Has anyone had surgery with Dr Nick? I am scheduled on May 21st (Tuesday) at Victory Medical in Plano...just wondering if anyone can give me some feedback about their experience. Pain after surgery? Does he require a cath during surgery? Does he come in to see us during our stay in the hospital? What have you experienced with his office (friendliness, how are they about returning calls, etc...) Any information would be helpful! I am getting so nervous, thinking of backing out!!!! Help!!

Kami, until yesterday, I had just been walking around inside the house. Yesterday evening, however, I went for a walk with the family. Nice weather for it! I plan to do the same thing today. Good luck to you!

Great! Walking outside is a nice change as long as we don't have a heat stroke lol good luck to you too!

I had Dr. Nick.

Sleeved June 19th. I am doing great but my left side hurts really bad. I was sleeved at victory in Plano. When I woke up in recovery I was told that multiple people were unable to be discharged so they didn't have a room for me. I had to stay in the recovery room the entire time. They gave us a $50 Visa card and $10 Starbucks card. They installed a tv by night time and brought a wonderful chair down for my husband. I was upset but impressed by their help.

I started my journey at 203

Surgery dare 187

Today 175.5

I had Dr. Nick.

Sleeved June 19th. I am doing great but my left side hurts really bad. I was sleeved at victory in Plano. When I woke up in recovery I was told that multiple people were unable to be discharged so they didn't have a room for me. I had to stay in the recovery room the entire time. They gave us a $50 Visa card and $10 Starbucks card. They installed a tv by night time and brought a wonderful chair down for my husband. I was upset but impressed by their help.

I started my journey at 203

Surgery dare 187

Today 175.5

Oh my. I am sorry to ear of your experience. I was in recovery at victory after my EGD and I would not have wanted to stay there. At least they did try o accommodate you though. My left side still hurts really bad too. I hope that goes away soon! I am finally able to go for walks with my dog so I am getting better. Good luck and I hop your pain goes away soon too

Hang in there ladies,

It's going to get sooooo much better! I promise. In a few weeks, you will be feeling and looking like a million bucks. Dr. Nicholson has you taking the first few weeks slow with the liquid diet, it's worth it!

The time will fly!

I feel so much better today. Left side is much better.

Here is me as of today! I can finally see a difference.

I feel so much better today. Left side is much better.

Here is me as of today! I can finally see a difference.

Wow! That is 21 pounds down? You look amazing I hope to start seeing a difference soon.

Well 28, 203 to 175. In the body shots I was more around 212. I couldn't find any others. I wouldn't allow anyone to take a pic of my body. I didn't take any preop. I'm dumb, should have. I think my nerves took over my brain. But, the head shots before are one week before surgery.

I'm only 5'1 so even 10 lbs makes a huge difference!!

I love Dr. Nick. My experience with him was wonderful. I sailed through surgery, no catheter. My RN husband had me up walking after two hours and every two hours after that. I, too, had left sided pain because that is the incision where the stomach is pulled through and it was sewn tight, so it pulled. But as soon as the weight started to come off the pulling sensation ceased. I didn't see Dr. Nick in the hospital after, but I felt very comfortable with the PA Brittany and the other house physicians I saw.

Good luck to you and you are going to be a success!

I had my two week today. I was cleared to swim! Yay! When you have a three year old swimming comes in handy. They were satisfied with my weight and get to start mushy foods in one week. The PA was not Dr. Nick but she was nice. She was very quick at getting me out and I didn't get to ask the questions I wanted.

TexasRed: I had surgery 6/25 as well. How are you doing? I still have a bit of left-sided pain (more of a tugging sensation) but overall doing much better than I thought I would! No nausea or vomiting. I had my surgery at Forest Park.

Wow! I also had surgery on 6/25 at Forrest Park with Dr Nicholson. Small world I still have the pain on the left side too. I had nausea after surgery but never vomited..yay! I just went for my first walk outside this morning since it was only 80 degrees. What have you been doing for exercise with his heat?

Wow. I was at Forest Park on 6/25 as well!. I'm doing much better now. I had a really rough time the night and day after surgery. I was incredibly nauseous and they could not get it under control. I had zofran, phenegen, reglan, repeat. I couldn't walk because getting out of bed made me vomit (It actually was not as bad/painful as you would think). Finally the got me a stronger anti nausea drug (I think it started with a p and ended with a zole) and that worked starting Wednesday evening.

Since I am an out of town patient I was hospitalized two nights. I also stayed in a hotel near the hospital until Monday (first day Dr Nick required, the rest for my peace of mind) I had horrible incision site pain days 3-6 post op, but I called and they upped my hydrocodone which made all the difference in the world. I never had the gas pain people talk about though. Now, I am starting to feel way better.

Wow. I was at Forest Park on 6/25 as well!. I'm doing much better now. I had a really rough time the night and day after surgery. I was incredibly nauseous and they could not get it under control. I had zofran, phenegen, reglan, repeat. I couldn't walk because getting out of bed made me vomit (It actually was not as bad/painful as you would think). Finally the got me a stronger anti nausea drug (I think it started with a p and ended with a zole) and that worked starting Wednesday evening.

Since I am an out of town patient I was hospitalized two nights. I also stayed in a hotel near the hospital until Monday (first day Dr Nick required, the rest for my peace of mind) I had horrible incision site pain days 3-6 post op, but I called and they upped my hydrocodone which made all the difference in the world. I never had the gas pain people talk about though. Now, I am starting to feel way better.

Wow! Sorry to hear you Had a rough time of it. I had my hydrocodone dose upped too bc I was in pain. Sooo much pain. I sailed through the hospital and was discharged but the meds at hospital must have been a lot stronger lol bc when I got home on the dose they gave, it didn't touch the pain. But then again, I have a back injury for which I have taken hydrocodone for 10 years off and on so it might not work as well on me. Glad to hear you are feeling better! Where do you live? Hopefully travel was not too hard on you.

Sorry to hear, TexasRed, that you had so much postop nausea! My husband went through that as well. Hope things are better now!

Happy I came across this thread. I am going to his seminar on Tuesday. It's looking like I'm going to be self pay which kinda sucks but I think it will be money well spent! Did any of y'all do self pay? If so, how quick was the process from consult to surgery? Did you pick where you had surgery? Does Dr. Nick use drains? That's the first I've heard of not doing the leak test the day after. I bet that makes the day of surgery so much easier when you can drink afterwards!!

I didn't do self-pay but can tell you that my insurance company approved me about 1.5 weeks after the seminar. If you are self-pay, you won't have even that short of a wait but can schedule an appointment with Dr. Nick and set the date. You do decide where you want to have surgery. My husband had it at Victory and I had mine at Forest Park. I think the nurse to patient ratio is lower at Victory and it is a smaller facility. You might prefer that facility, but honestly, both were awesome. I'm a nurse, so when I am impressed, it's something! And yes, I was asking for ice chips in the PACU. Very nice to get that immediately because I was already pretty much dehydrated by the time of surgery as I had gone 14 hours NPO. You will have a drain and a "pain ball" which slowly releases pain meds at the incision site. You will most likely go home with the pain ball, but the drain will be removed right before discharge. Be forewarned: it feels disgusting coming out!

Happy I came across this thread. I am going to his seminar on Tuesday. It's looking like I'm going to be self pay which kinda sucks but I think it will be money well spent! Did any of y'all do self pay? If so, how quick was the process from consult to surgery? Did you pick where you had surgery? Does Dr. Nick use drains? That's the first I've heard of not doing the leak test the day after. I bet that makes the day of surgery so much easier when you can drink afterwards!!

I was self pay with Dr. Nicholson. Worth every penny! I had my choice of facilities, I had mine at Forrest Park~Frisco. The facility is only about a year old and very nice, plus it's only 10 minutes from my home. When you are self pay you don't have to go through any insurance hoops or delays. You can set your date and get going on your pre op diet. Like Ytsepam, I had a drain in the hospital that was removed before I went home and the pain ball went home with me and my hubby took it out, when they told us to, its very easy. I think the best part is no post op leak test, he does it in the OR!

Good luck!