HELP! I just don't know how to decide..

[sisterp 0]

Hi everyone!

Well, I have made the decision that the lapband is for me, but now I am having trouble deciding who/where I should go to have it done. I am self-pay, so I will be going to Mexico....I have tried to follow the advice to have someone in my area for follow up care, but I keep getting the run around...they want me to have the surgery BEFORE they will commit to doing any follow up...I live in MIssouri and the only DRs I have found are 3 hours away....I wouldn't mind going back to TJ for refills...and I plan to stay about 6 weeks in San Diego after the surgery (my family lives there), so if there are problems I guess I can go to by surgeon.....??????????????????????????????? Any and all advice would be greatly appreciated. I have it narrowed down to Dr Ortiz or Dr Kuri...I know that each of their patients LOVE them...feel free to fill me in!!! Does everyone sound/feel this confused about making such a HUGE decision????

Thanks for all your posts and all of your help...you help to make it clearer!!!

[La_madam 20]

Iam a very happy Ortiz patient, I do not regret my decision to use him as my surgeon one single bit, he and his staff have been there for me every step of the way and then some.However I have heard great things about Dr. Kuri also. Best of luck to you with whomever you decide to go with. They are both experienced band surgeons. I was not confused about going with Dr. Ortiz, he came highly reccomended by the Lap Band surgeon here in my area, he actually trained him, and since I was a self pay and could not afford the cost here in CA, I was referred to Ortiz.

[I'llsucceed 1]

Maybe consider Michigan- look under "Dr.Pleatman" post. He is only $12,500 & includes two FULL years of follow up & FILLS. You may be saving more money with him in the long run & his backround is awesome. One of the TOP Laproscopic surgeons in Michigan.

Do lots of research here before deciding on Mexico. Some have had success, some have had many, many problems.

Be careful & think before you compromize on your health over saving one or two grand. I personally think the long term complications on finding a fill Doctor & after care out way the small amount of cash you save in the beginning.

I wish you good luck!

[the best me 6]

Hey Dawn! I'm a very happy Dr Kuri patient. I wanted an experienced band surgeon who could give me a flawless band placement and I feel I got it. I had a rough start with swelling around my band (at about day 4) and had trouble getting my fluids in...I managed to get myself in a downward spiral of swelling, PB, more swelling...ugh, it was awful, but Kuri was available by phone several times, called to check on me, and was also available by e-mail. No problems there, even though he is in TJ and I'm in North Carolina. I do have a local band doc doing my fills though. I feel fortunate.

I have also heard great things about Ortiz, so if you have narrowed it down to those two, I think you are doing well. Just check out their facilities and packages, visit their websites, research alot, even contact their offices and set up phone consultations with the docs. The one for you will emerge.

On the other hand, if you can stay stateside with an experienced surgeon with happy patients and can still afford it, DO IT! I have no regrets about my MX decision, don't get me wrong, I am very confident about Kuri's skill and the way he works, but it is Mexico. Choose carefully. Know what to expect.

And no, you are not the first to be confused about all this. It's a big decision. Take the time you need to figure it out. Read lots, ask questions. And Good Luck!!

Welcome to LBT!

[pati-o 6]

I might get alot of bashing for saying this, but here goes. I am a Dr. Kuri pt. the experience was good. Not excellent, but good. I'm an outpatient surgery R.N. so the whole surgical process is what I live and breathe 3 days a week at work. I've been doing this for 14 years.

I do believe that Dr. Kuri is a qualified and competent surgeon. The hospital is adequate. It's clean, and the anesthesiology team are qualified as well. But, I don't think the pain control was as good as we have in the states. The meds took the edge off of the pain and that did help, but didn't make it quite comfortable enough to sleep. The anti nausea medication was given was plain old Zantac. It didn't help and I vomited at least 3 times during the night at the hospital. The nurses were very nice, but there IS a language barrier, it's not impossible to tell them what you want, but not super easy. I also took my own personal nurse who stayed at my bedside day and night and was my eyes and ears while I was waking up from anesthesia. I would NEVER, NEVER, NEVER go alone.

Dr. Kuri is very nice. I do feel that even though my surgical experience was OK, I think I was a number while I was there. Theres nothing wrong with that if you get good medical care, but it's not what I am used to.

I knew when I got on the plane in San Diego to come home to Michigan, that I'd NEVER be going back to Mexico. I knew that before I ever went for my surgery, that come hell or high Water, all of my follow up care would be in the U.S., and if I had complications that I'd go to a hospital here in Michigan. Complications=bad in my eyes, and bad means I want access to the best Drs. not that Dr. Kuri isn't qualified, but I know that if something happens I want to be close to home for my family's sake.

I use Dr. Pleatman for my fills. I didn't even know he existed until after I had my band placed. And if I had it to do over again, he'd be the one to place my band. There is NO price difference when I add up Dr Kuris fees and the plane tickets for myself and my companion, and potential fills for 2 years.

I think that the real truth is that if each and every person on this board had insurance that covered the band 100% they'd Most likely choose to go to a Dr. in the U.S. just my opinion, and I'll probably be given a few capital letters for saying it.

best of luck to you in your decision.

[I'llsucceed 1]

PATI- HERE ARE YOUR CAPITAL LETTERS:0) WELL SAID. DON'T YOU JUST LOVE DR.PLEATMAN. HE HAS SO MANY OUT OF STATE PATIENTS & DOES HELP SO MANY WITH COMPLICATIONS FROM OTHER SURGEONS. I THINK HES A GOD SENT TO MANY.NOT TO MENTION REPLYS TO ALL EMAILS -WITHIN SOMETIMES LESS THAN 10 MINS!!! NOW THATS WHAT I CALL A DOCTOR ON CALL!

Dawn I really think you should at the very least check out his web site & email him with any questions or concerns. he is very straight forward & factually not a sweet, mushie bedside manner. Just straight to the point & very forward. i love that.

Dr. Pleatman web is- www.laparoscopy.com

[the best me 6]

Well stated Pati-o. No bashing or capital letters from me!! NOONE should ever get a bashing for a well-stated, factual, personal opinion. In my opinion!

Having been to Kuri, I cannot disagree with anything you said, except the pain med part...it just wasn't my experience. I had no post-surgery nausea, and boy, do I want to know what that little sleeping pill was they gave me at 10pm on surgery day...I slept like a baby! They don't come in every 2 hours all night and check your temp and Blood Pressure like in the US. I suppose this could be a bad thing but I sure appreciated the uninterrupted sleep.

By the time I add up the plane fare for 2 (my sister went with me) and the related expenses and fills, I'd just as soon stay in the states for 12 Grand. And you can bet I wouldn't have gone to Mexico if my insurance had paid for the Lap Band.

However, I did research staying in the states for my surgery...folks were popping up with 12K surgery costs in Texas and Michigan. Travel would still be an issue for me, as would after-care, and I decided to stick with Kuri because of his track-record, good reputation, and the fact that he has done boundless more band surgeries than any US doc could have possibly performed. I was banking on the man's experience. So, no regrets.

Anyway, just for the record, even as a happy Kuri patient, I totally support and endorse your posting. You are right on!

[KarenB 0]

Good thread guys. I think it gives a balanced view & shows different experiences. I am very happy with Dr. Ortiz and get better care w/fills etc. there than here. Also Dr. Ortiz as well as Dr. Kuri have done way more bandings than Drs. here. That said, it's certainly a pain in the butt to travel to TJ from NY, but that's what frequent flyer miles are for. I did make friends while there so I didn't feel alone.

Whatever you decide, Dawn, good luck and I'm sure you'll be fine. Dr. Pleatman sounds wonderful--couldn't get an experienced band surgeon w/self pay around here below @ least $20,000! It is the hospital costs, one very nice doc was willing to cut his fee drastically, but the hospital wasn't.

[Gitana 0]

Surgery in Mexico.. You hear all sorts of horror stories regarding surgery in Mexico, some may be true others not likely. What most people arent aware of are these two small factors, first as human beings we were blessed with a brain in which we can use to decipher the truth – conduct research and make up our own minds instead of taking the words of others and second that the medical education and training the surgeons recieve parallels our own here in the United States.

What worries me about negative feedback or comments regarding heresay is that someone reading may contribute the written word with the truth and that isnt always the case. This same person may opt against a life saving surgery because of these same false comments. While it is extremely important to research your surgeon and I advise checking out atleast 3 of the referrals, it is always been common knowledge that in some cases during any type of surgery, done anywhere in the world by any surgeon with any amount of experience – complications may arise. This isnt always the fault of the surgeon and can happen for many different reasons.

Currently studying to get my Registered Nurse’s license, Im actually just a mom, a wife and a woman. I had a million questions and asked them all I think. When I was researching my lap band here are some of the questions I asked the surgeon and the answers I was given. After finding all of this out I consented to the surgery and am extremely pleased with the results.

First – After personally speaking with a spokesperson from Inamed the makers of the lapband I was told in order for a surgeon to purchase these lapbands he must first be medically experienced as well as properly educated to operate, preferrably a bariatric surgeon or gastrointerologist, he or she must then complete an extensive training program and then he or she must be proctored for atleast 25 patients each. Only then are they allowed to purchase the band.

There are doctors or surgeons out there operating out of their own clinics and or other hospitals who do the weight loss surgeries, whats important to realise is only a few of them have gone through Inamed for actual certification – which in actuality “certification” doesnt exist a doctor claiming certification only means he or she has completed the necessary trainings and seminars.

Some of these doctors include, Dr. Huacuz, Dr.Kuri, Dr.Lopez Corvala, Dr.Aceves and a few others, the surgeons I have named above each have an average of over 300 patients each.

While having surgery done in Mexico may be troubling for some its important to keep in mind that Mexico and it’s top surgeons have been doing these procedures for years longer than our American surgeons, case in point when I recieved my first fill here in the U.S. my doctor said he infact had been trained and proctored by a Mexican surgeon.

The facilities in Mexico may be a bit more humble then we’re used to here in the states. But the technology, experience and educaton is there. Whats important is to research your surgeon- not the hospital. A respectable surgeon wouldn’t jeopardize the health of his patients nor his reputation at a clinic or hospital that was unprepared in any way.

While a great deal of our insurance policies are flawed in the sense that they dont cover these necessary surgeries, its vital that we dont allow ourselves to fall victim or prey to a surgeon who doesnt meet the highest standards.

Please do your research people, and dont discourage others from going to this doctor or that doctor because of a negative comment you may have heard, sure voice your opinion but in the end offer the advise that they do the research themselves as you could be doing more harm than good.

Make sure your surgeon has gone through the Inamed process, make sure his credentials are in order, contact atleast 3 of his referrals or testimonials, if you opt for a band other than Inamed thats your choice but make sure the experience is there and his patients are pleased with the results. Ask how many operations of type the doctor has perfomed ask for potential complications. Make sure your surgeon is a Bariatric Surgeon, this is also extremely important, while many doctors are qualified to do other surgeries this should be his main focus.

Be informed, be well..

Personally I had my lapband surgery done by Dr.Huacuz in Tijuana Mexico 4/2/2005, since then I have lost 35 pounds. I have healed nicely and my American doctor has said the work the surgeon did is some of the best he’s ever seen. I enjoyed the surgeon and his team so much that I decided to go back for a gallbladder removal surgery 7/5/2005 and a post op fill. Both of which were a great success.

I dont mean to be an advertisement for any particular surgeon, I can only say that my experience was terrific I am happy with the decisions I have chosen and I have since referred many of my family and closest personal friends all of which have had their experiences mirror my own.

One of the biggest factors for me was the doctor was very affordable, more than most and that was important to me at the time, the fact that I recieved impeccable service and was treated like family was above and beyond my greatest expectations.

If anyone is interested in more info, please feel free to email me at gitanavdothot@aol.com.

Best of luck to you all!

g