Rejected by local Fill Doctor

[cckcsharp]

I agree that other fill dr.'s are biased against TJ patients. However, most also will not take any patient banded by any other doctor, including patients who have moved within the US, whose doctors have retired or are deceased. It is all about liability; no doc wants to take some other's problem patient and get sued for complications for a surgery they didn't even perfom. Their liability insurance would also skyrocket. I don't like the fact that I have to drive a couple of hours away to get a fill, but I do understand why.

A reality of lapband life.

Personally I don't think it's that they think badly of people who choose to go to Mexico. Think about it. Mexico is their competition and in a big way too. I think the American doc's refuse to do the fills to try and encourage people to stay here in the U.S. and get their surgery. I have read a lot about people afraid to go to mexico only because they were worried they couldn't find anyone to do their after care in the states. Soooo they chose the american doc and paid the higher price. If American docs started doing the fills and after care for mexican banded patients, then I bet tons of people would just rushing off to Mexico and those docs would lose a lot of business. Lets face it, there is definetly a money factor when it comes to weight loss surgery.

Jessica

[BeBe]

Personally I don't think it's that they think badly of people who choose to go to Mexico. Think about it. Mexico is their competition and in a big way too. I think the American doc's refuse to do the fills to try and encourage people to stay here in the U.S. and get their surgery. I have read a lot about people afraid to go to mexico only because they were worried they couldn't find anyone to do their after care in the states. Soooo they chose the american doc and paid the higher price. If American docs started doing the fills and after care for mexican banded patients, then I bet tons of people would just rushing off to Mexico and those docs would lose a lot of business. Lets face it, there is definetly a money factor when it comes to weight loss surgery.

Jessica

I thought doctors took an oath to help people - and that patient care was more important than the almighty dollar. My extra weight was affecting my life and health - and I could never have afforded lap band surgery in the states. Perhaps if docs here charged a reasonable price, we wouldn't have to travel to other countries where health care is more affordable.

[Guest sdejong]

I thought doctors took an oath to help people - and that patient care was more important than the almighty dollar. My extra weight was affecting my life and health - and I could never have afforded lap band surgery in the states. Perhaps if docs here charged a reasonable price, we wouldn't have to travel to other countries where health care is more affordable.

Very well said.... =D>

shy

[lisalisapsl]

Hey Shy,

I got the same thing here,, I checked them out before I went to MX just because I thought I should. I am so close to MX,, but it is still a pain in the hind end none the less. I am sorry that is what happened and I am sure Dr. O would love to hear about it. I hope all is well with you guys. IT IS SOOOO HOT HERE humid!! Well take care.. xo Lisa

[snowbird]

It isn't really a liability issue; it's a greed issue. US doctors are pissed they didn't get the big bucks for your band. Think about it: you have a serious illness and move to another area. Does your doctor say, "no, I won't treat you because you were treated by someone else first" ? Heck no. We are a mobile society, and doctors generally do not refuse to treat anyone who had surgery done by another doctor. What if you lived in Europe and moved to the US? Would a doctor here refuse to treat anyone who had surgery overseas, if it were anything but this?

I bet if you went in with your mother on her next appointment and confronted the doctor himself, you might get a different answer. Good luck.

[BeBe]

I talked to my insurance company about covering fills - and was told rather rudely that they refused to cover any follow ups because going to a foreign doctor was a "slap in the face" to our government. WHAT?!?

If my government had cared about my health enough to cover the surgery I certainly wouldn't have left the country. Heh.

It's totally discrimination, and if the doctor is playing that "liability" card, they are full of ______.

[drlukemayes]

I agree that other fill dr.'s are biased against TJ patients. However, most also will not take any patient banded by any other doctor, including patients who have moved within the US, whose doctors have retired or are deceased. It is all about liability; no doc wants to take some other's problem patient and get sued for complications for a surgery they didn't even perfom. Their liability insurance would also skyrocket. I don't like the fact that I have to drive a couple of hours away to get a fill, but I do understand why.

A reality of lapband life.

I knew b 4 i go my surgery that i would have to drive to pocatello idaho to see a nurse practitioner named Cindy Rice. She was my sisters personal "dr" and she also knew that she did post op fills. She is a fill center usa fill provider but i was referred to her by my sister and she still was willing to take care of me.

on a whim i tried to call a local MD who did one of my patients lap bands and asked if he would be my fill doctor even as a professional courtesy, knowing that i would be glad to pay him, and there office said that they would be glad to fill me untill she realized that i went to Mexico for my surgery. she thought i was moving from another state and all that she wanted was my operative report. She said that it was so that the dr. could tell where my port was placed.

Hello i a have a scar, and it is palpable, and i know where it is. like that really was the reason why. So if you think that they would do it for another doctor as a courtesy think again. When i do my fills i am not concerned with liability because all my fill patients have to sign a consent form and liability waiver, just like i did when i went for my fills in Pocatello. we all (as patients) must take responsibility for our own health and what we allow others to do for us. that being said, MD's are trained to do the surgery and should know plenty of information on how to do a simple fill. I take a minimum of 30-45 minutes with any fill, just because i want to be absolutely certain of what i am doing and give the patient the best possible outcome. And it is NOT rocket science. I truly believe that American MD's will not take foreign patients because they are upset they missed out on a 15-30K surgery.

But as someone else suggested there is still allot of money that can be made doing fills. I personally would never let one of my staff (nurse/chirpractic assitants) trained or not, do any fills. but even if a MD trains a nurse and they are proficient at the fills, would it really hurt them to do it. I am just as confused as any one else.

that is why my friends, i chose to become a fill doctor. Fill Centers has told me that they would have a facility open in a couple of weeks and that was months ago. And i know that with the price of gas and all, that is it rediculous for people to have to drive long distances to get there fills. So i am just as frustrated as everyone else here but there are solutions. Lets get more people trained to do the fills. Talk to your naturepathic doctors, nurse practicsioners, and chiropractors. Make sure it is within the scope of there practice and tell them about the benefits of being trained to do the fills. Just an idea.

Thanks for listening to me ramble on. Hope this helps.

[iamworthit]

This has nothing to do with your post, but I thought I would say anyway. I grew up in Pocatello, Idaho. I hadn't heard that city mentioned in a long time. I have fond memories of Pocatello, but I haven't been back in over 25 years....

Anyway, I agree with your assessment as to why dr.'s in the U.S. do not perform fills on patients who got their surgery in Mexico. There is money to be made in the fills, that is for sure; I have a feeling the number of physicians willing to fill patients will increase, not decrease as time goes on.

Congratulations on your weight loss. You have done really well. I hope to be in the same boat over the next couple of months.

Have a great one!

[drlukemayes]

I agree that other fill dr.'s are biased against TJ patients. However, most also will not take any patient banded by any other doctor, including patients who have moved within the US, whose doctors have retired or are deceased. It is all about liability; no doc wants to take some other's problem patient and get sued for complications for a surgery they didn't even perfom. Their liability insurance would also skyrocket. I don't like the fact that I have to drive a couple of hours away to get a fill, but I do understand why.

A reality of lapband life.

I knew b 4 i go my surgery that i would have to drive to pocatello idaho to see a nurse practitioner named Cindy Rice. She was my sisters personal "dr" and she also knew that she did post op fills. She is a fill center usa fill provider but i was referred to her by my sister and she still was willing to take care of me.

on a whim i tried to call a local MD who did one of my patients lap bands and asked if he would be my fill doctor even as a professional courtesy, knowing that i would be glad to pay him, and there office said that they would be glad to fill me untill she realized that i went to Mexico for my surgery. she thought i was moving from another state and all that she wanted was my operative report. She said that it was so that the dr. could tell where my port was placed.

Hello i a have a scar, and it is palpable, and i know where it is. like that really was the reason why. So if you think that they would do it for another doctor as a courtesy think again. When i do my fills i am not concerned with liability because all my fill patients have to sign a consent form and liability waiver, just like i did when i went for my fills in Pocatello. we all (as patients) must take responsibility for our own health and what we allow others to do for us. that being said, MD's are trained to do the surgery and should know plenty of information on how to do a simple fill. I take a minimum of 30-45 minutes with any fill, just because i want to be absolutely certain of what i am doing and give the patient the best possible outcome. And it is NOT rocket science. I truly believe that American MD's will not take foreign patients because they are upset they missed out on a 15-30K surgery.

But as someone else suggested there is still allot of money that can be made doing fills. I personally would never let one of my staff (nurse/chirpractic assitants) trained or not, do any fills. but even if a MD trains a nurse and they are proficient at the fills, would it really hurt them to do it. I am just as confused as any one else.

that is why my friends, i chose to become a fill doctor. Fill Centers has told me that they would have a facility open in a couple of weeks and that was months ago. And i know that with the price of gas and all, that is it rediculous for people to have to drive long distances to get there fills. So i am just as frustrated as everyone else here but there are solutions. Lets get more people trained to do the fills. Talk to your naturepathic doctors, nurse practicsioners, and chiropractors. Make sure it is within the scope of there practice and tell them about the benefits of being trained to do the fills. Just an idea.

Thanks for listening to me ramble on. Hope this helps.