All my banded friends have used this one surgeon that is 45 miles from me. I didn't use him because he wasn't in my insurance network.

My surgeon does not do fills under flouro and he only sees patients on Monday and Tuesday. Even when I was really tight and needed an unfill I had to wait till the following Monday. In his opinion your NEVER too tight unless you can't swallow your own saliva. If I have an issue I get put through to a nurse who most of the time can't help me. Off topic a bit, but the last time I was there he took a call from the nurse at the hospital where I could hear him. He had done a totally different surgery on a patient and the nurse was having issues, he told her he was sorry, but he was not coming back over that day, she would have to wait until the next morning. I was like

Now the surgeon my friends use, he will see them any day of the week for an unfill. They have his personal cell phone number to call in case of a problem- and yes, he actually answers it. He is also certified as a Bariatric surgeon of excellence, while mine is not.

Is my surgeon really that bad or is he the norm?

How does your surgeon treat you?

I have contacted the doctor that all my friends are using, I'm just waiting to hear back. According to my insurance he is still in network with them so we will see.

Good Luck to you.....

Wow, I hope you find the care you need.

My surgeon and clinic is also a center of excellence. Dr. Michaelson is awesome and has the best bedside manner. Two reasons why... when I went to the seminar, I was sitting in the back right hand corner... at my consult... he was like, I remember you, you sat in the back right hand corner. Then once while I was preop there to visit my nutritionist, I was sitting in the waiting room and he walked by and totally remembered this other lady who was postop but still pretty newly banded and he was so friendly and congratulating her on how much she'd changed since her surgery... For a surgeon who sees tons of people to remember the little things (names/faces etc) that's a plus in my book.

The surgeon himself does not do the fills, there's several nurses for that who are all banded themselves. So they know what to expect and ask the right questions and give you straight up honest answers when you ask. In fact, the majority of the employees at nwwls are banded...right down to the receptionists.

I chose nwwls because I feel like my success is an important part of their success. They want their patients to succeed that's why their cost (for self pay and insurance alike) is all inclusive for the first 13 months. You can get as many fills/unfills as you need at no extra cost.

I'm so thankful that they are right down the street.

Wow , all your doctors sound great , I saw my surgeon once day of surgery , had a phone call week later , never heard from again , my fill doctor and clinc , I have not heard a word from since April , I got my post op , and two fills , and that was it , I think I might had pissed him off , we was pushing fills on me and when I told him , I wanted to hold off a minute , he got mad and said I was making a mistake , and that was the last I heard from them , usually they will call you a few days later to see how you feel after the fill , but nothing

The same thing pertains to anyone ! If you are not Happy, are doing what your suppose to do, losing weight, dropping cloth sizes, keeping appointments,

You can contact the Hospital where you had your surgery, and get your records, including POST OPERATIVE NOTES. (That's a MUST !)

Make copy's of everything ! Because once you turn it in, there is no getting it back. These are for your records or a different Dr. , just in case they read it, and say were not interested. Then you can inquire somewhere else.

They all love a success story because it's great for their image.

I did this, and that's the way it was put to me by the Head Nurse

If they don't have a Fluoroscope,,, It's like going to a Heart Dr., that doesn't have a EKG machine, and says I will just listen to your Heart, and I can tell. That's BULL ! You need to be looked at some times internally, and this will do it. Makes it easier on you, and same for the Dr., or Tech..

I am really glad that this thread got started, I thought I was the only person having problems. My surgeon is an excellent surgeon, but my post-op appointment was a nightmare. He did not sit down and talk to me . He looked at my incision and when I told him my concerns he said " you are a worrier and you need to go live your life". SO my concern was at ease. But then he walked out of the room and here I am chasing him out the door, to finish asking my questions. I waited until I got out of the office and lost it. There is a free nutritionist at the hospital, but not one in the office... The staff is great for the most part, but for such a great guy ( first impression) and the great job he did, his bed side manner is not okay with me. I was offended that he did not even take the time to sit down and talk to me. I go for my first fill on 8/16 under flouro and plan on telling him my feelings. Hopefully he will take it to heart and maybe help someone else in the future have a better experience. I will probably not change doctors, because since we are a military family I will have to find many fill doctors for my journey.

If you have a bad vibe, go somewhere else. We all deserve the best care. We are making life time changes and our experience will make all the difference. I wish you the best of luck.

Oh my gosh, your story sounds identical to mine! I actually had to look at your profile to see if we had the same surgeons. I plan on changing as soon as possible, as long as my insurance allows it.

If they don't have a Fluoroscope,,, It's like going to a Heart Dr., that doesn't have a EKG machine, and says I will just listen to your Heart, and I can tell. That's BULL ! You need to be looked at some times internally, and this will do it. Makes it easier on you, and same for the Dr., or Tech..

While fluoroscopy can be beneficial for those who have trouble getting to a good fill level, fills under fluoro are not necessary for everyone.

You should be aware that each fluoro session increases your radiation exposure.. and it is cumulative over your lifetime.

I've had so many tiny tweaks that if I had fluoro each time, I'd now be glowing in the dark (joking). There could be the argument that if they had used fluoro that I wouldn't have needed so many tiny fills.. but I disagree. Moving up slowly, I've lost weight well, had little to no problem adjusting my eating patterns and have needed only 1 unfill due to becoming too tight (and that was a year ago).

I do advocate having a yearly UGI study to check for proper band placement, etc.

Just to put out there that everyone is different and to reassure those who's doctors do not use fluoroscopy. Fills can work very well without it. If you're having issues, fluoro is agood diagnostic tool.

Your Point is very well taken, and understood.

For some people like myself, it was necessary to be evaluated under Fluoroscopy to see what was going on. Turned out my band was fine, only deflated. Where my Original Surgeon just had x ray eyes, and said your band is blown ! Not a drop of truth to that at all. This machine made it possible for me to be filled again, to the proper level.

As far as glowing in the dark! Then I have to look at my mammograms, and ultra sound of the Breast for last year. First the Normal set of shots. then to return for 2 more sets of shots. Then they decided on a Ultrasound of the right Breast Now mind you, nothing is wrong ! They would just like to see. So O.K. I went for it naturally in December. June I was already scheduled for my next Mammogram. Well me and my Dr. hashed this one out. She said it had to be done ! I said O.K., but then nothing till another year rite? She said yes.....

So I go for the test, give the Tech the Disk, and she is happy that it will be studied. Then proceeds to tell me that after our test, they will probably send me back out for the next 3 years, to make sure there are no changes. I said no way! You have the disk, you can compare this new test to the 6 month old Disk. If there are changes, then yes I would go down for more testing, but otherwise your asking me to glow in the dark ! She smiled, and said I know. I told her that's to much Radiation for the body, your bound to cause problems with all that going threw you. She agreed.

Were all most out of July, and I have not heard on this matter again.

It is just Denser, Fattier Tissue. Like a Cyst.

I'm not one for all that Radiation at all, but if it's necessary in a Test???? Then yes, because it saved my Husbands life, when they accidentally found a Tumor in the Right Kidney. It was removed, and he is doing well. Good Days, and sometimes Bad. But he's alive !

So as far as the Fluoroscope, to help you, or to get you to your fill line because of a problem. It's the only way to do it. Just not every time..

Shirley.

As far as glowing in the dark! Then I have to look at my mammograms, and ultra sound of the Breast for last year.

Ultrasound is not radiation at all. It's done with sound waves.

Glad your breast issues are just a cyst.

Yes so am I of course, that's why I said if there was a change I would be tested.

I thought Ultrasound was still done with Radiation though.. I guess I was misinformed by a tech, , doing a Ultrasound on me for something different.

I'm glad to know that ! I'll have to talk to my Dr. and see what her opinion is.

Thanks, Shirley.