OK, I know I'm not the only Missouri person searching for surgery. I was surprised to get on here and find that no one has ever posted here.

I would like to start a rapport with other Missourians looking into, scheduled to have, or already had lap band surgery. If you're willing to post, I'd love to hear from you!

Have a great night

Billie Branham

Hi Missouri, I am currently trying to get banded. My surgeon is Dr. Ali in Kansas City MO. He is very familiar with RNY and has told me it is not the surgery for me. (After I researched it so long! ) But now he says I am a good candidate for the lap band and while he hasn't done a lot of them he has been doing other kinds of lap surgery for a long time. I have researched it now and am excited about it and feel it is the better choice for me. My problems , besides my weight, are that I am 58 and had a quadruple heart bypass 14 months ago. I started water exercises in September and wish I had started them 10 years ago! I should know in Feb whether my ins is approved first time. I am concerned that the lap band is a fairly new procedure in the US and my insurance (Tricare) might prefer the RNY. I know they have approved that for other MO gals. Let me hear from you! Lindie

Hi Lindie! I'm sorry to hear about the medical problems you've had but glad to hear your bypass (es) were successful. I'm glad you have chosen the band as it seems to have very very low risks and good success. I am from the Kansas City area also. My sister had the Rny in St. Louis a couple years ago and had problems for eight months after. Her surgeon was missing in action about a month after her surgery. She spent the next 7 months trying to find a doctor who would believe the pain she was having. She finally found one in Independence who agreed to do exploratory surgery to see if he could find anything wrong. Well, the doctor spent almost 7 hours repairing the botched surgery my sister had received. He stated she was just days from death. This explains the surgeons disappearance! I know this kind of story is one in a million but scary none the less.

I am working on the LapBand for my 14 year old daughter who is 5'3" and has a bmi of 46.8. Today, we received the dreaded denial letter. Blue Bross/Blue Shield of Minnesota stated the reason was, "Is investigative per our medical policy". I plan to appeal but don't know how successful we will be. I heard BC/BS can be impossible to convince.

By the way, I have friends who have gone to Dr. Ali and heard he is a wonderful surgeon! I wish you luck in getting approval and if you ever need to "talk", I'll be here.

Billie

Hi, I had the Lapband on 11-13-03 and have lost -51lbs so far. I have been very happy with my choice. I have had no problems. Mary

Hi....I live in Lebanon Mo. Had surgery on 1-3-04. My insurance wouldn't pay so we headed for Mexico. So far I have lost 25 pounds. It's a little slower than expected but I'm happy with the loss. Had my first fill in Feb. with Dr Sandhu in Coffeyville, Ks. He was great. I didn't feel a thing. This is also my first time on this board.

Hi, I am in Kansas City, MO and wouldlike to know if there are doctors here who perform the lap-band surgery. I heard about one, Dr. Malley, in Overland Park at a cost of $15,000.00 That is alot since my insurance won't cover the procedure -(BCBS). Are there other doctors in this area that I could check with?

Hi! I live in MO and was banded on 11/9/04 by Dr. Hadar Spivak in Houston TX. I was self pay and paid 12g. You are going to be hard pressed to find anything cheaper in the states--I did hear there is a doc in Mesquite TX that charges a little less (maybe 10g?), but I don't really know anything about him. Really the average rate is around 22g--I called several docs around the country and I found this to be pretty standard. Alot of self payers go to mexico--prices there range from 7-10 grand. There are yahoo groups just for mexican patients that you can check out.

I am currently looking for a local fill doc--will be making alot of calls tomorrow:)

Good Luck!

Congratulations, JessicaMegan, on getting your band! I see you have the same dr. I do. Wishing you great success on your journey to better health!

I live in MO and would sure like to chat with anyone else that has been banded that lives in MO - - does anyone know a follow up doc here in MO or KS (I live north of KC) that could do follow up care for me as I am heading to Mexico the 4th of March!!!

Please let me know!!!!

Hello! Congrats on your decision to get your band!

There is a doc near Kansas City, Dr. A. K. Tayiem--he has two offices, on in Atchison, the other I am not sure where. I am pretty sure he takes mexican patients and his fills are cheap! Here are some numbers I have for him but I am not sure they are current-- 913-541-0230, 913-492-0154.

Make sure you have your aftercare covered BEFORE going to Mexico--I have seen many people on these boards that don't have things arranged, and find themselves sol if something goes wrong. I don't have a problem with people going out of states for surgery, just make sure you have your ducks in a row:)

I am in southeast missouri and found it easier to stay around here for fills--even though my doc offers free fills for a year. There is a doc in St. Louis that I went to once, but I didn't like his policies (he won't see you for 8 weeks between fills) so I found a doc in Nashville-a few hours away. So far so good!

Good luck!!

Jessica

11-09-04

Spivak

180-165-115

Hey there thanks a bunch for the info!! It makes me feel better hearing for someone close to home!! How has it all gone for you?? Are you happy that you went ahead and did this?? I am getting a little nervous as the days tick away!!

Thanx

Yes, totally worth it. As you can see, I am not a fast loser, averaging 1 lb a week, but I no longer have big blood sugar drops and I no longer obsess about food--its finally becoming about nutrition, not entertainment--to me that is worth every penny if I never lose another lb. But all this came with my second fill, so don't get discouraged if you don't lose weight before 1-3 fills--many people don't.

I was terrified the weeks before surgery, I was so nervous. Even teh night before I was postin on message boards, asking if I should go through with it. Well I did, and I have no regrets. The whole surgery was a piece of cake. What doc are you using in Mexico?

Jessica

I am scheduled 3-4-05 with Dr. Arturo Rodriguez in Monterrey. I have heard a lot of good things about him so I hope that is good!! I am getting more nervous by the day, but I guess that is normal - I am going to try to get a hold of that doc that you told me about this week.

Hi

I am looking into havign a lap band using doctor Mallay. I was supposed to have RNY with Dr. ali but that did not work out. So here I go starting from the beginning. This may be a better choice anyway because of my history with medication. We will see. I am looking for support and some help with the emotional eating thing.

Amy

hi amy

I actually spoke with Dr. Malley's office about follow care when I get back from Mexico - - I am thrilled that they take mexican pt's and I am only a couple of hours from his office. I hope you have good luck with him!!

Nadine

Dear Lindie,

I too am a Tricare Ins. person. I have already talked with numerous supervisors at Tricare to see if they cover the Lap-Band procedure. I'm sorry to say, but at this time the answer is "NO". They just started to cover gastric bypass done laprascopically, and I think it it will take them a while to authorize the Lap-Band too. Don't give up. If enough of us want it, hopefully they'll come around. I'm trying to schedule my surgery with Dr. Rodrigues in Monterrey, Mexico. I live in the K.C. area. Contact me anytime.