Well I am 17 and have posted questions concerning the Lap Band before my mom has given me consent to do this and I am reallyyyy looking forward to this but there is a problem. My mother called my doctor and the doctor told her she needs to find someone that will do this surgery on an underage person. I live in New Hampshire and would like to know if anyone knows a doctor willing to do this on me being 17. It makes me sad that even with mine and my mothers consent that some wont i know its a surgery but I really want this more than anyone could ever understand. It's so hard to be young and be big because high school is not fun being like this. So any help is very appreciated!

Thank You!

Hi Cortney,

Your family physician should be able to refer you to a bariatric clinic who can help you. Good Luck , See ya lighter

Are you going to be covered by insurance? If you are, you need to find out from the insurance company who they will approve, and speak directly to that Dr. Chances are with you being close to the age of consent, they would at the very least be willing to consult with you over it, and possibly begin your tests---so that when they are done, you might actually be 18!

If you are not using insurance, your options are much more open. Have you thought of going out of the country? Many foreign surgeons are more lenient.

I understand your Mom probably called your primary care Dr.,and while they are the best place to start, it is not his call whether a surgeon will or will not operate on you. Being 17----is different than a 14 or 15 year old minor.

I suggest calling insurance first if you are planning to use it. If not, then explore options concerning other Dr.s I know they do it. Oprah just had kids on yesterday who had went through WLS.

Good Luck~

And welcome to LBT!

Kat

Hi Cortney,

Your family physician should be able to refer you to a bariatric clinic who can help you. Good Luck , See ya lighter

Hop to it- when my mom called the doctor she said my mother had to find doctors she didnt suggest any.

Are you going to be covered by insurance? If you are, you need to find out from the insurance company who they will approve, and speak directly to that Dr. Chances are with you being close to the age of consent, they would at the very least be willing to consult with you over it, and possibly begin your tests---so that when they are done, you might actually be 18!

If you are not using insurance, your options are much more open. Have you thought of going out of the country? Many foreign surgeons are more lenient.

I understand your Mom probably called your primary care Dr.,and while they are the best place to start, it is not his call whether a surgeon will or will not operate on you. Being 17----is different than a 14 or 15 year old minor.

I suggest calling insurance first if you are planning to use it. If not, then explore options concerning other Dr.s I know they do it. Oprah just had kids on yesterday who had went through WLS.

Good Luck~

And welcome to LBT!

Kat

thank you very much that is helpful I will have my mom call the her insurance company the only problem about leaving the country is getting to the place(money wise) and my mom not wanting to. I will talk to her about though to see if we have to.

I saw on Oprah yesterday that a minor had her's done in Mexico...Dr. Oritz did her's I think. They also covered a boy who had gasteric by-pass done by pediatric surgeon (NY.)

You may want to look at pediatric surgeons as well.

Maybe Oprah's site has something about it today.

Hope that helps a little.

The reason your surgeon is denying coverage is because you are underage and it is contraindicated below 18. However there are surgeons who are able to operate on 17 year old. Dr. George Fielding out of NYU is an excellent, skilled surgeon who can perform this surgery for you. You will need to make sure that your local surgeon will take care of your adjustment and after care. Good Luck

I agree with your mother on not going out of the country as there would be no course of action in the event that you have any type of complications or needed assistance. Very few practices will allow you to come to there practices (if you go out of the country) for aftercare because they would assume the liability.. Stay in the US ..The FDA has authorize a clinical trial with Adolescents with 5 centers in the US. Do some additional research..

Check at Dartmouth. Also, lets see... NH..... where to go besides Dartmouth.....

Nashua may have some place..... where else...Concord may.

If you don't have insurance to cover this...consider going someplace else beside NH.

Good luck!

Im on my mothers insurance and I believe it will cover it she has one of the best. Thank you for the places I will be sure to look around!

Hi Cortney, I also saw the Oprah special yesterday. I would look up her website for the info from the show also if your mom has good insurance i would try Children's Hospital. Good Luck!

I agree with your mother on not going out of the country as there would be no course of action in the event that you have any type of complications or needed assistance. Very few practices will allow you to come to there practices (if you go out of the country) for aftercare because they would assume the liability.. Stay in the US ..The FDA has authorize a clinical trial with Adolescents with 5 centers in the US. Do some additional research..

Very incorrect information. On Oprah's show was Cassie who was banded by Dr. Ortiz in Mexico. Dr. Ortiz has done over 5000 bands and proctored many of the doctors doing bands in the US.

If your doctor won't treat you because you went to another doctor (outside the country or not), then find another doctor. My personal doctor had zero problems treating me and when I had a severe stomach problem, the ER and the surgeon who operated on me and was the one who removed my band also had zero problem treating someone who had been banded in Mexico.

To the OP - there are some places in the US who are doing trials. Unless you just turned 17 you will probably be 18 by the time the pre-work is done. I believe they said it was 6 months. And if you're having financial problems to get to another country you might have financial problems getting to one of those locations. One of the mother's said they had to go once a month.

Best of luck. If you're close to 18 and your mother's insurance will still cover you when you turn 18, I'd start seeing local doctors now to get the process started (most insurance companies have you go through dieting, psychological evaluations, etc.) so you're ready for your band at 18

I am sorry I do not mean to get into a war of words with you. The reason I point out that there would be no recourse of action when you go out of the US is because in the event that legal action is required, you have no case. Dr. Ortiz is an excellent surgeon. However the lap-band is only a tool, if you want to be successful with it you must see your doctor every 4-6 weeks. The aftercare is essential with this procedure and it is logistically impossible to have that type of follow up with a surgeon who is out of the country. That is why it is extremely important to do your research about the practice you pick. They must have a great follow-up program that includes: Dietary, Psychological, Support Groups, and a knowledgeable surgeon that can detect minor issues before they become serious and your band has to be removed.

The price that you save by going out to the country will end up costing you in the long run.. Going to anyone who will do fills it not the same as a comprehensive follow-up program. Choose wisely and set yourself up for success. Very few will be successful without proper follow-up. The same analogy for those who try to loose weight on diet and medication.

Good luck

I'm not 100% positive, but I think my doctors at Precision Surgery have done a few 17-18 year olds. You may want to call and ask. I know that they do a lot of pediatric general surgeries because my sister-in-law works with them as a nurse on the pediatric unit.

Here's their website if you're interested:

Lap Band Surgery Texarkana- Serving Oklahoma, Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana

Back over 2 years ago when I began my pursuit of the band, I chose a surgeon, and began the process. Due to crap with my insurance ( I was 10 1/2 months into a 12 month supervised program when I was involved in a car accident, and it interupted my visits, they were going to require everything to be started over---it must be consecutive months---bunch of BS), I ended up opting to go self pay. By that time, I had met with my intended surgeon, and had hoped to use him anyway. His price was way beyond my ability to justify depleting our savings. When I discussed this with him, he directed me to the Dr.'s who proctored him....in Mexico. He is doing my follow up care. Even with that, the surgeon who did my surgery was not satisfied that even he was close enough and had me make local arrangements if I were to need an emergency unfill, so I did....my surgeon, my follow up care and the local Dr. all spoke.

I have a surgeon here----he has done my fills, does my visits, checking on me since my surgery. I have only required 2 fills, I have seen maybe a dozen times. He is 6 hours away one direction. I am in a rural area, and he is the closest surgeon to me, that does lap band.

Due to the distance, I do not have support meetings, either dietary nor psychological. I do have him on the other end of a phone ANY time I have called day or night. They have told me anytime I need just get in the car, and he will see me when I get there.

I agree the scenario you present would be for the best....but it is not always an option. Making a realistic plan for aftercare is a MUST! But, to say that going out of the country will cost her in the long run is just not proven. I could often times catch a flight to my original surgeon for what the cost of gas is to make my 12 hour drive....BUT the Dr/Surgeon I use for fills has done my follow up, and I continue with him, as he knows ME.

MANY US surgeons do not ever see their patients once they place the band. PA's do follow up and fills. Read around, there are issues with seeing some Dr.'s or getting timely appointments. It is not simply an issue of where the Dr. is located it is also an issue of who the Dr. is.

Simply because some of us chose an out of the country Surgeon does not mean we do not have proper follow up. Preparation, and research can make most things possible if you are willing to do the work to make it happen.

I feel my lap band has been a great success. I am getting close to my goal weight, I am off of all my former prescription medications, I feel wonderful! I am able to eat all foods in moderation, and the weight loss has allowed me to be active again.

In the end I did not have surgery the way I originally envisioned it. Instead circumstances forced me to look into other options---and I am forever grateful I did! I got my life back!

Like you, I do not intend this to be a war of words---I have been around LBT awhile now, and I am not one to argue every little statement. I just wanted to let the OP know my experience was not that aftercare was not available to Mexican banded patients. Your surgery and your aftercare will be what you set them up to be, being prepared, however you do it is the biggie!

Kat

I am sorry I do not mean to get into a war of words with you. The reason I point out that there would be no recourse of action when you go out of the US is because in the event that legal action is required, you have no case. Dr. Ortiz is an excellent surgeon. However the lap-band is only a tool, if you want to be successful with it you must see your doctor every 4-6 weeks. The aftercare is essential with this procedure and it is logistically impossible to have that type of follow up with a surgeon who is out of the country. That is why it is extremely important to do your research about the practice you pick. They must have a great follow-up program that includes: Dietary, Psychological, Support Groups, and a knowledgeable surgeon that can detect minor issues before they become serious and your band has to be removed.

The price that you save by going out to the country will end up costing you in the long run.. Going to anyone who will do fills it not the same as a comprehensive follow-up program. Choose wisely and set yourself up for success. Very few will be successful without proper follow-up. The same analogy for those who try to loose weight on diet and medication.

Good luck

I didn't go to Dr. Ortiz to "save" anything, I went to him because he is one of the most experienced lapband doctors. My personal doctor recommended him to me and as I've stated before, the surgeon who operated on my stomach, while VERY against lapbanding, said it was the best placed one he'd ever seen.

I have a personal doctor for follow up care and FillCentersUSA for fills. The WLS group at the hospital where I had my stomach surgery said they would have had no problem seeing me as a Mexican banded patient had I ever requested their services.

What I usually hear are doctors who are treating self pay patients saying "I won't treat Mexican banded patients". I strongly suspect that as soon as one of their potential patients brings up Mexico, that doctor sees $$$ going out the window.

Yes, there are bad doctors in Mexico. Yes there are bad doctors in the US. And if you think you automatically have some kind of recourse against a bad Dr. in the US or don't against a bad Dr. in Mexico then you need to educate yourself more on the subject.

Best of luck.