WASaBubbleButt

They should avoid the food section as well as the recipe section of this forum?

I can't eat candy. The few types I do like it's all or none so I don't touch it.

I agree. There are times I have commented that someone looks horrible and I'm usually referring to someone such as a model that is 98lbs and 5'11" tall. They DO look horrible. When someone intentionally gets that small I question why they do that. I don't see it as an insult for someone to refer to another as thin or skinny. That's what most strive to be. I also don't think anyone who refers to someone as skinny is thinking "anorexic" kind of skinny.

He and his followers are sick and demented. I can't believe how much hate one person can have. Just amazing. A friend of mine belongs to a group that when there is a funeral in her area for a military person she is one of the people that goes and creates a human barrier between the family and Phelps. She was also explaining how cool it is to have a bunch of retired military folks with super loud Harley's. They go to the funerals too and they surround the Phelps people with their loud harley's and rev up their engines to drown out the noise of the demented ones so the family can't hear them. She showed me some photos of this. These rough and tough, spooky looking Harley guys with tattoos, odd haircuts, etc., they are just glaring at the Phelps idiots daring them to try and get by them. HA! Then when the Phelps people start screaming at the grieving family the bikes become louder and louder until that is all you can hear. It's sad that this is necessary.

I'd have to respectfully disagree with you Wheetsin, that's when they ask what is a PB.

I totally agree that medical care in Mexico can be MUCH better than the US. I feel the same as you do in that aspect but you keep making it sound as though I am bashing Dr. G and I'm not. I've stated ONE fact, nothing else. I didn't create the numbers, I didn't make them up. They aren't my stats, I had nothing to do with it. I have written absolutely nothing that could be close to considered bashing against Dr. G. I *have* been more than honest how I feel about two other doctors that I truly believe are not safe surgeons. If I thought Dr. G was a bad surgeon, I'd say so. I have not done that in the least. Posting a doc's stats simply isn't bashing no matter how you look at it. I do the same as you, I offer support, I offer suggestions, I offer thoughts, opinions, links, studies, stats, the works. Yet when I do it, it is somehow a horror. When you do it you are being supportive. I have devoted that last (almost) year to nothing but weight loss. I jumped in with both feet and I worked hard. I want this chapter of my life closed. I want the fat chapter closed once and for all and I'm doing that. I met goal in 10 months. I post on a number of boards (not just bariatric boards) and if I have information to offer someone, I'm going to do it. If Dr. G has a given stat, why does he need defending? I honestly don't know what you believe you are defending him against. His own numbers? Should we never post anything if it doesn't make every single doc out there look like a God walking on Water? What about the docs that really are bad, I mean bad to the point of dangerous (US and Mexico). Should we never post that information and just let people go there knowing they could easily lose their bands to bad surgeons? Should we only post the good about US docs as well or should we all be honest and let people go where they want after their own research? I don't have any need to drum up business for my own doc. I don't drum up business for my US GP either. That's their problem to advertise, not my job. So I don't care if people go to him or not. Makes no difference to me. I do care that people do their research and see which doc is a best fit for them but after they have done their research they are adults, they need to go to the doc that is the best fit for them. My doc isn't the right doc for everyone, your doc isn't the right doc for everyone. Each person has to do what is right for themselves. I feel as though you would prefer everyone hide information that doesn't put your doc in a positive light. Not saying you are doing that, I'm saying that is how I feel. I posted a stat from his own office and you feel the need to defend him and make it sound like I am a liar and made up the information. I don't understand that. Now, if I was making up information I'd fully agree with you. I have defended other docs when people were saying things I knew wasn't true. Should I have not done that since it wasn't MY doctor they were referring to? I'm all about putting the facts in front of people so they can make their own informed choices. Is that really such a horror? I've written things I disagree with about my own doc. Would you be feeling the need to defend him as well?

That isn't what I wrote. What I wrote is that she infers *I* have made those claims and I have never written anything about the skill level or anything else except for erosion stats. Nothing. Yet she draws all this attention to this topic making wild claims as in the past. If you think I have a lot of posts here, you should see my other forums! I have a lot of friends here and yep, we post a lot. Not sure why you have such a problem with this. At least my posts are not all about pushing my doc.

Yep, "bring you out" is what I meant. I do work in front of my computer all day and I get bored and read several boards. Since I type 90wpm it doesn't take anytime at all for me to zip out posts. Not sure why my time is such a huge concern of yours but to each his own. I have yet to claim ANYTHING about Dr. G except ONE point. His erosion stats are concerning. Other than that I know nothing about the man. It is you that is making it sound different. You are the one I am insisting he is a horror for a surgeon. I have never ever made any such claims. I'm not the one pushing a doc, your first 24 posts were nothing but pushing Dr. G as I recall. It wasn't until I pointed that out that you started discussing other topics. Funny how that works.

Per Inamed global erosion stats are 1.3%.

You can suspect whatever you wish regarding where I work. Doesn't make it factual. I do not work for Aceves and never have. I can make much more money as a nurse than a patient coordinator. Yes, I picked a doc based on many issues and that includes stats. Why wouldn't I? Should I have chosen any random doc? Or should I have chosen the doc with the highest infection stats? How about the highest erosion stats? Perhaps I should have picked a doc with the least experience, would that have been better? I made the decision that was right for me and everyone else needs to do the same. But hiding information from people regardless of who the doc is, well... it's wrong. Averaging out stats is wrong in my opinion. Let people have ALL the information and let them decide from there. I'm not slamming anyone. Well, there are two docs that are quite dangerous (Dr. G is not one of them) and I do tell people my opinions of those docs. No question about it. I want for the whole world to be banded, even skinny people too so they never get fat. There are lots of good and safe surgeons, I would just like to see people do their research and find the doc that is the best fit for them. Nothing more. If I was a patient coordinator I darn sure wouldn't push other docs such as Rumbaut. I personally believe Rumbaut and Aceves are best due to stats, history, education, experience, etc. etc. etc. It is merely my opinion that they are the best just like your opinion is that Dr. G is the best. If I was a patient coordinator I darn sure wouldn't be telling about Rumbaut. That wouldn't make a lot of sense. Rumbaut is also banded himself so he gets things others docs wouldn't. The 4% erosion is not a rumor, it is what your doc's office is telling people. My friend was researching docs for her own band and I believe she was the first one to tell me about Dr. G, I had never heard of him prior to that. She is the one that obtained the info. The email Jennypoo posted is another. Dr. G's office will give you the stats (not averaged, but individually) if you ask. They did for my friend and they did for Jennypoo.

HA! There you are, haven't seen you posting in some time. I thought my posting on this thread would bring you out. There are many that would disagree with you about erosion. Much of the old information has been demonstrated to be false regarding erosion. Erosion is from the outside of the stomach, eating spicy foods isn't going to affect the outside of the stomach lining. They used to think erosion was from smoking. That is been disproven. Then they thought erosion was from NSAIDs, again... disproven. Spicy food... disproven. Those are issues from inside the stomach lining. If you think about a dog and a collar, ever see those horribly abused dogs that get a collar as a puppy and the evil owner doesn't replace the collar as the dog grows up? The collar becomes too small and it erodes into the neck of the dog and needs to be removed surgically. Same concept applies to banding. Now they think it is from a band that is too small for the patient (doc's fault) or from a fill that is wayyy too tight for a long time (patient's fault). If posting a doc's own stats is "discrediting" him, so be it. They aren't my numbers, check out the email Dr. Valencia sent to Jennypoo. The numbers come from his office, not my mind. I don't know if Dr. G is a good surgeon or not, not a clue. But just as I have told you and the other alter IDs previously, the 4% erosion stat is concerning, and it is. EVERY doc has his negatives. People are human and they aren't perfect.

Yes, they are averaged out. Individually they are >1% infection, >2% slips, >4% erosion. It's never a good idea to accept "averaged" stats for complications, much better to get them individually.

Whoops, it wasn't this thread, it was this one: http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f11/tell-me-your-story-i-cant-pick-mx-surgeon-40662/index2.html#post557756

I don't know about your friend's case specifically but if you talk to a number of Ortiz patients they typically say that he's great about returning phone calls, etc. The 4% erosion stats for Gonzales came from his office. If you look earlier in this thread you'll see where one person posted the email from his office giving the stats. There was a huge amount of drama during that time. I dared to offer the 4% stats and you would have thought his patient coordinator was going to have heart failure. She insisted that Dr. G was wrong, his stats were not that high. HA!

The question I have is if not everyone believes in this God, why must they follow the laws of those who created the laws due to their God? If you talk to the anti-assisted suicide folks and ask them why it is a bad thing they typically claim it is against their God's wishes. Why should someone have to suffer when they don't even believe that God exists? It really doesn't make a lot of sense to base laws around a God when there isn't a shred of proof he even exists.

I have mixed feelings about cheating the system. I think it is the system that is out of whack. The US is the only country I am aware of that requires someone to be severely obese (35+BMI) or morbidly obese (40+BMI) before they will do anything. By that time things are out of control and they will likely have comorbidities. That makes no sense to me. The places outside the US that band at 30 make more sense to me and I suspect it would be cheaper in the end. Instead of treating heart problems, diabetes, etc. it could easily be prevented. There was one person that I still remember from OH that I was floored when I read her post. She was banded under welfare and thought she had something like a $20 copay for fills and she wanted to go back (using welfare dollars) and get a revision to bypass because she didn't feel she should contribute to her own health care. I made the point that people do amazing things to come up with the money for cash pay for surgery, they dig for treasures while dumpster diving and ebay them. They sell their homes, refinance their homes, get 3rd jobs, etc. They will do anything to get this surgery CASH PAY. And she was whining about a $20 copay for a fill?? She was willing to let the taxpayers pay another $30K+ for revision surgery so she could save a few bucks on fills?? I got blasted by all the other welfare people for suggesting she get a job, afterall, she has welfare. I wasn't suggesting she get a job, I was explaining what people will do to get a band and she was throwing a fit over $20? THAT blows my mind. The mentality of the world needing to support them and the mere thought of putting forth a penny for their own heath care being nothing short of a horror. I support banding for welfare type folks, they need it every bit as much as non welfare folks and the cost and medical complications of bypass (not to mention future failures requiring band after bypass revisions) is potential to be huge. But I also feel that welfare is a needed thing in this country but if I were to start a welfare program in a new country I'd surely set it up but it would be much different. If someone needs a bit of help, give it to them. Then give them a set time to repay the money. Obviously there are people who could never repay but for those that have the time to sit home and make more babies, they have the time to get a job.

That's not true, Ortiz does respond after surgery if you call. He's just decided not to be proactive in contacting patients anymore. But if they need him he's there. Same with his Asst. surgeon. It's better than a 4% erosion stat. :cry

Ohhh, I love them! I could sit and eat a whole box of the stuff. Denise has tried both the bran crackers and parmesan. The bran stuff... I PBed on because it was so dry. Never did find a way to get them down. Gahhh

I do, I support banding for a 30+BMI. I'd rather see people get the surgery early before they *do* have comorbidities. We were all at a BMI of 30 once, wouldn't you have loved to prevent going up and up? I'd rather see them get surgery now vs. waiting until it is so out of hand they are diabetic, have joint deterioration, etc. The US is the only country that insists people are severely or morbidly obese until they will help them. Every other country will band with a 30BMI or more.

Might want to start a new thread for this, you'll get more takers.

People have a hard time with brain dead relatives. I mean, they can see them breathing (even though equipment is doing it for them), the people twitch and such and the family believes it is a sign that the person is still there trying to communicate, they are warm, they look alive... very difficult to pull the plug for the family. They just don't LOOK dead even though they are.

Did you like the parmesan crackers? I love them, I love them too much that's why I sent them to you! HA!! I wanted the outta my house!

Slips are typically the patient's fault. Either your surgeon hasn't done many bands or s/he is unaware of patient results. Erosion, global stats are 1.3%. I'm done with this thread. Patients that don't follow post op instructions... it makes something in my head pop. Eat what you want, slip when you will. It is completely your choice to justify what you will and eat what you want. We are talking six freak'en weeks. There is more ahead, if you can't do this... we have a problem.

Heh... I guess I failed to mention that I have ADHD. I can't sit still for five minutes if my bloody life depended on it. I swear, I need mega tranqs for this one. I run circles around everyone else. I don't have cable TV because I can't sit still long enough to watch a single movie. I can't sit still, I'm like an ADHD kid that climbs the walls... only in adult version.

Very true. And various docs have different post op results. My doc has an erosion stat of 0.0016%. What is your doc's? The point here is simple, many docs cave on the post op diet so that patients will cheat with appropriate foods vs. the WRONG foods. If you want your band to last, you'll do what is necessary. You'll do what the rest of us have, suck it up and stick to the original diet.