Christian Surgeon, LapBand, Costs?

Does anyone have the name of a Christian surgeon who will take self pay for LapBand? I live in Illinois, so if there is one close by that would even be better. Thanks folks, Kim M.

Kim, My surgeon is a godly man who is currently active in ministry with his family. His family has several southern gospel songs off their latest release going up the charts. I have the CD and I love it. Dr. Baker has an incredible heart for the Lord and a tremendous amount of compassion for those of us who struggle with obesity. I Praise God for leading me to him. He is the head of the MMPC in Grand Rapids, MI. His name is Dr. Randall Baker and if you have a referral from your doctor you can request him (there are several qualified surgeons in his office) for your surgery. But...to let you know. I specifically asked Dr. Baker about Lapband vs. Gastric Bypass RNY and he said that he would only do RNY for me. I did not have any issue with that, but I was curious about the Lapband procedure. I have now lost a total of 210 pounds and I am 12 pounds from my regular physicians goal weight. I know that he does do the Lapband procedure, but he has specific guidelines for doing that particular procedure. I have had contact (through support class) with several self pay individuals so I know that the MMPC does do self pay. If you go to my profile (I recommend that you read it so that you get an idea what the MMPC require for any WLS procedure through them) and click on Dr. Bakers name it will link you to more information concerning him. I will pray that God will guide you through this process. Let me know what happens. Gary

Thank you Gary for the info. MI isn't that far from here. Kim M.

My surgical group is very holistic when it comes to WLS preparation. What drew me to this group was the fact that they have a staff chaplain on the support team. However, Ft. Lauderdale, FL is a bit far from your location. I know for certain they do lap band. You can look at their site...USBariatric.com. (Drs. Marema, Diaz and Perez) luvitsunnyv

Thank you so much. A wonderful surprise happened today. My insurance company approved my surgery. God is so Good! They denied is March 30, and I called and pointed out a few things and asked for clarification and today I got an approval letter. Oh yes, God is so good! Have you ever regretted your RNY? I am scared now that I am approved for a RNY. Thanks, Kim M.

Kim, Praise the Lord for His marvelous provision. Don't be afraid of RNY. If that is the best for you God will protect you. My surgery was done Laporscopic and I could not be happier with my surgeon. God Bless. Gary

Now I just want to make sure I have the best surgeon. Do you think it is normal to second guess your decision in regards to RNY or LapBand?

Well...if I were a doctor I would be able to argue the merits of RNY vs. Lapband, but I am not. I have so much confidence in my surgeon (well placed) and I trust his opinion and valuable knowledge. I believe that it would be worth it for you to make the trip up here to Grand Rapids and check out the MMPC. I am sure that there are qualified surgeons in Chicago, but Dr. Baker is a Christian and an extremely qualified specialist in the field of WLS. The MMPC has developed a program that is proven successful in working through WLS. ALL they do is WLS and they have a proven track record. Gary

Kim, I would agree with Gary about MMPC. I have a friend and someone I work with that have both had Dr. Paul Kemmeter do their surgeries. He is in the same practice. I have also seen Dr. Kemmeter and he will be my surgeon. He is young. But very qualified. I was VERY impressed with him. He took his time, he was very personable and kind. He also is a christian. MMPC also has a wonderful aftercare program. Hope this helps.