pr8453

Hi Plumbum! I live in Gainesville, GA and see on your profile you are in Canton, GA. I am going to MX on 9-9-09 for my lapband. I had originally been trying since Jan to get approval from my insurance but no luck so I finally decided to bite the bullet and self pay but the office I was working with - had no discount for self pay so it was going to be $21K and I just couldn't see doing that is when I started searching on the internet to see if I could find any drs that did offer discounts for self pay. I had no idea that MX was even a choice and my initial thought was I would be too scared to go to MX for an operation but then the prices were so much more affordable that I just started to think that was the way for me to go. I called my original dr office in Atlanta and asked if they would do fills for patients who received their band outside the US and they said as long as it was an FDA approved band and you brought your surgery report with you that they would. So the first visit they said would be around $300 because it would involve a Dr consult and then after it would be less for just the fills. The Dr name is Michael Smith - located in Alpharetta-Laparoscopic & Endoscopic Surgery Institute, P.C. 770-500-3660. Let me know if you get a different response from them because I am counting on them. There is a Fill Center USA in Roswell and they do have floroscopy available but I would really like to see a Dr at least the first time.

Hi! My surgery date is 9/9/09 in Mexico. I was excited to see someone else from GA. I live in Gainesville and work for AT&T in Alpharetta. Good luck to you on 9/2. Good luck to everyone with their various pre-op diets! I have been writing down the different protein drinks you guys have mentioned in this thread. Thanks!

Thank you for all the info! I will definately stick to the Dr here in Atlanta - instead of the Fill Center- for the fills! His cost is just $315 for the first appt and then $250 for the additional ones. I hate the idea of one needle in my stomach but would really be stressing if they stuck me over and over and then said you need to go back for additional surgery! So glad yours all worked out well and you found a Dr within driving distance of you. You have to wonder about the quality of the personnel working at that fill center! Thanks again for all the advice and info!

Congratulations on your weight loss! I have just scheduled my surgery for Sept 9th, so it is very encouraging to me to hear that others who have recently gone through it are happy with the choice and having good results!

I am scheduled with Dr Pompa on Sept 9th. I set everything up through Dr. Daniela Colin-LIMARP CHIEF NUTRITIONSIT so that is the only person I have corresponded with for all of my questions. I start my pre-op diet on Monday and I am really excited to be getting this done finally. I have been thinking about it and researching it for past 2 years but my insurance didn't cover WLS and I had no idea that Mexico was an alternative. Then this year my insurance started covering it but you have to show medical records for past 5 years showing a BMI of over 40 and I only had past 2 years over 40 and refuse to wait 3 more years - and continue gaining weight - just so my insurance will cover it. I was able to find a dr in Atlanta that will do the fills and there is also a Fill Center USA close by. So hopefully all will go well.

Thank you Less of Me and congratulations on your great weight loss so far! Do you mind if I ask a few more questions about your surgery? I just wondered what brand of band did you get and have you had any issues with the port or getting fills? Any regrets? Sorry, I have been reading so much the past few days that I have gone from being really excited to being a little nervous about it now. How long did you do the pre-op diet? Thank you again for your help and sorry for all the questions!!

Did you both get your lapband surgery with Dr Pompa in May? Have you had any problems? Was it a good experience? I am scheduled with Dr Pompa in Sept and just wanted to know how your experiences have been. Thank you very much for the info and I hope you are both doing great!