I am getting banded next Tuesday by Dr. Ortiz in Mexico. I am getting really nervous. Also, my doctor did not put me on a liquid diet and I am eating really bad. Up 3 pounds. He said not to gain anything so I will have to be super restrictive for the next 5 days. I am certain I can lose 3 pounds by then but I am so scared of being a failure. I feel GROSS right now. ABSOLUETLY AWFUL. This exta weight I am carrying makes me so tired/cranky/unmotivated.

So, I go to the Yahoo groups from my area and talk about the nerves/excitement of the whole thing and I get a response back from some woman basically telling me not to go to Mexcio. THIS IS MY ONLY OPPORTUNITY. My insurance will not cover me. I keep hearing follow up care, follow up care and follow up care. I have found 3 places for follow up care. Unfortunetly, none of them are in my immediate area. However, one is only 1.5 hours away. These people are making me crazy. Actually. I am letting them make me crazy.

Here is her quote

To those of you researching the surgery, PLEASE consider whether you are really wanting to travel back and forth to Mexico, Houston or wherever if you have problems, need a fill or an un-fill,etc. ALOT of posts on this board are from bandsters who for whatever reason were banded elsewhere then they decide they hate driving back and forth every time you need to see the doctor or get a fill. There are NO DOCTORS HERE CURRENTLY who will do fills on other doctors patients.

Keep these things in mind and consider the cost of all those trips when you are thinking what a "bargain" it is to go to Meico. There are not ANY doctors in the Austin area who will do fills on other patients doctors, regardless of where they were banded.

I am like...it is only an hour in half. I feel certain I can make the drive. GOODNESS. In all fairness, she did go on to say that she realized people had different financial issues. I am just really annoyed and needed to vent.

I am scared/excited/nervous/scared of failure and just needing a little positive support.

Thanks for letting me vent and share.

Lins, my fill doc is an hour away. As long as you have someone that close you will be fine. And I still want to go back to TJ for a fill when the time comes. I like my MX doctor!!! You know and understand what you are choosing and why, so don't look back.

If I had known ahead of time that I would have to go to the ER for dehydration a week after my band surgery, I still would have seen Kuri in MX for my surgery.

What I would have done was gone ahead and scheduled a 1 week follow up with my local doc, just to be seen, just to have the opportunity to address my concerns (and I had them at the time). You might consider that, but really, I could have and didn't see my local doc with my post-surgery concerns. Dr Kuri handled it on the phone and I was able to e-mail hime X-ray pics of my US "barium" swallow that I had done. Thankfully Dr Kuri was able to look at those and see that "you band loooks Pear-fect, no Sleep-eg" (how do you like that Spanish accent? "your band looks perfect, no slippage")

So it was all good and still is and I'm fine and my band is fine and I have no regrets.

It would be nice to have my band doc up the street. He's not. I'll adjust.

Be sure you have acces to funds for an expensive plane ticket or just a few hundred or more dollars for whatever just in case. You'll be alright.

Know what you are deciding and know that there is "No Whining!" from here on out.

Just my perspective, hope it helps.

OH! And just wait until you lose a good 15 or 20 pounds...OH! you will feel SO much better! Like someone popped you with a pin and a bit of the bloat is deflated and you can actually move. AHHHHH.

And to feel what it feels like to actually NOT be starvin' marvin' all the time! Last night it was around 10pm and I could have eaten a snack...something, just a bit of something, ya know? But I had about a 1 inch square piece of brownie after dinner (which was 1 avocado made into guacamole with tostitos and some (6) sliced deli turkey meat and about a 1/4 cup maybe of honey roasted peanuts) and I said to myself, I'm really not hungry. Am I hungry? NO. I don't NEED anything to eat. I'm fine. WOW! I am 206 this morning...see my stats, I'm getting there!

And when you and I hit 140? Girl, watch out!!!

Thanks so much for the thoughts. EXACTLY what I needed. AND I have two plane tickets ready to go for my refills--the one good thing about traveling for work. AND my best friend flys for Delta and not only is flying me and my Mom to Mexico for my surgery but I am sure would get me there if needed, since she gets passes. I already feel better.

...and I went back and unsubscribed to the yahoo group. I can always rejoin.

THANKS!

Good for you that you left that group.

Since you are so close and can get tickets ASAP then you should have no problem getting filled or unfilled when needed.

Good luck