I just got back from the 1st informational session and I was impressed by the surgeons. But they told me that out of the years that they have been performing WLS they have only done 3 lap band surgeries out of 700 surgeries due to insurance problems. I just don't want to end up going to the appointment and they try to convince me that RNY is the solution when I know its not for me. They want you to pay $395 upfront after they do the insurance check. Anybody else have anything similar happen.

yes, i am currently going through the process at norfolk surgical group. i was a lil taken aback when they told of the program fee but my insurance will only pay if i have surgery through norfolk general or hampton careplex but i am very pleased so far with their program! i am a sentra employee and got a 20% discount. so i paid $396. the fee is for the copays u may have to pay and the whole program they put u through.i also have optima health through sentara . both hopitals are bariatric centers of excellence. i do know also if u cannot pay the whole fee up front u can make payments but unfortunetly the actual program will not start until u complete payments. good luck with ur process, i hope it goes well.....i really like them if that helps at all. and i'm not sure who told that they have only done a few bands because they have a whole support group of bandsters. and i have personally met 2 just at the office in the waiting room.last edit i swear..lol, also they don't try to convince u of either surgery they give u the info and let u make up ur mind. they support u , unless u r not a good canidate for one over the other.

Edited March 24, 200818 yr by BANDIT GIRL

Hey Bandit Girl,

I posted that message a longggg time ago. At time they had just started doing bands. I was a candidate for either and they did my band. It was a very smart decision. I still go there to get my fills and I am very pleased with their professionalism.

thanks for the update....most people i meet here are new bandsters. yeah, i really like them at nsg.who was your dr? i have gone with dr fontana. so how has it been for u since surgery? good the bad and the ugly...lol r u happy u chose the band over bypass and how long did it take to get to goal?

My doc is Dr. Wohlgemuth. He admitted that he just likes laproscopic surgeries, nothing more. I like his honesty. I haven't reached goal. I'm farrrr away from my goal, but its my own fault. I am down almost 50 lbs from my pre-band weight and still losings. Some days are better than the others. Sometimes I hate my band other days, I love it.

My doc is Dr. Wohlgemuth. He admitted that he just likes laproscopic surgeries, nothing more. I like his honesty. I haven't reached goal. I'm farrrr away from my goal, but its my own fault. I am down almost 50 lbs from my pre-band weight and still losings. Some days are better than the others. Sometimes I hate my band other days, I love it.

ahhhh, i had first considered dr wohlgemuth but i met dr fontana at the seminar and i really liked him.so why do u feel it is "your fault" that u haven't lost more than 50lbs? have u had any complications and do u really feel full with small amounts of food? and 50lbs is alot of weight and i congradulate u on ur loss! i cannot wait to get there.

Don't get me wrong...I am grateful to have loss that much weight. Not a week goes by that someone doesn't ask me what am I doing to lose the weight.

To answer your question, after first getting the band I was eating small amounts of food but I still felt hungry allllllll the time. Eventually after about a year of fills I got to a point where I was feeling good about my fill level. However, my body didn't feel the same way. I had acid reflux every day and at night even though I ate at 6pm I would wake up choking on food or spit that built up in my throat while I was sleeping. It got to the point where I was sleeping sitting up out of fear that I would choke. At that point, I was down to 190. This was sept of 07. Well, Dr. Wohlgemuth took it all out and I lost control and gained 30lbs in the interim. Well, after they had me xrayed, poked and prodded, they said it was safe to go back to getting fills again, hence I have lost the weight that I put back on but I could have been further to goal if I would have exercised some constraint.

To be honest....I loved every minute of having my band unfilled....but I would rather have my fills.