Hi all,

I'm scheduled for my seminar next week. What do they discuss in these seminars?

Thanks,

Bob

they treat the seminars like you've never heard of weight loss surgery before. if you've done research here, you're already ahead of the game!

they talk about the surgery itself, the complications that can occur, background on the surgeon, talk about eating habits, post-op patients are on hand to talk about their experiences...

My experience was pretty much exactly what kalipso stated. The seminar I attended, they introduced one of the surgeons. Everything was set up on a slideshow. He discussed the history of WLS then he talked himself as a surgeon and then about the hospital and their success rate, etc. Then he went over each individual weight loss surgery..this will really help you decide which is right for you. He also went over a few details about self pay and a program they offer. They ended with letting a couple of the former patients speak about their personal experiences. We were also able to turn in an information packet to a nurse and ask questions. It was exciting and a pleasant experience. About 1 1/2 hours.

As mentioned by previous posters they explain WLS. My doctor takes attendence and won't let you make an appointment until you attend.

I go to my seminar on Mar 1 in Louisville. I have been to 3 other seminars in VA and TX in the past (with different insurance companies). This will be my first seminar with a bariatric group as opposed to just an insurance specific one. At Kaiser they made us do multiple seminars; the first was an intro to the surgery and a weigh in and the second was pre-surgery - how to eat before/after and what to expect.

Make sure you have your questions ready and don't be afraid to ask - most of the time other people really wanted to ask the same questions but with held for whatever reason.

Congrats - you are on your way!

Thanks for the information and kind words. Just to get to this point the surgical group required quite an extensive referral from my primary as well as a letter from me explaining my previous weight loss attempts and why I thought WLS will work for me. Right now i'm leaning towards the band. I'm at 240lbs 5'3" and am tired of being miserable. I started out in 1986 with a diet where i went from 170 to 135. 30 years of yo-yo dieting has gotten me to where I am today. My wife is rather cool to the whole idea of surgery but frankly I have to do this for me.

Thanks for the support!

Bob