Dr. Gary Anthone
- Thread starter nedsmehlp
- Start date
Given Larra's info, I would contact him but ask lots of questions before proceeding.
I've had an open procedure (partial hysterectomy in 1994, and lap procedures.
Both have the downside. Lap has gas trapped that can make you truly miserable. Open hurts but without the trapped gas. And while the lap heals quickly on the outside, both require the same amount of time to heal inside.
DSRIGGS
Yes, that is chocolate covered bacon
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He is making the entire Alimentary limb (CC + what we call the AL) almost 60% of total small bowel length. That is opposite of what the Hess Method is supposed to be - 40% absorbing path (total AL) to 60% nonabsorbing path (BPL) and he is doing 60% absorbing path (Total AL) to 40% BPL.
Those limb lengths are to me a recipe for a person being very disappointed because they don't lose as much weight as they wanted and needed to lose. Apparently they (he has a partner but name escapes me) are afraid of malnutrition with a shorter CC but it sure seems to me that they went too far.
Those limb lengths are to me a recipe for a person being very disappointed because they don't lose as much weight as they wanted and needed to lose. Apparently they (he has a partner but name escapes me) are afraid of malnutrition with a shorter CC but it sure seems to me that they went too far.
DSRIGGS
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BTW, as far as open goes, Dr K has said that minimally invasive (lap) is not necessarily minimally invasive. I can tell you that the most painful surgical recovery that I have ever had was after a laproscopic procedure. Much more painful that a partially open procedure (3.5 inch mid-line incision below umbilicus). I would not let open be a deal breaker if you have a good surgeon who only does lap (Greenbaum for one).
Sandy
Been Around A While
Even though Dr. Anthone trained with Dr. Hess, he does not use the Hess method. When Dr. Anthone was out at USC in Los Angeles he and Dr. Crookes both chose to do a DS with a very tight sleeve and cookie cutter limb lengths rather than proportional limb lengths (Hess uses proportional limb lengths). After Anthone moved to NE he decided on longer common channel lengths because he thought giving the patient less malabsorption also gave them less gastrointestinal issues. The key here is that he gives patients less malabsorption. I am a Crookes patient from just after Anthone left L.A., and I can attest to what Scott said about insufficient weight loss due to conservative limb lengths. I only lost 70lbs with my DS despite working very hard to take off more weight. Anthone is a skilled surgeon, but your results with the DS from him will be a crap-shoot.
DSRIGGS
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Hi Sandy. For some reason I thought you were a Dr K patient and didn't a Crooke patient.
Sandy
Been Around A While
I wish I had been a Dr. K patient with my original DS. The insurance I had at the time wouldn't cover him. It's possible you thought I was a Dr. K patient because I advocate for So. Cal. patients to choose him rather than not.
DSRIGGS
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That is probably why.
Hello,
I found this thread while doing a Google search for Dr Anthone. I was curious to see if he was still in Omaha. I had my surgery with him in 8 years ago, April 2009, and joined this site because I feel compelled to chime in.
I am a 5'10" tall female. At the time of my surgery I was 40 years old and 331 pounds. He gave me a common channel that is 150cm long. I too had my concerns about weight loss with that length cc, but had read success stories about him. I had also read many stories of severe complications due to malabsorption from people who had a very short cc. I was willing to have a longer cc in order to lessen complications due to malapsorption. The weight came off effortlessly. My weight dropped to 145lbs, which is normal for my height and frame. I lost 186lbs. My ideal weight for me has always been between 145 and 155lbs, and I have been able to maintain that for the most part. The only time it goes up is when my bad habits come into play and I eat too many carbs and sugar. As soon as I eat more paleo again, the weight drops back to my goal zone.
I have found the malapsorption component to be tolerable. I take my vitamins in spurts. Sometimes I am taking at least 20 different vitamins and supplements a day, sometimes none for months at a time (which I do not advocate. I'm embarrassed to admit that, but for the sake of transparency, I will. I need to be more diligent about my supplement intake). My D tends to migrate down, but as soon as I diligently increase my dry D, my levels increase and stabilize. I was having some issues with low ferritin, and had to receive ferritin infusions every 6 months for about 2 years. But my ferritin has now stabilized and I haven't needed one for over a year. In fact, during my last visit to my hematologist, I learned that my ferritin had increased on it's own! That was a welcome surprise.
I was not too keen on open surgery at all, but after much research, I was sold on Dr Anthone. Much of it had to do with his reputation, training, location (he's just the next state over), insurance accepted, and timeline for surgery. I also learned that he chooses to do open surgery so that he has a full view of the internal anatomy. Personally, I felt more assured with someone who had a full view of things and could access any potential complications immediately. While he's in there, he also does a check on other organs and removes the gallbladder to avoid future gallstone problems. Recovery was tough, but then again I do not have any personal experience to compare it to the lap version of this surgery. I was not crazy about the long scar that resulted from the open surgery and have learned to live with it. It has become a part of me and I no longer notice it as much. Nor does my fiance whom I met 3 years post surgery.
I am not trying to sell anyone on Dr Anthone. I have no vested interest. I just thought it might be valuable to hear from someone who actually had this surgery with him. Hope this helps.
I found this thread while doing a Google search for Dr Anthone. I was curious to see if he was still in Omaha. I had my surgery with him in 8 years ago, April 2009, and joined this site because I feel compelled to chime in.
I am a 5'10" tall female. At the time of my surgery I was 40 years old and 331 pounds. He gave me a common channel that is 150cm long. I too had my concerns about weight loss with that length cc, but had read success stories about him. I had also read many stories of severe complications due to malabsorption from people who had a very short cc. I was willing to have a longer cc in order to lessen complications due to malapsorption. The weight came off effortlessly. My weight dropped to 145lbs, which is normal for my height and frame. I lost 186lbs. My ideal weight for me has always been between 145 and 155lbs, and I have been able to maintain that for the most part. The only time it goes up is when my bad habits come into play and I eat too many carbs and sugar. As soon as I eat more paleo again, the weight drops back to my goal zone.
I have found the malapsorption component to be tolerable. I take my vitamins in spurts. Sometimes I am taking at least 20 different vitamins and supplements a day, sometimes none for months at a time (which I do not advocate. I'm embarrassed to admit that, but for the sake of transparency, I will. I need to be more diligent about my supplement intake). My D tends to migrate down, but as soon as I diligently increase my dry D, my levels increase and stabilize. I was having some issues with low ferritin, and had to receive ferritin infusions every 6 months for about 2 years. But my ferritin has now stabilized and I haven't needed one for over a year. In fact, during my last visit to my hematologist, I learned that my ferritin had increased on it's own! That was a welcome surprise.
I was not too keen on open surgery at all, but after much research, I was sold on Dr Anthone. Much of it had to do with his reputation, training, location (he's just the next state over), insurance accepted, and timeline for surgery. I also learned that he chooses to do open surgery so that he has a full view of the internal anatomy. Personally, I felt more assured with someone who had a full view of things and could access any potential complications immediately. While he's in there, he also does a check on other organs and removes the gallbladder to avoid future gallstone problems. Recovery was tough, but then again I do not have any personal experience to compare it to the lap version of this surgery. I was not crazy about the long scar that resulted from the open surgery and have learned to live with it. It has become a part of me and I no longer notice it as much. Nor does my fiance whom I met 3 years post surgery.
I am not trying to sell anyone on Dr Anthone. I have no vested interest. I just thought it might be valuable to hear from someone who actually had this surgery with him. Hope this helps.
Last edited:
Munchkin
Full of Fairy Dust
Welcome and thanks for expressing your opinion! You are lucky and you have done well! Sounds like he definitely did right by you!
Thank you, Munchkin. I would be interested to know if he is doing much longer cc's than that these days.
