Surgical Weight Loss Center of Utah Bariatric Center

I like Dr. C a lot. He is very laid-back and easy-going. I could have stayed another night in the hosp if I had chosen to do so - and I should have, he knew better than me - but I was getting antsy to leave.

He has a year-long program of after-care, with weekly support groups on different topics. I went to 2 of them before my surgery and liked the experience. I tasted a sample of a protein shake there and made a choice of what I would buy.

His office staff is very nice and supportive. He and his partner only do WLS and they publish their complication rates - a sign of an excellant physician.

I did have to wait a while to see him but I was the 11:30 appt and he was running late by then.

My surgey will be 2/23/2010...so far I have been very impressed with Dr. Cottam he's been nice and very patient with any questions.I am very excited and have felt very supported from the staff at the office...especially the nutritionist and the excercise lady! They were awesome!!! Well back from surgery safe and sound! Dr. Cottam was amazing...attentive and very caring and informative.He checked on me twice and encouraged me to stay in the hospital another night which that next morning I was so grateful for as I had a nasty bout of nausea which would have been awful at home.The staff at Salt Lake Regional were incredible. One of my nurses there Elliot was like an angel I was alwaqys grateful to see him. When you're helpless like that and people that don't know you take such great care of you it's so nice and comforting!I am 100% glad I chose this Dr and hospital!

First impression was at seminar. Quiet, but exremely experienced. I found out later that he is one of the leading bariatric surgeons in the country. Post surgery, I had several freak complications. An incision site infection, a stricture dialation, and then a whole new surgery because the second stricture dialation blew everything apart. However, Dr. Cottam was able to correct everything laproscopically!! He never had to open me from stem to stern and for that, I will be forever greatful!! He is an amazing surgeon!

My impression of Dr. Richards so far has been pleasant. I have not yet had my pre op visit but so far so good. The office staff was very polite and professional.

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.

Well I finally got to meet my surgeon and I really like her a lot!! She is very straight forward which I love and very nice at the same time. I can't wait to get to know her a lot better in time. She answered every question I had with information that I could understand. Her staff is very informative and very nice.I will keep you updated as I go along this journey.

Dr Cottom is a great surgeon. He is very busy and a little hard to get to know but I am happy with my decision.

From the first day that I met Dr. Richards I liked her. She is a very straight forward chick, just like me! I had surgery on Tuesday and she came in to chat with me before answer questions, etc. Surgery went well I was in and out in less than 5 hours. Stopped by to see her the next day before I headed home and she again answered my quesitons and reassured me that I was doing good. I look forward to going through the journey with her by my side.rnrnThanks,rnBrandie

Dr. Cottam seemed very quiet yet confident. I asked Dr. Cottam how many RNY he had performed and he told me over 1,000. My consult appointment lasted about 3 hours. I saw the dietician, the psychologist, the exercise physiologist, the insurance specialist, attended a short video question/answer session and then saw Dr. Cottam. The thing I liked least is I felt each phase of my consult appointments was very rushed so I was unable to absorb as much as I would have liked with regard to information regarding my surgery. Aftercare was never discussed, I hope it WILL be discussed at the time of my surgery? All Dr. Cottam's personnel are great EXCEPT for the office gals that answer the phone. They are rude, snippy and unhelpful, they put so much effort into NOT helping me when I call that they end up making their own jobs more difficult. As an example I made approximately 15 calls JUST trying to get a copy of my labs that ONLY went to Dr. Cottams office. His receptionist told me to contact the lab in Reno. The lab in Reno told me to contact my PCP in Elko, my PCP told me he didnt order the labs so he doesnt have a copy so I should contact Dr. Cottam in Salt Lake City. I again called Dr. Cottam's office and was told that the gal who had my labs was off that day. I called back the next day and she was out of the office. After a few days, I called again and they told me that they couldnt find my file so I should call my PCP. I told them I had already jumped through all those hoops and all I wanted was a copy of my labs, they told me they couldnt give me a copy of my labs (I even offerred to fax them a signed Release of Medical Records Form. Eventually, the best I could get out of them was to have their onstaff nurse read my cholesterol levels to me over the phone. I NEVER DID GET A COPY OF MY LABS!!! There are a couple of days during the week that certain people you may need to speak with are off. I havent figured out exactly what their schedules are but it is tricky trying to contact some of the staff. rnrnAfter surgery I have this to say...anyone who chooses doctor Cottam...I feel he knows his stuff BUT, if you have any questions of this man, you better grab onto his arm and not let loose until you are done because its very difficult to get this man to sit still for a couple of questions. He will literally walk out of the room while you are in mid sentence and not answer your questions. But I have to rationalize that his arrogance, is tolerable since, he is the guy who trains other doctors to perform gastric bypass and he is the goto guy for gastric bypasses that need to be redone.

Dr. Richards is awesome. She was very open and made sure I understand potential complications. Her office staff is awesome. AFtercare is a big part of the practice. When I did have some problems arise, she was right on top of it. she is very personable. I am only 4 weeks out at this point. I'm sure I will have more to say as time goes by.