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Please help me find a surgeon for removal.



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For those of you have had, or are looking into band removal. Can you please provide me with information about surgeons/pricing?

I am in California, and have been quoted a cash rate of $6,500 for removal. I have heard from a select few around the country (on other boards) about how inexpensive removal can be. I am willing to travel basically anywhere within the US.

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Most times Insurance will cover the band removal. My doctor is Dr. Helmuth Billy in Ventura. He just removed my band due to erosion on Dec 6, 2005 about a month ago. I don't know the cost as we treated it as an emergency. Most insurances will cover if treated as such. I can't guarantee all will.

I can't recommend him highly enough.

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Hi Anthony,

Why do you want to have your band removed?

Are you having problems with it?

Does the band need to come out after you meet your goal?

I am totally confused.

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My reasons for removal:

Inability to burp and moderate-severe upper/mid back pain. The back pain effect happened immediately after surgery and has endured. The burping effect leads to severe gas, since the air has to take the long way out.

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My doctor in TJ charged me 3200 for my removal..I was his patient originally. I do not know if the price is the same for those who he did not band originally. I too live in Cali

Have you had success with your band ? How much weight have you lost? Could you just be filled too tight? I had the inability to burp..it turned out I had gastritis and took prilosec for it and it helped alot. To me not being able to burp was well worth it if I was losing weight. Have you spoken to your original sirgeon about all of this?

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I also had mine removed by Billy. I'm sorry, I don't know anyone in the US that would remove it without a whopping bill. Is your only option Mexico at this point? I hate to see you suffer. Is your band eroded?

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How long has it been since you were banded?

Have you tried just getting an unfill? I had gas & burping problems initially but it's not bad now (unless I make the foolish decision to drink something with carbonation).

Have you tried Gas-X?

I'm sorry to hear about the pain. I hope you've had the opportunity to get checked for erosion or infection.

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did your doc suggest getting it removed to combat these problems. Or is this just something you decided in frustration.

Please let us know how you do and know that we wish you well and that you find resolution to your distress.

Take care - nancy

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    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. summerseeker

        Life as a big person had limited my life to what I knew I could manage to do each day. That was eat. I hadn't anything else to look forward to. So my eating choices were the best I could dream up. I planned the cooking in managable lots in my head and filled my day with and around it.

        Now I have a whole new big, bigger, biggest, best days ever. I am out there with those skinny people doing stuff i could never have dreamt of. Food is now an after thought. It doesn't consume my day. I still enjoy the good home cooked food but I eat smaller portions. I leave food on my plate when I am full. I can no longer hear my mother's voice saying eat it all up, ther are starving children in Africa who would want that!

        I still cook for family feasts, I love cooking. I still do holidays but I have changed from the All inclusive drinking and eating everything everyday kind to Self catering accommodation. This gives me the choice of cooking or eating out as I choose. I rarely drink anymore as I usually travel alone now and I feel I need to keep aware of my surroundings.

        I don't know at what point my life expanded, was it when I lost 100 pounds? Was it when I left my walking stick at home ? Was it when I said yes to an outing instead of finding an excuse to stay home ? i look back at my last five years and wonder how loosing weight has made such a difference. Be ready to amaze yourself.

        BTW, the liquid diet sucks, one more day and you are over the worst. You can do it.

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      Officially here for a long time, not just a good time💪
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    • KimBaxleyWilson

      Three months and four days ago... I was in Costa Rica having a life changing surgery! Yesterday we had a followup visit with Dr. Esmeral via video chat and this morning my middle number changed.  I'm down 47lbs and two pants sizes. I can wear a Large tshirt for the first time in like... 14 years! Woot!! Everything is going great. I have zero regrets. I went down to the riverwalk with a friend and walked 2 miles on Monday without even getting fatigued. And no more snoring or chugging pickle juice for crazy leg cramps! I need to go to the gym more... I'm making new shirts next week so that will motivate me. LOL But I'm also just not as TIRED all the time! I have a LONG way to go...but seeing the progress on the scales and in the mirror is a huge motivator!! Thank you all for cheering me on and supporting me!!
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      https://alluniqueguide.com/java-burn-coffee-reviews/
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