Hello,

I am new to this and am not sure where to start.

Does anyone have experience with any surgeons in the St. Louis area?

And what about the single incision technique vs. standard?

Thanks for your help!

I had my surgery at Washington Univeristy/Barnes/Jewish Hospital on February 25, 2009. Dr. Eagon is my doctor.

I'm having surgery with Dr Van Wagner on Monday. His office staff have been really great. I went through all the consults and then did a 6 month supervised diet plan with my primary. The primary didn't record it correctly so I switched primaries and had to redo the whole 6 months again. I was approved for surgery last Wednesday and will have surgery in 5 days!

Allea:

How was your experience? Did you get the lapband or realize band? How much weight have you lost so far?

shrinkingcjk:

I am actually attending Dr. Wagner's seminar tomorrow night. Please share your experience after your surgery!

Thank you for the information!

Edited March 26, 200917 yr by franic

Hi Franic,

I haven't been banded yet, but I will be soon. I'm going through the Weight Loss Institute at SSM DePaul Hospital. I attended their seminar on 2/12 and the team that was assigned to me has been wonderful. I meet with Dr. Stephen Scott in about 10 days, and hopefully after that, I'll be scheduled for surgery.

Best Wishes to you as you do your research!

WannaBe: I have found this group as well and plan to go to a seminar April 8. Unfortunately I was not able to reach anyone who could provide basic information (only get a tollfree number and they offer to send info). I did see that they offer the single incision technique. Will you have that? Do they perform the procedure at either DePaul or St. Joseph in Kirkwood? Thank you for your help! I think I am going to find this website very useful!

WannaBe: I have found this group as well and plan to go to a seminar April 8. Unfortunately I was not able to reach anyone who could provide basic information (only get a tollfree number and they offer to send info). I did see that they offer the single incision technique. Will you have that? Do they perform the procedure at either DePaul or St. Joseph in Kirkwood? Thank you for your help! I think I am going to find this website very useful!

Hi Franic,

I never tried to reach anyone by phone, prior to attending the seminar. I signed up online for the seminar and within a few days, a packet arrived in my mail. I filled out all the information that I could, and took it with me to the seminar. They will answer all of your questions and more at the seminar.

I hope to have the single incision, but I don't meet with Dr. Scott until a week from today. One of the women at the support group meeting I attended, had the SIL and she was ecstatic. She said she had very little pain, no staples, and very short recovery. So, I'm hoping!

I don't know if they do surgeries in Kirkwood or not. I live closer to Kirkwood, but am going to DePaul.

The first Wednesday of the month, they have a support group meeting, if you're interested. I attended in March and it was wonderful for getting alot of information. About 1/2 the people there had already been banded, and the other 1/2 were like me - gathering information and waiting....

Let me know if you have any other questions and best wishes to you!

Dr. Minkin is at Des Pers and does an excellant job. There are many people on this site that have gone to him. My wife and I are 18 months out and doing well. If you have any questions just ask away. I would call Dr. Minkin office and ask him about it.

Chris

Dr. Christopher Eagon is doing my surgery @ Barnes West County.

Thanks to all for the feedback. I went to Dr. Van Wagner's seminar and then had consult today. His staff has been so helpful and tolerant of my calls and questions!

I also attended Dr. Wagner's seminar on the 26th. I had my consult 4-1-09. I liked him alot. I have 90 days of a medically supervised diet then I am ready to go. I think I will be having my surgery in early July. Good luck!

I started with Dr. Eagon in April of 2008. It was really a fiasco - one thing after another. My first exposure - registering for their informational seminar and then when I got there, they had no record of me. They put me in a big conference room with about 20 other people there for the same thing and left us for over 2 hours. They lost paperwork. I could never get anyone to respond to my phone calls - I ended up writing and faxing letters. I did all the pre-work - Dr. Eagon won't even SEE you until you do all that. I asked them multiple times if this was all I needed to get my insurance to approve and was given re-assurance more than once. I believed that I was doing the "pre-surgical regimen" required by Aetna.

Of course, in October when they submitted me for insurance approval, I was denied. This course I had been on with the surgical office did NOT meet that requirement. They recommended I start my 6-month program with my primary physician.

I was angry and hurt and wrote Dr. Eagon a letter, which he never even had the courtesy to respond to. I have ZERO confience in that office - they were completely disorganized and unresponsive.

I switched over to Dr. Wagner and am going to have my surgery shortly. His staff has taken SUCH good care of me - checking in regularly, asking if I have questions or need anything, making sure that everything was in order. Insurance has already approved because they did a proper job of all of it. I am grateful for their help, and I have confidence in their program.

Dr. Wagner personally delivered the seminar I went to. I found him professional and knowledgable. He was also willing to see patients early in the process, as well as later.

Night and day difference between the two. Sometimes I think Barnes Jewish, where Dr. Eagon practices, is so big as to be unmanagable.

I'd rather be a BIG fish in Dr. Wagner's pond. At least until I can get my surgery and become a smaller fish. :rolleyes2:

I have not been banded as of yet but I would HIGHLY recommed Dr. Darin Minkin. He is a leader in this surgery and has an awesome staff as well. His bedside manor is awesome too. He is here at Des Peres hospital right off of 270 and Daughtery Ferry Rd (spell ck on that).

Do your research and you will find the right doc for you. I am hoping for my banding sometime in July, I have one more weight management visit and then we submit to the insurance all the paperwork. Heres hoping it all goes well.

Good luck

Michele