husband and I had.

I met with Dr. Drew for the first time today. I found him to be very calm and supportive. He answered all of my questions as well as going over all of the risks and benefits of the surgery. He confirmed that I was definitely a candidate for the lap procedure which was reassuring. The office staff was very pleasant and the office itself felt very comfortable to me. My surgery date is May 9 at Abbott Northwestern Hospital.

Saw him briefly before my surgery and he came to see me the next morning and wrote discharge orders etc. I saw his PA for my three week post op and I will do all of my follow up care with her.

I would recommend Dr. Drew to anyone comtemplating lap surgery.

I have my consult with Dr. Drew on June 18th. Will find out more then!

6/25/02
Well, I have met with Dr. Drew and he seems like a very nice man. His office is extremely busy and we had to wait an extra 2 hours to see him! Now, I will be #4 in his list of placing lap bands, but after meeting and talking with him I feel he is very capable of the surgery. He is very interested in keeping up with the aftercare as well. Expect to wait a while to see him, he's a busy guy!!!

My meeting with Dr. Drew was very good. He made sure I knew just what I was in for. He took the time to answer all my questions. even the ones on the touchy subject of deaths. When we were going over the risks he made sure I understood. He spoke to me like a person.
The staff is wonderful. I have loved being able to call Judy Schwarts(nurse) with any and all questions. She has been incharge of my case from day one and has kept me posted on things that need to be done.

Have seen him a few times now (had a few problems) and he is the kindest most concerned doctor that I have ever had. I HIGHLY recommend him to anyone.

Nice man took his time to answer all my questions. Was VERY busy but honest.

The office staff is great.
He'll be the first to follow up with me and then I'll be moved to someone else in the office for aftercare.

Reminds me that surgery is a tool and I've got to do the rest of the work.

He is a good surgeon, but a very busy one. You don't spend much time with him. He did a great job on my laporoscopic surgery. The scars are healing well and hardly even noticable. His staff is friendly and helpful. I liked least his attitude toward doing the surgery without using blood, but I was grateful that he was willing to do it my way. The thing I think you should know is that you will not see very much of him. He has an assistant that you see who is very nice. You are also responsible for your own care after surgery. YOU have to remember to make the appointments that you need with the doctor. Over all I am pleased, I just need a better memory for my appointments (and medicines.)

I hve my consultation with him on March 22, 2002

I THINK DR DREW IS WONDERFUL. HE ANSWERED ALL THE QUESTIONS MY BOYFRIEND AND I HAD. WHICH IN REALALITY WEREN'T VERY MANY, BECAUSE HE TOLD US EVERYTHING IN DETAIL. HE WAS MATTER OF FACT AND DIDN'T GIVE ME ANY FALSE HOPES. TOLD ME IT WAS MY JOB TO BECOME THIN AND TO EAT RIGHT AND THIS OPERATION WAS JUST A TOOL TO HELP. HE WAS WONDERFUL AT THE HOSPITAL. HE DID ALOT OF THINGS HE DIDN'T HAVE TO DO...LIKE CHANGED A BANDAGE AND FIX MY SOCKS. HE REALLY CARES ABOUT YOU.
HE TOLD ME TO COME SEE HIM FOR POST OP CARE AND WHAT TO EXSPECT AND IF I HAD ANY PROBLEMS WHAT SO EVER TO CALL THE OFFICE. I THINK OVER ALL THAT HE IS WONDERFUL!
PS THE ONLY BAD THING I WOULD SAY IS THAT ITS HARD TO GET A SURGERY DATE AND HE IS VERY BUSY! BUT IF YOU CAN WAIT FOR HIM IT IS WELL WORTH IT!

He was nice and to the point. It has stayed the same. I met him at my consultation and then I'll talk with him again after surgery. His staff is very helpful and positive. He emphasizes working with the dietician for aftercare and also the weight loss group meetings. The aftercare is somewhat structured. He also addressed the fact that people who have been diagnosed with depression and have been on medication will have a more difficult time losing weight or the amount won't be as much as someone who hasn't. I would give him a 10 out of 10 so far.

His bedside manner isn't the greatest. I have not seen him since the day of my surgery. I choose to see his PA Kelly. My pain after was not taken very seriously and being an RN I was angry about this. I needed a hosp. bed after I came home and he questioned why I needed it. I couldn't sleep laying down for 6 days. I had to call the paramedics once at noc because I got so scared from the pain. I couldn't get out of my bed. I felt helpless, even being a medical professional. It is different when you personally go thru it. I went home the next day after the lap procedure. I couldn't swallow the percocet tabs and had to call the oncall surgeon for liquid percocet. I need a stronger pain med that is for sure!!! I get so irritated when pt's can't get control for their pain! I was not a happy camper.