Elmer Valin Bariatric Surgeon M.D.

My first impression of Dr Valin was he is very serious and straight forward but nice and willing to answer all your questions. His office staff in my opinion are wonderful they are so sweet and willing to help even though they are overwhelmed with work. People shoud consider Dr. Valin because he is a very smart, young Surgeon I trust him. He emphasizes aftercare so therefore you need to be intouch with him for a very long time.

When I first met Dr. Valin he seemed so serious, but as my husband pointed out, this is a good trait in your surgeon. The first time he laughed I realized what a down to earth nice guy he is. My respect in his ability has only deepened with time. I really liked him the first time I met him, and I like him even more now.
The only problem is that they are so overwhelmed right now, they are going through some difficult growing pains. Who knew he was going to be this popular, I don't think he knew. They can be difficult to reach, and you can get the feeling of being rushed a bit. They really are trying. Once they figure out how they are going to handle the huge demand for his services, things will be wonderful. From what I hear now, they have a 1 year waiting list. We got in in the nick of time, thank god, because I don't think I could have waited. He is definately worth the wait. Hopefully he will expand the office and office staff, perhaps take on a partner or 2 and the wait won't be so long for a lot of you. Overall, I would rate him 10 out of 10 as a surgeon, both in competence and bedside manner.

(PREOP)My first impression of Dr. Valin is that he is young. Over the course of our first appointment, I could see that he knew what he was talking about and felt very comfortable with having chosen him as my surgeon. His main staff is his assistant Cecile. She is very kind and patient, but I believe very overwhelmed with how popular Dr.Valin has become, causing him and his office to be extremely busy.

(POSTOP)Dr. Valin is very much business, but once you see him a couple of times he starts to open up. I feel very happy with my choice of surgeons. My healthcare is in very good hands and trust that he will help me reach my longterm weight loss goals.

Dr. Valin did a good job on the surgery (6/25/01). He allowed me to leave the hospital a day early because I needed to be home in a comfortable and loving environment, which was with my husband and children. It's good to know that someone is willing to bend a little for you, which is what Dr. Valin did. My follow up appointments show I am lacking in iron and protein, so I am trying to take the supplements and eat more fish, chicken, etc. So, I'll see Dr. Valin in June, my one year anniversary. So far, I've lost 135 pounds in 9 months, and am happy with Dr. Valin's service to me. He is competent, but I would recommend having open and not lap. This gives you a far better chance of not having complications. It also will benefit you to eat small amounts of food (eat less) about 2 weeks prior to surgery, so that your body can begin to adjust. Good Luck! - Pam

My first impression of Dr. Valin was not so hot, only because i didn't hear what i wanted to hear and... he looked so young! He said i was not as big as most he does surgery on, however I may not look as big as some, but the scale did not lie, clothes makes a big difference. I was very comfortable with the next visit with him. He was very informative and took his time and explained exactly what he was going to do. I feel confident with him.

His staff is very nice and compassionate to the patients in the office.

I am fully aware of the changes that I must do before and after the surgery. I am willing to do what ever it takes to live the rest of my life healthy. That what I have been trying to do all along. I may be healthy but i certainly did not acheive the results that most get from eating a good diet and cutting out all the junk.

Having just met Dr. Valin last week (5/8), my impression is quite positive. He is quiet, straight to the point, and listens to your concerns. His office staff is efficient with all information ready to go for the various additional appts that are needed. I will be attending a support group meeting tomorrow night. Once I have met with the nutritionist (5/16), and the psychologist (5/18) I will have to meet with a psychiatrist (insurance requirement). Once all are complete, I will meet with Dr. Valin a second time to discuss the surgery in greater depth.

I met with Dr. Valin in March 2002. I liked him right away. I've read many personal accounts from Dr. Valin's patients and I feel confident in choosing him to be my surgeon. I also spoke with post-op patients in his waiting room and they all agreed he is the best! That made me feel much better about my decision to go forth with bariatric surgery. Dr. Valin explained everything to me and answered all my questions. He was very patient and I never felt hurried. I happen to work for a physician so I know all too well how pressed for time they can be! His office is pleasant, as is his staff. I also met with Diana Rosa, one of the dieticians from his office, and she was also wonderful. Very informative and also very patient, answering all of my many questions. I had the chance to meet with Christopher Lodi, the psychologist, who I found to be very sharp and right-on-the-money about many issues in my life. All in all, my experiences so far with Dr. Valin and the rest of his "team" have been great. Now, hopefully my insurance company will cooperate!

Dr. Valin was very informative and has good bed side skills. He does not sugar coat anything. Was willing to discuss all options and what would work best for me with my problem eating areas and body issues. His staff is very personable and very eager to help and answer questions.

There is a structured support and education program. So far from one visit I am pleased.

Dr. Valin is a very astute, professional physician dedicated to his patients and their well-being. He's a straight shooter. His qualifications and reputation speak for itself. He runs a very good office with concerned, caring staff. The office is quite busy due to a few news features about the WLS he performs, but his nurse/wife Debby and his office manager Cecile do an exceptional job with the amount of workload they have.

He gives a packet of information to each patient in a binder/folder that I refer to all the time. All the information I need about the procedure and aftercare is outlined.

He and Debby are very honest about the surgery and helped me make the decision regarding open vs. lap. Risks were discussed and made clear.

I would rate Dr. Valin and his staff very high. If I didn't feel 100% positive about the physician I would not have him perform my procedure.

I had my first meeting with Dr. Valin and his staff on May 1st. I found that his office staff (Cecile and Debbie) were very knowledgable, compassionate, warm and friendly. Their new office is easy to access, and comfortable, with no arm rests on the waiting room chairs, so that an obese person could easily fit. The office is beautiful. I first filled out much paperwork, vitals done by Debbie, and had many questions answered by her. Dr Valin seemed to listen intently and allow me and my mother (who is also preparing for WLS) to ask as many questions as we had. I felt very comfortable with the office, and the information packet that they provide is full of specific and pertinent information for pre and post op care. The second office visit is scheduled after your psych and nutriotional consults, both of which I also had May 1st. Once both of these reports and your protein sparing diet urinalysis results are in, you will be called for the second visit, which will be more extensive, insurance authorization begins, and a tentative surgery date is scheduled. I am very pleased with Dr. Valin and staff. Both Debbie and Cecile seems to be very caring and knowledgable individuals. P.S. All risks, pros/cons, and realistic expectations were discussed in detail. Aftercare and nutritional support are stressed. I'll update again after second visit. I have no negative comments from this visit.