WASaBubbleButt

I'm not one to call your doc on holidays and such but in this case I think it might be necessary. I'm questioning if he will lower your BP meds. There are some things such as Gatorade that will indeed help somewhat with electrolytes IF that is your problem. If it is that you are losing weight and your BP is coming down, it isn't going to help. When you got your fill, did anyone check your blood pressure? What meds are you taking if you don't mind my asking?

If your appt was canceled because you were ill, that was so you wouldn't expose others to your illness. Yet the very next day you went back but it's okay because they are the MD staff? I'm not sure I understand. Would you clarify please?

There is a long thread on the insurance board for Aetna.

Could you try cleaning up your credit a bit and then perhaps you could get a loan? The interest rates are going to be extremely high otherwise. Some of the Mexican docs used to personally finance some of the surgeries but they were burned so many times I don't know of any that do it anymore. Besides, they do check credit. There are financing co's that many docs work with. Call the doc of your choice, explain the situation, and see which finance company they suggest.

I LOVE this answer! Made me laugh!

Are you on any meds? Such as something for high blood pressure? Are you losing much weight? Are you getting enough fluids?

Sounds like something along the lines of swallowing too much air, eating foods that cause gas, eating something that did not agree with you, etc. Just my hunch.

We are going to disagree on a few points here. No antibiotics for port infections? Yeah, we disagree. Many people get port infections and many are on antibiotics and they don't typically don't experience erosion so it most certainly is up for debate. An infected port is only one way to erode, not the only way. I agree with you that erosion is not typically the patient's fault, but since it can't be proven we don't really know one way or another. Some of the theories on erosion: A band that is placed that is too small for the stomach. A fill that is way too tight for an extended period of time. A scratch on the back of the stomach during surgery. Chemicals used to sterile instruments for surgery. A port infection. Many theories have been shown to be false such as smoking causes erosion, it does not. Spicy food, etc. Those have been proven to be false. At this point it is known what does not cause erosion, it is theory as to what does cause erosion and NOBODY should let an infected port go. Many can be treated very successfully with antibiotics. One point you make that I agree with you SOOOO much! And it is this: I'm beginning to kick myself for getting banded vs. a sleeve. I've had band problems and while I am certainly a minority in the type of problems I've had, I still can't believe I wanted something I could reverse. I have no reason to ever weigh 112 pounds more than I do again. I want permanent, I'm not really sure why having something I could reverse was so important to me. Perhaps it was because I don't think I really thought it would work anyway so at least I could have the latest fad removed. :rose: I'm not sure. The idea of no erosion, no port issues such as pain, infection, flipped, a port sticking out as it is now, none of that. No slips, heartburn, reflux, fills, unfills, restriction... I'd do a sleeve today if I had it to do over again. If I knew without a doubt I could not eat bread I'd have revision surgery today, this minute. But just as with a band, some sleeve people can eat bread and some can't. I already know I can't eat bread without a special trick today (and no, I won't tell the newbies what that trick is). Since I can't eat bread I'm going to stick with the band for now. If I ever lose it, it's a sleeve for me.

When you are unfilled most docs put you on a liquid diet so your pouch can go back to normal size. After that when you get fills you have a LOT more restriction. It is much easier to lose weight. With a dilated pouch your pouch is too big, holds too much food, and you don't lose weight. Consider this, when they first started doing bands they made the pouch much bigger and people were not losing weight. They started making it smaller and they lost weight much better. So while this may be a small setback, in the end you'll probably take that weight off easier than before.

Not sure. I'm at 140 now, I'm 5' 5" and my plastic surgeon says he'll take about 10 pounds off my fat, hangy gut. Not sure how tall you are so I'm not sure how that compares. I do find that I don't have to work at maintaining in the least. If I put forth effort I lose, if I don't I stay the same.

You are doing fantastic! Congrats on the massive weight loss. That's GREAT!

EXERCISE! Those calories need to be burned, fat is stored energy. What you don't eat will be burned for fuel and since fat is stored energy you will be fine. Get out and move, burn the calories. Lots of people don't like exercising, I don't either but it works. I don't like cleaning that bathroom either but it needs to be done, just like exercise.

No, you can't break a band. It's pretty sturdy. But you can slip. When you vomit the lower stomach is kinda sorta pushed up through the band and that is what a slip is, when the lower stomach slides up through the band. There are several drugs that can be used. Some are tablets, some are suppositories, and some are by injection. There are several by injection. Zofran, Phenergan, Benadryl, etc. The same meds by injection usually come in oral form too. Some are even SL tablets that dissolve under your tongue. BTW, the flu is actually upper respirtory, not GI. Influenza is coughing, sneezing, achy muscles, etc. Stomach issues are (9 times out of 10) something bad you ate, or a form of food poisoning.

Many people have stones in their gallbladder. Some cause problems and some do not. Most docs will not do gallbladder and banding in the same surgery, too much risk of infection and other complications. Personally the only way I would have my gallbladder removed is if there were symptoms. Many of us have huge kidney stones for life and we have no clue about it until we are told. I wouldn't do anything about that stone either.

They used to have an Inamed certification for doctors. Actually, they still do. You have to be trained in the band before you can purchase them. That means watching a single band being placed. If you want to train others do to place a band you have to have 10 bands under your belt. That's not much training in my book. They used to revoke the certifications of the really bad doctors. They quit doing that too. Now they have docs they know are bad and they sell them bands anyway. This is totally against their previous policies. That's why I don't put a lot of stock in what Inamed claims anymore. Thanks for the congrats on my weight loss. I still can't believe I am at goal. Actually, when I look in the mirror I still don't see it. I see very little difference from 100 pounds ago. Weird how stuff like that happens. I guess it takes a lot for your head to catch up to your body. :rose: Congrats on your banding! Life is sooo much different when you can buy clothes from the normo sections! HA! I love it, I'm back to being addicting to shopping! Hubby is even putting up with it this time!

I always admire people that could lose weight even without a band. Fifty pounds is amazing. I could never do that!

A 30 minute brisk walk daily is perfect! Your port is the first thing to hurt and the last thing to heal. It's going to be sore regardless if you walk or not. Not fair, but true.

I didn't know if that is what you meant or not. Cool.. I am going to try it.

Thank you for writing this. I don't think Dr. Watkins and I will ever agree on the topic but it's nice to have a rational (albeit short) conversation about the topic with a US doc. The reality is that the SAME exact things happen in the US as Mexico. There are good surgeons and bad in every country. There are experienced and inexperienced surgeons in EVERY country. There are drug abusing nurses in EVERY country. There have been some estimates that 1 in 10 nurses in the US have taken narcotics from a hospital at one time or another. I'd venture a guess the stats are actually higher than that. I have no doubt it happens in other countries as well. Mexican docs are indeed taking business away from US doctors. There are some people that don't want to pay the extra money for surgery in the US. There are others that wouldn't be able to HAVE surgery if it were not for Mexico. There is an issue with follow up care but quite frankly, I've seen non stop issues regarding follow up care in the US too. A plan of follow up care is needed before having surgery in another country. Mexico has an infection stat, so does the US. I've seen far more infections (thinking ratio here) in the US vs. Mexico. Not proof, just observation on these very boards. The CDC claims infection is higher in the US vs. Mexican hospitals for MRSA, the dreaded infection of all infections, as well as other strains of bacteria. Mexican docs did train the new US docs in banding, they have more experience than most US docs and they also helped to perfect the band and the procedure before it was ever approved in the US. You can't likely win a lawsuit with a Mexican doctor. Their country tends to side with them. But I haven't ever gone to a doc in any country when worrying about if I could sue them or not. If I worry if I can sue them I think I would reconsider going to that particular doc. The better docs will fix a mistake. They depend on reputation regardless of country and if they are worth their rep, they will fix an error without a lawsuit being necessary. Can you imagine how a patient could rip into a bariatric doc on a board such as this if he did indeed do something wrong? I understand both sides to the situation. US docs are in a business to make money and if they are seeing business go to another country because they can do it cheaper, that does hurt the bottom line. No way to deny it. Then US patients come back after giving the big bucks to another country and they want follow up care in the US and office time is expensive. It can potentially cost a doctor money to do follow up care on another doc's patient. I just want docs to start being more honest about the bottom line. Not talking Dr. Watkins here, I'm talking ALL doctors. Instead of scaring them away (which Dr. Watkins did not do) with dishonesty and extreme cases that happen in the US as it does Mexico, be HONEST with us. We might be willing to pay a few more dollars if we understand the real bottom line. My opinions only.

Thank you for posting this. This is something I have thought about. If the erosion happened under the band wouldn't restriction remain the same? I'm no expert on erosion and I hope I never have reason to be. I'm sorry you lost your band.

I haven't read that, do you have a link?

$1800??? That's insanity. My Mexican doc charges $75.00. Actually, he doesn't charge that the hospital does. I can see $200-$300 for a US hospital, but $1800? That's theft.

Inamed won't discuss the negative aspects of doctors much. They pretty well rate them on the number of bands they buy, not the skill they have. Are you referring to Betancourt Medical? Is so, please be verrrry careful about that option.

My doc is about as conservative as they come, he won't do fills for six weeks.

The new band does have fill placed in it at the time of surgery. It is not for restriction, it is to make a large band fit the person. Fills for restriction are NOT suggested by the manufacturer (assuming it is Inamed) for four weeks. I would suggest taking your handbook to your surgeon and asking why he differs with the band manufacturer. I'm guessing the fill caused swelling and that is why so much had to be taken out. You might need smaller fills and more frequent fills. That's how I was.