Hello Fello Oregonians:

Are there any local support groups for people in the Willamette Valley Area?

I Live between Salem and Eugene, but am willing to travel a little. I was wondering if there are any support groups open to people who are considering lap-band surgery, or have already had surgery in my area...

Please let me know if you have any info to share and thanks in advance.

Christina

Hello all fellow Oregonians! Just wanted to say that I had a fill by Dr. Fitzpatrick on Friday. She gave me .98 cc ( already had a fill of 1.6 from Ortiz) and I FINALLY have restriction!!!!!! She was super nice, but did have to poke me two times to get the right positioning for my port. She said as I lose weight it will be easier to find it.

Anyway, just thought I'd let anyone interested in getting a fill in the Portland area know about her. She charged me $180 for the fill, but that was for the first visit. Her website is www.gastricbands.com

Have a very Merry Christmas--and the "skinniest" of New Years!

Just a little hi to you all,I'm going to get my band in Mexico Jan 31st 2007 even though I only live about 65 miles from Coos bay (in Sutherlin )and the Dr. there.I'm going to one of the best DR'S in and out of the USA. for lap band Dr.Kuri in TJ Mexico has done well over 2,000+ lap bands and is very good at what he does,and the price for self pay is not bad ether, Mine is going to be $8450,00 inculeds Hotel after,the band and all the surgry stuff pre and post,pick up at the airport (San Diago)and back,and free fill's for life..or I can go to Eugene for a fill @ $150.00,and the doc in coos bay is $300..So if you have not gotten your band yet check out the Kuri team in Mexico.C-Ya..Ted :biggrin1:

I have been going to his support group for over a year. It's the 2nd and 3rd tues of the month. The 3rd one is better though because his nurse holds it and usually has a topic. I learned about lap band through that support group. I started going because my daughter had RNY by Dr. T a year ago today.

If there is anything else you want to know about his support group, please feel free. I am getting banded on friday, so I will need all the support I can get!

thanks, Denise

I am looking for a band support group in Portland Oregon or Vancouver Wa. Banded in 02 by Dr Ortiz in TJ Mexico. I have been a nurse for over 25 years and would not go to anyone else in the world. He is the best along with Dr Martinez and his whole crew.

Anyone is welcome at Dr. Tersigni's support groups. They are the 2nd and 3rd tues of the month. It doesn't matter who did your surgery. There aren't very many bandsters there though. It's mostly gastric bypass because Medicare pays for it.

I found out about banding by going to that support group. I wish more bandsters would come! It's a long way to drive from Eugene though. :phanvan

I know Portland is a ways away but, there is a group that meets regularly once a month. We also have online support in Yahoo groups. If you haven't checked it out, go to Yahoo.com and go to groups, then to lapband. Smartbandster and Bandsters are two good groups to start with. There are a ton of support sites there. I was banded in Mexico and had the *best* medical experience of my life. I go to a fill Dr. who has an office here in Portland, as well as in Eugene. This is the best thing I every did for myself, my husband and my family and I'd do it again in a nano-second. Good luck in your search, you're on your way to taking control of your life and insuring a much longer one.

If anyone finds a good support group for Lap Banders please let me know. I am in the Rogue Valley and here in Southern Oregon the support groups are all rnyer's and havent been very helpful for me and they were not real resceptive to the Lap Band. I thought Lap Band might become more popular since medicare now pays for it but not yet, so no support group here. Maybe soon I hope!

I am looking for a band support group in Portland Oregon or Vancouver Wa. Banded in 02 by Dr Ortiz in TJ Mexico. I have been a nurse for over 25 years and would not go to anyone else in the world. He is the best along with Dr Martinez and his whole crew.

I'm in Vancouver, Wa and I was also banded by Dr. Ortiz in TJ on 7/13/06. I would love to find a support group or get together with someone to swap experiences and help each other through the rough spots. Who do you use for fills? I use Dr. Kelly Fitzpatrick. She's great! I have the VG band and I got to the "sweet spot" after only 3 fills total! Maybe we could start a support group if there isn't one available! Ir you would like to contact me personally you can email me at debdav1@comcast.net.

GrannyAces

7/13/06 Dr. Ortiz

305/236/150

I live in the Portland area, I'm going to Monterrey, Mexico to be banded on Feb 22nd. I have so many questions! I would like to go to a support group but haven't found any around here. I am surprised about some of the low prices I've see around here. If I would have known that I wouldn't have made these plans for Mexico, dang!! My BMI is 51 so I have to do a liquid diet for 7 days before the surgery, did anyone else have to do this?

I had to do a liquid diet for 10 days and my bmi was lower than yours. I lost 18lbs before I even went in for surgery!! The prices in the US may be coming down, but the Mexico doctors still have a lot more experience. I went to TJ with Dr. Ortiz and he was fabulous!

GrannyAces

7/13/06 Dr. Ortiz

305/236/150

Hi Dina,

I'm in Salem. Just moved here last month from Washington. I am going to Mexico next month too. I am getting "banded" on 2/14 by Dr. Ortiz.

I'll let you know if I find a support group around here.

I had the option of the liquid diet or strict Atkins for 2 weeks. I am doing Atkins. I don't know that I could do the liquids for 2 weeks before and 2 weeks after surgery, although I guess that would guarantee weight loss :scared:

Dr. Tersigni is banding me on 2/26. He seems to be a great guy and his office staff are very nice and helpful. I am self-pay and took out a loan. I have control issues and am nervous about the upcoming date but was told they'd give me something to calm me before going back. :faint: I'm gonna ask for some sleeping meds for afterwards too.:notagree

If you are interested in his practice, his website is www.baybariatric.com (formerly nwbariatric). His special is 10k but there are other costs too but my insurance paid for some of them (phych, labs, pre-op, ect.). His staff made me feel very comfortable, especially Robin and Mindi.

Dr. Tersigni is banding me on 2/26. He seems to be a great guy and his office staff are very nice and helpful. I am self-pay and took out a loan. I have control issues and am nervous about the upcoming date but was told they'd give me something to calm me before going back. :faint: I'm gonna ask for some sleeping meds for afterwards too.:notagree

If you are interested in his practice, his website is www.baybariatric.com (formerly nwbariatric). His special is 10k but there are other costs too but my insurance paid for some of them (phych, labs, pre-op, ect.). His staff made me feel very comfortable, especially Robin and Mindi.

De. Tersigni banded my on 12-29. I live in the Coos Bay North Bend area and go to all of his support groups. If you have any questions at all, feel free to send me a private message. Where do you live? I have been getting together with a girl from Bend and another from Portland who were banded by him on the same day as me. I think you have made the right decision. Going to Mexico is not much cheaper than his price, and he is extremely supportive and usually comes to all the support group meetings to answer our questions. Robin's husband has been banded by him for a long time and she is very helpful too.

You will be banded almost exactly 2 months after me, which in the long run, is nothing!! We can lose weight together!!

TJ

Good luck on your upcoming surgery with Dr. T, he is a great Dr and has done all my after care (fills and unfills) and he is very caring and I love his staff. Would have gone to him for my surgery, but was not told that he did it on an outpatient basis back then and the cost was quoted $24,000 in the hospital, and that was not in my budget! So went off to Dr. Ortiz in Mexico.

I also spoke to Denise, who just had her surgery last month by Dr.T, so maybe sometime we could all get together. I am almost at my goal, about 15lbs to go now. It is a long journey, with some bumps in the road, but so worth it!

You can email me anytime and I will give you my phone#.

You Oregonians have been really quiet for quite some time....i'm fairly new to this site and am in Oregon, so any locals please let me know if you want to chat...

Thanks,

Renee:)