John Mecenas Bariatric Surgeon MD, FACS

He really expects you to realize that bariatric surgery is also about hard work and making serious lifestyle changes and it isn't the answer to all my problems. I sobered up after he told me this and admitted I didn't think seriously enough about this. He genuinely cares and warned me about the risks, Dr. Mecenas is very honest and direct. Rhonda was also very helpful and caring. I am glad he was my surgeon, he really knew what he was doing and I learned so much about bariatric surgery and myself.

Dr Mecenas saved my life. I am 2mo out of RNY Gastric Bypass surgery and Dr Mecenas is a phenomenal doctor. Throughout the entire process leading up to surgery Dr M was professional, kind and educating; he constantly tailored our sessions to me and my health concerns and worked WITH me to find the best surgery option for me. The procedure went great and the follow up visits were fantastic and he soothed my worries and answered my questions honestly and with care.

My first impression of Dr. Mecenas was that he was probably too young to practice medicine let alone allow him to operate on people's stomachs. He was very stoic, very reserved. He never smiled. He was, however, very intelligent and had a program that he believed in. He was strict and you had to follow the rules.rn Since my surgery, I have realized that Dr. Mecenas is very compassionate. He really listens (Most of the time) to his patients and will not tolerate his patients being in pain. He is very pro-active with us. His office staff is wonderful. rn He believes that we, his patients must do research about what will be happening to us and encourages questions. He also encourages attending support group meetings. He has a great bedside manner and is a wonderful surgeon. As I progress, I have decided that when and if I ever have to have abdominal surgery, no one will ever touch me except for Dr. Mecenas. I trust him that much!!! As for being reserved...he does have a great sense of humor...you just have to get to know him better and vice versa. He smiles all the time now!!!!rn

The Doc is a younger guy with a great head on his shoulder and comes across as someone who is clinically/surgical gifted but also shows he is not an unfeeling machine.rn I am looking forward to working with him and his associates in reaching my goals.

I actually had been briefed on Dr. Mecenas by people in my support group before I met him. He is very knowledgeable and VERY serious about his work. He expects his patients to follow instructions to the letter. If you do not, he will not do your surgery.rnrnHis staff is very friendly. He has an Administrative Assistant, Ronda, who handles all the insurance prerequisites for surgery. She is very knowledgeable as well and takes her job very seriously. I have had the opportunity to speak with her on a few occasions and she always knew my file off the top of her head, which is very impressive considering how many people she has to deal with.rnrnDr. Mecenas strongly emphasizes all of the aspects of the surgery...what is necessary and expected prior to and after surgery, the risks of surgery (as well as the benefits).rnrnHe has a very structured program and works cooperatively with psychologists, nutritionists, primary care physicians and the support group to do his best to make sure his patients stay on track.rn

Dr. Mecenas is businesslike, but kind. I was impressed with his record of many, many surgeries with zero mortalities. Office staff is pleasant and efficient. The office emphasizes before and after care... there appears to be good follow up. I'm impressed with the surrounding program in general. They show you a video and definitely mention the various risks... it's a little scary, but good to know.

I am not one to go to the Dr. although I do work in healthcare???!!! Dr. Mecenas's staff was great. He was very professional, let me make my decision on the type of surgery I wanted and would be good for me. I then asked his opinion of why lap band would work for me vs. rny. The decision making was up to me with his guidance. I am very pleased with my follow up visits, I have had nothingrnbut an excellent experience with the surgery and the office staff. I have not had any problems whatsoever and people at the support group have stated they hope their experience is as good as mine. Good luck to everyone out there and Dr. M is the way to go.rnOh the negative???? Training N.P. on fills with me is not a good idea...........I am chicken!!rnand don't like needles, but she did pretty good, not as painless as Dr. M. so I had to feel a lil ouch. :)

Dr. Mecenas is very professional. He knows the facts and gives his advice and leaves the rest up to you. I didn't see him that much before or after surgery. He came in and said we're all set- any questions? and then the next day before I left he checked the incisions. The office is great Rhonda is very helpful!!!! Dr. M is very into the aftercare and making sure you are commited to this surgey as much if not more the aftercare. Both his sugerical competence and bedside manner are good!

7/5/08 My first impression of Dr. Mecenas was how young he looked. As we talked, I found out that he knows my previous doctor in Ohio, and he appears to be very thorough. I was also told by a member of his staff that he is the most gifted laparoscopic surgeon they have on staff.rnrnThe staff appears to be very nice. Please keep in mind that this staff will provide few if any any reminders as you go through the approval process. They simply give you the paperwork at your initial meeting and cut you loose. If you miss anything after the fact, they remind you that they provided you with the paperwork with the directions. This is not the way I would handle customer service, but this is what you should expect. rnrnI'll write more as the process continues.rnrn7/21/08 I met with Chuck Lindsey today for my pre-op appointment. Surgery a week from tomorrow, wow. Chuck is awesome. I connected with him on my first visit. We went over what to expect the day of surgery, in post-op, and after I head home. It looks like I will be in ICU the night of the surgery, will stay Wednesday to have some tests, and get to go home on Thursday 7/31. Chuck said they take a conservative approach. That is fine with me. I then went on to Cayuga Medical Center for some pre-op tests. I had blood drawn, had an ECG to check my heart, and had a chest x-ray. All of this is to ensure I am healthy for surgery. I can't tell you how impressd I was with Cayuga Medical Center. Top notch customer service. From the gentleman who checked me in to the ladies that said goodbye on the way out, it was an awesome experience. I actually was handed a thank you card from Dao, the young woman who took my x-ray. She thanked me for patronizing their facility. I've never experienced anything like this at a health care facility in my life. Awesome! rnrn10/25/08 I am now almost 3 months post surgery. I thought I would just attend the required number of support group meetings, but now go back as often as I can since I enjoy the people so much. If anyone reading this is questioning whether Dr. Mecenas is the right doctor, let me save you some time. Of all of the patients I have met at the support groups, NONE have had any complications with Dr. Mecenas. Patients that have had surgery with other doctors, and now live in the area, have reported all kinds of problems including poorly located ports, problems swallowing, etc. In addition, Dr. Mecenas is just as thorough post surgery with recommendations on fills. Although nothing is guaranteed, since every person reacts differently to surgery, I would not hesitate to recommend Dr. Mecenas or Cayuga Medical Center to anyone.rn

Dr. Mecenas is an amazing physician who truly cares for his patients. My first impression was that he was young. Ah - I was always warned against young doctors! The funny part is I am young too...lol....Dr. Mecenas answered all my crazy, off the wall questions and provided me with a wealth of information on wls. It's been great...Although, he is very serious about his work and concerned deeply for the welfare of his patients. I trulky believe he is helping me to live longer amd to be healthier and happier. He is amazing!