How many office visits or test do you have to attend after surgery? My insurance is running out 2 weeks after my scheduled surgery and I'm not sure if I can afford the post op requirements.

What do your think?

I think it is important to formulate a plan with your clinic for at least a 1 year follow up. If that includes out of pocket expenses, then so be it. Beats the hell out of staying fat. <snort>

Expect to see your surgeon 7-10 days post op (barring complications) to check incisions and see that you are doing OK with your post op instructions. Usually, the first fill won't happen until you are healed and on solid foods (clinics vary in how this is handled). Fills also vary how they are done, and with that, so will costs. Under fluoroscopy or ultra sound, they tend to run around 3 franklins. A good fill nurse can palpate the port and do it without seeing it for a franklin or more less. Perhaps this is a question to ask the clinic--how they do fills and what is their plan for your first year?

There are 'fill centers' across the US, but unless you had your surgery out of the country, or have moved away from your clinic, or have a bad relationship with your clinic, my advice is to stick with your clinic's protocol and pay the out of pocket expenses. You got the surgery, that's $17K, now the rest is follow up. The band is not a 'set it and forget it' device. You *will* require a lot of after care especially in the first year. But, you will be saving a lot of money on the food you won't be eating, so the expenses tend to work themselves out.

Take care.

Best to you.

Ducati Bonnie