Has anyone had surgery in Maine? Sometimes I think I am the only person in Maine. I would love to meet others from Maine going through this too...

hey im from maine.

Im in Houston doing this though. Its warmer down here and i usually run away down here for the winters. I have a three month job which allows me to stay, but i live in maine. Im waiting on a banding date, but i have all my appointments this next week. I found that the stats and referrals that came from Houston were just so much more than in Maine. Im a little worried about how complicated ive made getting fills, but maybe we can network and help each other in the fact finding aspect.

Ive done the consultation, the ekg, the bloodwork, tomorrow i do the seminar, the day after i do the psych eval, a few days later i do the nutritionalist eval, and then on the 30th of this month I go in for a sleep apnea test.

(whew)

still, it was in the high fifties today down here while my people up north maine (im from the county) were in snow conditions. Hows your weather?

Thanks for replying lizrbit,

I went to a new doctor today, Dr Cobean in portland. He didn't say alot but is going to send me for a fill.. My original doctor retired so I have been over a year with out a Doc. I hope to get the weight loss moving again... I have been really dissapointed with my results so far. I am almost at 2 and a half years and have not seen alot of weightloss. I hope this is my second chance to get the scales moving again.

Good luck with your surgery and when you get back to maine I hope you can find a fill doc up there in northern maine.

Hi "Formykids"

I am living in Maine and had my band put in on 11/27/06 by Dr. Cobean. Sure he is the quiet type but I have had a great relationship with him and while the choices in Maine are limited, it wasn't hard to pick him! I am a nurse as well and have actually seen his techniques in the OR and that's where it all counts!!!

Good luck.......I go for my second fill next week!!!! Not my favorite part - especially having to wait two weeks.....but I'm on the right path!

Ennigmah

:clap2:

its so great to talk to other people in maine about the band.

I went to the houston seminar and it answered a lot of questions. Today was the psych eval, which was alot of fun (i passed i think) I got a chance to talk in person to Dr St Laurent about the situation and as it stands, im to fly back every other month, and do the other every other month via online, keeping close track of things, reporting them back, and he also said that we experience more weightloss and better success by joining band support groups!

(which in maine, i guess thats us, but i do LOVE this board too)

I really like him, he seemed very invested. Hes done a kajillion of them too and thats the reason i chose to come down here to pursue surgery with him.

as far as flying out every other month, im thinking that will be possible if i buy my tickets way in advance, and do it like an overnight or one day thing. The majority of the visits are in the first year. he said the second year is usually not as intense, but that its different for each person.

Hi Lizrbit

the MMC program in Portland is starting a lapband support group, 2nd friday of the month, 2 - 3 pm starting on Feb. 9th. Something to keep in mind if you get "stuck!"

wow, I was not aware of the support group starting in portland.... I am super excited about that. I am waiting for the nurse to call and schedule my fill.. I hope this is all I need, Dr Cobean said that we should start with the fill and go from there. I really need to start loosing again.

It is really nice to talk with others that live in the same state as me. Thanks for replying.

They usually do the fills on Tuesdays if you don't need Flouroscopy and on Fridays if you do (at MMC). It's generally not too hard to get in.....Sharon did my first fill (the first one always an adventure!) and will do my second one next week.........good luck!!!!

My fills from my other doctor were not too bad, my port is very easy to access, the surgeon put it in a spot where you can feel it at all times. sometimes that is a bit uncomfortable but atleast I know where it is.

It is nice to be going to a doctor that is local to my area, my other doctor was in Augusta which was an hour drive for me both ways. so it is nice to have a 20 min drive now.:clap2:

Man thats awesome! see? this is productive already! I try to get into portland for first friday artwalks as often as possible, i can just move it to the second fri no problem!

I was banded in July of 2005 by Dr. Richard Morand in Augusta. He is a wonderful doctor with a great bedside manner. He is very supportive.