MikeC

forreste, It's amazing how our body can fight the weight loss. It is so true how we can learn to trick the band and eat around it. It's so important to recognize this so you don't develop a complication and loose your band altogether. I have to always keep this in the front of my mind. I've had two semi slips requiring unfills. Each time I swear I'll behave if I can keep my band, but you get comfortable. My advice is to listen to the dietician(as hard as that can be sometimes). Eat a lot of small, high protien meals. Be mindful when eating. When ever I go back to basics I loose weight period. It is only a matter of how long I can stick with it. Best of luck to you. MikeC

The salon was in Forest Hills, Queens. There is a store locator at the website Suddenly Slender The Body Wrap - Victoria Morton's mineral bodywrap Good luck. Mike

I just noticed that there is not much discussion on body wraps here. I lost 100lbs and as you can imagine have a lot of loose skin. It doesn't bother me enough to go in for surgey so I started going for body wraps and they really help a lot! After two wraps, I lost several inches and my skin is noticably tighter. It's clearly not the same a a tummy tuck or anything surgical, but I think its a great option us bandsters can consider. The wrap I ended up going for was a suddenly slender body wrap. You can google them and get a lot of info about how they work. I have no conneciton to the company, but just wanted to let others know that in my case at least it really worked. I've received a lot a great info from this board, pre and post surgey and just wanted to pass this info along. Cost at the place I went to here in NY was $135, not including tips Good luck to all MikeC

I was banded in Mexico two years ago. My research narrowed it down to Dr. Rumbaut or Dr. Ortiz. I ended up deciding on Ortiz only becasue he would be easier for me to travel to for after care. New York to San Diego, 15 minute drive to the Mexican border, 3 minute cab ride to his office. I think I paid $8,500- hotel, tests and transportation included. I traveled by myself so I really didn't spend much money. Only for tips and the hotel restaurant. I highly reccomend Dr. Ortiz and his team. Good luck.

I would stay away if you can. Try unsweetened or diet iced tea instead. I've had a cup of soda on occasion when nothing else was available and if its not flat you will feel it. When ordering a mixed drink with some carbonation, I ask it be shaken to get rid of some of the carbonation and I'm fine. When I was unfilled I was drinking beer with no problem.

You may be able to have it corrected without surgery. I've remember reading a post about a year and a half ago about one surgeon, I think it was Dr. Ortiz in Mexico, flip a port back into the correct position using two fill needles without surgery. I guess it all depends on the position of the port. Best of luck.

Okay, hoping one of you guys can help me by sharing your expeirecnces with restriction and fills. I had my first fill three months ago and have lost about 5 pounds since (all in the first month after the fill). I do feel some restriction. Sometimes I PB, sometimes I'm very tight, and sometimes I'm very loose (like today when I ate a large order of chicken with cashew nuts and 10 fried wontons in a single sitting). But I rarely if ever have that "full" feeling 10 minutes past my meal. I'm thinking that I need a slight fill to keep the food in my pouch longer but I'm nervous because I know how tight I can get at times. What do you guys think?

I had my surgery in Tijuana Mexico by Dr. Ortiz. I paid $9,500 for everything except air fare. Fills cost $100. Overall I'm very satisfied and would do it again. My only caution to you is that depending on your location, your local aftercare options may be limited and costly. With the price of band surgery dropping in the US, Mexico isn't exactly the value it used to be. I go back to Ortiz for fills, partly because I like his care, but mostly because its an excuse to get away to the west coast for the weekend.

Dallasdoll, I know how you feel. i was banded about 5 weeks ago and started eating solids at 3 weeks. I healed very quickly and probably could have handled solids a day after surgery. I haven't had my first fill yet and I can eat anything I want. I find myself taking large bites and everything goes down with no problems. Reading some of the posts on this board that say to cut your food into pencil eraser size pieces and to chew 30 times I wondered if my doctor forgot to buckle my band! But then once in a while when I eat too fast or take too many large bites in a row I'm reminded that my band is still down there.

Jenna- I was banded 3/22, just a day before you (we must have passed each other in the hospital). I made my fill appointment on May 7th as well (10:30). I'm recovering nicely. I feel a little guilty today because I ate some solid food- its only four days early. I hope you are doing well too.

I wouldn't worry about it if I were you. I went on a blind date with a girl I later found out was banded. I had no idea and it actually started me on the path to research the band. The only thing I remember thinking to myself is "why won't she drink anything," but I figured she was just being a little shy which I though was cute. Just watch what you eat (nothing new)so you don't PB!

Before being banded (like with the IV already in my arm)by Ortiz, I asked Dr. Martinez about their prior complications. He told be they had None (and knocked wood)! Given the number of procedures they do I couldn't help but think this couldn't be true. To be fair, the context in which I asked was more in the spirit of major complications, but he did say they never have had to convert to an open procedure, never have had any vital organ damaged during the surgey, or any deaths. Delarla, I'm curious to hear about the two Ortiz complications you've heard about.

I was banded by Dr. Ortiz on March 22nd and was VERY nervous about going to TJ for surgery. But after seeing how everything went I have no regrets or complaints at all. He and his associate Dr. Martinez are very skilled and very experienced. You are getting two top notch doctors for the price of one. The only drawback is that the surgery center is not the same as being in a fully equiped US hospital, but it is well equiped and kept cleaner than any hospital I have seen in the US. It is very comfortable (including a million dollar view of a golf course and rolling hills from your room). My recovery so far has been very rapid-- no gas at all after day 3 (Dr. Martinez said they are able to do surgery with less gas than other surgons). My incisions have just about fully healed(yes, even the largest). I plan to go back to TJ for fills initially, but did make arrangements for a local doc to see me in case of emergencies and if it turns out I need a lot of fill visits to find my sweet spot. If you are only 2 hours from TJ I don't think you need to worry about finding a closer doc. Best of luck to you and take comfort in knowing you will be in good hands. Michael