Another LapBand Clinic sprung up in T.O.!

[peaches9 3]

Those are impressive credentials....

But how MANY lap band placements has she personnaly done (not researched)

[so done with it all 1]

I spoke with Nisrine as well and she says Dr. Misra has done 150 lapbands but I belong to just about every WLS board there is to belong to and not one person on any of the boards were done by her so who are these 150 people and where did she band them since this is a new clinic and she didn't work for any of the other clinics. I think someone is blowing smoke out their ass to make their clinic look good but I'm sorry when not one person on any of the boards was done by her, I don't think she has done anything more than do the lap-band training that the makers put them through. She might be a good lap surgeon and she might train other doctors but I'd still be nervous of being her guinea pig and paying more than the clinics that have done over 1000 bands and have proven themselves as having good follow up.

[Doddie63 6]

Good point fousilly. Most staff at the TLBC have been banded and lost a tremendous amount of weight not just 20 or so. I am not sure about Dr. C. but I am sure he has some. Doddie

[PSTEVENS9 0]

Well, I'm certainly not disagreeing with you. My family doctor sent me to her because I have a large abdomial hernia that needs to be repaired and she does that laproscopically. He's the one that told me she did the lap-bands, so I asked her about it when I went to see her. She told me I was a perfect candidate and she would fix the hernia at the same time as the lap-band. She gave me the pamphlet for CIBO and I contacted them.

But all of these posts have me pretty nervous. I knew it was a new clinic, but I'm concerned about this doctor that people are talking about. If anyone wants to e-mail me personally, I would appreciate any information.

Thanks,

PSTEVENS9@COGECO.CA

[Michee 2]

I know for a fact that she has done a lot of lapbands.

In the spring I was referred to her by my family doctor, as she was doing a clinical trial at st Joes. She was involved in a study where she would do 50 gastric bypasses, 50 lapbands, and then 50 people would just receive nutritional counselling. Results of success would be measured monthly for 6 months. The purpose was to study the effects of weightloss on diabetes.

Anyway I applied for the study, because it would have meant that I could have got the band for FREE!! However I did not meet all the criteria for the study, and you couldnt choose which treatment you received.

I think when people here "study" they dont realize that involved performing surgery. Presumably she had done other bariatric surgeries prior to heading up this study, and getting funding for the study.

[PSTEVENS9 0]

Yes, Dr. Misra spoke to me about the clinical trial, but I don't have diabetes, so I didn't qualify. Also, as you said, the patients have no control over which surgery they get. I don't want the gastric bypass as I have some blood issues which can be dangerous if I get an infection. She said the band was a much safer choice for me. But, I would still like some answers about the clinic. I did e-mail the founder, but he has not answered me yet. It's not giving me a warm fuzzy feeling about the clinic.

[Donna 0]

Personally people choose whatever clinic they want, but I would prefer to go with a clinic where they have a proven track record for banding and aftercare support. Also why pay an extra $2000 over what Surgical Weight Loss Centre in Mississauga and the Toronto LapBand Centre in Toronto charge for a new clinic who is the new kid on the block?

[Doddie63 6]

Go with your gut instincts. There are well established clinics in your area and take your time choosing. Doddie

[PSTEVENS9 0]

Well, the cost is also one of the questions I want an answser to. I will be looking into the other clinics for sure.

[so done with it all 1]

You'll be told the extra 2k is for the extra services they offer. Well both other clinics have dieticians on staff that are available for as long as we need them. CIBO's package looks nice until you ask lots of questions and trust me they get their stories mixed up. I have asked under different names out of curiosity and got two different sales pitches from the same person. One time I was told they were lifetime and then in the next breath was told they were for a limited one year time. When SWLC started out they were 1k cheaper than TLBC since they were the new kids on the block and then after doing 1000 surgeries they are now the same price. Now that's a smart business move to get the customers over but starting 2k more than the 2 main ones, forget it. TCC charges 15k but you hear of very few patients and HRRH charges 17k and you hear of a few but not many but they don't do many either.

[PSTEVENS9 0]

Thanks for the info. I was told the package is for a year of support and fills. Then they start charging extra. Dr. Misra told me that if there were any problems with the band that required additional surgery, that OHIP would pay for that. So, now I don't know what to believe.

[Doddie63 6]

Well that bit of information from PsTEVENS9 would be enough to turn me off. The TLBC replaces any defective ports or bands free and doesn't pass off their responsibilities. I would suggest you look to other cllnics and ask them their policy on relacing slipped or erroded bands. Doddi

[so done with it all 1]

The email I have from them says fills are for lifetime and dedicated support for 1 year but that you will have access to the other support systems for longer than a year if needed. I then later asked what the additional cost would be if I needed support longer than a year and one email says a minimal cost and the other email sayd no cost. These emails are all coming from the same person so not sure how she can get her stories mixed up from person to person.

Slips, erosions, leaky tubes, flipped ports, leaky ports, faulty bands, are all potential problems that could happen no matter how careful you are, so you should find out what their policies are on that. If they will not replace free of charge then they are giving you less service for your money than the other 2 big clinics.

Offering their extended services for 1 year is not enough for a lot of people either. Very few reach goal weight in 1 year and need the ongoing support even while maintaining. I'd ask a lot of hard questions before jumping into this new clinic. Ask them to speak to previously banded patients as referrals and see what their experience has been and see how long they have been banded. Both big clinics have lots of testimonials and have people always willing to talk to new potential clients so if they can't offer you this then once again, it's really no service to you.

If you choose them, please make sure you let us all know of your experience with them.

[peaches9 3]

1 year support? that is total crap...

And frankly, I can't beleive you are still considering this CLINIC (and I use the term loosely) for your lap band proceedure.

This IS serious business.

Complications DO happen. I know from personal experience as I have a leaking band and am going to have to have re-vision surgery. Dr. Yau has told me that he will replace the ENTIRE band with a new one, not just fix up the leak and send me on my way.

I don't know you, but I do care about YOUR success and health. Please, Please do some more research.

[PSTEVENS9 0]

Well, you can bet I'll be looking into the other clinics. However, the one in Mississauga says it costs $200 for a consultation, refundable upon surgery. I didn't like that much. But, I have mailed TBLC and will check it out. I wonder if they would charge extra to fix my hernia?

I'm still quite upset that I have not heard back from the founder of CIBO with any answer to my questions. I really thought the phone would ring ten minutes after I e-mailed him.