Constance

Oh I'm so sorry. Can you plead with them on the money issue? Or could they let you do a payment plan? You are really suffering and if it could be their fault, they should take care of you!

Have you had any contact with Dr. Sanchez? Could they help you or give you a discount or something?

msbrookins, I searched the poster's name in that forum and found that he had been banded by Dr. Sanchez. I think a lot of times people get really cautious on boards and do the "Dr. John Doe" type thing so they don't start a chat board riot. Personally, I would way rather know what happened and be able to make my own choice than have someone try tobe poilte and not mention the doctor's name. I think Sanchez is a great choice and this is the ONLY thing I could find that was negative. Seriously, I'm a google/search freak and I have spent hours researching doctors. I also want to add that the unflattering comments frm that guy's post seem to be SO COMPLETELY contrary to what I've read. It seems like many people who used Dr. Sanchez were referred by someone in the medical community.

Also, there is a yahoo group called 'Struggling Bandsters' and I found a post where a person's band (placed by Sanchez) had slipped and was removed. This was back in 2000. Here is what the person wrote: Two surgeons (on my insurance plan) in the U.S. tried to find a way to get my slipped band back in proper position without surgery. Neither of them had ever put in a band; and both were reluctant to work on a patient whose band had been placed in Mexico before the US approved it here. When they learned that Dr. XXX had placed my band, they both looked at each other funny. One of them said "Another one of XXX's." I always wondered if they thought Dr. XXX's technique was wrong. Does any one know if the surgical technique has changed? Do any of you know whether later bands have been placed with different tubing, ports, stitches, etc.? I guess I am really asking, "Do you know if there have been any significant changes since 2000 when mine was placed?" Thank you.

fduddies, who is banding you?

Hey there, I'm looking into Sanchez (and Rumbaut, too), I've read great stuff about both of them -- but I find myself wanting to hear the not-so-perfect stories as well. So far I can't find anything. I will post what I can dig up and hopefully some LBT peeps will give us the info, too.

My friends and family are scared of banding in Mexico. (I'm leaning towards Rumbaut) They worry that there is less accountability there if something were to go wrong with the band - whether it is 10 days later, or in 5 years. How can I insure, legally or otherwise, that a doctor would be responsible for the band? Or can I even expect that? If I can safely tell my family Rumbaut is 'one of the very best', could I find another surgeon in the US considered 'one of the best'? I know they would feel better and be more supportive. However, my search for the best in the US hasn't yielded many results. Especially being self-pay, I am looking for the highest quality I can get at the best price. At this point I have these options: Dr. Snyder in Denver, $12,700, he's done 100+ bands Dr. Kirshenbaum in Denver, $10,000, he's done ~40 bands So it seems like a no-brainer to go to Rumbaut, $10,000, and he's thousands of bands. But my family isn't so convinced. They are super worried about follow-up and accounatbility. Help me lap-band peeps!

haha! One of the sugeons I had a consult with said there were many people in the public eye who were banded. I'm not sure who he is referring to here in cowpoke Denver. But he insisted that I would be "totally surprised" by the number of people in the media/entertainment who are banded.

Yeah, I looked into this right away. Unfortunately, it just isn't feasible. http://www.traumaburn.org/traumaburn/resources/faq.asp

Oh that is terrible! You poor thing! I was thinking -- and this is kind of off the wall -- could you get your fill (hopefully a succesful one) then go and get the needle mark tatooed? You know, just a few little dots to mark the spot? Is that the part that they miss? Or do they stick you in the right place but can't connect with the port under the skin? Does my question make sense? Like if you have pierced ears and you can get the earring in the hole but maybe you have to wiggle around once you're in there to get through the other hole? Is that what it is like? Or is it sthat they can't poke you in the right place?

I have been on the supervised diet for 5 months now. I am so sick of being so heavy. I am now at a BMI of 40 - terrific, right? Yeah, well now I come to find out Cigna requires one year at a 40 BMI - or 39 and under with co-morbidities. And they are talking serious, like Type 2 diabetes and pulmonary hypertension. I might as well go another month, but I have this sneaking suspicion I won't get coverage. It just sucks that I have to wait to find out.

Slight hijack -- but a few questions about Rumbaut... 1)how long from when you first contacted them until you had a date? 2)how long were you in monterrey? 3)any flight package inclusions? 4)can you provide you own pre-op work-ups if they require them? (I've had lots of tests in my pursuit of insurance coverage) Ok, sorry to divert the topic a bit. Y'all can PM me with repsonses if you don't want to post here -- though maybe the crowd would like to see.

She is so gross and full of herself. She could have at least gone out with some class and maybe had preserved some sort of decent reputation. Instead, her actions made Barbara Walters apologize for her. Bad idea. Babs against you is no good. She's like old scholo Tv royalty.

Here is a link to a thread on the same topic: http://lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=16051&highlight=long+term

I'm pre-op but I wanted to say something about the post-op depression. I can tell you from reading hours and hours on the subject of surgery, it is normal to feel a sense of despair and depression. It can be a combination chemical balances out of whack from the anesthesia, plus the nutritional changes PLUS the fact that you have just undergone a huge transition! Seriously, you are not alone, I've read so many posts saying what you've said only to read the same people being overjoyed a few weeks later.

I think it is hard, too, because to the average 'normal' non-celebrity, going from 350 to 200 would be wonderful and considered a success. But for her to be considered sucessful, she has to be at the lowest weight she can possible be.

Yeah, you could just follow that program, never get the band and lose weight... AND your sanity.

marlluvia, I'm not telling peeps at work either and I know they'll be all up in my business when they see me losing. I am planning to say , "I'm slowing way down when I eat and cutting back on portions. But also I've cut out bread and processed foods", because that is what they will witness, right? You could maybe make up a fake diet supplement. Then sell it to them! haha! "Here it is! It's 50$ a bottle and it works for me!" Seriously though, I think if you tell them everything you are doing EXCEPT for the banded part, they will buy it. (Buy it, meaning your story, not the phoney supplements.)

I just backed out too! I really wanted to see it but I imagined my belly there on teh table and got all weak.

I'm so moved by everyone's honesty and candor. I truly know I am not alone. For me, it was the sum of many things. I have been heavy since I was 10 so I have a laundry list of weight related angst. But most recently it was a trip to Mexico with a (thin) friend. Throughout the trip I kept thinking, "as soon as I get back I will start The Diet and lose weight so I can make this same trip again with less humiliation and self-consciousness". Then it occured to me I had made that same promise to myself during EVERY vacation and/or business trip I had ever taken. How much longer would I diet and fail until I really looked ta surgical options. Other big freak-outs that occured in the last few months to make me SURE about surgery: I turned 30 at my heaviest weight ever. I celebrated my 1st year of marriage with 30 more pounds than on my wedding day. I have a constant rash on various body parts due to the rolls and chafing. I dress like a homeless person. I have new dark stretch marks on my stomach and I've never been pregnant. Most of all, I'm just sick of it! All of the mental and physical BS that comes with obesity...why continue to suffer when there are other options that can help me?

Congrats! How exciting for you. I can't help with the pain issue since I'm still pre-op. But I'm sure someone will chime in. How was the surgery? Were you nervous? What were your first thoughts as you woke up?

I started out determined to keep it a total secret. So far I've told: 2 friends, husband, and my Dad and his wife. Even that many people feels like a lot. But no one at work knows, including my brother who I work with. And my Mom and her husband don't know. That's pretty huge for me. But really, I'm just choosing to avoid the judgement of the naysayers or the people who might poilce my every move.

Ginger helps for nausea. You can get crystallized ginger...or ginger ale gone flat. Also, some people say camphor smell helps nausea. So you can take a cotton ball and dip it in Sea Breeze astringent and sniff that now and then. Another one that has helped a friend of mine when she was pregnant, is sucking on a strong peppermint - like an Altoid.

Wow, completely gross but also completely fascinating! Trish, I'm sure you'll heal up just fine. Hang in there. We're rootin' for ya!

I am 5 months into the 6 month wait. It has been especially tough maintaining this weight and not telling most of my friends and family why I am so heavy and doing nothing about it. These months have forced me to just accept myself, more than ever. I don't know if I've been so sucessful at that. More than anything I just try to ignore how large and gross I feel. I have new stretch marks, something I haven't seen since I was 12 years old. They remind me of the permanence of being this heavy. I'm so anxious to get the weight off. Yet at the same time I go through times where I feel so much apprehension about the surgery. Will I get sick of all the caution around what to eat, chewiing enough, etc.? I am trying to be patient and keep up my self-esteem and body image. I know the weight loss isn't a cure all...but I do think it will feel fantastic!