jerryg

Denny My wife has decided to have lap band surgery next week with Dr. Ortiz in Tijuana. She's been talking about having lap band surgery for about 4 monthsand since she does not qualify for insurance coverage she has elected to look at Mexico. I would never try to tell you who to go to, you need to do your own research and be comfortable with your decision. But I will tell you that I am happy with my research on this Doctor(he proctored my surgeon) and his cost is $9000. Of course I have to pay for the airlines. One other ineresting thing. We don't have to pay any up front money prior to arrival in Mexico. My wife needs to show up with two checks, one for the hospital, and one for the doctor. If she arrives and changes her mind she can turn around and come home with checks in hand. Good luck in your decision

I've been using a website(scuba diving) that is very similiar in construction to this forum. In the User CP page they allow the addition of a 200kb picture(jpg/gif). The picture is viewable whenever you open a persons profile. Is it possible to add that feature here? The web site is http://www.scubaboard.com/ By the way I really enjoy this web site. The scubaboard website is so popular that it now has 17,000+ members. Thanks a lot for setting it up.

Hello Denny I assume you prefer Denny over Denise since that's how you sign your posts. I have had lap band surgery, but was fortunate/unfortunate enough to have BMI high enough to qualify for insurance. HOWEVER my wife does not qualify for insurance and is looking at having Dr Ortiz in Tijuana perform her surgery. I've used YahooGroups and looked at MexicanBandsters, but really can't find all the info that I need. My wife is somewhat skeptical about having surgery in Mexico. What I've started to do is to look at people who have had surgery from specific Doctors and then write them personal emails. I want to have some very pointed comments on quality, cleanliness, professionalism, etc etc. My wife has tentatively chosen Dr Ortiz because he proctored the Doctor that performed my surgery. If you are interested Dr. Ortiz's web site is obesitycontrolcenter.com

Kendra Congratulations. I sent you an email. Hope you got it, and I am looking forward to you web page. I've wanted to build a web page but other things keep getting in the way.

Nicole Good luck with your goal. I survived 6 months without a fill. At 5 months I hit a plateau and haven't lost anything for 6 weeks. I go in for my first fill tomorrow. So far everything has been great. I'm down 79 lbs and hoping to get the weight loss restarted with this fill.

Go to the top of this page and click on the search button. Type in joya and it will find a few people who have used Dr. Joya. Also you can go to yahoo groups and you will find even more people. My wife is considering lap band surgery and we are also looking at Dr. Joya. Good luck

Welcome Lenny You may be a geezer but I'm a real geezer. Got you beat by six years. I am six months post op and couldn't have made a better decision on how I want to live the rest of my life. Look forward to hearing more from you

donali This website has perhaps the most comprehensive list of Doctors and costs that I've seen. Just in case you can't get to it I've copied the info and attached it below. Please be careful and don't let cost be your ONLY reason for going to any Doctor. Good luck in whatever decision you make Jerry http://64.177.203.230/forum/newreply.php?s=&action=newreply&threadid=493 First Name/State Doctor Date of surgery/ Pounds lost/Complications/Cost Dr. Kuri-Tijuana Teresa – Va Dr. Kuri – Tijuana 1/14/01 30 lbs NC $8500 Christine-CA, Dr. Kuri-Tijuana 1/9/03 69lbs $8500 Amber-CA- Dr. Kuri-Tijuana 07/03/03 20lbs NC Beverly-CA- Dr. Kuri-Tijuana 07/03/03 22lbs NC Also, hernia repair ($1,000) Total for both, including Palacio Azteca hotel 2 nights, meals, tips, taxi fees $17,207.00 Dr. Ortiz- Tijuana http://www.tijuanalapbandcenter.com/obesity2/team/team.htm Susan –WIS Dr. Ortiz-Tijuana 9/21/02 70lbs NC Tom – Newport Beach Dr. Ortiz-Tijuana 2/27/03 52 lbs NC $9995 Liliana- NV Dr. Ortiz-Tijuana 4/15/03 32lb complication $16,000 Sheryl – CA Dr Ortiz, -Tijuana 4/16/03 43 lbs NC $9995 (includes the hotel stay and all transportation) Jane-LA Dr. Ortiz-Tijuana 5/28/03 15lbs NC $9600 Kevin-CA Dr. Ortiz-Tijuana 5/28/03 22lbs NC Joy – CO Dr. Ortiz-Tijuana 6/5/03 NC $9950 Holly Dr. Ortiz 7/24/03 -7 lbs NC $9995 Dr. Jose Rodriguez-Acuna http://www.joseband.com/ Michelle-OR Dr Rodriguez-Acuna 2/12/03 (see note) $8000 Note: 11cm BioEnteric Band (9cc capacity) Deborah-CA Dr Rodriguez-Acuna 2/13/03 22 lb. NC $6500 Marie-CA Dr. Rodriguez-Acuna 3/20/03 22lbs NC $6500 Shauntelle-LA Dr. Rodriguez-Acuna 3/27/03 25 lb NC $6500 Sherry-TX Dr. Rodriguez-Acuna 5/06/03 22lb NC $6500 Bill- OR Dr Rodriquez, Acuna 5/20/03 NC $6500 Julie-FLA Dr. Rodriguez- Acuna, 5/31/03 15lbs NC $6500 Joseph-NM Dr. Rodriguez- Acuna 6/02/03 18lb NC $6500 Kathleen Dr. Rodriguez- Acuna 6/04/03 15lb NC $6500 Grand total was $7035 that included Barbara's services, meds and hotel Monica – LA Rodriguez – Acuna 6/06/03 7 lbs NC $6500 Dr. Joya- Puerto Vallarta Gerald - LA , Dr. Joya-Puerto Vallarta 4/20/02 170lbs. $9000 Kathy-CA Dr. Joya Puerto Vallarta 2/12/03 see notes) $8500 Note: Complications: 4 hour surgery looking for broken needle, abscess on extra 4" incison, major infection, and blood clots in my leg. No special post-op care was given, even though surgery was almost 6 times longer than normal. Diane-WA Dr. Joya ~ Puerto Vallarta 3/4/03 38 lbs NC $9000 Brenda-WA Dr Joya-Puerto Vallarta 5/16/03 NC $9000 included airfare Sandy- WA Dr Joya - Puerto Vallarta $9000 Dr. Rumbaut-Monterrey Thanya G.-MI Dr Rumbaut, Monterrey 7/4/02-98 lbs NC $9500 Barbara-FLA Dr. Rumbaut-Monterrey 7/9/02 75lbs NC $10000 Joan - IL, Dr. Rumbaut-Monterrey11/12/02 77lbs. NC $10000 Amy – NJ Dr. Rumbaut-Monterrey11/29/02 58 lbs. NC $10000 Jean, WA Dr. Rumbaut-Monterrey 4/29/03 33 lbs NC $9600 Kalee-AZ Dr. Rumbaut Monterrey 5/14/03 12 lbs. NC $9600 Note: +$700 airline/hotel/food Lynn- WA Dr. Rumbaut 01/14/03 15lbs NC $10,000 + hotel Dr. Verboonen/Dr. Ponce De Leon-Tijuana Judy-NC Dr. Verboonen/Dr. ponce de leon 3/10/03 40 lbs (see note) after surgery currently having problems with bloating and gas. Suzi-CA Dr. Verboonen-Tijuana 3/22/03 25 lbs NC $8500 (everything included, even airfare) Cecile-CA Dr Ponce de Leon Tijuana 5/20/03 NC$8500 Neyda - FL Dr. Verboonen-Tijuana 7/22/03 17 lbs. NC $8500 ALL inclusive Dr. De La Garza-Puerto Vallarta Sharon Johnson - Dr. de la Garza 12/10/02 38lbsNC $8500 Dr. Sanchez-Monterrey Carol-KS Dr. Sanchez-Monterrey 10/08/99 140lbs (see note) $6500 port flipped at 3 months- correction no problem MJ, PA Dr. Sanchez, Monterrey 1/9/02 -78lbs $9000 included everything but airfare Ardie/Fl. Dr. Sanchez, Monterrey 1/15/03 46lbNC $9970 C. Angela-MI Dr. Sanchez, - Monterrey 5/1/03 15 lbNC $10140 Sue-NC Dr. Sanchez- Monterrey 6/10/03 -17 lbsNC$10190

Hiccups seems to be a common problem in banded folks. It is the first sign that the pouch is filling up and to slow down or quit eating. The next phase is PBing, which you don't want to do. A lot of people who drink carbonated beverages also seem to have trouble with hiccups

I'm 22 weeks post op and have not yet had a fill. However I've reached a plateau, and can eat more than I think I should be capable of eating. I see a fill in the near future. So far I've been very lucky -75 lbs and no fill. It sure is nice to have that little sucker sitting there waiting to help me in my time of need.

Hello and welcome to the board I'm also from Michigan

I can drink anything I want. Beer, pop, lemonade etc. Fortunately I don't often drink beer and sugared pop turns my stomach.