I Made Up My Mind

JULIE914 · March 30, 2004

I AM GOING TO THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC ON THE 1ST OF JULY TO GET THE BAND DONE BUCAUSE IT IS ALOT CHEEPER OVER THERE I'M 5'5 AND AT 210 AND I MADE UP MY MIND I AM GOING BUT MY WORRY IS ....AM I GOING TO HAVE TO FLY OUT THERE EVERY TIME I NEED A FILL OR HOW CAN I FIND A DOCTOR FOR FILLING IN MY HOME TOWN ...tHANKS :phanvan

sassaay · March 30, 2004

Hi Julie,

Welcome and congratulations on your "band" decisions. I don't really have any personal experience in the area of being banded Internationally and then trying to find a local fill doctor, but I can share with you what my surgeon told me. She is a bit apprehensive about taking on a "fill" patient that has been banded by someone else (seems most requests are from people being ba8,500nded in Mexico), but she said that since she did not perform the surgery and does not do her fills under floro... sometimes a fill is difficult because she cannot access the patient's port.

I think that a lot of folks on this site have found local fill doctors that have not performed their surgery, so it is not an impossible feat. I think you just have to call around ask and interview docs until you find one you are pleased with and one that won't rip you off with every fill.

I am just curious... How much cheaper is it to go to the Dominican Republic? I was at one point signed up to be banded by Dr. Kuri in TJ, MX on 2/23/04 and he was charging only $8,500.00. I haven't heard much about banding in the D.R.

Thanks and good luck,

JULIE914 · March 30, 2004

IT WILL BE AROUND $5,500.00 AND THAT IS INCLUDING EVERYTHING EXCEPT THE AIRPLAN TICKET..THANKS

GeezerSue · March 30, 2004

Hanvan,

You've already made up your mind and I know that. But...let me mention the statistics to you, IN CASE you haven't encountered them.

You are, according to the charts, about 60 pounds overweight. The average band patient loses about 62% of his or her excess weight by the two-year mark. That means that the average 5'5", 210# patient will, two years after surgery, weigh 180. You may do better, you may not do as well, and you won't know until after the fact.

The reason I mention it at all is that you are not morbidly obese and you need to know that sometimes, "lightweight" patients think that because they have less to lose, they will get to goal in a hurry. But that isn't how it works. The lightweight patients have the same success rates as everyone else.

I guess I want you to not make too many demands on yourself once you've had the surgery and expect to--and get frustrated when you don't--lose as fast as someone who has two hundred pounds to lose.

Buena suerte!

Sue