mbeckett1

My surgeon is so skilled & experienced that all he does is insert a tiny needle with a numbing agent & then a slightly bigger needle with the fill. He doesn't use the one that came with the band. Out of about 6-7 times I've had this done he has NEVER had to poke me twice & the numbing agent doesn't hurt either. Last month I had some issues with my band getting tight 6 months after the last fill (wierd things happen with the band & everyone is so different!) & was having acid & pbing issues as well as over salivation. I made an appt. with the new Fill Centers USA in Austin & they were going to charge me an arm & a leg but I was willing to pay. The bariatric center flouro machine broke the day I had my appt. & the Fill Center Dr. refused to unfill me without flouro. She made a HUGE deal that she thought my band had slipped & that I should be in the ER....quite dramatic but then I found she is an ER Dr. so that explains it.....self employed so I have a really high deductible so ER is not cheap for me. She really freaked me out & I did not appreciate that she couldn't at least try to unfill me when my surgeon has never even done a flouro on me & I was in a really bad place. This is one of the reasons I went to Mexico aside from cost for those of us that are self paid....there is not this attitude that every patient is going to sue their Dr. - I sometimes get the feeling that Dr.s in the States are so cautious now because of all the lawsuits that there should be a form that we can sign that says we WON'T sue them so they can relax & actually give us an honest opinion & try to help us out. I then learned that some of the Dr.s in the US - I said some so don't e-mailing me defending your surgeon...don't have enough exeprience to find the port & are not yet comfortable with the fill / unfill procedures & feeling their way around the area so they heavily rely on flouro even when it really isn't necessary. I bought a ticket & flew myself to Mexico to see my surgeon for 1/2 of the cost that Fill Centers was going to charge me. He immediately drained the band completely & PROBLEM SOLVED!! He is the type of Dr. that reassures you & doesn't make everything into a catastrophe. He said there was almost no chance of the band slipping because of an extra stitch that they are now doing in Mexico to prevent this. I even went back to my old tricks of over eating I was feeling so good for the last month - I just went down & started with fills again. Don't be scared of the fill - It doesn't hurt at all if they do it correctly....some have gentler hands than others but in this whole "Band" game it all comes down to experience.

Same here! I never really thought twice about sweet before surgery. Now I really crave chocolate! I am not sure what it is but there is a noticeable difference.

I have a 10cc band & got my first fil yesterday. They did 2cc's & I couldn't feel any difference. Went back this morning to get 1 more cc & that did it for now.

Passive Viewer: I am going to stay away from this thread. I think you are putting words in people's mouths at this point. More experience is also a fact that no one can deny. FDA didn't approve the band till 2001. If my Doc has been doing it since 1994 you really can't argue with that fact. Wonderful thing is everyone has a choice & I am glad I came to this board to hear about positive experiences & being able to give each other feedback & support through the tough times. Best of luck to you!

Don't we all push our Doctor's if we had a really good experience? I think we should stay positive & exchange constructive issues & advice. I see too many people losing it with other poster on this board. I appreciate it when someone has a good experience & shares it. I feel sympathy for those who have bad ones. Medicine is not magic & there can be problems anywhere as everyone is so different & so is their medical history. I don't know if we have enough information to be bashing any Docs. for performing these procedures.

I had it done in Mexico & it is the best thing I ever did. If my insurance had paid for it I would literally have had to go through hell to get the procedure done. I wasn't going to play their game. I know I needed the procedure & had absolutely no resevations about it to where I would need a shrink telling me what to do. Also, I am really afraid of the medical field here in the States. They say everything is included as when my husband had wrist surgery & then you get a bill from anyone that is breathing & can send you a bill. In Mexico it was 1 fee & my Doc. paid everyone involved from that fee. I also get a year of free aftercare. By the way.....there are lots of horror stories here in the States with plastic surgery too. I have family in Mexico who have had plastic surgery & it looks totally natural. It really depends on the person & the surgeon. There are people walking around in the US that look so deformed their Docs should be ashamed of themselves. Until anyone walking into hospitals in this country pays their bills & I can get decent health care & insurance costs...you better believe I am going to research & find another alternative. Besides.....what is so hard to understand about the fact that the Mexican surgeons are the ones training the Docs. here in the US.....sorry but that seems like a no brainer to me!:clap2:

I am 15 days post op & need to see if anyone is experiencing anything like what I am. It is getting easier to eat now & I don't feel any restriction...no sliming, no pb'ing or any stuck feeling in the top part of my chest. What does happen is that anytime after lunchtime I'll eat lunch...for instance & all afternoon I have such terrible gas pains in my lower abdomen but they only start after I have finished eating lunch or dinner. I am not sure if I can still have surgery gas as I haven't been drinking any carbonated drinks. I've read that restriction doesn't happen till first fill but does anyone wake up feeling great in the morning & then get severe lower abdominal gas pains after eating in the afternoons? Just curious. Any feedback would be appreciated. I assumed that gas pains went away after the 2 week mark or at least were very mild.:help:

Thank you all for your wonderful input! MadDog: I too am having no restriction & am eating more & more everyday which is kinda scary because I really like where I was right after surgery. What has been happening to me is that I'll eat a meal & then AFTER I finish eating I'll get the gas / stomach pains. I only wish I could get it before all that goes down so I could stop midway through the meal. Nothing gets stuck & as a matter of fact I feel nothing until after I am finished with my meal. I have not burped once since my surgery. It all comes out the other way. I am assuming that when you get a fill it will stop you before you consume the entire meal or at least slow you down. My fill is scheduled for 9/27 so we'll see what happens. I've tried to really stick to lowfat stuff like grilled fish, etc...but it is very tempting to eat anything!!!

Wow! The red tape in this country has gotten completely out of hand! No wonder it costs twice as much here to get banded & our medical care is so outrageous anymore. It isn't like you are going in for a sex change operation! Most of us have a clear head & know that we want to do this. We've researched it till our heart's content & know exactly what to expect before & after. Heck I had even watched the actual surgery on YouTube a couple of times before getting it done! Why we need a shrink telling patients that they have a problem with junk food is WAY beyond me! What a stupid thing to say...if none of us had an addiction to junk or any other food we wouldn't even be here@!@ Of course...this is the country where insurance companies are saying the Lap-Band is still experimental. I thank my lucky stars I had the money to go to Mexico & get my surgery 25 days after first seeing my Doctor. All they required was a blood test & an EKG with an internal medicine Doc. I would have had to go through holy hell to get banded here since my BMI was 38. Why everything in the medical field here has to be blown out of proportion can only be attributed to the insane lawsuits that are going to make it cost prohibitive to get medical help here in a few years. I've been to Docs in Mexico for other things & nothing is really a big deal like it is here, they are very calm & assertive about treating the patient. Maybe it's because they don't have to worry about a lawsuit around every corner & they can more freely talk to their patients. Enough with all the red tape already!!!

Mary: Have you stopped having milk products? Is it any better? I never thought it would be that but I am having a protein shake with skim milk every morning. I'll try to stay off the milk tomorrow (already had cereal) and I'll let you know if it gets any better. Thanks for the reply!!!

Definitely Mexico! Even if my insurance had paid I would take into consideration that they have been doing the procedure for so much longer than here. They are actually the guys teaching the US Doctors! I just don't want to be a learning experience for anyone!

Roo: There is a code that they give you (long web page) after you create the ticker. The first code is the one you need. Back over it. Copy & then go & paste it right under your signature on this board in the same box. You can get to your info. on this site by going to UserCP. So glad to know you are doing well. Welcome to the journey with all of us!!

I was banded 1 day after you & I am experiencing the same bad hunger. I haven't had anything come back or get stuck so maybe that is the problem. The only thing I am really dealing with anymore is gas pains after I eath lunch & dinner but aside from that I feel no restriction.:faint:

Heather: Unlike some of the posters on this forum I really loved the baby food. Great portion size (no waste) & as long as I add some low sodium "light" salt they are great! I like the pureed fruit ones & I love the chicken & ham Stage 2. The Stage 3 has chunks in it but I really didn't see much of a difference in 1 & 2. I think 2 intruduces the meats. Gerber fruit juices were also a life saver for me the first few days after surgery. Very tiny serving which was perfect & I could change the flavors around. Wasn't too worried about sugar content, etc...the first few days because I was really concentrating on healing & not feeling weak going from about 5000 calories a day to about 500. Turkey & vegetables dinners are also good (Stage 2). Prune juice is great if you are having harder stools after surgery.

Shelley: Dr. Lopez proctored my surgeon & he was really really great. He's got tons of experience & is a really educated man. My scars are really tiny & they are looking so good. Stay positive & let me know how you did!:cheer2:

Liz: How did you do? I am sorry they moved up the date on you but just know there are a bunch of us in the same boat & we all become worry warts about something. My issue right now is slipping & port flipping so I think because we really want to succeed we are scared & worry. Hang in there & please let us know how everything went today. I am sure you were in excellent hands there in Tijuana!!

rumar: Glad to know everything is OK. I too have feelings that everything in my torso is moving around. I also am still somewhat bloated from surgery 2 weeks out & still get gas pains in my lower abdomen mainly in the afternoons / evening. It's amazing how much trapped gas can hurt! I don't feel any sort of "stuck" feeling or restriction at this point but after lunch I do get serious gas pains when I am at limit & they tend to stick around all afternoon & evening. My port & other incisions are still a little tender but mostly when I move or put pressure on them from normal movements. It is a bummer that the gas thing lasts so long!:heh:

My anesthesiologist was absolutely the BEST! He worked with Dr. Sanchez in Monterrey for years before Dr. Sanchez died. He had such amazing sense of humor & was super nice. He said I would start to feel a wonderful peaceful sleep & then he cracked me up saying lots of people asked him for what he was injecting in the IV "To Go" because it was such wonderful stuff. My surgeon said to pretend I was on a hammock in Cancun. I was told right after the surgery that in the OR I asked if they were ready to start the surgery & they said "We're done". Wonderful group of folks I had working on me!!

Sooverit: It is hard to look & smell food but since you aren't physically able to eat it it isn't so bad as pre-op. I too was under 40BMI 37.5 actually so I know where you are coming from. My insurance policy says they don't cover any of this so I didn't want to pay double but I sure hope you get your's through & done. Please keep me posted! Your mind is a powerful thing & just think of the wonderful opportunity you have that many don't.

Dana: he was absolutely wonderful. He actually proctored my Dr. but was also in surgery. My incisions are super small & have healed soooo well. He flew into Matamoros to represent Inamed / Allergen. He has alot of experience & is a world leader in teaching / proctoring for the company that makes the band. I know people have alot of opinions & different experiences but mine was amazing.

Veronica: Keep your chin up & have extreme confidence in your decision. Who cares if there are some that don't support you? You are doing this for yourself...not them...always remember that. It doesn't matter that we all had to resort to surgery, at least we did something about it. This is absolutely the best thing I've ever done for myself. Yes I could have lost the weight but eventually it would come back on again. A quick story you'll relate to. I got my surgery date on July 20th & they told me Aug. 16th. Well that happens to be the 6th anniversary of my 23 year old sister's sudden death while in her sleep so OF COURSE I had thoughts about it but when I told my mom she plainly said "It doesn't have anything to do with it". I never looked back & I had the best surgery & I've really had a very easy recovery. On day 9 I feel AMAZING. We went out to P.F. Chang's last night & never in my wildest dreams did I think I would merely sip on Won Ton soup broth there!!! Best of luck & please let us know how you did! Hang in there & if you have any questions we are here for you!:cheer2:

I would have given anything to have the band available when I was only 40lbs overweight. I would never have gone through sleep apnea, swollen feet & the other complications most of us have exerienced. I am glad they are using the band for preventative measures now. 40lbs becomes 60 & then 80 so fast! I am living proof. If it helps to get down to an ideal / healthy weight why not?? I am not one to say that some people whether thinner or younger should or shouldn't get the band...I just don't know enough about everyone's situation. Best of luck if you decide to go through with the procedure!

Good for you! You are so brave! Stay calm & read all these posts here because they are so helpful & the more informed you are the better you'll do. Good luck & please keep us posted.:clap2:

Congrats to both of you with upcoming dates next week!! Don't be nervous at all. This is so exciting. My only advice is hang in there...on day 6 or 7, you'll turn a corner like I did & everything is soo much better. Please update us on your surgery results. Best of luck!!!:cheer2:

Liz: Banded same day you were. I am also starving & it is so hard to take my son to get Burger King, etc... & serve him & not chomp down on it. Hang in there....I know exactly what you are going through. Get some Sugar Free Chocolate Pudding. That is a real treat. I bought the one with Splenda. I've been on soups & baby food mostly but am dying for some real food. Sometimes I think....what if I had this or that but I am too scared of it coming back up so I guess my fear keeps me in check for now.:heh: