coogie36

thanks so much for the kinds words! I try to look on the bright side of things and even though I have not found support medically out there, the band is in there and even without an adequate fill I am not able to eat anywhere near the portions I was. I have no restriction but just the fact that my "usable" stomach portion is smaller makes a huge difference. I will just work with this and move on from here. I have read about people that never get a fill and still lose weight. Just make sure you have good LONG TERM (more than just in the immediate post op phase) medical support and I'm sure you'll do fine! Good luck!

don't totally block out the negative comments....realize that they have vailidity too...I only WISH I had paid more attention to ALL the comments, had I done that I would have made a much more informed decision than just considering all the positive and deluding myself into believing that this would be the great experience it was for so many. Always consider that the negative comments (just like the positive) are just as much learning experiences as the positive ones.

Beginning to wish I'd never had it done...hope you have better luck. Aftercare was wonderful for about the first month, had a fill here in Texas after 6 weeks, had no restriction, went back, got another fill, had WAY too much restriction. Couldn't eat anything heavier than yogurt and you just can't live on that. Called the doctor to tell him, never got a call back even after several calls. (Dr. Maese in Ferris, TX) Finally had a friend take some of the fill out, we're nurses so know how to do it and i was desperate....a person can't survive or have any energy on just liquids, I had to be able to eat or end up in the hospital after weeks of no food and doctors office not calling me back. You finally do what you have to do. Was back in Mexico later that summer so thought the dr. that did my band would be competent in giving me a good fill after telling him that 2.5 cc's was so tight I couldn't eat,he gave me 3.5 cc.......(what the heck was up with THAT????) I could barely swallow my own saliva. I called and called and called from San Diego after I got back to my hotel and realized how bad it was. Kept getting the run around from the patient coordinator Norma...gave me the doctors "cell phone" number and I could NEVER get it to go through, would call her back and she'd give me the number of the nutritionist who she had already told me the previous day was out ill. Of course he was STILL ill and would only refer me back to her. They knew the name and number of my hotel and knew I'd still be there for a couple of days as well as knew I could barely swallow but no one called even after I had let them know the problems I was having. AFter two days of this and the misery of everything I tried to drink just foaming back up in my mouth I finally dragged my ass back to Texas....got home at 0530, got a syringe and needle out of my car (I'm a home health nurse) took the darn fill OUT myself and said to hell with doctors, I am DONE!!!!!! this whole thing has been a nightmare...I was happy at the VERY first but you need follow up for much more than the first month or so...this is a life time committment and I feel I was hung out to dry. No care here in the US because I got it done in Mexico and no care from Mexico cuz they got my money and that gringo is back home in Texas so to hell with HER!!!! May not be the way it is but thats the way it looks to ME!!!!! and I believe anyone in my shoes would feel the same way. I'm normally a positive person as anyone will see that has read my few previous posts. However I think everyone should see both sides of it and mine has not been good. I called the doctor and staff in Tijuana desperately for 2 days and got no help. I had my little girl with me and was terrified of what would happen if I got so dehydrated before I made it home and could take the fill out myself and couldn't care for her. I made a few calls around San Diego and everyone said they had never even heard of a lap band which surprised me since they are doing them every day just across the border. i just thanked GOD I'm a nurse and could remedy the problem myself because Had I not been I don't know what would have happened to me. Just do your research and make sure you have good and caring aftercare. I've got this lap band in me that I paid out of pocket for and no one to take care of me. I just have very little fill and hope and pray that nothing goes wrong because I'm "hung out to dry and flapping in the wind".....EVERYONE else on these posts seems to be so happy and thrilled with their bands and totally pleased with the whole experience......wish I could say the same!! Again best of luck!! and do your homework!

Can someone tell me exactly what their "sweet spot" feels like in terms of what they can and cannot eat and just generally anything that could help me know when I am there? I always seem to be too tight or too loose! Thanks so much! Christi

If they are the soft gels try taking them with some warm liquid. I swallowed a stool softener today with warm coffee and had no trouble at all. I had read somewhere thats its okay to do that so I tried and it worked well. unfortunately we just can't find everything in liquid form.

I was also banded by Dr. Huacuz recently. I am a registered nurse and he has asked me to return to TJ so he can teach me how to do the lap band fills. Its basically like dealing with a mediport, which I've had years of experience with. He will certify me, then I need to find out what I need to do here to make myself legal to perform fills here. Its not rocket science but you do need some medical background and experience to safely perform this procedure. Apparently a lot of the Mexican docs train nurses over here to perform the fills so their patients will have someone to go to that won't just totally gouge the heck out of them like some of the docs do with their inflated fill prices. When I read what some of these guys are charging I'm almost embarrassed for them at their blatant, salivating GREED. That would be if I wasn't so sympathetic to the poor folks they are sticking it to....pardon the pun..... Most of you are probably like me, I had to get a loan for my surgery and I sure can't afford to get it broke off in me every time I need an adjustment.

Christi - banded 2/27/06 by Dr. Daniel Huacuz, Tijuana, Mexico. We all need to get together for a February Bandster reunion! Anyone from Texas out there want to do that?

I had a lot of pain as well.....was really wondering "am I a wimp or what?" So many people talk about how little pain they have.....I have had 3 c-Sections so pain is not new to me....this pain was just different and I went back to work as a nurse doing 12 hour shifts just a couple of days later so probably put my healing way behind...just take it easy and baby yourself! You'll do a lot better in the long run, believe me! And congrats on the band....I am thrilled with mine! Got it 2/27/06, soreness gone, got filled to a good level and I'm good to go! You'll be there before you know it!

I used Dr. Daniel Huacuz in Tijuana, Mexico. He charged me $6500, this included everthing but airfare which I got on bestfares.com for about $200 from Texas. I had about an hour long psyche eval, EKG and assessment by the internist, before and after session with the nutritionist, assessment by the anesthesiologist before the surgery, blood work and of course the doctor met with me before the surgery. He also stayed and walked with me after my surgery as well as took me the next day to have my barium swallow, took me to my hotel and visited me later that evening in my hotel as did the nutritionist. If I have a question, they are right there for me or get back with me immediately. I had esophagitis (my fault for eating the wrong things too soon) and I got calls from the patient coordinator, the nutritionist and the doctor checking on me daily. I have had the best care and cannot complain at all. I am an RN and just wish the doctors here showed as much interest, concern and most of all follow up with their patients. I can tell you, these Mexican docs will spoil you, they are so caring. I have heard good things about all the docs, so I think you'll be well taken care of whoever you choose, just do your homework, talk to some past patients and feel good with your choice. If your interested in checking our Dr. Huacuz his website is www.huacuz.com. Good luck with whoever you go with and feel free to email with any questions! I just had my surgery 2/27/06 so am still pretty much new to this but got my second fill and finally starting to lose weight and am so excited! Best wishes to you!

:faint: Thanks Jack for the advice. It was late in the day and he was probably trying to get out of there. I will give him another try and schedule earlier in the day as well as be a little more assertive with questions. I'd like to ask you a question about the fill if you don't mind. I noticed this after I first got my band put in as well, when I was still swollen....if I don't chew my food up really well (or gosh forbid forget and eat a piece of bread) I get this really uncomfortable feeling at the base of my throat like it is stuck. I had read enough beforehand to expect this, but expected that feeling to be lower, not at the base of my throat. Do you ever get that feeling after a fill or if you don't chew well in that area? Its one thing to read about things and quite the other to actually experience them and wonder "is that what this is?" I just expected that feeling to be lower if food got stuck. I also get these mild but nagging headaches since I've had the band placed but those seem to be getting better. I hope its okay to ask these questions in this area but they do seem to be related to the fill. Thanks in advance....I appreciate the help!

Thanks so much for your support! Made me feel so much better after I read your post. I'm not sure how to PM...am still fairly new to this. Why don't you send me one and I'll respond to it? I do know how to do that...lol!

I had my surgery with Dr. Daniel Huacuz in TJ in February 27 and had my first fill here in Texas yesterday. I feel official now! :clap2: The doctor gave me 1.4 cc's....after looking at the barium swallow he said I really could have had more but he wants to take it slow. I was a little upset about my first experience with this doctor and I just want to know if I am being too picky? This is the first time I have seen a doctor with any knowledge about the band since my surgery. Unfortunately I am too far away from Dr. Huacuz to go back and forth for post op visits or I would go to him for everything involving this band. He has been wonderful but there's only so much you can do over the phone and in emails. From the moment I saw the fill doctor until after my fill was done he was talking on his cell phone to his wife. Even as the needle went in..he did however give me a signal that he was going to put the needle in. I was thankful for that...nothing worse than a needle going into you when you weren't expecting it. He did hold the phone away from his ear long enough to tell me to avoid chicken, bread and Pasta as I was being led out the door by the nurse to have my barium swallow. I know this doctor did not perform my surgery but I had planned on using him for all my follow up care, which could possibly be for years since the doctor recommends yearly upper GI's etc....Since this was the first visit post op I expected maybe to be asked how I was doing and did I have any questions or problems? Even though I obviously am able to initiate these questions myself its kind of hard when someone is talking on their cell phone the whole time. The comment about me being able to hold more fill was made as I was leaving and he was rushing to see another patient. I'm just feeling kind of let down and not cared for. This band is a huge thing for me, I took off work and drove a long way and I guess for the money I spend I would have liked a little more. Mainly in the area I live in no one knows about these bands and I had been really excited about being able to talk to someone knowledgable about the band finallly but it was not to be I guess. Maybe I'm being too sensitive and maybe I should have been more forcefull but as I said he was on his cell phone 99% of the time arguing with his wife about who was taking the kids where and I just was not going to interupt. I'd appreciate any thoughts or advice. I do live near the Dallas area so I know I have more options but do not want to waste any more money on a doctor that doesn't seem to care. Or maybe I should give this one another chance? Maybe it was just a bad day for him? However my money is just as gone either way and I'm still frustrated. Thanks in advance......:hungry: BTW I'm still hungry, finally had to eat some soft food last nite because I was starving and couldn't go to sleep because of it. Went down fine though without a problem. I feel no restriction but have read that it may take awhile to feel it.

You asked for suggestions or advice, not sure if that meant doctors but I used Dr. Daniel Huacuz in Tijuana, Mexico. I hope its okay to mention that on this thread. I researched for a LONG time and got the absolute best price and excellent care. If I have any questions they are emailing or calling me right away and they WANT you to keep in touch so they can follow your progress. Like I said, I'm not sure if I'm even supposed to be speaking of doctors on this thread so send me a private email and I'll give you his website. I can tell you that as someone starting out at a lighter weight you will probably lose the weight a lot slower. I did, but thats fine, I'm losing and thats what is important. It didn't come on overnight and I'm not going to lose it overnight. I'm patient with this process. The band has been so much better for me than anything else I have tried. You can lose weight with a diet but you always have the option to overeat and gain it back as most people do. The band is a great tool to keep yourself from doing that. Of course you could load up on liquid calories like ice cream and not lose or gain back what you have lost so thats where YOUR effort comes in. The band doesn't allow me to overeat, it makes me chew my food well and I pay heck if I eat the wrong things. I still eat the same things I was eating before but in MUCH smaller portions. Thats been the success of this for me. My problem was portion size and the band does not allow large portions, period. I didn't mean to ramble on, like I said,email me anytime with questions, I am glad to help. I just had my band on February 27 so am still recent enough to remember a lot of details, expect to be very sore for several weeks. Alot of folks aren't but I was, everyone reacts to surgery differently. HOller later, would love to chat! :clap2: