WASaBubbleButt

I've been banded and I've been sleeved, being sleeved is 1000x easier.

I have to tell you, your surgeon sounds like an ass. I have no clue who he is and I don't care. There is no surgical "quick fix" for obesity. He's an ass. Obesity is a disease, there are as many quick fixes for obesity as there are for diabetes. Your surgeon needs an education and I would love nothing more than for someone to give him an education he seriously needs in basic obesity 101. Don't be so hard on yourself, it hasn't served you well to date so perhaps give yourself a break. ((HUGS))

It depends on several factors. Do you want a revision to something such as a sleeve at the same time? Are you going to your original surgeon? I'd go to MX. It should run about $3500 to 5K I would imagine. But the more important question is one of revision. Very few of us can maintain without some sort of surgical intervention. I know I wouldn't have maintained on my own. Bands are verrrry hard and loaded with complications such as slips, infection, erosion, etc. I can't say I would ever get one again.

According to Inamed US docs have the highest slip stats, over 7%. All other countries are around 3.1%. I suspect the reason is all the new docs wanting a piece of the banding pie (it's a good money maker) since they are going through their learning curve and the changes they have made in the post op diet.

Schlesinger??? Oh Lord... I had no idea. I wish I would have seen this sooner. Schlesinger has more paid posters than any other AZ doc, not here but on OH. It's sickening to see them in action. Check out the revision boards on Obesity Help - Weight Loss Surgery, Obesity Support Groups, Obesity Forums, Surgical Procedures and you'll see what I mean. If anyone writes anything the least bit negative about the doc on the patient testimonials the paid posters dog pile them. OP... you seriously need to have an upper endoscopy to rule out erosion. When you have a port infection the bacteria can often times travel up the tubing to the band and cause erosion. This is a big deal. Are you in AZ? If there is anything I can do to help please let me know. Stay on top of this, don't let any doctor pooh pooh this, this is a big deal. You can lose your band over something like this. As for Simpson... he's okay. I don't like that he doesn't follow his patients after surgery, the rest of his staff do. There are several very good surgeons in Phoenix and surrounding areas. Burger and Aldridge in Flag are good, St. Lukes docs are good. OP, if there is anything I can do to help please let me know.

Keep in mind that if you slip once you are verrry likely to slip again. There are pros and cons to the 4cc and 10cc bands. There is no perfect band. All surgeons stitch the band in place, they slip anyway. In the US slip stats are over 7% now according to Inamed. Think long and hard about what you want to do and how you want to do it.

It seems as though NM is one of the hardest states to find a surgeon. I'd look at AZ or MX.

My suggestion would be Mexico and a sleeve. I've been banded and I've been sleeved, being sleeved is 1000x easier. Weight loss is better, faster, and far fewer long term risks and complications. No follow up care and no maintenance. Mexico bands $7K Mexico sleeves $9500 and you are done, for life.

Sadly, you can't really be responsible for how others perceive your weight loss albeit a threat or inspiration. You did this for yourself most of all, don't forget that. If you are still overweight, go the distance and lose the rest. You'll know when you are there.

No it won't. Additional protein is only going to help if you are lacking in protein and most WLS folks are not lacking in protein. It's from anesthesia and weight loss. You can consume a gazillion grams of protein daily and unless you are low in protein anyway, extra isn't going to help. Unlike some bypass folks, at least band and sleeve folks... it grows back.

Since you are getting a sleeve you have the luxury of no aftercare. This time you won't slip, erode, barf all the time, none of it. You get your surgery and move on with your life. I think you'll find the sleeve soooo much easier than banding.

It's a horrible problem that isn't getting better. There are people in MX that have US PO Boxes. They live in MX and once a month they cross the border to get their welfare checks then they go home and live quite well. If they need medical care they come back, get the care, and go home to MX. The system is seriously abused in every possible way. Clearly, I don't hate the people but I damn sure hate the problems this causes. I have stories and examples that would even make the do-gooders angry.

Once a Mexican citizen starts their employment it takes about 8 months to complete the paperwork and obtain formal insurance. Then they have to go to county/state (I forget which) hospitals for medical care. The care is not great in those institutions. Americans and those with money go to the private hospitals where the care is beyond fantastic. It's not that the doctors are not good, they are quite good. It's the lack of money and supplies. It's like a really poor version of our county hospitals in the US. There is a doc I do volunteer work for, he is a trauma surgeon. In MX if there is a horrible accident such as a bus driving over a cliff you don't dial 911 and have paramedics in a flash, the doctors and nurses go to the scene and get the people, put them in an ambulance, and then they go to the hospital. Last time that scenario actually happened the guy I volunteer for was called. He had enough expired drugs for six of the people injured. My focus in my own volunteer work is to get the hospitals in the US that throw away drugs (if their color coding changes they throw away ALL drugs and go with the new color codiing system, the drugs are fine and in date, but tossed anyway) and they donate them to Carlos. I go to Nogales every now and again and bring the drugs, set up e-kits and red boxes so that when there is a huge trauma situation they at least have drugs to work with. The medical staff is trained to climb down mountains and do all the things our own rescue folks would do to get to injured patients. Kind of a waste of resources but it's all they have. Since my field of expertise is trauma if they get a huge number of trauma cases in I am called and I go to Nogales and help out in OR and recovery as they do not have enough staff to care for more than a couple of traumas at any given time. It's a weird feeling, the other nurses do not like me in the least. Nursing is a lot different in MX vs. the US. Although we have the same level of training they are not really permitted to use their training. They are there to get the doctor if the patient needs something. When I go there I do things the way I am trained, during a trauma I do what needs to be done, I don't wait for a doctor to do it. Obviously, in the US or MX the doctors are still overseeing everything but I still do my thing. The MX nurses have to ask to do the obvious. It's an uncomfortable situation but the patients have to come first. It's strange to see the reactions of the MX RNs, they can't believe what nurses in the US do. Nurses are really wasted in MX, they could be doing sooo much more, they are trained just as US nurses. The RNs in MX are often times merely doing what our nursing assts. do. Another point of interest, in MX once a nurse graduates from college before they can have their perm. license they have to work for a hospital for one year, 40 hours a week, for free. Completely and totally free labor for MX. After they complete their year of free service then they can get a job where they are paid a lousy wage. The average RN in MX makes $500/mo, the average MD makes $1K/mo. Of course, along the border those docs make much more money but on average, wages are quite low. The people in MX do not go into medicine for $$, they are in medicine because that is their true love and what they really want to do. I think that's one of the reasons their medical culture is so much different and in many ways... better than the US. I have a GP I go to in Nogales. Usually I can fix whatever is wrong myself. ;o) But if I need to go to a doc and it's not an emergency I have a Nogales doc that I adore. If you go to an MD in MX for a sore throat it is an absolute minimum of a 30 minute appt, one on one with the doc. Usually it's an hour. If you have to have labs drawn the doctor walks you over to the lab (in the case of my Nogales doc the lab is right across the street) and stays with you while your blood is being drawn. If you need a diagnostic such as an xray, ultrasound, EKG, whatever... if the doc doesn't have his own xray equipment then he puts you in his car and drives you to the person that does have the equipment and he stays with you while you have the diagnostics done. I had to have some pre ops done when I was going to have some plastics work a few months ago. I had to have labs and an EKG. Dr. D took me to the cardiologists office using his own car and stayed with me during the EKG. Then we went to the lab and for whatever reason he thought I was afraid of needles (I'm not) so he kept his hand on my shoulder the whole time the guy was digging for a vein. Their whole entire focus during any type of exam is dignity for the patient and making sure they are not afraid or nervous. It's a completely different world there, the US could learn a lot from the medical staff in MX regarding how patients are treated. BTW... for my pre op physical, taking me to the cardiologist for the EKG and the labs for a blood draw, the costs were: EKG by a cardiologist and not a tech: $35.00 A TON of lab work (CBM, SMAC40, and some hormone tests: $48.00 Office call for the GP: $30.00. It's cheaper for me to go to Nogales for pre op stuff and general issues than it is to use my insurance in the US. The doctors have preprinted Rx pads for prescriptions just like in the US. The doctor's home phone, work phone, and cell phone numbers are all printed on the Rx pads. They WANT to be called at home if a patient has questions after hours, they do not want you waiting until the next business day to contact them. When it comes to daily routines MX beats the US hands down. Patients are treated verrrry well.

Oh stop exaggerating. It's cross the northern AZ border plan. ;o)

No, they don't. If you have a job your employer has to pay taxes for your insurance. Or, you can pay for a private policy.

Great, I'll add you.

I'm not fighting you, but you do have to expect that if you are going to dish it out, you may just get the same treatment in return.

It is a hard decision, no doubt there. Nope, it's not reversible but for what reason do you want to reverse your surgery and regain? Please don't mistake "least invasive" with safest. Long term the sleeve is safer than banding. You'll only want to go to an FACS surgeon, meaning the American College of Surgeons has already verified his history and so he can't make bogus claims of education and training that he may not have. If a doctor in MX is a Fellow of the ACS then he has to meet the same standards as a US doc and you can bet his CV (resume) is correct and not blowing smoke. There is one doctor that has seriously inflated his stats, IOW, he claims to have done a huge number of bands and sleeves and in reality, it's all a lie. Again, another reason to use an FACS surgeon. Weight loss is actually a bit better with a sleeve than a band but you can lose weight with either one. Infections can happen. Even when everything is done right it can still happen. Sometimes stuff happens, other times poor sterile technique during fills causes in infection. Cost... yep, the sleeve is more expensive but in the end it is probably cheaper when you figure in self pay for all the fills and complications. Besides, being sleeved is just easier than banding. Hope that helps!

He's in Mexicali, MX. Just west of Yuma. It's 2.5 hours once you get out of Phoenix on I10 by Goodyear, not sure how far it would be from Queen Creek but it's half the distance from TJ. TJ is another 2-3 hours down I8 from Mexicali. You HAVE to tell them you are part of our Phoenix lunch, then the doctor won't charge you the $100 for the fill since they didn't band you. But the hospital will charge about $75 for the use of xray, etc. They charge non patients an extra $100 for fills but if you are part of our Phoenix lunch folks they skip the $100. ;o) There are people that go as a group every now and again, if you want to join them or join our lunch feel free to email me through LBT and I'll add you to our list.

It would be sinful for you to NOT join us! PM me your email address, I'll add you to our list.

Snowbird... my favorite Phx bandster! I'm having a hankering for Papadeaux's. Are you up for a cheese sticks run???????? My turn to buy!

Oh yeah! You should join us for our Phx lunches and fill parties! We go to Mexicali for fills and have fun at the same time. PM me for info.

Heh... don't dish it out if you can't take it.

Do you actually keep up with current events and issues outside of the US? Do you even keep up with issues within the US?

Right.... the economy has been just peachy since Bush became neurotic and power hungry.