Donald Waldrep Bariatric Surgeon M.D.,F.A.C.S.

Dr.Waldrep is a great guy. Gets the ball rolling and his stuff are the nicest people u'll ever meet. They are there to help in whatever way they can.

1st Impression: Real life McDreamy
Impression over time: Still McDreamy, but a little goofy too
Office Staff: Friendly, helpful; but make sure you stay on them about disability
Like least: NOTHING; I LOVE Dr. Waldrep!
Future patients should know: He is a TALL, SKINNY man, but one who truly understands what we're going through!
Aftercare: It is mentioned NUMEROUS times that you have to commit to your follow appointments, and dietary guidelines.
Risks of surgery addressed: He has the blue packet which outlines EVERYTHING that can go wrong, it was very informative!
Rate him overall: 10+
Both surgical competence & bedside manner are important, and Dr. Waldrep has plenty of both!

Dr. Waldrep is a fabulous surgeon, he also is very personable which is an unusual combo in my experience. He truly puts patient care first.

SALSA has a mandatory "surgery school" prior to surgery. They go over every detail of the surgery day from showing the check-in desk to what to expect when you go home and everything in between. They also gave a big bag o'stuff, a pillow to hold against the sore tummy, a measured drinking cup, exercise band, etc. Very thorough.

Its been a little over 7 months since my surgery, and I still feel the same way about Dr. Waldrep as I did when I first met him during my orientation meeting. He's professional, caring, thorough, and very competent. Dr. Waldrep takes the time to go over not only the benefits of surgery, but a realistic look at what is involved, both during the surgery itself as well as the aftercare, including the risks. Although I had to wait to see him during my initial appointment, it was worth it to know that he would take whatever time was needed to answer my questions. I received ample information, both verbally and in written form, and always felt that if I had any questions at all, he would honestly answer them for me. His staff is wonderful, and I really like his new NP, Deanna. From my research as well as my experience it is apparent that Dr. Waldrep is a highly skilled surgeon, and I feel fortunate to have been able to have him oversee my care.

He was funny and witty.rnIt only changed for the better he was extremely intelligent about the obesity fight.rnVery efficent. rnNothingrnHe is excellentrnyes rnhe went over everything and made sure I understood the risk,even made me take a test.rnI would rate him a 20/20 very good.rnI would have to say surgical competence and then bedside manner and he has all of the above and then some.

I am 4 1/2 years post op and Dr. Waldrep and staff were great. Mike is my HERO! Even after all these years he still answers my panicky questions...No complaints...The staff is great - I saw Dr. Waldrep only three tims but he and his staff changed my life forever! I tell everyone it was the best thing I ever did for myself!

My first impression of Dr. Waldrep was formed at a large group meeting. He showed that he was a confident man who thoroughly enjoyed his work and could bring humor and compassion to the table. I knew immediately that he would be the person to do my surgery.

Meeting him one on one has only served to strengthen and reinforce my original opinions.

His staff is honestly the best there is. They go out of their way to make you feel like a member of their family. You feel important, you feel cared for, and you leave there each time knowing that you have new friends that will be there for every step of this journey.

The staff is quietly efficient - they work so hard to make your goals your new reality. Their attention to detail is unmatched - as is their compassion and energy.

I honestly can't imagine a better place or a better team to be with on this truly life-changing journey.

My first impression of Dr. Waldrep was based upon everything else I had read about him on this website. His cedentials, experience, and all the glowing reports of his expertise won me over. After doing much research, I made up my mind that if I was going to trust anyone to cut open my belly and implant a foreign object into it, Donald Waldrep would be the guy. This decision meant that I had to ditch my PCP of 16 years and get a different PCP with a differnt medical group so that I could get the referral to Waldrep. I even went to the seminar of the other surgeon that I could have gone to right away, and who's located 15 minutes from my house, but I still felt more comfortable going with Dr. Waldrep, who is a good 50 minute drive from my house, but worth every minute of it. rnrnI got to see \"the man, the myth, the legend\" for the very first time on December 15th at the required group consult. My first in person impression was: what a sexy-looking man, do I really want him looking at my fat gut??? In addition to being a top rate surgeon, with a wonderful bedside manner, DOnald Waldrep is also very cute! He seemed a little shy, but has a quiet sense of humor, and kind eyes. He clearly knows his stuff! In between the jokes and humor, I could see a man who genuinely cares about what he does. I felt very content with my choice.rnrnThe office staff at SALSA are marvelous! What can I say? They all know their part, they're professional, polite, and attend to every detail thoroughly. I was whisked through the process rather quickly, and had all my pre-op requirements complete by December 29th. Shortly after the new year, I got the call from SALSA that my surgery would take place on January 13th, 2009. If I have any complaints, it would be that the pre-op requirements were a little conveyor belt-esque--all rather cookie cutter and lots of hoop jumping. But I did what I was supposed to to and so fast that Terri told me I should teach the clinic on how to get through the pre-op requirements so quickly!rnrnMy one-on-one with Dr. Waldrep was on January 8th. We didn't meet for a long time because I really didn't have a lot of questions. He went over my paperwork with me--somewhere in there I'd written something about wanting to feel more confident in myself as a reason for wishing to lose weight. He smirked and commented that I didn't seem to lack confidence. There's that sense of humor again--he's also a little bit cheeky, it would appear. He put me at ease, though, and briefly checked some previous abdominal surgical scars to make sure they wouldn't interfer with his surgery. My short meeting with him that day deepend my resolve that I had chosen the right surgeon and center to take me through this process.rnrnOn the surgery day, Dr. Waldrep was running behind a little, but he was cheerful after each surgery and came to speak with me and my husband each time he got finished with another patient. It was only then that I began to feel scared, and he reassured me again. The surgery apparently was a complete success and I came through with flying colors, with Dr. Waldrep, Mike McCoy, his PA, and the rest of the surgical team. The care at Sutter Roseville was super, although my recovery nurse was a little stingy at first with pain drugs. However, I got all the medication I needed to feel comfortable and was on my way home within a couple of hours.rnrnSALSA places a great deal of emphasis on after care, which was also a deal breaker for me. Mike called me the very next day to check that I was OK and I will be going for a follow-up visit next Friday. I have been recovering well and go from strength-to-strength by the day.rnrnMy overall rating of Dr. Waldrep and the SALSA staff is excellent! It doesn't hurt that he's eye candy too! Given the fact that I'll probably never get to eat real candy again, I have to look for sweetness elsewhere, right? I cannot say that his surgical competence is better than his bedside manner or vice-versa because both are second to none. You may be able to tell, I am extremely impressed with my care and treatment. rnrnI would recommend that anyone who is considering bariatric surgery should do lots and lots of research first. You should know what you're going in for and understand each of the procedures like the back of your hand. You should research all of the surgeons in your area as I did, and read books (I read 3), check online forums, and lurk andd/or post questions. Dr.Waldrep and the SALSA team were my choice after extensive research, and I have no regrets.

Donald Waldrep is a wonderful-highly skilled surgeon. I consider him the best in California. He perfomed my RN & Y with no complications, I highly recommend him to anyone!rnrnI also have found his support group (SALSA) and head nurse \"Kim\" to be very educated on the WLS front. \"Mike\" his assistance has a great personality and great bedside manor. I would have not had the surgery from any other team. rnrn

First time I met Dr. Waldrep, I knew he was the surgeon for me. He was kind, shy, but with a great sence of humor. He didn't make me feel uncomfortable about my weight and I knew he was there to help me through the process. His office staff were equally wonderfull and always there to call if I had a question. His office has a very structured program and patience attend a classroom informational syminar and tour at the hospital before surgery. In the hospital Dr. Waldrep had strict orders to keep the \"leg circulation\" boots on to avoid blood clots and inerts a drain in his patients to avoid infection. After surgery he and his assistant Mike McCoy both told me to call no matter what time if I needed anything once I was released from surgery. I am so grateful to have had Dr. Waldrep as my surgeon. He changed and possibly saved my life. I would recommend calling his office to attend one of his siminars if you are thinking of having bypass surgery.