Jane Garside

OlyHarleygirl - where did you have your surgery?

Hi Stacy, I went to Mexico for the same reasons you're talking about. Dr de la Garzia with the Litenfree group in Monteray, Mexico. They take very good care of people and cost is about $8,500. I found them by googling lapbands. The only problem is that despite they say 24hr availabliity via e-mail I definitely thought the aftercare was lacking. I did go back to them for my first fill - again they were gracious and accomodating and took very good care of me. My husband went with me for the surgery but I went on my own for the fill. The driver from the airport doesn't speak English but is personable and very capable. Most of the hospital staff does not speak english but they go out of there way to find the people who do for you. The surgeon and coordinator are multilinqual. It was actually a great experience overall. Living with the band has been a little more challenging than I expected but I'm getting better at it. Good luck to you!

Thanks OlyHarleygirl. The GI distress didn't start until the fill. Dr de la Garza (Lit'nfree) in Monterey Mexico did the surgery and we were generaly pleased with our experience except for the lack of aftercare. My earlier e-mails to the dietician went basically unresponded to. The co-ordinator did get her to respond but the message was pretty clear that I was on my own. She did give me this web site which is a God sent - and they do fills for free but it costs me $500 in air-fare to get there. I'm finding in gereral following some of the tips I've got on line that as long as I do flds for breakfast and otherwise go sloooow and attend very carefully to phsycial sensation I do better. Who knew?? - I was apparently quite tuned out to belly sensation....until I'd get the whole shebang. Do you ride a Harley?

Thanks Harleygirl that was a great recomendation, what a great price. It turned out the closest to me in Michigan was a Nashville Tn clinic. Weird huh, Michigan sure does their share of bands. I've lost 25#'s, 16 since the banding in June 05 - I'm a turtle! 40#'s to go. 1 fill, Aug 05 1.7 cc and have had so much GI distress since that I'm a little afraid of another fill. Wish I had a local Doctor to talk it over with. I've increased my excercise to 6hrs a week but at 55, a life time dieter with thyroid trouble I think my metabolism is in the dumper. Weight training - yuck - is what I need.

it happens to me a lot. I'll go days without a problem then something that was not problem before triggers me. Very frustrating and socially - what a mess. I know that sometimes it's just like you described - too much to fast. Other times -and what I'm learning is sometimes 4-5 small bites is all I can tolerate. My mind and mouth rebell but I'm learning that if I wait 10 minutes a few more bites is ok. It embarresses me that I'm still learning this. Worse in the morning and usually much better by supper but not always. Someone had a posting last week "I think I've figured it out" which was right on for me. I think sometimes the stomach gets irritated after an episode of overfill and then is not good for several days until that irritation resolves and probably better to do liquids and mushy stuff for that period. Good luck to you. I've been banded 7 months with 1 fill 1.8.

I had my surgery in Mexico in June 05 and have been back for a fill, I'd like to find a Michigan Dr for aftercare and fills. Anyone got any leads?

These comments are helpful. I frequently have the experience of eating not a hug amount but enough without difficulty then another time 1/2 that and get miserable with maybe the PB thing. There doesn't yet seem to be a patterm. It can be mid day at times. Sometimes I think it's related to how relaxed I am.

I was happy to hear someone define PB. Happens to me fairly often. socially pretty off putting. I don't seem to get early warning signs. Any feedback.