most of you know me by now...
I just had a revision from an RNY to a DS two weeks ago. I went with Dr. Keshishian in Glendale, CA.
I was worried about the surgery, too. I am a mom with two little girls - sans the wonderful husband. My kids were worried about me, too. I weighed 264, do not have heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, etc. I was a low surgery risk. Talk yourself through it.
I have heard good things about Dr. Greenbaum. Before I settled on Dr. K, I was talking to another surgeon (in Brazil) who suggested a distal RNY and I took him off my list of potential surgeons. I needed to be 100% confident going into surgery.
Maybe you should look into Dr. Gagner in Montreal. He has a great reputation and he is the lowest cost surgeon I've found.
dawn
I was worried about the surgery, too. I am a mom with two little girls - sans the wonderful husband. My kids were worried about me, too. I weighed 264, do not have heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, etc. I was a low surgery risk. Talk yourself through it.
I have heard good things about Dr. Greenbaum. Before I settled on Dr. K, I was talking to another surgeon (in Brazil) who suggested a distal RNY and I took him off my list of potential surgeons. I needed to be 100% confident going into surgery.
Maybe you should look into Dr. Gagner in Montreal. He has a great reputation and he is the lowest cost surgeon I've found.
dawn
My insurance won't cover out of country doctors unfortunately 
It looks like now that he is out of the running I am just not going to do the surgery. I do not have the ability or means to save up $10,000 for surgery and travel costs. Not to mention the follow up visits if I were to have to travel to CA every 6 months to a year.
I am surely not going to just go to Joe Blow that says he can do the revision because he is within my price range and close. I made that mistake the first time. I KNOW what I want this time. I don't want an ERNY (I recognize what it is now by that name) I have read so many horror stories. I don't even know why he would suggest that being as highly regarded as he is.
It looks like now that he is out of the running I am just not going to do the surgery. I do not have the ability or means to save up $10,000 for surgery and travel costs. Not to mention the follow up visits if I were to have to travel to CA every 6 months to a year.I am surely not going to just go to Joe Blow that says he can do the revision because he is within my price range and close. I made that mistake the first time. I KNOW what I want this time. I don't want an ERNY (I recognize what it is now by that name) I have read so many horror stories. I don't even know why he would suggest that being as highly regarded as he is.
I have been following your story for a while here.
Just in case you think otherwise, you would NOT have to travel to California to follow-up with Dr. Rabkin. It's not required. But if you want to go, you certainly can. It's all by phone, or if you are lucky enough to be in Illinois, you can see him almost monthly at our support group meetings.
I hear you on the upfront cost situation...HOWEVER, as I may have told you, Dr. Rabkin is not one of the surgeons who charges a bull**** fee upfront. You are paying his actual surgeon fee upfront, so he is not screwed over by insurance. Once your insurance pays him, he gives you a refund. For example, I paid $8400 to Rabkin ahead of time. Within a month of my DS, he sent me a check for about $6500. So I paid out of pocket, less than $2,000. I knew this all ahead of time because I nagged Paclap and Aetna. Every insurance company and policy is different, you'd have to find out what yours says.
There are also medical loan companies, family members, etc. who might be tapped to get you the money you need to save your life.
My point is, do not let money (or lack of) push you into something you do not want to do. Your kids need a healthy mom. Not a mom who settled for less than she deserved.
Nicolle
Just in case you think otherwise, you would NOT have to travel to California to follow-up with Dr. Rabkin. It's not required. But if you want to go, you certainly can. It's all by phone, or if you are lucky enough to be in Illinois, you can see him almost monthly at our support group meetings.
I hear you on the upfront cost situation...HOWEVER, as I may have told you, Dr. Rabkin is not one of the surgeons who charges a bull**** fee upfront. You are paying his actual surgeon fee upfront, so he is not screwed over by insurance. Once your insurance pays him, he gives you a refund. For example, I paid $8400 to Rabkin ahead of time. Within a month of my DS, he sent me a check for about $6500. So I paid out of pocket, less than $2,000. I knew this all ahead of time because I nagged Paclap and Aetna. Every insurance company and policy is different, you'd have to find out what yours says.
There are also medical loan companies, family members, etc. who might be tapped to get you the money you need to save your life.
My point is, do not let money (or lack of) push you into something you do not want to do. Your kids need a healthy mom. Not a mom who settled for less than she deserved.
Nicolle
I had the kick-butt duodenal switch (DS)!
HW: 344 lbs CW: 150 lbs
Type 2 diabetes and sleep apnea GONE!
Nicole,
Thank you for your advice. I have been denied for the medical loans sadly. On another note, just as sad, I am the one doing the best out of my family right now so asking for money isn't a possibility. I used to work for UHC so I know they can offer a gap exception which means that they would pay an out of network doctor at the in network rate if it is determined there are no other doctors within a reasonable distance that can perform the same surgery. I wll be looking into this and seeing where it gets me. I am due for a tax refund this year and hopefully a bonus from work around Feb or March. If it all comes through I might be able to come up with the money temporarily until my insurance pays for the surgery with the gap exception. I could only do that if I knew I was getting the majority back though so I have a long process of dealing with the insurance company ahead of me.
Thank you for your advice. I have been denied for the medical loans sadly. On another note, just as sad, I am the one doing the best out of my family right now so asking for money isn't a possibility. I used to work for UHC so I know they can offer a gap exception which means that they would pay an out of network doctor at the in network rate if it is determined there are no other doctors within a reasonable distance that can perform the same surgery. I wll be looking into this and seeing where it gets me. I am due for a tax refund this year and hopefully a bonus from work around Feb or March. If it all comes through I might be able to come up with the money temporarily until my insurance pays for the surgery with the gap exception. I could only do that if I knew I was getting the majority back though so I have a long process of dealing with the insurance company ahead of me.
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