My decision is made, I will be banded. However I need some help with my decision on who to do it. What I want to know is this: I like the idea of going to one of the very experienced Mexican drs. I'm scared enough of all this to want someone who's performed thousands of band surgeries rather than hundreds. However, I'm far away. My worries are complications and fills. I don't know if I feel comfortable having my dr so far away, and I've read enough here about fill difficulties that having the performing dr do them may be preferable. Also, I wonder what flying for several hours is like a couple days after surgery with an abdomen full of gas. Any pressure difficulties?

There are drs close by I could choose. The proximity would be comforting, I'm sure, and it would be easy to get to them for fills. The overall surgery cost is more, but it may even out in the end if I have to make several more trips to Mexico for fills. These guys won't fill anyone other than their own patients, by the way.

Any input would be welcome.

Debra-

I am a medical person and honestly have found after doing stuff 3-5 times it's in your head and much easier to do!! I am not saying run to someone inexperienced...but if they'ved done 100's....that's a lot!! I had my lap band done in Dalton, GA by Dr. Ponce who was in on the FDA trials. Then I've moved to FL.....at first thought I was going to have to drive back to TN for fills....but have found a doctor 2 hrs a way willing to take me for fills. Job relocation was my reason for moving....I wonder if the drs in your area resent the Mexican doctors taking all their money and patients?!??! Then they just make a "little" from fills"?!!? Just a thought. Anyway....just check out your dr w/ the state board of medicine for reports against his license or problems....

Hope this helps!!

God Bless,

MElody

Banded 3/20/06 -37lbs :eekB:

Aftercare is HUGE with the lapband. You must prepare for what happens for several years, after banding. You'll need followups, fills and unfills. That doesn't include complications that aren't planned (hopefully none).

Go to someone experienced and recommended. Many folks have trouble finding a local doctor for their aftercare. Have that arranged before you choose surgery in Mexico. Unless, you are flying back and forth to Mexico for your aftercare. Just a thought.

Shawn

I had my surgery in Monterrey, Mexico with Dr. Roberto Rumbaut. I had no problem with gas pressure or flying 3 days after surgery. When I was researching and making plans for surgery and follow-up care, Dr. Rumbaut and I discussed fills and finding a doctor here who would do them for Mexico patients. Dr. Rumbaut proctored LOTS AND LOTS of the doctors who are performing the surgery in the U.S. now and he told me that if I had trouble finding a local doctor for aftercare and fills he'd make some phone calls and find one for me no problem. As it turns out, I found SEVERAL doctors who have no problem taking Mexico patients and there was no need for Dr. Rumbaut to call in a favor!

Your post doesn't say where you're from but I'd be willing to bet there's a doc close by who'll do your follow-up care no problem. I hate to sound cynical but I think it's all about the money - some may refuse your money but most won't.

As far as having the surgery itself, I was a self-pay and couldn't see spending the $20,000 or so it would have cost here locally when I could have, literally, one of the worlds best doctors perform the surgery for $10,600. That money covered EVERYTHING but airfare and food while in Mexico - I didn't eat much! lol Another thing, Dr. Rumbaut himself is banded which means he really understands the issues involved with the band which was very comforting to me. I was nervous about having surgery in Mexico but after my experience I would recommend it to anyone. If I had unlimited funds and had to do it all again - I'd go back to Dr. Rumbaut in Monterrey, Mexico. www.gastricband.com

Good luck on your decision and best wishes on your weight loss journey no matter what you decide!

For me the surgery has to be done by someone who has done thousands instead of hundreds as well. I am in the same boat. I know that after that many, not only is it the act of doing it, but knowing what works best after years of putting them in, for the long term weight loss and overall health. Sure a doc here who has done a few hundred will know how to put it in, but they won't have the history to rely on to answer questions that may come up. I want a surgeon to do my surgery who has seen every complication possible. Aftercare can be figured out and setup before your surgery. Just start interviewing docs and clinics. Your surgeon in MX can also help with this with recommendations.

Where do you live? There may well be an experienced doc willing to fill you nearby, let us know. Your MX doc may also be able to refer you to someone he knows.

Also, about the gas - it all dissipoates immediately after surgery. you will not be flying with a "belly full of gas'. Renee

I too was a MX self pay patient. My surgeon, and the patient facilitator, made sure I had a Dr. for aftercare. I have decided to return to my surgeon for my first fill tho. DH and I decided to take a mini vacation at that time, I felt like if I saw my original surgeon make a hit on the port he placed, then I could feel more confident about another Dr. doing the same!! I flew home on the 3 day, I had 5 hours in a car, 5 hours on a plane, layovers, and endless lines.....and one shot of liquid Tylenol got me through it all. Not a big deal at all!! Best of luck on your journey, research, research, research!!!! And look around these sites, you will be prepared when it happens, and will do wonderfully!!

Kat

Debra, I live in Omaha, NE and still chose to go to Mexico for my surgery, even though I had been approved through my insurance for surgery here in Omaha. I wanted to best and was willing to pay. After surgery, which went wonderfully, I flew from San Diego to Denver, three-hour layover in Denver, then Denver to Omaha. I got up a 3 a.m. and made it home 13 hours later. No problems at all with the flying - just tired and ready to see my wonderful husband - and my dog! It cost me $8500, not including air fare, but included one night in the hospital and three nights in a nice hotel with all transportation provided and my first fill under fluoroscopy. I hope to have my first fill around the first of June. And this may sound vain, but Dr. Ortiz uses only glue on the inscisions. No Staples; no external stiching; no bandages or dressings. Good luck!

With the information I have today, and being self pay, I probably would have had a hard time deciding between the Monterey doctors (Rumbaut and Sanchez? Funny, I always forget your doctor's name! hehe) and having the band done locally. My struggle to decide would have been based on several things. The Monterey doctors have much more experience, an impecible record, state of the art facilities, and cost a LOT less. (I paid $26,000). However, locally I have one year after care and fills covered. My doctor is right here near me in case anything goes wrong. And the biggest thing - it seems that no one wants to touch a patient who was banded in Mexico. Which of course would be my deciding factor. I wouldn't have the luxury of returning to Mexico for help, so staying local was the smartest decision for me, even if it cost more.

Best of luck to you in your decision making. :confused:

There are other options besides Mexico and US. Many people travel to Europe, Belgium, etc to get banded. If you are on the far eastcoast, then maybe go more east?

I had Dr. Sanchez in Monterrey perform my surgery. He is wonderful and I would recommend him highly to anyone. However, if my insurance had covered it I would have chosen a local doctor in a heartbeat. I would have liked knowing that I would always have someone available that would see me in an emergency, and to have easy access for fills and followup. If you can prearrange and locate a doctor that will see you in the event of needing an emergency unfill or for routine checkups I say go GO MEXICO. I am fortunate that I live in South Texas and Dr. Sanchez set me up with another wonderful doctor an hour away that I have used post-op for followups and fills. I actually did end up too tight once, and I dont know what I would have done if I couldnt have easily made it back for an unfill.

Thanks so much to all of you, you've certainly given me a lot to think about. I live on Vancouver Island, a fair ways away from Mexico. The cost to get it done nearby would be about $12,000. I'm going to do a lot more checking around for fill drs. Even going to Washington State wouldn't be too difficult.

Dr Fox in tacoma, washington state does fills for post op mexico patients.

Cowbay... Calgary isn't that far either, and you could get Dr. Mitchell to do it for $100. I got mine in Toronto and that's what I'll be doing.

I was first banded in Lyon, France by Dr. Frering who had done over 4,000 lap-bands. He was great the facilities were great and the nursing staff was incredible. If the eurodollar hadn't have gone up I would have gone back ($6700 eurodollars, pre-op testing covered by insurance here in the US, then airfare, and 5 nights afterwards anywhere in France!) I wanted to go to Canada but had trouble finding information, especially for B.C. So this time I went to TJ, Mexico for $6900 total plus airfare. My lead surgeon had done over 1,600 and my assistant surgeon had done around a 1,000 on his own. I was very happy at Bajanor Clinic which was small not plush clinic but the Hotel Lucerna was incredible. No Gas problems with flying either time. I never had problems finding aftercare here in WA with a foreign band. There are several places to choose from. So no worries about aftercare and fills plus the clinic in Mexico along with the nutrionist will stay in contact over phone or email.

Good luck All, April