Lap Vs Open

[Guest guest]

I went to my pre-op class last week and 99% of the class is having Lap

exception - ME>>>>> The Case Manager, remarked that he has not seen an

Open done in Richmond in a long time and suggest I speak to my

surgeon. Like to get the groups in-put on this. When I first saw Dr.

Fisher, he told me that I was a canidate for open procedure as I carry

a great deal on my weight in my bottom half. and the lap can take up to

twice the time and he just wants to get me in and out of surgery as

soon as he can. Does this make sense??????

Also I am having my reservation about Dr. Fisher - not sure if this is

intuition or just nerves....For those of you who had Dr. Fisher on a

scale of 1-10 how did you rate him?????I am 5pds from my goal weight -

I go back to Richmond on 13th and if I have lost the weight will get my

surgery date????? Should I switch Doctors at this point or just keep

things as they are?????????

Lucy

[Guest guest]

Lucy

I didnt have my surgery at richmond, so i can not comment on your doctor, but i have never heard anyone complain that i can recall, but i have heard people say they like him.

It is faster for the doctors to do an open surgery but as i understand it they try to do as many as they can laproscopic because it is easier recovery for the patient. I have heard that some patients due to heavier weights and larger livers, do have to sometimes have their surgerys open.............or sometimes they are required to lose 90 or 100 pounds first......

hope someone else has better information for you

ColleenLucia wrote:

I went to my pre-op class last week and 99% of the class is having Lap exception - ME>>>>> The Case Manager, remarked that he has not seen an Open done in Richmond in a long time and suggest I speak to my surgeon. Like to get the groups in-put on this. When I first saw Dr. Fisher, he told me that I was a canidate for open procedure as I carry a great deal on my weight in my bottom half. and the lap can take up to twice the time and he just wants to get me in and out of surgery as soon as he can. Does this make sense??????Also I am having my reservation about Dr. Fisher - not sure if this is intuition or just nerves....For those of you who had Dr. Fisher on a scale of 1-10 how did you rate him?????I am 5pds from my goal weight - I go back to Richmond on 13th and if I have lost the weight will get

my surgery date????? Should I switch Doctors at this point or just keep things as they are?????????Lucy

Colleen

[Guest guest]

I had Dr. Fisher, and he's great. My scars are tiny, and he did the procedure quickly. He did LAP for me. I think he has the most experience of all of the surgeons there, and used to do open all of the time. If he thinks you have a lot of belly fat around your internal organs, he may find that it would be medically unwise to do the LAP on you, as it takes longer...and you'll be under longer. If you have sleep apnea and/or other respiratory issues, this may be an additional concern that causes hi to want to have the surgery go more quickly.

Talk to him again, write him an e-mail...and ask whether he ever changes his mind on the open issue.

RobynnLucia wrote:

I went to my pre-op class last week and 99% of the class is having Lap exception - ME>>>>> The Case Manager, remarked that he has not seen an Open done in Richmond in a long time and suggest I speak to my surgeon. Like to get the groups in-put on this. When I first saw Dr. Fisher, he told me that I was a canidate for open procedure as I carry a great deal on my weight in my bottom half. and the lap can take up to twice the time and he just wants to get me in and out of surgery as soon as he can. Does this make sense??????Also I am having my reservation about Dr. Fisher - not sure if this is intuition or just nerves....For those of you who had Dr. Fisher on a scale of 1-10 how did you rate him?????I am 5pds from my goal weight - I go back to Richmond on 13th and if I have lost the weight will get

my surgery date????? Should I switch Doctors at this point or just keep things as they are?????????Lucy

[Guest guest]

HI Lucy,

I would go with what the surgeon says. I know we would all like just a couple of little scars instead of the long one from open but the surgeon knows whether you are a good candidate for lap or not. Remember we are not all built the same and you can not go by a comment that one person makes about 99% are lap. I had mine open and I preferred that he have enough room to do what he had to do. There is also the risk if you are really a candidate for open and then he tries lap and ends up doing open anyway.

I think you should trust your surgeons decisions as to which procedure would work the best for you.

Ramona

[Guest guest]

I have had an " open " so to say already. Hernia repair in 2001, scar

is navel to c-sec scar. Since I am having another hernia repair and

hope to get my tubes tied at the same time I am pretty sure it is

open for me again. Might as well go back in on the same incision as

before. True, it is more risky and the pain is extreme, sneezing

truly sucks. I would rather know up front so I can prepare.

Jeanne

> HI Lucy,

> I would go with what the surgeon says. I know we would all like

just a

> couple of little scars instead of the long one from open but the

surgeon knows

> whether you are a good candidate for lap or not. Remember we are

not all built

> the same and you can not go by a comment that one person makes

about 99% are

> lap. I had mine open and I preferred that he have enough room to

do what he

> had to do. There is also the risk if you are really a candidate

for open and

> then he tries lap and ends up doing open anyway.

> I think you should trust your surgeons decisions as to which

procedure would

> work the best for you.

> Ramona

[Guest guest]

And the long scar might fade and look better than the lap ones anyway. If it's for your safety, that's pretty important.

Pam

Re: Lap Vs Open

HI Lucy,

I would go with what the surgeon says. I know we would all like just a couple of little scars instead of the long one from open but the surgeon knows whether you are a good candidate for lap or not. Remember we are not all built the same and you can not go by a comment that one person makes about 99% are lap. I had mine open and I preferred that he have enough room to do what he had to do. There is also the risk if you are really a candidate for open and then he tries lap and ends up doing open anyway.

I think you should trust your surgeons decisions as to which procedure would work the best for you.

Ramona

[Guest guest]

Hi Lucy,

I've never heard anything bad about Dr. Fisher, always good. I was a candidate for open by Dr. Baggs because I had 2 c sections and a bad infection after on where I had lots of drains in me for 3 weeks which caused lots of scare tissue, but Dr. Baggs with assist of Dr. Park went in one hole for lap and decided to work around my scare tissue, I've had so many surgeries for all different things maybe they just thought it would be hard on me, I'm not sure. I know lots of people who have both. So really talk to Dr. Fisher and ask any questions you want don't be scared, this is your body. If you're truly not happy with him, ask for someone else. DonnaLucia wrote:

I went to my pre-op class last week and 99% of the class is having Lap exception - ME>>>>> The Case Manager, remarked that he has not seen an Open done in Richmond in a long time and suggest I speak to my surgeon. Like to get the groups in-put on this. When I first saw Dr. Fisher, he told me that I was a canidate for open procedure as I carry a great deal on my weight in my bottom half. and the lap can take up to twice the time and he just wants to get me in and out of surgery as soon as he can. Does this make sense??????Also I am having my reservation about Dr. Fisher - not sure if this is intuition or just nerves....For those of you who had Dr. Fisher on a scale of 1-10 how did you rate him?????I am 5pds from my goal weight - I go back to Richmond on 13th and if I have lost the weight will get

my surgery date????? Should I switch Doctors at this point or just keep things as they are?????????LucyDonna JordonDSJordon@...

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[Guest guest]

just for the record, I, too, was told that I must have

an open, not just because of my big tummy, but because

in addition I also have some scar tissue build-up from

two previous surgeries, (gall-bladder removal and a

c-section). And, frankly, knowing what I do about lap

versus open, I would much rather have the open. Yes,

recovery time is much longer and the pain much worse;

however, the chances of having a " mis-hap " during a

lap procedure would be greater, (or so I have been

told by a Pacific Bariatric and a KP surgeon). But as

we know, not everyone is of the same opinion. That is

to say, you may rather take your chances having lap

than the additional recovery time (and pain!!) needed

for open.

Pam b

PS I think, though, that there may be a greater chance

for infection with an open. But again, I would rather

have the possibility of infection rather than the

possibility of gastric leak... (just an example)

--- Lucia jlsirugo@...> wrote:

> I went to my pre-op class last week and 99% of the

> class is having Lap

> exception - ME>>>>> The Case Manager, remarked that

> he has not seen an

> Open done in Richmond in a long time and suggest I

> speak to my

> surgeon. Like to get the groups in-put on this.

> When I first saw Dr.

> Fisher, he told me that I was a canidate for open

> procedure as I carry

> a great deal on my weight in my bottom half. and the

> lap can take up to

> twice the time and he just wants to get me in and

> out of surgery as

> soon as he can. Does this make sense??????

>

> Also I am having my reservation about Dr. Fisher -

> not sure if this is

> intuition or just nerves....For those of you who had

> Dr. Fisher on a

> scale of 1-10 how did you rate him?????I am 5pds

> from my goal weight -

> I go back to Richmond on 13th and if I have lost the

> weight will get my

> surgery date????? Should I switch Doctors at this

> point or just keep

> things as they are?????????

>

> Lucy

>

>

>

>

______________________________________________________

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[Guest guest]

I had open surgery, and have never regretted it. If I had had the option

of lap, I would have gone for it, but when my surgery was done, Richmond

was only doing open. I might have recovered more quickly with lap, but

my recovery with open wasn't that bad. Honestly, my feeling is that the

difference in recovery time isn't that great. I feel that if I trust the

surgeon to be rearranging my innards with sharp instruments, he/she has

my permission to do the procedure however he/she feels is best for my

health. If I don't trust his/her judgement, ain't know way that doc is

coming near me with a scalpel!

Pamela wrote:

>just for the record, I, too, was told that I must have

>an open, not just because of my big tummy, but because

>in addition I also have some scar tissue build-up from

>two previous surgeries, (gall-bladder removal and a

>c-section). And, frankly, knowing what I do about lap

>versus open, I would much rather have the open. Yes,

>recovery time is much longer and the pain much worse;

>however, the chances of having a " mis-hap " during a

>lap procedure would be greater, (or so I have been

>told by a Pacific Bariatric and a KP surgeon). But as

>we know, not everyone is of the same opinion. That is

>to say, you may rather take your chances having lap

>than the additional recovery time (and pain!!) needed

>for open.

>

--

Eleanor Oster

eleanor@... (personal address)

www.smallboxes.com/gastricbypass.htm

San , CA

Open RNY (100 cm bypassed) 07/15/2003

P. Fisher, M.D., Kaiser Richmond (CA)

~5'9 " tall

05/09/2003 319 Orientation

07/15/2003 ~290 Surgery

Current 157±2 Goal until plastics?