Hi guys (:

I'm setting up consultations to inquire about the gastric sleeve and I want to make sure I ask all the right questions and I thought "who better to ask then these guys!"

I'll admit, I'm super nervous and a little scared. I kind of feel like I'm just diving in to the deep end and I want to make sure I'm at least semi-prepared.

So if theres any questions you wish you would've asked or any questions you're glad you asked please share if you can.

Also, if any of you had your WLS done in California and could pass the info of where you got that done and your experience that would be super helpful as well.

I appreciate you<3

-Taylor

My surgeon had a group meeting with about ten of us. He went over both surgeries, the differences, what to expect, the actual anatomical changes, the possible risks. He then consulted with each of us separately after this to discuss which surgery we wanted and why.

He did not pressure us either way which I liked.

The good thing is information about these operations is so easily available on the internet.

Kim I like,the way your surgeon thinks . I hereby dub HIM Dr Does things right.

For the sleeve, I like to look for surgeons who also do the duodenal switch, both from the perspective that the DS is a fairly complex procedure in the bariatric world, so it tends to attract the better surgeons to it, and as it uses the sleeve as its basis (and adds a malabsorptive intestinal rerouting) most of the DS surgeons have been doing sleeves longer than most other bariatric surgeons (the sleeve has routinely been done for about the past 5-8 years, while the DS has been performed for around 25 years.)

Here in CA, Dr Ara Keshishian in Glendale is well worth looking into if you are in So Cal, and in the Bay area there is Dr. John Rabkin (I traveled up to SF for my sleeve as Dr. K wasn't working in SoCal at the time) and there is also Drs. Greg Jossart and Paul Cirangle who are also well regarded.

Certainly go to whatever support group or introductory meetings that they have to get a feel for the practice and personalities involved, Ask questions learn what you can ahead of time so you aren't surprised later. As a bonus for most of these DS oriented surgeons, they generally don't impose any significant pre-op diets that many struggle with - they know their way around in there well enough that they don't need whatever extra help those are supposed to provide (personally, I would avoid any of those guys the impose multi-week liquid only pre-op diets.) They also usually have fairly rapid post-op progressions (as tolerated) so you tend to get back to normal-ish sooner.

Maybe this is just me, but some of the questions I asked my surgeon when I first met him are:

-"How long have you been doing this?"

-"Around how many surgeries have you done?"

-"About how many patients are successful with this program?"

These questions will help you get a feel for the surgeon and the program that they follow.

At least in my experience, I've noticed that different groups seem to do their programs slightly differently. For example, the first surgeon that I was going to only did the bare minimum for insurance. However, the surgeon I'm going I'm going to now requires three extra nutritionist appointments as well as three support group meetings both before and after surgery.

Also, if the surgeon you're thinking about going to has an introductory group meeting, even if it's optional, I recommend going to it. Even if you've done a lot of research, you may still walk away having learned something new!

21 hours ago, RickM said:

For the sleeve, I like to look for surgeons who also do the duodenal switch, both from the perspective that the DS is a fairly complex procedure in the bariatric world, so it tends to attract the better surgeons to it, and as it uses the sleeve as its basis (and adds a malabsorptive intestinal rerouting) most of the DS surgeons have been doing sleeves longer than most other bariatric surgeons (the sleeve has routinely been done for about the past 5-8 years, while the DS has been performed for around 25 years.)

Here in CA, Dr Ara Keshishian in Glendale is well worth looking into if you are in So Cal, and in the Bay area there is Dr. John Rabkin (I traveled up to SF for my sleeve as Dr. K wasn't working in SoCal at the time) and there is also Drs. Greg Jossart and Paul Cirangle who are also well regarded.

Certainly go to whatever support group or introductory meetings that they have to get a feel for the practice and personalities involved, Ask questions learn what you can ahead of time so you aren't surprised later. As a bonus for most of these DS oriented surgeons, they generally don't impose any significant pre-op diets that many struggle with - they know their way around in there well enough that they don't need whatever extra help those are supposed to provide (personally, I would avoid any of those guys the impose multi-week liquid only pre-op diets.) They also usually have fairly rapid post-op progressions (as tolerated) so you tend to get back to normal-ish sooner.

Hi!

Thank you so much that's incredibly helpful especially because I'm fairly close to Glendale so that helps a lot when looking into doctors. If you don't mind me asking Who and where did you get your operation done? and how much did you pay if you paid out of pocket?

Thanks again I really appreciate it

3 hours ago, taylor2021 said:

Hi!

Thank you so much that's incredibly helpful especially because I'm fairly close to Glendale so that helps a lot when looking into doctors. If you don't mind me asking Who and where did you get your operation done? and how much did you pay if you paid out of pocket?

Thanks again I really appreciate it

I'm in the valley, but I went with Dr. Rabkin in SF because at the time, Dr, K wasn't working in So Cal (he was up in the Central Valley) and no one else down here had that much experience with doing sleeves, and my wife had a DS performed by the Rabkins several years before so we were already familiar with them and their program. They also had a local-ish support group and office in Ventura where they used to work before moving north and there are several of Dr. K's patients in that group. Dr. K now sponsors that group and often shows up with his family when his schedule permits (it's a dinner group held at a restaurant.)

IIRC, at the time, the Rabkins self pay rate for the sleeve as about $17k complete; I don't know what it is now, or what Dr. K's self pay rate is, but I would expect it to be in the same ballpark.

Good luck in getting this done!

8 hours ago, RickM said:

I'm in the valley, but I went with Dr. Rabkin in SF because at the time, Dr, K wasn't working in So Cal (he was up in the Central Valley) and no one else down here had that much experience with doing sleeves, and my wife had a DS performed by the Rabkins several years before so we were already familiar with them and their program. They also had a local-ish support group and office in Ventura where they used to work before moving north and there are several of Dr. K's patients in that group. Dr. K now sponsors that group and often shows up with his family when his schedule permits (it's a dinner group held at a restaurant.)

IIRC, at the time, the Rabkins self pay rate for the sleeve as about $17k complete; I don't know what it is now, or what Dr. K's self pay rate is, but I would expect it to be in the same ballpark.

Good luck in getting this done!

Thank you for all the info! I'm gonna definitely look into this!