FOLLOW UP APPOINTMENTS!!

Looks like I am going to be a self pay!! My question to all of you that have went south of the border, how and where did you find some one to take you in for any follow ups after you came home???? I appreciate any comments and help that you all have to offer me... Best wishes... Connie

Connie, I am sure everyone is different. What I did, was initially I looked on here, and got all my baratric surgeons locally. I was going to call each of them and asked if they would follow me up. I ended up not going that route, cause I had a pulmonologist here ( small town) that his wife was private pay pt in Dallas. She had RNY. So he is very familier with the routine. I went to him, explained my plans, and concerns. He agreeded to follow me up with my labs and weights and so forth. He has great connections to his wife's surgeon, and groups of gastro doctors if I needed assistance with any of that. He comforted me by saying, he will get me to someone if i needed medical attention, that could not be done in this town or by him. That is the route I took. Many SOB seem to use thier PCP's to follow up with. I can only speak from Dr.Joya, but he is a phone call away, and email. I know he would assist in anything needed. I had a small open wound from surgery, I gave him daily updates on my progress and healing. For sure, I would know which hospital in your area does RNY. If emergancy arises, you would present to that ER. They can not turn you away, and if it indeed is a medical emergancy, revolving around your RNY, you will get a Surgeon that is familier with that. And if you have insurance, for example, if you have relationship with your PCP...and for instance...you get dehydrated, its the way he codes it, and it would covered hospitalization. My doctor reassured me its all about being contructive in your diagnosis. I know his wife worked at the hospital too...and she ended up in hospital twice, for dehydration and thats what they did. Goodluck connie Sandy

What kind of surgery are you looking to have? For the RNY, many of us use our primary care physician. If you are getting a lap band and you need fills, you can find surgeons at http://www.asbs.org/ . Select "find an ASBS member" and enter your zip code. It'll provide a long list for you to look at. Surgeons with "Foll" will follow up on other doctor's patients. -Pam

I had RNY and my PCP is able to follow up because it's primarily lab work and sometimes visits with a nutritionist. If you are having a band, make sure your fill doc will touch a band placed in Mexico, as many will not go near it. There have been several people on this board who went to a fill doc and got sent home once the surgeon found out it was placed in Mexico. Good luck! Bonnie lap rny 6/3/05 264/165/165

Hi Connie, I had to make quite a few calls to locate a follow-up/fill Dr in my area. Some just don't take Mexico patients anymore. Just be sure you find someone before you have the surgery. Good luck. Toots 6 weeks post-op