food expert

Mine is listed as Synchrony Health VA LLC making the claim.

Mine is listed as Synchrony Health VA LLC making the claim.

So it has been well established that Dr. Eric Pinnar has packed up shop and abandoned his patients that paid for his services for life. Now that sorry excuse for a doctor has decided to commit some great insurance fraud and send out claims for previous services. This includes billing my insurance company for my surgery THAT I PAID FOR and then billing them for all kinds of crazy services that I never had. So far, I've received 15 EOBs most of them on dates I wasn't even there. My insurance company was billed $18K for a fluroscopy that I never had and $24K for a fill. No lie, twenty-four thousand dollars for a fill! What makes it worse, they are billing for dates that I wasn't even in the country. I'm furious and have a feeling that the next step will be them sending this to a collection agency. Anyone else having this issue? Once again, AVOID AVOID AVOID Dr. Eric Pinnar. I can now add crook to the list of not so nice things I have to say about him.

Was it Dr. Greene that told you that you needed to pay the other dr. fees? Yikes! I went there and they were NOT very nice or happy to see me. They claimed they were going to file a claim with my insurance but I haven't seen anything come through and it's been more than 3 months. The PA there told me they were seeing A LOT of problems with esophogus issues with Dr. Pinnar's patients. In fact, she said they were removing fluid from bands more than putting it in. I would be interested to hear more about your problem. I have been noticing issues myself with my esophogus too.

I am now living in SC but chose Dr Pinnar because my parents live in Reston and I move around a lot. It was a stable location that I go to often. It was also wonderful because my parents lived <5 minutes from the office! I recently visited and called Dr. Greene's office for a fill. They told me three weeks and it was the day before I was to leave. That made me kind of nervous because what if something were to happen and I was overfilled and needed some taken out. I've already called doctors in my area and am having a difficult time getting someone to accept me. So, I begged the "customer liason" to change my appointment. My Mom drove me (and it was a 90 minute drive in traffic) and sat in the waiting room with my son. The appointment FOR ONLY A FILL took 1.5 hours. During that time she was able to eavesdrop on a lot of juicy information. Apparently the office staff there tries to put of Dr. Pinnar's patients for a minimum of 3 weeks. If someone urgently needs an unfill they are told 2 weeks. For one of their own patients they get in within the week. However, because I was able to get in within a week some of the office staff were furious. I got the feeling from everyone who worked there that they were very displeased with the situation, however they did all promise to take care of me the best they can. I am a free for life patient and while they are honoring that part of it they are still going to bill my insurance company to try and get money out of them. That will be interesting since I haven't been to the doctor this year and still have my deductable. They better not try and pass that on to me either! They did have my file, however it was possible that it was a photocopy. Not sure. They did have all my paperwork I filled out preop. The PA was really nice, but I felt like she was on autopilot with her speech. You have gained weight because you are not eating right, too many carbs, blah blah blah. Yes, I know, I am hungry because my band is loose and it was just a downhill slide from there! I've already lost 7 pounds and getting back on track now that I have had a fill. What bothered me about the PA was that it was closing time for the office, she was in a rush and hurried up. I understand that she had somewhere to go, I am busy person too. But 3 minutes later when we were in the parking lot she totally igorned me like she didn't know who I was, and we were parked next to each other. I said goodbye, have a nice evening and she quickly acknowledged me. Just gave me that feeling like she was above me.

You have a lot to learn about the lapband Nikki. Follow care is critical with the band and without proper fills and monitoring of the band you with not be sucessful and can result in slipping. This follow care is very difficult to find and few doctors are willing to accept you if you weren't banded with them. Right now I need a fill as I have gained 15 pounds back and the practice that Dr. Pinnar sold no longer does fills, thus not honoring the contract! There is another office that I can transfer to but it looks like its going to cost me $2,000+ plus $300 for each and ever single fill from now on. Add that on top of the $17,000 I've already paid to Dr. Pinnar. What you don't understand was that Dr. Pinnar was the practice, it was his practice, he owned it. He left. Yes, there is another doctor in his office suite but they no longer have the files and cannot perform the same procedures (other than banding itself which I don't need). I remember very clearly when I was in your situation, I would have done and said anything to get the band. I didn't care what anyone else said I wanted it and I wanted it bad. If someone had given me a warning that my doctor had hot feet I wouldn't have listened. Look at where I am now... Yes, Dr. Pinnar is extremely knowledgeable, there is no question about that. But trustworthy? Look at his track record with previous patients.

I bet you don't love Dr. Eric Pinnar so much anymore now that he packed up shop, broke his contract with you as well as his promise for free follow up care! Do you still think he cares deeply for you??? I don't. I'm mad. He took our money and abandoned us. So what are you going to do now???

Dr. Eric Pinnar has packed up and left town leaving his patients high and dry. The same Dr. Eric Pinnar who collected a steep "membership fee" to become his patient. The same Dr. Eric Pinnar who promised your follow up care would be free. The same Dr. Eric Pinnar who was a NOVA native and acting like he was rooted in the community. So now we are all abandonded, left without his follow up care that he promised while he sets up a new practice in Florida. What are the odds he does the same thing to them there???

I am also a patient of Dr. Eric Pinnar who has been left high and dry! I am crushed and cannot believe he has done this. I guess I just cannot understand how a NOVA native could start a practice in the same building as his father make promises to take care of me for life then pack up and head outta town. This was one of the reasons I chose him!! I wonder if it bothers his conscience at all? Part of me also wonders if there wasn't something else that happened as this all sounds kind of fishy to me. I called the office and was told that no one was available to talk to me about getting a fill and someone would call me back. No one has called me back yet. I have a feeling that no one will either. I want my "membership fee" back. Do you also remember paying a steep "membership fee"? I wonder how many other people out there feel like he broke his contract? I really really need a fill. I've gained back like 15 pounds and no end in sight! I'm feeling lost, abandonded and angry.

AVOID ERIC PINNAR!!!!!!!!! I was a patient of his in Reston VA. I paid his steep membership fee and 17K for the band with the promise of "taking care of me forever for free" then he packs up his office and leaves town. He broke his contract with all his patients and left us high and dry. I feel so devistated. I cannot believe he did this to us? Speaking of him as a surgeon, he didn't do a good job stitching me up, my port as always been sore and put in a bad location where it protrudes. His office was run so poorly by incompetent staff that he hired from previous patients. Billing was questionable as they tried to get as much out of insurance as possible and would fake bill. Just avoid!

It's been 6 months since my last fill and I felt like I was at a good point. I could eat more than necessary but wasn't hungry all the time which was the goal since I've been breastfeeding and need more calorie intake. I've done really well with my weight loss and around 15 pounds from my target weight. However, the last week or so I've been super tight. I've always been really tight in the morning and the other morning I made the mistake of having a (small) piece of bread. Well, it got stuck and the rest of the day I felt miserable. I've never felt the same since then either. Now, I can't get enough to eat and I'm hungry. I can only eat like 4-5 bites before discomfort sets in. Even drinking water needs to be done slowly. Before everyone jumps all over my case that I need to go to the doctor I can't. Right now I am in China and not anywhere close to my doctor. I've also been warned not to fly if my band is feeling any discomfort or it will only get worse. It will be another month before I return. So, I am looking for any advice or guidance (other than go to the doctor).

It's been about 2 weeks and I'm still having the same problems. Today I ate one scrambled egg for breakfast and couldn't get it down. I was in a lot of pain, PB and then it came back up. This time, I noticed blood with it and not I can taste blood with it too. I am starting to get very worried that I cannot wait a monthto see my doctor in the US. I've asked and there are no doctors in the non-flying distance either. Anyone else had this problem?

It's easy to check if it's your gallbladder and it will give you great peace of mind the next time you have an attack so that you don't think you are dying, that is of course if you don't have it out right away. GO TO YOUR DOCTOR!!!

This is very interesting information! Today I opened a EOB from my insurance company from Dr. Eric Pinnars office where they filed a claim for $1,950 for my last fill!!! I haven't received a bill from them...yet, but I am super concerned and a bit sick to my stomach (excuse the pun) that I am going to actually receive a bill for this. My insurance paid for part of it and says I am on the hook for $600 of it. I was a self-pay patient as well so I am not sure how my insurance company became involved? About a week after I had my fill I saw Dr. Pinnar about a pain in my stomach which it turned out that my gall bladder needs to be removed. He then billed me $600 for a consulation. It was my first fill and I was under the impression that fills were free? It's Saturday morning and you better believe that I am going to call first thing Monday morning. Between the fill and gall bladder consulation/ultrasound I was billed more than $3,500.

This makes me feel a little better, I am 16 weeks pregnant and am down about 9 pounds from my conception weight. I am eating more and making some poor choices in hopes of boosting calorie intake. I feel like my band is a bit tighter now too. I only have 0.5 cc in my 10 cc band so it's not like I am overfilled. I am not really showing yet, although my body is shifting and I do seem to have a bit of a gut. It looks more like I am fat than pregnant.

I went cold turkey when I had the surgery and it wasn't that hard. I used to have 2-3 sodas per day and considered myself a caffine addict. Then I started getting eye twitches whenever I consumed caffine. That started before my surgery. It was a double reason to quit caffine. I tried some Coke about a month ago and it made me uncomfortable. I also thought it was kinda gross. Every now and then I eat some chocolate and my eye twitches a little bit, just another reminder why caffine is bad. Not sure if that helps you with your demon, but cold turkey a little bit of withdrawl is what you have to do. Good luck...

What is the 5 day pouch test diet?

I was told that you need to keep the protein levels higher than the carb levels to keep your hunger controlled. I find that's true. Instead of only having high carb foods that go down have you tried the protein shakes? They really keep me going during the day...

I am a little over halfway to my weight loss goal and I am so much happier. This week I actually had the nerve to go into "normal" stores such as the Gap and tried on a Medium size shirt. It fit too!! I know that I will be even happier in another 30-40 pounds... However, if the band wasn't working for me I wouldn't be happier.

Can anyone give me some advice about finding a fill doctor in Singapore? I am going to be traveling through the area and I am desperately needing a fill.

Does anyone know a good doctor where I can get a fill in Singapore? I can't get back to the US to see my regular doctor and I desperately need a fill.

I agree, you need to eat more. Sometimes the body just needs a metabolism boost from having more food. Try eating just a little more for one week and see what happened. Some of my biggest weight losses have followed weeks where I ate more (but still not overeat). I too hate it when people comment you are just gaining muscle even if it's true. I think you have just hit a plateu and a bit of starvation mode thrown in. Be patient, don't be discouraged. You are healthier now then before and you have done so well. Another line I hate although its true...you didn't gain all your weight overnight, it will take some time to come off...

I was banded in July and I do a little of both. I eat healthy and unheathly stuff. Mostly I think I am letting the band work. I get on kicks where I eat very little and very healthy but every now and then I need a little piece of chocolate. They way I see it is when on WW I was able to do that same things, except my hunger always got the best of me. Now the hunger is not the same...I say live your life, just in less quantity.

I am 5'9", pear shaped, and started at 260ish. I was wearing size 22 pants, XL/1X shirts but I think the pants were stretched out because I am now 213 and wearing brand new size 20 pants and they fit well. I am still wearing XL shirts but they are loose. I've been a little discouraged, however I am also wearing old pants that I haven't worn in many years so that makes me feel better. I am getting really close to Onederland so the size of my clothes won't matter at that milestone...

I have a traveling job so I fly all the time. I have never set off the metal detector at the airport. HOWEVER, when I went to the Olympics I set off the metal wand. The girl working touched my stomach (I was less than a month post-op) and I jumped, she jumped and I walked on by her.