I'm pretty confident about my decision to go with this surgeon, but it would help me feel even better to hear how someone else's surgery and postop care went. I've read numerous positive reviews on OH, but I'd love to hear from someone on this forum. Feel free to PM me if you don't want to post here.

Thanks

My daughter and I are going into our third month of the multidisciplinary program for insurance coverage but I don't know if Dr. Macik will do our surgery after we are done. When we started this whole journey, it was well over a year ago and my daughter had been dieting rigorously. She lost a pretty good amount of weight before our first visit. Well, between having our hopes up and down about being able to have surgery and it being over a year since she was first weighed, she has, of course, gained weight. So now Dr. Macik won't do surgery on her until she loses 30 pounds. The other thing is, our scales differ from his by 13 pounds. We even went out and bought brand-new scales and both of them differ from his. But he won't relent.

I totally understand the reasons behind his rule of not gaining any weight before surgery (and even losing if possible), but I personally think he should cut her some slack as long as she loses some of the weight she lost and is exercising...

I am using Dr. Macik, so please update me as to how everything is going, when you get a chance. Today was my first appointment and I liked him. However, I am scared to death. This is not a game and I have to be here for my children!

Thank you!

I'm just over two months out and can finally say that I'm doing great. My reasons for not saying that before were simply the regular effects of the surgery: difficulty getting in fluids initially, struggling with the restriction and not being able to eat much, lacking energy. Those are things everyone can experience and all have resolved. I'm very pleased with my surgery and with the stomach Dr. Macik gave me. Because of how my eating has progressed and how my restriction has changed, I get the sense that he did a really good job of creating a stomach that would allow me to loose weight but also allow me to eat regular food. I don't know if that makes sense because it's hard to explain.

I'm not totally sure how I feel about the aftercare from this office just because I've had a couple of episodes of not being responded to the way I should have been. But, luckily I'm a very independent person and I just did what I needed to do to resolve my issues, whether it be nagging until I got an answer or going out and doing the research myself. Although other people have posted better experiences with aftercare, mine has been shaky. But the fact that the nurse doesn't return calls or followup on questions and requests may not be a good way to judge the care you will receive.

However, I would still highly recommend Dr. Macik because of his obvious experience, thoroughness, and skill level. I would just say that the more dependent types should have someone to follow up on things for them after surgery because it might be hard to do for yourself when you're weak and healing.

My daughter and I are going into our third month of the multidisciplinary program for insurance coverage but I don't know if Dr. Macik will do our surgery after we are done. When we started this whole journey, it was well over a year ago and my daughter had been dieting rigorously. She lost a pretty good amount of weight before our first visit. Well, between having our hopes up and down about being able to have surgery and it being over a year since she was first weighed, she has, of course, gained weight. So now Dr. Macik won't do surgery on her until she loses 30 pounds. The other thing is, our scales differ from his by 13 pounds. We even went out and bought brand-new scales and both of them differ from his. But he won't relent.

I totally understand the reasons behind his rule of not gaining any weight before surgery (and even losing if possible), but I personally think he should cut her some slack as long as she loses some of the weight she lost and is exercising...

Hey m,

I struggled with this too because I gained weight between my first consult and my preop appt. Luckily it was about 10 pounds and I was able to lose it by going on my preop diet early. Tell your daughter to go high Protein low carb and the weight will come off. When I stepped on the scale for my preop I was 1 pound under my consult weight. I almost fainted from relief because I thought I was going to have to come in there and beg for my surgery. I suspect that if your daughter were closer to 10 pounds gained you might have a shot at convincing him. But I certainly know what it's like to lose and gain 30 pounds so I sympathize. Worst case scenario would be to take your 6 months insurance requirements to another surgeon. The insurance company isn't going to care if you switch surgeons. But, I hope she's able to loose enough to convince him to do the surgery. I think she can do it in 3 months with the low carb thing.

Good luck!

I am almost 4 months out and have not had any problems. Dr. Macik came highly recommended and I am extremely pleased with my decision to use him. He is a skilled surgeon. I am down 70lb (10 preop) and would do this again in a heartbeat. Although I am currently in a stall.. ugh the surgery has has changed my life this short period of time. I am back to working out, and feeling better about myself. I had my labs done on Monday and received a call from my PC that everything was excellent including my cholesterol... it was perfect.

Hey ken, it's good to hear that things are still going well for you. You're right about how much better this makes us feel. I'm down 2 sizes and was in the mirror a little while ago dancing and grinning from ear to ear in a new outfit. I'm moving around so much better and not self-conscious about how I look all the time. I can tell that my confidence is showing to other people and they are looking at me differently because of it. It's great!

Updating this one - I had surgery with Dr. Macik on the 18th of May.

I stayed two nights because of nausea ( my stomach didn't like the liquid percocet) but through the whole thing, he was great.

Going to see him for my 2 week check up tomorrow.

Updating this one - I had surgery with Dr. Macik on the 18th of May.

I stayed two nights because of nausea ( my stomach didn't like the liquid percocet) but through the whole thing, he was great.

Going to see him for my 2 week check up tomorrow.

My husband had his done on May4th. He stayed 2 nights also. He also had a hernia fixed and was sore. He is already down over 30lbs. I am so proud of him. I go in on June 10th if all goes right with insurance. I am waiting on final approval! Praying they do not let me down again. They denied me back in Jan.

Congratulations and hope your two weeks goes great!

My husband had his done on May4th. He stayed 2 nights also. He also had a hernia fixed and was sore. He is already down over 30lbs. I am so proud of him. I go in on June 10th if all goes right with insurance. I am waiting on final approval! Praying they do not let me down again. They denied me back in Jan.

Congratulations and hope your two weeks goes great!

Congrats on the hubs' loss! Good luck with yours. Macik and the hospital were just great to me.

2 week check up was great! down 16 pounds. Bought a pair of xl pants (work out capris) and they fit.

Can't complain!

Finally going in for surgery on July 8th! I am so excited and cannot wait., Seems like the days are just dragging by. I am ready for the new me!

Has anyone else had an experience with Dr. Macik?

I have an appointment with him next Thursday and would love to hear any feedback about him.

Edited July 27, 201511 yr by Mary Ann H

Anyone have surgery (or know someone) with Dr. Macik in Atlanta, GA recently?

Not recently. My daughter and I had VSG by Dr. Macik almost 7 years ago. He was great! My daughter had a leak, which was VERY scary, but not only did Dr. Macik stay by her side almost continually, the staff at Emory was, in general, wonderfu.l (There was 1 intensive care nurse that was taking care of my daughter who I got very upset with. When Dr. Macik found out what happened, he immediately went to the nurses' station and she was never seen in my daughter's room again.)

I ended up losing way too much weight (got down to 104 pounds!), but after some stern talking to by my PCP, I gradually gained 30 pounds and have stayed there, plus or minus 3 pounds, every since. I am 5'5" and 62 years old. I lost 140 pounds. I got to a size 0 (with all of the extra skin) and would wear a size 2 now if I didn't have the extra skin.

My daughter ended up having her gallbladder removed by Dr. Macik about a year after the surgery, and everything went off without a hitch. That surgery was done at Northside Hospital. She went on to complete her undergraduate and graduate degrees, has a job she loves now, and is at a healthy weight. She lost over 200 pounds.

Hope this helps.