Suggested Reading and Tips for People Considering Bariatric Surgery

1) Laparoscopic Adjustable Gastric Banding – Achieving Permanent Weight Loss With Minimally Invasive Surgery by Jessi H. Ahroni, Ph.D., ARNP (iUniverse, $13.95): A very informative paperback written in a down-to-earth, approachable style by a woman who is both a certified family nurse practitioner and a successful Lap-Band patient.

Fighting Weight by Khaliah Ali, Dr. George Fielding, Dr. Christine Ren, and Lawrence Lindner (HarperCollins, $22.95): Ali is not the ballroom-dancing boxer; she's yet another of Muhammad Ali's elegant, articulate daughters. Anecdotes from her painful personal story are interspersed with solid medical information from surgeon Fielding, himself a successful Lap-Band patient. Their success stories are inspirational.

2) OH Magazine and ObesityHelp.com: Both the website and the new print magazine offer a world of helpful information for pre- and postoperative bariatric patients. Everything from surgeons and support groups in your area to features about post-weight-loss plastic surgeries.

3) Several surgery practices in both San Antonio and Austin now specialize in bariatric procedures and offer free seminars throughout the year. These presentations provide good opportunities to meet different surgeons, but remember that they are basically sales seminars – all the information will be pretty positive. Do some research beforehand, and go prepared with a list of questions. (A good example here: It turned out the first surgeon I consulted charged a premium price for many things because my body mass index was so high. The second doctor did not. If I'd known to ask about that, I could have saved both time and money.)

4) Both St. David's and Seton hospitals now have bariatric coordinator offices and offer standard rates. Shop around for the best deal for you, especially if you are paying out of pocket.

5) Even if your insurance company doesn't pay for weight-loss surgery, some of the preoperative testing can be ordered by a helpful primary-care physician.

6) Prepaying some things such as the anesthesiologist's fee can get you discounts.

7) Ask how much follow-up care and how many band adjustments will be covered by your surgeon's fee.

8) Talk to people who have had both surgeries. Look for support groups online and in person.

9) Choose a surgeon with lots of experience doing bariatric procedures who is willing to share information on successes as well as dry runs and morbidity rates.

10) I'm told it's much cheaper to have these surgeries in Mexico, but the people I've spoken with who have done so got little or no preoperative counseling or testing and have had to find a doctor here in Texas to perform their adjustments.