feliciadawn

I really don't think that's true. I think the band will always be the most popular because 1. It is the least invasive with the fastest recovery. 2. They aren't cutting anything, and personally the thought of having half my stomach cut out REALLY scares me. What if something happens and I need that portion of my stomach someday? Cancer, ulcers, whatever..it seems dangerous to just randomly cut off a portion of your anatomy. 3. The band is the least expensive of all of the available procedures. 4, The band is adjustable. With the sleeve or the bypass, you can stretch your stomach out again and gain ALL the weight back and then some. With the band, I think most are terrified of a slip or stretching out the pouch, so they are less likely to gain the weight back. These are all of the reasons I have chosen the band over the sleeve or bypass. It just seems to make more sense. In ten or fifteen years, yes I may want the thing removed, but by then I'm sure there will be an even less invasive procedure, or even an obesity medication I can trade it up for. Until then...the band it is. I think you just have to be more patient than with the other surgeries as you lose slower, but the loss is more healthy. Also it requires more maintenance, but it's worth it.

Thanks you guys! Your stories are amazing! After being so big all my life and having such a hard time losing weight and keeping it off, it seems impossible that I'll be able to do that with the band. I can't WAIT. I feel like I've had a terminal chronic illness all my life that a cure was just suddenly discovered for..and really, I guess that's what obesity is. My whole family has it, it's genetic and I believe that some people just CANNOT lose and keep the weight off no matter what they do. It's an illness, and i'm tired of feeling bad or not good enough or looked-down upon because of it. It's one of the last accepted prejudices in our society and it is SO horrible that it's that way. looking forward to a new, healthy me!

So I am scheduled for wls on 10/28. I have been noticing many people on here who have lost over 100 lbs, even some who have lost 150 lbs. It is amazing to me to be able to lose that much! I weigh 323 and am 5'8, the charts at the doctor's office say I should be between 140-160. I have not weighed 160 since 5th grade. I would really like to believe I could lose 150 lbs, but it seems impossible. Anyone have any advice or stories on how they did it?

I lost 80 pounds about 6 years ago, and the second I moved, changed my life style a bit, and started eating my mom's cooking again, I gained it ALL back in about 3 months. I have only gained since then, with the exception of a weight watchers diet where I lost about 20 lbs. Every time I lose, I gain the weight back and more..ten to twenty pounds more. I cannot maintain a healthy weight. I eat healthy, I excersize, but without starving myself and working out 2 hours a day, the weight does not come off or stay off. I just don't want to live like that. This is the reason for the band. It keeps the hunger at bay and makes you full on less, so although I will be eating small amounts, I won't be uncomfortable, hungry, mean, and bitchy (from the hunger) This is my reason for getting the band. I can't WAIT! One more month to go.

This Dr sounds lazy and full of himself. If you are having any complication at all with the band, and you have any fears that something has happened with it, you should have an endoscopy or ex-ray with barium or whatever it is they do to be able to see it. It's not worth your health just so your dr doesn't have to do a bit more paperwork and/or save the insurance companies some money. It's also not worth all the time, effort, and money you spent on getting the band placed. You have to take care of yourself, don't just listen to the doctor and go on your merry way, sometimes doctors are wrong. You have to listen to your own body and demand what you need from the medical people..stand up for yourself!

Pot is not tobacco, but I agree. It's fun, it's relaxing, it feels wonderful, and there are TONS of web sites and books out there that tell you how healthy it is, how it decreases certain cancer risks, etc, but I don't care what they say...THC may be healthy, but burning something and inhaling the smoke into your lungs is not good for you no matter what kind of smoke it is. If you don't quit, definitely tell your dr or it could be very dangerous for you.

I REALLY hope I can still drink Water the way I do now. I get really thirsty, especially in the summer living in Vegas when it's 115 degrees outside and i'd rather die than take one step out of air conditioning. Hoping to feel better (and cooler) when I am lighter, less insulation, right?

Any fans of pumpkin? Here's a pumpkin Soup recipe i've tried and it's awesome. It's very versatile, you can add and take away whatever you want, modify it however you like. If you want more, just double up on ingredients. 1/2 large can pumpkin 1/2 carton low sodium chicken broth 1 small onion or 1/2 large onion, chopped 2 medium carrots (or some of the small baby carrots) 1 celery stalk 1-2 cups nonfat milk, cream, half and half, or whatever other creamy you like. Soy or almond milk tastes kind of funny with this. salt, pepper, garlic, ginger, nutmeg, pumpkin pie spice, cloves, etc...to taste. Whatever you like. little bit of sugar or stevia if you like sweet soup, none if you like savory Simmer the veggies in the chicken broth until very, very soft. Add veggies and broth to blender w/ pumpkin ( I do a little at a time to make it smoother) when smooth, put back in pot on stove, adding milk as needed until desired consistency. Add spices to taste, add more milk or chicken broth to taste and for desired consistency. Pour in a bowl, and eat up!

My surgery is scheduled for next month, and I am worried about the liquid diet phase. I know they say you can have only sugar free popsicles, Jello, crystal light, and a bunch of other stuff with fake sugar in it. I am worried because saccharin and equal and splenda and all of that is supposed to be really bad for you, and I hate it (although I do drink only diet soda) also i've heard it actually makes you GAIN weight because the chemicals make you feel hungry and your body doesn't recognize them. Anyway, I was wondering if anyone just ate the typical jello, popsicles, etc with sugar in them, or if the sugar made you sick. I don't know how much of that stuff I'll want to eat, I'd rather just drink Water, but it'd be nice to know. Thanks!

Ok, feeling better. I just needed a drink. Margarita, anyone?

Ok you guys are freaking me out! I am scheduled for banding in Oct. What is this about not being able to drink? I don't want to limit what I drink! Help!

I am having surgery with Dr Ortiz in Tijuana on 10/28. You can google him, or google Obesity Control Center. My sister and I are each paying $6000, which includes the surgery, aftercare (fills with fluro will be $100) one night in the hospital there (unless complications arise, of course) - which is a center that is ONLY for weight loss surgery, so there is slim to no chance you will get something from the hospital that you really don't want..like staff infection.. and a few nights in the TJ Marriott, which, from what i've seen and heard, is a beautiful property which caters to Dr Ortiz's patients, so they have broths and Soups on hand especially for them. We are lucky to live in Vegas, which is close enough to drive down there for the fills. It's a great price, and from what I've seen - and I've been researching for over a year - he's an amazing doctor with more experience than any doctor I've researched in the US. It sounds as if you REALLY need this surgery and I think it's so horrible that insurance will not cover it. In the long run, it would actually SAVE them money if it prevents us from getting diabetes, heart disease, and all the other diseases that come from obesity. Anyway, Ortiz and many other doctors in Mexico are wonderful doctors. Check them out! If you live far away and can't get the fills done down there, you can go to a fill centers USA for fills and aftercare. Their membership is like $500 and fills are $200-$300, I think. Make sure you find one that uses fluro, since most of the people i've read about with complications got their fills without. It is still cheaper to go to Mexico and use Fill Centers and/or your primary dr for aftercare than it is to pay the $16000 plus for the surgery in the US. Good luck, and I wish you well!

My surgery isn't until 10/28/11 but from what I've read, I will NEVER get a fill, unfill, or anything else done without fluro. It seems so archaic and backwards that doctors will even attempt to do it without. They can't see what they're doing! It's a guessing game. It seems so wrong. It makes me angry that this even goes on - the health care system in this country has become so ridiculous, it's a freaking joke. I have a cousin from Italy who got the band. She had to pay like 300 Euro for the hospital stay, they kept her in for a week to make sure everything was okay, and she never had to pay anymore than that. She has now had the band for about 8 years and she's still doing great. That's about $500. Socialized medicine. I don't know about you guys, but if this stupid country doesn't improve and start taking care of it's people, I want OUT.

Just wondering, if you got your surgery in a different country, or even a different state, where do you get your aftercare? I am having my surgery in Mexico and I am planning to go back for fills, but I am wondering if I will need another doc in my hometown for check-ups right after surgery. I will be going back to TJ a couple months after surgery for a fill, but wondering if I will need to see a doctor prior to that to check on the stitches or anything.

He was not actually in Newsweek. He was in the Newsweek Advertising Showcase. Here is the link http://www.newsweeks...-Control-Center I believe it is paid advertising. Even so, he has a great reputation and I am happy I am able to go to him for my surgery. I would choose him over any doctor in the US. Still, it is misleading that they advertise he was featured in Newsweek. That is not Newseek. Here is their blurb stating this. I copied and pasted it from the left hand side of the page the link goes to. This site is operated by Mongoose Atlantic Inc as a promotional vehicle for select advertisers. It does not constitute an endorsement by NEWSWEEK and no endorsement is implied.

The person who wrote that they had a "comically bad experience", could you elaborate? It would really help the rest of us who are planning on having surgery with him if you would be honest. Just posting "comically bad" is a bit misleading and kind of rude. Thanks.

Have you guys heard of Fill Centers USA? I am scheduled to be banded by Dr Ortiz in Mexico on 10/28. I've done lots of research, and Fill Centers USA (fillcentersusa.com) is located in almost every major city. The only problem is MOST don't use fluroscope, although there are some that do. I will hopefully be going back to TJ for my fills and aftercare as it is included in my surgery and I don't live too far away - Vegas, but if I have to, I know there is a fill center about an hour from me which uses fluro. Check it out! They are expensive, but they are made for people who have had their surgery out of the country or state and whenever I have called them, they've been very nice and knowledgable. good luck!

Another good thing to check is if your Doctor (self pay or not) will cover complications after surgery. The complications with your tubing wrapping around your intestine sounds extremely rare and abnormal, so if you had a guarantee in writing from the Dr that did your surgery initially, he should fix this or remove the band for you. Even if you have to fly far away to wherever you had the surgery done, it would be cheaper than trying to find a surgeon close to you to fix the problem. I am scheduled for my band on 10/28/11 and I have, in writing, something that says complications are covered if they are not caused by self destruction (like overeating until you slip)

Just ask your doctor to tell the Insurance company the endoscopy is not band related. This should be pretty easy if the Ins company doesn't know you have the band. The Dr will just say it is for reflux or something. In my experience, doctors are used to doing this, and if yours won't, you should find another Dr. I am having a pre surgery endoscopy, and insurance is covering it because I need it whether or not i'm getting the surgery - my ins company does not know i'm getting the band (with Dr Ortiz in Mexico)

I am going to Mexico to be banded by Dr. Ortiz in Tijuana in October. I've been researching for about a year, and he seems like the best choice. My insurance covers $5000 of lap band surgery, if I have it done by their doctor on their terms, giving them my diet history, having psych evals, and going on a 3 month medicially supervised (by them) diet. The doctor they use is not as experienced, does not seem as professional, and I do not trust him as much as I do Dr Ortiz, due to what I have heard about him. The portion of my surgery I would be responsible for would be $11000. Dr Ortiz is charging $6000 including free fills and aftercare for life (I am lucky to live in Vegas, which is only a few hours from his facility in TJ). To get to the point here, I contacted my insurance company and specifically asked them this: "If I get lap band surgery in Mexico and have an emergency for which I cannot take the time to go back to the hospital in Mexico to have fixed, would insurance cover this?" The answer was that they legally have to cover life threatening emergencies. So, if you go to the ER with band slippage, erosion, or whatever, they legally have to cover it. Even if they do not cover it, the ER cannot legally turn away ANYONE with a life threatening emergency. If they bill you later, so be it, at least you will have your health. That being said, if you get your band in Mexico, or anywhere besides where you live, you can go to fill centers USA, which is a company specifically for people who got their bands either out of the country, state, or anywhere else, and cannot find a surgeon to do fills/after care. They are not cheap ($250 for the first fill, about $4-500 total for the first fill and membership, fills are less after the first) but at least you know there is SOMEONE there who can help. They are in almost every major city. The only problem with them is that they don't always use fluro for the fills, which in my opinion, is dangerous and stupid. But, again, at least you know they are there if you need help. For me living in Vegas, I will go back to Dr. Ortiz for my fills and aftercare, but if I can't, I know that there is a Fill Centers USA dr. here in Vegas, one about 200 miles away which uses fluro in CA, and Dr Ortiz a couple hundred miles from there.

just realized this is an old thread. Hope you got that thing removed, and good luck!

Hi guys! I also have hypothyroidism. I take 25mg per day of Levothyroxine, and have been on the same dose since I was diagnosed about 7 years ago. Anyone else take that dosage? My surgery is schedule for 10/28/11 with Dr Ortiz in Tijuana, Mexico. I'm trying to start my pre-op diet early (they want me to lose about 20 lbs) and it's already difficult. Weighed myself last night and no change. I think i'm also slightly hypoglycemic. I'm a sugar addict, but when I eat too much of it, I crash so i've been trying to do more protein and complex carbs, and trying to eat less in general but it's SO hard..which is the reason i'm getting the surgery, I can eat and eat and eat and don't get full. Can't wait to feel full again!