A first visit for Lap-Band care in Rancho Cucamonga is a consultation with Dr. Davtyan to review your history, examine you, and talk through your options. If you already have a band, the focus is how it is working now. If you are considering weight-loss treatment, the focus is whether you are a candidate and which approach fits. The first consultation is complimentary.
Booking the visit
Call the office at 909-355-2525, or send a request through the contact page and choose whether you want a call, a text, or an email back. Spanish is spoken. When you book, it helps to say which of these describes you:
- You have a band and want a fill, an unfill, or a check.
- Your band was placed by another surgeon or outside the United States.
- You have a band problem such as reflux, food sticking, or weight regain.
- You are thinking about removal or conversion.
- You do not have a band and are exploring weight-loss options.
The practice works with PPO and HMO plans that allow care with Dr. Davtyan. The office will check your insurance and tell you what to bring. If your band was placed elsewhere, read our guide for transfer patients first.
What happens at the visit
Expect a conversation before anything else: your weight history, past diets and medications, current health conditions, and what you want from treatment. You will be weighed and examined.
If you have a band, the exam includes your abdomen and port site, and your surgeon will ask about hunger between meals, portion size, food sticking, heartburn, and night cough. The FDA labeling says that before any fill, the surgeon should review your total band volume and recent adjustments, and it describes tests such as an upper GI x-ray when a slip or an enlarged pouch is suspected. Fills at the Rancho Cucamonga office are done under x-ray guidance; whether any other imaging happens on the same day is something the office will confirm.
If you are considering surgery, the visit covers candidacy. The 2022 ASMBS and IFSO guidelines recommend metabolic and bariatric surgery for people with a body mass index (BMI) of 35 or more, and say it should be considered at a BMI of 30 to 34.9 with metabolic disease such as type 2 diabetes. For the Lap-Band device itself, the FDA-approved indication is adults with a BMI of at least 40, or at least 30 with one or more obesity-related conditions, who have not succeeded with supervised diet, exercise and behavior programs. Our page on weight-loss surgery candidacy explains more.
What to bring
- Photo ID and your insurance card.
- A list of every medicine and supplement you take, with doses. Include any GLP-1 medication such as Wegovy, Zepbound, Ozempic or Mounjaro.
- Your main health conditions and past operations, especially any stomach, hernia or reflux surgery.
- For band patients: the operative report, band brand and size, fill history, and any upper GI or endoscopy reports.
- Recent lab results and notes from your primary care doctor, if you have them.
- A short list of your questions.
What usually comes next
For band patients, the next step may be a fill, a test, or a plan to discuss removal or conversion. For people considering surgery, the NIDDK describes a pre-surgery evaluation that typically involves several professionals: a doctor who takes your history, examines you and orders blood tests; a dietitian; a psychologist or psychiatrist who assesses whether you are ready for the changes surgery brings; and the surgeon. The FDA labeling for the Lap-Band also says a patient's emotional and psychological stability should be evaluated before surgery. Insurance approval, if needed, often runs alongside these steps.
Not everyone who comes in ends up having surgery. The practice also offers gastric balloon and medical weight loss with GLP-1 medications. Our comparison of weight-loss options sets them side by side.
Frequently asked questions
Is the first consultation really free?
Yes, the first consultation is complimentary. If you decide to go ahead with a fill, tests, a procedure, or further visits, those are separate, and the office will explain the costs and what your insurance covers before anything is done. Ask about this when you book so there are no surprises on the day.
Can I have the visit in Spanish?
Yes. Spanish is spoken at the office (hablamos español). If you prefer to speak Spanish, mention it when you call so the visit can be planned around it. If you have records from a hospital outside the United States that are in Spanish, bring them as they are, along with any English translations you already have.
Should I stop my weight-loss medication before the first visit?
No. Do not stop or change a prescribed medication on your own before the visit. Bring the name and dose instead, and say how long you have been taking it. If a procedure is planned later, the care team will tell you whether and when any medication needs to be paused, based on your specific plan.
What if I am not sure I want surgery at all?
That is a common reason for a first visit. The consultation is a chance to understand your options, including non-surgical ones, without committing to anything. The NIDDK suggests asking yourself whether you understand what an operation involves, its risks and benefits, and whether you can commit to lifelong follow-up and supplements. Our list of questions to ask a Lap-Band surgeon can help.
Book your first visit with Dr. Davtyan
Dr. David G. Davtyan, MD, FACS, FICS, FASMBS, is a bariatric surgeon trained at the UCLA School of Medicine, and he has a Lap-Band himself. The Rancho Cucamonga office of Davtyan Medical Weight Loss & Wellness is at 8330 Red Oak Street, Suite 201, Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91730; call 909-355-2525 or 877-9-BE-SLIM (877-923-7546). The Rancho Cucamonga Lap-Band guide covers other questions.
Sources
More in the Lap-Band in Rancho Cucamonga guide
Start at the Lap-Band in Rancho Cucamonga page, or go straight to a topic.
Understanding your band
Weighing your options
Getting care in Rancho Cucamonga
