Choosing a Bariatric surgeon is one of the most important parts of weight loss surgery. You want a surgeon who is skilled and who is someone you can trust. How did you find and choose your surgeon when you decided to get weight loss surgery?

Mark your answer and let us know in the discussion below how you found your surgeon and why you chose the one you did! This information can help BariatricPal members who are considering surgery to find a great surgeon.

Mine was the only Bariatric surgeon in the Province. So he had the WLS all sewn up. LOL Now there are three. But I would chose him again in a Carolina minute. He looked after me and cared when everything went hay wire.

Did I mention the Maritime's are behind the rest of the country in this area. Oh well .He was there when I needed him and still is almost two years out!

Don't see the choices to mark in the mobile app.

Well I looked online to start with , then I went to a seminar , well that Surgeon ( Dr. Cloak) wanted the $ 8000.00 up front even though my Insurance covered most of it, so I knew someone else who had it done which was a coworker & I went & spoke with that Surgeon & He worked with me & I have been with Him since , Thank You Dr. ATUL MADAN , I REALLY am appreciative for his service & helping me be healthy & to be able to do the things I can now.

The weird thing is I seriously can't remember how I initially found out about Dr. Ariel Ortiz and Obesity Control Center. It was before I ever joined any WLS forums and I can honestly say I've never seen an advertisement for them online. I did, of course, research several options both in Mexico and within 200 miles of where I live and went with the one I felt safest with. The reasons I chose OCC over all of the others are too numerous to list and I couldn't be happier with the entire experience and results. Just ironic that I can't even remember how I first heard about them!

My general practitioner recommended the doctor and place, however, once I had a chance to meet him, I wasn't so sure about him, so I went online to find out about him and the results were not so favorable. There were two additional doctors that practiced at the same hospital and I ended up with the right one - more personable for my taste. Glad I followed my heart and not my head

It's not actually a friend but it's the manager of the bank in our organisation who I saw her suddenly shrinked down in a few months, one time we crossed each other on the way back from lunch so I asked her and she was kind enough to reveal her secret weapon (this is the reason if someone who's really suffers from obeisity asks me, I'd tell about my surgery). She didn't actually did the sleeve with my doctor but she heard good things about him so she gave me his contact.

I was quite nervous about it so I did the hell of the research before the first appointment with my surgeon and after meeting with him for the first time, I felt so confident in my surgeon, and decided to go for it, plus he's so cute haha.

It's not actually a friend but it's the manager of the bank in our organisation who I saw her suddenly shrinked down in a few months, one time we crossed each other on the way back from lunch so I asked her and she was kind enough to reveal her secret weapon (this is the reason if someone who's really suffers from obeisity asks me, I'd tell about my surgery). She didn't actually did the sleeve with my doctor but she heard good things about him so she gave me his contact.

I was quite nervous about it so I did the hell of the research before the first appointment with my surgeon and after meeting with him for the first time, I felt so confident in my surgeon, and decided to go for it, plus he's so cute haha.

Now there's a great reason to pick a surgeon. LOL Cute eh! Did I mention that when my surgeon smiles he lights up the room. He's shy but a cutie!

Are we off topic! lol

My next door neighbor recommended my surgeon; he did an adjustment surgery on her RNY. When I started seriously considering WLS, I asked my gastroenterologist and internist for recommendations. They ALSO recommended the same surgeon. And as it turns out, he did lap band surgery on my gastro's wife. That was good enough for me!

Don't see the choices to mark in the mobile app.

Sadly Polls aren't supported in our mobile app. It's on our todo, thanks.

Now there's a great reason to pick a surgeon. LOL Cute eh! Did I mention that when my surgeon smiles he lights up the room. He's shy but a cutie!

Are we off topic! lol

Definitely not off the topic, it's a plus! hehe I was completely sasitified with the result, apparently he was as well, he proudly told me after seeing the scan result that my stomach was well sealed like it's never been cut!

When he came to release me from the hospital I also asked his permission to film him while he was briefing me about the guideline and restrictions. (Oh yeah!)

I knew I didn't want to jump through hoops for my insurance company, and didn't really want to go to Mexico, so early on in my research I started looking into US-based surgeons who negotiate prices for their self-pay patients that are much lower than what your insurance company pays. I actually found my surgeon while I was still living in NY and thought about contacting him, but the logistics of it seemed overwhelming. Then as fate would have it, I ended up moving to Florida, only three hours from where he is so a couple of months after I moved, I called and made my first appointment. 9 months later, here I am 60 pounds lighter!

I went with my mother as her companion to have surgery at Mexicali Bariatric Center the year before so when it was my turn I naturally went there. She had a co worker recommend the hospital and doctor, this is how she found them, I just followed. I was so impressed with the care that I did not feel the need to look elsewhere.

I was recommended by my Primary physician. But I must say, he is a cutie!!! I believe I see a trend!

I had a revision from LAP Band to RNY. Only one dr in town would do it in one surgery. I wanted one surgery and my insurance would only pay for one surgery.

I had been researching options in Mexico because my insurance did not cover WLS, but then I learned that my insurance would be changing and WLS would be covered. I'd talked with my internist, who is connected to a major teaching hospital in my town, and he recommended that hospital's bariatric practice. Apparently the head of that practice had done some sort of a revision for someone in my internist's family, so he was speaking to me not only as a doctor but also as the family member of a patient of that practice. I respect my doctor's thinking so I called for an appointment and took the first available, with a surgeon who had recently joined that practice but who has been in practice for some time in my town (previously at another large teaching hospital here).

I was very impressed with him at my initial visit in June and even more so after being sleeved last week. He has great clinical/surgical skills and he's a real human being to boot. It's obvious that he really cares about his patients. I'm so glad I chose that practice and that I chose him. Must remember to thank my internist!