BandsterHopeful

I would suggest really having a very complete physical before even thinking about banding, especially if you have not seen a regular doctor for several years. My good friend has spent the last 6 months getting all the stuff in order for her ins to pay for her banding. She had dietary consults, a cardiology eval, lots of lab tests, the shrink consult, and more. She was finally banded 2 months ago - and just found a breast lump 2 weeks ago. she has not gotten her mammograms for 4 years, and didn't see a doctor for most of that time. She has breast cancer now, and just spent $22,000 self-pay for band surgery. Her weight and the band is the least of her problems now, as the cancer is not localized. The mammograms would very likely have showed the cancer years ago. I hope we all learn from this.

Dr. Kuri's brand new hospital is awesome, and the new offices just spectacular. All fills will be done in the new fluoro lab, that has brand-new top-of the line equipment. Dr Kuri has had 2 Inamed-trained band surgeons working with him for over a year now- Dr. Espinoza and Dr Morales, a lady. he also has 2 great internists on staff, Dr Petersen, and Dr MRS Petersen. they do a lot of the diabetes teaching and all the pro-op exams and tests. i think it is a great system and setup and will only get better as all the "moving in" stuff is over. I don't know about the platic surgery stuff, but i know several ps's he recommends and have seen some of their work. I'll decide on that when i get there - still 50# to go! Renee.

I'm afraid the asbs site is very inaccurate. Many of the surgeons are listed as doing Bands and accepting other's clients, but do not. I found at least 1/4 of the listings totally wrong. Just FYI. Renee

Yes, these stats are from the early trials, when none of the US docs had any experience. Yes, 80% probably have a "complication", since they include even the most minor things in the term "complication" ! Who hasn't barfed once?? The way i see it, i am willing to accept the risks, because the "complication" from remaining morbidly obese is 100% early DEATH. That is a BIG complication! Renee

Glad you did so well! Welcome to Bandland! And, incidentally, if anyone is struggling with Head issues and the lifestyle changes that seem (to me at least) to be the hardest part of banding, there is a great set of Guided Imagery CD's that really helped me look at and chnage some of my "issues." there is more info on the website, as well as a lot of general useful band stuff: http://www.BandsterME.com Good luck to all! Renee, -61 #

Dr Joseph Cheblis in Ballard will fill you, and is excellent. Dr Kelly Firzpatrick in portland and eugene is also excellent. And I certainly don't think NWWLS knows everything! There are 3 people in my support group who refuse to go back there becuase their chief nurse is so strict and makes them feel like $%^& if they have not lost up to HER expectations. They call her the "battleAxe". (No offense meant, tereasa -)

I'm not sure what you mean by "can't take medicine becuase it is in pill form" ? Many pain meds come in liquid form, or can be safely cut up. No reason to be in pain. Are you seeing your regular doctor about all this? Many band docs are now allowing a few days or more of the NSAIDs, with caution and careful following, to get inflammatory pain like yours (it seems) under better contol. Hope you feel better...

VERY happy Kuri client here. I thought he was just excellent, and I'm doing great. He has an excellent online teaching forum with very expereinced banded people and banded medical professionals giving excellent advice and education and practical tips about band living. Weekly chats, lots of local support groups. Some thought the older hospital he used was not great - but he now operates out of a brand new, modern, beautiful hospital no one could dislike. All the medical offices and fluoroscopy labs are brand new too. The erosion rate is less than 1% overall statistically, but he has far, far fewer than this. Some of the other TJ docs have new erosions reported on the boards almost every week, it seems.

Sorry, I misspoke. It was a heart attack that he had - not a slip - that was another doctor I'm thinking of. Perhaps this is why he did not operate? .

a friend of mine had the same experience - he did not show up at all and simply sent somone else. He also just had a major band slip himself, and needed surgery.

Geezer Sue, sorry but Diabetes is not cured by DS or any other ptocedure. If you have good weight loss, you can go into diabetic remission and stay there for a very long time - possibly forever, if you maintain your weight - but you always will be diabetic asnd have to be careful of several things - food, exercise, infections, more. Diabetes goes into remission at exactly the same rate with DS as it does wioth bypass or banding. This should have no bearing on which procedure you choose. However, diabetics have a much higher surgical complication rate because of their obesity and blood sugar, so the safest procedure with the shortest operation time is a very wise choice. In my book, that is the Band. Both bypass and DS are very major surgeries, and both also have a high percentage of need for further operations to correct problems- so , again, diabetics are at higher risk.

I think we all know - or find out very soon - that the hardest part of all this is overcoming the emotional eating, sugar cravings, bad eating habits, and making all the lifestlye changes that are essential to do well. the band does not help with these parts at all. I found some great Guided Imsgery CD's that address just these issues and helped me make the changes needed. I'm doing a lot better than I was. The person who recommended them to me was one of the people who tested them before they were released - and the group all thought they were a huge help. Nothing else like them that i know of. These might help you too - and, at the very least, are deductible :-) as a medical expense for our band needs. www.BandsterME.com There are also a lot of links on the website to bandster studies, articles, nutrition info and more. Funny diet cartoons too!

You can safely take anything that does not contain ibuprophen, motrin, (NSAIDS) - those products containing tylenol (acetaminophen) are fine. Choose either a liquid or one that can be cut into small pieces, so it can get through the stoma. All meds should be this small. then, take a full glass of fluid afterward to wash them completely through. hope you feel better!

There are band surgeons throughout europe. The band has been done there for many years, unlike in the US. Just be sure you find one that does LAP BANDS if you need care, as there are many other bands used in Europe. http://www.euroband.co.uk/surgeons.htm

where in Kansas is he?

Find out how many Bands this doctor has done. Many docs give a very low price when they are just starting because until a doctor has done more than 100 bands, the complication rate is much higher than later. Cheap is not so cheap if they are very inexperienced and just starting and have no followup and after care problem, and don't know enough to teach you what to do. a port replacement is like $2000 if they puncture it or the port flips becuase the stures were not put in well. It also takes at least 100 fills to start to get a feel for how much is good, and how to read the fluoros.

As a physician myself, I chose Dr Kuri after researching heavily and meeting 5 of the different docs down there. I taked with all the other physicians who also chose him, and 5 of his banded US nurses. His experience is top-notch and complications fewer than any of the other docs. The infection rate at the hospital , although small, is non-existent. none of the US hospitals can say that. The care was excellent, the fsacility fine, the nurses VERY well-trained - and I'm doing great!!!! He is just a sweet, kind, and very caring man with excllent skills. i was invited into the OR to see severaql surgeries the day before minbe, and I was very impressed. There are at least 2, and usually 3, trained Inamed band surgeons in all surgeries, and this cuts down the operating time, complications, and rcovery time. Most importantly to me was the followup care. I believe he is the only doc that has a very active online board with experienced, banded medical professionals teaching daily and trouble-shooting problems so you can learn all you need to know to do great. The worst complaint I ever got was someone who was unhappy having to wait for a scheduled fill becuase Dr Kuri was taking care of an urgent surgical problem from another doc. She had cut the time too short and endede up missing her plane. good luck with whatever you choose. Research well because you will have a relationship with your doctor for the rest of your life.

Yes I have been there and had surgery there. I don't know what you mean by "a real hospital" but the Sanatorio San Francisco is a small but completely clean and sterile "real" hospital with perfectly-trained staff (by Dr Kuri) who anticipate your every need. About 80% of the surgeries there are Dr Kuri's band surgeries, so you can bet all the nurse are very well trained. All the medical and surgical equipment is new and top-of-the-line. The bathrooms are all new, the beds new, and the same hospital equipment is there that you would find in my own hospital at home. The Palacio Azteca, the hotel 1/2 block away where you stay before and after surgery, is 4-star American quality and beautiful. Lovely large rooms, beautiful pool, attentive service, great restaurants, as well as the perfect Mexican restauarant across the street and the pharmacy on the other corner. wonderful in every respect. I am a physician myself and checked out everything VERY thoroughly. The the infection rates and they are non-existent - much lower than the hospital I trained at - UCLA. I observed several surgeries with the patient's permission before my own, and Dr Kuri and his assistants (all also Inamed-trained and proctored Band surgeons) are all wonderul, attentive, and excellently-trained. I could not imagine any better service. I have gone back to have the first fill and have already lost 28# since surgery, and I have barely started. I don't really even have a great fill yet. I could not believe how great everything was. I had no worries at all. i am delighted. Dr Kuri's online education forum is especially good, with direction and education from medical professionals. trained by Dr Kuri. This is your health here, not a second-hand car you are buying - don't go with anyone but the best. Forget the cut-rate doctors, or the ones who have been banding only a few years. you get what you pay for, and the surgery and followup care, post-op and online teaching, and such with Dr Kuri and his team are wonderful.

Big T, just saw your post and I have a question for you. I'm newly banded and also have the inamed VG band. Is this the one you have? (The Vanguard band is not really called the VG band, so i may be confuused). If you really have the VG which holds 10 cc, my experienced doc told me, and I confirmed with Inamed, tyhat this band needs a first fill of 3.5 cc to simply fill the empty tubing, then a bit more for a real FILL. My doc says that he always gives 4.0-4.5 cc for a total first fill. Is this anytghing close to what you were told? I ve found a lot of docs that don't know a thing about this band, but use it anyway. There is good info on this VG band on Bandsters mssg # 83872. thanks! Renee

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/StrugglingBandsters/ R

In my band research, I found several people who said that Dr sanchez promised them a Inamed band, but then switched it to an cheaper Swedish band without their permission. One, Kathy an RN in Californiaa, had a terrible toime finding anyone to fill her and is still doing very poorly 2 years later. You can find her on the Struggling Bandsters yahoo group. Doesn'r sound very honest to me. I found that Sanchez aldso worked with Ann Marie Tiesi, from Belighter. Do a search to see what type of people they are.

GO HERE AND ENTER YOUR ZIP CODE IN THE "SURGEON-LOCATOR" TO BE SENT A LIST OF LOCAL DOCS. WWW.LAP-BAND.COM RENEE

See Mexican Bandsters post # 13725. The lady died, which is extremely unusual. She surely made some big mistakes in not seeking help sooner, but it also sounds as if that last fill from Dr Rodtiguez, without fluoro, sent a serious situation over the edge. It sounds like she was about ready to erode, and a fluoro would have found it and prevented her death. I've heart from quite a number of people who had port infections and port flips, (more than the average, I think) requiring more expensive surgery. Ask on The Mexican Bandsters board for more. I believe Dr Rodriguez is one of the very few doctors who do not suture the port down, perhaps leading to mor flips and turns maiking the post not able to be filled. Everyone says he is very nice though, and his coordinator Barbara is too. But I guess "nice" is only part of it. Renee

I see no posts on Dr Kuri on the "Dcos and Hospitals" forum - at least none with headlines like the others. please help me find them. thank you! PS I haven't decided whom to choose yet, but i have ruled out quite a few! Renee

there seems to be a whole other thread several posts above this re de la Garza that offers some opinions. Renee