Newbie with questions

[Guest guest]

Hi All:

Been lurking around this group for awhile, just started to seriously

consider DS as an option for me. A lot of my questions have been

answered just by hanging out and reading your posts and replys.

Thanks!

1. I live on the SF peninsula and have to get a new PCP since my old

one is no longer in an affiliated medical group. I have Blue Shield

POS (Point of Service). Can anyone recommend a " DS friendly "

physician in the Brown and Toland Medical Group? I'd prefer a female

doc, but will consider anyone at this point.

2. I'm thinking of contacting Dr. Rabkin, as I have read a lot of

good things about him here. If anyone else with BS POS and Dr. Rabkin

has been " switched " , can you give me an estimated out-of-wallet cost

for the procedure, surgeon's fees, program fee, hospital stay,

consults, tests, you name it. I'm also worried about how much work I

may miss. Is 4 weeks reasonable? Longer? Has anyone gone on

disability while they've recuperated?

3. Since I'm only 24 and want to have kids someday (NOT SOON, but

someday), I'm worried about the malabsorption part of the procedure

and its effect on a pregnancy. Has anyone here had kids after their

DS op? Did you have to do anything differently? Is there a difference

in a pregnancy with a 100cm common channel vs a 50 cm?

Thanks for all your help!