Re: Dr. Scholten (long)

[Guest guest]

My friend who had the surgery with Dr Scholten also is almost 12 months

post op. She has no idea the length of her common channel. She has lost more

weight than I have and were not sure of the exact reason except for the fact

that she suffers horribly from acid reflux and eating causes her extreme

pain so she really avoids eating often.

She is probably in a size 12 now and was in a 24 when she had her

surgery, so her results considering she doesn't eat as often as she should

are not profound in any way. She has a big frame and does not really want to

lose anymore weight, and has also worn a size 16 as early as the age of

about 12 years old so this size is a HUGE adjustment for her at 43.

In the diet class my friend mentioned the DS and your absolutely right

the woman teaching it played it down and something that was really so below

the RNY to the patients who perked up after hearing that another surgery was

available. They dropped the issue quickly.

Another issue I wanted to bring up, in regards to Dr Scholten. The day

of last appointment before surgery I had words with his other nurse

Kay. She was terribly rude and I heard a woman crying in the other room as

this nurse threatened to cancel her surgery because the woman had been

involved in a car accident some time ago and this nurse thought she was

taking to many Tylenol 3's for pain. This was the 2nd person I had heard

this nurse make this same threat too. It seemed as though she was getting

some sort of satisfaction out of having such control and scaring the heck

out of the people including myself who had worked so hard to get to this

day. We were all already scheduled for surgery. When she came into my

examining room she did the same thing, she asked me if I had quit smoking, I

replied yes although I had smoked 2 cigarettes in the last 2 weeks. She was

off to the races telling me Dr Scholten was going to cancel my surgery, I

was already angry after hearing how she talked to the other patient and I

ripped into her. She even said " maybe you should find another surgeon " I

replied " Oh no I will not! I have jumped through far to many hoops for this

operation to be canceled and I will not find another surgeon " . She knew she

had went to far at one point and began to apologize, that's when I reminded

her that she was working in a professional position and apparently was

lacking the ability to act like a professional, and I suggested she get

counseling. She used to handle all the patients now that you have had Anne I

hope that Dr Scholten has removed nurse Ratchett from seeing his patients. I

did fax a letter to him explaining how badly she had mixed up my records

including mis informing me on pre op testing and sending me home with

another patients prescriptions as well as how she was treating his patients.

Last but not least, the day after surgery I was experiencing a lot of

pain, I asked Dr Scholten to help me with it he said " No really this

problem is because have taken pain medication for to long because of your

car accident. He actually had me mixed up with the other woman, now if that

doesn't drain your confidence I don't know what will.

Renae

>From: sasnchwnch@...

>Reply-To: duodenalswitch

>To: duodenalswitch

>Subject: Re: Dr. Scholten

>Date: Sun, 02 Dec 2001 05:22:43 -0000

>

>I've got my pre-op consult with Dr. Scholten on Dec 6th. When I

>first contacted his office (in late July), he was the only DS surgeon

>that was listed as a preferred provider by my PPO.

>

>So far the only contact I've had with his office is with Anne, one of

>the patient services reps, and she has been wonderful. But Renae is

>correct in that everything in his office in geared to the RNY, which

>is a bit unnerving when you know you want the DS. As a matter of

>fact, I was told NOT to mention that I was interested in having

>a " different kind of surgery. " And at the orientation meeting I

>attended back in August when someone mentioned DS, and again at one

>of his support group meetings, questions about the DS are either

>ignored or the DS is made to sound uninviting (malnutrition, smelly

>gas and unsatisfactory long-term success were mentioned). Because I

>had been here and researched DS for a while by then, I knew better

>than to believe this. I spoke to the people asking about DS after the

>orientation and support group meeting and steered them to the DS site

>and here, but still, the other people in the room were being steered

>away from a better alternative than the RNY.

>

>Anyway, I was already going into this consult with some trepidation

>because he is so pro-RNY. After reading Renae's post about the

>length of her common channel, I'm even more concerned. I too am 5'2 "

>and was 237 at my highest weight. I'm now at 225. I agree with

>Renae, 175 is too much to carry around on a 5'2 " frame. Renae, how

>long is your friends common channel, how far out from surgery is she

>and how is her weight loss going, if I may ask?

>

>I will be sure to bring up the common channel length issue with Dr.

>Scholten at my consult and see what answer I get. I also plan on

>asking him what size he leaves the stomach during the reduction and

>how much duodenum he leaves attached to the pylorus for vitamin

>absorption.

>

>To answer some of the other questions from the original poster. Dr.

>Scholten uses what used to be Butterworth Hospital but is now called

>Spectrum Health Downtown Campus. It is a wonderful hospital, I had

>my son there 4 years ago. But, like everywhere else in the country,

>they too are hit by the nursing shortage and the patiets are subject

>to the nurses all-too-natural responses to being overworked.

>

>Dr. Scholten has a website if you want to look at it:

>http://www.aawmi.com.

>

>Any suggestions for thigs to ask, or ammunition to use, at my consult

>with this very pro-RNY doctor would be most appreciated.

>

>

>

>

>

> > Everyone who responded,

> > Thank you for the wonderful words of encouragement. I am so

>blue

> > over this,I am already a revision from a failed VBG so that makes

>it worse

> > this time around. Now my problem is that because of the DS I cannot

>secure

> > insurance from anyone other than Blue Cross, which is about $550.00

>per

> > month for my husband and I. I am hoping by January I will be able

>to get my

> > policy started.

> >

> > Renae

>

>

>

>----------------------------------------------------------------------

>

[Guest guest]

Renae,

When I finished reading your story I was so damned mad I could spit

nails! I have been treated similary by the office personel of a

wonderful, wonderful, surgeon, and I had to fire that office because

this surgery is too big a committment to deal with unprofessional,

incompetent or power hungry people. I can't believe that someone can

work in the health industry and have these kinds of personality

disorders. I am so proud of you for standing up for yourself!

Oh, and just as an aside, although this pertained to a different

patient, I would just like to share my personal experience with

extended pain medication usage. I had a total knee replacement in

August of this year. This was after 2 prior surgeries and a year of

almost no walking. Recovery has been slow but promising. The only

thing that has helped me cope with 9 hours of intensive physical

therapy per week are the narcotics that my pain management specialist

has prescibed. My DS surgeon, Dr. Jossart, was quite aware of what I

was taking and was able to coordinate with my pain specialist (a

neurologist) as was the anesthesiologist. The first thing the

anesthesiologist talked to me about in our preop meeting was that due

to my current prescriptions, it would be more difficult to control my

pain post op, and that it was HIS job to figure out how to make me

comfortable! Well let me tell you, it was very tough on them, but my

doctors made sure that at any time my pain meds weren't

working...they were adjusted accordingly. Post op, I am back on the

prior low but regular dosing pre op and I have had NO POST OP pain so

to speak of. Laughing does not count, because its self inflicted, I

can't seem to help my self, and while it hurts like hell, it makes me

happy!

Anyway, thanks for sharing your story, and for others who suffer

chronic pain prior to surgery, there is NO reason that your pain

cannot be controlled, that medications that contain aspirin cannot be

altered for the weeks prior to surgery in order to reduce your risks,

and that you should be punished for being ill.

God Bless and hugs,

Theresa

DS 11-19-01

Dr. Jossart

-16#s

> > > Everyone who responded,

> > > Thank you for the wonderful words of encouragement. I

am so

> >blue

> > > over this,I am already a revision from a failed VBG so that

makes

> >it worse

> > > this time around. Now my problem is that because of the DS I

cannot

> >secure

> > > insurance from anyone other than Blue Cross, which is about

$550.00

> >per

> > > month for my husband and I. I am hoping by January I will be

able

> >to get my

> > > policy started.

> > >

> > > Renae

> >

> >

> >

> >-------------------------------------------------------------------

---

> >

[Guest guest]

Hi Renae,

Thank you for such an in-depth responses to my questions.

Unfortunately, I have to report that Nurse Ratchett is still in the

picture; I just haven't gotten to her yet.

Up till now I've been in the jump-through-hoops pre-approval stage

just to get the appointment for a consult. Therefore, I've only

dealt with my Patient Services Rep, Anne. There are three Patient

Services Reps, assigned by the first letter of your last name, and

they guide you through all the hoops that are required BEFORE you can

get your consult date: Orientation, Psych Eval, Medical Records and

Support Group Meeting Attendance.

I suppose I will meet Nurse Ratchett on Thursday at my consult. I

have already been dieting to lose weight because of the pre-surgery

weight loss requirement Dr. Scholten has. I was 237 and have gotten

down to 225. Since we have approximately the same stats height and

weight-wise pre-surgery, can I ask how much he made you lose before

surgery? Oh, and how long was it between your consult and your

surgery date?

Renae, than you SO MUCH for all your information. Unlike most of the

other DS surgeons, we Scholten patients are a small -- but

increasingly vocal, it would seem ;o) -- minority. By sharing your

experience you're making the unknown a little less scary.

Pre-op Consult: Dec 6

Dr. Scholten, Grand Rapids MI

> > > Everyone who responded,

> > > Thank you for the wonderful words of encouragement. I

am so

> >blue

> > > over this,I am already a revision from a failed VBG so that

makes

> >it worse

> > > this time around. Now my problem is that because of the DS I

cannot

> >secure

> > > insurance from anyone other than Blue Cross, which is about

$550.00

> >per

> > > month for my husband and I. I am hoping by January I will be

able

> >to get my

> > > policy started.

> > >

> > > Renae

> >

> >

> >

> >-------------------------------------------------------------------

---

> >

[Guest guest]

Hi Theresa and all:

I have a bad left hip and I have been on large amounts of pain meds for

over 3 years. I take 1500mg of Loritabs or Vicoden 3 to 4 times a day.

Dr. A was aware of this and never said a word about them other than to ask

me if they controlled my pain. While I was in the hospital I never had any

pain other than when I first woke up and that stopped as soon as they turned

on the epidural.

In the three years I have been seeing him and traveling from Washington to

LA he has even written scrips for my pain meds for me when I have run low.

I also see no reason for anyone to be in pain because of pain meds they

take.

Huggles,

Tiger

[Guest guest]

Here here sister friend!

Bottome line is that one can have pain relief and this most

miraculous surgery and your are an even better example of that then I

am. Hopefully, anyone that tries to intimidate any preops will be

able to quote our experience!

Hugs back at ya!

Theresa

DS 11-19-01

Dr. Jossart

-16#s

> Hi Theresa and all:

>

> I have a bad left hip and I have been on large amounts of pain

meds for

> over 3 years. I take 1500mg of Loritabs or Vicoden 3 to 4 times a

day.

> Dr. A was aware of this and never said a word about them other

than to ask

> me if they controlled my pain. While I was in the hospital I never

had any

> pain other than when I first woke up and that stopped as soon as

they turned

> on the epidural.

> In the three years I have been seeing him and traveling from

Washington to

> LA he has even written scrips for my pain meds for me when I have

run low.

> I also see no reason for anyone to be in pain because of pain

meds they

> take.

>

> Huggles,

> Tiger

>

>

[Guest guest]

Darn, should that have been hear hear? laughing...blonde moment!

Theresa

> > Hi Theresa and all:

> >

> > I have a bad left hip and I have been on large amounts of pain

> meds for

> > over 3 years. I take 1500mg of Loritabs or Vicoden 3 to 4 times a

> day.

> > Dr. A was aware of this and never said a word about them other

> than to ask

> > me if they controlled my pain. While I was in the hospital I

never

> had any

> > pain other than when I first woke up and that stopped as soon as

> they turned

> > on the epidural.

> > In the three years I have been seeing him and traveling from

> Washington to

> > LA he has even written scrips for my pain meds for me when I have

> run low.

> > I also see no reason for anyone to be in pain because of pain

> meds they

> > take.

> >

> > Huggles,

> > Tiger

> >

> >

[Guest guest]

Hi

I weighed 263 at my consult in November and lost to 245 by my

surgery date Feb 27th, I could have went in sooner but I had my vacation

coming from work so I had to wait. Unfortunetly Kay would not give me

an answer on how much he wanted me to lose, she just kept telling me when I

would ask her that he just wanted everyone to show a weight loss or he would

not do the surgery. But be cautious, the weight loss he wants to be shown is

between the consult and the surgery. My advice for the consult, wear heavy

clothes and as many clothes as you can get away with, eat as big a meal as

you can eat right before your appointment.You want to weigh as much as

possible.

Make sure you get him to confirm the length of your common chanel

with him in your consult as well as the morning of surgery. Remember he

confused me with another patient the day after my surgery, feel free to tell

him about my weight gain now at 10 months post op and my unhappiness with

the failed surgery if you need to so you can convince him that you need a

100 cm channel. You might want to take some other physicians studies to

prove to him that 100cm and less is the current operation being performed. I

know this sounds wierd but if you can take a friend have them in the room

during your consult, my friend was there with me (the one that had the same

surgery) we had our consult at the same time. I now have a witness if I take

him to court, she heard me tell him I wanted no less than a 100 cm common

channel.

Stay in Touch

Renae

>From: sasnchwnch@...

>Reply-To: duodenalswitch

>To: duodenalswitch

>Subject: Re: Dr. Scholten (long)

>Date: Sun, 02 Dec 2001 17:59:53 -0000

>

>Hi Renae,

>

>Thank you for such an in-depth responses to my questions.

>Unfortunately, I have to report that Nurse Ratchett is still in the

>picture; I just haven't gotten to her yet.

>

>Up till now I've been in the jump-through-hoops pre-approval stage

>just to get the appointment for a consult. Therefore, I've only

>dealt with my Patient Services Rep, Anne. There are three Patient

>Services Reps, assigned by the first letter of your last name, and

>they guide you through all the hoops that are required BEFORE you can

>get your consult date: Orientation, Psych Eval, Medical Records and

>Support Group Meeting Attendance.

>

>I suppose I will meet Nurse Ratchett on Thursday at my consult. I

>have already been dieting to lose weight because of the pre-surgery

>weight loss requirement Dr. Scholten has. I was 237 and have gotten

>down to 225. Since we have approximately the same stats height and

>weight-wise pre-surgery, can I ask how much he made you lose before

>surgery? Oh, and how long was it between your consult and your

>surgery date?

>

>Renae, than you SO MUCH for all your information. Unlike most of the

>other DS surgeons, we Scholten patients are a small -- but

>increasingly vocal, it would seem ;o) -- minority. By sharing your

>experience you're making the unknown a little less scary.

>

>

>Pre-op Consult: Dec 6

>Dr. Scholten, Grand Rapids MI

>

>

> > > > Everyone who responded,

> > > > Thank you for the wonderful words of encouragement. I

>am so

> > >blue

> > > > over this,I am already a revision from a failed VBG so that

>makes

> > >it worse

> > > > this time around. Now my problem is that because of the DS I

>cannot

> > >secure

> > > > insurance from anyone other than Blue Cross, which is about

>$550.00

> > >per

> > > > month for my husband and I. I am hoping by January I will be

>able

> > >to get my

> > > > policy started.

> > > >

> > > > Renae

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >-------------------------------------------------------------------

>---

> > >