In Riverton....
You don't know me, but I live in Riverton also and am considering gastric bypass surgery. I went to Jackson for a consult with Dr. Barillo and was told that the total cost would be about $51,000. Could you please give me your opinion of Dr. Lewis and share with me approximately what your surgery is supposed to run you? I have to find financing for mine, but I need to make sure I'm picking the right doc.
Thanks Jamie.
Sincerely,
Frankie Larkey
P.S. Hope everything goes well for you dear.
Frankie-
Barillo is "known for" being on the high end... .I think mainly because of his location. I live in Powell, work in Cody but still chose to go with Dr. Lewis. He has a wonderful easy going personality which makes for really easy communication. Both of his nurses Judy (3 years out from RNY) and Donna are fabulous! They are always available by phone, email, whatever. Dr. Lewis and Donna have helped get a support group going in the Cody area which shows how commited he is to the aftercare of his patients...and others... anyone can attend, not just HIS patients. To me that speaks volumes for his character.
I am doing the band vs. RNY so I'm not sure what he charges for RNY. You might ask Lenette she is having RNY tomorrow, right before my band.
Feel free to message me or post here, and I will do what I can to help... oh and both Dr Lewis's clinic as well as RMH take Care Credit.... you might check them out for financing.
www.carecredit.com
Jamie
Personal choice - RNY patients lose faster, but deal with malnutrition issues. I chose the band because I have a lot of work to do (fixing my emotional eating etc) and the I hope to have better results when my body and mind are on the same time line.... it's a huge undertaking and I want the best results possible for the long term. If I were you I would visit both boards as well as www.lapbandtalk.com . They have great resources there!
Jamie
I have been working on my mind for some time, now I'm working on my habits. I wonder if there are ways around the malnutrition issues... Dr. Barillo was talking about vitamins and some type of ... b vitamins I wanna say. I'll have to ask before I tell them I'm not going to have it done there lol. He's kind of arrogant. He says he's one out of 3 of the best in the world and that he's got more experience than blah blah blah lol. I wanted the best, but it sounds like I went to the most arrogant.
Anyways, thanks for all the help Jamie, I'll be keeping in touch. Are you Excited as ever about tomorrow??? LOL
Hi Frankie!
I didn't have Dr. Lewis do my RNY surgery but I love him to pieces! He's soooo willing to answer questions even if he didn't do the surgery itself. He's supportive of whoever has had WLS. He's awesome. If I hadn't had my surgery in Billings, I'd have chosen Dr. Lewis hands down. But because Billings, MT is much closer to me than Riverton, I chose to have mine done up there. I chose gastric bypass RNY instead of lapband because I wanted something that can't be undone. Malabsorption is more an issue than malnutrition over the long haul, and mostly in the first few months post-op. Each person is totally different so it just depends on what's right for you. I do know that if you choose Dr. Lewis, you'll not only get a compassionate, honest surgeon, but you'll gain a friend also. He's a hugger!
Good luck with your decision, and know you're in my prayers.
Brenda
Hi Brenda,
If I might be so bold... Did he quote you a price? At this point, for me, it's just a matter of cost. SInce I don't have insurance, I want to get the best deal. I also want the RNY. No going back for me. I don't want to ever weigh this much again.
Thank you so much for responding by the way. What is Malabsorption? I do plan on utilizing the support group here in Riverton no matter which doc I use. I want to succeed!!
Thanks Bunches for the Prayers.
Frankie