La_madam

Good Luck to you, Tell Dr. Martinez & Ortiz I said hello I will be down there on the 17th for my 3rd fill.. Dr. Ortiz's anathesiologist uses a mask and not a tube like other surgoens do to put you under. You come out of it much quicker that way and have no irritation in your throat from the tube being in there. Where do you live ? Who will do your aftercare? Will you go back to TJ for fills and aftercare? If not have you lined up aftercare in your area ahead of time. That is important. Dr. Ortiz wil lgive you some names of Dr.'s who he knows in your area but that does not mean they wil lsee you. Many Dr.'s in the US will not touch a patient banded in Mexico and the ones that do charge a fortune. So I would reccomend calling a few Dr's in your area prior to surgery. WWW.lap-band.com is the Inamed site where you can click on surgeon locator at the top of the page and that will give you a list of Inamed Dr's in your area then start calling! However there are 2 women I had surgery with, one lives in Indiana and one lives in PA and they both fly back to Dr. Ortiz for their fills becasue after researching and finding a Dr. in their area they realized it would be cheaper to fly back to Ortiz for fills, but on the other hand if there is an emergency then that is a different story, you should really have a Dr. local arranged for that. I am fortunate I live so close to the border so driving to TJ for fills, aftercare or an emergency is not an issue for me.

Melissa, Lisa had a seroma and I believe she posted a pic of it. I have to agree wit PamRN, it looks like form the pic you posted that something is pushing against your skin. A seroma is on the outside if Iam not mistaken. Atleast go to your PCP and see if he thinks it is a seroma, he will know if it is a seroma, he may not know if it is the tubing from the band wanting top push through your skin but he will no a seroma when he sees one. If it is not a seroma then you need to go to a band Dr.I do not mean to sound negative but I would still want to be seen,.you have a foriegn object inside your body.. When I had my esophagitis, Dr. Martinez told me over the phone what he thought it was and what to do but I did not feel comfortable with that so that is why I drove to TJ the next morning to have him see me and use the flouro to make sure my band and port were ok.

Paula, how do you know it is the same Dr.? Midniteblue does not give a name of a Dr. in her post.

I got to TJ and the price Ortiz charges is 100 that is for the use of the fluoro machine, but he was working on a new system last time I saw him for my esophagitis.... if a patient refers a patient to him he will give a free fill to the patient who referred them and the patient who was referred will save 500 on the cost of surgery. I just sent a referral who will be having surgery on 1/5/05, so we will see if I get charged on the 17th when I go for my 3rd fill

Ok Paula..I just finsihed my gallon of Water for the day.. I have to say I went all day today with no junk food. First time in 3 weeks..I think it was from all thewater and all the peeing I was doing just did not have time I will do it again tomorrow with you..great idea! NO JUNK FOOD! Rebecca, funny you should mention the Crystal Light irritating your throat..it had the same affect on me today but not until I was at the 2nd half of my gallon. I use 1 of those little plastic containers of crystal light which makes 2 quarts for the entire gallon so it is not so sweet..

Hi Donali..Welcome Back How have you been doing? Update us all PLEASE!

I had no problem bringing back the meds I got for my esophagitis when I went to TJ..I just showed them the perscription Dr. Ortiz wrote for it and the medicine and along I went. The pharmacies will give you the prescription back to take across the border with you. Honesty is the best policy is how I see it...what if you lied and got caught? Then what? To me it is not worth it, the worst they can do is take away the meds.

Today I am kicking the water in the BUTT..I filled up a gallon jug added a little crystal light , just enough to give it a little flavor, it makes it a whole lot easier to get all of it down that way ..and my goal today is to drink the whole gallon..I'm half way done so far.

I bumped this post Lisa, for Melissa. She is having problems with her port. From the picture she posted it looks like yours did with the tubing bunching and wanting to come through.

repeated PB's 1-3 x's a week can cause slippage, I was told that is the main reason for slippage.

Good Luck tomorrow Samy Let us know how is goes when you are home and feel up to it.

Could be something going around, my 13yr ols son is experiencong the exact same thing right now and isstaying home from school today becasue of his stomach pain

Monday Jan 3rd Up 1/2 lb, first time since banding I have had a gain.. I'm mad and on a mission!!! GRRRR.. Today is a New Week and a New year! I have set 3 daily goals to follow to help me get back on the losing trend..and a fill is in the making.

Sheryl You took the first step and realized it and came here for support. That is half the battle. I think many of us have struggled lately with the Holidays. I know I have but today is a new day and a New Year and I feel confident I can get this monkey off my back and start losing again. I have made some simple goals to follow one day at a time. Support has been key to my success..so maybe coming here more often and posting will help you, getting involved in the m,any challenges this board has..We have an exercise challenge, Water challenge and a weekly scale challenge.....Give them a try!

Today is Monday and a New Year..I think all of us have been struggling, you are not alone. I also think many of us are starting today with a frsh clean slate... Today I have set goals,one day at a time ... one of them is WATER , a gallon a day. Im going to fill up my gallon jug and my goal is to drink it all today! Second goal, 20 minutes of cardio today. Third goal, better food choices. Dont be down, just set a few easy goals and stick to them one day at a time. You can do this!

http://ir.inamed.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=90325&p=irol-newsArticle&t=Regular&id=615494& According to Inamed BCBS does cover the band in Tennessee.

Melissa I just bumped 2 threads for you about Port problems from Lisa a long time ago, they both have pics attached.. "Port Pain" & "Warning-gross pics attached" are the 2 threads I bumped for you With all that you know of going on at the Molding clinic Iam certain you will get in touch with your Dr. today. I hope you hear from him, if not, it would not hurt to have your PCP take a look at tit to make sure it is not infected if for anything, peace of mind.

Bumping for Melisa

Bumping for Melissa

Melissa PM Delarla ( lisa) or Penni, they both had ports that looked like that, they can help. It looks like Lisa's did... From what it looks like, it looks like your tubing wants to come through...Call your Dr. too. Who is your surgeon? Do you have his cell number?

Pat I live an hour and a half from TJ, and the local Dr. in my area is an hour and a half away also so I chose aftercare in Mexico with my Band surgeon...I like the fact he uses flouro and does my fills according to what he is seeing under the flouro. I have a friend who flys here from PA who is banded and stays with me and we just drive down together. It is cheaper then what her local Dr. charges her and Mexican Dr's are much more aggressive on their fills...Blossom take charge and demand more fill, it is your band and your body only you know what level of restriction you are feeling, it has nothing to do with how much you have in you, everyone is so different. 2cc's for me may be too much or too little for someone else.. ..

Blossom, this is just a thought.. Have you ever considered going to Mexico for a fill? I do not know where you live but . Mexican Doctors all do theirs under fluoro and a much much more aggressive in their fills, the do not follow any national protocol, that is why they use the flouro so they can see each individuals restriction level. I have had good restriction with both my fills it was in August that I had my last fill and lost over 30lbs with it...I know you say money is an issue but in the long run it would be worth it, since you will be eating less food at less money, you will not need to buy bigger clothes which is less moneythe stress level of it all and the obsession of all of this.. etc..etc..American Doctors have to protect their butts per say, even in Dr. Ortiz's book it touches on how American doctors are so conservative with their fills, they like to creep up on the sweet spot where as Mexican Doctors like to hit the sweet spot sooner. Mexican doctors will see any patient banded anywhere. There are many of us here who went to Mexico as a matter of fact I am going to be scheduling my 3rd fill in Mexico with Dr. Ortiz ..I need one desperately!! Like I said it is just a thought

www.lap-band.com then click on surgeon locators on the top of the page, put in Seattle and start calling. I know there are a few who will take Mexico patients as one of my band sisters lives in Seattle and has had her fills in Seattle, I do not know his name though. Before you go to Mexico, get it all lined up first. I have seen many men & women not line up aftercare in their area and have had no chhoice but to go back to Mexico for fills & aftercare. Many US docs will not take patients banded in Mexico and the ones that do, charge a fortune! Good Luck

Oh My what a difference..You look beautiful and so happy! Great Job Congratulations to you

Teresa I get the same thing from time to timeit happens more often since I have lost more wieght, not so much in the beginning.. my port is fine. I have spoken to Dr. Ortiz aboutnthis and under the flouro my port looks perfect but I did go to him and have him check it out for piece of mind..maybe you should do that same thing, atleast have an X-ray?