Anyone used Great Lake Weight Loss/Detroit?

vkcse03 · 05-22-2008, 09:03 PM

Anyone banded by Dr Laker of Great Lake Weight Loss in Detroit? What was your experience? Good? Bad?

danyel723 · 05-22-2008, 09:39 PM

I was banded on April 30th by Dr.Webber at great lakes weightloss center. I was very pleased with my experience. They do the surgery at Harper in Detroit. The pre-op nurse that I had was a bit much but all of the other nurses were great.

Are you in the Detroit area?
Good luck with your decision !!

vkcse03 · 05-22-2008, 09:56 PM

Yes, I'm in the Detroit area (Rochester). I have an appt for a dr consult next week. I'm keeping my fingers cross that I will be eligible. BMI=34. How are you doing w/ the band? Is it as you expected? How's your weight loss coming along? Sorry, so many questions. Just nice to comunicate w/ someone local.

nmh0604 · 05-22-2008, 10:16 PM

I am being banded by Dr. Laker on 6/2/08. I really liked him and the office staff. I am paying out of pocket and went through surgeryloans.com for financing. I am from the west side of michigan and went to a huge facility on Grand Rapids and was not as impressed as with Great Lakes. If you have any questions e-mail me.

vkcse03 · 05-22-2008, 10:29 PM

I'm also electing self-pay. How long was it between your dr consult and your surgery date? I'm rushing to get in before the end of the month so that I can qualify for the $9900 price special. Are you excited or nervous? Do you know if Dr Laker have a strict criteria for elgibilities? I was researching Beaumont and their prices was outrageous! I just happen to run across Great Lakes' web page by accident and was so happy that I did.

nmh0604 · 05-22-2008, 11:11 PM

I went to the seminar in Nov. and met with Dr. Laker about a week later. If you are self paying you can set the date asap. They offered me the next week, but due to work I couldn't do it. So I set it for a month later. Then I freaked out and canceled. I was on the internet the first of may and found out they lowered the price. So I took the leap. I was told that as long as the payment or financing was made by the end of may you could set the surgery date anytime and qulify for the lower price. I am really excited I have been on the liquid diet and have already lost 10 pounds. I really suggest the adkins shakes they have higher protein and less carbs. For self pay Dr. Laker doen'y have a lot of hard criteria but your BMI has to be a higher then a certain number (Ican't remeber the number). Mine is 50 so thre was no problem. Also, don't let the office and waiting room scare you, (my mom and I thought that we were in the ER at Harper and not a doctors office), The staff and Dr. Laker are great. He spent about 35 minutes with me the first visit. he went over my med history and diet and eating habits. I had my mom with me so she wasable to fill in info that I forgot.

vkcse03 · 05-23-2008, 09:39 AM

Thanks for the info. My BMI is 34 w/ no other health issues. Ever since I attended the seminar and set my mind to doing this, I've not had a good night sleep since. Too much thinking...I'm hoping that since I don't need to finance the money that they could book me in mid June, once my son is out of school. What does the pre-op diet consist of? Thanks for the Adkins shake suggestions. I'll make sure to stock up on it.

danyel723 · 05-23-2008, 03:17 PM

I am doing great! It has been 4 weeks and I have lost 20lbs. I go for my first fill on the 13th of June. I live right downtown Detroit so I am only about a mile from the hospital. I think my bmi was 35 at my consult.
I called to set up my consult and got in the next week and the following week I was having my surgery.
I am finally on regular food now, but I am still trying to only about 1/2 cup at a time. which I will prob try doing till I get my fill.
I am more than happy that I made this decision. I still have some pain in my port area, which I believe is to be expected for a while.
Good luck to everyone!! Let me know how things are going.

nmh0604 · 05-25-2008, 09:19 PM

If you e-mail me I will send you the pre and post op information the Great lakes e-mailed me. nmh0604@hotmail.com. Just put in something in the subject line about lap band so I don't earse it.

vkcse03 · 05-25-2008, 11:14 PM

Thanks! I just emailed you.

tcl28 · 05-27-2008, 12:11 PM

Hi I am in Rochester Hills and looking for a good self pay surgeon. I read your post - can you give me an update? What is the total cost and were you able to get finanacing? Also, I think my bmi is around 32 - did you find out the cut off number?

vkcse03 · 05-27-2008, 03:28 PM

The cut off number is BMI=30. You can go to their website Greatlakesweightloss.com for more info. I've researched Beaumont and they are really expensive! Great Lake self-pay price is $9,900, but only until the end of this month. You'll have to put down a deposit of $500 right away if you are serious. You'll have to attend a free seminar before you could schedule an appt w/ the dr.

I'm not using any financing so I'm hoping to have the procedure done quickly. I have my consultation tomorrow morning. I'll let you know if the dr is strict on his criteria (post a reminder for me if I don't get back w/ you). If you go to their web site, they will have a list of places where you can obtain financing.

Great Lakes is the cheapest self-pay wls place in MI. So far I've only heard good things about them. Plus the surgery is perform at Harper Hospital so I'm feeling good about the whole thing. Let me know if you have any other questions. Rochester Hills? You're probably down the street from me:-)!

vkcse03 · 05-29-2008, 09:36 PM

Hello to the locals (Detroiters)! I had my dr consult yesterday and was approved (yea!) I was actually surprised to how easy it was. I know I'm self pay and all but he did not even ask me about my dieting history. He looked at my BMI and went over my medical history and that's it.

Danyel723: Was your band filled during surgery? The dr told me that he was going to put in the band empty. Did you have feel hungry at all during that first 6 weeks? Did you have to do the pre-op diet?

Nmh0604: Good Luck on your 6/2 surgery. I'll be right behind you on 6/6. Did you have to do the pre-op diet too?

I was told by dr laker that since I'm consider "small" (first time i've been called small in a long time

) I did not have to be on a pre-op diet!! I'm so glad!!

danyel723 · 05-29-2008, 10:11 PM

I don't believe that my band was filled. I am yet to get a fill, I am scheduled for one on the 13th of June. I am now on solid foods but I don't eat as much as I used to and I get full very fast.
My doctor told me the day of surgery that this should go nice and easy cause I was skinny....hehe. The first time in my life I was called skinny. I love it.
Good luck with everything, let me know how things go
danyel

vkcse03 · 05-29-2008, 10:24 PM

I'm so glad that you had a good expierence. I really should stop reading all these negative blogs, it's making me nervous for no reason.