cotedazur

:thumbup: I had lapband surgery with Dr. Rumbaut June 1 2006. I really haven't read this entire thread but my opinion of Dr. Rumbaut is this: He is a very experienced Lapband surgeon: one of the MOST experienced surgeons in the hemisphere. He is a lapbabd patienthimself. He seems to care about every patient. Look on my profile for my surgery experience. I will be 2 years out on June 1 and I am thankful that Dr Rumbaut placed my band.

:clap2: This doctor is far and away THE BEST LAPBAND/Bariatric surgeon in all of N and S America. He has done THREE THOUSAND lapband procedures alone and is himself banded. He studied with Dr. Favretti. THE MASTER in Padua italy as did his chief assistant. Even my skeptical mechanical engineer husband, who is considering getting the band, says it is a NO BRAINER to go back to Monterrey and have Dr. Rumbaut place his band. San Jose hospital is FIRST class. I've had the band since June 1 and have had NO TROUBLE whatsoever and I'll be 58 on July 17. Nancy

I had spent most of my adult life with chronic heartburn and acid reflux. I took Zantac for MANY years and when it stopped working switched to Prilosec OTC. My band was placed by Dr. Roberto Rumbaut on June 1, 2006 and it CURED MY ACID REFLUX COMPLETELY! I have the Inamed 9.75 cm 4 cc band with a current fill (done by Dr. C) of 2.2 cc's. It is one of the BEST things..... having the reflux cured!

WOW... am I glad to hear that!!!!!! That means I can have champagne occasionally!!!!!!!! OMG. (I was going to risk it on special occasions anyway). I am going to lay off the diet coke, however, as I WAS drinking gallons of it. I can't afford the champagne I like in GALLONS anyway. Nancy :cheer2:

:clap2: That is a good brief summary. Peope on the Main Message board at Obesityhelp.com will defend RNY and trash the LapBand at the mere posting of such a study: even patients who have been comatose for several months, had tracheostomy and spent several years in OT and PT to restore muscle and other basic bodily functions. It is an amazing phenomenon. Nancy

Hello there, I think they can schedule you in two or three weeks. As for the preop testing, I arrived in Monterrey before noon, was picked up at the airport and take to a cardiologist/internist's office where I had blood drawn, blood pressure, ultrasound of the gall bladder (He will remove it at no extra charge if you have stones, and fix a hiatal hernia if one is found), and an ekg. Then the hotel shuttle picked us up to check into the Hampton, so it didn't take more than an hour for the tests. I got to Monterrey on a wednesday morning, had surgery thursday morning, discharged from the hospital friday morning and left Monterrey Sunday. Three nights at the Hampton Inn are included, all transportation IN Monterrey and to and from the airport. The night you are in the hospital, the hotel will keep anything you want to not take to the hospital, and if someone comes with you, they can stay in your room with you on a couch. It is VERY nice at the Hampton.... complimentary breakfast and a light supper during the week. The hotel is practically right next to an Applebees, McDonalds and Italianos... and a shopping mall. I booked my own flight, as airfare is not included. We paid $421 R/T from Cincinnati connecting in Dallas/Ft. Worth. You know all this is tax deductible..i.e. as is any medical expense which is over 7.5% of your adjusted gross income. My husband is a mechanical enginer, skeptical, suspicous.... etc. He is considering the lapband for himself, and he says it is a no brainer to go to Rumbaut. Why go to a less experienced physician? Rumbaut IS the most experienced LapBand surgeon in the Americas. I'm convinced, the proper placement is crucial. I have had NO nausea..... no vomiting.... NOTHING. I have a really great surgeon here in Cincinnati to do my fills... actually I have my first one today. He is more experienced than most in the states and I am lucky to have found him. But the cash price is around $16,000. The only negative thing about going to Monterrey is the flight to and from. Otherwise, it is WONDERFUL to have the doctors come to the hotel to check on you. Rumbaut came there before the surgery on Wed night and Saturday night to see me before I left. HE IS FABULOUS.:first: Nancy

I had the back stitching too.... He is a great surgeon and his whole team is amazing! I'm glad you liked him too! Nancy:clap2:

:clap2: I have my first fill scheduled for Thursday, 4 weeks post op. I had a great surgeon in Mexico, Roberto Rumbaut, MD, but was REALLY lucky to find a surgeon in Cincinnati who is forward thinking about taking "Mexican" patients, who is INTERESTED in the well-being of his patients and is totally missing the GOD complex most surgeons seem afflicted with!! Actually, he posts on here and on Obesityhelp.com and understands the importance of being available to patients when you need him!!! WOW, this is too cool. He charges $300 for the first fill for "Mexican" patients which includes a consult with a dietitian, but only $150 thereafter. I am amazed and really glad. Seems to me the fills are paramount, and that one needs a surgeon who understands the WHOLE picture. HERE we have one!! Trace Curry, MD :first:

He really is good: I found him on the Obesity.com website before I went to Monterrey and he agreed to take me on before he announced he would start taking "mexican" patients. I really like him already and so, four weeks to the day from my surgery I'm going for the fill... this Thursday. He has three boys, plays Piano, Mandolin, banjo among other things and plays in a bluegrass band! He's 39. He has a great career ahead of him. I know he does the RNY and other bariatric surgeries, but personally, I think the band is so much safer, he is WISE to really be going that direction. Good luck!!! I had a great experience in Monterrey with dr Rumbaut.

I would have had it here in Cincinnati...(there is a great dr. here I have found to do my fills, Trace Curry). But the cash price here is $16,500 so with the savings I am going on a 15 night cruise on the Island Princess in January for my 2nd wedding anniversary R/T Los Angeles, Hawaii!! FUN. (We were married in international waters on the Caribbean Princess). I really LIKE this Dr. Curry, whom I haven't met yet, as he posts on the boards and truly has an interest in helping US. I am really lucky to have found him. I am going to make an appointment soon. I think they charge $22,000 at OHIO STATE for the procedure!! It is SO stupid that insurance companies don't pay for it. I guess they would rather pay for total knee replacements or Type II diabetes treatments. Besides... the FDA in its infinite wisdom has set 55 as the cutoff age in its recommendation for WLS.. and I am soon to be 58. GEEZ... I think I have a few good years left!! Nancy

www.obesitylapbandsurgery.com/ Look at this website. It is THE PREMIER group on the planet Earth. These are THE BEST doctors: those who pioneered laproscopic placement of the band and helped develop the surgical techniques to prevent slippage and the band revisions, i.e. to the band itself, facilitating placement via laproscopy. There are surgeons, and then there are GIFTED surgeons and Dr. Rumbaut falls into this latter category. He is SO INTERESTED in every patient. And, when he told me and my husband he was able to stitch the stomach around the band in the BACK as well as the front he was EXCITED and proud of himself. Imagine an american surgeon coming to the hotel to meet you the night before surgery and then coming to the hospital at 8:30 on a Saturday night to say goodbye before he left!!!!! (he was picking up his son from the movies). He has four children... 12, 10, 7 & 5. He is SO personable. Other surgeons in Monterrey are jealous because he has two operating rooms available to him ALL day on Tues and Thursdays. His office is IN the San Jose medical center. You'll see.... When you are in his office be sure to look at the large picture of a red headed woman dancing with a man.... it is classic. Nancy

Just look up Dr. Roberto Rumbaut. He has done over three thousand lap band procedures and learned from THE MASTER himself, Dr. Favretti in Padua Italy. Dr Rumbaut himself, is banded as is his patient coordinator, Cathy Pickren. There IS NO other surgeon in either North or South America who has more experience. He himself came to my hotel both the evening before the surgery and the night before I was leaving Monterrey. He is gifted and his entire team is exceptional. It was a bargain at $10,600 and St. Jose hospital was FIRST CLASS. My skeptical mechanical engineer husband is considering having the band placed and says it is a no brainer going back to Monterrey and Dr Rumbaut.