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After 3 years of researching this surgery and saving up money, my wife and I are here in Hotel Angeles in Tijuana, Mexico. My Father is at the Marriot Hotel around the corner as only 1 person can stay in the room here. Had a fantastic last regular meal across the street a high end Italian place. Anybody that is self pay....first impression of the pre-banding experience has been 5 star. There is so much staff here. The service and Dr. Kuri has been amazing so far. We had a first meeting with Dr. Kuri and then he came to my room to give last minute instructions. Anabelle (the main nurse) has been awesome. Very patient and professional. Was surprised Dr. Kuri even called personally tonight to follow up with my sonagram results revealing 7 stones in my gallbladder. Had a sonagram in the states after having a GB attack which revealed that I had stones. After 2 natural remedy attempts expelling green stones, I decide to pay for another sonagram in Mexico to see if they are gone. Unfortunately 7 stones are still there. He said I probably will eventually need to have it removed. The funny part is the sonagram only cost $58...at my hospital in Illinois, it would be $1500 if I paid cash. The entire staff has been 5 Star as a whole. I'm so thankful for a wife and parents that have been so supportive. its 7:15pm here and will be woken up around 6:30am for Pre-Surgery . Please continue to pray (not only for safty) but that i would be disciplined working with this new tool....and have the wisdom to know how to live with it correctly. Thanks all for your patience, love and support.! Warmest regards, MD

The size of the ENTIRE band is 4cc. There was no fill in it at all.

Thumbs up !!! Worse part was the nausea and when they took the cathedar out of my pecker (sorry for being blunt). Recovering now...minor pains in the abdomin and sipping on ice chips !

<p><p><p><p> Out of surgery for the past 5 hours. Dr. Kuri let my wife in to watch the surgery as she is a nurse in the US. Worse part for me is the nausea feeling and when they took my cathader out of my pecker (sorry....thought I would just be blunt). I'm now sipping on ice chips and even walked the halls once which is what you are suppose to do after surgery.You will LOVE it here. Class act with many staff and guard on each of the major hall. Very comfortable to know you are in a safe hospital and very clean.You will be meeting Anabelle who is the main nurse....she is fabulous.You will be fine Lizabeth !

Ok.....its 6:15am now and they have come to get me to go in pre-surgery. Surgery should be around 8am it is appears. : Will respond as I can, If I don't respond within 6 hours....START PRAYING SERIOUSLY !!!

in Hotel Angeles here in Tijuana, Mexico with my wife. My Father is at the Marriot Hotel around the corner as only 1 person can stay in the room here. Had a fantastic last regular meal across the street a a high end Italian place. The service and Dr. Kuri has been amazing so far. We had a first meeting with Dr. Kuri and then he came to my room to give last minute instructions. Anabelle (the main nurse) has been awesome. Very patient and professional. Was surprised Dr. Kuri even called personally tonight to follow up with my sonagram results revealing 7 stones in my gallbladder. He said I probably will eventually need to have it removed. The funny part is the sonagram only cost $58...at my hospital in Illinois, it would be $1500 if I paid cash. The entire staff has been 5 Star as a whole. I'm so thankful for a wife and parents that have been so supportive. its 7:15pm here and will be woken up around 6:30am for Pre-Surgery . Keeping all of this in God's Capable Hands

2 weeks ago, I went with my brother to see him get a fill because I want to see how it is done but also introduce myself so hopefully he can help with my after care. My aftercare doctor is 4 hours away and my brothers LB doctor is only 1 hour away. Anyway, I noticed the doctor would not tell my brother how much Fluid he took out of his band. Apparently, this is his custom and practice with my brother. And I thought to myself, WHY IN THE WORLD WOULD A DOCTOR NEVER TELL THE PATIENT HOW MUCH FLUID HE TOOK OUT FROM THEM? My brother would press him...but to know avail. On a side note...my brother has done extremely well with losing almost 270lbs since having the surgery. The only conclusion is as follows: 1) Doctors don't want to deal with paranoid bandsters if some fluid was missing from the previous fill 2) They don't want attentive and organized bandsters documenting how much fluid is in the band...just in case something goes wrong (e.g. like accidentally poking the tube in the port area...causing fluid to drain). They can never be made accountable since the patient never knows how much fluid the doctor puts in or out....sneaky technique if a doctor ever had to go to court over an unintended issue with the band. I could be wrong...but there is NO GOOD REASON to not tell the patient how much fluid they put in the patient or how much he took out. The only motivation to not tell the patient (or if they did....be vague about it like saying....around 2 CC's) is protect themselves from a potential lawsuit down the road...should something go wrong. Nothing more than protecting their own *ss at the expense of an uninformed and uneducated patient. Thoughts/Opinions?

Couldn't have said this better. In fact....this is going to be a quote I use a lot more in the future. God sure does.....have capable hands. Thanks Sojourner !

Congrats....I'm about to go to bed as I have to wake up in 3 hours. Plane leaves at 8:30am. Surgery tomorrow after bloodwork done this afternoon. Still can't believe I'm going to Tijuana Mexico for this...lol.... Ahh...the life God has given us...huh ?

I"m curious about this as it appears people do have this. Also, why are people having this more because of the surgery? I know many don't get it but also seems people do get this post surgery when they have never had this issue after surgery. Thoughts?

Check her blog in her signature area. She gave 2 updates so far on her blog !!

Thank you Joy -- I could sure use them now !!! Blessings, MD

Why does having the hiatal hernia repair cause/contribute to acid reflex? Also, what causes the hiatal hernia to need repair to begin with? Eating to fast overtime which causes tissue damage??

Sure will. I will have my glasses on as they don't like your contacts on during surgery and will probably leave my glasses on afterwords. My wife is a skinny filipina and my dad is a short little Italian man. Me....I'm 5'10 and black hair. That would be funny if we meet. If you hear someone yell LIZABETH...you will know its me

Wasn't questioning your intelligence or knowledge of the band. Merely responding to your comment that I ask too many questions and implying that I am freaking out. There are no amount of asking too many questions (research gathering) about weight-loss surgery period. If you perceive I'm asking to many questions....there are many wise sages before you and me...that say otherwise. The principle of asking many questions was being defended. Not your knowledge or anybody else's knowledge ...including Jean's. I'm sure you get the idea ! Enjoy your Sunday, MD

In researching this surgery quite some time, no one has clearly been able to tell me that the nerve endings (in the top part of the stomach where the band is placed) helps you feel satisfied or have that full feeling. It would make sense that they did because when you eat normally (and your stomach is full) the food is near the top part of your stomach which says ...stop eating because your full. With the band....it seems when the food sits in the pouch area...it would be near the nerve endings which causes you to feel satiated. I mean SOMETHING has to cause you to feel satiated and my theory is the nerve endings (in the top part of the stomach area) is what actually makes you have the feeling of satiated or a full feeling. Thoughts/Opinions?

I'm curious if you had Acid Reflux before you got the lapband. Thoughts?

Any update to this? How did it go? We can all learn from your experience. Blessings, MD

Bandsters: I'm getting banded by Dr. Kuri in Mexico on 10/17/12. Everything is set. My wife and father are coming with me as my mother is staying home to care for my brother who had the Skin surgery recently after losing 270 lbs with the lap band. So far I have the following: 1) Passport 2) Heating Pad 3) Nausene for nausia 4) Gas X 5) Polysporin Ointment for incision area 6) Cashier Check 7) Flight Itinerary and confirmation #'s 8) Hotel confirmation #'s 9) Cash for paying for medications, hotel and misc. 10) Lose clothing for flight back home and when leaving the hospital 11) Light robe and sandles to walk around the hospital rather than with that skimpy gown they give you after surgery 12) Papaya enzymes from GNC to help with any digestion issues if I have a stuck episode afterwords. This is definately after the liquid phase obviously. Please pray for me as this is a life altering decision for me as well as it has been for all of you out there. I pray that I'm making a wise decision and this band won't somehow bite me down the road of some unintended consequence that was unforeseen. I know you all know what I'm talking about. I just pray not only for a healthy surgery but that I will use wisdom in working with the band properly. I don't want to misuse or abuse this thing....its an investment in my health, my family, ministry, and financially with future medical and food costs savings down the road. P.S. Any advice pre or post trip would be appreciated. Also, any advice in making the transition with the band much easier would also be greatly appreciated. At the end of the day....I just need your prayers, encouragement and any wisdom you have regarding your journey and success. Respectfully submitted, MD

Keep us updated !

I'm curious as to what caused the scar tissue? Dr. error ?

Yes...I agree...and they work hand in hand together to make you successful. Thank you for chiming in !

Thanks for the tip !

I'll do fine by learning from the great teachers of the past. Thank you though for your kind words. George C Lichtenberg "One's first step in wisdom is to question everything" Albert Einstein "The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existing " Socrates "call everything into question" Apostle Paul - 1 Thessolonians 5:21 "Question everything; keep what is good" Continued success to you Carolina ! Warmest regards, MD

I'm a researcher by nature from finishing grad school at a Research 1 University. Bottom line...you can find out a lot about trends and patterns and perhaps can spot things within these trends and patterns. I know everyone is different (yadda, yadda, yadda) but it can't hurt to have this information...it can only help you spot a potential pattern.