I live in the metro Detroit area and i'm looking for a Dr, any recomendations or thoughts?

Many Thanks.

Gilly.

UKmommy:

Go to the USA local lapband support forum then click on Michigan.

There a few people from the Lansing area and others from around Detroit. Hope they can recommend a good Dr.

Sorry I can't help, I'm in Northern Lower Michigan and don't think you want a 4-5 hour drive!

A good starting place is on obesityhelp.com and then search in Michigan. There are many listed there along with patient reviews of the surgeon as well as the facility they operate in.

If you have BCBS (I think I saw on another thread that you do) and can get the surgery covered at Port Huron Hospital with Drs Boutt and Bhesenia, I'd go there. They are VERY experienced, have wonderful follow-up and as far as I've been able to tell, have no hidden fees. The Beaumont doctors all charge some sort of "support group" or "follow-up" fees that they don't tell you about until after your consult. Dr. Pleatman, while good, also charges a large fee, these fees are NOT covered by your insurance and are out-of-pocket for you.

Hurley Medical Center in Flint has a decent program with nice surgeons, the office staff can be a bit much to deal with, and the office wait time is sometimes long, but I was impressed in my conversations with two of the surgeons there.

Someone here has been to Henry Ford with Dr. Genaw and had a good experience there.

I don't know many who have been banded at Barix, so I can't speak to them.

Good luck!

Thanks for your reply, it can be so overwhelming to choose someone. I am going to look into the Port Huron option.

Congrats on your weight loss..... I love your quote by the way!

Gilly.

I am going through the Barix Clinic out of Ypsilanti/Ann Arbor area. So far I have been extremely impressed by their professionalism and thoroughness. Dr. Kam is doing mine and I really like him and his office staff have been great! No problems with insurance acceptance with them at all.

hi

Had mine done at Beaumont Royal Oak by Dr Kevin Krause. So far so good!

Hi Mary,

I too am from Northern Michigan (Ludington area). I am in the process of insurance approval to be banded in Yipsilanti by dr. Schram at the Barix Center. They also have an office in Holland which is where I will go to get my fills. Prior to looking into the Barix Center I looked into Traverse City, Muskegon and Grand Rapids and even went to a couple of workshops (TC & Muskegon). I've heard good things about all three facilities and staff but it was Barix I felt most comfortable with. I think feeling comfortable with the surroundings is a MAJOR consideration. A

Wooo Hoo - I am having my surgery with Dr. Schram in that same office. I just finished the referral process and am waiting to hear from them on insurance acceptance. How long did that process take for you and then how far out were you scheduled for banding after that? Thanks!

I went through Barix with Dr Kam also and I really liked him and the facility:) Good Luck!

I was banded by Dr. Hawasli out of Grose Pointe MI. He was fantastic. The surgery was done at St. Johns and I couldn't have asked for better treatment. Hawasli, Abdelkader A, MD

I'm being banded through Sparrow Health System/Michigan State University Dept of Surgery in Lansing, MI. My surgical consult is 7-18-07 and then my surger date will likely be 4-6 weeks after that. I will need to go on a 4 week Optifast liquid diet pre-surgery. Program is very professional and helpful so far.

I saw Dr. Pleatman for a fill... as well as a surgical consult for the VSG. I really liked him and his office. One nice thing regarding fills is that he had a small ultrasound machine in his office that he used to help find my port. A lot easier than having to go to a radiology group.

His office is in Bloomfield Hills on Woodward near Square Lake Road.

I was just banded 07-11-07 by Dr. Gazarelyi at Harper Hospital, he works with 3 other doctors (Webber, Laker, can't remember the other). Expierence was great! Gazarelyi himself has a lap band. They want you to stay 1 night at the hospital which was great (thought I wanted to go home right after but had serious problems with nausea post-op, so glad I stayed and got IV fluid until right before I left, know it made me feel better). Loved it, would definately recommend it. I live about 40 mins away and am very pickey not just because it's my life we're talking about,but since I am an RN.

226/214/211

esummersett, how long until you go back to work? I'm an ER RN and don't get benefits so need to work out how much time I will be out of action.

I had a sort of consult with on of Dr Nunn colleagues, she thought I should give 'her' diet and excersise plan a go but she never followed up with me despite saying she would. Lost a little confidence at that point but am now thinking that I should just do the band as I know I can lose weight I just can't lose enough or even keep it off.

Gilly

WOW! I work as a coordinator at at a Level I Trauma Center, so I too am an ER nurse. I told 2 people I work with what I was doing, neither of whom are my bosses. I took 3 weeks off and am thinking about taking 1 more week in addition. My doc is really concerned about not lifting ANYTHING more than 10 lbs for 4 weeks. Even as a coordinator, I can't guarantee that. Think about when you're doing CPR- compressing a sternum a minimum of of 2 1/2 inches- how many pounds of pressure do you think that takes? Or using the "old fashioned" paddles for defibrillating of cardioverting a pt-minimum of 25lbs of pressure. Or you get called out to the parking lot becasue someone is on the ground, and can't get in or you have to help lift a patient in bed or roll someone who is obese off a backboard (yes, I said a patient who is obese takes more physical effort to take care of than thinner patients). As nurses we're always concerned with everyone else, this time be concerned about yourself.

I had to pay for my lap band ($11,700). Not going to take one chance having my band slip becuase I went back to work early. I did this for myself AND my patients, to be healthier. I have a lot of sick time built up, but even if I didn't I wouldn't go back early. You can take an FMLA (wether or not you have sick or vacation time for it), and there is nothing your employeer can do. It a federal law. Major surgery on yourself qualifies as FMLA. Take advantage of this law for your own health.

Ask you doctor and she what she thinks. If you're not happy with her response, find another doctor (as a nurse, you wouldn't hesitate to help a patient "pin" a doctor to an answer, do it for yourself). I don't know what your BMI is or if you have any other comorbidities, but if you've made this educated decision to look into having gastric banding done, you must be a candidate.

esummersett, Thanks for the reply. My BMI is 38!! I have never dropped below 190lbs since having children 11 years ago so even then my BMI was just under 30.

I am worried about never being normal again once I have the band, eating out with family and friends, my hair falling getting thin, drinking soda.... (i'm not a coffee drinker so I love my diet coke, gotta keep awake on those midnights somehow!)

I don't have any comorbidities ........ yet!!! However my Dad died at 54 (MI) and my grandmother at 61 (CAD) despite those facts I don't seem to have the willpower to maintain any sort of long term plan. I can throw myself into weight watchers and lose 30lb or so but once I slip up I can't climb back on the wagon.

It is so frustrating that I can be happily married, have a great job, 4 fantastic kids, keep things organised and running smoothly but I can't control my weight.

Sorry i'm rambling on here, can you tell i'm frustrated????