Alikat0409

I figure I am spending about $330 to go back down to TJ for a fill with Dr. Kuri. But does anyone know of a doc here in Northern CA that will do it cheaper under flouro? I checked with Dr. McKeen"s office in San Jose and he is $475 for first one and $375 thereafter for pts who got their band elsewhere. Anyone know of anyone cheaper?

I guess everyone is different because I have a fair amount of restriction without having had my first fill. I am going to get it the first week of March, but I actually have been doing well so far without it. I am even wondering if I need it. I am sorry you are feeling like that. I do think that i have more of a not-hungry feeling than a full feeling as one person stated. I have had a few things that seem harder to eat as well, esp in the morning...bread and Pasta being two of those. I hope you can find a good spot.

$450 for the intial and $375 thereafter if you are not a patient of his.

Hi..I got banded one month ago and have lost almost 20 pounds. I'm not sure what your daughter was doing wrong, but a year and a half to lose any weight is NOT normal. To me that says she was not following the diet and/or getting fills. I am an ER nurse and decided against bypass after seeing all the patients who come in due to complications from it. Chronic abdominal pain, multiple surgeries, drains in place for over a year, ostomy bags, bowel obstructions, I could go on and on. I felt as a nurse I couldnt take that chance. Neither the band or the bypass are guaranteed weight loss cures. They are both TOOLS that are meant to help you lose wieght, but you have to do the work and follow a diet plan. They just make it a little easier to not eat so much. I have seen people with bypass gain ALL their weight back as well. At least with the band you can have it adjusted if you start to gain or slow losing. Our habits are what are killing us and you can lose all the weight and slowly be able to eat more and more thus gaining all the weight back. You will make whatever choice you make in the long run, but I felt the lapband was safer for me.

I hated liquids as well. I felt hungry all the time as it seemed to be going straight through. I cheated and ate soft food two days early and I was so happy. It was nice i ate about 1/2 cup...maybe 2/3 and i was full. I still need to get my brain wrapped around the fact that i dont need as much food cause even tho I am using a small salad plate for dinner I still cant eat all the food I am putting on my plate. LOL...it feels good though.

I went to Mexico as well. Dr. Pedro Kuri. I was banded on the 4th of January and am 2 weeks post op and am very happy so far. I picked Dr. Kuri as I am a nurse and I researched them and decided on him. My decision was even further solidified by the fact that a family friend who is an OR nurse had gone down there and visted her top four choices and decided on him as well after meeting him and seeing the facilities. The Hospital Angeles where he works in Tijauma is immaculate and he has more experience than all the American doctors due to the fact that he has been doing this for 12 years and it hasnt been allowed in the US for nearly that long. He has done almost 5000 procedures. But I am in California and able to fly down to San Diego easily for fills, etc. The previous poster is right. You need to decide if you are going to be able to do that when needed or else find someone closer to you. But I was very happy with my choice in doctors. I do have to say that the doc you are choosing was not even among my top three choices. You might want to reconsider your choice of doctors.

I can't remember how to get to my signature. I got a ticker in there but I dont remember how I did it. I have been to settings and profile and cant find it. Thanks....

LOL I want to know too! I thought maybe it was computer slang for "ProBlems" but it doesnt really make sense in context. Someone fill us in! I am gonna ask my facilitator...LOL.

Hi...I was banded on the 4th and I have had some pain in the area of my port still a bit but not too bad. Bending over is still a challenge, but I am already back to work and feeling pretty darn good.

Hi...I have told everyone and I have had a few negative comments but not too many. I dont think people that are not very overweight understand how it feels and how hard it is to get the weight off. I chose the band as I want a tool to help me not eat so much. Honestly it really doesnt matter what anyone else thinks. When you are thinner, exercising will be easier and you will feel better. Prove them wrong. Oh and i got the ticker at tickerfactory.com Alison

My name is Alison and I am a 45 year old single mom of a three year old. I am an ER nurse. I am being banded on Jan 4th of the New Year in Mexico by Dr. Pedro Kuri and am excited to start the New Year on a different note. Its nice to see so many other people on the same journey as I am...it makes me feel less alone. Good luck to all of you that are having surgery this January with me. We all need to stick together! Alison

I am being banded by Dr. Kuri on January 4th, 2011...one week from today! My BMI is 39 so I was not able to have my Kaiser insurance pay for the surgery and it is too costly in the US to pay out-of-pocket. I researched all the docs as well and came up with Dr. Kuri and Dr. Ortiz being the front runners. I am an ER nurse and I leaned towards Dr. Kuri because he operates out of a state-of-the-art hospital (Hospital Angeles) and not a clinic as Dr. Ortiz does. I also like the fact that Dr. Kuri has done about 5000 bands. I actually feel safer with him doing it than I would with a Kaiser doc who has done alot less of them. My final deciding factor was when I told my mom about my decision and she told me one of her friends who was an OR nurse had gone down and VISITED the top four docs down there, Kuri and Ortiz among them. She decided on Dr. Kuri after meeting each one and seeing the facilities. She said the Hospital Angeles was cleaner than most American hospitals and the surgeons used exceptional sterile technique. She was very impressed. She had her surgery done there four years ago and has done really well. So I feel very confident about my decision and will be on my way down Monday morning of next week. I have seen so many of the people banded saying "I only wish I had done this years ago". I dont want that to be me. I am gonna take charge of my life now! I wish you all the best! Hope to see you on the other-thinner-side soon ~ Alison