"I had to go back for hernia surgery recently and was in the same ward for bariatric patients as I was when I had the RNY 15 months earlier and I'd have to say that the patient care was still as great as it was the previous time. Glad I went there. The staff knows about bariatric patients or previous bariatric patients so you don't have to keep explaining things. "
"I first visited Dr Garber in December of 2009 when I was simply desperate and couldn't take being fat anymore. My surgery was done on March 9th, 2010. It took a while to get all the testing done that needed to be done before I could qualify for the surgery. Luckily my insurance company covered a lot of that expense.
I opted for the gastric bypass after given all the information imaginable about WLS. Yes, it would be more complicated and yes, more expensive (I had to pay out of pocket because the insurance company didn't want to hear about WLS) but I really wanted to lose the weight and keep it off. I was 150 pounds overweight and miserable. I have since lost that.
I would rate Dr Garber an A+. My first impression was that I would get through this ordeal under the best care imaginable and my second impression was that this wouldn't kill me. He exudes confidence... and that's really what you want in a surgeon, isn't it? I know I do. I was simply terrified about the ordeal but the idea of failing at yet another diet terrified me more because I was suicidal.
Never in a million years did I ever think I would deliberately want major surgery. I hadn't been operated on before except for a lumpectomy. I was always very healthy despite my obesity luckily. I had no co-morbidities except for my cholesterol which has since gone down 200 points.. but it's still kind of high because it's the congenital kind.. and I kind of think that's all bogus anyway.
I had a few follow up visits after the surgery but couldn't afford to pay for them out of pocket as I had no job or money left after shelling out a ton of cash for the surgery and the stock market crashing down on me whereby I lost my retirement money.
My regular internist (Dr Jed Hantverk) is a doll and he saw me regularly to do blood work (when I felt weak or poopy) after the surgery and check my health. He originally recommended Dr Garber to me when I told him how desperate I was to knock off the poundage.
Dr Garber is always available via email. Imagine that? And he writes back quickly. So whenever I had a question or a concern, I'd contact him via email.
In November 2009 I was experience burning in my pouch and he told me it sounded like I had an ulcer and I saw his partner Dr Holover for an endoscopy which showed I had one. The meds cleared that right up. I had to re-quit smoking again. Unfortunately, my then ins. co. decided to deny the claim for stupid reasons and at this moment it is being fought by the NYS Attorney General's office on my behalf but it doesn't look good for me because it was a private insurance company/scam from the husbands car dealer. I owe Drs Garber/Holover a ton of money from the endoscopy and I just don't know how I am going to come up with it. The billing department... well.... we'll see what she comes up with for me. I was trying to negotiate for a lower price and figure out a payment plan. I don't eat much anyway, so I can pay out of food money over time until I find a job.
He saved my life last week:
On Friday, June 2,1010 I was at the end of my rope with another complication. I was having some gastric problems and it turned out that I had twisted bowels and an internal hernia. I had just gotten over a terrible intestinal virus which I believe is what twisted my guts into a pretzel.
I had already seen 4 doctors on my insurance plan and had 3 tests done (CT, MRI and endoscopy). Dr Garber is not on my current health insurance plan (I dumped the other horrible one that he wasn't on either) but I wrote to him to explain what I was going through and the horrible ordeal I was being put through by my covered health providers through my insurance and how I had been in excruciating pain for 3 weeks and still waiting to even have a consult with a surgeon would be another week. I was getting so scrawny and weak from not eating. I was dehydrated and dizzy.
I was seriously afraid of getting gangrene if the blood supply was cut off, that I had 6 hours to live should that happen. I read about it on this very website and that is what prompted me to contact him that morning.
He told me to immediately get to the ER at Mercy Hospital for emergency surgery. He said insurance would have to cover emergency surgery in an ER. His staff set me up. His partner, Dr Holover also called me from the hospital to talk to me.
Within one hour, I was being prepped for surgery to be performed by Dr Holover who just happened to be on my insurance plan and I feel that they saved my life. The two of them operated on me. Unfortunately I had to be cut open because the situation couldn't be corrected otherwise. But they tried. It's been a week. I can eat again although the operation really hurts.
The staff at Dr Garber's office was amazingly helpful, knowledgeable and supportive since day one.
The surgery is done at Mercy Medical Center in Rockville Center, NY. The hospital is set up to handle bariatric patients and you don't feel like a freak. I went to a few sessions there before the bypass surgery and met with a nurse who explained everything in detail. How wonderful is that? I knew exactly what to expect, even though it was not pleasant. There were no surprises.
I have nothing negative to say about Dr Garber or Dr Holover. They are competent and quite personable as well. I consider them to be the dream team of bariatric surgeons. I was so well informed leading up to and after my surgery that I never felt stupid, scared or dumb. After speaking to numerous other friends who had the surgery by other doctors, I believe that I was the best informed.
Out of pocket costs for the surgery and 2 night hospital stay came to about $30,000. I will never regret the expense... not even with the complications I had subsequently. I was aware of the risks and accepted them. I have complete confidence that this surgical team will look out for me.
I hope this helps anyone in the NY area, or anywhere who is looking for an effective solution to being unhealthy and fat.
I am also so grateful for this forum and the information I got last week that I feel saved my life.
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