skyeblu79

I called in today and spoke w/the lady that handled my tour. She cleared up a few things. They aren't doing any discounts at this time (company or those listed on the website) since they are brand new. She did say there was a $20 discount that she could extend from what they had over the weekend making it $179 to join. I was wrong about meeting w/the personal trainer and nutrionist every quarter. She said that you will get a free meeting w/the nutritionist when you 1st start and that the quarter meetings are body age assessments which she didn't really explain other than they check something dealing w/cardio or cardiac something or other. Oh, since I am single they are offering either a 30 minute free massage or 60 minutes w/a personal trainer. Also, she said starting today that you can bring a form that they have signed by the parent of the child and you can bring in a child other than your own. After talking to her today, I am having 2nd thoughts. I think I will just wait until I move this summer. I don't want distance to become an issue. I really want to get my $$ out of it. The place is great, so I definitely see it in my future.

The club here is about 15 minutes from work and 25 minutes from home. There aren't many clubs in a real close vicinity to me. There are a couple w/in 10 miles and I don't like one and have already tried the other in the past. There are a lot of Curves, but that's not really my thing. There is a YMCA downtown and that's about 15 minutes from here. It's the nicest gym in this area, but no where as nice as Lifetime. It's $50 to join and the young adult rate is $29.50/monthly. When I turn 29 next year it will go up to $33.75. When I tried it out, I did like it, but I did have to wait for equipment. The one thing they have that Lifetime doesn't is an indoor track. The hours aren't that great at the Y either. I still haven't completely decided yet....Most likely I will go ahead and join next week. My main concerns are still distance w/the price of gas. I didn't really like the lady that gave us the tour. She was kind of annoying and I really didn't trust her. She said that most of the people there had PHDs and they had people that would be familiar w/lap band. One thing I read online was that you can't bring any kids other than your own. I am going to ask about that for sure. I have no kids, but occasionally I watch my younger cousins. My uncles daughter stays with us about 2 weeks during the summer and she's 15. I would like her to be to use the facility. Thanks for your responses....Since Lifetime is so new here it's hard to get any opinions. I few people spoke to us during the tour and they were saying how great it was and that we wouldn't regret it.

Thanks Smatyas!!

Wow, I am getting kind of concerned now..I called Fillcenterusa exactly 2 weeks and a day ago. I was told that the Denver, North Carolina location would be opening in 2 weeks. The lady I spoke w/was really nice and helpful. If I don't here anything by Monday I am just going to call and check back... Good luck everyone w/your fills. The upcoming fill location here is over 2 hours away. I would hate to have it cancelled at the last minute. Smatyas, do you know anything about the Denver, North Carolina location?

It's about 25 minutes from my house and 15 minutes from my job. That's the main reason I am debating on it. I am trying to see if it is worth it. There aren't any good gyms near my house at all. I am planning on moving closer the gym by the end of the summer. I just don't want to wait that long.

That is really good to hear. Maybe I should try applying there. I need a part time job. Thanks for responding...

Hi, Yesterday I went and checked out a new fitness club here, Lifetime Fitness. I feel in love right about away. I have never seen a gym like it: beauty salon, cafe (w/wireless), pool cafe, tanning, 2 indoor pools (24 hours), 2 outdoor pools, 2 full court basketball courts, 100 classes a week, racquetball, squash, 2 hot tubs (indoor and outdoor), childcare, rockclimbing, etc. They have the largest gym floor I have ever seen. They have physical trainers that are on site from like 6-10 (mon-fri) and 6-6 (sat-sun) I think. The trainers have several desks on the floor and they will help you You can bring 2 free guests a month and they are $10 adults and $5 a child per day after that. The entire club asside from the outdoor pool, cafe and rockclimbing are 24 hours. My only concern is location and price. It is way out of the way, but it still seems so worth it. The joining fee is a one time $199 and then $59.99 a month. They have a few specials (they aren't that great though). I wonder will the inconvenience of distance eventually get to me. I just wanted to get opinions........Anyone any members. Is it as great as it seems?

Also, he is located in Pinehurst, North Carolina.

Hi, I am considering going to Dr. C. Kenneth Mitchell, Jr. for aftercare. I have looked up some reviews on him, but I would love to get more info. Thanks!! :eek:

Dr. K was very concerned....He basically said that it sounds like the doc didn't know what he was doing. He was concerned about the type of needle he used too. I really want to go back to Dr. K for my fill...Right now I am getting the run around regarding my refund. I called today and I was told that they would follow up w/billing. Hopefully I will hear something soon. I really dread flying back out to Denver, b/c of the expense, but at this point I am only trusting Dr. K. Oh, and I watched a fill on youtube today. They used some type of spray to numb and not a shot. I e-mailed the video clip to my friend that went w/me on the 1st fill attempt and she said that my doc definitely didn't use the huber needle. She said it looked like a regular syringe.

I probably could have tolerated it better had I got some of the fizz out of it. I guess I should have if I was going to attempt to drink soda I should have done that. My doc didn't ban carbonated beverages. After my 2 months was up I really didn't even think about going back to soda. I don't know what got into me last night. Normally I don't go to restaurants where you can get your own fountain drink. I thought it would be easier to not over do it by just putting a sip in my cup.

Until last night the last soda I had was on 2/19/07, the day before my surgery. Well last night I went out to dinner @ Pei Wei for chinese. @ Pei Wei you have to get your own drink, so I decided to get a little bit of regular Coke. It was probably enough for 2 sips. I just wanted the taste. I started eating my food and I just felt horrible. :sick I thought it was the food and initially I thought that it was the food. I got a little Sprite (big mistake) and I thought it would settle my stomach. The feeling just intensified and it donned on me that it could be the soda. I went to Harris Teeter and got some chewable Gas-X and Pepto Bismol. It did help w/the feeling of nausea. I have really lost my taste for soda over the last 2 months, so why I decided to take that painful 2 sips I have no idea. I am actually glad this happened b/c it helped me to end my relationship w/soda. I really realize that soda is no longer my friend. It will be missed...I guess beer is out too. My nutritionist didn't recommend drinking soda of course, but she said at 2 months out I could try some if I wanted to. I didn't know I would have this effect. Does anyone else have problems tolerating soda? I know this isn't a review on Pei Wei, but it was disappointing...P.F. Chang is much better.

Sprint is definitely my #1 from that list. I no longer have them any more, but I haven't forgotten my horrible 2 years.....

Ghettofarm- I think marking the point is a good idea. After my doc lost the location I wondered why he didn't do it. I did ask him about taking a nerve pill before the next time. I think that is what I will do w/my new doctor. I wish I had done that the last time now. Ariel- I guess I will suggest the lidocaine next time. I am willing to give almost anything a try. We did try using a pillow, but that didn't really help him either.

Dynamomini- I contacted the office today and they are supposed to be getting back to me. Hopefully it will be soon so I can figure out what I can do. I hope I don't have to drag out any threats. Hopefully he will just do the right thing. If he doesn't budge Dr. K suggested telling them I would contact the medical society or board of medical examiners. I really hope it doesn't come to that. You guys are lucky that are local. I don't know how it will go flying back and forth. I am just scared to try another doctor here again. Mal- I am sure you will do fine w/the low carb pre-op. You will be so excited about the surgery hopefully you won't mess the carbs. And there are so many good things that you can still eat. Good luck!!

Wheetsin- I think that may be what the doctor suggested for next time, lidocaine. I had something similar injected prior to surgery (I think), before my IV was put in...It hurt really bad, worse than the IV normally does. The doc said that's why he normally doesn't numb. And the pain from sticking was bothersome, but it was something internal that was really hurting...The doc said it may be something internal that's still healing or has to do w/the seroma. He said to just give it another 2 weeks and that numbing the area wouldn't help. Ghettofarm24- He only did an ultrasound. That sounds like how I felt...Like my insides we were being poked. Everytime he hit something I had a horrible pain. I was just sore from the actual needle going in. After he lost the port the 1st time I was thinking he should have put a mark on my stomach or something. I was trying to ignore the pain, but when he hit something w/that spinal needle I just felt like he was doing something wrong. Thanks for the good wishes. I hope it gets better too.

I got this online: A seroma is a pocket of clear serous fluid that sometimes develops in the body after surgery. When small blood vessels are ruptured, blood plasma can seep out; inflammation caused by dying injured cells also contributes to the fluid. Dr. K called me back already. He said that from what I was telling him the whole situation didn't sound right. He suggested that I either find another doctor or come back to him. I paid the initial fee to join w/my dr here and I have paid 1/2 the fee towards the 1st yr. I am going to call tomorrow and see if he will give me some of my $$ back. He used an ultrasound machine to try to locate the port. He said that he found it then he lost it again...What a mess?? I didn't even know I had the seroma until he told me fluid was coming out of my stomach..It drained out about a 1/3 oz...Sorry if too graphic... The actual needle wasn't bad...I don't want you thinking it's worse than it was. I think this dr just didn't know what he was doing. It wasn't bad until he switched to that other needle. Dr. K said that he should have only been using the Huber needle.

Sheesha, sorry to hear about your flipped port...That is great that Dr. K will fix it for free. Good luck w/what you decide. After reading about your port, I am wondering about mine. I am wondering if something is wrong or if my aftercare doc just can't find it.

Hey guys, I posted this over in the lap band fills room, but I only got one reply. I just wanted to see if anyone had been thru this or if you have any advise or opinions on what to do. I did contact Dr. K's office today and I spoke w/Robin. She's going to have Dr. K call me tomorrow just to get his opinion. Sorry this is so long. I went for my first fill 3 weeks ago and I wasn't able to get it done b/c I had a senoma. My follow up surgeon drained the seroma and told me to wait until today to try to get a fill again. I go in today and he feels around and can't find the port. Then he does an ultrasound and pokes w/my the needle at least 4-5 times. He basically says he lost it. He then gets a larger needle (called a spinal something) and tries again. It hurt so bad, I almost felt like jumping off the table. It didn't hurt when it went in, but it felt like he was hitting something. Then he tries it again and I have that same horrible feeling. The 1st time I just said ouch, the 2nd time I told him it felt like he was hitting something. He says well I know I'm not hitting the stomach. I was like well, I'm not sure but it hurts really bad. I tell him that I think I will have to stop. While I am saying that he sticks me yet again!!! It was horrible. I felt like crying. He tells me that it may be some leftover stuff from the seroma and that either me can try it again or give it a couple weeks. I ended up rescheduling for the 15th of May. I felt horrible when I said to reschedule. I have only lost 1.5 lbs in the 3 weeks since my last visit. At this point, I am scared to go back for another try...The sticking w/the needle hurt, but no as bad as that feeling when he pressed the needle in. I have a horrible needle phobia so I am doing a little better than I thought I would. We both decided numbing won't really help b/c I can take the initial prick. Honestly, I am beginning to question the competency of doctor. Is it normal for someone to have to poke me this many times and still not find the port? He did tell me that as I lose more weight it will be easier to find the port...If he can't find my port w/the ultrasound machine, I don't know what to say.... Any advise please. Has anyone gone through anything like this before?

Your right...It is seroma..I finally figured it out when I couldn't find any info on it. My doc asked me if I had any pain or anything. I haven't had any pain at all since the initial after surgery pain. He noticed it when he was trying to access the port the first time and drained it. I looked a seroma up online and I didn't have any of the symptoms listed. He just told me that I should take some antibotics and try again after about a month.

I went for my first fill 3 weeks ago and I wasn't able to get it done b/c I had a senoma. My follow up surgeon drained the senoma and told me to wait until today to try to get a fill again. I go in today and he feels around and can't find the port. Then he does an ultrasound and pokes w/my the needle at least 4-5 times. He basically says he lost it. He then gets a larger needle (called a spinal something) and tries again. It hurt so bad, I almost felt like jumping off the table. It didn't hurt when it went in, but it felt like he was hitting something. Then he tries it again and I have that same horrible feeling. The 1st time I just said ouch, the 2nd time I told him it felt like he was hitting something. He says well I know I'm not hitting the stomach. I was like well, I'm not sure but it hurts really bad. I tell him that I think I will have to stop. While I am saying that he sticks me yet again!!! :faint: It was horrible. I felt like crying. He tells me that it may be some leftover stuff from the senoma and that either me can try it again or give it a couple weeks. I ended up rescheduling for the 15th of May. I felt horrible when I said to reschedule. :cry I have only lost 1.5 lbs in the 3 weeks since my last visit. At this point, I am scared to go back for another try...The sticking w/the needle hurt, but no as bad as that feeling when he pressed the needle in. I have a horrible needle phobia so I am doing a little better than I thought I would. We both decided numbing won't really help b/c I can take the initial prick. Honestly, I am beginning to question the competency of doctor. Is it normal for someone to have to poke me this many times and still not find the port? He did tell me that as I lose more weight it will be easier to find the port...If he can't find my port w/the ultrasound machine, I don't know what to say.... Any advise please. Has anyone gone through anything like this before? Thanks!!

That was too funny......I really enjoyed episode #1..Getting ready to see episode #2.

I am a college student and my insurance had an exclusion for lap band surgery for everyone. I ended up taking extra loan $$ to hlep pay for the surgery. Not sure if you daughter is undergrad or grad, but as a grad student you can get a lot more loan $$. How far is your daughter from 25? Good luck!!

Hi, I don't have anything bad to say about MX. Dr. Ortiz was my first choice if I had gone to MX. My only problem was finding a followup doctor when I got back here. Several doctors here would see me, but at a higher cost. I ended finding a doctor here in the U.S. that had a great rate. I ended up going w/Dr. Kirshenbaum in Denver, CO. I had a great experience. Good luck w/what ever you choose.

I went home the same day. Surgery started around 8 or 8:30 and I was on the way back to the hotel by 12:00 something that afternoon. I was only self-pay and I think my doc only made you stay overnight if you had no one with you to help after surgery. Courtneyjeter- I can kind of understand what you are going through with your parents. I still haven't told mine how much the surgery cost. They didn't ask either though. I actually moved back home with them to save up for surgery.