Hi Everyone,

I'm Gina from Millington Tn. I have just began my journey to getting banded. I attended a seminar and signed up for my first appointment with the Bariatric physician. Unfortunately, my insurance requires 2 six month long weight management programs, the first to be completed within 12 months of the surgery. I was hoping to get things moving a bit faster than that but I guess there is no way around it.

I am a surgical technologist and have actually assisted on a few gastric bypasses in my time. Im truely thankful that the LapBand has come along. Being a single parent and working full time night shift the less complicated the better. I was amazed to find out that it was an outpatient procedure and that the time off work I would have to take could be as little as a week or less.

Anyway, I am glad I found this forum. Its always nice to talk to others that are going through some of the same things that you are. It's kind of hard talking to someone that has never had a weight problem. They never seem to understand.

Edited May 13, 200818 yr by Suthernsurg

Hi Gina and welcome! You are so right about it being wonderful to be able to talk to people who are going through the same things we are. People who don't have weight problems think it should be so easy to lose weight, they just don't get it!

Anyways, we are glad you joined us. If you have any questions, let us know. And, please keep us posted on your progress. We look forward to getting to know you.

Hi and welcome to LBT! I'm sorry it is going to take you so long to get through the insurance hoops. At least you found all that out ahead of time instead of submitting for approval and being denied because you hadn't done everything! Use that time to get your mind straight and start adjusting your eating habits so it won't be such a shock once you have surgery.

Good luck and let us know if you have any questions!

Hi Gina, or should I say neighbor! I live in Jackson, TN, so I'm just "down the road" from you. Are you using Dr. Woodman by any chance? He did my sx; I was banded 3/26 of this year. Just had my first fill last Thursday. He's not the sweetest piece of chocolate in the box, I can tell you that. Anyway, nice to meet you, and congratulations on starting your journey!

Hi Stella, Yep, I'm using Dr Woodman alright. He is the one that gave the seminar. I sure hope his surgical skills are better than his people skills thats for sure lol. Fortunately, I have worked with many Dr.'s and I'm pretty immune to their arrogance and other personality flaws..lol. Thank you for the welcome.

Thank you all for the welcome.

Yes, I definitely think his surgical skills are much better than his people skills. I actually read a lot of patient reviews (I found them here if you're interested: Bariatric Surgeon Profile - George Woodman, M.D. )

before I decided on him, so I knew what I was getting into regarding his bedside manner when I made the choice. Apparently he is a proctor for the Lap Band surgery though, and I feel like anyone who the manufacturer of the band has chosen as a faculty member to teach other doctors how to do the procedure, has to be someone worth trusting in the OR. Plus, his practice is a Center of Excellence and all that too. So I would definitely choose him all over again to do my actual surgery. But I think I have decided (just since my 6 week appt. last week) that when my first year is up, I'm switching my after care to Dr. McGrath-Weaver. Dr. Woodman won't even tell you what size band you have :eek:, nor will he share with you the fill volume he puts in your band. (There is at least one member of his staff who is willing to tell you when he's "not looking", but that's beside the point!) I am 100% self pay, to the tune of almost $20K, and I just don't think that's right. And then there's his attitude on top of that. My visits for the first full year are all included in the sx cost, so I'll probably stay with him until then, but I just can't see paying him more money after that point for him to keep me in the dark and treat me like I'm an idiot. It would be great if he was doing the surgeries and he had another doc doing all the aftercare in his clinic, because he does not belong with people who are conscious! :thumbup:

Unfortunately, my insurance requires 2 six month long weight management programs, the first to be completed within 12 months of the surgery. I was hoping to get things moving a bit faster than that but I guess there is no way around it.

I was told I had to do a year worth of weight management too, So I called the insurance and it turns out it was a mistake...found out I only had to do 6 months. I would call and make sure first. Good luck on your journey though and welcome to LBT

Right on fellow bander!!! I share your opinion. I also am not immune to physician arrogance but good grief he pushes it to a whole other level. I am newly banded and already dreading my next follow-up. He won't tell you anything and all he wants to do is go off on you about your diet. I don't think it would matter what you told him it wouldn't be good enough. He truely does not understand obese people. That Dr you mentioned is that the woman at St Francis?

You are exactly right! All he wants to do is tell you you are eating too much fat, it's always "too much fat" with him, although I know that is not (nor has it ever been) my problem. He understands nothing about the reality of being obese. Some people just can't lose weight while eating any carbs at all, even if they are low in fat. He just doesn't get it. Yes, Dr. McGrath-Weaver is at St. Francis, and get a load of her patient reviews (they read a little differently than his, lol): Bariatric Surgeon Profile - Virginia McGrath-Weaver M.D.

Something to look forward to! In the meantime I think I'll let him roll right off my back and continue to have Kelly keep me informed of my fill amounts.

(It appears we have hijacked your thread, Gina- sorry!)

Another neighbor here. I'm just outside Memphis, in Southaven, MS (Desoto County). I'll also be using Dr.Woodman. Welcome to the board! :smile2:

Hello fellow Tennessean!!

My name is Becky and I live in Centerville (60 miles w of Nashville). I understand what you are saying about arrogant Dr's. I went to a seminar at Centenial Hospital in Nashville and the Dr who hosted it ( he will remain nameless but he is one of the 3 that performs surgery) was very cocky! I asked a question during the Q&A part of the seminar and he acted like I was an idiot! I just asked how people who had gastric bypass fair as they age! He answer was they are alive aren't they! What a jerk! :cursing:I am going to a surgeon in Dickson who is the nicest man! He's name is Dr Huerta! His staff is awesome too!

I have about 2 more months and my 6 month wait will be over!! yeehaw!:biggrin2:

Becky

Welcome! I'm not just right down the road, but I'm in Arkansas. I'm so happy you've chosen the Lap-Band! I truly believe it saved my life!:smile2:

Thank you all for the welcome. I Dont think any of these physicians would know how to deal with an obese patient unless they have experienced the same emotions and experiences that we have had to deal with over the years. I just have to be tollerant where they are not and be successful in my goals and I will end up the winner.

I did call the insurance company today because of a descripency in there benefits package I was sent. In one place it says I have to pay 20% of the cost of the lapband and in another place it says they pay 100% after the initial deductible....So the fight begins lol.

Hi Gina. I am looking forward to hearing about your experiences. I have just started on the same path. I have been to my psych eval and have started the 6 mth of physician documented weightloss attempt. That has got to be the worst part of it all prior to surgery. Like you haven't been concerned about your weight up til now and haven't done anything about it? I mean I can't imagine anyone just thinking I'll just eat everything I want and then just run to the dr for weightloss surgery. Sheesh. LOL. I have only lived Memphis for a little over 2 yrs but have struggled with weight almost my whole life. I now have a wonderful husband to add to the rest of my wonderful family. I want to be around and be able to actively participate in my own and my family's lives. I would also be happy to hear more about Dr. Weaver and her staff. Thanks

Cindy

Hi Cindy,

This process is definitely time consuming and tedious. I'll be seeing Dr. Woodman on the 27th of this month. I'm not sure who Dr. Weaver is though.

I'll also be going to my second visit for my 6 month weight loss management. It is really not as bad as you would think. I am lucky because I work in a hospital and one of the doctors I work with frequently is handling my weight loss management. I have a total of 5 Dr appt.'s this month alone lol. Hopefully it will take care of most of the requirements that my insurance company is looking for.

A work of advice though. Make sure you do your research as far as your insurance is concerned. I have Cigna and they gave me some wrong information as far as the surgery being covered. I'm not sure if you are self pay or not but I had to go through the human resources department of my employer to get the correct information. I now know that my surgery will be covered 100% after my initial yearly deductible. Before they were telling me I had to pay the deductible and an additional 20% of the total cost, which was incorrect. So just dot all your 'I' and cross all your 'T's' so to speak.

Good luck on your journey. I know for myself I'm extremely excited about the surgery. I know that sounds weird but I have been heavy for most of my life as well. I tell my friends I'm just a skinny person trapped inside a heavy body...lol. But one day, with the help of this surgery that skinny or should I just say 'thinner' person will emerge and live a healthier life so that I can enjoy the rest of my life being able to do some of the things that my weight has prevented me from doing in the past. Lets keep in touch and hopefully we can lend support when it is needed. It helps to have people that are going through the same experiences.

Oh and by the way, Congrats on finding a man that was able to look at the inside as well as the outside of you. I am still searching myself lol. Good men are few and far between.

Gina