Elizabeth N.
Herder of cats
We have a vet here....Can't think of her handle....who had an unalterable VBG and got the DS. She has done quite well, not at 100% EWL but doing damned fine 
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VBG to DS Revision ?'s (Surgeon Decisions)
- Thread starter jillc
- Start date
Whit
Well-Known Member
Hi,
I am a Dr. K revision patient. His 4K fee was well deserved, I am 18 months out and still have his cell number. I traveled for surgery. When I went home he called me every couple of days. I have lost all of my excess weight and am happy and healthy. He is an awesome surgeon and genuine human being who really cares about his patients. I am happy to answer any questions you may have.
Best
I am a Dr. K revision patient. His 4K fee was well deserved, I am 18 months out and still have his cell number. I traveled for surgery. When I went home he called me every couple of days. I have lost all of my excess weight and am happy and healthy. He is an awesome surgeon and genuine human being who really cares about his patients. I am happy to answer any questions you may have.
Best
jillc
Well-Known Member
It was @Mary_J.
@Whit. If only it were 4K for me. I'm self-pay, so his fee is too dear for me. Right now, I've got it narrowed down to two excellent surgeons, Marchesini or Greenbaum. I would love to have Dr K, as he is in California and my parents winter in California.
@Barb1 My VBG should be able to be taken down. I'm just finding out what my surgeon would do and/or agree to do if for some reason it can't.
@Whit. If only it were 4K for me. I'm self-pay, so his fee is too dear for me. Right now, I've got it narrowed down to two excellent surgeons, Marchesini or Greenbaum. I would love to have Dr K, as he is in California and my parents winter in California.
@Barb1 My VBG should be able to be taken down. I'm just finding out what my surgeon would do and/or agree to do if for some reason it can't.
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jillc
Well-Known Member
Update - Well, I got an email back from Marchesini. I'm disappointed but I'm happy that I'm informed - I need to know everything up front. He said that he wouldn't accept me as a patient if I totally refused the RNY.
He made the argument that he was sure that the conversion was feasible, but if it wasn't - he wouldn't be willing to do the VBG + DS. He said it was too similar to the jejunoileal bypass (JIB). Which I don't agree with at all, but I'm not a bariatric surgeon. Any thoughts on that?
He asked me if the DS wasn't feasible then he wouldn't want his choices limited - he stated that surgeons need a degree of freedom to decide what is best for the patient. Which in theory, I understand.
He was very respectful and kind. So there's nothing to hold against him. We just don't agree. I wouldn't take him as a surgeon unless he agreed to rule out the RNY, so it's a stalemate.
I could tell him to close me back up again if it wasn't feasible. But, if I'm traveling all the way to Brazil, I wouldn't want to return without some surgery. But not the RNY or ERNY. Nope. Not happening. Notwithstanding the failure rates of the RNY, that video with Dr. Roslin about whether the procedure fails the patient or vice versa really made an impact on me. There were so many things that resonated with me in that video. AndI totally agree that the pyloric valve is very important.
So, I have a phone interview with Greenbaum on Friday. Let's hope that goes better. If he wants to close me up, I could accept that a bit better as Calgary to NJ is a long-ish flight but not 22-25 hours and over $2000 in flight fees.
He made the argument that he was sure that the conversion was feasible, but if it wasn't - he wouldn't be willing to do the VBG + DS. He said it was too similar to the jejunoileal bypass (JIB). Which I don't agree with at all, but I'm not a bariatric surgeon. Any thoughts on that?
He asked me if the DS wasn't feasible then he wouldn't want his choices limited - he stated that surgeons need a degree of freedom to decide what is best for the patient. Which in theory, I understand.
He was very respectful and kind. So there's nothing to hold against him. We just don't agree. I wouldn't take him as a surgeon unless he agreed to rule out the RNY, so it's a stalemate.
I could tell him to close me back up again if it wasn't feasible. But, if I'm traveling all the way to Brazil, I wouldn't want to return without some surgery. But not the RNY or ERNY. Nope. Not happening. Notwithstanding the failure rates of the RNY, that video with Dr. Roslin about whether the procedure fails the patient or vice versa really made an impact on me. There were so many things that resonated with me in that video. AndI totally agree that the pyloric valve is very important.
So, I have a phone interview with Greenbaum on Friday. Let's hope that goes better. If he wants to close me up, I could accept that a bit better as Calgary to NJ is a long-ish flight but not 22-25 hours and over $2000 in flight fees.
jillc
Well-Known Member
jillc
Well-Known Member
This morning I had a phone consult with Dr Greenbaum. I was nervous as I'm not a patient person and had a panic moment wondering if I was supposed to call him instead of the opposite.
Call came in about 15 mins late - typical waiting time for a Dr's appt
He started off with many questions. I asked him several back (paraphrasing, not quoting):
Don't know when yet, might have to wait for spring breakup for the surgery (March/April, when the ground gets too soft and rigs can't be moved).
Call came in about 15 mins late - typical waiting time for a Dr's appt
He started off with many questions. I asked him several back (paraphrasing, not quoting):
- Common Channel - usually 100 cm unless he's confident that the patient will be compliant with the supplementation. He would consider shorter for me as he finds that most out of state/country patients have done more research and are usually more serious about it.
- He described to me upon my question how he will create a sleeve from my VBG. He said he wrote a paper about it, so I'm now looking for that paper as I'm very interested to read it.
- Stomach size - 3-4 ounces. Although he stated it could vary with a VBG revision due to the existing anatomy, which makes sense.
- He seemed confident that the conversion would be possible.
- He's sending me a prescription to get an upper GI barium series done. He wants me to mail the disc to him.
- Need to be cleared for surgery by a cardiologist and pulmonologist (called respirologist in Canada).
- Surgery needs to be booked 4-6 weeks in advance after all the testing is done.
- I've emailed his assistant to see what else I need to get done besides the blood panel.
Don't know when yet, might have to wait for spring breakup for the surgery (March/April, when the ground gets too soft and rigs can't be moved). 
jillc
Well-Known Member
@babs71958 - Greenbaum quoted $15,000. This is for his services and hospital services for 4 nights, barring complications. He said he would not personally charge me more if I needed another surgery, but the hospital will charge $800/day, and that doesn't include possible extra costs for pathology, radiology and any specialist if there should be a problem.
This is for a revision surgery of a VBG (Vertical Banded Gastroplasty) to DS. It is an open surgery. I'm not sure what the cost for an RNY to DS would be as it's a totally different surgery. Both are complicated but in different ways. But you can call or email and ask. They got back to me with a quote in a day, I think.
From the looks of it, he's worked out a really good deal with the hospital for his patients - I found this listing of costs for in-patient per diem cost:
Hope this helps.
This is for a revision surgery of a VBG (Vertical Banded Gastroplasty) to DS. It is an open surgery. I'm not sure what the cost for an RNY to DS would be as it's a totally different surgery. Both are complicated but in different ways. But you can call or email and ask. They got back to me with a quote in a day, I think.
From the looks of it, he's worked out a really good deal with the hospital for his patients - I found this listing of costs for in-patient per diem cost:
Hope this helps.
Barb1
Well-Known Member
Jill I am so happy and excited for you! I know you will rock your DS!
jillc
Well-Known Member
Thanks @Barb1 - I'm excited too! Now I'm getting scheduled for the pre-op testing... Unfortunately I think I will have to wait until April to do the surgery. I don't have the type of job where I can take an extended time off. I'm basically the only full time employee they have, and they have a couple of casuals. Four weeks off may not be much of a problem, but 6 weeks? That will be an issue.
Elizabeth N.
Herder of cats
Keep me posted, I'll look forward to meeting you when you get to NJ! (If I don't scare you too much that is lol....)
Munchkin
Full of Fairy Dust
@Spiky Bugger I know Baltasar's prices include hospital and meds. Odd that Dr. B said no DS.... He did my H for diabetes and his BMI at the time was 27.
jillc
Well-Known Member
@Elizabeth N. So far I'm not scared But then again, I have no problem with people who don't mince words.
I lived in the UK, was married to a soldier, worked in a bar on the base, and now work in the oilfield (none of which are good for people who get offended/scared off easily). Look forward to meeting you too!
@Munchkin - he said no in the first instance, once I said I wanted it, he gave me a price.
But then again, I have no problem with people who don't mince words.I lived in the UK, was married to a soldier, worked in a bar on the base, and now work in the oilfield (none of which are good for people who get offended/scared off easily). Look forward to meeting you too!
@Munchkin - he said no in the first instance, once I said I wanted it, he gave me a price.
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