WASaBubbleButt

HA! I'm so glad you mentioned this! I've wondered the same thing. People ask why I don't run outside, there is no way I could! I have to hold my boobs when I run! HAHA!!! It hurts if I don't. I haven't found a bra that is doable yet but I'm still working on it. Julie... your Dad is a plastics guy, do you know about this specific issue? BTW, great idea for a thread!!

Again, we are going to have to agree to disagree on this one.

I don't agree they are lies. I don't have anything to do with his reputation, I didn't create it. I'm merely passing on info from the people in Mexico that do know what he's all about. So we are still going to have to agree to disagree on this one.

He has a great reputation, he is well respected by his peers, his stats (as I recall, going by memory on this one) are great for slips, erosion, and infection. He is good about follow up care, and I get the impression he's a "by the book" kinda guy. I mean that in a good way, he doesn't take dangerous short cuts. He likes things just so... that's also a good thing. Only down side (and this isn't necessary a neg to everyone) is that he's not close to the border in case of a pinch. If you had some sort of complication he is completely capable of dealing with the complication but it's just that your insurance isn't likely to cover you in Mexico. Might want to check on that with your insurance company. For example, if you were to throw a clot. Just make sure you have coverage for that since it wouldn't be easy and quick to get you across the border to a US hospital where your insurance would cover an emergency. He is a good and safe surgeon in Monterrey, Mexico.

It's a piece of cake! Fast and easy, no problems driving.

As long as someone is going to fake being a doctor I am going to call them on it. So will others. That is NOT support, that is dishonesty that could lead to potential medical issues. It is also illegal.

You sure can be too tight and you sound like you are too tight. If you are eating a cup of food a day you can't possibly be getting your basic nutrition in and since Vitamins are poorly absorbed you can't get everything you need from those either. The biggest problems with being too tight are: Lack of proper nutrition. Short term this isn't really a big deal. Long term it is a big deal. Slips... they happen frequently with bands that are too tight. Erosion... the latest thinking on erosion is that it is caused by a band that is too tight for too long. Reflux... caused by bands that are too tight. This can lead to stomach and esophageal problems. Esophagus damage is another. I totally understand your frustration with being able to work around the band. I completely relate to your frustration with slow weight loss. But a band that is too tight is treading on thin ice. Just please be careful.

Lots of people are very pro-their doc. I don't know what it is about bariatric surgeons but if you watch you might see the same trends I do. People will swear by their type of procedure and their surgeon the way they swear by their religion. They will defend them the same as well. I feel just as strong about my doc as they do theirs. I understand their frustrations with my words but I'm telling the truth. We fatties have to stick together and help one another get the best and safest surgery possible. That's my only goal. There are just too many really great surgeons in Mexico to go to one with one of the worst reps in Mexico. Ask ANY good surgeon in Mexico about some of the bad ones and you'll hear stories that will make your skin crawl.

Hear hear!!! Great post! Thanks for jumping in, Chimboree.

No, I won't be stopping. Sorry, but it won't happen. I will warn people to be careful of the advice of this nutcase. It isn't just spelling and horrific grammar (by the way, before slamming the post of another, look at your own post and see the many grammar errors). These are NOT posts written by an educated person. They simply aren't, to top it off the advice and info are wrong. This person is obviously not a doctor and it is not just the two of us that have been laughing at the pretend doctor, check out the threads. Others are laughing as well. I find it odd that you claim to have been a member here for such a long time yet you just signed up here in the last day or two merely for the purpose of finger wagging to another member in support of a fake doc with bad advice. Do you find that odd too?

There are lots of GREAT doctors in TJ, but the city is really very unsafe. They now have these little 11-12 year old gang bangers that come at you in groups and beat you up and rob you. People are complaining to the US Embassy all the time about being beaten, stripped naked (to see if you are hiding money,) and then robbed. People are kidnapped, credit cards & cell phones stolen... happens all the time. Per the Mexican Gov't TJ is one of the most dangerous cities in Mexico. That doesn't include the policemen that steal your money. It's a different world in TJ. I am sooo torn right now, I want plastic surgery and the surgeon I *really* want to go to is in TJ. The only thing holding me back is his location. If he was anywhere else I'd go to him in a split second. I'd be in the hospital for 2-3 days and then a hotel for an additional 4-5 days. I just don't know what I want to do.

I'm not sure that is fair to the original poster. People look for doctors to answer certain questions such as DrC. We know we can trust his information. When someone is posing as a doctor AND giving incorrect information and advice, there simply isn't any excuse for that. That isn't a show of support to fake being a doc, that is an ego issue where someone may need emotional help.

This is one of the issues I have noticed. I guess I thought that working as hard as I do, running until I have blisters on top of blisters on my feet, working so hard... I thought things would look better. Instead my gut looks like a wrinkly old dog and I'm starting this rooster thing on my throat. It's just nasty. As I was writing above, on an intellectual level I know I have lost weight. I see the numbers on the scale. But when I look at myself I don't see a pound gone. Working as hard as I have and not SEEING a bit of difference, I sometimes question why I am spinning my wheels. But I just close my eyes and remember the scale is moving (well, NOT this week!) and I keep plugging away. I just don't understand the distorted body image. I don't get why I can't see more of a positive difference.

Just do a Google search, Huacuz has the same rep as Betancourt. Perhaps that's because he worked for Betancourt until Betancourt lost their license and reopened under Betancourt Medical. There are just too many really great surgeons in Mexico to take chances with those who have poor reputations. We are going to have to agree to disagree on this one.

Ohhh, I'll join that goal! I track it on a spreadsheet daily. I'm up to 100 minutes of hard cardio daily. I'd love to join you, if you don't mind!

Research on Mexican docs is really pretty easy. Just do a Google search on your doc's name, you'll find a TON of info. Look at the local newspapers, ask the better docs in Mexico about him, ask patients who have mega infections... they are not rare. Do a search on Betancourt and see who and what he hires. It's nothing less than spooky. Ask the better docs how many of Huacuz' bands they have had to remove, that is freaky. His peers don't like him, not even a little. They have been trying to get his license pulled for a long time. After you have to removed umpteen bands from the same doc, you start getting a little pissy. When all the better Mexican docs have to remove umpteen bands from Huacuz' patients, you get a LOT of pissy docs that want something done once and for all. Please remember, just because you are one of the few that had a good experience, that does NOT mean your doc is GREAT. He isn't, you just plain got lucky. Keep in mind that the Mexican docs have to depend on rep. They don't have it as easy as US docs. When a surgeon is simply a bad surgeon they don't want or need them. They ruin the reps of the good surgeons. That is sad. If you came home without an infection and if you make it six months without an infection, consider yourself lucky. These are all issues that should be researched before surgery, not after.

The key here is driving vs. someone driving you. Just get up, stretch, walk around if you can. Life will be good.

It sounds really good! I want to try it!

I don't eat hamburger, actually... I don't eat a lot of meat. Any suggestions on what to substitute for meat? Would veggies be a possibility? I exchange veggies for hamburger in chili recipes and nobody notices a difference. (Amazing, I know)

YES! YES YES YES!!!!! That is how it feels for me too. However, that isn't how it feels for many. They actually feel full, or at least satisfied without the uncomfortable feeling. It almost hurts, doesn't it? I might have discovered why that is. My doc did a bunch of tests and discovered why. But you know what? Docs that have done thousands of bands only have a handful of patients like us. It's weird.

I am cooking for a group of mentally ill folks. Schizophrenics, etc. They'll eat just about anything. I'm thinking grilled veggies, cool sides, etc. Of course I'll also make steaks, burgers, hot dogs, and that sort of thing. But I'm doing up the grilled veggies pretty well.

Alfredo sauce. A spoon and a jar of the stuff is heaven with a spoon. I don't like dairy products either. However, I did like creamed Soups, Matrix mixed with Water vs. milk, chocolate milk, cheese dip, etc.

Have you found any good low carb/low fat veggie recipes? Something REALLY easy?

I think it would be nuts to go back to the same doc. ANY doc would feel like crap after making a mistake like that. Experienced docs don't make those kinds of errors.

Where do you live? State?