Michael A Perez Bariatric Surgeon M.D.

I love the US Bariatrics Center in Ft. Lauderdale. I figured if I was going to have a surgery I'd better go to the best. My surgeon was wonderful. I had a problem with my G tube, it was pressing on a nerve and everytime I tried to walk there was a horrible pain in there. He came and told me the problem and even switched my medication to help me. The morphine was not working and he switched me to demerol. The surgeon and the staff are great. They were always there when I needed them. They are very thourough in explaining everything that will happen or that might happen. I was not surprised by anything. All in all this is a great place to have your surgery done.

I liked Dr. Perez very much. The office staff is friendly and very helpful. They have such a complete comprehensive program - from educational classes pre-op to nutrition counselors and excersize phisiologists. All of this was helpful. Dr. Perez was friendly and answered any questions I had. He did a great job... I feel great (only 4 days post-op). Even my hospital experience was great, which I didn't expect from Holy Cross Hospital. I would recomend him to anyone.

Dr. Perez is a wonderful doctor and a top notch surgeon. He has always treated me with respect. He has always treated me with understanding. He has excellent bedside manor and a wonderfu, healing attitude. He has truly found his calling. I believe anyone who has him for a doctor should consider themselves very lucky. We was my doctor more than four years ago and he still knows who I am, knows my case despite the fact that I only see him annually. Unfortunately, I have moved out of the area so I'm not sure how I will continue to follow up with him...but I will try, because he is amazing.

8/25/05 - Met with Dr. Perez today for the first time. I was impressed with him, he seemed interested in me. It was a short meeting, I didn't have a lot of questions as the education they give you at US Bariatrics really is very through and you have most your questions answered before you even see the doctor. The staff was great and I have no complaints.

I had two surgeons Drs Perez and Diaz. They were wonderfully professional and caring. Impression never changed excellent first, middle and end impression. Their staff both in Ft Lauderdale and Celebration Florida were very dedicated and professional. Nothing not to like. U S Bariatrics has a very integral and thorough pre and post care system in place. It left no questions unanswered and they answered all questions before I knew what questions to ask. Most of their staff and doctors have also had the surgery. They know what you're feeling, thinking and doing. Surgical risks are always a possibility that's why I chose a surgical group that specializes with bariatric surgery. There are not enough numbers on the scale to rate them properly. Let's just say a whole host of gold stars on their foreheads should suffice. I had the pleasure of having both excellent surgical competence, and excellent bedside manor. Who could ask for more.

He is very quiet and reserve. The staff seem pleasent.They are very strict with what you can eat and when. But you do lose more than some of the other ones who are not as strict. You have to go to some classes befor surgery, so they can will inform you that this is not a easy way out and it is perminant and you still will have rules to follow and you can gain the weight back if you are not careful.

He is an amazing, sweet and gentle doctor who was always there for me and answered any questions that I might have had. He was very precise in all of his explanations and he was very honest with what to expect. As I was recovering and losing weight, he was very honest when telling me I was doing something right or something wrong. I would give him a thumbs up for both his skill as a surgeon and for his bed side manner

I am going to have the sugery done with Dr. Benitez. I havent met Dr. Benitez yet. I went to the informational seminar their office provides and met Dr. Marema (one of his partners). I loved Dr. Marema. I was very happy with him. Because of my insurance Dr. Benitez will be operating on me.I will be meeting Dr. Benitez shortly. I've heard that he has had the surgery done himself, so that should be useful. Lets see how this goes! The staff over at US Bariatrics in Ft Lauderdale was great! They were very friendly and helpful. Whenever I have a problem I call them and get my questions answered right away. I'm very content with them.

11-4-02
Dont know why but I just got a letter from my surgeons office about my next few pre-op appointments. On the top where it said sugeon it said Michael Perez. That was not who I was told would perform the surgery. I am a little worried now. I'll ask all questions tomorrow.
2-25-04
Its been over a year since my surgery and I am always amazed by my surgeon Michael Perez. He always answers all my questions and makes me feel great. I have nothing negative to say about him. I would chose him as my surgeon again in a heart beat. He's a great surgeon!

I had to beg for a pre op interview. I even said I was going to notify my insurance company. Their office is run like a meat market. Making sure they are going to be paid, making sure you qualify, prior to talking to a doctor. This is not the way I work. I wanted to meet the doctor himself. Finally, I did get my meeting, which he billed me $100.00 and later the bill was reversed after surgery.

Dr. Perez is very nice, very knowledgeable and too bad he is in the office with Dr. Marema. Dr. Marema has no bedside manner. I hear he is a great surgeon and teaher. He talks big but never follows through. I needed financial assistance, I was told I could have the 600.00 and 400.00 psych. fee waived. I finally did get the 600.00 fee waived. The staff are Dr. Maremas little soldiers. Luckily I treated the staff like the enemy and forged through with great success of not waiting hours for an exam or insurance approval.

The team has an extenial pre op training to make sure you are aware of all posibilities, outcomes, and expectations. I was happy about some of this training. I did not really want to attend a meeting on listing to tapes while in surgery or the chaplin. Both are personal items that I did not want to have involved in my operation.

Their 400.00 (not covered by insurance) was a joke. This was about 2 hours going over my history. If I had to do it over again. I would have just lied and made up answers. I am bi-polar for mega years. I had just come out of a hospital for a change in medication at my request, and their psychologist said to wait six months for the surgery. My own therapist thought that was stupid, since the surgery would create more self esteem, and help me with my heavy thoughts about my weight. But six months later I had to reapply for insurance ,take tests again, out of pocket expenses. But I did finally have surgery.

The after care program, which they charge 600.00 is a once a month brag and tell program, for about 1.5 hours with a large group sitting in an autorium which fat people can not fit into the seats. I would rather have broken into smaller groups of same age, same living locations for maybe getting to know people and then keep up with our progress.

I had complications about 15 days after surgery which I looked up in the 300 or more page manual given to me. I was ready to go back to work early. I even was planning a visit on Monday to get a back to work letter, when Sunday night, I felt very weak in the shower. I had a hard time breathing and even standing up.

I called Monday to talk to the nurse. More protein and make sure I am drinking enough water was told to check. Tuesday I felt worse. Wednesday, I could not walk more than two feet at a time. I held my cell phone tightly. I called the office, and they suggested to come in for blood work up. I found I could not make it to the front door. I called 911 to take me to the hospital.

I had a low amount of oxygen in my blood. I had internal bleeding. No one told me that black stools was blood. I stupid thought it was grape Kool aide, orange jello, red popscicles. After 3 units of blood, I was readmitted. The next day they took me into surgery, put a camera down my throat to my stomach and found an ulcer, which was healing. Luckily they did not have to open me up. One more unit of blood and a couple more days to raise my blood count and I was back home again.

My doctor on my second visit to the hospital was Dr. Diaz who is also a surgeon with the practice. I found him much better and made me feel more comfortable with the situation.

I had my next appointment (3 months)with Dr. Diaz. It went well. My 6 month visit, with a new job, I needed an appointment at a certain time, only dr available was dr Marema, who told me next time make sure I see my doctor not him. Rude and I never got to tell him about some sores I had where skin was laying over due to weight loss. I will never see him again.

I like the idea that they have made vitamins with Vitamin B12 so I dont need shots. Also the Calcium. But they do charge too much for the iron and the Co-Enzyme Q-10, I can buy it on the internet for a year for almost the same price they charge for 90 days. I have called the store and left messages, they do not return calls.

I was convinced by another patient to use US Bariatrics because if I had an emergency, I could feel good that there was more than one doctor and someone would be available. That is true in my case.

Holy Cross hospital was absolutely wonderful. I live alone, I have no family or friends in the area. I arranged a free pick up the day of surgery. The staff is trained highly on gastric bypass surgery. They have an entire wing working with the doctors. My only problem was I do not like Morphine. I did not press my little pain button for more medication because I was finding I had a bad headache and too out of it. They insisted I get up. The pain was very bad. It wasnt until I yelled at a nurse or aide she finally asked the doctor for a different pain medication. After that, I was up and around.

Things they don't tell you. Open hurts like heck. Taking the tube out 10 days after surgery is also painful. Maybe a local would have helped?

If I had to do it over again. I would have had the surgery. But I do tell the full story to anyone who asks. I am at 99 pounds lost 10 months later. From a size 26 to a 16 dress size. Weight loss seems to be from the top to the bottom. So my hips are the last..ha ha ha

My first impression of Dr. Perez was that he is a very reserved type of person, and a very busy one. He is friendly in a reserved way. He is also good at what he does. I had no complications and small, asthetic incisions.

My only complaint about Dr. Perez is perhaps he needs to be bit more compassionate. I was having severe gas pains one night after I was released from the hospital, and the service paged him for me. He was a bit too curt and I felt like a big, dumb baby. I realize, however, that I was in a very emotional state at that point and I may have misinterpreted his tone or words.

If I were asked if I would use Dr. Perez and US Bariatric again I would say yes to both in a heartbeat. Great surgeon and incredible patient education.