James Weber Bariatric Surgeon M.D.,F.A.C.S.

I went to his seminar (2/14/05) that he requires of all pre-op patients. I was completely impressed with him and his experience. I like the fact that his 'program' (it's not just a surgery) is individualized and you are expected to follow the program if you expect to succeed. In this seminar he explains everything about the procedure, how it's done, how his program works. He is emphatic about aftercare and encourages his patients to keep in very close contact with him even if you move out of the area (even years later) and will work with you if things don't seem to be going right. He is 'the grandfather' in this field and is writing a book on the subject. He has only lost 7 out of over 2700 surgeries and none of these were on the table. That is excellent odds to me!! It is kind of a wait to get in to see him, though (1-1/2 months) but he is very highly sought after. It will be worth the wait. I will post more after I see him in his office.

4/1/05 I had my visit with Dr. Weber today and I honestly do not have anything negative to say about him. He worked with me and my timing issue with the surgery, he actually took the copy of my questions and went through them all and answered every single one. He wanted to meet my husband and children who were in the waiting room waiting for me. He was just absolutely amazing. I'll post more post-op and let you know!

March 2005: I have not been in touch with Dr. Weber's office lately, but I have to say, I'm disappointed in my original surgery. Not being transected (EVEN THOUGH I ASKED TO BE) was a HUGE mistake. I have a staple-line problem and I will be revised to a 60" common-channel distal RNY with Dr. Ki Oh on April 28, 2005. Despite fairly rigorous compliance with dietary rules and absolute compliance with a strict vitamin & mineral program (as required by Dr. Oh), I've regained 85 pounds of the 184 that I lost. My sleep apnea and other co-morbidities are back. You can follow my revision progress <a href="http://www.obesityhelp.com/morbidobesity/profile.phtml?N=Z1111390377" target="_blank">here</a> or <a href="http://www.livejournal.com/users/opabinia" target="_blank">here</a>.<br><hr>January 2003: I continue to stay in contact with Dr. Weber. He's been great! I attended his in-service session for people considering the surgery in September 2002 at one year post-op, and that was a bit of a thrill. Several of the attendees approached me afterwards, saying that because I was skinny, they assumed that I was on Dr. Weber's staff! LOL<br><hr>05/14/01: Dr. Weber's staff, especially Edie, have all been excellent... friendly and intelligent, if very busy. Dr. Weber strikes me in much the same way, and I can certainly deal with that. I don't mind it if people are busy and in a rush as long as they pay attention to me and our conversation when I'm talking to them.<br>
His aftercare program looks great and I have no problem with his insistence on exercise. He's clear about WHY he wants you to do the things he wants you to do, and that really helps me see it as a positive step for me instead of irrational punishment. <br>
My first one on one consultation with him is June 22 and I'm sure I'll have more to say about him then, but so far, I'm impressed. I do wish that their packet was a little higher quality, and that they would include a FAQ listing, because it would save a lot of time during the in-service session.

I like Doc Weber....He even sang asong for me....A lot of knowledge and experience..

James Weber is an excellent surgeon and man. He knows more about obesity that most of us do and we are specialists. He is a trusting person. He really seems to care about his patients. He is not about marketing or selling his product. He seems really committed to performing good quality surgery on people who really need it. It is his business, but, it seems he is not in it for the business.

Weber's office staff grew on me over time. At first, I thought they were all lost. Now, I realize that they are juggling lots of folks with a committment to their patients.

Weber's aftercare is weak.

Bedside manner is wonderful. He takes good care of you and your loved ones. I love the way he gets action from nursing staff when you need something. The staff do not take him for granted and they do not take us for granted.

He has high standards and lives up to those. He is special.

He is a very positive and dynamic physician. He is very thorough and wants you to follow his pre-op and post op instructions to the letter. My impression remains the same that "life will be much more pleasant after gastric bypass if you follow the Doctor's instructions!" The office staff is very friendly and positive with respect to addressing your needs and concerns. There is nothing that I would have to say that would be negative about Dr. Weber or his staff. I feel that if you are considering gastric bypass that Dr. Weber would be the highest reommended surgeon in the Seattle metropolitan area. The emphasis on aftercare is substantial and in reality is the most significant. Becoming aware of your body and the changes that are happing is important in maintaining health and staying healthy after the procedure. On a scale of 1-10, I would rate Dr. Weber an 11. I believe that surgical competence and a great bedside manner are highly crucial in being successful with this surgery, Dr. Weber possesses both in addition to his team. The only thing that was really challenging was the fact that he wanted is post op patients to exercise for 45 minutes a day every day. I am a pretty active person, however, that is the only aspect that I had the most difficulty with, I am not highly motivated to exercise outside of my home and it is difficult when recovering from being out of shape for years to just jump right in and exercise for 45 minutes every day.

I was very impressed by Dr. Weber. I felt instantly that he new what he was talking about and cared about me and the need for surgery.
My impression of Dr. Weber continues to be that he really cares for his patients and want's to help them.
Office staff was and continues to be very helpful.
Future patients should know that Dr. Weber is well informed and has been doing this surgery for over 20 years, and he wants to help.
I would rate Dr Weber very high.

Although I was nervous going into the first meeting with Dr. Weber, he put me at ease. He was very approachable and didn't try to rush me out the door. He took his time going over the different types of surgery and went over the risks evolved. The office staff was just a nice as he was--very pleasant and helpful. He stresses exercise before and after surgery. I would rate Dr. Weber a 10. He is very competent with what he does and his beside manner was very pleasant.

Great sense of humor. Immediately had a sense of ease about him, his practice and knowledge.

My impression did not change over time, but was reinformced. He actually remembered things about me.

The staff is largely very pleasant and helpful, especially Summer and Lisa. They always had a smile and followed through on things.

There is no stuctured aftercare program, but I am capable of putting that together myself and have already begun to do so.

I would definitely recommend him to others.

Our first impression of Dr Weber was that he is a very compassionate person and a very thorough and excellent surgeon. That impression has never changed. His staff has been nothing but helpful and respectful. I never had any doubts about having him as my surgeon and I would and have suggested him to many people considering this surgery. His aftercare is that he will be there for you for the rest of your life if you want. Your aftercare is ultimately up to you. He can give you the suggestions and tools for you to be the best you can be. (Wow, sounds like an advertisement for the Army!) Dr Weber emphasizes EXERCISE, and a LOT of it before and after surgery.......daily! If you aren't serious about this surgery and what it can do for you, Weber is not your man. My husband and I have nothing but the highest respect for Dr James K. Weber and would rate him more than a 10.
Others have commented that he is in and out of the office appt in less than ten minutes. He is quick but he is thorough and I have never felt rushed. He has always given me the time I need to have my questions answered.

Dr. Weber is a wonderful man. Him and his staff are still there for me even after 11 months. Some times he can be a little short, but in the long run it's worth it. He is so good at what he does. You just need to remember he does not let up, you are in charge of your weight loss. He just gives you the tools. You have to evercise everyday, before and after surgery. Ater surgery he thinks it's important to keep coming to him. In a score from 1 to 10. 10 being the best, I would rate him 11. I trust him.