lena23

Hi Bandersters!! The is my issue!! I got banded on 5/23/08, Mexico. Lost up to 20lbs with no fill. In 4 months my family ran into financial problems due to hubby losing job...caused us to sale house just to keep oldest son in college. Therefore, me getting fills was just not in our budget with still raising two other kids in middle school...money was just not there priority wise. I was the only one working and housing in Florida is really bad. Finally, after about a year and moving to a condo...my hubby and I are seeing some daylight!!:thumbup: My problem is that I have never got a fill since surgery and of course weight came back wih all the stress,,,I would like to know do any of you feel it is too late for me to try and get back on track. I found a fill center in Miami that recently opened close to me because it is no way I can afford to fly to Mexico. Will the fill center think I'm crazy after all this time...cause sometime I was really feeling bad that I didn't have the money to go, since other things were more important....like not wanting to live on the street or telling my son..he had to leave college!! But honestly, do any of you feel it would be too late to try and lose the weight again? I'm 43, 5'2 and at 207lbs...:drool: Any suggests would be great!!

Hello, Hope you are still doing well!! I would like to know do you have any extra scars from surgery or did they go in thru old scars?

hi...pete!! I live in west palm beach in wellington. I had my surgery done on 5/22/08 in Mexico because insurance denied me. I was a self pay and don't regret it a bit!! I have lost 25lbs and will be going for my 1st fill on aug/30. I've had no bad side affects or problems, so far, and just starting to get hungry most days......so have decided to now go for fill. Good luck on your journey and hope you get approve!!! Lena23

well, when you say several.....i hope that means more than 3 or 4 people. Good luck and i will pray for you to hope you recover!!! :thumbup: lena23

Hey.....have you done any research on your own about that doctor and not just read what one person's reply might have been or that he's cheap......because he is cheap for a reason!!! Please do your research because I'm sure you might change you mind for having him do your surgery. I crossed him off my list before my surgery and glad I did once I did some digging!! Good luck either way in what path you take but have the surgery for sure because it has really changed my life for nothing but the better!!! Lena23

i so agree with every single word you said!! In starting to read this post, i was so offended and wanted to scream. I had my surgery in a real bad area in Mexico and was told never to go anywhere without a "couple" of people and travel in groups. I did my research on my doctor and felt he was the best choice for me in having a successful surgery with an excellent outcome. It makes me upset when people use words that are judgemental. It's no different when you have stupid people making comments on fat people, that their lazy, won't exercise and like being fat!! It's all just wrong!! So "katiebugs", you really need to be very very careful with the words you use. The post was very offensive to me!! Lena23

I think you may have done somthing to the band. My doctor told me not to do so much as a half situp or crunch until 2 months. He said i could only do walking, not even lite weights for 6 weeks. Lena23

Dragon...sorry to say liquids mean liquids. I was told by my doctor in the liquid stage that if something could not be dranked thru a straw it was not liquid. I was told do not swallow anything not liquid because stomach is healing and any kind of eating thru that period could stretch the pouch made to hold limited food after the liquid stage. Hope you are ok!! Lena23

What is so great to me about the lapband is that if you mess up, you can always start over to get on the right track again, but it will take time. Lapband is not a quick fix!! I look at it as a tool to get healthier. I'm able to eat anything but now I do really portion control. If I eat out, I do only eat half. I'm one of the people that have to sip Water thru straw with eating because that was one habit that I could not break. I'm not an exerciser either but I have found that if I walk those 30 minutes a day that it really helps if I cheat. I fit those 30 minutes in NO MATTER WHAT!! I haven't slime so far and really do not want to experience that. I wish everyone the best in their WL journey!!:smile: Lena23

COSMO....you stated in your post "you can get a US surgeon and the reassurances that go with it"!! My point is no doctor can give you reassurance that nothing could go wrong in have surgery and if they can I would like to have that doctor's name and phone number. You're not gonna get that no matter what country you chose to have a surgery in!!! Any surgery is a risk no matter what!!! You really need to watch what you post to be believeable!!!! Lena23

Lena23 Cosmo.....also, Can You Please Give The Name For The Surgeon That I Can Call For Complete Reassurance For All The Surgeries He Or She May Do. I'm Sure Alot Of People Would Want That Number!!!! Lena23

Cosmo....this Is Lena!! I Just Have A Few Things To Express To You Again! For 1, I Didn't Pay $20,000 For My Surgery....i Payed $7,500 With Dr. Ortiz, If You Must Know. 2nd...you Have Made Posts Suggesting That Anyone Going To Mexico For Surgery Is Not A Good Idea. This Is All Just Because You Did Not Research Your Surgeon. You Yourself Posted That You Asked For References On Your Surgeon But No One Responded...that In Itself Should Have Told You Something And ""you"" Still Made That Choice To Have "a Rod" Do Your Surgery. Also, There Is Feedback On This Forum Reference That Doctor...some Positive But The Most Negative!! If You Would Have Done The Research.....i'm Sure You Would Not Have Made That Choice With Common Sense. I Looked At "a Rod" For Surgery And Got Feedback That Let Me Know He Was Not The Doctor For Me And That A Jose Rod Was Better. Still And Yet I Did Not Pick Him Also. There Is A Risk In Having Any Surgery Where You Have To Go Under...but That Was Not Your Problem....your Band Eroded!! That Is A Known Complication With This Surgery. Yes, You Could Have Sued A Us Doctor But Proably Wouldn't Have Won The Case Because Of That. Everyones Body Type Is Different And Your Body Couldn't Handle The Band, Like Some Have Said, No Error To The Doctor But Their Bodies Rejected The Band. It's Not Like The Doctor Placed Your Band Upside Or Banded Your Intestines Where You Would Have Fault With The Doctor. But Since You Don't Know Who Paid $20,000 For Their Band....i Doubt Seriously If You Know The Circumstances Of Your Band Anyway. So Keep Whining With Your Cheese.....if That Is The Only Way You Can Feel Better!!!! Lena23

Cosmo....you Picked A Bad Doctor And Did Not Follow Thru And Research Your Doctor. You Have A Problem With Your Doctor And Should Not Try And Lump All Mexican Doctors Together Because You Had A Bad Experience With Yours. If You Want To Share That Experience For "just That Doctor", Please Do. But Stop Your Whining With Cheese.....that It Is All Mexico Doctors That Is A Problem Because That Is Not True At All!!! Unless You Have Proof On Every Mexican Doctor That They Are Not Great Surgeons....please Get A Life, And Be Fair. This Forum Is To Help!!! If You Want To Warn Someone About Your Surgeon, Then That Is What You Can Speak On....but There Are Many Of Us That Had Great Experiences With Our Mexican Doctors That You Can Not Reply On And Be Creditable. So Stop Whining And Trying To Also Bash Mexican Doctors Because You Did Not Do Your Research In Picking Your Doctor!!! Lena23

Please Research On This Site About Dr Kelly. I Almost Picked This Dr Thru Mylapband.com But The More I Researched And Got Feedback On Him, I Went With Another Dr. I Was Banded On 5/22/08 And Very Happy With My Choice. If You Pm..me I Will Forward The Email Of Replies I Have On The Dr That Were Not Good. Also Mylapband.com Would Not Give Me My Deposit Back, But Was Glad That I Lost That Money To Be Banded By A Great Surgeon. Lena24

Cos....if No One Called You Back In Reference To Dr A. Rod That Should Have Sent A Red Flag To You That His Previous Patients Didn't Want To Talk About Him. My Surgeon Was The Best In Mexico...go Dr Ortiz---you're The Bomb!!:tongue2: :smile: There Is No Way I Would Not Want To Relate And Share My Experience About A Great Dr That I Had With Anyone!! You Still Made That Choice To Proceed With That Dr. Sorry About What You're Going Thru But That Was Still Your C.h.o.i.c.e!!!! Lena23

JKPENNY....CHECKED MORNING OF THE SURGERY 5/22/08 AND NEXT AFTERNOON A FRIDAY WENT BACK TO HOTEL, SHOWERED AND WENT SHOPPING. GOOD TO GET OUT TO SEE HOW IS WORKING. ONE GIRL WHO HAD BEEN SHOPPING WITH US HAD CONCERNS ABOUT HOW HER CHEST WAS AND ORTIZ TOLD HER TO TAKE A CAB TO CHECK HER OUT. THEY GAVE US HIS NUMBERS TO CALL THRU THE DAY WITH ANY CONCERNS BEFORE WE HAD TO FLY BACK HOME. WHEN YOU FIRST GET OUT THE BED TO WALK.....GAS-X!!!! ALOT OF US DIDN'T TAKE ANYTHING FOR GAS RIGHT AWAY AND THEY HAD GAS AND PAIN PRETTY BAD AND JUST WANTED TO LAY DOWN. BUT THAT MAKES GAS WORST AND JUST STAYS IN CHEST AND STOMACH. WALK...WALK...WALK!!!! LENA23

:sad_smile:HI...I WAS BANDED ON 5/22/08, AND HAVE NOT HAD A BILE MOVEMENT IN 6 DAYS AND EVEN AFTER SURGERY. AM I STILL OK? I HAVE TO DO liquid DIET FOR 21 DAYS. ALSO, DOES ANYONE KNOW HOW LONG BEFORE GLUE ON INCISIONS SHOULD COME OFF? ANY HELP, I WOULD GREATLY APPRECIATE!!! LENA23

THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR SUGGESTIONS AND I WILL GIVE IT A COUPLE MORE DAYS. THEN I WILL TRY THE PRUNE JUICE!! LENA23

I WAS BANDED ON THE SAME DAY AS YOU AND WE ARE THE SAME AGE ALSO. I WENT TO Mexico TO BE BANDED AND SORRY TO SAY I'M NOT HAVING A HARD TIME LIKE YOU. TRY THIS AND SEE IF IT HELPS. I TOOK GAS-X(2)STIX FROM THE TIME THEY TOLD ME TO GET UP AND WALK. PLUS, GET A HEATING PAD OR WARM COMPRESS AND PLACE OVER STOMACH, IT WILL HELP WITH THE INTESTINAL UPSET. I DIDN'T TAKE AND PAIN pills AFTER I GOT OUT HOSPITAL BECAUSE NURSE SAID THEY COULD MAKE NASUEA W/O food, THAT'S WHY HEATING PAD WORKED SO GOOD. YOU NEED TO GET OUT AND WALK, NOTHING IS BETTER, THAN FOR YOU TO WALK AND IT WILL GET BETTER!!! PM AT ANYTIME FOR SUPPORT......YOU WILL MAKE IT!! LENA23

HI ALL...I WAS BANDED 5/22/05 AND HOPING I MAKE IT THRU MY DIET. MY DOC SAYS 21 DAYS OF LIQUID AND THEN SOLID FOODS. SON CAME HOME FROM COLLEGE WITH GIRLFRIEND FOR HOLIDAY AND WAS ON HIS HEAD TI EAT AT RED LOBSTER. I THOUGHT THAT I COULD HAVE JUST CLEAR SOUP BUT THEY DIDN'T SALE ANY!! JUST HAD MY PROTIEN Water WHILE KIDS ATE SHRIMP, BREAD, FRIES, BAKED POTATOES. MY YOUNGEST WHO'S 7 HAD EXTRA cheese STIX AND KEPT PUTTING THEM IN MY FACE. REALLY HATE KIDS RIGHT NOW....BUT GUESS WHAT, I DID NOT CHEAT AND VERY PROUD OF MYSELF!!! I JUST PRAY I MAKE MY 21 DAYS OF LIQUIDS!!:thumbup: KEEP PUSHING EVERYONE AND BEST OF LUCK!!! LENA23

HI EVERYONE....I WANTED TO LET YOU ALL KNOW I WAS JUST BANDED ON 5/22/08 IN Mexico BY ORTIZ AND IT WAS THE BEST!! TIPS THAT I HAVE IS WHEN YOU GET OUT OF SURGERY AND GO ON 1ST WALK TAKE TWO GAS-X STRIPS FOR THE GAS....9 OF US HAD SURGERY THAT DAY AND 5 HAD VERY BAD GAS AND COULDN'T GO SHOPPING NEXT DAY. WALKING WAS GREAT FOR GAS AND WE SHOPPED AT LEAST 4 HOURS STRAIGHT UNTIL WE ALL RAN OUT OF MONEY!! THEY TOLD US JUST BRING A $100, BUT IF YOU ARE A SHOPPER LIKE MOST OF US WERE, IT IS NOT ENOUGH, EVEN WHEN YOU BARGAIN....CAN'T WAIT TO GO BACK FOR MY FILL SO I CAN SHOP SOME MORE THERE. THE PEOPLE WERE GREAT AND HOTEL WAS NICE. MY BEST ADVICE IS GAS-X ON THE REGULAR, ESPECIALLY BEFORE PLANE RIDE AS IT WILL BE HARD TO WALK AROUND ON PLANE. AND MOSTLY SIP...SIP..SIP!!! Dr. Ortiz YOU'RE THE BOMB DIGDY!! I WILL ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS ANYONE MAY HAVE ABOUT THE SURGERY AND HAVING IT MEXICO, JUST PM ....ME!! AND YES, I WOULD TRULY DO IT AGAIN!! LENA23:thumbup:

I'M BEING BANDED IN MEXICO ON 5/22/08 BY DR ORTIZ AND THE ONLY THING THAT I GOT OUT OF THE POST WAS TO MAKE SURE TO TELL MY HUSBAND AND KIDS HOW MUCH I LOVE THEM. WILL ALSO LET MY HUSBAND KNOW THAT IF ANYTHING GOES WRONG THAT IT WAS MY CHOICE AND THAT I'M CLEAR AND OK WITH THAT CHOICE. I'M SORRY FOR YOUR LOST, IF TRUE!!:confused2: BUT LEARY OF YOUR STORY, IF YOU CAN STILL GAIN 75LBS WHILE IN HOSPITAL IN 6 DAYS. IT JUST DOESN'T RING TRUE TO ME. BUT THANKS FOR BRING TO MY ATTENTION TO BELIEVE IN THE BEST.....BUT STILL BE PREPARED FOR THE WORST. YIPPY!!!.....I'M STILL GET BANDED THOU!!:welldoneclap: LENA23

Hi...all Put Me Down May 22 With Dr. Ortiz!!! Yipppppy!!! :thumbup:

I am in West Palm Beach, Fl and hoping to be banded in late May by Dr Ortiz. I am not telling anyone, just hubby now. Girlfriend that I asked to go with me yelled at me and said I was just weak and stopped trying to loss weight but had the nerve to call me today about some news pill on market that suppose to be bettter than alli w/o going as much for potty breaks. We were good together about trying the new best thing to loss weight but now that I am tired of that and won't do it anymore, she is mad. She thought it would matter to me that she was told Oprah was trying it....I told her as big as Oprah is getting lately, she better try the lapband. LOL....she hung up on me!!! SO I am NOT telling anyone else in fear of having my friends upset. Lena23

HI ALL.....I MIGHT HAVE TO TRAVEL ALONE AS A SELF PAY TO Mexico FOR MY SURGERY. I'M LOOKING TO HAVE SURGERY 1ST CHOICE MAY 22-24. AND THEN ANYTIME IN JUNE. MY CHOICE FOR DRS' ARE 1ST-ORTIZ, JOSE RODRIGUIZ AND THEN Ramos Kelly. IF THERE IS ANYONE LOOKING TO HAVE SURGERY IN MEXICO WITH ANY OF THOSE DOCTORS THAT WOULD LIKE TO MEET UP WITH ME AS A TAG ALONG, BECAUSE I REALLY WOULD NOT WANT TO GO BY MYSELF. PLEASE LET ME KNOW!!:thumbup::sad: I SPOKEN WITH ALL OF THESE DOCTOR'S COORDINATORS AND ORTIZ IS THE ONLY ONE THAT I WOULD BE WILLING TO TRAVEL TO BY MYSELF AND FEEL SECURE. THERE IS ALSO NOTHING WRONG WITH DOCTOR RODRIGUIZ EITHER, IT'S JUST THAT ONE OF THE PLANES THAT I WOULD HAVE TO TAKE TO EL PASO IS A SMALLER ONE AND I'M SCARED OF THOSE BY SELF!!:thumbup: I'M IN FLORIDA!! THANKS...LENA23 OH.....ORTIZ QUOTED ME A FAIR PRICE FOR BOOKING TOGETHER....