Searching for a reputable WLS doctor in Missouri

Good Morning to you all, I have been searching and searching for a good doctor in Missouri. They are many but I was wondering if any of you could highly recommend one over another;) Also, what is the approximate time line from start until possible surgery date? Thanks so much for any information you can provide::) Kristi

Kristi all i can do is recomend my doctor to you , he is a lot of others doctor too. Dr. Hornbostel in Sedalia, he is also medicare approved if you need it done thru them.  He is a great doctor and a lot of people on this board have used him.  Usually from Seminar to day of operation is never more than 6 months, that is allowing for the 6 month diet plan that a lot of insurances want you to follow before. 

Thanks Jan. I have read good things about most of the doctors I have read about but wanted a bit more of a personal view. I thought it was about a 6 month ride from start to finish:) Thanks again:)

Hi Kristi and welcome to the boards. I just had my surgery on 24 June, 2008 at DePaul Hospital in St. Louis (Bridgeton at 270 and 70).  Dr Scott and Dr. De La Torre have their offices in the medical buildig attached to the hospital.  It only took 8 weeks from Seminar to Surgery date--so it was fast!! Dr. Scott was my doctor and I really liked him, but I read wonderful things about both doctors.  Their staff is wonderful and the hospital is geared to WLS.  I was treated like a queen!  The hospital room that I was in was very clean and the nursing staff was fantastic!   I also used my Medicare Insurance.  If you have any questions I can help with just ask away.  I know their are others that have used DePaul that can answer also. Jackie

Jackie, Thank you sooo much. I have looked heavily into DePaul and this sure does help with the decision making. You just had surgery last week and how are you doing? How come it took such a short period of time for you to get in and did you have to do a pre-surgery diet? Thanks again. This site is absolutely been the most helpful to me in this decision. Have a great day:) Kristi

I too used Dr de le torre at DePaul in St Louis. The staff there is wonderful and like Jackie said, they are geared around WLS so that is helpful.  My experience was after approval from my insurance (whi*****luded a 6 month Dr supervised diet and exercise program) was about 9months total time. But my search for the place my insurance would accept was 3 months are more. From my beginning to the end was about 1 year.  But my suggestion to you is find the hospital and Dr that is closest to you that you feel comfortable with. Traveling great distances for checkups is terrible!!!!

Thank you so much for your input. Did it take that long for the insurance approval? My insurance states they cover this type of surgery only for medical necessity. Do you have any tips/hints, etc on insurance garb? DePaul is only about 1 1/2 hours from me and that is not bad. Thanks again and have a great day:) Kristi

Hey Kristi, My insurance also required it to be a medical necessity. The criteria was to be at least have 100 lbs overweight, a bmi of 35 ( I think) and have at least 3 health conditions that are weight related, such as arthritis, high bp. diabetes. incontience...etc! Even borderline diabetes counts if it has been recorded by your Dr. As far as hints, just start thinking now of all the problems youve had that are weight related and start highlighting them in a notebook. Also start writing down all the diet and exercise programs you have tried, for all of your life. My insurance required that to all be written down. Next, find you a good support group to start going to. YES! Now. Do it now and you will be surprised at how many of your questions can be answered by those who have already been thru it.  Also stay on here...the OH board is a great wealth of info and some great people who love you and want to help. WE are all in this together and want to help others that are in the same place.  Dr de le torre has a great staff at DePaul and here thier phone # to call and get more info...they will send you a packet...314-344-6800. Good luck and may God bless your efforts....

Sorry, I am so slow in answering back.  I had been researching WLS for several years, but had never actually discussed it with my doctor or attended a seminar.  In the summer of 2005 my insurance changed to Medicare due to a rare auto-immune disease, Myositis. When I started researching again it appeared that getting the surgery with Medicare would be very easy for me.  The end of April my sister said that she had decided that she would have it and I said "ME TOO"!  I researched on line and decided DePaul was were I wanted to be with Dr. Scott.  I was able to print off the forms, etc. from their website.  I went to my PCP on 28 April and told him what I wanted and what he needed to do to help me.   On May 8 I went to St. Louis for my Phych eval  and that same evening I went over to DePaul for the Seminar.  Dr. Scott's office called me that next week to come in for a meeting with Dr. Scott.  He approved me without additional testing.  This was because I was already on a C-PAP machine and every test that he may have wanted to run was already at his finger tips because of my disease.   Medicare gave a quick approval, but Dr. Scott office also sent for approval from my secondary insurance (AARP) so I had to wait an extra 2 weeks for the all day class on the 18th of June.  This class includes pre-surgery lab work, x-rays, etc. and several professioanl sessions with Nutritionist, Exercise, etc. At the end of the all day class Dr. Scott's nurse gave each of us our surgery dates & I got 24 June! Medicare did not require a 6 mth supervised surgery on me.  I'm not sure if it was Medicare or Dr. Scott, but a 2 year documented weight history was required, which my PCP furnished.  I suggest you call the phone number on the back of your insurance card and discuss with them exactly what is needed to be approved.  Insurance policies can make changes so stay abreast of any that may occur.  I understand that even Medicare made a change last week that your BMI had to be at least 40 to be considered for surgery. Hope this helps. Jackie  

PS...the type of surgery...lap band verses RNY is pretty simple in my opiinion. The age thing plays a part in it. If your are really young and may want to do a reversal sometime to become pregnant or something, then the lap band may be best for you...altho it is alot slower coming off and from the results Ive seen a little more involved since you have to go back and forth for adjustments on the band. You also are not at restricted by what you can eat and that would not have worked for me. There are certain foods that got me where I was and I wanted to be prevented from having those foods (like sugars) I opted for the RNY after much research and prayer. You have to know in your heart what is right for you.