christine yng

You do look beautiful chickie, congratulations, I'll get there soon enough!

Sunshine..I guess as long as you lose weight and not gain any your ok. What doctor G has repeatedly told me is to do exercise to speed up my metabolism but boy its hard! So no trip to Vegas soon? Gracie44 where are you from? Doctor Gonzalez is proctoring a doctor in Phoenix and they said they will probably set up a fill center there. Lose, lose, lose!!!

WOW! Congratulations Lap-bandit, Idlosersm! I'm glad everything went well and without a hitch. I had the best experience and have lost about 3lbs a week! I finally rule over my cravings, I think I finally got the hang of it. At first I was kinda nervous because I still felt hungry and I was told the lap band would help me control hunger but you know what its not right away. It takes some getting used to and I'm there now so I know you will too. Sunshine, so when are we going to Vegas and spend some of that hefty chunk of change you just got? Just kidding, congratulations on your legal victory!

My doc includes steamed or broiled veggies in the liquid diet for eight days before surgery, he calls it the "liquid diet plus". It made sense to me and made things A LOT more bearable! I lost the acceptable weight before the surgery and my liver was very nice, at least that's what he said!

Mexican surgeons and some US surgeons take patients 34 BMI and above with comorbidity. I was a self pay also and was nervous about follow up but a member of my surgeon's staff told me they call doctors in the US to find you a fill doctor in your area. That is a good option because if you can't find a fill doctor near your hometown before your surgery outside the States, think twice before jumping on a plane and heading south.

When I had my lap band surgery Laura recommended two great plastic surgeons, PM me and I can give you their contact information. I am seriously considering a tummy tuck down the road.

BueEyed AP stands for advanced platform and its supposed to be better, more flexible. Doctor Gonzalez uses them I got an AP.

Foodforless has me worried, I hope he is not alone at home, because he does seem a little disturbed, poor thing! I'm very worried. Please calm down food4less, please. Four copies of the same post, and you are right B A he did kind of remind me of Michael Richards going berzerk on stage that one time. I hope he's ok. Anyhow, I read you were having problems with your diet and have not lost that much weight sunshine, that's ok. I had a friend go thru the same and had a hard time but then got the hang of it, sort of like me!!!

No need to tip Laura, she does patient coordination, she's not only a driver shes all over the place. she is so sweet, I was glad to be cared for by such a nice person! No need to convert money, in my experience TJ is americanized as far as currency, everyone takes dollars, just make sure you have a few ones and fives. I was able to walk for a couple of hours, ask Laura and she will arrange a mini tour for your 2nd day, she offered me, unless you are leaving early. How is your pre-op going, mine was tough but I made it, so you should be doing ok. The post op was and is the real challenge! Good Luck! Keep us posted NM.

It will let up NM, I have had my ups and downs but I've stuck to it and keep losing weight. I'm just starting to "get used" to my band and the diet :rolleyes .The pre-op diet really prepared me, you need it because after surgery you have to stick to it 100%. You won't want to have problems or pop a stitch or even something worse. Take care and keep us posted!

<br /> <br /> Mexico was great! Very professional doctors and staff, the nurses are great and my doctor Gonzalez and his colleagues make you feel like family. Dr. Gonzalez has an impressive track record as well. Read a little here: http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f11/anyone-heard-dr-francisco-gonzalez-tj-38041/ reasonable price too. I am very happy with my choice and my results have been excellent. Their aftercare is awesome, they call you every week for the first four weeks and every month thereafter. I was lucky to find them!

Congratulations all, Gabe, B A , and you too short c. Their follow-up is great, I have felt like I am family with these doctors. All new lap band patients will probably feel the same. Follow -up of other surgeons patients? WOW!!!!Did you feel kind of strange short c? Your surgeon seems to be rated pretty highly for someone that has no follow-up. Did you have any problems? I hope you do good and lose the weight you need. I have been doing great, still have problems with the food, I may have had somewhat of a dependency on food, maybe for comfort. Any way, I am happy! You learn things about yourself you never thought of with the lap band. Good luck to all and keep us posted!

Good to know you will be part of this little group, Dr. Gonzalez and Dr. Valenzuela make an excellent team. Hello B A, and Gabe!!!! Where are you? Please let us all know how your trip and your surgery went! I have been doing great and losing weight, very gradually but I feel its the safest way. Still struggling with my diet and I learn new things about food that I took for granted before my Lap Band. Ok everyone, I'll try to log on more often and bug you now and then.

for the las 3 months i have been thinking about having the lapband surgery done, I've heard many good (some not so good) about a couple of surgeons in Tijuana mex. 1. Dr. Gonzalez 2. Dr. kuri 3. Dr. Ortiz any advise will be appreciated xoxox Christine 5'4" 275 lbs:help:

I hope everything went well for you, keep us posted.

Congrats to all newcomers!! Maddy the liquids before the surgery are so your liver shrinks and the doctor has a better view when putting in the band, I also found out it helps to get you used to the diet you'll have after your surgery, it worked for me. I've been doing well, I had an episode of what I've read to be described as "Pb'ing", I may be wrong, but it felt like what others on this forum have described, I got a little worried and called Laura, I spoke with Dr. Gonzalez and he explained it to me, I think I gulped down my lunch a little too fast. I got worried because it hasn't been a month yet. I'm ok now, still losing. I've been experimenting with food and I guess I may have gotten too confident. I may be going for my fill. All that are going to Dr. Gonzalez for surgery soon, I wish you the best and I'm sure everything will turn out very very well, maybe I'll get to meet someone from this board. Love you all!!

I understand you completely and I'll tell you much like I would tell anyone else, make the phone calls! read other forums, do your work. There is an endless amount of material on the web for research into weight loss and surgery, because like another person posting put it: it's your body, it's your health, it's your life. One thing is certain, you will not want to become involved with someone who, (in the words of Fathead) is not personable! I would normally start out "I'm sorry Fathead but I must disagree....". The fact of the matter is I'm not sorry and I should not have to apologize! Why do you think most of here in this forum got or are in the process of getting Lap Band surgery? Why are you looking to get lap banded? Is it because you can stop overeating anytime you wish but the prospect of getting major surgery in a foreign country appeals to you? Or maybe your gym membership is too expensive? Well neither of these was the case with me. I got lap band surgery because I could not lose the weight that would eventually kill me by trying dieting and exercise. And how do you think that made me feel? Emotional? You better believe it made me emotional, almost every day, no correction, every day. Finding a doctor that could relate to my feelings and make me feel like it was not my fault was very important to me. Sure the technical stuff was just as important, but just as much as important the doctor's attitude towards me. Annie I feel that you should become part of the surgeon's family of patients, and that he and his team should make you feel that. Fathead says you are not looking for a friend, maybe not, but I 'll tell you one thing, when you meet the man (or woman) that in a few hours is going to have his hands inside your guts, and you are face to face with him (or her) there's no better feeling in the world at that moment if for just one second you feel he is your friend. You are at ease. Weight just lifts from your shoulders. You can sleep. Maybe I'm an emotional type, whatever it is, that's my experience. Emotions played an important role in becoming and being overweight for me, they played an important role in choosing a team for my weight loss surgery and continue to play a great role in my weight loss journey. At this moment my greatest emotion is joy, I feel it anytime I can talk about how great things have turned out for me. I'm not going to tell you to follow your heart on this, it would be naive. You need the hard facts. But do listen to it, even if only a little. There, I said it. ****************************** P.S. What was it you got for the additional $360.00 Fathead? I didn't get that part, sorry Annie its just that you did say cost is very important and you are on a budget, was it the translator? or the travel arrangements? I don't know, just wondering.

How about.....Doctor Francisco Gonzalez in Tijuana, Mexico? I have yet to meet one unhappy patient, I've done a lot of research I know he has over 10 years doing lap band surgery, over 2,500 lap band procedures, I just haven't met an unhappy one. Impressive, isn't he? I got mine on July 24th, my weight loss is consistent, I am having a little trouble with the diet, but I'm getting used to it. Slowly. Very slowly!

My prayers are for those who lost their lives as well as their relatives and loved ones. I pray for the injured as well, may they have strength to heal.This was a terrible disaster and I hope that the cause is found so that this does not repeat itself in another of the thousands of bridges across the U.S.Love to All, I´ll keep you in my prayers. Christine.

It really sucks with those backward policies US doctors are adopting!!! Is it our fault insurance companies are so greedy and that US doctors' policies reflect their resentment for losing patinets to capable Mexican doctors. Why can't they just accept the situation which will be eventually be beneficial for all US doctors? Sooner or later more ins co's will begin accepting lap band procedures, (once they see the numbers in their favor) and the doctors in the US that are doing adjustments on ALL patients will benefit even more. It sucks! But don't give up lap bandit Dr. V will find someone for you, he's persistent. About the hotel I stayed at the Grand but I´ve heard from other patients that the Camino Real is really nice. I was admitted the following morning and it worked out pretty good. I read a little and sort of psyched myself up for the surgery, Laura called me that first night and asked me if I wanted to go siteseeing but I passed, I just wanted to relax. She said it sometimes help distract you but I didn't feel I needed it.Don´t give up lap bandit, I´ll try and do a little networking and try to help. Love to all present and future bandidos!

So now foaming? You know what, if you were to write a glossary for the novices like me it would be excellent ( other than being grossed out) I am learning more today than I did in the last 2 months!!!

You guys are scary, there I was thinking I was getting the hang of things after my first week with the lap band and I run into this thread.......I am a novice! I will go back to the little place from which I came! sob!! PBing, slimin, puking aching, barfing!!!!OMG Please, please say it isn't so! Is all that going to happen to me? Somebody please give some encouraging words!

Hopefully you can join our little group of lap-bandidas that can proudly say doctor G is my doctor. Theres a nice guy at Reliance, his name is Mike they are excellent with loans and their interest is doable, I had checked into them when I began. PM me and I'll give you his email. How have you been lap-bandit (love your nic!!)??You know if you do get your lap band with doctor Gonzalez, can we borrow your nic and call ourselves the lap-bandidas? (I think this means female lap bandits someone correct me if I'm wrong) Chubbyone is from back east also and I think shes going to doctor G oh never mind shes from Chicago. Well I'm sure more of doctor G's patients will surface, i get PMs from old and new patients everyday! On my diet (:-) Laura called me today asking me about my diet and I told her I was struggling a little 8-(.....but I'm hanging on..I can do it i can do it!..ok, I got my LBT fix, back to work see you all later!

Welcome to the lap-bandidos from Tijuana! How has your pureed diet been going, kind of hard the first days don't you think?

Hi chubbyone, B A, hotmomma, Gigi, Rose, lap-bandit and everyone on this little corner of LBT. How are you all? It's been a great week for me, I keep losing and adapting to my band. I'll be asking you stuff Gigi I hope you don't mind but you are kind of like our in house pro. Janet if you read this please PM me, I haven't heard from you in a while. Congrats to Annieet and all future bandidas (similar nic to lap-bandit's), it takes a little bit of everything to take the plunge guts, determination and the desire to stick around and someday see our grandkids! I started some of the recipies on the book dr. Gonzalez gave me and even though the food doesn't LOOK very appealing (mushy) it's really quite tasty. I'm getting used to it, any pros out there that can give me suggestions on making this stuff look a little more like food? I guess I just have to wait till I can have more solids, oh well it's not as bad as it sounds. Gotta go guys! Lets keep losing weight! Love to all Christine