I am just starting on my research journey but would like input on doctors some of you might have used in San Antonio, TX. At this point I have met with a Dr. Patel that does lap band and gastric and thinks I need gastric but I know I don't want that. I have also met with people at True Results. I know that I won't be able to even think about doing the surgery until the earliest of Feb because of getting insurance approval, mind-set, etc. Please let me know who you used and why that doctor and support were your choice.

Thank you very much for your time.

Natalie in SATX

Hi Racetrack - a friend of mine here at the office had Dr Carcamo do her surgery and has been very, very pleased with her results. I am thinking that if I get the approval, I will have him do mine as well. I am still waiting on insurance approval

Piddles -

I have met with Dr. J. Keith Wright with Dr. Carcamo's office also - and I have surgery scheduled for Jan. 2! Dr. Wright seems like a great guy - super bedside manner. I have a meeting with nutritionist on Thursday and then countdown to surgery! I'm excited but nervous too!

RTW

Congratulations on starting the new year with a new you. My friend has also seen Dr Wright and said he was very nice as well. Are you going to have the surgery done on Datapoint or downtown? Maybe we will meet one day at one of the support meetings. I wish you well and a very Merry Christmas. Natalie

My Lap Band will be done by Doctor Wright at the Nix Hosp. on December the 31st. He really is very good, if there is any questions he will not do the surgery until he has the answer.

Gene

RTW and Gene, keep us updated after your surgeries. I'm making an appointment to attend a seminar with True Results next month. I'm very interested to see how things turn out for you after your surgery. Thanks. M

Several people from my job used Dr.'s Wright and Carcamo @ the Nix. I am planning on using Dr. Carcamo. I have only heard good things about both.

Hey all -

Dr. Wright performed my surgery yesterday. Everthing went well. I was surprised that Dr. Wright uses glue on the outside incisions so there is relatively no scarring. (That's what the nurses told me). I was at the surgery center at 6 a.m. and back at my house at 10:30 a.m.

Hi RaceTW, glad your surgery went well. I also am going thru True Results fnishing up my insurance requirements. I most likely will not get approved & will be self pay. I was told 15K$ was the cash price. What made you decide on Dr.Wright instead of Caracamo or even Dr. Rinicon(sp?) whose cash price is cheaper at 12k$ I will know in Feb whether I am approved thru insurance or not. I have been doing my medically supervised diet thru them for the last few months.

Also what was your pre-op diet & how long? Thanks for your help.

Also - on another thread I saw and advertisement for Dr. Jorge Rincon - he's with San Antonio Weight Loss Clinic. (Downtown SA) I went to website and they are having a free seminar on 12/11 at 6:30 p.m. - There was also an advertisement for $1,200.00 for surgery and 1 year post op fills. Just thought I'd share that.

I was banded by Dr Rincon . Feel free to PM Me with any questions you might have . He's an awesome doc

Mindy

Marnie -

After I met with Dr. Wright I knew I wanted him to perform my surgery. He was very attentive and thorough in our first meeting.

My pre-op diet was two weeks of Adkins - I lost 8 pounds!

My only advise is meet with several doctors and go with the one you feel that you have a "connection" with.

Marnie -

After I met with Dr. Wright I knew I wanted him to perform my surgery. He was very attentive and thorough in our first meeting.

My pre-op diet was two weeks of Adkins - I lost 8 pounds!

My only advise is meet with several doctors and go with the one you feel that you have a "connection" with.

I agree with Racetrack. Meet with several docs and see which one you connect with and can relate with . Also docs have different pre op diets, post op diets and post fill diets. you might find that one docs diet is one you can not follow and another is one that you can . Post fill "diets" are something to look into . My doc has a pretty conservative post fill diet . Its something i was not sure if i could follow before surgery , Its a breeze now for me . And part of the reason I have lost the amount of weight I have.

So its something to look into as well as the pre op and post op diets. All the docs have different versions.

HTH

Mindy

Interesting I have my diagnostics evaluation on the 14th of this month with True Results. Hopefully I'll be able to find a doctor who suits me there.

Roughly, how many doctors did each of you meet with prior to your surgeries?

Interesting I have my diagnostics evaluation on the 14th of this month with True Results. Hopefully I'll be able to find a doctor who suits me there.

Roughly, how many doctors did each of you meet with prior to your surgeries?

I went to 4 seminars before i decided on Dr Rincon . 3 were in Austin and then I Called and emailed Dr Rincon , what drove me to him initally was his price, then i started talking to others who were banded by him . Them when i called he personally took 30 mintues to speak to me on the phone . Docs just dont normally do that. That said a lot to me. After I started looking into him more and more info lead me to him .

No matter what do your research.

Mindy

Ok, thanks. I'm devoting all my time these days (away from work) to complete and thorough research.

I was self-pay. So, I did a lot of research before I put my money down. I actually went to five different seminars -- two with an Austin surgery group and three with a San Antonio surgery group -- to meet the different surgeons until I found one I was comfortable with.

I chose Dr. Pilcher with New Dimensions (San Antonio Bariatric Surgery - New Dimensions Weight Loss Surgery - Home) because I felt we were a good patient/surgeon fit for the long-term, which was very important to me. Also, the New Dimensions group is designated as a "Center of Excellence" and does the lap-band, vertical gastrectomy, and the gastric bypass. They may do other procedures, but those are the ones I remember from the seminar. Something else I remember from the seminar is that in surgery you actually have two surgeons. I don't know if this is still the case, but it was when I was banded.

Anyway, research everything. The surgery group, the surgeon, the cost of aftercare (especially if you're self-pay), and whether the group provides other services such as Dietician and Behavioral Health support. You definitely don't want to end up with a new surgery group that disappears on you, and then be left to find another surgeon to take you on as a patient -- I have seen posts where many won't, especially if you were banded in Mexico.