I am considering a couple of Dr.'s in Louisville, Ky. Drs Jeff Allen and Jorge Rodriguez. I am looking for individuals who have been banded by these Dr.'s and would like for you to share your experiences, both good and bad as well as suggested questions I should ask. I'm looking for the best support pre and post op. Please give any and all experiences as well as opinions that will help me make my decision. Do the listen to questions? Do they do their own surgeries and fills, or do they pawn you off on other people in the office. Thanks.

Oh, please don't recomend the St Mary's Group, they aren't on my insurance.

I too am in the research process. I attended Norton's seminar last week and St. Mary & Elizabeth's yesterday. Dr. Geller presented at my Norton seminar and he was great and very informative. I think I am going with Dr. Lusco as I really liked him. They seem to hold your hand a bit more during the process. Have you been to any other groups seminar?

I've heard really good things about Dr. Allen but I didn't want to go to Norton's as I used to work there (prefer the anonymity). I've heard really good things about Dr. McMillan at Clark Memorial too (close drive and a more personal hospital).

I'm going with Dr. Lusco at St. Mary's.

Good luck!

I went to the St Mary's info session as well, and I liked it a lot better, but it would end up costing me between 6 and 8 thousand more to use them, and I didn't like them THAT much better. My husband works for Norton's in a physician practice, so in order for it to be in network, it has to be done at a Norton facility. Suburban also does Lap Band, but the complication and death rate at that hospital is too high for my tastes, or at least it was 2 years ago when I looked, very briefly, at having it done there.

From what I can tell from the research I've done and the people I've talked to, Dr Allen is the one who proctored all the other docs in Louisville on laprascopic anything, and the bands in particular. He's a great surgeon, but his follow up appointments for fills are about 90 seconds long, and he doesn't listen real well. At lest that's what I was told by 2 different people, one of who switched to Dr Rodriguez for care of a complication, and all followups since. But I'd like more than just 1 person's opinion.

Maybe give Suburban another shot, they have never had a lap band death. Dr. Geller did mention they have had 1 gastric bypass death on an individual with extreme circumstances. While I am probably going with St. Mary's I was impressed with what appeared to be the level of precaution Dr. Geller takes with all his patients. This may be the same with all Norton docs. I think that because before surgery they make you see a heart & lung doc and they make you stay the night is positive. I personally thought Dr. Geller's presentation was much more informative and really laid out the facts for you to make a decision and Dr. Lusco's was more a sales pitch (although a good one since I did pick them).

Maybe give Suburban another shot, they have never had a lap band death.

Suburban has had deaths from lap band. Dr Geller may not have, but the hospital has. I also looked at deaths in the first 30 days if the death is related to the band or the surgery, like from infection, but not if you get hit by a car or something.

Edited September 1, 200818 yr by 2b-banded