In Columbus, Georgia

Could someone please help me with the first step I've made the decision I want to have the surgery.

First of all you need to get with your primary care doctor and get a referal to a surgeon most of them require you going to there seminar I know dr duncan in atlanta is having one on March 21st it starts at 600 p.M I beleive.. Thats the first step.. At the seminars they give you all the information that you will need .....

You might want to check with your insurance company also. Cathy

yes, I would definitely check with your insurance company as a first step. Make sure they will pay for weight loss surgery. If their answer is yes, then check your insurances list of physicians, and investigate them, and make a choice of what surgeon you want to use. Then, if your insurance requires a referral from your primary doctor (mine did not as long as he was in network), make an appt with your primary doc for that referral. When you see your primary, make sure that you start a physician supervised diet with him, and make sure he notes in your chart monthly your weight, your current diet and it's results, and your excercise regimen during this diet. Most insurance companies require a minimum 6 month physician supervised diet. This tends to be one of the things that holds most folks up, so start it as soon as possible. Back to your insurance company... after inquiring with them on whether they cover this surgery, make sure to ask which of the types of sugery they cover. Also ask what their requirements are... i.e. PCP referral, psych eval, nutritional consult, pulmonary consult, 6 month physician supervised diet, etc. The more info they can give you, the more powerful you can be in you healthcare decisions.... Good Luck to you, and try not to be too disenheartened by what you run into during the process... It can be very trying at times, but I think the stringent requirements are what makes those *****ally want this stick to it, and weeds out those who don't. Hugs, Susan

I agree with checking with you insurance company first and finding out if they would cover the surgery or not. Plus you want to know what the requirements are for them to cover the surgery. There are many good doctors in the Atlanta area who perform the surgery. Dr. Duncan is one of them. I dont know him but he is recommended often by people on the site as a great doctor. Go to a seminar and learn more about the surgery options. Most doctors perform the RNY and LapBand. There are a couple who perform the Duodenal Switch which I beleive there is a Dr. Smith in Atlanta, and Dr. Maynard in Atlanta who perform that procedure. If you are using Medicare for it, you will have to use a facility on the approved list for medicare to cover it. http://www.cms.hhs.gov/MedicareApprovedFacilitie/BSF/list.asp#TopOfPage