I had my surgery at Duke and live here near RDU. Anyone else??
I am in Randolph county. Planning a surgery at Duke with Dr. Yoo.
Hello, I don't really live near you, but due to my husband's insurance change I will have to come to Duke for my procedure because the weight loss surgeries are not done locally. Do you like your surgeon and how was your experience? I do not have an appointment yet, but did fill out my forms and submitted, so waiting on a call for an appointment. Did it take you long from the first appointment until surgery day? Sorry to bombard you with questions....I hope you don't mind. THanks.
Well, a LOT has to do with your insurance company. Some insurance companies (like Medicare and UHC which my two companies) require a 6 month period where you have to see your doctor - GP is fine (6 contiguous months - no skipped months and you MUST be weighed each time and letters sent to insurance company). If you have this kind of insurance, you will have to wait through this until Duke even considers you (well, they process you at about month 5). By month 5, Duke will have had you see a psychologist to see if you are ready to have the surgery (sometimes you can do this nearer you home) and see a dietician who gives you an idea of what you are facing in your first few weeks, then first first 3 months and so on up to a year. You also will pick your surgery - I chose the duodenal switch because my insurance would pay for that and it has excellent results. Only Dr Ranjan Sudan at Duke does this and I really did like him - he's quiet but will answer any questions until you are satisfied. Now here is the fly in the ointment for me - I went under anesthesia I was expecting to wake up with a DS but due to complications from previous surgeries (a gallbladder where the mesh had stuck to the intestines) and so, I woke up with part one of a DS which is a Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy (which my insuraqnce companies are refusing to pay for - Grrrr).
So over-all I started in July 2011 and my surgery date was 2/23/2012. People who had various BC/BS policies got scheduled within a month of application.
My best hint if you haven't been to this website is to go also to obesityhelp which has great links and explanations of all the surgeries, good bulletin boards for all the surgeries, great before and after pics and surgeon reviews.
Hello, I am just starting my journey. live in Kinston, NC. I too am going to Duke. Dr. Sudan is my doctor. I had my first appointment with him last week. But because my insurance is Medicare and Tricare for Life I have to wait for 6 months. That was a big disappointment when I found that out. But taking this time to learn all I can. I didn't have a choice as to my surgeon. In 2011 I had a liver transplant at Duke. The only way my doctors there would agree for me to have the surgery was if I had it at Duke as well. And if Dr. Ranjan Sudan was my surgeon. Because his wife Dr. Debra Sudan, was one of my liver transplant surgeons. I am looking forward to the next 6 months passing fast.
I'm in Jacksonville and I had my surgery at Womack Army Med-- My husband is active duty and I had a great experience. There was a little breath holding right at the end due to some sequestration problems, but thankfully everything went through just fine. Naval Hospital does not have a bariatric program-- but the Army does! Woohoo.
I'm in the Southern Piedmont. I'm an hour from Charlotte and an hour from Greensboro! Hi all!
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I am now stalled out in my weight loss - it is SO frustrating. I know a large part of it is me and I take full respinsibility for slipping in my eating patterns. I have changed psychiatric medications to try to help my depression and both of the ones he put me on have the side effect of weight gain <sigh>. And physical issues with my knee (considering a knee replacement) and so I switched to swimming and tore a rotator cuff in one shoulder which they tried to repair and failed. So I have been reduced to pool walking.
And at the suggestion of my shrink, I signed back up with some support groups. If you haven't looked at Meetup.com for local groups. I will try the Getting Back on Track class and the over-all class at Health Park.
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