Jump to content
×
Are you looking for the BariatricPal Store? Go now!

Heard of Dr. Ara Kashishian in Cali?



Recommended Posts

Hi... i am looking to get DS and wondering if anyone here has had a DS w/Dr. Kashishian in California? If so, can you provide some details on your experience w/him?

thanks!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

@mjctexasLet me put it this way.,,if I lived on the west coast I would've had him do my DS.

Also sent you a PM.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

My wife and I have dinner with him periodically in our support group, which is largely composed of Dr. K and Dr. Rabkin veterans, mostly 10-20 years out. I can't comment much on his program currently, but as above, he would be our choice for being here in SoCal, and from travelling from out of state, either are quite good and it would come down to whichever is more convenient for travelling.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Best in the biz!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

thanks for the replies. i have chosen dr. k to perform my DS ....

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

@mjctexas When is your surgery? I'll be following your progress and wishing you the best.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

july 11... so just under a month away!! completed bloodwork, EKG & chest xrays yesterday. Thank you so much. I will post an update after surgery, and it will likely be me because my husband doesn't really do much on the pc.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

On the West Coast, the BEST DS surgeons are Dr. Ara Keshishian in Pasadena, CA and Dr. John Rabkin in San Francisco, CA. They are also the most skilled at revision surgeries. Another great DS surgeon is Dr. Folahan Ayoola in North Texas (Denton, Frisco, & Flower Mound).

They all do the real DS, not SIPS (aka SADI), which isn’t the same thing. With SIPS/SADI surgery, you don’t get long term fat malabsorption, will have less weight loss than DS, there is no medical code for surgeons to honestly bill for it as insurance companies consider it experimental, and yet you’ll have permanent requirements for extra Vitamin & mineral supplementation to prevent serious deficiencies.

Edited by MarinaGirl

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Thanks Marina. Why are you wanting a revision to DS?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, mjctexas said:

Thanks Marina. Why are you wanting a revision to DS?

Where did I say I want a revision to DS?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

sorry, i misread from a different post :-)

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I have the same stats as you and will have my DS on the 12th here in Texas! I am so ready - and scared and anxious and excited. Good luck with your travels and I'll be following your journey!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

@meltingmeDS thanks for the well wishes ! just sent you a PM. i am so close to surgery now and getting things ready. good luck to you too! I will be following u as well :-)

i will post a different thread/update once my surgery has been completed.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Just adding my praise for Dr. K! I had my DS with him in 2012. Truly a wonderful surgeon and really seems to care about his patients. I live in Texas now but flew to California from St. Louis to have DS at the time. I researched for about a year and Dr K was highly recommended for doing DS especially on BMI over 60.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I had surgery with Dr. Keshishian in July 2018 (LINX device removal, hiatal hernia repair, and Nissan Fundiplication). It went very well; however, I have some other issues that I’m seeing him about currently - Upper GI in Dec 2018 showed previous repairs are great and now the next step is another EGD endoscopy at the end of Jan 2019. I really love and appreciate this surgeon as the ones in my home state were not able to do the surgeries or properly diagnose the GI issues I’ve been experiencing. Dr. K is great at DS surgery AND at complex abdominal/intestinal/esophageal conditions.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now

  • Trending Products

  • Trending Topics

  • Recent Status Updates

    • Prdgrdma

      So I guess after gastric bypass surgery, I cant eat flock chips because they are fried???  They sell them on here so I thought I could have them. So high in protein and no carbs.  They don't bother me at all.  Help. 
      · 1 reply
      1. NickelChip

        It's possible for a very high fat meal to cause dumping in some (30% or so) gastric bypass patients, although it's more likely to be triggered by high sugar, or by the high fat/high sugar combo (think ice cream, donuts). Dietitians will tell you to never do anything that isn't 100% healthy ever again. Realistically, you should aim for a good balance of protein, carbs, and fat each day. Should you eat fried foods every day? No. Is it possible they will make you sick? Maybe. Is it okay to eat some to see what happens and have them for a treat every now and again? Yes.

    • NovelTee

      I'm not at all hungry on this liquid pre-op diet, but I miss the sensation of chewing. It's been about two weeks––surgery is in two days––and I can't imagine how I'll feel a couple of weeks post-op. Tonight, I randomly stumbled upon a mukbang channel on YouTube, and it was strangely soothing... is it just me, or is this a thing? 
      · 1 reply
      1. NickelChip

        I actually watched cooking shows during my pre-op, like Great British Baking Show. It was a little bizarre, but didn't make me hungry. I think it was also soothing in a way.

    • Clueless_girl

      How do you figure out what your ideal weight should be? I've had a figure in my head for years, but after 3 mths of recovery I'm already almost there. So maybe my goal should be lower?
      · 3 replies
      1. NickelChip

        Well, there is actually a formula for "Ideal Body Weight" and you can use a calculator to figure it out for you. This one also does an adjusted weight for a person who starts out overweight or obese. https://www.mdcalc.com/calc/68/ideal-body-weight-adjusted-body-weight

        I would use that as a starting point, and then just see how you feel as you lose. How you look and feel is more important than a number.

      2. Clueless_girl

        I did find different calculators but I couldn't find any that accounted for body frame. But you're right, it is just a number. It was just disheartening to see that although I lost 60% of my excess weight, it's still not in the "normal/healthy" range..

      3. NickelChip

        I think it's important to remember that the weight charts and BMI ranges were developed a very long time ago and only intended to be applied to people who have never been overweight or obese. Those numbers aren't for us. When you are larger, especially for a long time, your body develops extra bone to support the weight. Your organs get a little bigger to handle the extra mass. Your entire infrastructure increases so you can support and function with the extra weight. That doesn't all go away just because you burn off the excess fat. If you still had a pair of jeans from your skinniest point in life and then lost weight to get to the exact number on the scale you were when those jeans fit you, chances are they would be a little baggy now because you would actually be thinner than you were, even though the scale and the BMI chart disagree. When in doubt, listen to the jeans, not the scale!

    • Aunty Mamo

      Tomorrow marks two weeks since surgery day and while I'm feeling remarkably well and going about just about every normal activity, I did wind up with a surface abscess on on of my incision sights and was put on an antibiotic that made me so impacted that it took me more than two hours to eliminate yesterday and scared the hell out of me. Now there's Miralax in all my beverages that aren't Smooth Move tea. I cannot experience that again. I shouldn't have to take Ativan to go to the lady's. I really looking forward to my body getting with the program again. 
      I'm in day three of the "puree" stage of eating and despite the strange textures, all of the savory flavors seem decadent. 
      I timed this surgery so that I'd be recovering during my spring break. That was a good plan. Today is a state holiday and the final day of break. I feel really strong to return to school tomorrow. 
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • BeanitoDiego

      Now that I'm in maintenance mode, I'm getting a into a routine for my meals. Every day, I start out with 8-16 ounces of water, and then a proffee, which I have come to look forward to even the night before. My proffees are simply a black coffee with a protein powder added. There are three products that I cycle through: Premier Vanilla, Orgain Vanilla, and Dymatize Vanilla.
      For second breakfast on workdays, I will have a low-fat yogurt with two tablespoons of PBFit and two teaspoons of no sugar added dried cherries. I will have ingested 35-45 grams of protein at this point between the two breakfasts, with 250-285 calories, and about 20 carbs.
      For second breakfast on non-workdays, I will prepare two servings of plain, instant oatmeal with a tablespoon of an olive oil-based spread. This means I will have had 34 grams of protein, 365 calories, and 38 carbs. Non-workdays are when I am being very active with training sessions, so I allow myself more carbohydrate fuel.
      Snacks on any day are always mixed nuts, even when I am travelling. I will have 0.2 cups of a blend that I make myself. It consists of dry roasted peanuts, cashews, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, pistachios, and Brazil nuts. This is 5 grams of protein, 163 calories, and 7 carbs.
      Breakfast and snacks have been the easiest to nail down. Lunch and dinner have more variables, and I prepare enough for leftovers. I concentrate on protein first, and then add vegetables. Typically tempeh, tofu, or Field Roast products with roasted or sautéed vegetables. Today, I will be eating leftovers from last night. Two ounces of tempeh with four ounces of roasted vegetables that consist of red and yellow sweet peppers, sweet potatoes, small purple potatoes, zucchini, and carrots. I will add a tablespoon of olive oil-based spread, break up 3 walnuts to sprinkle of top, and garnish with two tablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese. This particular meal will be 19 grams of protein, 377 calories, and 28 grams of carbs. Bear in mind that I do eat more carbs when I am not working, and I focus on ingesting healthy carbs instead of breads/crackers/chips/crisps.
      It's a helluva journey and I'm thankful to be on it!
       
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
  • Recent Topics

  • Hot Products

  • Sign Up For
    Our Newsletter

    Follow us for the latest news
    and special product offers!
  • Together, we have lost...
      lbs

    PatchAid Vitamin Patches

    ×