Did Dr.Billing do your lap band?

Hi, I am interested in seeing Dr.Billing to get my lapband, he comes highly recommended by a friend of mine. Have any of you had him as your surgeon? What do you think of him, professionally and personally? How is the follow up care? Any info greatly appreciated!

Hi Sammy Sue: Dr. Billiing is awesome, and so are the rest of his staff. He did my banding on 6/15/06 and I'm doing great. He is very careful, will give you any information about your surgery that you want. He is a quiet man, but I can tell you that you'll be in very good hands. Dr. Billing worked at Mayo Clinic before moving here, you can't ask for much better than that. I feel I am one of a family when I go into the office for my visits, everyone, Melanie the Nutritionist, all of the staff, other patients, and both doctors are caring and willing to give moral support to each and every one of us. Let me know what you decide, I don't think you'll be at all unhappy. I will have my first fill next week, have already lost about 32 lbs, down a whole size and that is falling off of me. Blessings, Nancy B., Birch Bay, WA Banded 6/15/06 and loving it!!!!!

Hi Sammy, I had Gastric Bypass with Dr Billing on April 24th and I couldnt be happier. He is a wonderful, kind, caring man and he truly cares about his patients. He was very open and honest with all my questions and never ever rushed me. His office staff is just as great. Julie the nurse is a sweetie, Katie the front office girl is super nice and everyone else is wonderful as well. His nutritionist Melanie has been a life saver to me many times over. I can email her whenever I have a question and she always gets right back to me. Another great thing about Dr Billings office is it is a family type atmosphere. Several of the girls in the office are related, and they all interact like a big family. I would HIGHLY recommned Dr Billing. Amity 355/276/155

Hello to you both, thanks for your replies! I'm glad I'm going to see him, he sounds good. Can you tell me why he recommended gastric bypass for you, or how he makes the decision? i'm really not interested in gastric bypass, it doesn't sound adjustable enough for me and sounds more extreme...just curious how one chooses.

Dr B didnt actually recommend the GBS to me, he let me make the decision on what I wanted, then supported me in that. I had done alot of research prior to meeting with him and knew that I was the Bypass, not a band. I made that decision based on several factors. 1- I am significantly overweight, and after all is said and done, I am looking at a loss of 200 pounds. 2- I wanted something that would not only provide me with the tool to lose the weight, but keep it off. I wanted the malabsorbtion and dumping because it would keep me on track. I dont want to be able to eat sugar and fats to excess, that is part of what got me here in the first place. 3- I didnt like the idea of going in every few months to have fills. So, basically I lined out to him why I made the decision that I wanted GBS and he supported me in that. He did say he also felt that GBS was the better solution for me as well, for the same reasons I had already come up with. Alot of people say they feel that GBS is too "drastic" but in all honesty, the situation I was in required drastic measures. I honestly feel this surgery probably saved my life and I guarantee is saved the quality of my life. On a sidenote, I got a birthday card from Dr B yesterday, which I thought was really neat!

Hi again Sammy Sue: A person has to have a certain BMI (Body Mass Index) to qualify for RNY/Gastric Bypass, I didn't qualify for that, but did qualify for Lab Band. I started out at 260 lbs, and am now at 226 lbs (on my scale in early AM). Our son had RNY last October in Denver, he's 6' 4" and weighed 400 lbs, but was facing losing a leg to amputation, or death unless he lost weight very fast. He is now 235 lbs, at goal, and his leg has healed, and wow, is he handsome. Banding is a slower process, and like RNY a tool, you do have to do your part, but both keep you focused. I have found the smaller amounts aren't that hard to take at all, in fact, I'm amazed at how much I ate per meal before. Say hello to Dr. Billing and staff from me when you talk to them. Blessings, Nancy B., Birch Bay, WA, banded 6/15/06 and loving it!!!/first fill next Tuesday