Hi im new to the group ???

[southernlady]

Okay, as much as I do not care for Williams myself, He DOES do the DS and takes medicare/TN medicaid. His partner, Dr. Boyce, trained under Dr. Smith out of Atlanta. And Williams has trained under Boyce. Boyce was my surgeon and is excellent. And I know they handle the SSMO.

They are located in Knoxville, TN.

It might be worth asking if he would also accept FL medicaid.

Contact info:
Tennova Center for Surgical Weight Loss
10820 Parkside Drive, Knoxville, TN 37934
[P] (865) 694-9676

 

[Elizabeth N.]

I'll bet money that Smith in GA won't touch you with a ten foot pole. Unfortunately, he cherry-picks his patients, and I cannot imagine him treating someone with a BMI as high as yours. The practice to which Southernlady refers sucks in every possible way EXCEPT for having good surgeons. So if you can get to them, you'll at least have a chance of getting a highly skilled surgeon. Just ignore all the diet and supplement advice and get that stuff from real DSers. (Well, don't ignore the immediate postop diet progression stuff, but that's different.)

FWIW, we ALL are or were fatties. I started at 400 lbs., too. So lose the attitude about your size, along with the rest of the attitude issues.

 

[Tawanna Atkinson]

I'll bet money that Smith in GA won't touch you with a ten foot pole. Unfortunately, he cherry-picks his patients, and I cannot imagine him treating someone with a BMI as high as yours. The practice to which Southernlady refers sucks in every possible way EXCEPT for having good surgeons. So if you can get to them, you'll at least have a chance of getting a highly skilled surgeon. Just ignore all the diet and supplement advice and get that stuff from real DSers. (Well, don't ignore the immediate postop diet progression stuff, but that's different.)

FWIW, we ALL are or were fatties. I started at 400 lbs., too. So lose the attitude about your size, along with the rest of the attitude issues.

Thank u, Elizabeth. Attitude is gonna I just want to learn from the best

 

[Tawanna Atkinson]

Even with FL Medicaid, you may be able to argue that there is no surgeon in-state who is experienced and qualified enough to be your surgeon, due to your size and high surgical risk. I think Dennis Smith in GA might be OK and I know he takes Medicare (or did - and I realize state Medicaid is different than federal Medicare, but he might be cooperative, but you could at least check out whether he would cooperate with FL Medicaid).

Failing that, I really think I would rather go to unproven Jawad, than Hoddinott. But I REALLY wouldn't want to use either of them. I would BET you would not end up with a proper DS.

I will check it out about dr smith in. Ga.

 

[Tawanna Atkinson]

I just spoke with them they are only in network with unitedhealth. Fl medicaid

 

[Larra]

Try contacting the guys in TN, that would be the next closest to you, I think. If they don't pan out, try Dr. Ayoola in Denten TX or even Dr. Greenbaum in NJ, depending on what direction you want to travel, maybe where you have family, etc. It's unfortunate that there are no experienced DS surgeons in your state, but this is a reality many people fact. Keep on trying.

 

[Terri]

Thank u, Elizabeth. Attitude is gonna I just want to learn from the best

You are in the right place! They know so much and remember it seems like everything. I swear they have computers for brains. Also pretty sure some of them are like 100 years old. Lol

 

[Sheanie]

@Tawanna Atkinson , I had to drive 3.5 hours one way to my surgeon. On the way, I passed at least two gastric bypass surgeons. My local hospital does the sleeve and bypass. In total, I probably drove the 3.5 hour one-way trip 10 times. I don't go there anymore, I'm over 4 years out from surgery now. I found a really excellent, young, new MD in my town who actually KNEW about the DS before my first appointment with him. My previous doctor was an idiot who kept calling my surgery "that bypass" and still, after 4 years, couldn't understand dry fat soluble vitamins, let alone the "parathyroid connection" that vitamin D and calcium have.

I will give you credit, you didn't know about deleting your post on Facebook. And you dropped the attitude fast. Now learn all you can about your future lab tests, fat soluble vitamins you'll be on for life, and BACON. Did I mention bacon? I DO hope you're not a vegetarian. Because that would be a real shame.

 

[Spiky Bugger]

@Tawanna Atkinson , I had to drive 3.5 hours one way to my surgeon. On the way, I passed at least two gastric bypass surgeons. My local hospital does the sleeve and bypass. In total, I probably drove the 3.5 hour one-way trip 10 times. I don't go there anymore, I'm over 4 years out from surgery now. I found a really excellent, young, new MD in my town who actually KNEW about the DS before my first appointment with him. My previous doctor was an idiot who kept calling my surgery "that bypass" and still, after 4 years, couldn't understand dry fat soluble vitamins, let alone the "parathyroid connection" that vitamin D and calcium have.

I will give you credit, you didn't know about deleting your post on Facebook. And you dropped the attitude fast. Now learn all you can about your future lab tests, fat soluble vitamins you'll be on for life, and BACON. Did I mention bacon? I DO hope you're not a vegetarian. Because that would be a real shame.

My surgeon was also 3.5 hours away. Then he moved closer to me, so I moved away from him.

 

[SHales]

@Tawanna Atkinson I flew over 5000 miles one way to get to my surgeon. I have talked to him on the phone but I haven't seen him since 2005.

 

[Terri]

Mine is almost 4 hours away. I have made 3 trips so far and will probably make 3-4 more. That includes surgery and follow-up. There are 4 surgeons within 15 minutes from me and others that are 2 hours away. Some don't do the DS and none of them are surgeons experienced in the DS. So I made the choice to drive more for the experienced surgeon. I look at it like my life depends on it, so the extra time and distance are worth it.

 

[Tawanna Atkinson]

I agree the problem that I'm running into is that I have fl medicaid and I was told fl medicaid can't cross over state lines

 

[SHales]

I agree the problem that I'm running into is that I have fl medicaid and I was told fl medicaid can't cross over state lines

If you can prove that there are no qualified surgeons in FL, you may have a case for them to pay out of state. Go back to Diana Cox's post. Diana and Larra have tons of experience making various insurance companies pay.

 

[Munchkin]

Welcome Tawanna. You sure did get broken in fast. My dear, we are all current or former fatties. You are bigger than some and smaller than others but just like us, you are a fattie too. I too would take Jawad over that other person and that should tell you something. I also believe you can make a case to go out of state if there are no experienced surgeons in your state.

Dsers can't be doormats. They have to be strong and assertive when dealing with those medical people who are only too quick to tell you they know what's best. Even if they don't have the slightest idea about our remodeled physiology.

 

[Tawanna Atkinson]

Thank you I am willing to listen the only thing is I have fl medicaid and I no that I can't get a surgeon out ga.,

Dr. Smith out of ga. Doesn't take florida medicaid (staywell). I was told that I have to stay within my state!