Hi all,

I just got off the phone with Dr. Romero, who is a doctor/surgeon with Dr. Huacuz and must be desperate for patients because he was offering me a great deal if I decided to have surgery with them.

Well, that got blown out of the Water when he asked my weight. I said around 390. He said I should definitely not have the LBS because my BMI was too high and I was high risk for within a couple years would have erosion and have to have it removed and between that time be in need of frequent fills. :omg:

PLEASE tell me this is bunk! PLEEEEEAASSSEEE! I was planning to go to Dr. Ortiz, but now I don't know what to do! :cry :huggie:

I think I saw someone on here that had surgery with Dr. Ortiz and they weighed over 400 lbs.

He suggested a Duodenal Switch...ewww!

Judy

Judy, might I suggest diet and exercise? JUST KIDDING!!

From what I can tell there are quite a few higher BMI folks who have had and are having success with the band. There is a thread on here especially for larger bandsters. I'm sure you will enjoy reading that.

Strange that doctors say such things.

Don't despair. You are definitely a candidate for banding.

Well, that got blown out of the Water when he asked my weight. I said around 390. He said I should definitely not have the LBS because my BMI was too high and I was high risk for within a couple years would have erosion and have to have it removed and between that time be in need of frequent fills. :omg:

PLEASE tell me this is bunk! PLEEEEEAASSSEEE! I was planning to go to Dr. Ortiz, but now I don't know what to do! :cry :huggie:

Umm... hmm... hmm hmm hmm... I've never read anything relating higher BMI to increased chances of erosion. I don't see the connection. Erosion occurs between the band and the organ wall, and I'd really think BMI is irrelevant there. The surgeon will apply a band that fits, and if it fits then it fits. As an analogy, a ring that fits fits, right? If you get too small of a ring that's when you'd expect complications like decreased blood flow. Same with the band. Your esaphogus isn't obese, so if the surgeon fits your band will, your odds of erosion should be the same as someone with a BMI of 35.

I weighed 382 the day of my surgery, 370 the day of my consultation. My surgeon also does RNY. NEVER once did he even bring it up. I asked my family doctor about it and she said I would be the perfect candidate, and was thrilled that I asked her about it. (And I kow for a fact my surgeon will suggest RNY if he feels there would be any problems with LB).

Be in eed of frequent fills because your weight is high? *cough*bullshit*cough*. I've had... 4 fills. It shoud have been 3, but when I went in for my first one I'd lost enough weight that he only gave me half the normal amount. Actually I just got an unfill today. The only reason I could imagine needing more fills would be IF you had a large fat padf around your organ and IF when you lost weight it was one of the areas to shrink the quickest. And even if that's the case, SO WHAT? The port is designed to be punctures TONS of times. So you need a few more fills than someone else... maybe. I wonder why he would even bring it up?

If I were you, I would call him and make him vaidate those statements. I just posted this on another thread, but I hate it when "professionals" want to make statements blindly, without backing them up. Call him and ask him specifically why he says those things, where the research is, etc. Make him explain to you, specifically, what it is about your high weight that would impact whether or not the band cuts through your organ wall, or would make you need more fills (and again, so what... some people get restriction with one fill, some get it with 17... who freakin' cares, that's why it's adjustable. He sounds like a goof.

Uh, sorry, lots o' typos there and no energy to fix them. :huggie:

Judy,

I'm with Wheetsin. I was 360 on the day of my first appointment and I'm only 5'2. My doc, who at the time had done about 5000 procedures assured me that around 500 of the ones he'd done were on patients with BMIs as high or higher than mine.

Also, for what it's worth, they got me to a great fill level early on and I haven't needed another fill for 7 months.

You're a candidate for banding. Keep searching for the right doctor. I hear Ortiz is great, if that's who you choose.

Take care,

Call Dr. Ortiz he'll be able to help you for sure!

Judy,

Do you think he suggested the D switch because it is a more expensive procedure and he could get more $ out of you? I am only thinking that because I used to work with a woman who was about 380 lbs and she had the Lapband.:huggie:

I wouldn't even bother with the same doctor....I'd get a second opinion from a different doc and there are a couple in Mexico who are fabulous surgeons. Don't fret.....just do some more digging and be sure to let us know how it goes.

BTW not that I want to hijack this thread but holy cow Julie you are doing amazing in your weight loss!! One fill in 7 months...of how many cc's? I'm impressed....for sure!! Just wanted to add that....you go girl!!

Thank you all so very much for your supportive replies! You all are awesome and congrats on your wonderful success! I ma in the process of going with Dr. Ortiz, but need to get approved for financing first.

I want to be a March bandster! That doc Romero called me again last night and right when he called, someone from Surgeryloans.com called and I never even tried to get financed from them. SO, Yeah! pushy and wanting money bigtime. Also, I chave gotten several emails from Huacuz, which is where Dr. Romero is from and to correct his recommendation, he wants to do the Gastric Sleeve on me. Not gonna happen dude!

I did talk to Lori at Ortiz office and she wants me to talk to the nutritionest there to see if I need to start my pre-op diet earlier to lose some weight before surgery. That bummed me out some, but I can do it, it's not that hard to lose 5% I think, which would only be 20 lbs.

Peace,

Judy

Judy, I would go to Doctor Ortiz. He has a great reputation. The other doctor probably doesn't want to operate on a higher BMI.

That is bunk. Go for it. Just get another doctor!

Hi all,

I just got off the phone with Dr. Romero, who is a doctor/surgeon with Dr. Huacuz and must be desperate for patients because he was offering me a great deal if I decided to have surgery with them.

Well, that got blown out of the Water when he asked my weight. I said around 390. He said I should definitely not have the LBS because my BMI was too high and I was high risk for within a couple years would have erosion and have to have it removed and between that time be in need of frequent fills. :omg:

PLEASE tell me this is bunk! PLEEEEEAASSSEEE! I was planning to go to Dr. Ortiz, but now I don't know what to do! :cry

I think I saw someone on here that had surgery with Dr. Ortiz and they weighed over 400 lbs.

He suggested a Duodenal Switch...ewww!

Judy

I had to respond to this. First and foremost I must say the same doctors did my surgery and I am very satisfied. That being said I also must say that sometimes when people don't tell us what we want to hear we get upset. Remember, this procedure have not been around that long and they are now seeing the long-term effects of the band on different patients. Therefore, I would do more empiric research than listen to the advise of laymen on this forum when it comes to a prognosis given by someone who is qualified and experienced. That being said, don't you believe if they wanted to they could take your money and not care what happened to you 5 yrs down the road?

Dr. Ortiz may be comfortable doing higher bmi's because he has done over 4000 bands. But, dont feel discouraged most all of us are put on a pre op diet to lose a little weight before surgery. Mine was a protein shake for breakfast and a Lean Cuisine/SouthBeach diet meal for lunch and dinner. I also took an appetite suppresant at this time when I felt I needed it.

I actually looked forward to my pre op because it made me feel like I was in control of something and was doing something toward my freedom from this slavery to food/diets.

BTW not that I want to hijack this thread but holy cow Julie you are doing amazing in your weight loss!! One fill in 7 months...of how many cc's? I'm impressed....for sure!! Just wanted to add that....you go girl!!

Thanks, Time2live. I have 10 cc's in my 11 cc Vanguard band. I didn't feel a THING until they took me from 7.8 cc's to 10 cc's by doing this technique where I drank Water WHILE they filled me, I told them when I could feel the water backing up (which happened at 10.5 cc's), they backed out 0.5 cc's and I've been good to go ever since. I think I had an unusually small stomach for a VG band (being only 5'2) but my surgeon really prefers it, particularly for higher BMI patients.

Back to luv2bingo's question, I'm with BabyGotBack -- I think Ortiz is comfortable with higher BMI patients because of his vast experience banding, where some surgeons may not be (and will admit this -- my uncle is a bariatric surgeon and he said he wouldn't have banded me -- he would have recommended bypass). There is no empirical data that I know of (and I looked) in support of a higher risk surgery (like DS or bypass) for a high BMI patient. The only reason to recommend a more invasive procedure for a high BMI patient is for quicker weight loss if your life is truly in danger from the weight.

It's a very personal decision, but for what it's worth, I started at your BMI and am very, very happy with my band.

Thanks so much again Julie and Audree. I feel more and more confident and ready to be banded each time I read your replies.

I hope when I need a fill, I will only need it one time and that will be it, but i understand that everyone is different. I really want to lose 45 pounds by my 45th birthday in June.

I can't thank you enough. You both are blessings to me!

Audree, since you were banded on the 5th, please keep in touch and let me know when you will be getting your fill and how Dr. Ortiz went about it and the cost, ok? Thanks!

Judy

Hi, I am new to here, banded with the VG band on 11/14/06. I just read your post about Dr. Ortiz telling you your BMI was too high. That is just crazy!!!!:update: I weighed 489 when i first went to the doctors office for the band. My PCP doctor was so happy to hear i wanted to have this done, he reccommended me immediately to my lapband doctor and had me go make an appt. the next day before i could change my mind. My lap band doctor put me on Optifast for two weeks before surgery and I took off 28 pounds in that two weeks. They make you do optifast only two weeks pre-op so that your Liver shrinks and is not in the way for the band to be put in. I believe that this band saved my life. I am loosing great, had my first fill 2cc's and so far in 2 months (i go again this month on the 18th) i lost over 50 pounds. I would have never done that in 6 months no less if i did not have the band. I think that your BMI should definitly not be such a factor if it is so high. I believe I would have died soon had i continued not to have any help in my weight loss. I love Dr. Rhenke and Dr. Grosbard in Florida. On November 14th, 2006 they not only gave me a band, they gave me a new life and a new birthday! Please get another doctor, and keep up your quest. A high BMI is no way to die. Good luck to you and feel free to write me with anything, problems, questions, anything if you just need to talk!! Good luck! Take care!!!!