WASaBubbleButt

Some of us welcome people from other countries with open arms, we just want them to do it legally. Following the law is a concept that seems to be a horror for many. And yes, living in the NE is night and day from living in the SW.

There is nothing in this post I can possibly disagree with. Nothing. If I hadn't lived with McDummy's decisions over the past few years I might have been likely to vote for him. But I've lived with the man's actions. I could not possibly vote for him. Any candidate worries me, I don't know how to fix the errors of the past. I have no choice at this point but to trust Obama that he will try to do as he has promised. If nothing else the nation has a renewed sense of joy, hope, and promise. That will help stocks, that will help morale and we seriously have a legit problem with morale right now. Bush did a number on us, we are sooo far in debt we are in a recession. That's a big deal. I honestly believe McDummy would have put us further in debt. We just can't do that. I know many religious types are worried right now, so be it. They will have to work through that. But there is no way we can survive with another 4 years of Bush and that is exactly what we would have had with McCain. It will take the people fighting the problem of illegals before anything is done. It's not "PC" to do anything about the problem. They are a huge drain on all our resources. Being in medicine I have stories that would make those pretty locks curl is disgust. I hate the problem, not the people.

McCain has always banked on people not doing their research, I suppose all political types do. But he is key for AZ's problems with illegals. I can't believe of all states AZ voted for him. Considering the damage he has caused here and the uproar over it, I don't get it. I don't know how he won this state. People voting for religion? The white guy? I have always felt pride that even though AZ is soooo repub we are pretty open to cultures and color. I don't know, I don't understand. We live with the problem non stop and a great deal of our problem is a direct result of McDummy. Yet they voted for him... I don't get it. The problem I have with McCain (one of the many) is the damage he has done to AZ just to further his own cause. He wanted the Mexican vote and did stupid things to get it seriously harming AZ in the meantime and the asswipe didn't even get the ultimate goal although we continue paying for his stupidity. I just could not possibly fathom him doing to the US what he has done to AZ.

Construction is a pretty good example of the jobs they are indeed taking. Construction co's all over are hiring illegals for $8-$10/hour, no taxes, under the table. The legal citizens can't compete against that. I'd have no problem turning your hide in for hiring illegals if you weren't another WLS person. ;o) I have very strong feelings about not doing things the right way and quite frankly, you aren't. Are you paying a fair wage to the US folks that would potentially work for you? Are you providing medical insurance? Safe working conditions? Most ranches don't pay well. Thus, my question.

MGB is a horror and only the bottom of the barrel surgeons even do that procedure. It was a technique they tried a long time ago and when it was discovered what a butcher job it leaves the patient, they stopped doing it immediately. But there are a few that are unable to make it in the world of medicine doing things the right way because they are such horrible surgeons so they went back to MGB and they make it sound like it is a new and improved version of standard bypass. Truth is, no ethical surgeon would dream of doing such a procedure. This is a type of surgeon you want to go to for a sleeve repair? Are you sure?

Finally, a point where we fully agree. I can't go to the grocery store without an illegal begging for money and some threaten me if I don't fork it over. It hasn't worked yet, but they try. If you are in VA you don't have the slightest idea how serious the problem is. Of all the illegals that cross the border 50% come through AZ. The other 50% cross through all the other border states throughout the country, combined. We have a huge problem in AZ. One in four school children in AZ is an illegal or an anchor baby and one in 10 labor employees is an illegal. I'm sick to death of the problem. CA, AZ, NM, and TX have been saying for years that when the problems are as bad in the midwest as they are on the border states, then and only then would people stand up and pay attention to reality. Our state is on the verge of bankruptcy and the problem is getting worse, not better. We have more illegals on welfare than we do US citizens. Each day at the county hospital there is a long line of illegals waiting for their free pregnancy tests and when it is positive they are thrilled! More welfare! They can't feed themselves but they actively try to get pregnant so they can get more freebies. Now, I know you aren't going to like this but it's a reality. The 2nd most major reason I did not vote for McDummy is because he is the one that caused the majority of our problems regarding illegals. You just can't imagine the horrors he has done to encourage, allow, and protect illegals in the state of AZ. There is no way we can afford the problem we have now, can you imagine the problem we would have on a national scale if he did to the US what he did to AZ? I blame McDummy for a vast majority of our illegals. Bush put on a good show by granting us 500 more AZ border patrol officers but what people did not realize is that he wouldn't give us $$ for border patrol. McDummy said it was okay, we didn't need the money anyway. It would be like my saying that I will grant you a $6,000,000 home. Sure, you can have it! I encourage it! Of course, I won't give you the money for it but I grant you the house anyway. We had a proposition on the ballots a couple of years ago where we wanted only US Citizens voting in our elections. Before it was put on the ballot it went to court. The do-gooders wanted the poor illegal darlings to be able to vote in our elections. Guess who was behind this? Yes, your friend, McDummy. McDummy supported the illegals in voting. He didn't get his way but the idiot tried. We do not have enough NICU beds in AZ. If you come here, have a premature baby, and need a NIC-U bed your baby may get air lifted across the state because we don't have enough beds. Want to know why? McDummy decided that MX needed NIC-U beds too so he paid our staff a premium wage to move to MX with our NICU equipment and now we are taking care of MX's babies. We don't have enough beds for our own million dollar babies but we damn sure have enough to send them over to MX according to McDummy. Keep in mind, half our million dollar babies in AZ are from illegals, we are sending even more beds to MX. His thinking was that when an illegal brings their MX born premature baby to AZ for care and when we send them back, MX just refuses them in their hospitals knowing we'll take 'em back. The thinking was that if they had the staff and the equipment they'd keep their own million dollar babies. Yeah, it didn't work that way. Now the wealthy people have access to medical care for their babies and the poor still come to the US. Now we have double the expense. Each time an illegal is in our prison system the fed gov't is supposed to reimburse us for their stay. McDummy told the gov't it was okay, we don't need the money. We are on the verge of going belly up anyway and he's turning down money the US gov't owes us? Do you see a trend here? Do you honestly want to see this on a national level? Meaning, what McDummy has done in AZ? I know you were all for McDummy but remember, we've suffered with him as a Senator for years. I have lived with his mistakes and mismanagement. There is no way our country could have survived him as prez and unless you have lived in AZ you have no clue how bad it is. I truly hate the man, I can't stand him. I think both he and bush should go live out their lives on some farm far far away where they can't cause more damage to our state or our country. Hopefully, a farm in MX. There is nobody left there anymore, they are all here illegally... so it SEEMS. McDummy and Bush would have room to run and play, McDummy could continue sniffing Bush's butt and sticking his nose up there far and high, they could make all the noise they want, and live out their lives without harming more people.

For about the 12th time, I have told you time and time again that at one time I thought Dr. Arturo had a good rep. What I did not realize at the time is that I thought people were talking about Arturo when in fact they were referring to Jose Rodriguez. He IS a nice man, a VERY nice man. He is very charismatic, he just isn't the greatest surgeon. Look, Mellis, it's not my fault he and Sanchez were making their own bands, it isn't my fault the bands eroded at a rate of 50%, it isn't my fault he had to remove so many, and it isn't my fault he kept placing them anyway. If you don't like what happened take it up with your boss. You keep claiming that I work for Aceves, truth is I tell the truth about all doctors with the information I have. It's convenient to throw around accusations when I have some facts about your boss. It does not make it true or accurate. Look at the number of revisions your boss has on OH, between 300 and 400. THOSE ARE THE "MEXICAN" BANDS HE REMOVED. Deal with it or don't, I'm tired of your sorry debates and inability to defend your boss. I am sick to death of AGREEING with you that YES at one time I thought he was a good surgeon. YES I told you he was a nice guy, I'm not sure how I can communicate to you that more information came to light after our conversation. Honestly, I don't know how to explain it to you in terms you can comprehend or accept. I have tried about a dozen times now. Clearly you just don't want to lose business by the truth coming to light. You know what? Not my problem. I am not going to quit telling what I know about ANY surgeon because future banded folks have a right to know regardless of how that affects your paycheck. You can throw around any accusation you wish, it isn't going to change the facts one tiny bit.

Spoken like a true coordinator. I should have figured that one out a long time ago. I got my info from Arturo. Deal with it. Why don't you ask him about the infamous Mexican band, go ahead. See if your boss will be honest with you. It wasn't exactly a secret at the time they were doing it. They did not claim to place Inamed bands, they were honest... it was the Mexican band. Arturo never hid the fact, Sanchez never hid the fact. Then according to Arturo they had to remove over 50% of the bands due to erosion and they STILL kept placing them. I work in Home Health. You can throw around anything you wish if you think it will get the focus off of Rodriguez but it doesn't change the facts. I've been around here for a long time now and I have a rep of being blunt and to the point. I do not have a rep for being a liar. If I am a coordinator for Aceves why do I say that Rumbaut and Zapata are excellent surgeons too? Wouldn't Aceves fire me for suggesting other doctors? You know, unlike what you do? I have ALWAYS been very clear, very open, and very honest about my opinions and who is good and who isn't, and why they are good or not good. Truth is, your doc just doesn't have the best of reps. Your boss even called my doc quite some time ago asking him to tell his "coordinator" to stop posting about our telephone conversation. My doc couldn't figure out what he was talking about. Finally Arturo explained who I was, Dr. Aceves explained that I am not a coordinator, I am a patient and he has little control over what his patients post. You'll just have to deal with it, the reality isn't going to change because you don't like it.

This is absolutely true. This was also before new information came to light. Check out OH boards, the MD profile. Look at his revisions, those are band removals from his erosion stats. 300 or somewhere around there. He and Sanchez used to make their own bands, it was referred to as the Mexican band. Over 50% eroded yet... they kept making and placing them anyway until Sanchez was murdered a few years ago. He also used to claim he was FACS, when OH verified this information they removed the F.A.C.S. from his profile since he apparently fibbed. He is not FACS and that goes for credibility. One just does not claim an affiliation that huge, one that is earned when in fact, it was not earned.

The bigger bands out now are hard to find your sweet spot. Takes many fills. If 5cc isn't enough then go get another fill.

Your stomach isn't the only part of your body that produces Ghrelin, your intestines produce some as well, just tiny amounts. I can't say I experience hunger very often. Mostly I'm bored and want to eat.

Please, PM me and I'll come up with ways to help you draft that letter for your ins co. With the help of an ins guru and my medical knowledge of the band, we can't lose. ;o) I won't have it. LOL Seriously, between me and an ins guru from another board we can help. If you have WLS benefits, you should qualify for a revision and honestly, a sleeve just freak'en rocks! I love my sleeve, it is wonderful and sooo much easier. If I had it all to do over again it would be a sleeve the first time, no doubt about it.

There is an historical post from Wheetsin about the butt belly. She drew pictures and all. If anyone knows how to find that link it would be priceless! I LOL in real time when reading that. Wheetsin is historical in more ways than one. Bump up your Protein, when you consume protein you lose inches. The belly fat will go, the butt belly will go when the plastic surgeon works his magic. ;o)

If you had bypass 20 years ago you would not be able to revise to a sleeve. You have a few options, a band after (band after bypass), ERNY, DS <--not suggested), or there are a new set of procedures such as Rose, Restore, and stomaphyx but the results so far from what I have read are about as close to 100% failure as one can get. Those procedures are designed to tighten up your stoma and decrease the size of your pouch but every person I have read has lost about 20# on the post op diet then they regain again. There is another procedure that literally burns your stoma and causes scarring thus, a smaller stoma. Some docs like it, some don't. You usually have to have several treatments. I don't have an opinion of it one way or another because I've never done extensive research on it. There is a doc in MX that specializes in bypass revisions, I can't think of his name. I don't remember where in MX he is, Ensenada?? I forget. But that is all he does is bypass revisions and open bypass for very high BMIs. There are two surgeons that are experts in band after bypass, one is my doc and the other is Rumbaut in Monterrey. A band after bypass is tricky to do and you really need to go to someone verrry experienced or it won't work and you'll lose the band or have many problems down the road. It's not an easy procedure to do. You can verify licensing, certification, credentials, and education quite easily. Go to someone that is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons. The American College of Surgeons has already done an exhaustive background check and those docs have to have to meet the same standards as US docs. There are not many non-FACS docs I would go to outside of the US. Otherwise you are left to believe whatever the patient coordinator tells you and they will absolutely tell you anything you want to hear to get your business.

The sleeve is a thousand times easier than the band. You know, the first time I ever ate solids with a sleeve I was shocked, I thought, "DAMN! So this is what restriction feels like!" No barfing, stoma spewing, gagging, getting stuck, sliming, foaming, none of it. I'm noticing on the boards that band to sleeve folks don't have much of a learning curve. Newbies are shocked that I've had food issues and I realized it is because I already did the learning curve with the band. Get a sleeve, it's so much easier. Does your insurance cover revisions? If so, really document all the issues you have had. Take time to think through esophageal problems. Do you have any? Banding is pretty rough on your esophagus, I'm still having problems but without the band it is getting better. Esophageal problems would be a good reason for ins to pay for a revision if WLS is covered.

What procedure are you revising from? Band to sleeve?

LOL! Your information is incorrect. You keep trying to infer I was banned or suspended and I have news for you, it never happened. But if that is your best shot, continue. Please. Do note, I have been a reg here much longer than you. I am pretty sure I would know if I was banned or suspended.

Yep, avoid them like the plague. I know exactly who you refer to. Bad news. Remember, you get what you pay for. You'll get a band, but you won't keep it long.

Dr. Rumbuat is one of the better surgeons in MX. Matter of fact, IMHO he's one of the two best surgeons. He is extremely good. The only problem I have with him is his office staff. I have referred many many people to him and when they call they are not treated well. If they can just get beyond the staff Rumbaut is fantastic!

This is very true. You went to Bajanor? I'm so sorry, that isn't one of the better places in MX. If you PM me I'll see if I can help with the fill issue. We might need to rule out a few problem areas first.

Hmmm... just like your political information your info on banned posters is incorrect too. Nobody posting in this thread has ever been banned. If they were, they wouldn't be posting. ;o) Hey, did you see my fav won? I'm sure you are thrilled! Obama rules!

That is more true in bypass vs. banding. I suspect that is why some bypass folks don't have hair regrowth. Banded folks can lose hair just like everyone else. It can be due to anesthesia, massive weight loss, a shock to the body, vitamin issues, Protein issues, etc. If it's gonna happen it's gonna happen.

We all love food too much, that's why we got fat. You'll get used to it. You get to eat the same things as before just in smaller quantities. VSG is fantastic! Remember, stats show you'll lose as much with VSG as bypass so this is a good thing. In the end it's cheaper, you don't have to take the massive supplements with a sleeve as you do with bypass and you get the same benefits. Congrats to you!

No way would I go to him. Not a chance. He has a 20% erosion stat he doesn't mention.

That completely depends on your insurance. Personally, I believe in staying in the hospital. As fat folks we have more risk for complications. We need the supervision.