Oh, I hope someone can help me! I'm new in Chicago, with a band I had done in India in 2008. My fills will be self-pay. Does anyone have information on a local fill provider that isn't too punitive against bands done outside the US?

So far I've tried Northwestern Memorial (no fills unless they did the surgery), Dr. Shayani at Day One Health (fills would be $1000, every time!) and Synchrony ($600 for the first fill, $95 for subsequent, but also very far away from me in downtown with no car. It would be hard to make enough visits to spread out the initial cost.) In a city as big as Chicago, I never dreamed that finding fills would be this difficult! There must be other people with out-of-country bands here -- where do you go?

I was just banded Monday at Northwestern so I'm not sure who takes fill patients only, but you might want to try Mercy Hospital, Rush and UIC Medical Center. All 3 do the band and all are in the city.

You can also try Evanston Hospital. Not in the city, but not too far.

Good luck!

kagead

call Day One on Michigan ave. I was banded there. Dr. Elli is splendid!

Neauzart, I had another thought and sent you a private message.

kagead

Thanks to everyone for the suggestions so far. I'm checking into the hospitals kagead's listed. I'm still hopeful that maybe someone will see this who also has an out-of-country band and has figured out what to do.

Agiudice, I'm sure Day One is great -- there seem to be lots of good surgeons in Chicago -- but they must really not want to deal with out-of-country bands since they would charge me a thousand dollars for every single fill. I find it hard to imagine that anyone has ever taken them up on that offer. Thanks for the tip, though -- I would have loved to work with them since they're in my neighborhood.

I was banded in Mexico. I get all of my fills through Fill center USA. Its www.fillcenterusa.com . They have a list of docs and clinics that will do your fill regardless of where u were banded. i have used them twice in 2 different cities and they are great. Its about $300 for the first fill and then $165 thereafter and they have flouroscopy.

You could contact the Center for Bariatric Surgery at St. James Hospital in Olympia Fields. $500. to begin, then - $160 or so for each fill.