WASaBubbleButt

People do all kinds of things to pay for surgery. They do anything from taking it from savings, obtaining a bank loan, medical finance co's, etc. I've seen people refinance their homes, sell personal belongings, and even dumpster dive for treasures and sell them on ebay. There is usually a way and if you want this badly enough, you'll find the way that is best for you. Mexico is around $8K give or take a couple of hundred dollars. It can be a very safe experience but do your research. Research absolutely everything.

Kat... If you want to be around for your kids, what are you waiting for? Complications from obesity are a given, it is going to happen and likely already has. Complications from banding are minimal. So you have a choice, die young from obesity or take a small chance on complications? Either you are ready to give up large quantities of food or you aren't. No inbetween. If you are not ready to give up food don't blame 1-3% complication stat with banding vs. a 100% promise that being fat will do you in before your time. Come to terms with the *real* problem so you can stick around for your kids.

I think the key question for you is this, why would this time be any different than the last 20 years worth of attempts? What you are going through is normal. We all went through it. You'll even 2nd guess getting the band after you are banded. You might go as far as to consider removing it. It's all normal and as it should be. Maybe it's time to suck it up and admit you are one of us? You need help doing this and nothing more. Having the band gives you one less issue to deal with so you can work on the emotional stuff. Don't be surprised if the emotional stuff is different from what you expected. Lots of new things will come up and you'll discover issues you didn't know you had. It's all part of the process. Good luck!

I didn't have to jump through hoops with an insurance company. Had I gone through my insurance I would just now be getting banded. Instead I went to Mexico and received better care than in the US and I'm almost to goal. The cost was half the price, the surgeons are more experienced, and unlike the US my doc hospitalizes patients for two full nights after surgery. In the US as soon as you wake up they shove you out the door and you pay more for the service of being shoved out the door. If I had it all to do over again I wouldn't change a thing.

I'm not familiar with anyone who needed a foley for banding. Sleeves and bypass yes, but not banding. Besides, even if you did have to have one for some odd reason you'd be asleep anyway while it was done.

I think the majority of it is learning to stop swallowing air. Once you get the hang of that it slows down drastically. It did for me. People often times ask how to stop swallowing air. It's not one of those things easily explained. You have to watch for when you are doing it and simply stop doing it. But really, it can be done! The sounds you make can be embarrassing right after a fill. The gurgles, bubbles, etc. But that was short lived for me too.

I'm with you, I like the chocolate a LOT better. Actually, I don't even care for C&C. Find someone that likes both Chocolate and C&C and trade half bags. Chocolate Matrix and Raspberry Da Vinci... MMMMMmmmmmmmmmmmm

Not sure. What I do know is that in the placement instructions it says you can add fluid at the time of surgery unlike the other bands where you shouldn't add saline.

MMMmmmmmmm yummmmmmmmmmmmm!

EVERY newbie wonders if they just slipped. I remember one person that decided to get a barium swallow w/fluoro every single month. Maybe even every other week just to make sure he didn't slip. I mean seriously... How do you respond to that? :confused:

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!! Okay, I gotta do it... I'm selling the key. Highest bidder!

Hey Stingy... Just got to thinking.... Who is going to FEED you in your bubble that you won't share that will have the pee thing figured out soon? Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm?????????????

Well, as long as we don't have any toxic "pee" I guess we are okay. So far. ;o)

So Stingy... How are you going to sort out the artificially filtered air and latex issues? Hmmmm?? Yeah, you might figure out the pee thing but you have a long way to go in figuring out that carcinogen filled air and surroundings deal you'll have going there.... :confused:

If it helps any, with time you do begin to learn to stop swallowing so much air. It probably took me a good 2-3 months to learn to stop doing it. I rarely burp now.

True, especially if the bubble is made of latex. :confused:

I dunno, Peaches. I'm thinking Chickie may not be inspiring enough to share her pee-free bubble.... but maybe I'm wrong. :confused:

No, Chickie you probably wouldn't actually "drown" in your own pee, we haven't actually figured out how to filter the Water so the water won't kill us. At this point you'd be more likely to die of dehydration, wouldn't you? :cry

??? ALL bands are stitched into place and anywhere from 3% - 7% slip for various reasons.

One comment... There are no studies or stats to back up the claim that the new band doesn't slip. It's an advertising gimmick but the truth is, nobody knows yet if it will have a better or worse slip stat. When people have had the band for 2 years, 10 years, 20 years.. then the medical community will know if the band maker's "theory" is accurate or not. There are new bands coming on the market and each company is trying to get their piece of the pie. They are all making unsubstantiated claims at this point. I hope this new band has fewer slips, but at this point it is theory since a large group of people have not HAD this band for there to BE any studies just yet.

Typically 3%-7% of banded folks will experience a slip. Of those 3-7% of people who slip, 80% of them can be repaired with a total unfill and full liquids for 1-3 weeks. About 20% of the time they need to have a surgical repair where they reposition, replace, or remove the band.

One of the incisions in your belly is for an instrument that maintains the gas pressure in your abdomen so the doc can see what he's doing in there. When they remove that instrument much of the gas escapes at that time but not all of it. You end up with gas pockets that you can even see on your barium swallow following the procedure. Well, that gas has to go somewhere. It is absorbed by your GI system and it comes out one end or the other. Thank your lucky stars it's coming out the end it is.

We could live in a big bubble like the bubble boy??

What about washing your hands? If one is to drink from cupped hands shouldn't we be careful to use clean hands? Ahhh, but how to clean those hands....

Roboop... In a different thread you mention that you stick with meat because you can't afford a fill. What if... not just consider this. What if you take the money from the diet pills you are using, save some money on meat and buy fresh fruits and veggies and use that money for a fill? Will your doc give you a little time to pay off the cost of a fill?