christy

A little late here, but I've gone through 2 pregnancies while banded, and you couldn't see the port with either pregnancy, but you could feel it, and my scar was a lot more prominent. When people touched my belly I usually would put my hand where my port is so that people wouldn't feel it and ask me if it was a hand or a foot.

I was also banded by Dr. Aceves, and have had nothing but a positive experience. I can't recommend him and his team highly enough!

I'm now nearly 36 weeks pregnant and my port doesn't stick out at all. You can feel it more easily, but it isn't visible.

There are risks with getting the surgery, and I think that not being able to eat certain foods EVER is probably the most common one (I can't do scrambled eggs, or broccoli)

The band has really helped me become less food centeric -- I'm not hungry all the time, I don't spend all day thinking about what I'm going to eat next, I don't have to worry about making myself stop eating before I feel satisfied. For the first time in my life I think that I'm eating like a normal person is supposed to eat.

But there are times when it is hard -- when I'm full but I want to taste just a little more, or when my head really wants popcorn or something, and I just can't do it. It's totally worth it for those few times, though.

I burped up gas just the day of and day after surgery, man did it taste NASTY. It's totally normal, though!

No undies here. And I didn't care in the least. Underwear was the farthest thing from my mind. I mean - if I didn't mind laying there with no bra on, and my flab hanging all over the table, a naked pooty in the room with medical professionals certainly wasn't going to phase me. I mean - I have paps, and there the person is trying to look... during the surgery, any sight would be incidental.

Never heard of doing the surgery between someone's legs. My incisions are too high up, there's no way unless someone was laying on top of me.

:spit: Love it.

No underwear here!

I'll admit that my weight loss has been a little slow going, much of it is my own fault, but it seems that with the band the weight is coming off differently.

I'm 211.5 this morning, and I've been this weight several times in the past few years, but NEVER have I gone down a pant size like I have with the pant.

It seems to me like I'm losing more around my middle than I have an the past.

Anyone else notice that their weight is coming off differently than in previous attempts to lose weight?

I can do sushi just fine! But, I really can't eat very much of it anymore!

I nearly passed out the first time I tried to have a fill, but not because it hurt! I was just so nervous about it hurting!

You have very few nerve endings on your belly, so add the numbing agent to that and you really don't feel a thing!

Dr. Aceves and his team did my band -- I'm so happy with everything! It is $8200, $8000 if you drive yourself. Your hotel the night before is paid for, and 2 nights in the hospital after your surgery (I chose to stay only one night.)

Everything is SO SO clean, the nurses are fantastic, all of your doctors come to talk to you about every step of what will happen.

I haven't heard of any of Dr. A's patients having complications, just hundreds and hundreds of positive reviews!

I've never slimed -- I did get the shoulder pain once, never again! I totally overate at dinner and my shoulder was tense and in pain all nice.

Some people have really bad port pain, have you been taking liquid tylenol?

I think that infection usually also causes a fever, so I wouldn't be too worried about that yet.

Didn't she (Sharon Osbourne) actually have band over bypass? I thought that she initally lost her weight through RYN?

well guys, I'll share the news I have about heart. I was told at a lap-band seminar by the instructors that she had it removed because she wanted to eat anything again. That life wasn't worth it if she couldn't enjoy her food. They said she had gained and incredible amount of wt back. :cry

This is the same reason Sharon Osbourne is getting her's taken out! She can eat around the band, so might as well have it removed!

I can feel mine if I'm looking for it, but I can't see it, and it's never caused me any pain.

I was peeing out my butt for at least two weeks after my surgery! It'll go away one you start adding fuller liquids and mushies!

I've heard really good things about Ortiz, I chose Dr. Aceves in Mexicali.

Flouro is also good in helping see if your band is too tight or too loose -- if the barium doesn't move quickly enough (or too quickly) they know that they need to add more, or take some out.

Another happy Dr. Aceves patient here! I'm so so happy! Everyone at the hospital was wonderful, the doctor was fantastic, I've healed great, my first fill went well (once I stopped nearly passing out!)

I didn't feel anything with my fill, but I almost passed out the first time he tried to do it! I had to sit down and wait 2 hours before he'd take me back in!

I guess that my first fill was pretty small, but I also had slight restriction with just the band unfilled.

.8 and i've been banded for 9 weeks and a day!

I think that this is a quick route to a port infection. Toss the needle and report the doctor!

I don't think that I wasn't being compassionate. My insurance didn't cover my surgery, and I'm certainly not rich. I found a good doctor within my price range, and I did, in fact, get a discount (like I said, because I drove myself instead of taking their transportation) -- that said, I never would have ASKED for a discount. I wouldn't go to a doctor that would lower his/her price for me (unless I had some very very special circumstances -- like a medical rarity that a doctor would be interested in studying.)

I started shopping a lot when I couldn't eat. I was using food as an emotional release, and when I couldn't do that, I moved to something else... now I just need to figure out how to deal with my emotions instead of spending money!

I completely disagree...Being a doctor is a business plain and simple. Maybe they would like to get a cash payment vs waiting for insurance to pay.

Or what if they were just nice enough to lower their price. It could happen? Ex: My mother was laid off from her job after 20 years and needed surgery with no insurance. Her doctor at Duke Hospital waived his fees and all she had to pay were the hospital fees. If you ask me this man was God sent and didn't have to do it. He was a great doctor and without him she may have went blind. Don't discount someone b/c they would lower their price. That swapmeet comment was just dumb.

I think that this is very different from what the OP was asking. I don't disagree with a discount for self-pay, heck, I got a discount because I drove myself to the facility I had my surgery at, but it's very different from NEGOTIATING a price with a doctor.

And I think that it's very immature that you would call my comment "dumb." Maybe ask for an explaination next time, instead of assuming what my words meant.