Tell me your story I can't pick a MX surgeon!!

[mylap-band 0]

I did call Dr. Gonzalez before my surgery, and he clearly stated that his more than 10 year experience in lap band surgery showed a mean erosion rate of less than 3%. If you got anything less from your surgeon I do not think you got the correct information. Global statistics for band erosion has been shown in some studies to reach as much as 9.5% (Obes Surg. 2006 Jul;16(7):829-35.) while others have shown as little as 1%. It all depends who is giving you the stats my dear. Please do a little more research ant try to use a little common sense. Complication rates will be reported within a wide range, depending on a wide variety of factors involved in each study. You have to READ and gather as much information and then establish an average. You are being very simplistic when you state your global stats come from INAMED. They manufacture the lap band so they will obviously report the numbers most favorable to them. Gather more information and be a little more thorough. If you are going to dedicate your time to dirt shoveling it is not fair to the surgeons or to the members of this forum if you burp out comments before substantiating them with a little more bibliography. I would call this action in our lingo a UPB (Un-productive burp).

[WASaBubbleButt 41]

I emailed your doctor and they said their stats are between 3-4%. That is a concerning number, no way around it.

While I fully agree with you that Inamed could well fudge on the numbers, I have nothing else to use for stats. Thing is, they used to place the band differently than they do now. They used to sew it into place differently than now and erosion stats from a few years ago are not the same as they are today.

Your erosion stats are outdated. The band is placed differently now and slips and erosions are not as common as they were with the old technique.

Before my surgery I did what you appear to feel is an absolute horror, I researched. I researched everything I could possibly find. Some docs have higher erosion stats than others, some docs have lower infection rates than others. That's why doing research is so critical.

Bottom line, the numbers came from your MD office, if you don't like it then you'll have to take it up with them. You wouldn't want to hide info about any doc from any patient, would you?

As I have written many times before. There is good and bad in every doctor. People have to decide what is right for them. Hiding the facts just isn't good, people have the right to make informed decisions and nobody has the right to take that away.

My doc isn't for everyone, your doc isn't for everyone. That's how it is. We all have to go where we believe we will get the best surgery and have the best outcomes. But we need the factual information in order to make those kinds of informed decisions.

[mylap-band 0]

You say you have nothing else to use for stats other than INAMED's then you say that my erosion stats are outdated, do you or don't you have more statistics? I do not have to dwell on this any further because as it is, I have yet to meet or hear from one of doctor Gonzalez's patients with complications on this or any other forum, have you? I respect the fact that doctor Gonzalez and his staff are sincere when they say their total complication rate is less than 3%, at no time was erosion singled out. With the amount of research that I have done it places them well below the mean and that is an extraordinary track record. I am doing well, no complications a losing weight successfully. The same for the other Dr. Gonzalez patients that I have met and keep in contact with. Please let me know when you run across at least one post of someone with complications after surgery with doctor Gonzalez, because to date I have not.

[WASaBubbleButt 41]

MyLapBand...

Dude, I'm not going to argue with you. You clearly have a vested interest in selling your doctor or 95% of your posts wouldn't be selling him and slamming anyone that doesn't fall all over themselves complimenting him.

The fact is simple, it is your doctor's claim that his own erosion stats are 3-4%. If you don't like that or if that makes your job harder - I'm sorry. I can't help you there. Perhaps you could go work for a doc with a lower erosion stat.

I never wrote that your doc is a bad doc, I never made any claims other than the erosion stat he advertises. Sorry, you'll just have to take this up with him. I have little need to go looking for patients that have eroded, I'll go by your doc's own claims.

[METALBAND 0]

Wasa.......damn you are good!

[gabe4x4 0]

I've read mylapband's posts and they are not about slamming doctors as much as yours (and you have over 3000). And yes baby you hit hard on anyone but your own surgeon, so let's give mylap band the respect that's due. She had a good experience with Gonzalez, has never met anyone with complications, and according to her research she has very good stats on Gonzalez. To each his own. I agree with Gonzalez stats being great because I honestly believe everyone else's to be self serving and way out of the average, how convenient that no one ever mentions stats close to 2%!!!! And yet most studies out there except for INAMED's are on average around the 3% mark. I had surgery with Gonzalez and had a great experience and like mylap have not met anyone with complications, I guess it must be because I have a 97% chance of meeting only patients with outstanding outcome. Good luck WASA!

[WASaBubbleButt 41]

I never claimed mylapband was about slamming doctors. I wrote about slamming someone that doesn't fall all over his/her doc complimenting him.

All I wrote is that the stat is a concern and look at the hostility. You have to admit, it's kinda funny. If the stat isn't a concern for you, great. But it might be for others and like it or not, they have the right to ALL the information.

I have a lot of posts and unlike mylapband a majority of my posts are not about my doc. Amazingly, I don't even mention him in the greater majority of my posts.

When it comes to researching a doctor (especially out of the country) people have to look at a LOT of issues. Stats, background, education, experience, personality, pre op diet, pre op labs, post op diet, post op follow up care, support staff, communication, board actions, peer reviews, the way problems are dealt with, the works. To say, "Oh, he's a really nice guy," ... well, it means nothing. My neighbor is really nice too, doesn't mean I'd want him operating on me. Nice is not a gauge if someone is skilled as a surgeon.

I have no idea if your surgeon is the least bit good or not. Not a clue. He could be the very best or the very worst. I have no idea. I posted ONE comment, his erosion stats are 3-4% and look at you guys.

Amazing.

[gabe4x4 0]

I too did my research WASA and when I spoke with Gonzalez, I asked him about complications which was a big concern of mine. He flat out said it, his combined complication rate is less than 3%. When I asked him how that stacked up against the rest he had his assistant email me 5 different studies where like mylap says: complications including erosions ranged from 1-9.x%.

Gonzalez is a nice guy, but I did not go with him for his personality, I went with him because of his track record and from day one I was treated as if I were their only patient, darn it, I still am treated in that way. Calls and emails checking on me, my incisions and my diet! Man I struck gold with these guys! They are good. And by the way none of the patients I met mentioned any facilitators or mylap, and as far as I know, doctor Gonzalez has no sales people or facilitators, at least not to my knowledge. I'm sure that if they sent you their stats initially, they can also send you the studies that they sent me (call them up!), and if you do ask them can you please also ask them for their stats on follow-up. Were you thinking of getting follow-up with them, or why did you ask them for statistics in the first place? Because I know by reading these posts that they offer follow-up to any doctor's patients at no cost. I read somewhere in this forum that a patient of doctor Ortiz has been given follow-up by Doctor G's team, I think it's "short c", look her up. Did you also know that doctor Gonzalez does charity work performing at least two to three free lap band surgeries each year, totally free, I think even including airfare and hotel. Patients all that need to do is fill out a special form and they are picked according to their morbidities, overall health and income bracket. I don't care what anyone says, Gonzalez and his team are the real deal.

[WASaBubbleButt 41]

(sigh) Anyone see why I usually avoid this section of the forum?

I'm glad you had a good experience.

Averaging stats merely lowers erosion stats. But I doubt that is what your doc was doing as he sends out emails pointing out his erosion stats. Not sure why he averages them out.

I'm sure he's a very nice man.

I have little desire to call them up and ask them for their links to studies. I believe them about their erosion rate.

No, I'm not thinking of getting follow up with them.

I asked for stats because someone else was looking at him and since I ruled him out before my own surgery I didn't do the extensive research as I did the docs I was considering. I was asked for info on him and I gave it to the person asking.

I don't care about their follow up procedure, it makes no difference to me considering the ONLY FREAK'EN THING I POSTED was his claim of his own erosion stats. Since I'm not referring to follow up "stats" I didn't ask for them nor do I care about them.

Most of the better docs do follow up, it only makes sense.

Most docs do charity work, it's standard.

I never claimed Dr. G or his team are not the real deal. I ONLY wrote that he claims his erosion stats are 3-4% and that it was a concern for me. That's all, nothing else, nada, zippo.

[jennypoo 0]

I too was thinking about using Dr.G but when I got there stats I kinda stepped back and Im having different thoughts about him.

This is the email I got from Dr.G office,

One hotel night is included in the package, usually patients pay for one additional night, since it is more comfortable to stay at the hotel. You do not have to get the 3rd night, you may stay at the surgical center is you wish and so can your companion.

Erosion rate is less than 4%, and slippage rate less than 3%.

Contact me with any questions, no problem!

Sincerely,

Dr. Valenzuela

[noahsmom 0]

Okay kids - let's sit nice in circle time. we are all in this together, so to speak. Thanks for your time to post. The first time I read this forum, I had to admit - everyone seemed kind of weird and "band" nerdy, if you know what I mean, but now I am one of the nerdiest! I love this forum and it is so helpful to me, since this is truly the scariest thing I have ever done in my life! Blessings to everyone and may you all find happiness in smaller packages....Noahs Mommy (temporarily a chubby one)

[WASaBubbleButt 41]

NoahsMom...

I have this theory. I'm not quite sure I am right but I think so.

When people fight MO for years or maybe even their whole life and suddenly they find a doctor that can help them fix that, we all tend to form a bond with that doctor. He saved our lives.

You get this surgery and you see the scale moving and in the beginning it sometimes moves every single day... you are thrilled. There are no words to describe. You are forever thankful to your surgeon. It's a really curious relationship in some cases and when I say curious I don't mean inappropriate in the least. I mean unique. People simply fall in love with their surgeon because their surgeon was able to help fix a problem that no matter what we do we can't manage on our own.

If you watch you'll see that newbies are even more so this way. Dare to say anything that is not glowing about their surgeon and they'll come out fighting. You are downing the person that saved their life. I was the same way as a newbie. I am not talking about others, I'm talking about most of us.

You can even get a person that went to THE worst surgeon around and if they are losing weight they are thrilled with their doc and they act as though their doc walks on Water. They insist he has THE best credentials, THE best history, THE best education, they claim he's a leading bariatric surgeon. Well... what is a leading bariatric surgeon? He wrote a book? One of the most well sold books on the market for banding couldn't have taken more than a week to write it is so lame.

But people really, seriously, honestly believe this about their docs. If you ask "how" their doc is a leading surgeon they respond..."Well, he's done a LOT of bands!" What's a lot? 100? 250? 500? 10,000? Or, "He's soooo nice! He calls me every single day after surgery." How does that make him a good surgeon? What does that have to do with surgical skill? Ask these same people what his erosion stats are, or his infection stats and they haven't a clue. But they swear he's the best.

It goes back to that relationship people have with their surgeon. The surgeon saved their life, improved their quality of life, their whole world is changing so of course they are going to have glowing reports about their doc. Again... I did too.

But I'm a nurse. I researched to the point of being anal about it. I had a list of narrowing down docs and after I had about 5-6 docs then I really started digging. People tease me to this day (including my docs office staff but it's all in fun) about the lengths I went to research.

I didn't know anything about having surgery in Mexico. I work in the US. What did I know about the delivery of medical care in Mexico? I was looking at docs in the US and Mexico. I had the money and I felt this was my last chance at weight loss and I wasn't going to screw it up. I opted for a doc in Mexico. I dug for dirt on several docs and believe me, I seriously dug for dirt and I found it.

When a doc's office would tell me they did a gazillion bands I verified that information. I didn't take anyone's word for anything. I was shocked at what I found. The claims docs make to gain business (both in the US and Mexico) is amazing. One month they claim to have done 250 bands and the very next month they are advertising that they have done 2000 bands. They don't get business by telling people they have done 250 bands, people want more experience. So docs will combine their # of bands with that of their partner and claim they are all their own. It's total BS.

So when someone is looking for a doc and I happen to have the dirt on that doc and someone comes along (not talking about Gonzalez or anyone specific here, just in general terms) that claims their doc is the best and they don't even know their docs stats... I cringe. They are the best because the doc is nice. What's nice? Nice is nothing. I want skill. Nice is an added benefit but in OR I want skill.

When a patient coordinator doesn't even know their doc's stats and they argue about the doc's own claims telling me *I* am wrong for using their employer's stats... I can't back down. It would be wrong. What about all the newbies that don't know what to look for? What about people that don't have the advantages I had during my own research (Mexican MDs helping research)?

I agree with you, we all need to get along but I think we also have to take into consideration the emotional impact these docs make on us when they finally help us fix a huge life long problem. We tend to get clouded in thinking and we will push that doc because WE had a safe surgery and we want every other fat person out there to have the very same opportunity we have.

It's usually the newbies and the patient coordinators that are pushing a specific doc the hardest. After people have 6-12 months of banding under their belt they back off a little and realize there are quite a few good docs out there and it's really okay if the whole world goes to a different doc.

It's just an odd thing I've noticed over the last year or so.

[WASaBubbleButt 41]

Doctor G's statistics are among the best I have seen anywhere. And no I don't work for him, never have so when you instruct me to go work for another doctor you are mistaken, I have never worked for any doctor, bariatric or otherwise. I do contrary to you, have other occupations besides posting on this forum (or trying to sell doctor Aceves , more that 3000 posts...please..) and also contrary to you, I will not tell YOU whom to work for or not. Gabe clearly mentioned he got COMBINED statistics for complications. And I got the same numbers he did, less than 3% COMBINED, not average. Do you know the difference between combined and average? Two totally different terms. Please do some research, it may be too much to ask, but if you are going to continue on this anti-Gonzalez crusade at least get some more information other than one manufacturers data, it may be hard to pry you away from this forum for a few hours, but try it, you may learn something, as hard as it may seem to you there are OTHER sources of information besides LBT.This forum is great, contains a lot of useful information, but its NOT the only resource. Did you know there are other surgeons and hospitals out there doing studies and publishing their findings besides one manufacturer. Again, naive, simplistic and ill informed. Bubblebutt true to form.

So you were "asked by a friend to ask for information", or did you pose as someone else in an effort to discredit doctor Gonzalez? Why did this "friend" not inquire him or herself? You are very clearly on an anti-mexican surgeon crusade. All surgeons track records speak for themselves, so AGAIN, any one out there, at least one with complications with doctor Gonzalez, please post and tell us your story.

Yes, that's why I picked a Mexican surgeon for my own surgery. That's why I clearly explain repeatedly that in my personal opinion the best two docs are Aceves and Rumbaut. Perhaps you are not aware but they are both Mexican docs.

Wow, I am anti-Mexican docs!

I quoted your boss regarding his erosion stats, again... take it up with him, they are his claims and not mine.

Dude, you are grasping for straws.

The rest of your post is just as silly. Now, didn't I explain to you that I'm not going to argue with you further? Was there something about this that confuses you?

[B A looser 0]

I've been reading this thread and I feel I should post. I had surgery with doctor Gonzalez not long ago and up until now all the information I have received from them has been the same as Gabe's and mylap's, impressive. hi Gabe,(had surgery same day). When I had my consultation and the next morning before surgery I met other patients who were there for fills and consults (they were laughing and apparently knew each other, most looked really good, slim and nice!! I'll get there soon!!). I asked because I got kind of curious and not one referred any complications. I have emailed other patients and they have emailed and called regarding other lap band stuff and no one has told me of knowing anyone with complications, maybe just the normal stuff that comes when you eat the wrong food or you eat too fast. From what I've read so far I think wasabubblebutt is trying to throw dirt at doctor Gonzalez with some ulterior motive and unfortunately for her has not found any, to me, she is the one that seems to be grasping at straws. I don't know who mylap is but I know that in my entire experience with doctor Gonzalez or his staff I have never met her, so I don't think she works for him, I read somewhere she is a preschool teacher. I would like to know the answers to some of the questions she asked wasabubble though because wasabubble just brushed them off. Such as why is she trying so hard to find dirt on doctor G, especially when there is not one single negative post on him on this or ANY OTHER FORUM, NOT ONE..? (WOW doesn't that just blow you away!!!) Why did she go through someone else to get information from doctor Gonzalez office, saying she used a friend, don't you think thats kind of sneaky? Sneaky and Freaky..... Why does she speak with such authority on the subject quoting only one source, a manufacturer no less, while clearly stating she has no other sources? Why does she not answer if she knows the difference between average and combined numbers, I think that is very important. And from what I've read she does strongly criticize all mexican surgeons other than Rumbaud or Aceves. Mexican surgeons have been doing lap band surgeries for more than 10 years, so I doubt that there are only two good surgeons in Mexico. And with US surgeons just coming out of the learning curve you know there are tons of complications out there with US surgeons, and that is undisputable that is why it is called a learning curve. Most Mexican surgeons came out of that curve many years ago. Why does she never play sherlock holmes with any US surgeons?...hmm...

. I have read plenty of wasabubble's posts and it is true that she just burps out information (LOL....UPB, you may have just invented the UPB. mylap that was goood!) about basically all mexican surgeons except those two, and does it with no backup or because she "heard someone". With her sneaky behavior and mexican doctor bashing except for rumbaut and aceves, I'm inclined to think she either works for a US doctor, or is somehow involved ($) with the two Mexican docs. She even goes as far as to say that most mexican cities are basically a battleground asking all to stay away from this and that city. I had my surgery in Tijuana and to me it is as nice as any US city. Wasabubblebutt, in my view and from reading many of her posts has a hidden agenda. Gabe I hope you keep losing weight, keep in touch. Mylap I think you should drop this, because I think there is no end to wasabubble's rants. Wasabubble, I think your paranoia has taken you just a little too far. You need help, serious help (maybe she's got lapbandtalkitis). Try going out every now and then, get some air, do some exercise it may do you good, or do you have a deadline to meet for post #4000? There are good doctors and there are bad doctors all over the world and from my experience, and what I have read and researched I think doctor Gonzalez is among the best, and I am not alone. I second your calling mylap, Any one of doctor G's patients out there with complications, please step up! Hello....anyone.......helloooo, c'mon, don't be shy!!! HMMM not one, just as I thought, o well.....open and shut case. Bye Bye.

[klvn1675 0]

WASA please go to your corner and lick your wounds, B A pick on someone your own size (wow, your good!!!!).