What to Look For when choosing your Doctor?

[Hebber 0]

Hey Guys,

You all have been so wonderful in sharing your journey. I am just starting my journey. The most difficult part is deciding to move forward with the Lap Band Procedure. That is done :eek: Moving forward.... The second most difficult is finding the right Doctor to perform the procedure. I did attend a seminar in Hampton last year with the Weight Loss Center. Very nice group. My journey ended with the death of my younger sister. That put a hold on my entire outlook on a lot of things. I am back on track again. I was hoping to find a group closer to my home in Chesapeake. LoserwannaBe worked with the Norfolk Surgical Group. I am looking forward to hearing about her whole experience. Gina has given me some wonderful information to consider as well for making the best decision. This forum really is the perfect tool in getting this type of information without all of the marketing garb that can go along with it. Just the facts and the true to life experiences. That is the best possible reference I could ask for.

Please let me know what "made " your decision about the Doctor you chose.

Thanks so much!

Heaher

[LoserWannaB 0]

I went to the seminar that the NSG put on back in February. I chose them because they are convenient and I Love Dr. Fontana. He took great care of me before and after the procedure. I always ask him if he's ever gotten tired of doing what he does, and his response is always NO! He loves it cuz he says it is so gratifying to see the results in his patients. I still ask him every time I see him... it's become a joke. :confused:

I got thoroughly educated before surgery and couldn't have been more ready. Every precaution was taken with the tests I had to complete to get here. He made sure I was up to it in every way. So given that I passed all of them, I was comfortable and ready to go! I wasn't worried or nervous; I was EXCITED!!!! I wanted to get to the next phase, and here I am.

Heather, NSG has two offices. One in VB and one in Chesapeake.

The Medical Center

113 Gainsborough Square Suite 203

Chesapeake, VA 23320

Office: 547-9589

Fax: 547-9020

[Hebber 0]

Sounds like you are really happy with this group. That is exactly what I am looking for. Do they do your fills at that Chesapeake office as well? Do you know if they use a numbing agent? Sounds like Gina had a pretty ugly experience with her second fill.

What Hospital will he work out of for the actual surgery , Chesapeake General? That would be great...right around the corner.

Do they keep you overnight or out the same day? Just curious.

Looking forward to hearing about how you are getting along. I know I will have many more questions to come :confused:

Thank you!

Heather

[LoserWannaB 0]

I use the Kempsville office cuz it's closer to where I live at the beach. He did my surgery at Norfolk General. From what I know they use a local anesthetic when they do fills. I stayed in the hospital til friday around noon i was released. I had to have a leak test; barium, xray to make sure everything was working right before i was discharged.

As of today my weight is down from the highest of 258 to 230. I walked both of our dogs together a little while ago for the first time since i got home. i had been walking them individually since about monday when i could. I was afraid of them pulling so i didn't do it til then at all.

I'm feeling really great. My energy level is getting up there again like it was before surgery. I'm sleeping well. Yesterday morning i surprised myself and hubby when i woke up on my stomach. it didn't hurt at all either.

Heather what you need to do is find out when NSG is having an education seminar again... they have one coming up Dr. Fontana told me... and attend it. Don't be nervous. This is the best thing I've done for MYSELF in I can't remember when. Every day I wake up excited for what's in store that i find out i can do, and i know i've made an accomplishment that is going to pay dividends for years and years to come. :kiss2:

[Hebber 0]

That's awesome! I just registered at the Health Campus on Princess Ann for his seminar on the 26th....next Wednesday. He has one this weekend, but I will be in Wilmington with the family. You lost 28 lbs in a week? Goodness!

I do know this is what I HAVE to do. Both my sister and I have been struggling with our weight for years. It just keeps creeping up. She passed away unexpectedly last year. She went to the Seminar on the Pennisula with me. I know she is loving life now since she can pick her own dress size since she is in heaven. Crazy. It was feeling that the only way I could lose this weight is if I passed away. It was getting that bad. Just tired of fighting it. I want to ride a roller coaster with my child ..... I want to be able to walk onto an elevator and not be nervious that it jumps up..knowing everyone is looking at me...Boarding an airplane praying that the seats are large enough fo me to sit in....I want to walk across the parking lot and not have to catch my breath before I start my car... It truly takes the life right out of you. I am ready to take my life back. If my will power has failed me in the past, it's time to make my body NOT give me the choice to overeat. Sad to say it has to come to this.... This obsity is a disease.

Your experience sounds so positive. I am ready for that....

My employer is upgrading the Insurance Jan 2008. The upgraded version of our Insurance will cover my surgery. BMI 42, Heart Issue, Reflux. Hoping that will not set things back to far. Not sure how they will move forward with that issue.

How long did it take you...from Seminar to surgery? Timeline?

[LoserWannaB 0]

oh no heather i didn't lose 28 lbs in a week!!!! That's what I've lost total since I've been jumping thru the hoops. When I went to the hospital last week after being on a liquid diet for 10 days I was 245. Today I'm 230.

So that's still 15 lbs. I haven't lost 15 lbs in yrs.

i'm so sorry about your sister. Sometimes we have to have a loss of life in our face to take ours back.

What issue are you talking about that you think might set you back from being a candidate for surgery? My BMI was 46. I have had 2 heart attacks. I don't have sleep apnea or diabetes (borderline though!)... and those things DID make me a candidate for surgery. Simply because it's not just about losing weight or getting down to your goal but about improving your health!

Losing the excess baggage improves everything because you gain your mobility and get off medications you no longer need cuz you no longer have those problems!

My timeline was:

Seminar in February

Surgery in Sept.

so that's 7 months.

[Hebber 0]

15 Ibs! that is still awesome!

The insurance coverage was my possible set back. The new program is not active until January 1st 2008. I am not sure if Dr. Fontana will let me work through the process eventhough my insurance will not be able to cover until Jan. I hope we can still move forward. If 7 months was your time line, that will cover the January 1st date.

I was concerned about the Reflux problem. If I miss a day of Prilosec now, I am hurting all day. I hope this surgery will not make it worse. I was told I have a small hernia in the throat as well from the erosion problem. The throat issue kinda worries me a bit. I am sure they take a careful look at all of that.

Did you go ou for your last huuuraah before the liquid diet kicked in? It makes you feel that you will never be able to have certain things again. I guess each person is different.

Have you ever been a healthy size?... or has this been a struggle for most of your life?

I started jumping up at 29-30 years old. After my baby in 2002, it just went through the roof. If it is 20 30 or even 50 lbs...I could probably stick with something long enough to drop...but 110 is just to far off the mark...and too many unsucessful diet plans ago. It kills me, at 25 I thought my size 10 was huge. What I would do to see that again.....

Did you just have the Lap Band installed? Not any other procedure? The Norfolk Surgical Web site does not mention the actual Lap Band under surgeries. They do mention a vertical Band ....were they do cut.

[LoserWannaB 0]

i had a last hurrah for 3 yrs since i chickened out the first time so i didn't need one before surgery LOL i have many many happy last hurrah meals to reflect from to tide me over. :confused:

i began gaining weight after i got divorced in 1990... the first yr i gained 60# because i was NUMB. i couldn't feel it! i didn't feel a thing. i remember when my son was growing up if i got to 130# i felt HUGE. i was 125# before the divorce. by 2001 when i got remarried, i was at ~190#. I just couldn't get it off and have steadily gained every year since. i'm only 5ft 2in so i'm about as wide as i am tall.

my son came to visit today and he hadn't seen me in a yr or so and he couldn't believe how good i look. he kept saying he wasn't going to worry anymore now that he'd seen me cuz i look so full of vitality and energy he was just amazed. Getting 31# off has taken the swelling out of my ankles, my knees don't hurt, i wore dress shoes to church today for the first time in YEARS... and we walked on the beach after i had walked for over an hour with a gf earlier today!!!! he & his gf and friends couldn't keep up with me.

Dr. Fontana did perform the lapband surgery on me. i have 5 tiny incisions where the laproscopic instruments were inserted. it's ben 10 days now and i have no pain whatsoever. i can sleep on my tummy now or however i want to without any discomfort.

the thing that is most striking for me is my energy level. i have a new nickname: energizer bunny :biggrin1:

[Hebber 0]

That is wonderful!

My knees are really giving me a time. I was explaining it to my sister-in -law this weekend. It is like stacking on 2 50lbs feed bags to each each shoulder and a 4 5lb bags of sugar and then walking around. Your body is just not made to carry that extra weight. I am really looking forward to that relief! Riding the Sea Doo's again..simple little things I use to love to do before all of this weight piled on. That type of incentive really makes me want to get this done as soon as I can. New clothes!!! I can't wait

Are you off the liquids now and into the mush? What are your favorites so far?

[LoserWannaB 0]

i go back to him tomorrow so i'll probably start mushies then.

i'm ready. last night and tonight i had a small saucer of fat free

refried Beans spread out thin, with fat free ricotta cheese and

tonight i put a little piece of crab meat in it. yummmmmm

i'm so ready for some solids. lol

[Hebber 0]

Mexican is one of my favorites. Onion , refried Beans and cheese stacked enchilanda. Hopefully the onion is do-able.

Came up with a few more questions

Did you stay overnight after your surgery? What did you think the longest part of this process has been? Do you submit your Insurance Inquiry in the very begining? Just trying to understand the gameplan.

[LoserWannaB 0]

no onions or celery or any other fibrous foods! (no pineapple or seeds, etc)

so the flavor has to come from the food and seasonings...

i stayed over one night. the longest part was getting all those prerequisits done... i hate being at the mercy of other people... make the appt. wait a month for an opening; go to the appt. wait for the letter... call to remind them you need the letter... call again... that kind of stuff is nervewracking for me anyway but when you want it done in a timely manner and no one seems to be on the ball... i wanted to scream a few times...

we got the morbid obesity rider added to our insurance in jan. so after that i started my appts. and after the appts. were done the request was sent to the insurance co. and they sent their approval then i could get "my date".

that was one of the happiest days of my life.

[Hebber 0]

as far as the prerequisits, did they let you begin that without the Insurance approval? I am in the same boat. My insurance that will cover it activates Jan 1st. I would hate to have to start that whole process in January. I am anxious as well

[LoserWannaB 0]

you don't want to pay for all those appts yourself!

we had the insurance and the rider in place before i began

my prerequisites... it's worth it to wait til you have the coverage

if you don't have it at all yet.

[Louisianagirl 0]

You need to find out how much the fills aren going to be if you are cash pay. My Dr charges 40.00 a fill but for someone who went elsewhere for surgery (like Mexico) they will charge around 250.00 or better. Make sure to check into all that.