GeezerSue

In 1976, my mother told me that if I took my infant daughter from Los Angeles to Wisconsin in the dead of winter, it would KILL the baby, no doubt about it. They really are doing the best they can, and they are trying to deal with their fears. I'll bet most of them have no clue about the band as opposed to the bypass. And, BTW, the baby I took to Wisconsin is pushing 29 and seems to have gotten through the ordeal just fine.

I also received Dolac. But not many and not for long...

I'm an applesauce girl. And, for capsules, Rumbaut said to let them sit on the tongue until the gelatin starts to dissolve and THEN wash it all down with water. And, see if your antibiotics come in liquid form.

I'm devastated with and for you. And I'll cry later. Right now, I'm wondering if your medical insurance would not cover some of the removal. Maybe through Quebbemann or Khalili. Just thinking outloud. Where in the policy does it say it won't cover the medically necessary removal of an implanted device? (I'm trying to save you money for the re-banding, I guess.) Hang in there...I'll call later. Sue

Hi, Lisa! Welcome home. I, too, have been focusing on me. I hope that's normal. I'm glad you're on your way to repair. Kuri is a pro. He charges $175 for the fill, plus the $50 for radiology. But since Jacqui is up north, I still think having Cirangle would be a good move, depending on what is important to her. Kuri practices out of two hospitals--one very basic, one more modern. But neither of them is like an American style teaching hospital, with 24 hour/day specialists in multiple fields. Kuri's bargain rate is, I think, around $8500, and his fancier hospital is closer to $10,000. Some of his fees include hotel...although my last experience at Palacio Azteca was not too pleasing. (A water/sewer issue, with brown Water coming out of the tap in the morning...ugh.) It all depends. I'm not crazy about the commute to Tijuana, but it is doable and kind of a mini-vacation for my husband and me. And he LOVES the stuffed shrimp at Los Arcos. On the other hand, working folks who live in the Los Angeles area complain about the commute to Tijuana, because at best, it takes an entire day. At best. I think I would like it a lot less if I were starting in Roseville. I had to have an unfill for my PS, then I'll need a refill when I'm up to the travel. If I had a local doctor (which I'm going to get in July), I'd be ready for a refill now. Which would be nice, since I'm barely moving and could use help with the weight thing. But now, you're the expert when it comes to the routine when the doctor is far away and you need him NOW. Also, I'm older, and i think the logistics become more important as we age. Sue

Welcome, Jacqui... Rumbaut was my surgeon. But he recommended Cirangle for fills. At this point, I'd feel comfortable with Cirangle. (I've had my band for almost two years, and two years ago Rumbaut had done 1400 bands and few US doctors had done even 50.) If I were getting a band now and lived in Roseville (where some of my loonier friends and family live) I think I'd opt for Cirangle. I've had issues requiring unfilling and refilling and an experienced doctor nearby would have saved me thousands of dollars. Don't tell Rumbaut I said this, because I adore him. But it's a long--and somewhat expensive--way to Monterrey. Roseville to San Francisco would be a dream. Of the two, Rumbaut IS far more experienced. But Cirangle is sufficiently experienced (anything over 50 bands) to have learned his craft. You will easily spend the $2000 difference getting to and from Monterrey, and even there you have to pay about $100 for the flouro for each adjustment and another $100 for each night in the hotel and then there are air fare and meals and taxis, etc. Sue

Francesca, You might want to use the email feature to send Lisa's cell # to Donali and then edit it out of your post. There are weird people lurking everywhere. I have been out of the loop for this entire debacle. Lisa, I hope you are doing well. Sue

Which doctor? Which hospital? Some have many amenities included, some are rather "rustic."

Surgery date is May 27th. I'm so freaking nervous.

Pick out an outfit for your "Before and After Photos."

Hi, guys. I had a couple of good days, and then the On-Q pain relief system was finished doing its job. I'm uncomfortable now and on drugs. My energy level waxes and wanes. I had two relatively sleepless nights. Went to the doctor on Wednesday (six days post-op). He removed some tubes and I had the wound redressed. I had NO lipo and no fat removal, per se. It was just that the hanging panniculus--the "apron of skin"--that hung down is gone. I'm a little swollen right now. And I'm REALLY resenting my stupid Jackson-Pratt drains that are there to allow all the Fluid to collect outside the body. Anyway, my last pill is kicking in. I'm going to go enjoy the magic. Thanks for all the good wishes!

I'm not sure why this is, but with an emptied band, I still cannot eat what I could pre-banding. I get "full" much, much sooner and could NOT finish a restaurant-sized meal if I had to. So, while I have very little restriction relative to when I have a fill, I DO have restriction.

Closer to your side of the continent, Dr. Roberto Rumbaut Diaz in Monterrey, MX, was my choice (much higher BMI) because he had done (back then) over 1400 bands AND because he is a band patient. Besides Dr. Rumbaut, Dr. Sanchez in Monterrey is also very experienced. Follow up is always a hassle whe surgery is done elsewhere. There are others here on the left coast and one in the middle. they are all experienced. And, there's always Europe. Favretti, in Italy; Weiner in Germany; Cardiere (sp?) in Belgium and others. Are you, like me, a big city girl and more comfortable in a big city hospital? Or would you be more comfortable in smaller hospital, with only one or two doctors, but with very attentive staff? Welcome, and what is your pleasure? (My husband is from Perry County.)

Bright, I'm having an abdominoplasty. Not because I'm anywhere near goal, but because I'm old and have had two prior open abdominal surgeries and the little that I have kept off has left me looking like Austrian drapes.

The one in her avatar (whatever THAT means) is of a woman who weighs MUCH more than she does. The photo is lovely, of course, but donali is lovlier. Sue

What Alex said. Especially the part about a milk shake being pretty thick for four days out. If you are bored at four days post-op, there's a pretty good chance you could get REALLY antsy waiting for your first fill. Read around all the old posts to get an idea of what this month (or two) is all about. Sue

I think 1.2 sounds like a good place to start. You know, I'm completely unfilled right now and still can't eat much more than a half a restaurant meal. I'm amazed at how much restriction when I have no saline...

First, yes, yes yes! Then, I SO wish my sister understood this. As soon as her first grandchild was ready to spend the nght at a grandparent's home, she went into Fantasyland. She told herself--and us--that the reason that her son and daughter-in-law leave the baby with the other grandparents is that moms are always more comfortable leaving kids with their own moms. But her son said that there's no way he was going to leave his toddler in his mother's care because his mother has an in-ground swimming pool and can't move as fast as the baby. When he tries to tell her this, she bursts into tears and leaves the room. In her mind, Weight Watchers and Curves are all she needs to do. In the year since she started the combination of the two, I think she's gained ten pounds. In two weeks, she's leaves for a cruise. She has to fly there, and change planes. She is planning on the airlines letting her and her husband "share" two seats. That is, she thinks that because he's skinny, she gets the rest of his seat and all of hers. My sister is about 61" tall and her hips measure in excess of 72"...she is literally a foot bigger around than she is up and down. She needs two seats. Or business class. Or she needs to go to the airport in advance and say, "So what's up with the fitting in the seat thing?" But she's in denial, and will wait and then will burst into tears if the airline does anything that makes reference to her size. And she's mad at me for suggesting it. Sorry to post-jack. Back to your babies. That must have been a scare and yet a relief to know you could do what you had to do. Good work, Mom!

It's not Grossbard...he just got his band. And it's not Rumbaut. But for the life of me I can't remember who it is...senility on my part, I guess.

The Gary person used to post on the Spotlight Board. There were many complaints and reports to Administration and then he wss no longer there. His altruism would have been easier to accept if he had not been soliciting business at the same time. Grossbard (Florida) was banded, about a year ago, I think, by Ortiz (Tijuana). Rumbaut (Monterrey) was banded, several years ago, by Favretti (Italy.) There's another one, too, but it's a good thing I don't remember his name and couldn't post it if I did. Rumor has it he goes to his hotel room and unfills his own band so he can pig out at conferences and the like.

I think she means 2004. I don't know who Dr. Susan* is, but Dr. Gary* is a guy who kept coming to another board, posting "supportive helpful posts," and never forgot to include a link to his site where he could sell you online counseling. He IS NOT a wls patient. I'm just giving y'all a heads up in case he slithers on in to this site. *I think they went to school with Dr. Dan (the Band-Aid Man) and Nurse Nancy. Sorry, but I think that approach is SOOOOO pretentious. It's a clever way of saying, "We'll pretend I'm your friend, THAT'S why we're using my first name; but make sure you use the 'Doctor' title in front of it, just so I get treated with the deference I'm sure I deserve." Bite me.

Yeah...once you have a problem, it increses the chances that you'll have more problems with the next meal...UNLESS YOU TAKE A TIME OUT. If the first round was tough, there is most likely swelling in the area of the stoma, which gives the next bits of food a narrower passageway. Ah! the gross slimy stuff. You've had what I refer to as "A Saliva Incident." That happens when your brain, which hasn't read the band owner's manual, thinks that the food which can't get through the stoma (cuz too much went down too fast and got plugged up) needs help! It sends slime to grease it up and wash it through. Unfortunately that just causes more problems. When the slime doesn't work, the brain next sends the "now it's time to barf" message. All pretty routine.

You look wonderful!

Nancy, Good luck. This works. And if you want to see what you're avoiding, I just posted some links to some good esophagitis images at "that other place" and am too tired to get them right now. Sue

Of course I'm a week away from MY surgery and completely insane. (But the band surgery is a piece of cake. You should be in and out in less than an hour.)