Miss Meow

The Marriott is as nice as most Marriotts.

I believe Dr. Ortiz will arrange for a pick up from the San Diego airport and drive you over the border if you would be more comfortable with that. I fly out of Tijuana quite a bit but unless you speak decent Spanish it's sometimes difficult to navigate.

JoAnn was my facilitator too. She had the surgery by Dr. Kuri back in 2006 I believe. I've also met the patient educator Gena who also had surgery by Dr. Kuri 11 years ago. I have a lot of faith in Dr Kuri and I did a lot of research. He's done more procedures than the majority of doctors in the US and has very low complication rates. The reason a lot of drs in Mexico are more experienced is because the lapband was available there years before the US approved it for weight loss use. He speaks very good English as does most of his staff and his facilities are top notch.

I'm terrified of them too. And it was easiest experience with a needle I have ever had.

Ive lost 27 pounds but I was stagnant for a few months because I put off getting a fill for 5 months. I didn't gain weight which was good but nor was I losing. So I finally got my first fill yesterday so I'm back on track. I can actually feel the restriction and I only had a .5 fill. My experience with Dr. Kuri and his staff was fantastic. I get lots of support from my patient coordinator and Dr. Kuris patient educator. They give out their personal cell numbers so you can call with any questions. I have heard that Dr. Kuri has his service patch over all emergency calls to his home when he is not at the hospital. I'm a chicken and this whole experience was less scary than I thought it was going to be. Send me a message if you want the coordinators phone number.

Dr Kuri charges $5000.00. That includes transport from san Diego airport tonthe facility in Tijuana and all labs, two nights stay at the surgery center. And free fills for life at hospital Angeles in tijuana.

Just got mine today and it was a piece of cake. I so terrified to get it done that I waited 5 months. It was easy and I feel dumb for waiting. I was told to wait two weeks before I question if I have restriction or not.

As for fills I don't think you would need them monthly. Dr Kuri said his patients usually need at the very most 4 per year. I'm going for my first this week and it's been 5 months since surgery.

I had surgery in january and am having my first fill next week. I'm scared?.

I've been paranoid about every little twinge I feel in my port area. I also feel like someone is pulling on my belly button from the inside. It's so weird. And I'm probably exacerbating the problem because I keep touching and feeling my port trying to make sure it's not abnormally sore. My doctor is in Mexico so it's difficult for me to see him and I'm afraid to get a fill because my port seems sore (probably from me fondling it 10 million times a day). Catch 22 kind of. I talked to my patient coordinator and she said all this tightness and stuff sounds normal and I need to keep my paws off my port but it's hard. =)

I've been kind of concerned about it but I have a friend that is two years post op and says sometimes her port is aggravated at times. I had my surgery in Mexico so hard for me to consult a doctor about it. Just hoping it's normal.

I'm 3 and 1/2 months post op and still experience some port pain. It's not excruciating but it definitely bugs me.

I would agree with your dr. Try to lose those 14 lbs on your own. It's been three months since I've had surgery and I have not had a fill. I think I really learned some good eating habits through this process and I am successfully losing weight right now so I don't need a feel. Rely on those habits you have learned on the past year and you can probably drop those last 14 on your own. At least give it a shot.

I have been experiencing some tightening in the stomach area and have been abnormally aware of my port the past few days. I have been contribiting it to gas since I am three months post op and have been adding a little more stuff to my diet. But it is in my nature to be paranoid and I have been thinking that something has to be wrong. My issue is that I got banded in Mexico so after care is hard to set up. Hopefully someone will pipe in wgho has been through the same experience as you or I just to compare notes. I wouldn't take what people say for gospel here but someones advice might make me calm down.

It's been a little over three months and my port area today seems warmer than the rest of my stomach. This area has been a little bit tender since the surgery. I can't go to my dr because he is in Mexico. I'm very paranoid about this. Has this happened to anyone else?