WASaBubbleButt

I"m not sure I agree that sleeved folks lose at the same rate as bypass, at the end of five years we have lost as much as a bypass patient but they lose faster. They are eating about the same number of calories as we are but they are malabsorbing 1/3 of their calories so naturally they are going to lose faster.

Congrats! You'll be rid of the band in NO time! You are in good hands.

Nobody suggested she had to go to Mexico. She did say she did not agree with anyone taking their child to Mexico and what does she base this on in an interview? That a friend went to a doctor and they didn't ask her what meds she was on. That is not using critical thinking skills, there is no research, and there is no logic. It is an insult to those of us who actually researched the topic. You know, I received a message from a Mom recently who has a 14 y/o son with a BMI of 52. This child is diabetic and has high blood pressure. She has tried to get her son help for 2 years with his weight but due to his age no US doctor will touch him. She honestly believes he'll be dead by the time he is old enough to have surgery in the states. What should she do? Wait until he's old enough to satisfy US doctors and their medical malpractice or go where someone will at least try and save his life? If a parent such as this woman watched an interview like the OPs and assumed the OP had actually researched the topic and was basing her opinion on fact they might opt not to go there. There are many people who go to MX because if they don't they cannot afford ANY surgery. There could well be people that hear such an interview and assume she is basing her "opinion" on something factual vs. "my friend went to a crappy doctor in Tijuana (of all places) and thus every doctor in the entire country is a horror." It is my opinion that if someone is going to go public with an opinion it should be based on some amount of research. It's just a personal responsibility.

boboleo... As others have explained you are considered obese. This is serious, you need to lose weight. Find the surgery type right for you and go for it.

A hacksaw is always necessary for chicken! ;o)

Francine... Snowbird has a favorite restaurant in Mexicali too! They serve her favorite chicken! ;o) (sorry, private joke!)

The same thing happens in the US, your point? If someone has poor care in the US by one doctor does that mean every doctor in the US is bad? According to your logic that would be an absolute YES. I know of FIVE patients that had surgery by FIVE different doctors, all in the US. The doctors put their band around a wad of fat instead of their stomach. Does that mean all US doctors are bad? Again, according to your logic that would be a yes. Your logic is faulty, your research is poor.

There is a surgeon that doesn't even sew the port into place. I didn't misunderstand, I kept asking him thinking I misunderstood. He said that they have had better luck with it not flipping, tilting, causing pain, etc if they leave it as is when they do the band placement. He said the body will form scar tissue that will hold it in place just fine. Not sure how I feel about that. It's an interesting concept.

Nope, I'm in Phoenix but I know there are several banded folks in Yuma. If you can't find a fill doc in reasonable driving distance Dr. A is a great choice. Probably the cheapest you'll find for cash pay if you have to go that route.

How much is your copay? The reason I ask is if it is a hefty copay or if it would be cheaper than driving Dr. Aceves is 55 miles west of you and he's $80 for a fill with Fluoro.

You said in the interview that you had never had surgery before but you have to admit, you did come off as sounding a bit like an expert in having surgery in Mexico. I had surgery in MX... twice. I'd do everything again in the same way. Until you have really seriously researched something maybe it isn't wise to suggest that it is a bad thing.

What size boughie did they use for your sleeve?

Not true. Not everyone has to consume 1200 calories. Many docs do not want their patients eating that many calories, my doc said not to go over 800 in a day. I'd venture a guess that most surgeons want under 1000 calories a day. This starvation mode... it's a myth. It came from the 70s and it's simply not true. I kept calories at 600 throughout my whole weight loss journey and unlike those who consume more calories I never had a stall of any kind. I lost weight until I increased calories.

The only thing I use lunch meat for is to hide pills to give the dogs. That stuff is just plain bad for you.

The first half of your weight loss can be pretty effortless but the 2nd half takes some work. Are you eating solid Proteins first? Not drinking with meals? Cutting back on carbs? Exercising? You'll have to do the same with a band as a sleeve.

Have you tried the 5DPT? Surgical Weight Loss 5 Day Pouch Test It gets you back on track. It was originally meant for bypass folks but it works for anyone with WLS. I'm doing it now. I had some weight to gain after my sleeve and I did gain what I wanted so now I need to get off the carbs.

Okay, ditto. ;o)

Just click on their screen name and you'll see an option to send a PM.

I'm not really sure how it would benefit you. A sleeve is a restrictive procedure, a band is a restrictive procedure. If you didn't do well with one, why would you do well with a 2nd?

I'm not usually a fan of low carb dieting but I do admit to being a fan of low carb during the post op stage. If people have stomach hunger AND head hunger they are typically going to fail and get so hungry they eat anything and everything. If you can knock out stomach hunger the head hunger is easier to deal with. After the post op diet I'm totally in favor of low WHITE carbs and unlimited veggie carbs minus potatoes, peas, and corn. Potatoes do not have enough nutritional value to make up for the huge carb content. They cause blood sugar spikes and make people hungry as well. There isn't a fat person around that has/had no issue with white carbs. We didn't get fat from eating broccoli, we got fat from eating white carbs. BTW... gotta give you credit, a long time ago we dared you to keep the glittery green stuff in your sig and you have. Too funny!

Good for your doctor! The idea here is to lose weight, not gain by eating fattening foods that have minimal nutrition. The carbs in the potatoes are going to give you blood sugar spikes, you'll be hungry, and you'll eat more. Not the plan we are hoping for. ;o)

This might be something you would want to ask on the revision board. If I had it all to do over again no, I would not get a band. I would have gotten a sleeve the first time around. Probably not the answer you are looking for but it's the truth.

Andres Betancourt has one of the worst reps in Mexico. He earned that rep. I too, hope you do well in years to come. Many don't.

Teens typically make better patients than adults. They are not trying to find ways around the docs instructions, they do as they are told. I'm all for it. I think it's great. Bands or sleeves, either one. I'm not supportive of bypass in a teen but I am bands and sleeves. Why should a kid suffer obesity? I had a Mom PM me the other day regarding her 13 year old son with a BMI of 52. What will his BMI be by the time he's 18? He could well be dead by the time he's old enough to make his own decision. He already has high blood pressure and diabetes. Kids can't lose all this weight any better than we can. Why wouldn't they deserve the same chance at a life saving surgery?