Alan Wittgrove Bariatric Surgeon M.D.,F.A.C.S.

I REALLY TRUST HIM AND HE HAS TALKED TO ME SEVERAL TIMES SINCE MEETING HIM AS I LIVE IN LOS ANGLES.HIE OFFICE STAFF ARE VERY CARING AND I HAVE TO CALL IN EVERY WEEK.REALLY, I CALL ALL THE TIME.THEY ARE THERE FOR ALL MY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE SURGERY AND WHAT TO EXPECT.I HAVE NNO GRIPES WITH EITHER HE OR HIS OFFICE.HE IS THERE FOR YOU JUST GO IN AND ASK YOUR QUESTIONS, HE WILL TREAT YOU WITH RESPECT AND TIME. AFTERCARE IS VERY IMPORTANT TO HIM.YES HE DOES HAVE A STRUCTURED AFTERCARE PLAN. HE WAS VERY OPEN ABOUT THE RISKS, I WANTED A LAP AND HE TOLD ME THAT WHAT I REALLY NEEDED WAS AN OPEN AND EXPLAINED WHY.A#1

Dr. Wittgrove struck me as a very caring and competent doctor. I attended a informational lecture at Alverado and knew that he had to be my surgeon. My fiance and I paid cash because I was uninsured and I think that made the process go a little quicker for me. The surgeon and his assistant took a decreased fee because of the I payed cash but the hospital considered me a "risk" because I was over a certain weight for my height and I had to pay $5000 extra and let me tell you it hurt, but I would do it again in a minute!!!!

All I can say is Dr. Wittgrove is the best surgeon around and he is the best at LapRNY in the world and if you have a surgeon that does Lap he or she probably learned the proceedure from Dr. Wittgrove or Dr. Clark!

He answered all my questions and explained exactly what he was going to do and why.

I went to Alvarado and Dr. Wittgrove because I knew of others that had gone there and had been pleased.

Most of his staff were good. A lot of them are also patients.

I have a follow up phone appointment once a month. I also have blood work done here and fax the report to San Diego for them to track my progress.

I appreciated the time he took with me before and after surgery as well as the time he took answering my husband's questions.

The hospital was great. They have special beds and the aides are experienced with this surgery.

I haven't met him yet, but have talked with his staff, and they are wonderful. I will be meeting him on January 17th and surgery is the following day. I will update this after the surgery.

I first met Dr. Wittgrove the day before surgery and he was wonderful. He was very personable and took his time with me. Surgery went well on January 18'00 and I was in the hospital from Tuesday till Saturday. he came in to see me everyday. I really didn't have much pain at all.

Am looking forward to meeting Dr. Wittgrove. Heard that Entertainment Tonight will do a spot on him and the Alvarado Center for Surgical Weight Control on Friday night, 5/26.

I met with Dr. Wittgrove for the first time at an informational meeting in Bakersfield. I am scheduled for surgery May 30, 2000. I took the opportunity to meet him while he and his team from the Alvarado Clinic were here providing follow up and information to patients in this area. I found Dr. Wittgrove to be warm, approachable, confident, genuine,funny and informative.
He took time to answer questions and was sincerly interested in making sure every persons concerns were addressed. I have been involved with the Alvarado Clinic intermitently for over 3 years...From my first phone call,information orientation, diet and medical history, insurance approval, and surgery scheduling, the staff has been extraordinary. They are effective,precise and thorough while being warm and caring. They composed a letter of medical need, that I believe assisted in having my insurance company Cigna PPO approve my surgery in less than 2 weeks.
I will post more as surgery date draw closer.

I had to go to a seminure in San Diego before I could send in any paperwork. I went on Oct. 7 and I got all the paperwork turned on that day. I got my Insurance App. today 11-26-99. I live about 3 hrs. from San Diego so I am going to have all my test done closer to my home. Dr. Whittgrove seems very nice I did talk to him for a few min. that night. I am hoping to have RNY Lap and Dr. Whittgrove is the best around so that's why I am going to him.
UP DATE1! meet with Dr Wittgrove on Fri. 1/21/00 he is a caring man. talked to me and my husband for over 1 hour. Answered all of my questions and made me feel very good. His aftercare program is wonderful but because of the distance I won't be able to attened to many. So far I would refer him. his staff are all very nice and caring people many have had the surgery.

Dr. Wittgrove's office is VERY busy, but worth the wait. They wrote my first and only letter to my insurance and I was approved right away.

4/6/00 I am 3 weeks post op and have had some problems related to my left lung. My stomach surgery, however, is absolutely fine.

wittgrove is incredible...from the first informational session till my one month check...staff is flawless...nothing i would want different..everyone who had surgery with him had no post-op leaks... they were all pleases w/ his care...at hospital nurses make a difference...rita is a kick but worth the energy...the risk for me was minimal due to how i felt about my weight..i would send anyone who wanted this life change to him...he is a five star surgeon with great bed side manners...i paid cash for my surgery i was not thrilled how the hospital handles you....but that's life!

I met Dr. Wittgrove at a seminar that he gave in Sacramento. It was over three hours long and very very informational. I felt very confident in his expertise and i am glad i made the trip, (i live in Seattle). He was dealt some difficult questions, and i felt he was not only informative, but honest. He did not just tell people what they wanted to hear, but the truth.

The office staff has been very helpful and encouraging. I can especially comment on Shirley S. who is a delight to work with.