BethFromVA

I'm so sorry if this has been answered before (and likely it has). I got to page 2 of this thread and noticed a lot of mention of a 6-month pre-op monitoring. Is that typical, or does that depend on insurance or doctor? I guess I'll find out when I go to my seminar on Wednesday, but don't want to have too many surprises when I go there, I guess...

I'm in Northern Virginia, Kiz. I was just in Richmond on Thursday-Friday for a teaching seminar. I hate when doctors have an agenda rather than listening to their patients. Of course a gastric bypass costs WAY more than LB does, so he has a vested interest in such a procedure. I'm glad you walked (ran?) away from that one! My mother is in the same boat in a way -- had breast cancer in her 40s, had a radical double mastectomy and two breast reconstructive surgeries which have both ruptured (first time was silicone, second time was saline). Now at age 66 she just wants them out. One doctor kept pushing for having ANOTHER reconstructive surgery -- one which would literally take muscle from her back to reconstruct her breasts! At this age she has become okay with the thought of no longer having breasts. We have to do what is right for us. I never really knew there was a difference, and for me, gastric bypass was a HUGE no because it was SO invasive and SO permanent. This procedure looks much "friendlier." I have just given up... I was thin until my mid-20s and then I ballooned, gaining about 100 pounds. I was fat for my wedding. I'm fatter now. I have asthma (likely due to my weight), I have been pre-diabetic for a while now (going in for another glucose tolerance test this week) and I have a large number of extended family members with diabetes, high cholesterol (usually in the mid- to high-200s), my joints hurt, I huff and puff, and... well, I just give up. :thumbup:

That's good to know, that they want you to attend the seminars anyway. It's not like the one doctor who appeals to me on paper is that much further away... maybe 17 miles or so. The other two are here in town, maybe a mile or two away. I can get to the further doctor using the toll road, so it's a pretty quick trip even though I'd have to go to him as often as it seems I will.

Sorry, I didn't clarify myself. The one I would like to talk to who also teaches the procedure also happens to be the one giving the seminar on Wednesday. I don't know if/when the doctors who are closer to me would have a seminar, but I am interested in talking to (and potentially using) this doctor -- or somebody like him -- who also teaches the procedure. That makes me feel a bit more comfortable about who I may potentially use. Anybody have thoughts on that?