Looking for a good surgeon

 I've been wanting WLS for some time now.  I've been putting it off and trying diets only to fail and gain the weight back and more. I'm at the heaviest I've been on my life and I'm miserable so here I am look for help. I live in Jemez Springs and I'm looking for  a good surgeon. I would like to have a  VSG done. 

How did you find your surgeons? Any suggestions would be great.... 

Janet, welcome to the forum.  My two cents concerning a surgeon....  I did a lot of on line research as I was looking for a surgeon who was, not only on top of the latest surgeries, I wanted a surgeon who had experience with VSG on someone who was a cancer survivor.  For me it was a case of being in the right place at the right time....  I found a wonderful team of surgeons in Flagstaff, AZ.  I went to information sessions, spoke one on one with the surgeon, had my oncologist check him out and give me the stamp of approval, spoke with several of his past patients and I spoke with his office staff.  I also visited the hospital to make sure it was up to my standards (I admit, I'm picky when it comes to health care).  I had surgery May 29, 2008 and I could not be happier.  The care I received before surgery was just as wonderful as the care I have received since surgery.  I was an "out-of-towner" to the Flagstaff area so my surgeons staff bent over backwards in getting me scheduled for all the test and office visits in a timely manner.  My insurance put up a bit of a fight on covering the VSG surgery but, again, the staff worked very hard in getting everything approved.  I spent two nights in the hospital and had excellent care.  Today I am down 95 pounds and have a new life that is full of energy! 
Janet, what ever your choice, please make sure it is, in fact, YOUR choice.  There are many wonderful surgeons out there but if you are not comfortable with that individual then I would imagine there will be difficulties.  As for your choice to have VSG, it is a relatively new procedure so you may run into some roadblocks with insurance but those roadblocks can be worked around.  Please stay in touch and if I can be of any help, please let me know.  The very best to you in your journey.

Katherine 

Thank you Katherine for your reply. I haven't called any surgeon yet, but I'm gathering all the information and getting questions ready for when i do. I know my insurance will cover the bypass and lap band, but I really don't want either of those procedures due to the complication of them. My sister had a bypass 6 years ago and didn't do to well with it. She lost weight, but has had lots of problems. I'm going to push for the VSG even though I know it will probably be denied the first time I try.

Does your surgeon have a website?

You're very welcome, Janet.  Here's the web site for my surgeon (Dr. Berger) and his partner.  http://www.flagstaffmedicalcenter.com/OurServices/BariatricS urgicalWeightLoss/Our_team You can search the site and review the hospital in Flagstaff as well as the schedule of informational sessions that require attendence should you opt for surgery with Dr. Berger.  Also, there is a patient info area that has to be completed upon your first visit with the Dr.  A heads up, I'm thinking that most surgeons require the information packet be completed so if you are truly interested in WLS I would suggest you pull up the packet and start completing it... there are all kinds of questions about your health and your past history at attempted weight loss.  Also, Dr. Berger required a five year history of my general physician visits in order to show my weight trend.  Having the five year history allowed me to avoid the six month "diet" pre-surgery.

As for the VSG and your insurance.... a bit of info that may help you deal with your insurance:  My insurance carrier would not authorize the VSG unless it was coupled with the by-pass.  The Dr. had to write a letter to the insurance company that he was going to perform the VSG and after I had dropped some of the excess weight he would then perform a by-pass on me in order to get the rest of the weight off.  I have no intention of having by-pass surgery (I have an extensive health history and the by-pass is something my oncologist said NO WAY on).  This is basically circumventing the insurance company but it gets the VSG covered.

Good luck and, again, if I can be of any help please let me know.

Katherine

Janet,
I had my wls done in Houston,Tx. by a Dr. Wongsa he no longer does this however if you search him you will find the name of the Dr. that does it in his place.
I asked ????? and all the paper work they done for me and than less 120 days I had wls.
If I can be of any help let me know.

                                                                      Marilyn

I went to southwest surgeons  in el paso they were very good .....Dr bruce applebaum i would do it agian.....they were the best .....didnt take long to get it approved or to do all the paperwork and all the insurance crap you have to deal with......i would totally reccommend him ...if ya want more info leave me a message ...:)