Has anyone had any experience with the Hamilton Weight Management team in georgia, specifically with Dr. Ponce? If so, what was your experience?

HI!

Dr. Ponce is considered one of the lap band pioneers!! Dr. Paynter banded me, and he is in the same practice with Dr. Ponce. I have heard nothing but EXCELLENT things about both of them. I had my surgery on Aug. 24 in Dalton, but I go to Chattanooga for my appointments. Good luck!

yes - he used to be in w/ the Memorial Group in Chattanooga and used to speak at Hamilton Place Mall for the lap-band seminars. He is one of the best in the TN/GA area and you would be in excellent hands. My coworkers mom used him and he is great.

Dr. Ponce performed my surgery. I go to his Chattanooga office and had my surgery at Memorial Hospital. Like Surby said he is one of the most experienced doctors performing lapband. Everytime I'm in for a visit there is someone there who has come from out of state...even places like Atlanta where you know there are plenty of doctors. I went to another surgeon in town first who would not do the surgery because my BMI was too high. I struggled for a year trying to lose 50 lbs with no luck. I finally decided to go see Dr. Ponce and he said no problem!! He's my hero

I went to another surgeon in town first who would not do the surgery because my BMI was too high.

a surgeon wouldnt band you b/c your BMI was too high??? :faint: **sigh** does the MD know that is the point of the surgery...

some people just baffle me.

a surgeon wouldnt band you b/c your BMI was too high??? :faint: **sigh** does the MD know that is the point of the surgery...

some people just baffle me.

Thank you very much!! My thoughts exactly. If I could drop 50 lbs. I wouldn't have been looking in to having surgery. Bad thing about it, I had approval from my insurance for the surgery then when I went to see the new surgeon (during a new year) they denied my surgery:angry I wanted the surgery so bad I self payed and then appealed to my insurance. I found out just last week they are going to pay for my surgery:clap2: :clap2: I'm so thankful I didn't let it go when they said they wouldn't cover it and appealed. I am now a happy camper. Just got to get that perfect restriction.

I went to another surgeon in town first who would not do the surgery because my BMI was too high. I struggled for a year trying to lose 50 lbs with no luck. I finally decided to go see Dr. Ponce and he said no problem!! He's my hero

Hi there...I went to Dr. Ponce today for an initial consult. I am 372. He told me I would have to lose about 40-50 pounds to have the cheaper of the cash-pay options...our insurance won't cover it and has an exclusion policy in place (my hubby even works for the insurance co.). I've been crying all afternoon...I don't want to wait another year and keep on with the same fruitless struggle I have faced all my life!!! I don't know how to come up with the additional $5000 for the hospital facility, though...

Christy

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I was reading over my posts and realized that I am sulking and having a pity party...SORRY! My question here would be...what happened? Did you lose the weight or opt for the hospital surgery? I really want to have this done yesterday...we've been researching it for so long and I just want to get it done and move on!! Thanks for any follow-up you can offer!

Christy

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Christy, head to Dr. Rumbaut in Mexico. That's what I did. Dr. R trained Dr. Ponce. I didn't want to have my surgery in the Dalton Medical Center because I'd heard a few negative things about it...and the self-pay option at Memorial would cost me $20,000. I paid $10,600 in Monterrey and it was the best decision I ever made.

Cindy

Cindy,

Twenty (or so) questions...:biggrin1:

Have you had any trouble getting adjustments? How much does it cost to get down there? Are the facilities there good? how long did you have to stay?

Thanks for your encouragement!

Christy

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Christy, I do have to travel for adjustments. There's a Dr. Colquitt in Maryville who I've been very happy with...he does adjustments for patients banded in Mexico. You can have adjustments done by the Ponce group, but they charge a $2000 program fee, which I think is ironic considering that Dr. Ponce used to work with Dr. R. :

Our flights were only about $300 each. We had almost no other expenses while there because the hotel, cabs, etc., are part of the pricing. The hotel was great and the hospital is a major teaching hospital, The San Jose Hospital. Even though the admissions area was "rough" looking, once you're in pre-op, recovery, the or, and your room, it's all modern. Clean, well-equipped, etc.

I've worked in a hospital off and on for 20 yrs, and honestly, I think I had a better experience than I would have had here. The attitude in MX is SO different...they treat you like a customer instead of a patient.

My husband and I flew in on Wednesday, I had pre-ops that afternoon, Thursday am surgery, and we were flying home on Sunday.

Cindy