BANAJOR OR BUST! Surgery 4/3/06

[lightnerbride 0]

I'm so excited I booked my airfare and put my deposit down for surgery in TJ at Banajor for April 3rd. I've been dying to get rebanded since my first band was removed 9/05. I'd love to hear from anyone who had surgery there or is thinking of it. I'm getting another mid-band (even though the primary bariatric surgeon is Inamed certified---3 bariatric surgeons along with the anethesiologist and nursing staff will be performing the surgery!) because I like it's lower errosion and slippage rate and that it is very soft and flexible unlike the Inamed. I know of at least 3 places without doing research in WA that will fill and handle aftercare of a mid-band patient. It's no different than care of and filling of the Inamed really. I got my first one 10/02 by Dr. Frering in Lyon, France. It was a great experience and very easy recovery. I didn't have problems until I had a few overfills at the fault of the radiology clinic I was using. The records one time showed I had 2.2cc in my band and when I was vomitting up most everything I went back and they pulled out 5.2cc. Yikes!!! Then 2 days before Christmas I had to have my gallbladder out and the staff surgeons were on vacations so a fill in surgeon (who admitted knowing nothing about lap-bands, so little that I had to bring in my post-surgery pictures showing my radioopaque band so that he could understand where it was located) did the surgery. He first tried doing the surgery laparoscopically but cut completely through my bile-duct so had to sew it up place an old-fashion bile duct drainage tube that I had to keep in 8 weeks. That gave me a 5 inch scar for the bile-duct and then a 2 inch drainage tube scar. Then he cut me wide open a 10 inch scar to remove my gallbladder and in doing so bumped my band. It slipped forward which is almost unheard of and it ended up resting on the juncture between my esophagus and stomach. I had days I couldn't even get fluids down. My insurance wouldn't pay all the hospital costs, surgery, etc if I had a bariatric surgeon reposition the band (something that is much easier to do with the Mid-band and Heliogast band.) I was really sick then so I didn't fight it being removed. I almost instantly regretted it. I've put back on half the weight I lost. I just can't wait to get rebanded. Sorry for the long post but everyone always asks why I'm getting rebanded when I say I'm getting banded again.

April

10/02 removed 9/05 (lost and kept off over 100lbs!)

Future banding 4/3/06!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[oneflew 0]

I just wanted to say congrats to you. I had decided on Bajanor also, but for the 31mar, I had also paid the deposit 2500.00 through my debit bank account to secure, but just recently was told that they were having problems with paypal and would need to refund and then bring check. Do you already have all of your flight and reservaion info?

Good luck again!

Samantha

[lightnerbride 0]

So your the other patient who got their paypal payment cancelled. I called Dr. Carlos today after I got his message because my only way of paying is using 2 credit cards but I don't want to pay the 5% fee Banajor charges. Dr. Carlos said he'd work on waiving at least 1/2 of the 5% fee, so if you are in the same situation press him to do the same or maybe we can get him to waive the entire 5%!!! He didn't seem to care about collecting an initial deposit just said that he'd see my the 3rd at the airport and everything would work out. I'm coming by myself. I've got my flight booked through Alaska Airlines and so I'm still planning on getting to SAN airport at 9:26am April 3rd and flying back home the afternoon of the 5th. I wish I'd booked my flight a little earlier because it went up a bit but I had to know my husband got the job he'd applied for before confirming everything.

What type of band are you getting? I assume this is your first band, you know to ask the surgeon for the pars flaccida technique, right? If you aren't familiar with the technique, it's how they secure the band to your stomach and the pars flaccida technique is considered superiour for holding the band in place and reducing slippage. I really suggest you request it from the surgeon.

Anyway, I wish you the best of luck. I guess you'll leave and then I'll be arriving. We'll have to share stories with each other when we both get back!

April

[oneflew 0]

Hey April,

yep, that's me. I was doing a deposit, as I'm doing the Inmed band, and airfare is scheduled with it, so they collect the deposit up front I guess for that. I'm a little nervous. I'm going by myself also. Any suggestions and are you on a liquid diet now?

Thanks,

sam

[lightnerbride 0]

I'm not on a liquid diet and I wasn't when I had my first band surgery. I'll email you later with some reassuring words! I've got to rush out this morning.

April

[islandmom 0]

April,

I am so happy to see that you made up your mind. Congrats to both of you! I had my surgery on 3/3 at Bajanor and am doing well! I am down 15lbs so far and go for my first fill on 4/19! Good luck to you both and if you have amy questions just PM me and let me know!

Kristi

[oneflew 0]

Thanks for the info, April. And Kristi, how are you feeling? Any discomfort? How are you doing eating? 15lbs is awesome!

[islandmom 0]

Sam,

I feel great! Very little discomfort now. Never really had any bad discomfort. About the worst thing was a little gas stuck in my left shoulder, but it is amazing what a hubby massage followed by a Ben-Gay patch can do for you!

[oneflew 0]

Thanks Kristi! I appreciate the update. Hope you're getting better each day? Also did they go over post operative instructions diet with you? Thanks again!

Sam

[islandmom 0]

Sam,

They did give me post op instructions about diet, exercise and activites. The nutritionist and dr's are very informative and you will get a packet to bring home with you!

Kristi

[azremaxpro 0]

I went to mexico on 3/3/06 I am feeling great and down 19 lbs. I went to belightweight DR Kuri. I chose that one because of the new hospital and they only wanted a $500.00 deposit. The hospital was incrediable. Brand new and so clean and well kept. The rooms had a place for my husband to stay at my side and tv and DVD for him to wach movies. The shower was also a huge tiled shower. This allowed my husband to get in with me post op and be by my side. I drove 8 hrs the day after and then felt good enough to go to work the next day. DONT!! take at least 2 days off. I hope you have as wonderful of am expirance as I did it make sit so much easier.

Good luck and good prayers for you all.

Brandy

[oneflew 0]

Thanks for the heads up Brandy. Congrats on your success! I will be a March Bandster also. 033106. Good luck on your continued loss!

Sam

[lightnerbride 0]

Thanks everyone for being great with responses. I'm so excited for Sam she'll leave Banajor Sunday the 2nd a new bandster and I'll be arriving at Banajor Monday the 3rd, so when I get back we can share stories! Hopefully Janelle will be following us by a month or 2 and can benefit from hearing about our experiences. I can't wait to be rebanded. I'm so happy for all of you new bandsters too. April

[lightnerbride 0]

What type of post-op diet does Banajor use? It's not 2 to 4 weeks of liquid diet is it? Please tell me no!

Thanks, April

[lightnerbride 0]

Well no busting but I am 2 weeks post-op from Bajanor and very happy. I'm so glad to be rebanded and working my way down the scale. I loved the packet of post-op information they gave to take home and refer back to with any question. I've got my lil' banded card. I didn't get one with my first band or all the post-op information to take home just verbal directions. It was overall a very positive experience!