linscheene

:help: I was banded in Mexico by Dr Ortiz- everything went great but I cant find a Dr around the Boston area to do fills. I dont want to go back to Mexico -the trip is so long and miserable Can anyone offer a suggestion?

Hi everyone from Mass. I was banded in Mexico on July 18. Everything went well - the experience fine and I have lost 12lbs already but I really dont want go all the way back there to get my fills. The trip was long and tough. Does anyone from around the Boston area know of a Dr around here who will take patients that were banded in Mexico? Anyone out there from Boston who had the procedure done by Dr Ortiz in Mexico?

I just moved to Vero Beach and need to find a place or dr to do my fills. I was banded by Dr Ortiz in Mexico. Does anyone out there know of a place I can go?

My name is Linda and this is my 1st post. I had my procedure done in Mexico with Dr Ortiz. It all went well but not quite as easily as i expected- had a big hiatal hernia repaired at the same time. I live in Boston and would so love not to have to go back to Mexico for my fills. Does anyone know a Dr in the Boston area who will take a Mexico patient? I was banded on July 18- am feeling great now and have lost 12 lbs already. thanks, Linda

Dear lighter02 i was having so much trouble finding a dr to do my aftercare and fills since i was banded in mexico. thank you so much for suggesting dr randall. i called him and he agreed to see me. he sounded very nice too. even though everything went well in mexico, you can' imagine how much i didnt want to go back there for aftercare. thanks again, linda

thank you all so much. I will call Dr Randall and all the Boston hospitals. I will post if I have any luck

I am 2 weeks post op too and I have a big lump too. I thought it might be a hernia. My procedure was done in Mexico by Dr Ortiz and he said I had a huge hiatal hernia that he had to repair--maybe it popped out again. Anyway I am in Boston and trying hard to find a local dr for aftercare.

I live in Milton Ma. How about you? I dont know about Dr Rodriguez but i have heard many good things about him. The lapband was used outside the US for way longer than it has been used here and there is a group of Mexican Drs that are famous for having done many more procedures for much longer and have really perfected this procedure. the clinics are beautiful- equipment the latest- the hotel accomodations luxurious...having satisfied patients is very important as this alternative to having it done in the US is growing and growing. It is really so much easier to have it done in Mexico- no psychologist approval, no wait, much less restrictive about initial body weight and bmi and less costly!! EXCEPT for the aftercare issue. Dr Ortiz includes free fills for his post op patients. I would go back in a minute but it so long for a 15 min procedure. There is no non stop flight to San Diego- have to change planes and unlike the initial procedure ,they dont pick you up at airport. You have to find a way to get to Tijuana ( i heard a cab for $130 not positive about this) then up to you whether to spend the night in the hotel- Mrs Ortiz says they can get you a better rate. Next is crossing the border it takes 1 to 3 hours of waiting, and finally to the crowded S.D. airport for a 7 hour changing planes packed airplane ride home. I sound like a spoiled baby cause really I am fine, so happy I did it and 12 lbs thinner! The bottom line is that the medical procedural part is easy, safe, less time to book or wait for procedure- no need to meet w/psycologist, and less expensive. Some people who felt better than me went shopping for silver and other bargains and had fun. The down side is aftercare and fills. Sorry to go on so long but one more thing- I got an email from the Long Island Bariatric Center one in NY City and one in Levitown NY stating that they will take fill patients for international patients. I am going to check this out. I also downloaded a list from the Inamed (maker of Lapband) web sight with all t he docs in Boston that use it. I am going to go down the list and see if I can get one of them. I will let you know. Let me know what you decide or if you need any more info- let me know a little about yourself. linda

i went to dr ortiz. it was immaculately clean and run like a well oiled machine. dr ortiz is very charming. one of the pluses of going to mexico is that when i made the decision to have it done, was able to get an appointment in a week- no waiting to be accepted etc- and i know the price is less (8500 for mine including the hotel and everything) the big negative is that i cant find a place to get fills. i dont want to go back to mexico. one more thing from my own experience- i wish i hadn't gone alone. i felt lonely and scared after the surgery and the trip home was really horrible. i feel fine now and i have lost 12 lbs. if anyone knows or hears of a place nearby to do fills please let me know