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There are tons of positive reviews on this and other forums of Dr Elias Ortiz. In 5 weeks post op and he still checks up on me. I had absolutely no side effects. A lighter me will baby you in TJ. Abraham and Orlando are always available and they plan outings to local shops. Dr Ortiz and Dr Hernandes check on you every day. Multiple times in The hospital and multiple times in The hotel. I would not choose another surgeon in The US even if the cost were the same. Eventually he will have a leak bc they just happen but as of now he has never had one. Also, read up on the various forums. Most of the problems come from the US. I keep touch with many alighterme patients and we all feel great. None of us had complications and are able to eat and drink comfortably. I feel so lucky to have used them. And like I stated, Dr Ortiz still keeps in touch and answers questions. They also have a post op care c coordinator, Ronda, that calls once a week to discuss the different stages of diet. All around first class service and surgery. Bob

haha Im excited about this too. I keep a food/weight journal at fitday.com and it tells me my BMI, and slowly but surely it keeps going down! I love this site because my dr told me that he didnt recommend the band for me bc my BMI was over 50, but sure enough I got it down to 49 before my big day!

I am over two years in ad haven't paid a cent over my initial cost..Mis is right...complete BS

Yes, I'm in the middle of it. It does make a lot of sense. I especially pondered the part where "fat cell" demand to be fed first. Like a tumor. That's why we continue to eat so (making us fat) much because the food we ate just went to the fat cells, leaving the rest of our body starving for food! It made we realize the damage carbs has been doing to my body all these years.

Hello everyone, my name is Jessica I am 27 years old and I have been struggling with weight issues almost all my life. I currently am weighing 231lbs. I went last night with my cousin to my first informational meeting about bariatric surgeries and the different types that are being offered. I am considering having the lap done because I am beyond fed up with trying different diets and only loosing 10lbs and nothing else even I were to starve myself. I have tried several diets and have joined to many gyms to name here. I like the gym but i still have trouble keeping the weight off. Well I cant stay on long because I am at work, Just wanted to wish everyone luck. And to start off it's nice to meet everyone.

Well I will tell you the process is horrible. Now that it is after June 1st I would recommend calling UHC and requesting a Care Cord. My Care Cord was Kathy Sweeny and her # is 1-866-534-7209 ex. 67391. I would may recommend contacting her if you do not get assigned to a cord. I also advise you to ask them to go thru everything with you about what will need to be done to get approved. I know I had to have a doctor recommend a weight-loss program bc you have to do one for 6 months. I did Jenny Craig. After the 6 month plan, the psych eval, nutrition class it took about 8 months. I didnt go to my consult with Dr. T until my last week of my 6 month program. That way everything was quick. I hope this does help. If anything else let me know! Good Luck!

I started my journey with Mirena, didn't notice any difference in my weight loss, but just to be sure since my insurance covered the switch I got Paraguard. My period isn't really that heavy and cramps are about the same as before. Soon as I reach goal though, I am going back to Mirena. I love that BC. My period was nonexistent.

Unfortunatly, I think in NJ, most phych are going to be out of network. BC/BS and i basicly had to submit the eval as out of network

thanks everyone! Day 4. I got up at 8ish to use the bathroom, finally went # 2! I laid in bed till 9:00 but no joy trying to fall back asleep. My wife wants to sleep till noon if she can so my son and I are down stairs. My little boy is really taking care of me. He got some room temp water for me, poured and microwaved the Tuscan chicken broth. Now I start the morning pill regime. I hate the gurgling in my stomach. I’m going to try a chocolate S’mores shake for breakfast after the broth is down. My fasting BS was 154 with just the metformin. I didn’t take any insulin yesterday. Yesterdays sugars were in the 170s at the hospital they were running 190-250 and they were only giving me 1-3 units of insulin.

I told my family first and than told everyone I can tell . Bc I was so excited to get it done .... And I can careless what anyone thought because its my body and Im the one that had to deal with it . not anyone else

I attended the April 21, 2007 New Start seminar in St. Peters, MO. Is anyone familar with him, or New Start in general. I turned in insurance info today. I just started being covered by BC/BS of Illionois. I think they will cover the surgery - may have to wait 6 months. I've been going to Weight Watchers since Dec of 2006, so hopefully they will count that towards 6 months of supervised dieting. Anyone from the Quincy, IL area? This is my first post. Any info would be appreciated. Mary

I feel the same, my surgeon is suppose to send mine to BC/BS tomorrow...

Hi All, Well i have a little dillema...:confused2:I am getting my band May 12th. I have ran into a speed bump though. My husbands 2 best friends are having a birthday party this saturday. Apparently i cant eat anything and i cant drink (alcohol):thumbdown:...I would have loved to go but it just doesnt sound like ANY fun due to my issues. I told my husband this and he got all upset about it. :angry:I told him to go by himself and he said no, i want you to go...so i said okay ill go but i do NOT want to be there for very long. He got upset with that but dealt with it..i guess:glare:. So i am going to this party with 25yr old single men who are going to be getting drunk with their skinny rude girlfriends and they are going to be wondering hmmm why is victors wife not eating or drinking?:bored: I dont want to tell them i am having WLS...maybe i dont want to tell them b/c i dont want to embarrass myself:sneaky:. (He doesnt want me to have the surgery bc he loves me not matter what even if i have 13 fingers:lol:). I really dont know what to tell them. Can anyone help me think of something to tell them...i dont want them to think im being rude and i just dont want to be around them. ( i really dont bc of my surgery) Really confused and frustrated:incazzato: Mandi Jo

Reading about everyone's pre-op diets make me feel terrible. My doctor only requires a 1 day liquid diet the day before surgery so I feel spoiled. I am trying to eat healthy bc I don't want to go into shock post-op, but I do plan to have sushi one last time this weekend bc I doubt I'll be able to eat it for a long time bc of the rice and sushi is my most favorite food. Hang in there guys. You all seem to be doing good, even with a slip up here or there!

hello i was banded in dec 2006 in belgium i have had very very slow weight loss and im fed up with the band, as ive had problems with it going tight by its self i have been in hospital twice becoz of this not being able to drink anything, ive had xrays unfills and all any tips on how i can have faster weight loss ive lost about 2st in 2 years very slow i was 17st when i had the OP im 15st 4pounds pls help, when i went in to hospital the Dr said my band was placed too high up do you think this is why i have slow weight loss and problems with it thanks mine __________________

For those in the NYC area, I just received an email from NYU Bariatric Group. There will be a clothing exchange on September 7th. I've cut and pasted the info below. I'm bringing a bunch of things that no longer fit me and were very gently worn including my winter coat from last year. I hope everything gets taken. I also hope that others on this site stop by to drop off or pick up new things. Join us in midtown Manhattan Sunday * September 7, 2014 * 11 a.m.–2 p.m. qwetyuip[asdfghjkl;' Where: BOTTOMLESS CLOSET [in the Hotel Pennsylvania opposite Penn Station & Madison Square Garden] 401 Seventh Avenue, Level B, Suite 40 (bet. West 32nd and West 33rd Streets) *** Take Elevator #1 to Level B; follow signs *** Everything must be clean, intact and ready for wearing. Intimates (e.g., workout clothes, underwear, swimwear, sleepwear, socks, hosiery) must be new/unused/unworn. Accessories are great (belts, jewelry, scarves, neckties, purses, shoes, etc.). Dressing rooms are available. If you need nothing now, feel free to stop by with items you're no longer using and stay for the conversation. Bottomless Closet, our host, helps disadvantaged NYC women enter and succeed in the workforce and improve the quality of their lives. All items not adopted during our event are donated to BC. Documents will be available for tax purposes. Contact bandsterswap@yahoo.com if you have any questions about the exchange. If you'd like to help set up, please come at 10:00. If you're able to stay a little past 2:00 to straighten up, please do.

Hi All, I had weight loss surgery (gastric sleeve) in 2009 with a starting weight of about 390. I lost about 100 lbs and today weight 280 (275 on a good day). I went through a period of re-gaining during 2012-2013 and decided to join Weight Watchers before I re-gained everything. I joined WW at 350 lbs in the Spring of 2013. Withing about 1.5 years I dropped 75 lbs, bringing me to my current weight. I'm still a WW member but have not lost additional weight in about the last year or so. I've just maintained. I wanted to provide this background information since it might be helpful, but my (desperate) desire to have a brachioplasty began as a child. Large, nearly deformed upper arms run in my family, and I have never once in my pre-teen, teen or adult years shown my upper arms in public. At every school dance or wedding, I wore a shawl (literally sewn to my dress so that it could never slip off). Every time I have worn a bathing suit, I've worn a t-shirt over it. Even at my lowest adult weight (in college) of 180 lbs, I never dared show my arms. My arms are a significant source of grief for me. The sight of them makes me sad. Even the thought of them makes me sad. They limit what I can wear beyond what I'm already limited to as a plus size shopper. The arms of shirts are often too tight to fit me, or they are so thin/fitted that my mammouth mounds of flesh show right through. I don't even wear short sleeve shirts, only shits that are at least elbow-length cover enough of my arm to make me feel comfortable in public. Getting back to my weight journey: I see myself losing additional weight, at some point in the future. Maybe 50 lbs. But my current focus is on maintaining, and I'm fed up with these arms. I decided to return to the BP community to get information, insight and referrals. Can anyone recommend a surgeon in the Chicago area? Am I going to be completely black balled because of my weight? I am including several pictures here. Thank you, Nina

Hi Caroline, I am a Canuck, too. I live in Victoria, BC and I am going to have surgery by Dr. Ortiz in May. I'd be happy to help you any way that I can. Cheers, Laura

Lol yes I had c sections with all three of my kids and was the same way I got yelled at bc a few hrs after my delivery they found me in the shower I hope the best for you I can't wait for mine I have one more netting with the dr and there they schedule me to see the surgeon but I have completed my 6 months of classes and quit smoking 5 months ago and lost my weight goal and all just waiting for this part now can't wait thanks for sharing Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I am so sorry to hear this! I am including you in my prayers and hope you find some relief soon. In looking at your "soft" foods, I am wondering if they may be a bit heavy and you may do better with something like mashed potatoes or mashed sweet potatoes or the like? Scallops have always been touchy on my stomach for some reason, and chicken and Beans can sometimes be difficult to digest. eggs, too. Cream of rice hot Cereal tastes good and has Vitamins and Iron in it. It's easy to digest and is fed to babies. I personally love it for Breakfast to this day. Cream of wheat, runny oatmeal, all would give you some nutrition and maybe not be so hard on you? Of course, if your doc says Clear liquids for now, that is what it has to be. See if you can get your appointment moved up sooner so you can discuss this with your surgeon. (Hugs)

what do u when ur band slips? this happened to meon valentines day n I noticed thgt I couldnt hold anything down not even water.... my chest was on fire n I thought tht maybe I had acid reflux or even heart burn. evrything that I put in my mouth came back up so Icalled my doctor n he advise me to go to the radiology department..... They told me tht my band had sliiped n theytook all of my fluid out of my band n sd hopefully the band will syke itself n recorrect itself.....I dnt see my doct until the 28th of feb however Iam able to eat like a normal person n keep fluids downs....I feel great bc Im nt straining myself n hurtin myself anymore....have anyone of u bandsters ever experienced this?

I will be using Ajay upadhyay at Alta bates summit medical center in Oakland. I do not know if they take bc or not but he has come highly recommended.

Ok, so I am slowly losing the plot here... I am 10lbs (bouncing up and down the same 3lbs for a month) to my surgeon's goal and about 28lb from my personal 'OMG I can't believe it' goal - which is actually a dream rather than a reality as I haven't weighed under 10 stone - 140lbs - since I was about 16! So, I won't be too upset if I don't get there... however, my surgeon's goal is really important to me. Anyway, to stick with the marathon analogy, I am getting tired... I've hit the 'wall'! My motivation has started to wain. Through circumstances that are out of my control, I have been unable to exercise more than once or twice a week... I was exercising 4 times min a few months ago! I am constantly tired, for several reasons and just completely fed up with my obession to lose weight. I am good in the food dept 90% of the time, I allow myself a treat on the weekend but that isn't every weekend. I stick to the Protein first and no drinking for 20 mins rules all the time and although I do eat carbs, they are what I consider good carbs. I still don't eat Pasta, noodles or rice. I only eat potatoes now and again, same with wholemeal bread. I am happy with my food choices, my cals range between 900 - 1200 on any given day; I do track them from time to time to make sure that I am still on track and this helps me. I still only eat three times a day, as per surgeon's instructions, but now and again I have a good snack. My menopause symptoms are really taking their toll on me too... the hot sweats are absolutely debilitating, leaving me hot and flustered, especially in school! I am drained after them, tired and sleepy and my moods are getting really cranky. Probably a mix of hormones and frustration. The night sweats are awful, waking me up throughout the night, and then I am tired getting up, leaving me, once again cranky. And the cycle continues... I have come to terms with being a slow loser... and I was praying that I would reach my goal. I even joined the Christmas Challenge thread, but since I haven't lost a pound, I am afraid to look in on it... doesn't that sound like I am being a spoilt brat, I don't mean to be! This goal thing is just really hard at the moment... not being there is getting to me, especially when people around me are making comments like: 'Oh, you mustn't lose any more weight, you'll look ill' etc... bla, bla, bla! I know I am getting a little smaller, as I have, finally, bought and worn a size Uk14 trousers (not quite for the jeans dept yet!) and that really made me feel good... but that seems to have been engulfed by all the other 'stuff' going on! My hubby agrees with me, that I DO have more weight to lose, that I should continue the race... and I love him for his honesty. So, how do I get my mojo back... how do I get my motivation back and how do I get that bloody scale to move???? Please, my sleeve friends, throw me a line... Hugs from across the pond x

Count me in the alcoholic/codependant family. I was raised in beer joints, witnessed bar fights, got caught in the middle of fights, thought 'jail' must have been a fun place cause that's where my dad spent his time when he wasn't at the bar. My mother was such a sick codependant that she had no time for us emotionally. "Children are to be seen and not heard' was the motto we were raised by. My father was extremely moody, brooding and violent when he drank, so we all pretty much curled up in the embryo position when the 'fun' started to end. I have NO good memories of any family holiday - mostly the money was spent on jail fines or booze and they always ended with my father and his brothers fighting amongst each other. Interestingly, my dad didn't physically abuse me as much as my mother wound up doing, but he was very hard on my oldest brother who was not his birth son which hurt me just as bad as if he'd hit me. Mostly, they both held high standards for us kids. We were to do exactly as we were told, have perfect manners, not talk back and never ever dispute their word. I can't say either of them were 'crazy', but they were two extremely messed up people, both who had been abused and neglected in their own childhoods. For a long time, I tried to think they did the best they could with what they had to work with, but only since I've become an adult has it become apparent to me what a truly terrible situation we were forced to live in and that it wasn't 'normal' for lots of people to live that way. I never realized how desperately poor we were and how truly deprived we were as children. Not because we couldn't have had better, but because our parents didn't strive to make things better for us. Alcohol was the big thing in our dad's life and controlling/enabling the men in her life was our mother's main focus. We were basically just accidents - mouths to be fed, never encouraged to be our own people or ever expect anything out of our lives except to take care of ourselves and not make waves. Forget things like self esteem, group activities, no Girl Scouts, no cheerleading, no slumber parties, never draw attention to our home or ask anything 'maternal or paternal' from either of them... We merely existed - me becoming the invisible, self reliant one.. In many ways, it's to my advantage. I don't rely on anyone. I CAN take care of myself, but that can end up a very lonely situation too... Don't talk, don't trust, don't feel...no wonder you learn to 'stuff' it all inside..

Hi Sunny. In addition to all the above, I don't think BC kicks anything in. But like everyone else, you can claim it as a medical expense as long as your total expenses exceed $1,884 or 3% of your total income. I just got my T4 on friday, so very excitedly did my taxes on www.ufile.ca last night. It says I'm gonna get a very nice return, BUT... I want to figure it out to see how much of that is because of my student loans.