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Hello! I wish I had an answer for you regarding Dr. Long, but wondered if I could ask a question :) Who is your GI person? Do they work with/understand the GPB "anatomy" well? I just posted a question in this section about that and really struggling to find a good GI in MD.
I hope you find Dr. Long, so sorry! :( Good doctors are hard to find!
Glori
RNY December 2004 270 --> 130
Hey everyone! I have two questions for ya!
1. Who provides your follow up care post op? I am 9 years out and my PCP has admitted she is "out of her league" with GPB issues of bacteria overgrowth and vitamins etc. SO I am wondering who you guys go to? Is it your surgeons or is there a GI that works with your surgeon that you see?
2. I am seeking a GI who specializes in, or is at least quite familiar with GBP patients in MD, VA, or DC area. Any suggestions?
Thanks thanks thanks!!
Glori
RNY December 2004 270 --> 130
Anyone have a list of Plastic surgeons in MD. who take Medicare?
Thanks
Caveat: I've had a mixed bag at Sinai, so my opinion on the hospital & staff is a little biased (negatively) but I loved Dr Long!! Sadly, it seems she's no longer going to work there. Even more to my dismay, they told me she's out of bariatrics entirely and the staff would not tell me where she's moved on to. Seriously, she was an awesome surgeon and I had great rapport with her, so I'd follow her to Timbuktu if necessary.... Anyone else here rumors of where she could be moving to? I checked with the MD state board and they still have her listed at Sinai. So I've either been lied to (again, not surprised) or she's out of medicine entirely? If that be the case, I'll be continuing my care with my PCP & gastroenterologist over starting a new relationship with another surgeon....
First ultra: Stone Mill 50 miler 11/15/14 13:44:38, First Full Marathon: Marine Corps 10/27/13 4:57:11, Half Marathon PR 2:04:43 at Shamrock VA Beach Half-Marathon, 12/2/12 First Half-Marathon 2:32:47, 5K PR Run Under the Lights 5K 27:23 on 11/23/13, 10K PR 52:53 Pike's Peek 10K 4/21/13, (1st timed run) Accumen 8K 51:09 10/14/12.
If you're looking for a PCP, I like my internist a lot: Dr Piyush Patel. He's got 2 offices, one in Germantown and another in Silver Spring. Not a specialist in WLS, just a really good MD who listens!
First ultra: Stone Mill 50 miler 11/15/14 13:44:38, First Full Marathon: Marine Corps 10/27/13 4:57:11, Half Marathon PR 2:04:43 at Shamrock VA Beach Half-Marathon, 12/2/12 First Half-Marathon 2:32:47, 5K PR Run Under the Lights 5K 27:23 on 11/23/13, 10K PR 52:53 Pike's Peek 10K 4/21/13, (1st timed run) Accumen 8K 51:09 10/14/12.
Hi Shannon- I as well bounced the idea of surgery for several years before I decided now was the right time. I researched and looked into all the information for years. I went to a seminar at Baltimore Washington Medical Center for Dr. Mark Kligman. He is to the point with everything. My process started that day. After his seminar I made my initial appointment with him. He talked to me about my best opinions were. My surgery is scheduled for August 19th and I can tell you from start to now everything has been great. His staff are very helpful and great. A few people I know have also gone through his office and have had great results.
I think Dr. Kuldeep Singh (my surgeon) does self pay. hes in baltimore, not 100% sure. Other then that, there are many surgeons in mexico that people recommend on here, you might want to post that in the VSG forum to get answers on that one.
Dr. Singhs website is www.myliteweight.com
OK. So I'm Jess. I'm looking for someone in MD who will do bariatric surgery for self-pay (I don't have insurance) or I'm considering Mexico. But I'm unsure of what to do. Where to go? Who's the best? I'm looking for VSG. I have about 60lbs to lose... before you jump on me about being "low BMI", I've been 100+ lbs overweight in the past and I'm not waiting until I have diabetes or high blood pressure to get this done. I hate that in this country, you have to be really sick before you take care of the problem. Straight up - I'm a food addict. Plain and simple. I really need some help of some sort. I've got two young boys and I don't want them to grow up with a fat mom who has health issues. I'm done. I'm tired and I'm willing to try this now.
I guess I'm looking at a few things. I would love to hear back from you guys about this stuff:
- if you had MX surgery, where? How did you decide who? How much did it cost? And did you go by yourself? Or with someone? And when could you go back to work?
Thanks for all of your help, in advance. I definitely need some support here so any advice/help you could offer would be super. Thanks so much!!!
Hi Shannon,
I live in Southern Maryland, where there are no local surgeons that do the gastric bypass surgery. I did a lot of research and found Dr. Joseph Afram, in Washington DC to be the best. He has a HIGH success rate and LOW complication rate. I know many people that went with Dr. Afram. I was very happy with him and his staff. He offers a quality program to meet all of your needs. He requires you to go to a heart and a lung doctor in DC to be tested before surgery, as well as a sleep study if you've never had one. Then you have an all day appointment at his office to meet with him, the insurance lady, the shrink, the nutritionist, and the personal trainer... and you also stay for a group meeting and then scoot on over to George Washington University Hospital for a bariatric class. They tell you all about the surgery and give you a tour of the hospital. You do have to jump through a lot of hoops to get the surgery.. different tests and such... but in the end, its worth it.
So, with Dr. Afram, some patients have to go in the hospital the day before to get a filter placed in through your groin to prevent blood clots going to your heart and lungs. Its a quick process, that doesnt hurt a bit. In 3-6 months post op, it gets removed. Then you go in for your surgery... it all goes so fast that by the time you'r scheduled to go in to the OR, you're basicaly out of it. I dont remember anything from the time they starting wheeling me back til sometime in the middle of the night. The next day I woke up and was walking around just fine. They keep you well medicated so the pain is very minimal. He does surgery on Tuesday and most get released on Thursday.
It is an adjustment getting used to only eating 2 ounces of food at a time... but when you see your first weigh in, you feel good.
I decided to go off of his scale so I dont confuse myself.. so this passed Wednesday, only a week after my surgery, I had lost 9 pounds. I think I've lost a few more already.
