TerryB

I got banded August 10 by Dr. Ortiz in Mexico. I am 4 days out and feel really good. I live in Downtown Memphis and was very impressed with the whole experience. Dr. Ortiz does self-pay band for 8500.00, mine was higher because it was a revision. That price includes 3 nights hotel and transportation to and from the airport and surgery center. Fills will be $100 due to the flouroscope. My experience: My sister and I flew into San Diego on Wednesday and a driver was there to pick us up and drove us to the hotel. I am a Marriott platinum and Hilton Diamond so I know hotels (travel for work a lot). It was a nice hotel, clean, the bed was a bit hard and but it had a beautiful atrium and the people were really nice. From what I understand the food was good(I was on liquids for a week), my sister ate there. Neither one of us speak spanish but we were fine. Mrs. Ortiz (Doctors mom) picked us up from the hotel and drove us a few blocks to the surgery center. I saw the cardiologist and nutritionist which were both professional. The did a breath test, ekg, did a complete history, got my post op diet plan and they took blood. They had agreed to do the surgery the same day for me so at that time I was prepped for surgery. I got a private room with a flat screen TV, small couch and chair for my sister to wait for me. They took me in, I got banded. They explained everything to my sister when they brought me back and me when I woke up. Dr. Ortiz did my surgery with Dr. Martinez, i have 4 small 1/2" and 1 medium 1" wounds. They are sealed with glue (which is really cool). I am not going to lie when I first woke up it HURT but they gave me pain killers and I was OK. I was up walking the halls of the surgery center that night with the other two girls that were banded that day. I was released the next day after speaking to Dr Martinez and was given a card with the band information on it. I have an Inamed 9.75 cm band. We went into San Diego the next day and flew home the following day... I wasn't really as comfortable as normal on the flight home but it wasn't bad. If anyone is considering this journey, I will be glad to answer any questions. Terry B

I guess I am looking at this from a different point of view, I had a gastric bypass in 2001. My starting weight was 282 and I lost down to 155 in about a year. Two years later I experienced a staple line disruption and my insurance would not pay to fix it because there was now an exclusion on my policy. Over the next 2 years I gained back to 259 and had to deal with ulcers and the nightmare of being obese again. It takes working out 3-4 times a week and weight watchers to maintain my current weight. With faced with the decision to self-pay I had to look at what my options were. It was really hard to find a surgeon that would fix my staple line without insurance coverage. And they would have to transect the stomach (which is why it disrupted) which would be very invasive to me. That was when I started considering the lapband, either one of these is just a tool. When I had bypass, I had to deal with the emotional eating... binging....boredom hunger so I know I can do this. I decided on the band because after all of the problems I experienced due to the bypass I want something that can be undone if I need to heal. Also if you see many of the grad sites for bypass (which I am a member) there are so many nutritional problems with absorption following the bypass that you have to deal with for years. Losing weight is not the only issue for me.... Also I believe over time that the amount of weight lost and kept off after 5 years is about the same for both surgerys... I am in this for the long haul. I will be banded (over bypass) on August 10th so I will let you know more as I experience it. I will tell you that I have spoken to some revision banders and they are happy with their decision. For what it is worth,

I really thought I was taking this well but I have noticed that my stomach is starting to hurt which for me is a sign of stress (since my staple line disruption). I must be more nervous that I think I am. I have ordered some protein water and some ujury protein to get me through the first few weeks. I know from my past surgery that I will probably not be too hungry for the first few days... just head hunger. I guess I am just afraid that since I had problems last time that I am just destined to have problems. I go in on Monday for an EGD to see if my ulcers (from the sld) are healed, if so I will feel more assured that everything will be OK. Sorry to dump but I feel like if I express too many concerns with my family they will get nervous about the procedure and they have had to go through enough with my previous surgery. Good luck to all the August Bandsters!!!!!

Please add me to the list of August Bandsters if you haven't yet. I will be banded (band over bypass) on 8/10 by Dr. Ortiz.

I am from Memphis and I am having surgery in Mexico with Dr. Ortiz. I had Gastric Bypass surgery in 2000 and experienced a staple line disruption in 2002, I have since been healing from that issue. I have gained back 100 lbs. My surgery is scheduled for 8/10/2006. Dr. Ortiz was one of the only surgeons I could find that would do a revision self-pay that had any experience with band over bypass. I hear that dr. Houston in Nashville will do fills on Mexico patients if needed. Does anyone have any more information on that? Terry B Memphis

I will be banded on August the 10th by Dr. Ortiz. I had a gastric bypass in 2000 and experienced a staple line disruption in 2002. I am starting aboutn 30 lbs smaller than I did with the RNY. I am ready to move in the right direction again. Terry B