Newbie looking for help

I am new to this forum, honestly I have been here a few times over the last year and finally registered today. I have been looking into Lap band surgery for the last year and keep coming up with tons of questions. So, if anyone has any advice that would be great. I just want to know how this all works, do you try to find a doctor first or attend a seminar? How do you research doctors and find the perfect fit? Does anyone recommend a doctor out of Revere/Boston?  I look forward to hearing what everyone has to say.... :)

Hi there- I am about 3 months out myself...I had Dr. Edward Mun in Boston and really loved him...I started my journey with my primary care doctor, *****commended him...From there I attended a seminar on WLS (lap band and RNY) with the initial thoughts of having a lap band...After the seminar, I was told to meet with the nutritionist, and from there I went on to have all of the pre-op labs and evaluations done that were necessary to submit to insurance...Until I had done all the labs, met again with the nutritionist, the psych eval, only then did I have the appt. with the surgeon...After seeing him, he assured me that I was a qualified candidate and should be approved for surgery...Since my BMI was 40.9, I knew I was borderline, but I was happily surprised to receive a phone call from the insurance coordinator saying I was approved a week later!  Due to my work schedule, I actually couldn't have the surgery until November (approved in August)...That is how it worked for me!  I have Harvard Pilgrim HMO and didn't have one complaint! Best of luck with your journey!

I first started looking into it after my pcp recommended it.  My pcp recommended Dr. Thayer out of Newton.  I didn't pursue it at that time.  I personally wasn't ready.  A year and a half later my weight continued to climb and I consulted my pcp again.  She referred me to the same hospital, but Dr. Thayer had retired.  I went to their new patient meeting but was still unsure.  I then went to their other meetings and it was after those meetings I decided to move forward.  After both meetings (they were for both lap band and RNY).  I decided RNY was what I wanted to do.  I made an appointment for a consultation and met my surgeon shortly after. Good luck with your journey.  I'm very pleased with my results so far and if I were to be put back in my situation, I would do it again in a heartbeat.  This has been the best decision I have made for myself. ~Kendra

I too had Dr. Mun for my surgery just last week at the Faulkner Hospital in Jamaica Plain.  I had completed all of my appts before meeting with him on 1/24.  He was excellent!  He reviewed my charts and scheduled my surgery immediately for 2/13.  I think it could have been sooner but he wanted me 3 weeks without smoking and I had just quit.  He visited me in the hopsital right before the surgery and twice a day after until I was discharged.  His surgical team and office staff are wonderful.  They had insurance aprroval within 3 days!  I have Neighborhood Helath Plan.

hi, I am also a new person. I started looking into WLS in November. I went to introductory sessions at two different hospitals - MGH and Emerson. You can find what hospitals do WLS right here on the OH website under "other Massachusetts resources". I started my journey hoping for lap band surgery, but realized right away that RNY would be more approprite for me. There is an immense amount of information in these forums. Spend some time exploring.  good luck, Jayne

Thanks everyone for all the help :) I have decided to go to a seminar at Emerson Hospital next week. Because, I am comfortable with the hospital and doctors there.  I'm very excited to start this chapter of my life.

Welcome to the boards!!  I had Lap Band in June of 2006 and I'm down about 70 pounds.  It has been slow and I had to have surgery again in Jan due to my band slipping.  I was worried I was going to loose my band - and I honestly didn't want to gain any weight back.  But I'm lucky and my doctor was able to fix it.  I am three weeks out now and feel good - I go back tomorrow to move on to mushy food I hope and see what my weight has done. My husband has gastric bypass - he lost alot of weight really fast and feels much better now.  But I notice he has started to eat more and put on a few pounds.  I keep telling him to slow down on the soda!! For me the band was the way to go because the weight loss is much slower and there is always restriction - that feeling of full won't go away because the doctor can adjust the band with fills. Good luck to you!

Tonight, at Newton Wellesley Hospital's Allen C Riddle building my friends will give a testimonial speech on how their RNY surgery has gone since last summer. Both of them were patients of Chesnut Surgical. He had Dr Pablo Gazmuri, and recommended him to me. His wife had Dr Sheila Partridge, who is also an excellent surgeon. I had not pain at all. I was up and walking the halls that night. I was walking early in the morning the next day. I was walking and walking. Dr Partridge told me that she was in the operating room with me. I was glad to have her as well as my surgeon to ask questions. So, tonight, drive down Rt 16 to the NWH. At 6PM...you should see a room full of people all wanting to be healthier! There to learn about weight loss surgery. Linda

I love my surgeon Dr. Hutter out of MGH in Boston.  You would need a refer from your pcp first and then you can schedule an appt to meet with the doctors. www.weightcenter.org