Surgeon Search- continued....

Thanks for the replies to my previous posting! I have found a facility with 2 very experienced surgeons, not in Portland, but in Kirkland, Wa. (about 190 miles north of my home, and just outside Seattle, Wa.) who are covered by my ins. carrier, United Healthcare- EPO. I have scheduled a time to attend a seminar,(2/11/04) and they tell me they will schedule a surgery date to be w/in 2 to 3 weeks of the seminar date. That's fast ! Please believe me when I say I am NOT going into this with rose colored glasses, or uninformed. This is not the first time I have tried to get WLS approved by my carrier. It has been a long process. Also I have a medical background, so that's an obvious advantage in that I know the risks of surgery, understand the procedures and know how to get the REAL skinny (no pun intended) on the facility and doctors. I have arranged to take the day off to be able to attend the seminar, and am very excited. More later. Any info anyone has on the Evergreen Bariatric Surgical Center, Kirkland, Wash. or surgeons: Dr Clinch or Dr Lauter would be welcome info. Debby

BE CAREFUL. THERE ARE MANY BARIATRIC CLINICS WHO WILL DO THE SURGERY AT THE DROP OF A HAT. OTHERS, MAKE YOU WORK FOR IT. I BELIEVE THE ONES WHO MAKE YOU WORK FOR IT, ARE MUCH MORE RELIABLE, AND NOT JUST IN IT FOR THE MONEY. I HAVE HEARD HORROR STORIES FO THESE DOCTORS. I RECOMEND DR. PATTERSON'S OFFICE, INT HE OREGON CLINIC, PORTLAND OR. ALTHOUGH I HAVE NOT YET HAD THE SURGERY, THEY HAVE BEEN GREAT. THEY ARE NOT IN A BIG HURRY, BUT TAKE EVERY PRECATION. GOOD LUCK.

So are you saying that you have heard horror stories about Dr Clinch and Dr Lauter? Or just about surgeons who ok WLS quickly and without a long process to follow before surgery? I am going to the Seminar at Evergreen Bariatric Surgical Center on Wednesday, 2/11/04. I am also going for a consultation earlier the same day with Dr. Lauter.....If there's something I should know about either of these surgeons please let me know a.s.a.p. ........ Wednesday is only around the corner, today being Sunday..... Debby