[tlag]

I just got back from Mexico. I had to have surgery to fix my band port. It had flipped. Dr. Martinez was wonderful and very good and patient at explaining everything. He said only 1 in 500 will flipped. Sometime it is caused by the tubing having a slight twist in it and in my case, it was due to fluid. He said everybody makes some fluid with surgery, but my body produced alot of fluid to the point that I had a fluid filled sac near the port area. They drained the area, flipped the port, then put steri strips across the opening instead of glue. They wrapped me up tightly to put pressure on the abdomen. They then did my fill. 2 days later before I left to come back to Kansas, I noticed that the area was swelling again. I called Dr. Martinez on his cell phone and he advised me to come back for a recheck. After being examined and the port being checked, he reassured me it was fine. He put some extra stitched in the abd around the port so it would not flipped again, (no guarentees). I was so impressed at how well they treated me even when they were doing it for free. It is something I don't think we would ever experience in the USA. Now............hopefully I can start losing weight again since they did a fill also. I just wanted to let everybody know what great Mexican Doctors we have!!!

Tanya

[Kimra]

That is such an awesome story!! I am sooo excited to know that if there is something like that that does happen, that they are there to help!! Thanks for sharing!

[sunnee01]

tlag, on May 26 2008, 02:40 PM, said:

I just got back from Mexico. I had to have surgery to fix my band port. It had flipped. Dr. Martinez was wonderful and very good and patient at explaining everything. He said only 1 in 500 will flipped. Sometime it is caused by the tubing having a slight twist in it and in my case, it was due to fluid. He said everybody makes some fluid with surgery, but my body produced alot of fluid to the point that I had a fluid filled sac near the port area. They drained the area, flipped the port, then put steri strips across the opening instead of glue. They wrapped me up tightly to put pressure on the abdomen. They then did my fill. 2 days later before I left to come back to Kansas, I noticed that the area was swelling again. I called Dr. Martinez on his cell phone and he advised me to come back for a recheck. After being examined and the port being checked, he reassured me it was fine. He put some extra stitched in the abd around the port so it would not flipped again, (no guarentees). I was so impressed at how well they treated me even when they were doing it for free. It is something I don't think we would ever experience in the USA. Now............hopefully I can start losing weight again since they did a fill also. I just wanted to let everybody know what great Mexican Doctors we have!!!

Tanya

I agree; they are wonderful. Hope things go smoother for you!

Audrey

[shrty835]

That just goes to show people that the doctors in Mexico do care and alot . If that would have happend in the states they would have charged for fixing it. I just cant wait till my surgery. And to start the journey. I hope you recover soon. And wishing you lots of healthy weight loss.

[tlag]

thank you denise, audry and kimra. The recovery is going to be fine. I am being even more careful, if that is even possible. The surgeon here in Kansas wanted $3000 to do the surgery. I also found out from Dr. Martinez, the doctor here in the states that tried to do my first fill (the time I found that my port was flipped) that she stuck me in the wrong spot and could have damaged my tubing. Dr. Martinez said he checked the tubing about 5-6 times to make sure it did not leak, what a sweety. He STRONGLY encouraged me to come back to Mexico the next time I need a fill. I called several places here that do lap bands and none of them do it under fluroscopy. I'm sure I will be going back to Mexico in about 3 months or sooner for my next fill, don't trust the doctors here as much as the doctors in Mexico.

[tlag]

Oh Yea, I forgot to tell Denise good luck on your surgery. I am sure you will be very pleased, They are all wonderful, caring people there at OCC. Just make sure if you take a taxi that you have the price decided before you get in. Some will try to rip you off. The going rate is 5 bucks, i got stuck paying 7-8 dollars a few times, still not too bad. The taxi drivers are crazy, or at least their driving is crazy, but they always get ya where you are going.

[trulytangledgrl]

It is definitely a HUGE comfort to know that if something does go wrong (that isn't any fault of my own, of course), that the Dr.'s at OCC are willing to fix it without any additional charges. This was one BIG concern of mine, and it puts my mind at ease to know that if I take care of my band, and do what I am supposed told to do by Dr. Ortiz, that nothing SHOULD happen, and if it does, the surgeons at OCC will take care of me.

[shrty835]

Thanks, with the taxis been there done that. If we have to go anywhere I will have my mother call my uncle he lives in Chula Vista. Im glad you are much better. And everything went well for you.

[bandgroupie]

Glad everything went great - was worried about you!

tlag, on May 26 2008, 05:40 PM, said:

I just got back from Mexico. I had to have surgery to fix my band port. It had flipped. Dr. Martinez was wonderful and very good and patient at explaining everything. He said only 1 in 500 will flipped. Sometime it is caused by the tubing having a slight twist in it and in my case, it was due to fluid. He said everybody makes some fluid with surgery, but my body produced alot of fluid to the point that I had a fluid filled sac near the port area. They drained the area, flipped the port, then put steri strips across the opening instead of glue. They wrapped me up tightly to put pressure on the abdomen. They then did my fill. 2 days later before I left to come back to Kansas, I noticed that the area was swelling again. I called Dr. Martinez on his cell phone and he advised me to come back for a recheck. After being examined and the port being checked, he reassured me it was fine. He put some extra stitched in the abd around the port so it would not flipped again, (no guarentees). I was so impressed at how well they treated me even when they were doing it for free. It is something I don't think we would ever experience in the USA. Now............hopefully I can start losing weight again since they did a fill also. I just wanted to let everybody know what great Mexican Doctors we have!!!

Tanya

[tlag]

Thanks bandgroupie! Hopefully when I need my next fill it will be about the sametime all of you will need it. Would be great to meet you all in person.

[crazycoolbutterfly]

I'm so gald that things worked out for you and you are feeling better. The doctors are also awesome for taking care of their patients THANK GOD ! Thanks for posting and keeping us up to date.

[C1BandedBabe]

Makes me feel better about my decision to get banded by Dr. Martinez... Thanks for the update.