"Round two with Dr. Cottam has been awesome. I enjoyed 18 months of great health after he did my correctional surgery below. Then last summer the burning sensation returned, and the vomiting returned, along with other unpleasant stuff. I wound up in the ER, and eventually had to return to surgery. I had yet another fistula. We converted the RNY to a gastric sleeve and took down the intestinal bypass. I am only three weeks post-op. He has always listened to me, returns my emails, and phone calls. I find his bed side manner great! We have no health insurance and handled my urgent situation with kindness. He is one of the kindest physicians I have ever met.
I have never received any support from his support program or staff. I cannot say if it is a good program or not. I would use no other surgeon. He tries to find what works for the patient, not make the patient fit into what works for everyone else.
**********************Previous Experience****
I had LAP RNY eight years ago on March 1, 2001. My start weight was 322 pounds. I lost 187 pounds.
I spent the first 6.5 years after my surgery in a living hell. I threw up every time I ate. I had bowel obstructions, pancreatitis, ulcers, and developed a fistula. The complications existed from the very start of my surgery. I could not get my original surgeon to listen or treat my problems. He felt it was all in "MY HEAD". Emotionally it wore me down. Those around me did not understand how difficult it was coping with the pain the surgery had created for me. I felt lost and adrift with no where to turn. I so needed help!
In August of 2007 I learned a new surgeon was coming to Utah. I was told he might be able to help me. I submitted all of my medical records to him.
I was Dr. Cottam's first patient in Utah. At my consult I was just stunned! He listened, he believed there was something wrong with my surgery. He was concerned.
I was his first patient in the operating room in Utah. He found that the technique used for my original surgery was flawed. My original surgeon had created a large "Candy Cane Limb" that was making me sick. Because of the limb, Ulcers and a fistula had developed.
I had the correctional procedure done 18 months ago and have achieved the quality of life I searched for eight years ago.
Today I finally feel ok. The pancreatitis flares its ugly head on occasion, but overall I am much better. I guess after 6.5 years of chronic pancreatitis ...the damage is done. However, the frequency of the attacks is much less. I rarely throw up and can eat like any other gastric bypass patient.
I am an avid cyclist and do many 100+ mile bike rides each year. I enjoy a thinner body. I have kept my weight off. However, if I could turn back time, I doubt I would chose WLS..It has just been too hard. Even those in the field have a rough time recognizing when someone is struggling and how to deal with the issues.
Dr. Cottam is a wonderful skilled surgeon and a great support. Many physicians/surgeons just blew me off. He knew instantly what was wrong with my surgery and bent over backwards to find a way for me to have a correctional surgery. So glad he has the skills and ability and desire to treat the complications of the surgery and the disease of morbid obesity.
I finally have a quality of life. "
