Hello Members,

On a daily basis we get calls from members in desperate need of surgeons that will accept Medicaid and or Medicare for Bariatric surgery.  It breaks our hearts when we have to say "we don't know of any surgeons in your state we can refer you to". 

Can you please help us? If you know of any surgeons in your state that accepts Medicaid and or Medicare, will you list their:

Name

If they accept Medicare and or Medicaid

Phone number

Facility

Address

This list will remain here for our members to access and use.

Thank you so much!!!

ObesityHelp,

Member Services

I am right along with you.  I regained weight years ago due to steroids and never lost it.  There is a group on here called Back on Track Together.  You might join that group and get more support. 

My suggestion is to start back at the basics.  Don't eat and drink at the same time and log everything you eat.  You might be able to identify a pattern to when you are eating and what you are actually eating.

I am almost 10 years post op.  I have about another 50 pounds still to lose. If I can help in anyway, please let me know.

Stephanie E

I will be 7 yrs post op in Sptember. I orgianlly went from 326 down to 150 and kept if off successfully unitlabout 10 months ago.   Now I'm out of control and have put back on 70 pounds.   I need some help or advice.  Anybody??

 I'm not having any problems with carbs or skim milk/cheese.  I am 4 weeks post-op.

J.

The best way to get the answers that you are needing is to attend the support groups both while you are pre-op and especially when you are post-op.  St. Vincent's Carmel has top notch support for their patients and they have since I had my surgery almost 12 years ago there.  I know it may seem frustrating to you now, but if you weigh the pro's and con's of what is important when it comes to this surgery, I will tell you from my extensive experience in talking to 1,000's of patients over the years as well as being a support group leader myself now, that there are sooo many WLS patients out there that have minimal support and education where they had their surgery and it doesn't even begin to hold a candle to what St. Vincents's Carmel offers to us.

Even after 12 years of being a patient there, I can call up and make an appt to see one of  the dietitians whenever I feel I need to talk to them or I can e-mail also.  There is no cost to me to see them.  When I had my surgery back in Sept of 2000, the only place they had support groups was right there in Carmel and that was the first and second tuesday of each month.  I was there with bells on at each meeting.  Now they have meetings all over the state of Indiana plus Carmel also has a newbie class, exercise class, swim class, cooking class with a chef that is a WLS patient himself and we get to sample everything, and a reflections class.  All these are at NO cost to us and you will learn so much and be able to ask many questions as well as make life long friends and bonds with people just like yourself  that will laugh and cry with you on your journey. 

There are going to be positives and negatives to any journey and hospital you choose, so choose wisely.  Try to look at the positives.  If any of you can put up with some of the crap that you experience, you will find out that St. Vincents Carmel has SO much to offer WLS patients that ultimately helps educate us to learn to live a healthier life and KEEP OUR WEIGHT OFF because its just too hard to do on our own.  Take a look at St. V's website www. MyBrandNewLife.org and look under success stories and you will see before and after pictures of me there. (Kathy Friar-Evans).  Good luck to everyone on their journeys.