New in Washington State

[TheLid 0]

Thanks for all of the advice. I am going to a seminar in Richland with Dr Fox on Friday. He doesn't do his fills with the fluoroscope. Have any of you had any problems with Dr fox doing them "blind"?

I will not have my surgery until August because of my crazy school schedule, but I want to get everything set up early.

[jenafiori 0]

I've been going to Dr Srikanth in Federal Way WA - he's at St Francis Medical Center. Im not banded yet but the preop has been great. He's got a fabulous bedside manner!!

[Wenjea 1]

I'm at Dr. Ohs office in Federal Way, not to far off of Hwy 18 and I-5. He has done thousands of LB's and is a 'center for excellence'. He has a 70% success rate which is high for the band. I really like his staff and there is quite a few of us on the Washington site who go to him. I've heard good things about Dr. fox too.

[PineNut 0]

I am new to the forum- this is my first post! I have attended both the seminars for Dr. Oh and for NWWLS. I have decided to go with Dr. Michaelson at NWWLS in Everett as a self pay. I believe they have a nurse that goes to Yakima and another Eastern location twice a month for fills so you don't have to travel so far. Check out their website for a LOT of information and the Powerpoint presentation is great. Everyone has been incredibly nice and most of the staff is banded too. I have never felt any question was too silly - or that I was wasting their time. I was even given one of the ladies sister's number to call her about a 401K option for paying! I am very impressed and can't wait for my first appointment. I hope to have the surgery in mid-May. Good luck with your research!

[Morsaille 4]

Thanks for all of the advice. I am going to a seminar in Richland with Dr Fox on Friday. He doesn't do his fills with the fluoroscope. Have any of you had any problems with Dr fox doing them "blind"?

My best friend gets her fills with Dr. Fox and has had incredible success and no problems whatsoever. She is at 'normal weight' and has been for a few years now. The hardest part about blind fills (I've had both) is that a good fill relies on your ability to feel adequate restriction. You also get a few more needle sticks going blind.

I'm a fluoro (Dr. Neal) girl because I have spasm issues and tighten during a fill. The fluoro helps - at the bargain price of $375 sheesh.

Just pick your surgeon on skill, and your comfort level. If you have to, you can shop around for fills. Kitty Carmichael does a bargain fill for shallow ports in Arlington for around $125 (?).

[TheLid 0]

Thank you so much for the information. I will probably end up going with Dr Fox. Right now I am not too worried about needle sticks. I have to get allergy shots every week and I am a nursing student, so I have lots of exposure to needles. How big are the fill needles? Do you think it is easier for a Dr to find it without the Fluoroscope if he is the one who did the surgery?

[Brewa2000 1]

I was banded by Dr Earl Fox on 1/31/07 and my wife was banded by him on 2/22/07. We have throughly enjoyed working with him. The fills have been no worse than a small bee sting. We were self pay and it was $8,000 less for the two of us to get banded than a Westside clinic was asking. Sure you have to pay for the fills ($225) after the first one, but you can get many fills for 8 grand!

Hope that reinforces your choice....

Bruce

[nbjen 0]

It's great to here more about Dr Earl Fox, I have to say it was hard to find more info on him, before I only found one person here who had him as a surgeon. Please keep us updated on your progress Bruce. How was Auburn Hospital? I had never even been there before and now I'm having surgery there; it does worry me a bit only because I'm not familiar with it.

TheLid - Keep us updated on if you plan to go ahead w/Dr Fox. some of the reasons I chose them was they seem to be leaders in the WLS department and have have been doing lapbands since 2001, I couldn't find anything negative in my research, Dr Fox used to work closely with Dr Oh, and then there was the price because I'm self pay and didn't feel comfortable going to Mexico. Plus the location of his office is much better than trying to get to Everett for me for monthly appointments. Oh and they have a great follow up program and that's super important!!

Good luck and keep us updated!

[Brewa2000 1]

We live in Central Washington. Because I have a fused neck, I am difficult to intubate so they sent me to the Auburn hospital which was great. My wife was banded in Richland. They are a great bunch there too. I'd do the same thing again.

Bruce

[Morsaille 4]

Thank you so much for the information. I will probably end up going with Dr Fox. Right now I am not too worried about needle sticks. I have to get allergy shots every week and I am a nursing student, so I have lots of exposure to needles. How big are the fill needles? Do you think it is easier for a Dr to find it without the Fluoroscope if he is the one who did the surgery?

It is probably a little easier since most docs have their own unique way of getting it done. My doc puts the port low and on the left barely above waistline. My friend has hers at her sternum. There are hundreds of sites and depths in between.

The needle is a big'un (Huber non-coring). Luckily the abdomen isn't all that sensitive, especially with a little nerve damage post-op. Many of us have reduced sensation around the port and port incision. I barely feel the needle - even if I concentrate.