Thomas Edgar Sonnanstine, MD

I haven't seen Dr. Sonnastine since he left St Elizabeth's in Florence Kentucky. He preformed a full gastric bypass on me about 17 years ago. I lost 200 pounds total and I did gain a little back on the advice of my cardiologist. I have kept my weight off all these years and if I had to do it all again I would. I'd love to see Dr again someday. He was always great with me but then again I don't want any sugar coated excuses. One thing I would like to add He left before I got to see him again. Thanks Doc hope to see yiu someday. Shirley Hall

My husband had gastric bypass with Dr Sonnenstine a few years ago. He was nice during the pre operative and intra operative period. Post op visit he was rude and confrontational, did not bother to check the outside medical records that were provided to him. Stated he never instructed certain dietary supplements when his team certainly did. Made us feel like we simply started to take it on our own “I NEVER order this!” He got even more rude when we questioned why a certain treatment was ordered. We were ready to go to OSU or Mt Carmel for f/u but there is a Dr Ranna in the office and we have seen him once now and so far, so good he was very responsive to our questions and concerns

Thinking about having Gastric Bypass? Make an appointment with this Doctor.

Had my surgery on jan 30th 2018, he is a wonderful doctor.

Dr. Sonnanstine was very nice to me through the process of getting to the surgery - which was about 3 weeks. I originally went to him to have a hiatal hernia repaired but after speaking to him he felt I needed to have a gastric bypass for problems with acid reflux. I had a sleeve surgery done 5 years prior and over the few years the reflux had returned and then developed the hernia. He was adamant that the bypass needed to be performed to keep me from suffering continually with the reflux. About 3 weeks later I was in surgery for the hernia and the bypass. I had some issues and ended up in ICU - lost blood and had to have transfusions. I left the hospital and started on the road to recovery along with a month of iron infusions for the anemia. Sonnanstine advised that I might need to have a little stretch done on the esophagus down the road after I recover because he said it was tight. I was going into the 3rd month post-surgery and started having some other issues - that were confirmed… by my medical doctor to be indirectly related to the surgery. I had been to see Sonnanstine a few times after the surgery for the normal checkup appointments but when I went back to him on a regular scheduled checkup appointment with my concerns he was very rude to me. I had been in the ER at Riverside the day before and Sonnanstine’s resident student also told me to follow up with him when I would see him the following day. Sonnanstine acted like a small boy with his gestures and treated me like I was stupid when I asked about stretching the esophagus. He wanted to know what I was there for! I had not been treated with such disrespect by a professional person before - especially my doctor! I left his office that day and will not return. I am not able to get another doctor to take over my care - they won't touch me since they didn't perform the surgery. The records were sent to them to review but they won't take over the care. That leads me to wonder, with all the problems I had after surgery, if something abnormal happened that I don't know about. Maybe that is why he became very defensive off the bat when he saw me that day - the day I was so sick and needed his help and his response was it wasn't any surgery he did that was the fault and that I needed to see my medical doctor. When I tried to speak to him about my concerns with the esophagus issues I was having he got even ruder. I won't forget that - I won't recommend him to anyone. I advise anyone who asks to go some place else other than Riverside for the Bariatric surgery or hernia repair. I don't blame Riverside for his behavior but since his office is the surgical specialist for Riverside, I recommend going some place else. No one needs to be treated the way I was when I went to see him that morning. AND by-the-way…I am still suffering with acid reflux too! I have an appointment for a scope on my esophagus with my gastro doctor so that she can now see exactly what is going on with my problem with eating. Since the surgery, which was late Dec 2016, I have lost 80 lbs – and that was mostly because I couldn’t eat.

Dr Sonnanstine truly cares about your care. He is kind and respectful. He never rushes and makes sure he answers all your questions. He is a genuinely kind person and wonderful surgeon. I had Gastric Sleeve Surgery with ZERO issues. I am so glad I had Dr. Sonnanstine as my surgeon.

Dr Sonnanstine is very knowledgeable and helped to save my life. If you listen to what he has to tell you and follow the diet restrictions that go along with gastric bypass, he can help you too!

HE IS A VERY HONEST, UP FRONT MAN, GREAT BEDSIDE MANNER, HE HAS HELPED ME CHANGE MY LIFE AROUND FOR THE BETTER, I OWE THIS MAN MY LIFE... I WOULD AND WILL RECOMMEND HIM TO ANYONE.

Amazing physician!! He changed my life!!

Best group I've ever gone to.