lightnerbride

Anyone know much about the wishcenter in Seattle, WA? I'm about to get banded in Mexico but wondered if they'd do fills and what cost would be. Thanks April

Hi, I'm from WA state and was looking into going to Canada instead of Mexico because it is so close. I thought I found one doctor in Vancouver, B.C. but when I called the nurse said she'd been getting tons of calls because the doctors name somehow ended up on a list of lap-band surgeons when he doesn't do bariatric surgery at all (sorry don't remember the name) She only knew of one doctor that had been doing it in Vancouver and he'd had a huge wait list so had post-poned retiring but finally did so. She said their was a surgeon in Victoria, B.C. doing lap-band (sorry again forgot name) but he was getting close to retiring and had a huge wait list that he was considering cutting off because it was like 2 years long. I didn't have any other luck in B.C. but maybe you will plus being in Canada you might be able to find out more than I could. I think Quebec might be a bit better of a chance. I know in WA you can find surgery at the cheapest about $12,000 US dollars. I found that for me going to Mexico was my cheapest alternative. If you want to fly to Europe I recommend Dr. Frering in France. He's $6,700 eurodollars but the eurodollar is even stronger than the US dollar so with airfare and post-op accomadations I couldn't afford to go back to him. He did allow me to bring all the pre-op testing results with me so that I didn't have to pay for that (my insurance would pay for all the tests just not the surgery) I wish I could give you more info. I hope you have better luck in your search than I did. April

Thanks everyone for being great with responses. I'm so excited for Sam she'll leave Banajor Sunday the 2nd a new bandster and I'll be arriving at Banajor Monday the 3rd, so when I get back we can share stories! Hopefully Janelle will be following us by a month or 2 and can benefit from hearing about our experiences. I can't wait to be rebanded. I'm so happy for all of you new bandsters too. April

I'm not on a liquid diet and I wasn't when I had my first band surgery. I'll email you later with some reassuring words! I've got to rush out this morning. April

So your the other patient who got their paypal payment cancelled. I called Dr. Carlos today after I got his message because my only way of paying is using 2 credit cards but I don't want to pay the 5% fee Banajor charges. Dr. Carlos said he'd work on waiving at least 1/2 of the 5% fee, so if you are in the same situation press him to do the same or maybe we can get him to waive the entire 5%!!! He didn't seem to care about collecting an initial deposit just said that he'd see my the 3rd at the airport and everything would work out. I'm coming by myself. I've got my flight booked through Alaska Airlines and so I'm still planning on getting to SAN airport at 9:26am April 3rd and flying back home the afternoon of the 5th. I wish I'd booked my flight a little earlier because it went up a bit but I had to know my husband got the job he'd applied for before confirming everything. What type of band are you getting? I assume this is your first band, you know to ask the surgeon for the pars flaccida technique, right? If you aren't familiar with the technique, it's how they secure the band to your stomach and the pars flaccida technique is considered superiour for holding the band in place and reducing slippage. I really suggest you request it from the surgeon. Anyway, I wish you the best of luck. I guess you'll leave and then I'll be arriving. We'll have to share stories with each other when we both get back! April

I'm heading to Banajor the 3rd of April and getting banded that same day. Then I'm scheduled to fly back home on the 5th. It's a short stay but having been banded before I'm not worried. I'm just so excited now that my flight is booked and my downpayment paid. My total cost to banajor is $6900, that includes everything but my airfare and roomservice I suppose. I'm paying it all through paypal because I'm using credit cards. I really like that Banajor is going to have 3 bariatric surgeons (the lead surgeon is Inamed Certified) doing the surgery inaddition to the Anesthesiologist and nursing staff most clinics tell you three surgeons/doctors but they're including the anesthesiologist in that. I'm going by myself so I wish I knew who else is having surgery that day just to do an early email introduction. Maybe Dr. Carlos can send them my email address to see if they are interested in contacting me? I loved my mid-band from before so I'm getting another one. There aren't many differences for getting aftercare and fills than the Inamed but long term the mid-band has lower errosion and slippage rates as long as placed using pars flaccida technique. If you've ever had the chance to touch the different bands you'd really get why I like the mid-band, it's not firm and formed like the Inamed. I've been really interested in the Heliogast but it seems to have too many quirks that need to be worked out, leading to lower total weight loss for many patients. Anyway, I'd love to hear from anyone with any info on Banajor. I guess I feel I can never be too informed. I love to know every detail. How are the hospital beds and pillows? I tend to get post-op migraines and the pillow can make a real difference. I'm hoping my latex sensitivity and Iodine allergy aren't too much of a hassle plus the fact that this will be my 4th abdominal surgery (1st band lap. placed and removed and an open complicated gallbladder removal.) I'm wanting to lose the weight I've gained back since my band removal by next spring so my husband and I can start a family. I turn 33 this year and he turns 34 so we're both anxious for that too! April Dr. Frering 10/02 (removed 9/05) Banajor 4/3/06

I'm so excited I booked my airfare and put my deposit down for surgery in TJ at Banajor for April 3rd. I've been dying to get rebanded since my first band was removed 9/05. I'd love to hear from anyone who had surgery there or is thinking of it. I'm getting another mid-band (even though the primary bariatric surgeon is Inamed certified---3 bariatric surgeons along with the anethesiologist and nursing staff will be performing the surgery!) because I like it's lower errosion and slippage rate and that it is very soft and flexible unlike the Inamed. I know of at least 3 places without doing research in WA that will fill and handle aftercare of a mid-band patient. It's no different than care of and filling of the Inamed really. I got my first one 10/02 by Dr. Frering in Lyon, France. It was a great experience and very easy recovery. I didn't have problems until I had a few overfills at the fault of the radiology clinic I was using. The records one time showed I had 2.2cc in my band and when I was vomitting up most everything I went back and they pulled out 5.2cc. Yikes!!! Then 2 days before Christmas I had to have my gallbladder out and the staff surgeons were on vacations so a fill in surgeon (who admitted knowing nothing about lap-bands, so little that I had to bring in my post-surgery pictures showing my radioopaque band so that he could understand where it was located) did the surgery. He first tried doing the surgery laparoscopically but cut completely through my bile-duct so had to sew it up place an old-fashion bile duct drainage tube that I had to keep in 8 weeks. That gave me a 5 inch scar for the bile-duct and then a 2 inch drainage tube scar. Then he cut me wide open a 10 inch scar to remove my gallbladder and in doing so bumped my band. It slipped forward which is almost unheard of and it ended up resting on the juncture between my esophagus and stomach. I had days I couldn't even get fluids down. My insurance wouldn't pay all the hospital costs, surgery, etc if I had a bariatric surgeon reposition the band (something that is much easier to do with the Mid-band and Heliogast band.) I was really sick then so I didn't fight it being removed. I almost instantly regretted it. I've put back on half the weight I lost. I just can't wait to get rebanded. Sorry for the long post but everyone always asks why I'm getting rebanded when I say I'm getting banded again. April 10/02 removed 9/05 (lost and kept off over 100lbs!) Future banding 4/3/06!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Just spoke to a very reliable source and incision site infections are at a higher percent in TJ than Monterrey. In TJ it is more like small individual clinics and Monterrey like a small hospital setting. Dr. Zorilla is $8300 and very well know for lap-bands and especially gastric bypasses. I still plan to chance TJ and go to Banajor. I think I'll pick up some betadine and shower with it the night before my surgery and then again when I sponge bathe/shower. I'll take my own precautions! Good luck to everyone! April

Don't know about Dr. Joya but if wanting to get surgery done in Vacation place, check with Dr. Ortiz's team that is in Cancun and has great reputation. Just an idea April

I am new to this site but have been banded before it slipped not due to original french surgeon or the band, mid-band, (stupid US doctor bumped during gallbladder removal where he also cut through my bile duct) Anyway can't afford to go back to France or do in US and there appears to be some very qualified Doc's in Mexico but for some reason I've got a good feeling about dealing with DR. Carlos that runs Banajor. I would love any input! Thanks April 10/02 Dr. Frering LYON, FRANCE lost over 100lbs and maintained 9/05 removed:( up 70lbs

help researching where to have my surgery but I haven't heard anyone mention the Banajor clinic. I'd love to hear positive and negative feedback. Also anyone wanting to rave why to go to the doctor they used I'd love to hear. Dr. Aceves? Dr. Zorrilla? Dr. Ortiz? and so on. This is so difficult! Thanks, April

I never had burning but do you take prevacid or anything like that for your stomach, esphogus? I was told by my doctor who banded me thzt all banded patients should be on something like that for life to avoid possible irritation, etc. Best of luck April

Which french band are you referring to the french mid-band or the french heliogast band? I had the mid-band and would highly recommend it and I am considering getting another one over the Inamed. I hear great things about the Heliogast too. I saw the great deal in Belgium online and if the eurodollar wasn't doing better than the American, and the travel expenses weren't so much more than traveling 3 states down to Mexico I'd be considering it. I loved Dr. Frering in Lyon, France not a cheap as Belgium I think 6,400 eurodollars or somewhere close to that. Let me know which band you are talking about and I might be able to give info. Best of luck April

How about Dr. Zorrilla in Monterey. I've heard he is great that came from someone associated with a surgeon out of TJ (not Dr.Ortiz since they are in the same Surgical Team and would obviously recommend the other is you were not going to go to them) Does anyone have any info on him??? Thanks April

In Washington State there are several places I know of how do fills and will do follow up care on the J&J aka Swedish band, the french mid-band, and the Inamed. I'm sure if someone researches they will find that many places are use to handling care of these other bands and the differences in filling them is so minimal. The french heliogast might be more difficult since it's the newest but has some great benefits. Also the J&J will be going through FDA approval before long there are so many doctors pushing for it, it's just a matter of money and time on there part.

The inamed isn't necessarily the best just because it is approved in the United States. Lap-banding has been going on for years in many other countries with various types of bands and under very successful situations. Research more than the surgeon also the benefits of the different bands (if your doctor will allow you to select between the various ones available.) Good luck to all April

I would guess the steralization is exactly the issue, but it probably could be reautoclaved for sterility and not be an issue. It would be the uncertified Inamed AGB docs that could make a deal on this. Just because the US only approves the Inamed doesn't make it the best or mean the others are inferior. The mid-band is made especially to avoid stomach errosion that the Inamed and all other bands can cause. Back to the topic I wouldn't buy one off ebay! Even to show your friends so they better understand just because you'd be supporting the seller. Don't most surgeons send you home with x-rays that show you the band placement (also makes it obvious what type band you have) and to give to your American doctor for further referrence. Sounds like with Dr's placing other bands when they are suppose to be placing the Inamed I'd want this as a bit of security before heading home. Although I am thinking about getting another mid-band or even the latest the Heliogast (it can be unsnapped and resnapped into position) but finding fills in WA state for the heliogast might be a bit more troublesome. April

Replying to first message, yes you are probably filled too full. Get a slight adjustment. Make sure you are on a good stool softener regimen. Your PCP can prescribe a liquid that works wonders on regulating you and won't mean trying to take pills. Avoid getting into using stimulants to have a BM. Believe me I got seriously backed up to put it nicely and it was not pleasant. It can cause some chest and stabbing back pain. I also want to make you aware of somethings that others may not be... Yes you want to feel full after but never want to get to where you are refluxing the food. It means you are eating too much, the wrong things, or your band is too full. I want to make sure you are aware that if you allow refluxing even without vomitting your esphogus can become stretched. At first it is like it is lazy and not propelling things down properly if you do this too long you could be lucky and just have to take a break from fills so it gets it's tone back. The real problem is when you let it get bad enough that it no longer propells and relies totally on gravity. Then eventually the band doesn't work because the esphogus will stretch and act as a part of your stomach pocket. The problems can get worse from there but your new and just need to be aware of some basic complications. Also don't eat my the hour or emotions, eat by your body. If you don't feel hungry and you are getting enough protein and necessary nutrients why take in the extra calories. You do need to make sure you are chewing properly and learning what foods you do not tolerate. I had to stop red meat and bread. I now don't have my band but I still don't enjoy red meat now or sandwichs. I guess pshycologically I just still have set in my mind they aren't worth the trouble! I can't wait to get rebanded. There is still a lot I have to learn about things after 3 years of having a band so take in information from who you can get it from and then find out what works for you. Best of Luck April mid-band 10/02 removal 09/05

Hi, I had a mid-band done 10/02 by Dr. Frering in Lyon, France. At the time the eurodollar was worth less than the american dollar not so now so no trip to France. It was a fun tourist trip and a great experience medically. I'd highly recommend him! However do to some unusual circumstances my band slipped forward on my stomach/esphogus and the surgeon in my area would only remove it. If I had a bariatric surgeon do it my insurance wouldn't cover anything. So to make this long story much shorter I want my band back along with the health and happiness it brought. I had lost +100lbs and kept if off over 2 yrs. Since 9/05 when it was removed I've gained back 70lbs. It's all back to my life like before ever getting banded the same diets, etc. I hate it and I am determined to get another band whether it be mid-band, heliogast (unsnaps if happens to slip so can be easily repositioned), or the Inamed. I would love Dr. recommendations for any in Mexico. I've been looking at Dr. Zorilla and Dr. Ortiz (they belong to same surgical team as Dr. Frering), Dr. Sanchez, Dr. Alceves, maybe Dr. Verboonen, and then the surgical team at Banajor (Dr. Mariano Covarrubias there is Inamed certified) I know there is also a Dr. Lopez Corvala and a Dr. Kuir in Tijuana that are Inamed certified so I guess they are in consideration. I'm really looking at the Banajor clinic but still don't know. I am looking at having it done in the next 3-6 months and as soon as my husband finds a job. So I'd love to hear from anyone about any experience they may have had, recommendations, input, or anyone who has questions for me since I had my band for 3 years, or to share notes on Dr's they are considering in Mexico. I give Dr. Frering and the french medical system 2 thumbs up so if you are heading there I'll tell you all about it. Glad to be joining all of you, I should have done this years ago! Thanks