V-Dallas

Hi I have family that are in Mexico and were coming this weekend for a family gathering and now are now not able to come because the visa offices are not processing anything. Please take all precautions and Good Luck. Just a question? You are doing the Surgery in Mexico because of the cost? I have a great Dr. in Dallas, Texas that did mine for $9,990 with 6 fills and Office visits. I did a cash payment my insurance would not cover and financing was crazy at 24% for 6 years. bye bye vacation money .... hello new health me!!!!!

My is Dr. Castro as well. Great Dr. I was banded 12/08 and have lost 50 lbs. Good Luck Veronica

Hi everyone, I am in Dallas as well. I was banded in Dec.08. I am 4 mos out and have lost 50 lbs. If i can help with any questions just ask. Good Luck and best wishes.

I have heard of him from TLC Edge . He is with a group of doctors that do the surgery. I heard he is very strict on the fills and eating. If you have a choice and are in Dallas. Go to Dr. Manuel Castro. He is my Dr. and I love him and his office to pieces. New Beginnings Surgical Group 214-948-0475 www.nbsurgical.com Good Luck Vero

I had it on a Friday and returned to work on Tuesday 4 days later. I even went to a support group meeting that night as well. It all depends how you feel and what your Dr. suggest. I work in a office and was moving around slowly. No one mind but I did get funny looks. Good Luck !!!! V---

Hey Shaun, I'm doing good. I am about 13 weeks out and down 41 lbs. I t is coming off slowly about what Castro said 2 to 3 lbs a week. Sometimes it seems so slow and other time I get on the scale and suprise myself. This fill last week was alot better tight for 4 days and I am back to solids now and eating very little. I have 5.1 cc in a 10cc band. Are you going to any support group meetings of Dr. Castro? I am going to the one at his office monthly and they help me out alot. Hope to see you there. Keep in touch. I would love to know your progress. Veronica

Great to hear you went with Castro. He is great. I was banded on 12/12/08 almost 13 weeks and down 41 lbs. It is coming off slowly but like Castro said 2 to 3 pounds a week. Exercise is the key big time. I go to Castro for my fills and his team is great!!! They have support group meetings every 3rd Tue of the month. I go every month. It is very helpful. Hope to see you there. Good Luck and Blessing. V-Dallas

I want to know as well. Can some one explain..... Thanks V----

Reply to Koinoi- I don't know where you are located but if you can get to Dr. Castro office it will be well worth it. On the shakes they don't make you buy them but you will need some now or later. I now after 10 weeks post op still can not eat very much in the mornings and do an opti fast in the morning and I will need to buy more soon. Good Luck V--- Hey Shaun, How have you been? I met your mother in law at Dr. Castro's office. How has your weight loss been? Have you been for more fills? Hope to hear from you soon. V--

Hello, I am Veronica Dr. Castro did mine in Dec. 12, 2008 and I have lost 36 lbs. Love to hear about your progress. Do you go to the support meeting? Thanks and Good Luck V----

Thanks everyone !!!! I called the doctor after reading all the post and he took me back in ASAP. He took out at first .5 cc and had me sit and sip for for 15 min and it all came right up again but this time no foam just water and he them took out another .2 cc and oh my god a big difference. so I am a happy 4.8 just .3 cc more than last week and all the foamy and everthing else stopped. He said I came back just in time if I would have waited longer it would have gotten worst and I would be in the ER tonight. He was not even upset. He was glad I called he said alot of people make the mistake and wait. Thanks to you all I did not wait. One thing we did find out is I diffinitly have a band!!!! Thanks again !!!!!!!!!

I just came back from 2nd fill or maybe you can call this 1st and a half. I went last monday and they did my first fill they added 1.5 cc to my 3 cc that was left in after surgery giving me a total of 4.5 cc in a 10 cc band. I did not fill any restriction. I was able to eat a lot and had to use portion control because I was not feeling full and getting hurgry so I made an appt. today and told them about it and they put in an addtional 1 cc giving me a total of 5.5 cc and I have not stop burping and vomitting a watery foamy stuff. Is this the way it is supposed to be after fills? Do people generally feel a little sick like this after fills? He said I should feel the restriction now and to ease back into foods slowly. I am scared to call the office to tell them about the way I feel now . They probably are going to think I am a complainer first not a enough fill and now too much. Or is this the way we are supposed to feel after fill and it takes a couple of days to settle down. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Yes My Doctor is Great!!! He is in Dallas - New Beginnings Surgical Group. Dr. Manuel Castro MD. PhD 214-948-0475 www.nbsurgical.com He is wonderful!!!! His staff is very helpful and sweet. I love them to pieces. I am 5 weeks post-op and have lost 28 lbs. The great thing about him is that his pre-op diet is not that bad he allow you to eat low cal low fat meals along with potein shakes some docs let you only have liquids. The cost for me was $ 9,990 for the operation that even includes 6 fills and office visits. I paid $ 135 for the psych evaluation $ 200 for potein shakes that i still have some left. Total $ 10,325 all cash paid. He has semiars and support group meeting . If you any more question or help just let me know. Good Luck!!!! Thanks V-----

Just asking .. Is the reason you are going to Mexico is because of self pay cost. I was a selfpay (cash) and I had mine done in N. Texas are a very great rate with a great Dr. and a very low cost.

Good Luck!!!!! Why so much If you don't mine me asking mine was a self pay and was $ 9,990 and I am in N. Texas? Good Luck I am 5 weeks Post op and down 27 lbs.

Any good meal tips for my stage of this process. 3 week post op. Of course I am drawn to soft solids but for me that is the grits in the morning and mashed potatoes. This is all new to me and I think that is why I am at a stand still. Any meal tips would greatly appreciated Thanks a bunch!!!! V-----

Should I keep drinking the Protein Shakes? I stopped after surgery. Should they replace a meal? Thanks V---

Hi I am in the same boat. I will get my first fill on Monday 1/12. Since the surgery 3 weeks ago I have lost 14 lbs. and have been at a stand still for 1 week. Yesterday after a good workout and I was like you I gained 1 lb and went into a panic. I don't eat much as well since they said they left 3cc in. I am just hoping that the fill will help and by the sound of everyone 20 lbs including pre-op diet is on track. Don't get discouraged I am trying not to. Good Luck on your journey we are with you!!!! Huggs , Prayers & Blessing Your way..... V....

Pink- liquid diet through cost me $281.00 through TLC and only used a 1/4 of the shakes. The pre-op liquid diet they gave me is totally different from the pre-op instructions Dr. Castro gave me. He allows a very low calorie meals with the shakes but TLC did not tell me this. So I got stuck with alot of shakes that I still have. $9990 is what I paid total to TLC tax included for the surgery and the extras were $281 for the shakes and $135 for the Psych evaluation (Dr. Castro refferal) TLC 's Dr. wanted $375.00. My banding was done on 12/12/08. Total lost 18 lbs. in 4 weeks from pre-op until now. Dr. Castro (214) 948-0475 WWW.nbsurgical.com Dr. Castro charges the same price. His office people are GREAT!!!! Good Luck!!!! V-----

Hello!! I went toTLC for my banding. They are nice but I only saw them once at the first visit and never heard from them since. It is like they booked the surgery appt only and I did all the appts and everthing else myself. The only good thing that came out of it was the Dr. Dr. Manuel Castro is great!!!!. I guess he gets the refferals from TLC and then you become his patient. I deal solely now with his office. He offers the same banding for the same exact price. I was a self pay as well. I wish I would have known that at first. I got stuck with all this liquid shakes from TLC that I did not even need $$$. Dr. Castro is the way to go NewBeginings.com Good Luck and if you stay with TLC ask for Dr. Castro!!!! V-----

Just got banded on 12/12/08. Started this journey 12/2/08 at 264 lbs. after 10 days of liquid diet hell at surgery my weight was 258 and now after 3 weeks I have lost 12 lbs. I have been at a stand still for a week now that I don't understand since alot of things make me sick and I don't eat much. I know for a fact I can not eat breads. I know they told me they left 3 cc in when they put it in and I have not even went for my 1st fill yet. Am I expecting to much to soon? Should I stop freaking out? I am scared of gaining. My doctor said I should be eating soft solids by now and start exercising after 4-6 weeks of surgery but I already started walking. I am taking a Multi-V daily but no Protein shakes. Has anyone out there been through this????? Need Help In Texas, V----:wink_smile: