BandsterHopeful

This is verified information: (I'm in the process of resraching the different docs) Dr Kuri is doing more Inamed band surgeries per month than any other US or MX doc, so is considered the top Inamed surgeon, per Dan Mill from Inamed. Kuri has 2 other Inamed-certified band surgeions assisting him. At least one of them is with him at all surgeries. One is also a plastic surgeon. The MX doctor who was jailed for fraud is not Dr Kuri's staff - it is Dr Sergio Verboonen of the Molding clinic. This is widely known on the Yahoo boards. Here is a link about Verboonen : http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/metro/20030410-9999_1m10fraud.html My brother is a PI and has investigated all the big MX docs. This is the only case of arrest, fruad, and prison time he found. So far, Dr Lopez and Dr Kuri are the only docs I have found with NO major complaints, and only very few small ones - like being late for fills. What a great Board! Renee

Hello, I'm new and just doing research. I will share what i have found about Molding, Huacuz, Ponce de Leon, and Verboonen there, FWIW. Do your OWN research of course. A huge number of complaints and problems! Inamed tells me there are more problems there than at any other MX clinic (or US, for that matter). Not only the usual occasional minor problems, but some VERY major ones. I am a doctor myself, but I doubt I am getting any better info than anyone else can get with looking. The complaints and problems seem to be from all over the US, going back 2 yrs or more, and from mutliple people - not just a few. There will always be a few complaints against any surgeon or any doctor, as no one is perfect, and some patientsd are just impopssible to satisfy. But when there are so VERY many about one place, I begin to wonder. This is what i found re complaints and problems: Tijuana Bandsters post numbers 936, 765, 820, 940, 968, 1017. SmartBandsters post numbers 68565, 63835, 63788, 63776, 63749, 63748, 38669. Jessie Aroni, who seems to be some kind of expert on SmartBandsters commented negatively in post # 63776. Mexican Bandsters post numbers 13243, 13227, 13225, 13215, 13213 Bandsters number 96291 - a bad infection just a week ago, from Huacuz after 2 port surgeries in 2 months. I haven't gone back very far into Bandsters yet. It appears this patient was given no post-op teaching and got a very bad port infection from soaking in a bathtub. Also, Bandsters post 94333. i haven't goner back very far into Bandsters yet. I also found several complaints from people who were promised an Inamed band but were given another one, and then had trouble getting fills. One lady has had no fills at all and lost no weight at all because the doc she arranged at home to fill her Inamed band will not fill her other band, and she cannot leave her very ill husband to fly back to MX. Honestly, I have found no more than 3 complaints against ANY of the OTHER doctors, and none at all against Dr Lopez, Dr Ortiz, and Dr Kuri, other than a late surgery because the patient before had trouble, or some late fills and even a missed plane becuase the morning surgery went way longer than expected. This, to me, is acceptible since surgery time can never be predicted. Inconvenient, but not dangerous. . I've spent many hours on this so far, and my brother is a PI and has contributed some interesting info about prison time and fraud charges against one of the Molding doctors. My "family" doctor is literally family - my sister in law - and she is researching for me too. Her husband is a MX atty and has found other interesting info. She says the bands are all about the same, all with good and bad points. but the Inamed band is the only one approved in the US. you guyz peobably know all this already. One of the former people in the support group i went to had a Sweedish band and had an erosion, which the stats say is more common with this band. Another had a French midband and had a bad slip and had to have it removed because she could not find a US doctor to help her when she got in trouble on a vacation to the Midwest. She was way too sick to fly back to Mexico as her MX doc wanted her to. For this reason alone, I would personally get only a Inamed band. I would never have a band not approved in the country I lived in. Also, Inamed is the only company that requires an intensive training program before allowing it's bands to be used. Still, they admit that some docs are much better than others. My brother found several TJ docs who would have put in a Midband or Sweedish band the next day, if he came up with cash. This clearly tells me they are not trained well. They didn't even ask him if he had any health problems. unbelievable. My brother also found 3 patients in the last 6 months who went to Dr Lopez or Dr Kuri directly from Molding hospital with very big problems that these docs had to work hard to fix. Dan Mill at Inamed confirmed this, when he saw bro had the facts. Didn't deny it, which impressed bro. I'm sure most if not all of you found this stuff too. Couldn't imagine putting my life in the hands of a surgeon I had not checked out very well, especially when there are not FDA guidelines in place. There are dentists or worse putting non-Inamed bands in in MX, since it is not regulated. As far as Belighter, there are tons and tons of complaints against them too, on almost every Board, but not too relevant here - except that Dr Verboonen uses them as a referral source. CAn't imagine why, or why Belighter would want to align with this clinic. Lots I haven't found, I'm sure. I know we are all desperate because of our weight problems, but still take the time to do your background checks. It could save your life. Buyer Beware, IMO. LOVE the colors and other choices here! GREAT SITE! Renee

re Belighter and AnnMarie Tiesi Hello, I'm new and doing research about the Band. I've been on a few other boards for weeks but just joined here. nice layout and seems sincere people - thanks! Re Belighter and AnnMarie - I will share what I found - HUGE numbers of complaints oin almost every board. Sure, a few have had no trouble. NO ONE is terrible ALL the time! Do a search on Bandsters, Mexican Bandsters, Tijuana Bandsters, Smartbandsters and I don'r even know how many others. Most felt ripped-off and what they paid far outweighted the few services they received. At the worst, some found very dishonest things with AnnMarie and Eric. My brother is a PI, and I have him run checks of those I date or those I do business with . Lots of criminal history here that is all public information, so saying this here is in no way harassment or slander. If you care to do a search yourseld of any of the online "Criminal History" seach companies, be sure to use the correct name: AnnMarie Tiesi (not Ann Tiesi) and use the correct birthdate of 8-13-70, not another one she will claim to throw you off track. Henderson, NV - but do a search in the whole US (slightly more expensive) not just in NV to find many things out. This will speak for itself. Make up yourt own mind. We also found there are restraining orders in effect against AnnMarie in several states, and pending larsuits in at least 2 states we readily found. Possibly more - we stopped looking at this point. Again, all public information. I undertsnad Ms. Tiesi recently "sold" Belighter to another staff member in California. My guess is she will still stay very involved, and this was done solely to try to get away from other lawsuits. Happy losing to all! I hope to join your ranks soon. Renee