More fun Questions!!!! LOL

[Guest guest]

Ok, so now I have a whole new set of questions now

that I KNOW that I want the DS, and now that I know

that the scaring isn't all that bad, I don't obsess

about it being LAP. I also read some arguments that

for EXTREMELY obese, which I am or at least I think so

lol (BMI 55+), the LAP is a dangerous procedure. Not

that most people will have problems with it. Just

that it's more risky. And frankly, I have scars

elsewhere on my body I don't know what I was worried

about. So, anyway, now I am doing DIFFERENT research.

Here are my next set of questions, you guys have been

so great.

Ok, so I called my insurance agency today (BCBS HMO

Illinois) and they said as long as I have a referral

to a surgeon that is out of state from my PCP, they

don't question it in the LEAST and EVERYTHING is paid

100%. Sooooooooooo, I liked that answer. HOWEVER, as

I stated in my previous post, my PCP isn't very

knowledgable about the surgeries, she thought there

was only one type of WLS that was legal in the US.

So, in case I run into snags here... This leads to my

questions:

1) Those of you in IL

a) Is there a support group already together in the

chicago area?

Who was your PCP? My insurance lists just about

every doctor in IL on their provider list and if one

of you already had a PCP that is familiar with the

procedure, I may just switch to them right of the bat

to speed things along.

2) Have any of you gone to the surgeon in MN his name

is Henry Buchwald? My parents live outside

Minneapolis, and this would be ideal for me. But I

haven't ever heard his name mentioned so I don't know

how he is etc. If someone has if you could let me

know that would be great!

3) Of those of you that have had the Open DS how many

of you have had problems with Hernias? (sp?)

4) Does anyone know of a site or a resource I could

get with a complete listing of Comorbidities? That

way I could use it almost like a check list to provide

my current or new PCP with a list of things that have

happened in MY family and that I have specifically?

Thanks again for all of your help! I really really

appreciate you all helping me make the biggest

decision I have ever had to make.

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