the best me

sorry Penny, and Lisa! I'm glad you two deleted the thread because it was getting out of hand and I just couldn't resist...I'm so easily distracted! Then I was feeling bad about pitching in, but if the thread made you laugh in the midst of your struggle, it was worth it! Feel better DeLarla and fill us in on the drama. Thanks for taking care of her Penni! You are a good friend...

Hey there! Holanta, huh? I am from the Charlotte area and plan to fly to TJ to see Dr. Kuri. I'll be watching your posts to see how everything goes! Good Luck and safe travel!

Oh my gosh! So, whatever happened? I'm with your husband on the bypass...I hope you can find a way to afford the Band...maybe refinance the house? I am desperate for you! Post a reply and fill us in on what's happening!

You are phenomenal. I have just read this entire thread and am amazed at your journey. And at the strength with which you handle it. You are a dear man. Blessings to you and your sweet Patty.

Just checking in on you, Angela. How are things going since a few days ago when you got the shock of your life! How is Mr. Man handling it? I wish you the best. keep up posted here...

WooHOOOOOOO!! I think it's awesome. Everything I need I can find somewhere in the threads here, but my poor family has been neglected (yes, I will admit it, too much Barney and Sesame Street this past week, and the laundry is piling) because I am sucked into my computer looking for info, getting distracted, having a ball, making friends, all the great stuff about LBT, it would be nice to have a comprehensive non-paid resource with all the links. I am NOT a computer geek but I'm a pretty good communicator, speller, editor type and I am currently researching myself so I could give you my perspective, if it helps. Yay! You are cool.

Well done, and a beautiful pic it is! You don't look like the truck driver I thought you were, what with the name BigEthel. I like calling you Brenda better. You look great!

I saw "I gave myself a fill" and it was the first one I read! Very intriguing title, it worked! I got sucked right in...don't feel bad, it was very funny and good info on salt intake!

WooHoo!! Hey, and Curves is great. It's affordable, all girls, and lots of different sizes. You should feel very comfortable exercising there, no matter how fit (or unfit) you are. I LOVED it but had to quit when my daughter started Kindergarten. I have a 2yo son and needed childcare so I could exercise during the day...he gets to play and I sweat! So I'm paying more at the gym than at Curves, but it's a great program...a good combo of light cardio and weight training...stronger muscles burn more fat. You go girl!

Hey Blossom, I would PM you but this might help Tony, too. What do your mean by aftercare, just what is involved/required/expected by the doctor and you for what is called "aftercare". I know fills, I know diet and nutrition. My husband asked this and all I could say was, well...you know...aftercare...because I have researched so much and my head is full...a concise answer for him is what I need and I think you may have it. Pleeeze! Look out, Tony! Thanks Blossom and anyone else for that matter!

Okay Tony, the patient rep for Dr Kuri in TJ MX (very experienced- over 1200 Bands, I think) referred me to a local Dr about 30 miles from home that could do my fills for 200 bucks. Great! I don't have to spend 300+ on airfare to go back to TJ for fills, and should I need any other aftercare (possible problems that can't be resolved over the phone and where I need to be seen quickly- although I can't imagine what unless it's just a worse case scenario) I can go see this local Dr, even if I have to pay out the wazoo. So I call this local Dr. Bauman at Carolina Weight Loss Surgery in Concord NC and sure enough, he will do the fills for 200...BUT, he's considering not doing fills for other doctors, including Mexico, or should I say, especially Mexico, doctors and so I may not have a local fill dr. after all. The gal at that office mentioned that he and his office mgr went to Mexico somewhere for a weekend seminar for Lap Bands and he just hadn't decided yet how to handle it. I'm sure he's crunching numbers and considering all the liabilities. To top it off, he does the fills at the nearby hospital at lunchtime and the hospital charges an additional $195. Heck, I could fly to TJ and back in a day for less than that! Dr. Kuri's fee includes his fills, you just have to pay $50 for the flouro. So that's $45 less...anyhooo...thought you might like that info. Happy researching!

Yippee!...getiing lots of info for me ,too! Keep it coming folks! and keep us posted, Tony!

What's up BigEthel? Don't forget to give us the update...everything okay?

Welcome Tony! You and I are in the same boat; self-pay, researching Mexico. I'll be glad to share what I know but you've got the basics down. Something I've been running into is facilities...do they have an ICU, in a regular hospital, etc, or is it an outpatient clinic type place where they are not necessarily prepared to deal with surgery related emergencies...hmmm, that's a research hurdle to jump. Let's definately stay in touch and keep the other informed. Also, there is a post in here somewhere (Support) very recent and I can't remember who posted it, it's titled, "Newsweek atricle about a Boy and the Band" or something to that effect...read that thread, the guy at the end of the story, Mike, not the boy, is married to someone on the board and he has lost a LOT of weight...you'll get some good info there about your own weight loss, maybe some links,too. Good to have you!

I'm relating. Maybe I don't have as much to lose but here's what I've been struggling with lately...I feel, on the one hand, that people see the real me, the big fat out of control undisciplined unmotivated loser because on the outside all they see is the fat me, right? What's on the inside(bad) is showing on the outside(as fat) and it's a very debilitating thought pattern. What if they are right? What if I am really worthless? On the other hand, I KNOW that all that bunk is not true! I know who I am, and I live every day with her. I'm smart, funny, kind, caring, loving, a great mom and wife. Maybe noone else envies being me, but I LOVE being me! I don't trust another person to be me as well as I do it. The struggle is how to get the outside to match the inside. I've tried it all, too. I'll not spend another dime on Jenny Craig, Weight Watchers, Slim Fast, Atkins and South Beach and Fit for Life and Suzanne Sommers, books and whatever else is on my self-help bookshelf. I'd much rather invest in a lifetime tool that makes all that diet stuff I know work. And your sister is a freak at 105 (I'm sorry, I'm sure she's really nice) but what grown adult woman is the size of a 12 year old? Come on, now. She's in the minority. Most women are not that small and you don't want to be like her anyway, you want to be you, the one on the inside who is awesome! Apologize to your sister for me...hang in there. Reading all this is like being sucked into a club you can't join yet. I can't get off the internet, I keep finding stuff to read and people to read up on. My family can't call me because the phone line is tied up. I do the dishes at 11pm because as soon as the kids are in bed, I'm online. My poor husband is lonely. (actually, I hear him in there doing the dishes, hehe, I love him) so anyway, it's okay to have hope. You will make it through, don't give up yet! Hugs!!!!!!!

Cool article, thanks! You must be proud of your Mike...good job!

Okay, digging around has proven fruitful. The gal I have been talking to is a patient facilitator who works directly for Dr. Kuri. She is not a referral person, such as what you all have described above. Whew! I will continue to research and just to clarify for anyone else reading and concerned... Dr Kuri's website Beliteweight.com is not at all associated with the Belighter.com people discussed above, nor is he set up to do business similarly. If, by chance, I find out otherwise, you will be the first to know. Good luck with your pursuits regarding Belighter. I'm sorry you all have been so displeased. It really is a shame, how you have been, what's the word, discarded? I'm really sorry. PM me if there is something I need to know. thanks!

Okay, I have BCBS in North Carolina and the Band is excluded. To be covered for Gastric Bypass is a hoop jumping tournament. I logged onto the BCBS website under member services, put in my info and got access to my plan coverage online. Then I entered the CDT(?) whatever code for Lap Band which is...43843 and my plan info came up. Excluded. So I'm looking into Mexico. Hope that info helps!

Be sure to post tonight and let us know the results...I'll be looking for it! God Bless You! By the way, this is the place to worry and fret..."the banded ones" will really look out for you, that much I can see, and they understand all of your concerns. Good Luck...praying too...

Dr. Kuri uses Beliteweight.com not Bellighter, just to clarify in case someone associates the two..I understand what you mean and am taking very serioisly all of the things mentioned here. While I am impressed so far with Beliteweight, I'm certain it is a similar set-up and I want to make sure I don't get a similar result you all have had with Belighter. I don't like to see the bad publicity for Belighter but this is the place to find it, huh? LOVE puplic forums...thanks everyone...I'll be proceeding with caution!

Yay, thank you. I will continue researching but I am relieved about Kuri now. I am searching and searching for anything bad about Kuri and nothing. So far, his driver, Miguel has been the only complaint because he was very late pickin up someone. That is it! I understand the middle-man thing and think I have one, I'm not convinced that's a bad thing-I need someone to go to bat for me but I have 2 issues...1)will the support continue after surgery and 2)just what is the price difference? Lots of work to do...thanks

thanks everyone, for being so nice. I'm pretty sure what I have is a patient facilitator, not a referral. Iv'e been talking to Sylvia, who e-mailed me from the BeLiteWeight.com site where I filled out a request for more info. She helps coordinate everything...makes sure I get the info I need, coordinates the travel schedule so I get picked up in San Diego and go to TJ from there...whatever. She's been very helpful, very prompt, very on the ball. I think I'm okay there. She also referred me to a doctor whose office is about 30 miles from me in Concord, NC who does the Lap Bands (I already knew about him but went the MX route due to costs) and this Dr. Roc Bauman does the fills for Dr. Kuri for $200. I was glad to hear it's already set up but will still call direct to verify. Whew! That should take care of my fills and should I need some other type of aftercare, for a price, they will see me. In regards to nutrition, diet, questions, concerns, all that I feel is covered well by access to Sylvia, who has proven to be reliable as she recruits my money and I expect will continue after the surgery (she had it 2 years ago and is doing well) and by all you nice folks here at LBT. I know where to go for info, it's all here! DeLarla, you crack me up. My husband read what your husband said about your kidneys and went "Hey, I hadn't thought of that..." than after a quiet moment said "will you be coming back with an X-ray or something? I don't want to send you to Tiajuana with 10 grand and have you come back without that darn thing...you better make sure they put it in there!' or I guess I could just party for a few days and come home without it! Not likely. Not my style, want the band too bad to squander it! This discussion of surgery in MX has brought out the comedian in DH, comments about burrito crumbs and bringing home Jose to work with him in his construction business...he's warming up to the idea. Thanks again everyone! You are the best!

Okay, red flags, red flags!!! help me here by quickly answering if I should be concerned about Dr. Kuri in MX who I found on beliteweight.com ? I doubt it because Iv'e heard nothing but good things...just checking... thanks everyone!

thanks leatha, lots of great things for hubby to read, or make that DH, as I read here! Great article! I like how HE is in charge of making the most of the band. It's not a cure, but a tool that makes your efforts work for you. Good read!

Ew! Ew! I saw it! Actually, when I read the first post I thought I got caught, like maybe I was the google spider because I've been reading all of your profiles just to see who I'm talking to and where you are and your weight loss, etc. Got me a little paranoid, as if I was doing something wrong! Glad I wasn't. Ya'll can read my profile too if you want...it would make me feel better...hehe