I can't seem to find any current /past banders of Dr. Oldham in Etown. Please drop me a line if you went through BlueGrass because I am considering them over Louisville Bariatric group. Thank you

I was banded by Dr Oldham in December.. I really liked him and the NP who does the fills afterward is great too. When I was searching I checked them out because they are closer and would be easier for follow up care but was completely ready to go to Louisville if I was the least bit uncomfortable. I attended the seminar with Dr Oldham and I loved him. He was very well spoken but didn't talk over your head and explained things so well and I just felt comfortable with him. He was great during surgery and I had a hiatal hernia repair as well. I was expecting more incisions than I left with but I had 3 incisions in a row across the bottom of my stomach and a tiny one at the top of my stomach.

I had surgery on Friday and Dr oldham called me Saturday morning to check on me which was nice and I had a question about the on q pump which he answered for me. I had a question later about the healing of one incision and gave the office a call and they were nice and answered right away.

Good luck to you... If you have any questions for me I would be happy to try and answer..

Tnt, thank goodness to find someone local!!! I am so happy you said Dr Oldham is good. I am ready to go to Louisville but would prefer not to. Do they do your fills in Etown? Did you have your surgery at Baptist East? How was the hospital experience?

I think I will skip the seminar in Louisville tonight. I worry that it will be too far if I have complications and need to see the Dr right away!

Thanks for answering, and congrats on your weight loss thus far!!

My fills are done in Etown. Their office is off ring road near etown swim and fitness. They do lapband at hardin memorial, gastric or sleeve has to be done in louisville. The hospital was good and I did not have to stay overnight. I was only there a few hours and they had a great staff. Bluegrass bariatrics do charge 500 out of pocket for their program that is not covered by insurance though. 250 is refundable if you are not approved for surgery. I thought it was worth it to stay local and I wasn't sure what the Louisville doctors were charging if any.

TNT, sorry to jump in on your conversation, but I have a question for you.

Did you have the Hiatal Hernia repaired at the same time as your banding or was that before? I have had a hiatal hernia repaired in the past and went to the seminar with Louisville Bariatric Group last Tuesday. The doctor there said with the type of surgery I had (Nissenfundoplasty?) to repair that hernia, they may not be willing to schedule a banding surgery. He said that the wrap in the nissen would typically go in the same place as the pouch and the band would go. If LBG is not willing to do the banding, I would be willing to go to etown to see Dr Oldham (I live in Louisville).

They were done at the same time, he schedules a scope to check for hiatal hernia prior but then repairs it at the time of surgery. I am not familiar with they type of procedure you had done so I don't know if that's an issue with his group or not. I think they have an office in Louisville also, I know they do surgeries in Louisville their group is called Bluegrass Bariatrics.

ccbc,

I have read that you cannot get the Lap Band if you had the Nissen Fundoplasty. I did read that you would be able to do RNY instead. Is that an option??

I was going through Louisville as well (Dr Schuster) but worried about the drive and follow up visits.

Good luck.

That's what I am afraid of...

Dr Lusco is the one that did the seminar on Tuesday, but they are in the same practice. He said the Dr Schuster has done one lap band on a patient that has has the nissen done prior to banding...but they didn't know she had it done until they got in there. she just told them that she had a hernia repaired. He said they were able to place the band but would probably not schedule a surgery knowing a nissen had been done.

I really don't want to go with RNY. I think that and the sleeve are too invasive...(like the band isn't invasive...lol).

They were done at the same time, he schedules a scope to check for hiatal hernia prior but then repairs it at the time of surgery. I am not familiar with they type of procedure you had done so I don't know if that's an issue with his group or not. I think they have an office in Louisville also, I know they do surgeries in Louisville their group is called Bluegrass Bariatrics.

TNT,

I was looking at the Bluegrass Bariatrics website, did they require you to use their Pre-op Meal Replacement kits that they have on the Bariatric Advantage estore on their site?

Just curious. I am registered for the March 9th seminar in Louisville to check it out.

TNT,

I was looking at the Bluegrass Bariatrics website, did they require you to use their Pre-op Meal Replacement kits that they have on the Bariatric Advantage estore on their site?

Just curious. I am registered for the March 9th seminar in Louisville to check it out.

No they don't in their book they say they highly recommended it but they never even "pushed" it on me. They are more about the high Protein low carb diet and that's what they encourage. That was good for me I did shakes and one low carb high protein meal a day. Good luck to you!!

I was looking at the Bluegrass Bariatrics website, did they require you to use their Pre-op Meal Replacement kits that they have on the Bariatric Advantage estore on their site?

I went to the Bluegrass seminar on Saturday. It was ok except Dr. Oldham was in emergency surgery?!!? So the coordinator and finance person gave the seminar the best they could. It was a bit one sided as the coordinator had the Band and that is all she spoke about. She grazed over the other options saying she didn't have information on them. Sad. She did mention the Bariatric Advantage program and said how well it works but that it was not mandatory. She said many people use Atkin's brand shakes or other meal replacement bars, but they need them to be low carb.

I am thinking about going to Dr Lusco's seminar at the end of this month. Not sure if I am up for the drives back and forth though.

You'll probably get one of the other doctors, Dr Lusco said they rotate giving the seminars. They were pretty good, my wife will probably get banded with them and I am still going to try. I read that some surgeons that do the sleeve will "take down" the Nissen. If they are going to take it down anyway, why can't they just take it down and do the lapband? We'll see.

Dr Lusco was very good about hanging out and answering questions. He was doing the question part at the end of his presentation and one lady kept asking question after question...he finally told her she had reached her limit and to get with him after...it was pretty funny. I guess the bad part for you is that they only do surgeries at St's Mary & Elizabeth and the bad thing for me is theat they only do the lapband.

Glad to hear that the Bluegrass group does not require the Bariatric Advantage stuff...it looked expensive...imo. I am going this Wed to the Bluegrass seminar. I have a couple of questions for them and I just want to be as informed as I can. It's funny, my wife is a nurse and I know more about the lapband and sleeve than she does.