Hi everyone!

I'm in the research phase, searching out doctors and hospitals. I started with Henry Ford but was really unhappy with them. It took a month for them to screen me to attend their information session. After that, (and the great difficulty in communicating/getting in touch with their office staff) I was informed that I would have to pay $75 for a binder I would receive at the information session. I asked the coordinator what was so special about the binder that it would cost so much, and told her that I wasn't aware of any other hospital that charges anything at an info session. She said the price had actually been dropped from $250 but didn't elaborate on what was in this magical binder.

So the same night I was supposed to go to HF, I went to Royal Oak Beaumont for a free session. I didn't have to wait a month, I was invited to come that night, and the session was free. I've decided Henry Ford is a racket and I won't give them my money. I have good feelings about Beaumont, but am concerned with how limited their surgeons are with lapband.

So now I am looking into Barix Clinic in Ypsi and Lap Band Center in Port Huron. I guess my concerns are that they aren't a hospital system, and I worry that I might be left high and try if their business folds, doctors leave, etc. Any feedback? Thanks!

Hi Durga

I was banded at Port Huron Lap band Center. Im not sure what you mean by not being part of a "hospital system" but it is part of Port Huron Hospital and deffinitely not some fly by night operation that will fold. They have the "Center of Excellence" seal for barriatric surgery and 2 very experienced drs. Dr Bhesania did my surgery and he is excellent. He has a very high success rate and even at times has traveled to other states to give training to other drs on how to do the procedure. He was also a well known surgeon out of Port Huron Hospital with his own practice even before doing lap band so i doubt he will be going anywhere anytime soon. as for Dr. Bout I have not personally met with him before but he did the initial seminar and he seemed very nice and i have heard very good things about him as well. So i can assure you port huron is an excellent choice for lap band and i would highly reccomend it even if it means a drive for you. if you go to the webiste it tells about both drs and their experience. Good luck to you

Hey Durga!

I went to Port Huron lapband center of Michigan and my surgeon is Dr. Boutt. I absolutely love him. I first went to the seminar down in Troy with Dr. Deol but then found out I'd have to fork out about 1200.00 up front before surgery for support group, etc. I didn't have that kind of money available at the time so I decided to attend some other seminars. I then went to Port Huron and had a seminar with Dr. Boutt. I knew immediately he was the right choice. Insurance covered my surgery and the only thing I had to pay was the consult fee and hospital fee which totaled $150. I feel very good about there being two doctors at the lapband center. I drive from Lansing and there was a day I got all the way there for my appt and Dr. Boutt was called away on an emergency. They called Dr. Bhesania, who was in Saginaw for a conference, and he said he'd come back and take care of Dr. Boutts patients. an hour and a half later he was there and gave me a fill and was very nice. I really love everyone at Port Huron and don't regret my choice at all. I highly recommend them!

I am very happy I didn't go with Dr. Deol because now she's moving out of state and leaving her patients to find a new doctor on their own. I'm secure in knowing at PH that if Dr. Boutt left I'd still have Dr. Bhesania there to take care of me.

Good luck with your choice! Lapband is the best thing I ever did!

I think Port Huron is a great place to be banded. Hurley in Flint is also a Center of Excellence and I've been pretty happy there as well.

If you are planning to go with your insurance to pay for this, then I'd give the insurance a call and make sure who they cover versus who they won't. My insurance would only cover for me to go to UM (hadn't done a single band at the time), the Beaumont system (same thing-Dr. Deol's up front fee turned me right off-thankfully, cause now she's leaving for Chicago, and the other guys were okay, but I didn't really "click" at the info session) or to Hurley. I went to a free info session at Hurley and decided then and there I wanted to see them. I ended up being banded by Dr. Wagner even though I had originally been scheduled to see the Director, Dr. Obeid (but he had a health crisis). I was very happy with the care in the hospital, I'm learning to navigate the clinic and overall I can't really complain.

the only thing about Hurley is that you have to purchase their pre-op/post-op diet kit. It's based on your BMI and mine was above 50, so I had two weeks of a low calorie liquid pre-op diet and two weeks post-op (everyone got that, some pre-ops are only one week). It was only $249 for four weeks, and frankly, I'd spend more than that on groceries, so I was too taken aback. I just wish someone had told me upfront.

I originally went to Barix in Ypsi. I went to the seminar and then I have had two consults with Dr. Kam. I liked him. There are other doctors there but never met them. Also, Dr. Kam has left Barix as of Nov. 1. I neded up in Mexico because I flunked my psych evaluation and knew my insurance would make me wait. (I couldn't) I did try to make an appointment to get my fills there but they weren't taking outside patients at that time due to Dr. Kam leaving. So I ended up getting my fills in Hillsdale. I Was going to go to Port Huron, but Hillsdale is closer for me. (And my insurance co. is paying for my fills)

Port Huron would be your best bet. A majority of Barix's practice is with bypasses, they have only recently started doing lapbands. Port Huron is awesome as is Flint Hurley. I had a great experience with Dr. Bacal in Dearborn.

Thank you everyone, for your feedback! Well, I did go to an info session at Port Huron last week - and I was impressed! I came away feeling much better about PH than about Beaumont.

I had tried Dr. Deol originally because she came so highly recommended, but her office told me she was moving to Chicago.

Then I tried Henry Ford, but was displeased that they would charge me for an info session.

The other info session I attended was at Royal Oak Beaumont, but I would have to pay more out of pocket fees, and it would take longer for them to clear me for surgery. And the surgeons didn't have as much experience with lap band with Dr. Deol gone from their team.

It seems like PH is very quick about getting patients in. I have an appt. with my PCP tomorrow, and hope he will sign off on a letter I have created to give to PH so they can give it to my isnurance provider. If all goes well, I hope to have a consultation at PH this month and maybe even a surgery date for January. It's ambitious thinking, but this is my main priority in life right now.

I had mine done at Barix in Ypsilanti and I've been very pleased so far. Dr. Poplowski is my surgeon and there are several others there as well. Dr. Pop is a little bit of the no nonsense type and can be pretty serious, but he's actually nice and he's VERY good at what he does. I like him and I've heard good things about the other doctors there as well. I'd highly recommend them. I definitely was not disappointed in my experience with them in any way.

I also had surgery out of PH and have been thrilled with that hospital and all the staff. Dr. Bhesania was my physician and I was very pleased with him. I am 4 months out and have lost 46 pounds. Good luck with your decision.

Bren

So far I have seen Dr. Popalowski at Barix in Ypsi and Dr. Taylor at ABMI in Warren. I like Dr. P better, but think Dr. T has more experience with lap. surgery. But- the office staff at Barix is definitely more on top of things. The office staff at ABMI can't keep things straight. I am meeting with Dr. Schram next week (Barix-Ypsi). I guess it just bothers me that they are not a center of excellence. So- I haven't decided. Port Huron is too far (2 hours) from me so they are not really an option. Plus, it is unfortunate, but those couple of high profile lap band deaths from that hosptial make me nervous (I know death is risk no matter where)..

Sometimes I think I am likely overthinking the whole thing.

melissa

I had Dr. Bhesania at Port Huron -- surgery on May 23 and no complaints here! Best of luck!

I was just banded at Great Lakes Weight Loss by Dr. Laker and if you are self pay this is the way to go! I went to the Hurley seminar and didn't like it there, just wasn't for me. The staff at Harper were great! Your first 90 days of fills are also included! One so far so good =)

Melissa have you decided yet. Congrats on your surgery Baycity how are you doing??? You too Casscity congrats to you both.

Bren

BrendaFrancis,

Yes, I decided. I met with Dr. Schram at Barix and really liked him. I am now completing my 6 month "supervised diet" requirement (3 more to go). Psych eval all done.

Melissa