Hey all, I just wanted to know if anyone in here has used Dr. Laporte's office specifically Dr. Frances. Dr. Kelly Frances.

I want to see if anyone has used them and tell me how their progress is going.

I am starting the process with Dr. LePorte. I have heard only good things about him. He performed gastric bypass on a friend of mine and she has done well. I have chosen to go to Orange Coast Medical Center. Dr. LePorte favored gastric over lap band.

I went to the offices of Dr. Peter LePort in May '05. I went there because 1) it was close by my home 2) recommended by my local hospital and 3) I read time and time again how they had HUGE success with insurance companies if/when you were denied and were willing to go the "extra" mile for their patients. After spending 5 months with them, attending classes, getting they psych referrals, sleep-apnea test they said I needed, my insurance denied me as a proceedure not covered. I changed insurance companies in November during open enrollment and started the process all over again in February. They made me repeat everything as it was more than 6 months old. My new insurance denied me stating the LapBand was experimental. I asked them to work with me on an appeal. THEY FLAT OUT SAID NO! I was told my only option was to pay cash or lose weight the "old-fashioned way" - YES THAT IS WHAT I WAS TOLD. I paid many charges out-of-pocket. They have a refund policy so I asked for a refund. I had to call repetedly and their Accounting person DANA was so condescending and downright NASTY I could not believe this person was allowed to talk to patients. It's now the very end of July '06 and I just got my refund . . . . not all of it. Moral of the story here, if I had to do it all over again, I would go straight to Mexcio and not waste a year of my life hoping and praying for their promised assistance in dealing with insurance. The amount of money I spent to attend their "classes" only to be belittled and treated so badly would have been better spent on getting the surgery done. I WOULD NOT/WILL NOT RECOMMEND THIS OFFICE.

Skinnysoon, thank you for the feedback. Since I am in the beginning of the process I will certainly be on the look out for this run around. It isn't their fault your insurance wouldn't cover your surgery but the way they treated you is unacceptable.

Hello!

I had my surgery back in Feb.'06. This is my first entry here, so looking for :help: ! I've hit a plateau and am finding that I'm eating way too much. Has anyone else had this experience after their first fill? Also, does anyone know a doctor that will take Mexico patients for fills? I am looking for Riverside or Orange County doctors, if anyone has any suggestions. Looking forward to talking to people and to the support I hear you can find here.

Thanks!

Dr. Leporte and Dr. Francis are in Fountain Valley (Orange Country) and they will take patients that had their surgeries in other countries.

Hello,

Yes I had a lap band done by Dr Frances, she is absolutely wonderful!! Unfortuanley I had to have it removed, I couldn't keep anything down after a couple of years. Not sure what the problem was. I do hightly recommend Dr Leporte and his doctors office.

Hi there...

I'm new to the sight and just enrolled in Dr.Laporte's program in Fountain Valley... Still havnt been approved yet with Insurance. How are you doing? Is the weight coming off? Any regrets?

Thanks for sharing your experieance and I look forward to hearing back from you.

Hugs Ann

Hi there...

I'm new to the sight and just enrolled in Dr.Laporte's program in Fountain Valley... Still havnt been approved yet with Insurance. How are you doing? Is the weight coming off? Any regrets?

Thanks for sharing your experieance and I look forward to hearing back from you.

Hugs Ann

Hi Ann,

I am 58 years old, had my lap band surgery on 12-18-08 and have lost 45 lbs without any weight gained back. I have lost very slowly, I am sure because of my age and that I have learned how to work around my band but I can sincerely tell you that I would have the surgery many times over because of Dr. Francis, Orange Coast Memorial Hospital and Staff and the results I have had with the band. Most people lose faster than me but that is because they follow the diet and exercise plan exactly and I admittedly do not.:tt1: