Rebecca

hi Decarla, There are 4 people--just that I know of--that come to this website that had their lapband put in at the Molding Clinic. Probably lots more--those are just the ones I know of. No--it isn't a new clinic. They have done 3,000+ lap bands. Andres, their patient coordinator, has had his band for 8 years. He lost 165 lbs. You'd never know it--he's just a little guy. Actually I've lost 20 lbs now--today is 1 months after my surgery date. Just haven't figured out how to change my ticker yet.

Hang in there dear Kathy! Getting back to feeling good takes as long as it takes. Be patient with yourself. Even best case scenerio most people aren't back to normal activities for 1 week after surgery. (My surgery is one month ago today, and I'm still supporting my abdomen with a binder, but that's because of a post-op infection I had. At least I'm back to working full-time now). You get lots of rest. take care.

Way to go Kathy! I know what you mean about praying before going to Mexico! I did too--and here I am still alive and kickin'. Your incisions look more like bruises to me--maybe it's just the picture. I'm 4 weeks out from surgery and still have some scabs. You must be a quick healer. Glad you're home safe.

hi Tina, Did you try going to Google.com. And entering lap band surgery Mexico, or any combination of words like that? It won't bring up all the Mexican surgeons, but will bring up some.

Melissa! Sorry--I didn't recognize you! You've got to get a new picture--it doesn't look like the Melissa I met in Mexico. (Could the loss of 48 lbs have anything to do with that?). :cheeky You go girl! I'm doing lots better, and thanks so much for your support when my incision was hurting. I was so worried that something major was wrong. But . . it was I guess a normal amount of pain following an infection. I got an abdominal binder and that helps a lot to support that area while it heals, and the incision is (finally!) starting to close itself up. My insurance (Kaiser) could not answer ANY of my questions. As it turns out they do bypass only--no lap bands yet. So they couldn't tell me how I should be feeling by now, what to expect, whether this pain meant something was wrong, whether I was rejecting the port--or anything! So thank God for this website--getting info from you guys--and also called Andres and Dr. Huacuz once or twice with questions. By asking careful questions they could pretty much tell what was going on with me, even without examining me in person. So that helped too. Are they going to put exactly the same port back in you that you had before? Or try something different than last time? I could possibly go down as early as Memorial Day weekend. When in May are you going? I still have quite a bit of restriction. My girlfriend is more anxious for a fill--and feeling more hungry than I am. Everyone is different, I guess. So--not sure when we'll get the first fill. Keep in touch--maybe we'll be down there at the same time again!

Melissa! BigDaddy! So interesting to hear from others who were at the Molding Clinic. Yes--Andres is the best. And that hotel! Nicest I've ever stayed in--bathrooms sparkled, the sheets so white they hurt your eyes. Marble, glass and palm trees. Room service til 2 a.m. In case you need juice or jello. :0) The doctors were very caring. There were a few cultural adjustments--things move slower there. You do have to roll with the punches--probably going mid-week is better. The weekends are their busiest time and things can get postponed. My girlfriend and I are planning to find airline bargains and fly down for our fill. Will cost less there, even with the flight and motel added in! Hey, and then we can go shopping! Lovely to hear from all of you.

I hear ya Estela. I have to wear black dress pants at work, and for a while there, I was having to buy a new pair every month. I was wearing holes through the top of the inner thigh that quickly. Evidently the tops of my thighs just really, really like each other and want to be very close! :0) Being fat is expensive! Can't find bras to fit. If I drop a coin I come up red in the face just from the "workout" of picking it up. Look forward to swimming without shame . . ah . . that will be the day . .

P.S. The fewer people that know, the better! I've told 2 girlfriends and my husband--that's it. I might tell family around Christmas time when I'm thin and they can't figure out why. :0)

I went to Mexico for the lap band with my girlfriend. My girlfriend did just fine--we both had the same surgeon--but I ended up with an infection in the port site which is healing up now. However, US doctors are telling me incision site infections can happen anywhere, so no one really to blame. The hospital looked clean and the surgeons were very experienced with lap bands. They've been doing them down there for 10 years, whereas they are only 2 years old in the US. Anyway, I'll be fine and spent $6,000 in Mexico whereas the same procedure would have cost $18,000 to $20,000 in the US. Neither one of our insurance companies were paying, so we took matters into our own hands. Surgery date was 3/12. Down 15 lbs already. :0)

Sorry--I may be in way the wrong forum. New to the website. But . . if I was going to have the lap band how much time would I need to be off work. anyone? thanks