Hello

Hi everyone! I am new to this so I am looking for help. I am trying to decide about having bariatric surgery. Can anyone give me some insite. I am very nervous about it. I have read soooo much good but then read some bad things also. I live in Ohio and I am looking for a doctor that someone could recommend.

Hi Wendy, WElcome to Obesityhelp.com, you will learn soooo much just by reading peoples posts and reading profiles of members. The first place you should start, by all means is "Call your insurance company!!" make sure they will cover it and find out what you will need to do to get approved, if your insurance company has a website, check that out also to see the requirements......so many insurances are different, I have Aetna and only know their requirements.....sorry. BUt first call your insurance company, you can just use the number on your card and make sure you will be covered for the insurance. I'm not exactly sure where you live, but I know if your near OSU, they have a great program, you could call them and request info and an application today to get that started, their number is: 614-293-2888, option 4. You can also ask them about your insurance as well. If you live close to Cinci, I'd say Dr. Curry, I have heard nothing but wonderfull thing about him, and he even posts on this website if you have a problem or question for him, (I wouldv'e used him if I hadn't already started with OSU, but he is also 3 hours from me too :0( I'm awaiting approval but know ALOT of people who has had this surgery and they have said nothing but great things about the surgery....its not a piece of cake, but if your really serious about changing your life, this surgery is the way to go. Good luck in your search for your decision for WLS. If you need any other advise, just email me at [email protected]. Tabitha

Thanks Tabitha. I live about 35 miles east of Cleveland or 20 miles North of Warren, Ohio. My insurance is Medical Mutual. I am very nervous about this.

Wendy, I don't know who practices in the Cleveland area, but you can check this site out, it gives you a list of surgeons in the state of Ohio: http://www.obesityhelp.com/morbidobesity/bariatric+surgeons+in+ohio.html YOu can click on the different docs names and see comments from other patients and how many surgerys each doc does on average. Make sure you click the surgeons name to get info, but go back on the site above and click the number of testimonies to read those too! I went and seen several docs up there take Medical Mutual, its nice, you can click on those patients names and see what they dealt with w/ Medical Mutual. I know your nervous, I'm soooo nervous too, it a big step, but I know for me its the best decision right now for my health and family!! Good Luck!!

Have you had surgery or are you still working towards it? A friend that is trying to talk me out of this just told me she saw in another magazine about another person dying from these surgeries. She is really freaking out over this-making me more nervous also.

I haven't had surgery,but my paper work should be sent to my insurance company this week. You have to remember with any surgery there is going to be risks, it just if the benefits outway the risks, with being overweight, we have a greater chance of developing high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, sleep apnea, high cholesterol, urinary incontience and sooooo many other life threatening illnesses. You may have some of these, I don't know, but if you do then that is more of reason to be approved for surgery. Its a hard decision I know, but you have to weigh the pros and cons and figure whats best for YOU, not your family or friends...believe me they will come around. For me, when I had my last son...Jan 2003(via c-section), I ended up in the hospital one week later with Congestive Heart Failure and 2 Pulmonary Emblisoms(blood clots) to my lungs and being told most don't make it w/ developing these. I never thought I'd make it out of the hospital and watch my baby and my other kids( my husband & I have a total of 6 together) grow up. I was told alot of the reason for the CHF and PE's was me being overweight and not being as active as people that aren't overweight. At that moment I promised I'd so what ever I could to be healthly for my kids and family so I'd be around to see them grow up. I was also told by my PCP(primary care physican) that my chances of developing the above as I get older(I'm 32) increase each year. And I could end up dying at an earlier age from these diseases. SO the decision was pretty easy.........yes I'm scared to death about having surgery again and having a repeat of what happened before, but I know i can develop those things right now just because i"M overeweight...I don't even have to have surgery for that to happen. Just do what i did...research, research, research. You can talk to a surgeon, he will answer every question you have, even how many patients he has lost from the surgery. Usually by the time you even get approved, which can take a year or more sometimes, you will have all the answers to deside if its what you want. But by all means at least get the insurance approval process started.....you can always deside not to have surgery even if approved. I have been trying to get approved since last August!!

This is your decision alone. Its not right that anyone should tell you what to do or think. It is a very big decision . I had mine done last July with the darling Dr.Curry, and I am so happy. I have lost 95lbs and feel like a real person again. I did it for health reasons only and now I am a little concieted lol. Its fun to shop for normal size clothes. I have 25 more to go to reach goal. There are tragedys but more from obesity. I think the bigger you are there can be more complications but so many people have this everyday there has to be more good then bad. Stay on this site and you will feel better about everything/ All anyone here does is help each other. We are all here for you and Dr, Curry is always here too. He is wonderful. Love and good luck, Cindy

ST.VINCENT CHARITY HOSPITAL IN CLEVELAND is the best and DR.BEN MEIR does lap surgery if you qualify he is awesome everyone there is, you should definately research them I am sure you will be impressed. I wish you all the best, Latonya Riley helped me with the insurance part she is amazing. Take care, Cindy

I have just began the process at St. Vincent's with Dr. Ben- Meir and so far I have been very pleased! I would suggest that you go to the free seminar and bring your friend with you so she can get the info too. Maybe it would help her to understand more (I have a couple of these friends too - the amazing thing is now that I have started the process they have become more supportive). Here is their websight http://www.svch.net/bariatric/index.htm The seminar really helped me make my decision. Now insurance is another story. I too have MM and we have not yet sent in for approval but we are almost there and I am keeping my fingers crossed. Call them find out if there is a cap, if it is an exclusion and if not what do you need for precert. Good Luck - Stacey

Thank you Cindy, I have an appointment on monday to go to the seminary in Cleveland. Maybe that will help me with so many questions and worries. A family member who is on the same insurance had the procedur done and they paid for it. I have not checked but I believe they do. Have you had surgery and if so how are you doing?