I'm just beginning my journey and I am trying to decide between several doctors...(one is a local doctor and the other is in Mexico) As I'm attending seminars or talking to their office what questions should I be asking?

Paige,

Not trying to start a war with the Mx patients, I vote for Dr very close to you.

edie

I would ask a lot of questions about aftercare, fills, access to nurses and nutritionist etc etc. Are these available, are they included in the initial cost?

In my case, all else being equal, I picked a doc that is less than 10 miles away. I needed 5 fills in the first few months. Due to proximity, I only had to miss one hour of work each time.

I was self pay (16K) and the fee included 5 years of fills and aftercare.

I like the fact that I go back to the clinic where I was banded for my fills. That is my personal preference.

Good luck with your decision

At the seminar.....don't worry about coming up with a list of questions.....they've heard all of them before and they'll cover them pretty well. The only question that was not answered (and I had to ask) and any of the seminars I attended was regarding age limits (I'm OLD!). Other than that, I found them to be very thorough.

Also not wanting to be anti-Mexico, because I'm sure there are many very competent doctors there- but the issue is aftercare. How will you get the fills you need? I had to have five fills, one a month, in the four months after my surgery and if I had had to go to Mexico each time rather than drive 1/2 hour from my house, I doubt I would have been as diligent about getting them when I needed them.

Other questions to ask:

1. How many lap band surgeries have you done and what is your complication rate. (They recommend going to a doctor that has done at least 2,000 surgeries)

2. How much do you charge for fills? (My doctor provides them free for the first year)

3. What is your pre-op diet

4. What is your post-op diet (just because they have a very strict post-op diet doesn't necessarily mean they have less complications so I would lean toward a less strict post op diet because I am not a person who could survive weeks of liquids. Believe me, it will matter to you when you are going through it)

5. What is your philosophy on fills? Agressive? Conservative? Anti-fill? (I have actually seen posts on this sight where doctors limit patients to 3 fills total. I would not have lost a pound if I had been limited to 3 fills.) Some doctors fill you slowly and some fill you quickly. There are pros and cons to both. You need to do this the way that is right for you. Just make sure they don't limit your fills because the band only works when filled properly.

6. What does your pre-op education consist of? I saw a nutritionist, a psychiatrist, and had several information classes so by the time I had surgery I knew exactly what I was supposed to eat each day pre and post op, what things to watch out for, what kinds of foods to stock before my surgery... lots of little things I never would have known. Again, I see posts on here all the time from people who are asking what they are supposed to eat or when they are allowed to exercise - stuff I knew really well.

Good luck on your journey!!! Feel free to email me any time with questions, I'm happy to help.