I have contacted this doctor in TJ and he only charges $7500 for the surgery and has 12 years and 2500 bands under his belt, but I still would like to hear from someone who has been to him.

BUBBBLE

what do you mean by lapbandit claiming Dr. G was a horror for a surgeon. That sounds completely untrue from the posts I have read. Lapbandit seems completely happy with Dr. G and it does seem funny that you have been on this forum since March 2007 but, have posted almost 5,000 posts. I type fast myself.

BUBBBLE

what do you mean by lapbandit claiming Dr. G was a horror for a surgeon. That sounds completely untrue from the posts I have read. Lapbandit seems completely happy with Dr. G and it does seem funny that you have been on this forum since March 2007 but, have posted almost 5,000 posts. I type fast myself.

That isn't what I wrote. What I wrote is that she infers *I* have made those claims and I have never written anything about the skill level or anything else except for erosion stats. Nothing. Yet she draws all this attention to this topic making wild claims as in the past.

If you think I have a lot of posts here, you should see my other forums! I have a lot of friends here and yep, we post a lot. Not sure why you have such a problem with this. At least my posts are not all about pushing my doc.

jennypoo

How come you suddenly show up on this thread? You are the one who started this rumor. There is no reason to believe that the quote you sent is not falsified. I'm waiting to get a reply from Dr. V and will post the stats I get

I didnt just suddenly show up in this thread.I read this stuff all day long.

Well when I can.I woulndt consider it a rumor I started.It was facts that was given to me from Dr.V when I was trying to choose a doctor.

I dont post that much but in this thread I had a email that was concerning part of his stats so I simply posted it. Lettin others know what I was told.

I also posted in this thread to see how LapBandit was doing with her allergic reaction after her surgery.Becuase we had spoke several times

via email about gettin the lapband done.

WasaBubble

Go to my handle and check out what I have posted. Mostly they are about congradulating someone or asking for help or giving someone help. Help meaning things like stuff getting stuck in pouch, certain pain, support and so on. I do come to Dr. G's defense because I truely believe he's being unfairly treated. I was so frightened about this whole banding thing in Mexico and I was treated right. I was treated better than I would have been treated here in the USA. Also Dr. G did a great job, my PCP was very impressed by his work.

I won't get into a debate with anyone about pros/cons of any doctor, but just wanted to add my .2 cents on this subject...I've been in health care for 17 years and have worked with many docs. I have been completely happy and impressed with the care that I received from Dr G, Dr V, their entire staff, and would do it again in a heartbeat, in my book they are tops!

WasaBubble

Go to my handle and check out what I have posted. Mostly they are about congradulating someone or asking for help or giving someone help. Help meaning things like stuff getting stuck in pouch, certain pain, support and so on. I do come to Dr. G's defense because I truely believe he's being unfairly treated. I was so frightened about this whole banding thing in Mexico and I was treated right. I was treated better than I would have been treated here in the USA. Also Dr. G did a great job, my PCP was very impressed by his work.

I totally agree that medical care in Mexico can be MUCH better than the US. I feel the same as you do in that aspect but you keep making it sound as though I am bashing Dr. G and I'm not. I've stated ONE fact, nothing else. I didn't create the numbers, I didn't make them up. They aren't my stats, I had nothing to do with it. I have written absolutely nothing that could be close to considered bashing against Dr. G. I *have* been more than honest how I feel about two other doctors that I truly believe are not safe surgeons. If I thought Dr. G was a bad surgeon, I'd say so. I have not done that in the least. Posting a doc's stats simply isn't bashing no matter how you look at it.

I do the same as you, I offer support, I offer suggestions, I offer thoughts, opinions, links, studies, stats, the works. Yet when I do it, it is somehow a horror. When you do it you are being supportive.

I have devoted that last (almost) year to nothing but weight loss. I jumped in with both feet and I worked hard. I want this chapter of my life closed. I want the fat chapter closed once and for all and I'm doing that. I met goal in 10 months. I post on a number of boards (not just bariatric boards) and if I have information to offer someone, I'm going to do it.

If Dr. G has a given stat, why does he need defending? I honestly don't know what you believe you are defending him against. His own numbers? Should we never post anything if it doesn't make every single doc out there look like a God walking on Water? What about the docs that really are bad, I mean bad to the point of dangerous (US and Mexico). Should we never post that information and just let people go there knowing they could easily lose their bands to bad surgeons? Should we only post the good about US docs as well or should we all be honest and let people go where they want after their own research?

I don't have any need to drum up business for my own doc. I don't drum up business for my US GP either. That's their problem to advertise, not my job. So I don't care if people go to him or not. Makes no difference to me. I do care that people do their research and see which doc is a best fit for them but after they have done their research they are adults, they need to go to the doc that is the best fit for them. My doc isn't the right doc for everyone, your doc isn't the right doc for everyone. Each person has to do what is right for themselves.

I feel as though you would prefer everyone hide information that doesn't put your doc in a positive light. Not saying you are doing that, I'm saying that is how I feel. I posted a stat from his own office and you feel the need to defend him and make it sound like I am a liar and made up the information. I don't understand that. Now, if I was making up information I'd fully agree with you. I have defended other docs when people were saying things I knew wasn't true. Should I have not done that since it wasn't MY doctor they were referring to?

I'm all about putting the facts in front of people so they can make their own informed choices. Is that really such a horror? I've written things I disagree with about my own doc. Would you be feeling the need to defend him as well?

I'm making an appointment for my surgery date with doctor Gonzalez, I will have a definite date next week. I want to thank you all for the useful information that helped me decide to go with Gonzalez and his team. Reading this forum but more so this thread has helped me volumes. I want any of you Gonzalez patients to help me decide. If I drive it will be a 5 hr drive, if I fly It'll be about an hour flight. I can spend an extra day in SD with a relative if necessary and was wondering if you felt like you could drive around two days after surgery? Any suggestions?

:help:

I read another thread where this came up and I went and looked myself. I have a few personal questions:

wasa, when do you have time to post on other bariatric boards? according to your stats, you post on an average of every three to fifteen minutes around the clock for eight to thirteen hours at a stretch. Now that it's come up, how do you get your 'nursing' done? When do you sleep? Im simply curious. You must move FAST!

jimmyjoe

Others may have had a different experience. Mine was that I was so tired and needed a lot of sleep during the first week. I don't think I could have done a 1 hour drive let alone a 5 hour drive 2 days after surgery. Also these days driving through the border takes a good hour. Driving from USA border to MX is without a customs stop.

If you fly in someone will pick you up at the airport and take you back to airport. Dr. V will arrange that for you.

I think you will find a one hour flight ticket to be real cheap. When you figure in the cost of ticket and your gas milage, you might be surprised at how cheap that ticket will be. Just remember to get the ticket early. Google Orbitz for ticket prices.

I was curious about band erosion, so I did some searches and came up with Band erosion studies found band erosion in 3% to 7.5% of those banded. Also erosion stats will be very low for surgeons that haven't been doing banding for very long and higher for surgeons who've been doing the band for many years.

We don't know the real stats because lap bands haven't been around very long and erosion is something that happens (if it does happen) later on.

Mayo Clinic said this:

'Moreover, intermediate and longterm

complications can be substantial, with reports of band

slippage, gastric perforation, band erosion, and malfunction

requiring reoperation in up to 20% of patients.'

This is from another study:

In conclusion, intragastric band erosion is a major complication of laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding, often leading to additional surgery. The prevalence of this complication will probably increase over time because patients may remain asymptomatic for long periods and because band erosion occurs long after band placement. Radiologists in charge of postoperative evaluation of patients after bariatric surgery should be aware of the characteristic imaging findings of this underreported complication to detect it at the earliest possible stage.

HA! Anyone else getting the feeling that there are only three people posting on this thread and I am one of them?

Many IDs, many posts word for word that are the same as PMs I am getting yet one ID is used for PMs, another is used for posting. Yet word for word they are the same.

Every single time there is the least bit of controversy in any thread regarding Dr. Gonzalez all these new IDs show up and amazingly, they are drawn to a Dr. G thread like a magnet. Brand new posters, exact same opinions as others.

Makes one wonder if Dr. G has more than two patients. Doesn't credibility mean anything to you? Do you not see how obvious it is?

On another thread regarding how to research Mexican doctors I suggest people not believe anything they see on line, believe nothing ANYONE tells you and verify everything for yourself. Absolutely everything. This is a pretty good example of why that is.

I don't know if Dr. G is a great doc or a horrible doc. Not a clue. But after I wrote the 4% erosion stats now instead of suggesting I am wrong, a liar, mistaken, in error, blah blah blah... now there are new studies popping up showing that erosion is 7%. I take it a couple folks here verified that I wasn't a "liar" and his stats are indeed 4%?

I was curious about band erosion, so I did some searches and came up with Band erosion studies found band erosion in 3% to 7.5% of those banded. Also erosion stats will be very low for surgeons that haven't been doing banding for very long and higher for surgeons who've been doing the band for many years.

We don't know the real stats because lap bands haven't been around very long and erosion is something that happens (if it does happen) later on.

Mayo Clinic said this:

'Moreover, intermediate and longterm

complications can be substantial, with reports of band

slippage, gastric perforation, band erosion, and malfunction

requiring reoperation in up to 20% of patients.'

This is from another study:

In conclusion, intragastric band erosion is a major complication of laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding, often leading to additional surgery. The prevalence of this complication will probably increase over time because patients may remain asymptomatic for long periods and because band erosion occurs long after band placement. Radiologists in charge of postoperative evaluation of patients after bariatric surgery should be aware of the characteristic imaging findings of this underreported complication to detect it at the earliest possible stage.

Okay, I'll play.

According to the first study I don't see it broken down by complication. I did find the study and although it is 50 pages or so, nowhere does it provide a complete list of all the possible complications so I'm not seeing what the point is in bringing up this study. Nowhere did I see the % of erosion.

The second study you show doesn't provide a link but I found it anyway. Here it is:

Intragastric Band Erosion After Laparoscopic Adjustable Gastric Banding for Morbid Obesity: Imaging Characteristics of an Underreported Complication -- Hainaux et al. 184 (1): 109 -- American Journal of Roentgenology

Note the date in the following:

Since October 1992, 537 morbidly obese patients have been treated at our institution by laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding...

During this time frame the band needed adjustments and the technique for placement changed quite a bit because in the beginning (1992) people were slipping and eroding at high rates. Even so, with the previous technique where slips and erosion were quite high they report a total erosion stat of:

Of the 537 patients treated, 437 (81%) were available for follow-up, with a median follow-up period of 33 months (range, 12–109 months). The diagnosis of intragastric band erosion was established by endoscopy in 18 patients (3%). ...

Earlier in this thread it was suggested that erosion is the fault of the patient for not following the doc's rules. Check this out:

Complications after laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding reported in the radiology literature include pouch dilatation, band slippage, and access port complications [5, 8, 9]. As the results of long-term follow-up have become available, a new complication has appeared: intragastric band erosion, in which the silicone ring penetrates the gastric wall and, in some patients, the lumen of the stomach [4, 10]. Erosion of prosthetic material previously had been reported after other bariatric procedures such as vertical banded gastroplasty [11]. It typically is a late-stage complication caused by chronic ischemia due to pressure applied to the gastric wall.

Pretty much what I wrote, a band that is too small or a fill that is too tight for a long time. Now, with that said I can see where this study might be suggesting that those who barf constantly (PB) could be contributing, but we really don't know.

When one doc has a 0.0016% erosion stat and another has a 4% erosion stat, does one doc just have better patients? Patients that are more compliant? The other doc is plagued with patients that won't do a bloody thing they are told? Does this sound reasonable to you?

Another thought... Have you ever been to a dentist and one dentist claims that you have a cavity and you go to another dentist and he claims you don't have a cavity? I have. Years ago I went to a dentist and he claimed I had 11 cavities and they all needed to be filled. I didn't believe that. I went to another dentist before having all my teeth drilled full of holes and cement placed in them. The second dentist said that I had no cavities and life was good.

Years later one did turn into a cavity. So who was right, the first or second dentist? Was the first dentist overly cautious and called everything he saw a "cavity" or was the second dentist not cautious enough when he said there were none?

Is it possible that what Dr. G believes is erosion is perhaps... not? Understand, I'm not claiming this is the case here. I am only throwing out ideas, thoughts, possible explanations, etc.

Here is another problem:

In a review of literature, the reported prevalence of intragastric band erosion varies from none to as much as 11%

What does this mean? Does this mean the doc with zero erosions was really good and the 11% guy is really bad? How can one experienced surgeon have zero erosions and another experienced surgeon have 11% erosion? Does it mean erosion is being misdiagnosed? The skill level is not good in the 11% guy? Quite frankly, reading this study that is impossible to determine. This is the problem with studies. The way they are done, the people they study, the docs that did the procedure... they are ALL different.

You can bring out 100 studies to prove your point, I can bring out 100 studies to prove my point. The reality is that people have to compare stats, compare skill level, compare experience, compare absolutely everything vs. reading claims on message boards and make up their own mind. But they have to ask and verify what they have been told to the best of their ability, they have to be good consumers, they have to research everything, they have to do it the right way and THEN make a decision. I would hope nobody would dispute this?

ISaBubbleHead

No one wants to hear your babbling. Go back to your own threads.

WABB

I don't know you, and I don't care to be involved in any of your very negative fiascos, my self and I'm sure that alot of us are really wondering What is your problem why do you write with such a hate (or call it how ever you want)some of us DO have a life outside this forum but you seem to be spending alot of time trying to make a big thing out of nothing don't you think that might be a reason why many have left or just decided no to sign in (or was that your plan all this time) I'm sure many have left the thread either because of your negative vibes or they actually have a life don't you think so?, you see...most of us come to this forum to get support I know I did for many months before having the courage to become a member I used to read what many nice people where saying about something that I really believed in (the Lap-band)and after many , many hours of reading and talking to actual patients who were brave enough to have this surgery done and not only that, but they wanted to share their wonderful "Life changing experience",I came to the conclusion that FOR ME the best choice was having my surgery done by Dr. Gonzalez, that is my decision, as of for many others and I do believe that you should RESPECT US.