How is your clinic different? This is a private doctor's office, by appointment, with little or no waiting room time. We don't sell vitamins. We don't require painful shots, we won't starve you, and we don't give every patient the same medication.

How should I choose a weight loss clinic? Click here for a comprehensive guide covering what to look for (and look out for) when choosing a weight loss clinic.
Understand your rights. The Weight-Loss Consumer Bill of Rights should be posted in every clinic room so patients can see it.

How much does it really cost? Medical Weight Management is simple, clear, and honest about your investment. Unlike many other clinics, we comply with Florida Law (Weight Loss Consumer Bill of Rights) requiring ALL fees be disclosed in advance:

 

First Month:	$298
Medications:	$25 - $30 per week, approximately
Lab (blood work):	$118, if done in-house
*Follow-Up:	$230, billed on the fourth week

 

* Sometimes it is necessary to see the doctor before that 4th week, to adjust medications or discuss side-effects, re-check blood pressure, etc. Those visits are included in the fee. Certain crisis, emergency, or after hours visits will be an additional fee. In general, Dr. Dudney schedules check-ups every two weeks for a few visits until all is well. These early returns are not an additional charge. Later, you can spread your visits, and your fees, to every 8 weeks.

 

Please be alert to these common pricing scams seen elsewhere:

 

"Call for pricing information." -- This is designed to get you on the phone with a commissioned telephone sales rep who tries to lure you in, whether you need it or not.

 

"Start-up fee $270" -- This scam means there is a fee of $270 for day one, and then another fee 7 days later, i.e. $75 again every week, so the true base fee for the first month is 270 (first week) + 75 (second week) + 75 (third week) + 75 (fourth week) = $475 first month plus lab and unneeded supplements and powered protein. Adding in shots and packaged foods, the hidden fees can push $1,000 a month!

 

At our clinic, you will be seen by our Board-Certified MD on every visit. When other clinics say, "You can ask to see the doctor at any time," that is another way of saying, "We do pay a doctor to sit in the back, but medical assistants who are actually commissioned vitamin salespersons will be seeing you on return visits."

What about vitamins, shots, and supplements?With rare exception, you don't need them, so don't waste your money on gimmicks. The usual routine elsewhere seems to be frequent vitamin shots deceptively sold as energy-boosters, fat/lipo-dissolvers, or nutritional support. These are scams (see detailed info on shots) to generate add-on fees of up to $25 each, often requiring as many as three shots per week. (While reviewing charts from patients who transfer from other clinis, we have seen up to $300 a month for unneeded shots!) Protein powders are essentially powdered milk with vitamins. You should spend no more than $10 a month on multivitamins and buy them at the grocery store. Calcium tablets, sold as "special" Calcium Pyruvate, are another gimmick, and recent research shows high dose calcium contributes to calcium plaque in arteries. Don't buy it.

 

See the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's consumer bulletin "Beware of Fraudulent Weight-Loss Dietary Supplements."

What about B-12 shots?Be Cautious: There are no FDA approved "shots" for weight loss. Please see Dr, Dudney's caution on B-12 shots.

Do you accept health insurance? No, we do not accept Medicare, Medicaid, or private insurance. Payment is expected at the time of service. We do accept personal checks and credit cards.

Can I take appetite suppressants in your program? Yes, after medical evaluation, appetite suppressants can be used to reduce hunger and appetite, reduce thoughts of food (aversion), and make you feel more full on smaller portions (satiety). This can greatly increase your ability to stick with the diet. Dr. Dudney will go over the risks of medication and you will be fully informed about the type and strength of any prescribed medication. We dispense about 25 different medications in our clinic. For medications that we do not use daily, you will receive a written prescription for an outside pharmacy.

Do I have to buy food products? No. Although we do occasionally recommend diet bars or liquid protein, most of our patients do not need them. Some cycle off and on when they hit a plateau in their weight loss, and others prefer to count fat grams or avoid carbohydrates. All patients must eat some regular food every day under all our plans, which are not less than 800-1,000 calories per day. Starvation diets are not allowed.

When I drink extra liquids I get puffy. Can I take fluid pills on the program? Yes, if medically safe, we recommend very mild diuretics for the first few weeks of our diets. By eliminating excess fluid, we can more accurately tell when you are losing "real" weight. You will feel more comfortable if edema can be reduced. Diuretics can also be helpful to control blood pressure problems.

What if I have gained weight with antidepressants? Many times Paxil, Zoloft, Prozac, Cymbalta, Effexor, Trazadone, Lexapro and other medications can contribute to weight gain. A lot depends on how long you have been taking the antidepressant, how strong the dosage is, and what were the original target symptoms. Our goal would be to modify the antidepressant so you can lose weight and maintain a stable mood.

 

See our page on the link between anti-depressants and weight gain to learn more about this specialized area of treatment.

What happens on the first visit? You will fill out a medical history form and a dietary questionnaire, have blood tests, a consultation with the doctor, and discuss an eating plan. This usually takes about 45 minutes. Return visits to the doctor are required at 2 week intervals, occasionally more or less often depending on your progress. We know your time is important, and waiting time will be kept to a minimum.

Can I fill out patient forms before arriving for my appointment? Yes, Medical Weight Management encourages printing and filling out the patient forms prior to arrival at the clinic. Print the required forms, fill them out, and bring them with you when you come for your appointment in order to save time. These forms require Adobe Acrobat Reader to view.

Will I gain the weight back? Most patients who adhere to lifestyle changes of exercise and a low-fat diet can keep the weight off. Medications have been shown to be safe and effective for weight maintenance as well as weight loss. We recommend gradual rather than sudden stoppage of medication after you reach your target weight.

What are the risks with remaining over-weight? There are certain risks with remaining over-weight or obese. Among these risks are tendencies for high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, arthritis, and certain cancers. These risks may be modest if you are not very overweight. Even if you don’t need to lose much, the cosmetic and psychological benefits of weight loss can be very rewarding. If you are extremely over-weight (50-100 pounds) a reduction by only 10 percent of your starting weight can reduce your risks of medical complications.

What type of blood tests will be done? Please see additional information on blood tests.

Can my prescriptions be phoned in? No. It has been our experience that phone-in prescriptions are left on pharmacy voice-mail recorders with an unacceptable risk of error. It is also office policy to NOT phone in prescriptions for diet pills, sleeping pills, pain pills, or any controlled substance. Patients must be seen in the office by the doctor for medications.

What else should I know? You should understand that there are many ways and programs to assist you in your desire to lose weight. If you have been discouraged with other programs or if your willpower for calorie counting or food exchange programs has been unsuccessful, a medically supervised program such as ours offers you an option to prevent discouragement and hopeless feelings about your weight. You need to know the success of our program will depend on your efforts and motivation. We cannot guarantee success, as a tendency to be over-weight is a life-long problem, and you will need to continue watching your weight all of your life.

How do I get started? Call us at (813) 873-2036 for an appointment or use our on-line appointment scheduler to reserve a slot. In order to save time, you may print out and complete our patient form before your appointment.

How fast can I lose weight? Of course, results vary from patient to patient, but many have lost 10 pounds in the first two weeks. A more realistic goal is 1 to 2 pounds per week. Slow steady loss works best and is associated with less fatigue, fewer complications and less risk of sagging skin. Semi-starvation diets of less than 800 calories can be unsafe.