Glad there's at least one...

... good WLS center up there! My husband and I are looking to move (back) up sometime next year, and I was really worried that I wouldn't have a good specialist if anything went wrong... or be able to find a decent PCP who can run my labs. It took me long a time to find a great doc here in Seattle, and I never needed a doc when I was living in Anchorage before. I'll have to check out Dr. Searles once we get up there. Does he do long-term follow-up labs out of his center, or can anyone give me a recommendation? We're not sure exactly where we'll end up (we've been looking in the valley), so either Anchorage or Fairbanks would be our closest "big" cities. Thanks!

If you lived in the valley, the closest city would be Anchorage. I don't know about Dr. Searles (except that he used to be my surgeon's partner), but Dr. Todd's office has support group meetings a few times a week if you were looking at that aspect. They do have the SGM in the Valley too. I think he has them in Wasilla. As far as labs go, I did mine out of the hospital. Again, I don't know about Dr. Searles. You might want to call his office. Good luck!

I'm not super-big on support groups, but I do still want to get my quarterly labs done and have access to a good nutritionist if something goes weird that me and my PCP can't fix on our own. Plus knowing that there are bariatric surgeons up there eases my mind should anything surgically go wrong with me... nothing like having a medical emergency and no one around who understands all the replumbing!! I'll check out Dr. Todd when I get there, too

I have Dr. Searles and he is fantastic yes he was Dr Todds old partner but he is doing well on his own with his other partner that left Todds office. the support group in the valley is not a part of Todds group it is run by 2 lovely women that were Todds patients todd sends his nurse there but they are not really a part of the group it is open to whom ever comes which is good since todd stopped his SGM out here months ago due to the location being a smoking atmosphere. well if you need more info on Searles let me know he is 2 floors above Dr. Todd and yes he does follow up care as well. the front staff are fantastic as well. hope you find what your looking for are you moving to the valley there are alot of wls patients out here if so.. shannon

Hey LW buddy!  I love Doc Searles!  Of course I'm a bandster so its a bit different for me, but his care seems to be great, though a bit DIY for the bandsters.  I'll be down there on the 11th for a fill so if there is anything I can ask about for ya, let me know.  There is a surgeon here in Fairbanks as well, but being an Army wife I was a little leary of using a former Army surgeon.  I'd think in the case of emergency he'd be ok though!  That is who I'd see in case of a band emergency if I couldn't get to Anchorage in time! Kari