Lap-bandit

Hi, I have not been on this website in a long time. I was banded, in Mexico, 4 years ago and I am now looking to have a tummy tuck done. I had a consultation yesterday with a Plastic Surgeon and although he seemed to know what he was doing and had great pictures to show....he has never done a tummy tuck on a band patient. He has done plenty on gastric bypass patients, which to me is not the same. He told me that he does have experience with Chemotherapy ports and assured me that he could handle it. I also ask him if "minimal lipo" was included in the price of the tummy tuck and he said that he doesn't do the lipo during the surgery and if I wanted lipo done I would have to come and have it done before or after and it would cost and additional $3900. I have read plenty of stories from other patients that they received minimal lipo to scult and contour their bodies. So this bothered me that I was going to have to pay an additional fee for this. He told me that I would need an extended tummy tuck and the price is $10,000. I just figured if I was paying that much I wanted to make sure that my body was not going to look oddly shaped afterwards. So, my question to all you is do you have experience with any plastic surgeons in the PA area or even surrounding states.....but I think that it must be a reasonable distance. I live in Central PA....so I am smack in the middle and it is three hours to pittsburgh and three hours to philly. Any help would be greatly appreciated. As I said, the doctor was very nice and I liked him.....but I am a little concerned about my port (I don't have a doctor to follow up with if something goes wrong since I had mine done in Mexico) and I also think that the minimal lipo should be included in with the price of the tummy tuck. Maybe I did not make myself clear when I ask the question. I wasn't talking about a procedure...I was talking about the contouring. Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated.

I am hoping that somebody out there can tell me if they are having or have experienced the same problem as me. I was banded in September of 07 and I have lost over 70 pounds...about a year and a half ago I started having this pain in and around my gallbladder on the right side. It would come about one to two weeks BEFORE my period and it would be continuous up until I got my period. I went to my doctor who sent me to a surgeon who was so sure that it was my gallbladder.....Well, it wasn't.....All test came back fine. He checked my band because then he was so sure that my band had slipped and everything was fine there too. Another doctor said it was gas...this is absolutely NOT gas. I get this like clockwork every month for one to two weeks and it suddenly resolves after I get my period. It hurts to breath sometimes and I can only describe it as like a side stitch (but in the gallbladder area) that you get from running where when you take a deep breath the pain goes into my ribs. When I sit, it is difficult sometimes to stand upright....I am at a loss as to what this is. I am almost ready to throw the towel in and have my band removed because I did not have this before I got the band. Does anbody else have these symptoms??? This pain also is not associated with eating....meaning that I can eat or not and I still have it. I sometimes have to take pain pills so that I can sleep at night. The thing that bugs me is that it seems to revolve around my menstrual cycle, but it seems too high up to be reproductive related. I would appreciate any input I can get. Thank You!

First off, I want to thank you Festivus, for answering my post. I guess I just did not want to believe that something as simple (or maybe complex) as gas could be causing me continuous misery. PLUS, the whole menstrual thing. That is why I was so sure that it could not be gas...how could anybody have gas that long. Now, when you had your pain did that area become tender almost like you were working your abs and they were sore? That is also how I describe it....like I had a really rough ab workout and my muscles are sore. The whole hormonal thing makes sense and thank you so much for responding. I will have to figure out a way to relieve the gas. Do you have any suggestions? It is pretty sad when you pray for your period to start... but that is what life has begun to be like for me. I guess having an idea of what it is makes me feel better and also to have other people say that they are experiencing the same thing....makes me feel like I am not going crazy. Hopefully this post will help other people who are suffering. If anybody has any tips or suggestions....please post. I find that exercise makes me feel better, but does not make it go away. That would also make sense with gas because they tell you to move more after surgery to get the gas moving. I hope other people respond and maybe there is some tips to help deal with this.

Hi all, I am new to this site and I am also researching the lap-band procedure. I am interested in knowing if anybody has had their procedure done at the detriot medical center? I have a BMI of 34 and so far, to have the procedure done, I have found very few places that will do it. Obviously, I am self-pay and I am trying to find people who have had their procedure done there and what their experiences have been. This is a big decision and one that needs to be researched and I want to know all the facts, good and bad. So any help would greatly be appreciated. I did comment about this in the DOCTORS AND HOSPITAL thread, but nobody has responded yet. So I thought I would try this area. Thank you, Sheila

I am new to the forum and I am trying to research as much as I can about the Lap-band procedure. Unfortunately, I am not covered by insurance so this will be self-pay for me. I have been looking at having the procedure done at the Detriot Medical Center. Has anybody had theirs done there and what has their experience been? I also have a BMI of 34 which is low by weight loss surgery standards and it is hard to find doctors that will do it. DMC will do it as long as your BMI is 30 and that is why I have been seriously considering it.

aliveandwell - First off, congratulate yourself for taking the first step. Only you can make the decision to get the band. For me, it was the best life changing thing I could have done, but for some, it has been a nightmare. Can I just say, that this past January was the first time in probably 20 years that I have not had some "diet plan" that I was going to be starting in the new year. This is the first time, in many years that I have not thought about what I was going to do to lose the weight. The obsession of dieting and trying to find the next quick fix are over for me and I have to tell you, it is one of the most wonderful feelings that you can experience. I feel that I am able to live and enjoy my life without the worry of being over weight or gaining weight with every thing I stick in my mouth. I am finally FREE!!!

I would like to see where the majority of people have gotten their banding done. United States - Mexico - Other

I had a lower BMI and I am so glad that I had the surgery. I was banded on September 14, 2007 and I have lost 51 pounds WITHOUT a fill. Initially, I went through a period of thinking that maybe I did not make the right decision, but once I got through the rough part of getting acquainted with the band and the issues that you sometimes face, I realized that after years of struggling with weight that I finally felt at peace with food. I have yo-yoed for years and I am an avid exerciser, but it seemed like no matter how much I exercised or how healthy I ate, there was always a point where I would collapse and screw everything up and end up right back where I started weighing even more. I still want to lose another 30 pounds and I am not even sure if I am going to get a fill, because honestly, I still have a sense of restriction. So, for me, I am so glad I took the plunge, because after struggling for so long to be "skinny" I am finally almost to where I want to be and I know for a fact that I would be still struggling to lose weight if it wasn't for the band.

I feel your pain too. I work in a hospital and practically everyday there is a drug rep trying to outdo another one and they ALWAYS have unhealthy thing to hand out. Then, after I make it through that, I have to deal with all the food that my department brings in for people to eat throughout the day....it is a constant party.

Jessiel55 - I thought that I could just have the surgery on Friday and hop up and go to work on Monday or Tuesday. I ended up not going back until the following Monday. I had planned on going back that Thursday, but I was just not feeling up to it and I knew that I could not manage at work. I guess everybody is different. I personally needed the extra days. I also developed an allergy to the steri-strips which really threw me for a loop.

Me too Judy.....I couldn't get on yesterday until late. I thought I might have gotten the boot. Maybe it was down due to upgrades or something.

This is a great Idea. My suggestion is to ignore IsaButthole. Don't respond to any posts. Sooner or later she will go away. LA LA LA LA LA....we can't hear you!!!!! :whoo:

BRING ME OUT????? I do not spend 24 hours a day on the computer as I can see, by your 4,000 plus posts, that you must certainly do. Is that what you do for a living.....sit in front of the computer and post crap to scare people. Do you realize that you you have only been a member since March of this year and you have over 4,000 posts.....what person has the time to sit and write that many posts. I, for one, have a job and a family. I would say that you should probably get out more often instead of sitting on the computer. It looks like the computer is your only friend. What a shame. I am not going to play into your little game. I was banded by Dr. Gonzalez, you were not.....and to sit there and spout off about a doctor that you NEVER even went to is ridiculous. For all those out there that are scared because of what this "expert poster" has written...just know that Dr. Gonzalez is a wonderful doctor and person. He treats you as a person, not a number and his follow-up is better than any doctor here in the US. If you are afraid of complications, then don't ever have surgery......EVERY procedure carries risks. I just know that if I were to have a serious complication, Dr. Gonzalez would be there for me a 100%. That is what is really important. I can email Dr. Valenzuela, the Clinical Manager, and he usually responds the same day and if not, it is the very next. I am not here to tell you who to go to, but I am going to stand up for my doctor when somebody, who obviously has some issues, is trying to make him sound like a unskilled surgeon. If I developed a complication and had to do it all over again.....I would still go to Dr. Gonzalez.

<p> </p> <p>Jennypoo.... Why don't you also go read up on erosions and learn what really causes them and once you do that, then you can comment on Dr. Gonzalez's erosion rate, because as I just posted.....erosions are not soley caused by the doctor.....it is what WE do after getting the band and how WE follow directions that can potentially cause complications. I guess I should blame Mcdonalds for me being fat too.....since they are the ones that forced the food down my throat! BTW, I hope you don't have any of those complications and need Dr. Ortiz to do follow-up.....I heard his follow-up is less than desirable.</p>

So Wasa.....I would like for you to tell me exactly what it is that Dr. Gonzalez is doing to cause all these erosions. From the information that I have read, it is due to the way we as patients follow the rules. Below is a list of potential things that could cause erosion. I would like everybody to read this because I am not seeing where the doctor is causing the erosions. WE are the ones that are responsible for following the directions. The doctor CANNOT follow us around to make sure we are doing the things that will keep erosion and slippage and other possible complications from happening. You have been slamming Dr. Gonzalez's complication rate.....but what you don't seem to get, is that if somebody has an erosion.....it is not necessarily due to anything that the doctor may have done. If you find somewhere that it says....erosions are completely the doctors fault. Please post.....I would love to see that, but until then....I think this erosion rate discussion is over. Quit trying to discredit the man. He is a good doctor and has a wonderful staff. For some reason, you cannot accept that and you have to just keep stirring the pot! EROSION Erosion can become a problem for a patient if the patient Doesn’t follow the simple guidelines set forth by the doctor. HERE ARE SOME EXAMPLES You should not consume alcohol, if you consume any alcohol you may cause damage to the stomach at the neck of the band (an ulcer). If you eat spicy food or certain types of medication you may also cause harm to the stomach. If you DON’T protect your stomach while you have gastritis (like eating Tums or any other antacid), this can and usually does cause the acid in your stomach to erode to the band.

I have been having back pain too and I was banded on September 14th. I decided to do a search and see if anybody else was having the pain. I thought maybe it had something to do with what I ate. I actually had to use a heating pad a few times. It seems to be frequent. I also had a horrible period this month and I NEVER get cramps and I had terrible cramps in my back that kept me on the couch all weekend with a heating pad. I hope every month isn't like that. I feel for those of you who have always had bad cramps I was told not to take motrin, advil or any other ibuprofen due to stomach irritation. The only thing I can take is Tylenol, which does nothing for me. I guess if things don't soon get better I will contact my doctor.

I had the same thing happen with the steri-strips, but it didn't happen until a week out and I had to take them off because I was itching so bad and you could see where all the steri-strips had been. So, I put on 1% hydrocortisone....which, seemed to be making it worse instead of better. I finally went to the ER because the itching was just driving me insane and I did not want to rip open my incisions. They gave me a five day dose of prednisone, which helped initially, but after I stopped, I developed a rash under my breast, all over my belly and it got worse when I put that hydrocortisone cream on. So, I went to my family doctor and she was afraid I was either allergic to prenisone or I was having a worse reaction because I wasn't on the prednisone long enough. At any rate, I was prescribed allegra and I started taking it only to have my rash spread the next day to my lower body. It was the weekend and I decided if it did not start to get better and it spread any further that I would be going back to the ER. Luckily, the allegra started to kick in after the second day. That has really been the only bad thing that has happened since my banding on 9/14.....but it was not pleasant that is for sure! I have never had a problem with Steri-strips before, so it was a shock when it happened.

Hotmomma, I was wondering where you were at. I thought maybe you bailed on the surgery. Good to hear you are back. Hope you are feeling better! Good Luck!

BlueEyedKitty - Good luck and get in touch with me when you get home and get situated. Everything will be okay.

Sunshine- I am not certain how much I am eating at a time....I don't think it is 16 oz, but it may be 5 or 6 and I have thought the same thing.....did I do any damage. Food seems to be going down way too easily and being on that Prednisone for the allergic reaction and my period coming up, has made me feel like I need more food. If you find anything out let me know. I have read this before about people eating more than what they are suppose to and I guess if it was that easy to slip your band, it would be happening a lot.

Omalgirl- I thought the same thing.....have the surgery on Friday and return to my desk job on Monday! HA....I was wrong. I had intended to return to work that Thursday, which would have given me almost a week off....well, I had to call off the rest of the week. I had extremely bad gas pain and I was just miserable. I am not saying that this will be you, because obviously, I did not move enough....but just keep that in mind. Recovery was harder than I had expected. Now, I am two weeks out and I feel much better. Take as much time as you can get.

Yes....major allergy!! and I cannot say for certain if I am okay yet, because I started the prednisone about two hours ago and I think I may have an allergy to that....it seems as though I am developing hives. I was going to ask him if this could happen with the prednisone if I was allergic to the steroid cream, but I didn't. I did tell the doctor that I though I was allergic to the cream because it made the rash worse instead of better. I hope things get better.

BlueEyedKitty and Bakerman - Best of luck and let us know how things go. I will be thinking of you both. wasabubblebutt- Thank you for the information and encouraging words - we all need that. This definitely has not bee a picnic postop and hopefully the days will get better. I developed an allergic reaction to the ster-strips....which I never knew I had....and I had to go to the ER to get predinisone because it was getting worse....so I have definitely wondered to myself - "what have I done?"....but I know that in the end, this will be the best thing I could have ever done for myself and my kids. So everybody hang in there and take it one day at a time.

IDLOSERSM- It is great to meet you as well and it also great to hear you are doing well. I still have some gas....I must be a gassy person. I tried going to the grocery store yesterday and I think it was a little premature. I did go to my son's football game last night and that was okay...but I didn't drive. Next week is full of football games - three in a row.....hopefully, I will be able to drive without problems (I have a stick shift). Take care and I will email you soon.