I highly recommend Dr.Cywes. He has been nothing but spectacular since I was banded. I have nothing negative to say about him and the people at his office. They really care about you. Dr.Cywes and staff are really there for you when you need that boost of help. I think there are only a few people that touch your life and for me thats Dr.Cywes. I think the band is the tool but you need people that will help guide you on this journey. For my that has been been my family, Dr.Cywes and the GREAT people at his office. I got my band Jan 15th 09 and I have already lost 85lbs.

V/R

Gabby

I am considering lapband surgery and have already went to a seminar that Dr. Baptista held. I also went in and talked with Dana one on one and have spoken with her on the phone several times. This has been going on for about 2 months now. I am 5'6 and weigh 200lbs. so would like to lose about 50. I am also diabetic, on shots,and have high blood pressure.

My BMI is not high enough for my insurance to pay for this so I will be self-pay and I just keep wandering if paying all that money will be worth it. Will I be able to eat a handful of food at a time, will I throw up all the time, will I be giving up all the foods that I enjoy so much, bread, pasta, etc! I am a popcorn addict and I think about not being able to ever eat popcorn again (I know that must really sound silly) I have got to make up my mind on this and fast. My youngest daughter is getting married in March and I do so want to drop some weight before then. I realize that if I keep putting this off it's just going to get harder. I also think about my age, 56. Am I crazy for wanting to do this at this stage of my life? My husband is the type who never gets onto me about my weight, sometimes I think if he would just tell me he wants me to lose I would br more that willing to do this.

Sorry for rambling, but this decision has practically consumed me for the last 2 months, I just need someone to talk to who's been where I am.

One more thing. Did you have a hiatal(sp) hernia when you had yur lapband done. Dana says that most overweight people do, and if they repair it they will turn this over to my insurance . That would be a great help with the money situation!!

Thanks for listening and I'm so glad you're doing well with your band.

I also used Dr. Cywes. It went so smooth. The day I went to surgery I was 202lbs. I had the surgery October 1st. I am down to 194. I never expected it to go so smooth. I had no neck or shoulder pain from gas. They gave me some breathing exercises to do do to prevent it. I had no pain from the incisions at all. Even though its only been a week since the surgery I am very pleased with the results. I would have been a self pay if the insurance had denied it. My comorbidities were high blood pressure and high cholesteral. My post op is tomorrow.

That's really great mareea2. I guess you know that Dr. Cywes and Dr. Baptista are in practice together so if I decide on the surgery I don't know which one I will get for it. I have heard that both of them are really good!

If I may ask, how many days did you have to do the pre-op diet? I can't remember what Dana told me and she is probably getting tired of hearing from me, lol.

I wish you well on this journey and will post if and when I decide to have it done. Thanks for posting.

The pre-op was a liquid diet that included sugar free jello and sugar free popsicles. This is the best decision I have ever made. Just watching these few pounds come off gives me such motivation. Good luck.

Sorry about that. I guess I asked too many questions.

I dont think you can ever ask too many questions. I feel lucky cause in my office there is about 10 of us who have done it in the last few months. Most of us with Baptista or Cywes. I have asked them questions for months and watched their progress. I did have a hernia that was fixed.

me again, were you self-pay? if so, do you remember how much it ended up costing you? I have a friend that went there and was self pay, because she had a hernia it ended up costing about $7,000. I hope that will be the case with me.

No, I wasnt a self pay but if the insurance hadnt covered it I would have paid for it.

i went with dr.cywes and am very happy. he is no longer with dr.baptista but has a new partner as of july 1. i don't know his name though. my surgery is monday and feel very confident it will go well. he said at the preop that he always fixes hiatal hernias if you have one. no more heartburn, it'll be great.

Hay Donna, hope that's your name. I am considering going with Dr. Cywes for my surgery but wanted to ask you a couple of questions. I went to him in November of 2009 and had surgery scheduled for January of this year but had to cancel due to some complications. I have heard through the grapevine that he has changed his protacal for the diet before and after the surgery. Would you mind telling me what the before and after surgery diet consists of? I really hope you do well with your surgery. What side of town do you live on? Maybe we can keep in touch, if I ever get mine done. I know a few people that have had their surgery done by him. Most have been very satisfied but a couple of them are trying to discourage me from having it done. The main reason besides the weight for me is I am diabetic and can't get my sugar under control, I know that losing weight would help tremendously!! Hope to hear back from you. Have a Blessed day. Connie

yes, donna it is. i'm diabetic too and both dr.cywes and my primary doc have told me to monitor my sugar closely because they expect it to be going down pretty quickly. i don't know yet what my post diet is, he said he would let us know after the surgery. however, the prediet is 5-7 days of a strict low carb diet and then 2 days of liquids: diet drinks, clear broth, sugar free popsicles and sugar free jello. today is the first day of my liquid diet. i live out close to mayo. it's about a two hour drive southwest of jax.

Thanks for the info. I am definately going with Dr. Cywes. I am calling Monday to talk to Dana again and get back in for an appointment. I have spoken to my insurance lady in the bariatric division and since I have a letter from my Liver doctor, (which they already have) she says there will be no problem getting it approved. My doctor wrote me a very long letter stating that it was a medical neccessity since he saw signs of fatty liver in my newly transplanted liver. I think I mentioned I had a liver transplant at Mayo in April 2008? Anyway, I'm more than ready to get this ball rolling again, lol. I have a neice that had the surgery almost 2 weeks ago and she has already lost about 18 lbs. Isn't that amazing!! I also have another friend that had hers done by Dr. Cywes over 2 years ago and she was eating out with her daughter at Olive Garden today and I ask her what she was eating. She said she usually has the soup and salad but today she had chicken fingers and some kind of parmesian thing. I laughed and told her that it's good to know that you will be able to eat normal foods again after this surgery. She eats about anything she wants, just not as much now. I think she lost about 75 lbs.

Well, need to get to bed. Please keep in touch and let me know how everything goes. Here is my e-mail address so you won't have to go through here to get to me.

Connie_Blackmon@bellsouth.net

Thanks again and good luck on Monday. Oh yeah, what hospital are you going to?

I finally have my surgery date, Sept.13th at Memorial Hospital. I have to start the pre-registration next Monday. I must say after waiting all this time I am reaaly scared!! Not so much of the surgery itself ( I had a liver transplant 2 years ago and that surgery is about as bad as they get) I think I'm more worried if I'll be able to stick to all the guide lines and I don't want to be hungry all the time. I have a friend that had hers done about 2 months ago, not with Dr. Cywes, and she has done really well. She has got to the stage now where she can eat almost anything, just a lot smaller portions, lol. The doctor she went to is certainly not as strict as Dr. C but she has already lost 35 lbs. in 2 months. Not so bad in my book.

Any tips would be appreciated. I'm glad everyone on here seems to be doing good. Wish me luck!!!

I finally have my surgery date, Sept.13th at Memorial Hospital. I have to start the pre-registration next Monday. I must say after waiting all this time I am reaaly scared!! Not so much of the surgery itself ( I had a liver transplant 2 years ago and that surgery is about as bad as they get) I think I'm more worried if I'll be able to stick to all the guide lines and I don't want to be hungry all the time. I have a friend that had hers done about 2 months ago, not with Dr. Cywes, and she has done really well. She has got to the stage now where she can eat almost anything, just a lot smaller portions, lol. The doctor she went to is certainly not as strict as Dr. C but she has already lost 35 lbs. in 2 months. Not so bad in my book.

Any tips would be appreciated. I'm glad everyone on here seems to be doing good. Wish me luck!!!

I am thrilled with Dr. Cywes. No matter where I am when I come in he knows just what I need (not want) to hear. If it wasn't for him and his staff I would have given up and this is my last chance. I feel incredible support from them all. He is cheering me on to save my life.

I have decided to have my surgery with dr. Cywes also. I don't have a surgery date yet, but I am currently getting all the pre-op stuff done. Like, chest x-ray, blood work, psych, etc. I go for my second appt with Dr. C January 5. I hope to have a surgery date soon after that.

It is great hearing such positive things about the doctor I have chosen.

Good Luck to everyone. I am so happy that everyone is doing so well.