Littleroo27

Yes, I survived a trip to TJ by myself!!!

It was actually very easy and I was never scared or felt endangered or anything. My parents were freaking out from Kansas and kept calling me, even before I left my apartment, but I was fine!

Took the trolley to San Ysidro and a bus to the edge of the border crossing. Walked through the border and hopped in a cab to the doctor's office.

Spoke with Dr. Ortiz and the nutritionist and took a tour of the office. Dr. Ortiz is very very nice and knowledgable, and the clinic itself is spotlessly clean and beautiful, if small. 6 recovery rooms, one surgical room, two computers with high speed internet to keep in touch with your family back home during your short stay.

The nutritionist weighed me and said I needed to lose 16 lbs before surgery in order to shrink my liver, so that's not bad .

After that they called a taxi for me and I went back to the border crossing. After seeing the insane line to cross back to the US I decided to hop in one of the border crossing vans. That took us to Otay Mesa, where we got out and waited in a much shorter line (about 10 minutes or so) and then got back in the van on the other side. We were then driven to the San Ysidro trolley station where I hopped on and was taken back to my car.

All in all, not a bad trip!

Round Trip Trolley: $5.00

Taxi to Dr. Ortiz: $5.00

Taxi to border: $5.00

Border crossing van $10.00

Weight Loss Surgery: Priceless

I had a question about smoothies...if they are pureed (sp?) and slightly melted, when can we have a fat free/sugar free smoothie? For some reason i've been dying to have one! I would assume its ok on the Full Liquid phase as long as there is no chunks.

ohhh, that's a great question. I'm totally and completely unable to eat / drink anything that came from a cow at any point in time (no red meat, no dairy), but there is this awesome little smoothie place at the mall that does a blueberry soy smoothie.

Yummmm

Roger,

I've got 2 more pounds to go by Thursday, so I think I'll make it. Probably will have to shave chest, much better option of area to shave than when I had a hernia operation. If you know what I mean:) I tried to get a copy of Dr. Ortiz book, but Amazon screwed around after two weeks sent an order confirmation, I said forget it. Now I can't find it anywhere else, I hate going back to Amazon on principle.

Tom

Tom,

It took me forever to get the book through Amazon cuz it wasn't in stock, but it's well worth it. If you don't want to go back to Amazon, you can always order it through your local Borders or Barnes and Nobles. You can pick it up at the store when they get it in or they can send it to you.

I'm going to TJ tomorrow to meet Dr. Ortiz and tour the clinic - can't wait!!!

The surgery costs do vary depending on where you have it done. My insurance has a blanket denial on weight loss surgeries, which is a huge bummer. I did consider getting private insurance (self-pay) with a company that would cover the surgery, but it would have taken at least a year to get approval because it would be considered a pre-existing condition. Then I would still have to pay the monthly insurance premiums and the co-payments and deductibles and... it just wasn't worth it to me.

Dr. Ortiz charges under or around $10,000 with free fills for life. The hospital I was working with charges $18,000 and each fill is around $500. Dr. Ortiz is ideal for me because I live in San Diego, so his office is nothing more then a trolley ride and a taxi away.

There are options to get payment if you want to go through the hassle, but for me, the best option was a fixed APR low interest credit card and Dr. Ortiz. I am still pre-op and I meet Dr. Ortiz on Monday for my consultation, but I am fully prepared to have this done, I just need a date!

Hi there, well I am happy to see there is a forum for this but I am very nervous and not sure what to do. I have Advmed Insurance which I understand does not cover this procedure is there any insurance company that does cover this procedure such as Aetna my husband is going to work for a company that has this insurance and if it is covered we thought it would be good to use for this? If not and IF I have to pay for this out of my own pocket can I get an idea on what am I looking to pay? Where is the best place to go? Does this really work? Can you tell I am nervous I could use some sound expert advice from people who have been through this.

I am 5'4" and around 320 lbs, BMI of 51+. Do you think it's fairly likely that I will have the larger 14cm band, or does it depend on how much fat is surrounding the area to be banded? It seems like the size of the band wouldn't depend so much on how much you weigh as how large the area being banded is, but I'm certainly no surgeon!!!

I've been told to give myself 2 hours. The airport is in downtown san diego. Acording to the website (www.sdcommute.com) it will take anywhere from an hour to an hour and a half to get from there to the border as you will have to take a bus to the trolley and then the trolley all the way south.

It's also faster to walk back across from MX to the US if you can, rather then go in a taxi. You can hop into the trolley on the other side and head back to the airport.

Hi all,

Tomorrow I leave for San Diego with my first fill scheduled for Wednesday. I think I know how to get to Tijuana from the airport. What we are doing is renting a car for the day and spending the day in San Diego tomorrow and then return the car early Wednesday and head down to Tijuana for my fill. My fill is scheduled at 10:00am. Does anyone know how long it might take to get to the OC from the airport? Also my flight leaves at 5:30pm that day so do you think I will have enough time to get back? Do you go back the same way you come? It is kinda late for this post since I am leaving tomorrow but I would appreciate any feedback if anyone has any and has already gone down to have their fills done. I am just trying to figure out how to get back to the airport and if 6 hours is enough time to get back. Thanks all and continue success in your weight loss adventures.

Deb

I will be posting something on the boards either Monday night or Tuesday regarding my visit Monday afternoon. I've never been down there, but have heard nothing but wonderful things about Dr. Ortiz and the clinic itself. I have read his book and it is wonderful - I really recomend it no matter what doctor you go with.

Hello Everyone.

Well first and foremost, my name is Wendy. I'm 23 years old, married for close to 6 years, and I am a mother to 3 little boys. I had my first son when I was 17. I have been 5'4 since I was 13, and I was always heavier than most girls my age. At 13 I was often mistaken for a 16-17 year old. Just before getting pregnant with my first son, I weighed about 165. I didn't mind my weight...I was actually very comfortable in my skin. After giving birth, I walked out of the hospital in my prepregnancy jeans, and I was 160 at my 6 weeks check up.

My husband was in the military so we soon moved up to Washington. Depression kicked in, along with a miscarriage, and I began to gain weight. I got pregnant with my second son, and when I delivered him in December of 2002, I was teeter-tottering 200 lbs. I realized I needed to take action and get my self-esteem back up and beat my depression, so I went back to school, got my diploma in May of 2003, and started working out. My husband and I decided we would not have anymore children until both of our boys were in school. SO I got on birthcontrol. The hormones made it difficult to nearly impossible for me to lose weight, but I kept going to the gym. I became sick in early July and after a visit to the ER we found out our birthcontrol failed, and we were expecting again. Depression hit again *I had plans to go to college full time, get a job, and on top of that I hadn't lost a pound from my second pregnancy*. By the time I gave birth to my third son in 2003, I weighed 260. He is now 2 and half years old, and I am stuck on a roller-coaster weighing betwen 220 and 230. I go for walks, I go swimming, I'm not big on carbs, so I don't understand why I'm not at least under 200 pounds.

I don't want to do something as drastic as the gastric bypass surgery. I just don't feel it is something for me. I was talking to my husband, and although he feels I don't need surgery to solve my weight problem, he told me about the lap-band procedure. I didn't even know such a procedure existed, so I just have a few questions.

What are the qualifications for possible candidates? Weight qualifications? Age qualifications?

How much does the lap-band procedure cose without medical insurance? If I do obtain medical insurance, how do I go about getting coverage for this kind of surgery?

Do you prefer gastric bypass or lap-band? How satisified are you with your results?

I'm from Southern California...do you know of any good and trustworthy doctors in my area?

Umm..I suppose that is all...for now...lol...

Thank you to you all. I didn't mean to write so much, I just wanted to give you all a general background on me and stuff.

Please feel free to email me at sweetaingel@hotmail.com but I will check in on here often.

Hi THere,

I was wondering if anyone knows of a Dr that will do fills on a Mexico banded patient? I have called a few and so far I have been told No by every one:(

Miriam

You might ask what their prices are anyway. In the long run, it may be cheaper to get a flight out to see Dr. Ortiz and get a fill there then to get a fill in Indiana. I know the clinic near me charges around $500 for a blind fill (no x-ray). I could easily buy a plane ticket and one night at a hotel for that!

How much does the lap-band procedure cose without medical insurance?

This varied depending on where you go. Dr. Ortiz is currently around $9,700. This does include free fills for life. Scripps Weight Management Clinic (La Jolla, CA) charges somewhere around $18,000 for the procedure, plus $500 for each fill or de-fill. There is a clinic in Kansas City that I checked out that was less then $1,000 less then Scripps, but it was fairly similar overall.

If I do obtain medical insurance, how do I go about getting coverage for this kind of surgery?

This varies widly depending on your insurance. My insurance through work doesn't cover the surgery regardless of medical necessities, co-morbidities (other problems related to the weight), etc. So I am going through this as a self-pay. Some insurance companies require 6 months of documented weight loss attempts before they will agree to pay. Some want one month of strict dietary restriction to make sure you can stick with the program before they will agree. Lots of companies have their own little hoops.

Do you prefer gastric bypass or lap-band?

I think everyone here would say lap-band, because this is a lap-band only support group. For me it was several factors. One, the risk factors for the GBS are just too high. Not only is there a prolonged recovery period, but there can be a lot of changes to your digestion post-op that are a real pain in the rear end.

Plus, I have IBS (irritable bowel syndrome), so bypassing some of my intestine was just not an option as it would have made my symptoms that much worse.

How satisified are you with your results?

I'm still pre-op. I'm going down to meet Dr. Ortiz and see the clinic on Sept 4. I'm very excited!

Beth in San Diego

HI, i will be arriving in SAN on sept 5 at 12:30pm, will anyone like to split the transportation cost with me or have any information on low cost transportation from SAN airport into mexico for filling.

Man, I'm going down on the 4th and was looking for a buddy!

As for low cost, there is another post floating around here with very specific directions, but best is to take the bus from the airport to the trolley stop (the bus driver can tell you where it is, but it's by America Plaza). From there, you will see signs saying "Tijuana" - go stand by one! The trolley will have a sign on it saying the color of the trolley line and that it is going to Tijana. Hop on it and go to the end of the line. From there you can walk across the border and hop a cab to the clinic - just hand the guy the directions and ask how much. From the other post, I've heard it's about $5. The bus is $2.25 or $2.50 and you should be able to get a transfer pass to the trolley as long as you transfer within 2 hours.

If you have any questions, ask the bus driver or even someone waiting for the trolley. We are all pretty friendly folk down here in San Diego and happy to help.

Also, you can go to www.sdcommute.com for more info on the bus and trolley numbers and fairs.

thanks for the link cuz i was thinking next time i go to san diego i would try to do the bus/trolley to get to different parts of town - it is so convenient and inexpensive. Good luck when you go to your consult - remember to write your questions down so you won't forget.

A few reminders about the transportation (you probably know living in the area though)...

Exact change for bus is $2.25 (i think i put 2.50 in my earlier message)

Ask for a transfer if you are starting on the bus (you'll need it for the trolley)

Seriously, don't worry - bring a book and try to relax/enjoy. Again leave at least 1.5-2.0 hours and you'll be more than fine/covered. Mary

The trolley goes straight to Mission Valley Mall, Fashion Valley Mall, and about 2 or 3 blocks from Horton Plaza Mall. Lovely thing, the trolley!

Thanks... it's just something I made in Photoshop. Using butterflies on a meadow just didn't fit me for a tracker, know what I mean?

LOL, I love your tracker!!! So much better then the ones online.

I feel pretty much the same way with this second fill. I don't have the same desire to eat. I am too afraid of that tight feeling and I'm dreading the PB. I have found myself grazing which I know I shouldn't do. I'm just not used to being satisfied with such a small portion and I am still eating out of boredom. I also find it hard to get all my water in since we can't drink with or around meals. Can we drink right before a meal or is it an hour before and after?? I am beggining to think this is just as much psychological as it is real with the fear of the PB making me afraid to eat too much. haha ...the band is making me loco.

I've been told 20 minutes prior and 1 hour after, though the prior is less of a big deal then the after (water goes through pretty fast, so 5 to 10 minutes should be fine too).

Oh my gosh, thank you so much!!! I'm going down for my consult on Sept 4 and was fretting the border crossing part (I failed Spanish miserably in college!!!)

As for the trolley, yes, they are all red This is the MTS (metro transit system) color, I think. But all of the trolleys have that big sign on the front and side of the first car that says what color line it is and where it is going.

If you are coming from some place other then the airport and want to see what bus to take to the trolley, or where the closest trolley stop is, go to www.sdcommute.com and click on "trip planner."

Hi everyone - I decided to take the bus (#992) from the airport and the Trolley (blue line so San Ysirdo) and it was an absolute breeze. The cost was $2.50 exact change from the airport for the bus. And it was .25cents more for the trolley but I couldn't figure out how to add that so i didn't and they don't check on the trolley. Although I did hear a trolley person can come around and ask to see your pass but I fugured they wouldn't throw me off.

So you hop on the bus at the city bus station right outside the airport - if you are confused they have transportation folks in blue vests all over the place. The bus comes about every 6 minutes so the wait isn't long. You need exact change and ask for a transfer and you get off at Broadway and Kettner which is the AMERICAN FLYER STATION (PIECE of cake). Bus driver will help if you ask.

Get off at american flyer and wait for the blue line (do not go by color of train they all seem red) and stand on the side of the track that says blue line - anyway, get on and go to the end of the line to san ysirdo (not sure of spelling cuz I don't have directions in front of me) It is about a 30 minute comfortable air conditioned ride and it stops at the end and you can tell its the border etc. again PIECE OF CAKE.

get off and walk across the border.

Yellow taxi sign (HUGE) is staring you in the face and you will be approached by many taxi drivers - have the address of the hotel or clinic clearly written down and ask - Cuanto dinero (how much) - they will say cinco or five dollars - wave it in their face, repeat it and say si (YES). simple simple.

i loved it and it saved me about 120 from the office transportation which is great and convenient but expensive. Allow 1.5 hours . Also I walked across the border coming back and it took .20 minutes - much faster than driving across.

mary

I have posted this twice already and I continue to not be able to find my post later. When I had my first fill I asked the doctor about carbonated beverages. He said that you could drink them if you let them sit for a minute. Has anybody else asked this question or do you know anybody who has done this. I was on vacation this past week and did have soda and beer and did not notice a problem except that it did not taste as good as it use to but I think that was because I knew I should not be drinking it. C

As someone who can't drink carbonated soda (IBS), I can tell you that it never really goes flat. It can get flattER, but there is still fizz enough to cause gas pressure.

I would really just suggest trying not to drink soda if you can possibly stand it, at least not until you are 100% healed and stable and less likely to slip.

Is there anyone out there who is getting banded on the 9th of Oct? That is my surgery date. I live in Maryville, TN and I am excited about the surgery. I am nervous, especially after reading some of the posts on this site. I will do my best to follow the program and make sure that I exercise. I had to take out a second on my house to pay for this, since my insurance won't pay. I have enough money for 2 fills and hopefully I will be able to save enough for the rest of them. I will be reading a lot, and I am grateful that this is here so I can avoid some of the situations brought up here. I hope to write a cook book for bandsters, I did buy one from amazon.com along with Dr. Ortiz's book, which I should be getting in a few days. Please let me know if someone is getting banded on that day or close to it.

Dr. Ortiz's book is awesome; I read it cover to cover and it's FULL of those little sticky arrows where I read something I wanted to remember.

I am not getting a fill, but I am looking for someone to navigate the trolley & border crossing with on Sept 4th for my consultation. I am willing to pick up from the airport if you fly in that morning.

I've seen references to being able to go back to work after banding in 3-5 days, but have read some experiences of 1-2 weeks or more. I work from a desk, barring any complications how soon should I really be able to go back. I'm scheduled for a Friday. Can I be back Monday? Or should I expect to be off at least the whole week?

Roger

Yeah, it really does depend on the person. People's levels of pain tolerance differ, as well as how long their surgery was, were there any complications, even how long your drive to work is or how much post-op gas you have.

My step-mom had a histeroctomy and was up and about within 2 days, doing everything except lifting/bending. I would suggest telling your office you could be gone for as long as two weeks, one week realistically, but may try to come back for short days as early as Monday or Tuesday, depending on how you feel.

Just thought I 'd give an update on my fill problems I went back to fillcenters USA for my 3rd supposed fill

they poked me 10 or 11 times and dug around for about 1 1/2 hours then tell me they can not find my port

I then called TJ and set up a fill apt with dr. Romera on 8-9-06 When I got there DR. Romera told me I had

nothing in my band He then gave me my 1st real fill of 2.0ccs I felt very little restrition for the 1st 2 days

but I now have restriction and can only eat 1/4 of my norm I have rapidly been losing weight with no

probelms at all no pbing or nothing I am full I stop. I spent $350 for my 1st and $155 for 2nd and 3rd fills

at fill centers for nothing. DR.ROMERA filled me in just 5 min with fluro and has aparently hit my sweet spot

on his 1st try as I lost 5 lbs my 1st week on solids with very little effort. Invest the money to fly back to TJ

for your fills besides wasting money I wasted time(2 months of not losing weight)

PIZZA GUY

That is SO awesome!!!!! I was thrilled to hear that they regularly do fleuro, as the hospital I was going to go to only does that for the first fill. I don't like needles anyway and am not thrilled at the thought of 10 or 11 pokes only to still miss the band in the end!!!

I'm lucky in that I live in San Diego, so a fill trip to TJ isn't a big deal, but I'm so happy that you finally had a good experience and some restriction.

I am going down to TJ on Sept 4 for a consultation appt at 1 pm. I am going to TRY and cross the border on my own by taking the trolley to TJ and getting a cab on the other side of the border.

If there is anyone else going down that morning that would like to come with me, I'd be happy to pick people up at the airport. I can park at my office building and hop on the trolley just one block from there in Downtown SD.

I have a Taurus, so I can take 3 people comfortably and one in the trunk :-D

Feel free to PM me, IM me or e-mail me. All info is in my profile.

I'm really excited about being able to do the consult on a day where our office is closed so I don't even have to miss work!

I wasn't going to check any luggage, but have decided it would be less time consuming and hassle to just take a n extra carryon just for toiletries. We may need the extra space for shopping anyway!

Gel Shoe Inserts????? *boggles*

So glad I thought to read this - I'm getting on the plane in 5 hours to go home!!! Will pack those puppies in my checked luggage!

I'm so very discouraged as it seems I am floundering with the band and this fill business. I'm rather dissatisified with the lack of support for patients transitioning with the band. This is hard .. much harder than I'd ever anticipated. I regret having told just about everyone about my decision to have the band because I get asked daily, "how much weight have you lost?" and the answer hasn't changed since they asked me a week ago, a month ago, three months ago. I'm too embarassed to confess that I've gained since my inital 25lbs weight loss. Since the third fill in July I've maintained my weight and I just don't understand why because I can't eat half of what I could before. In fact, my hair is starting to fall out which is incredibly distressing so I know I'm not getting the nourishment I need yet the scale does not budge. I've started taking supplements to help with this. I can't eat per the plate method and I've tried and tried. Everytime I try and start off with a meat I PB painfully. Do you know how awful it is to PB while your stomach is growling? The physical hunger is bad enough but the mental hunger is even worse. I'm so very frustrated and I just don't know what to do next. I can't imagine getting another fill right now and I'm not sure an unfill would be wise at this point. My activity level is adequate because I get 10,000 steps in routinely at work because my job as a nurse requires me to be on my feet the majority of my 8 hour shift. Suggestions anyone?

I'm so sorry, hun! I'm not really sure what to suggest other then, make sure you are taking a really good vitamin and mineral supplement every day and try to get more protein. If you need to, drink a protein shake as one of your meals. At least then you can get some sustinance! Your body thinks you're starving right now, which is why it's not giving up anything an you are not losing weight.

hi,

i am new to this board.

i had my lap band removed 12 days ago, as it slipped.

i definitely want a new one.

my lap band surgery was 10/10/05.

it was tight the entire time.

i may need a VG this time.

i am researching dr. ortiz and dr. rumbaut in mexico. these are the two that i preferred before my banding in oct.

at the last minute my insurance co. approved my surgery and i had in done here in the u.s.

i was very hesitant as the surgeon here did not have the experience.

so i am back to square "A" and want to start over with the doctors i initially chose.

"live and learn"....

has anyone been rebanded by either of these surgeons?

thanks,

lexi

Just out of curiosity, why couldn't they reband you when they went in to remove the old one?

I would also like to suggest Enteric Coated Peppermint Capsules. I take them for gas related to my IBS pain when the Gas-X / Phazyme gels don't do anything.

They are specially made to not disolve until they get to your digestive tract which, yes, means they may not help as much with the post-op gas, but they may be something to consider for any pains you have due to trapped air after the band is in place.

I bought mine through www.helpforibs.com, but I think they are becoming more common elsewhere in the US. At one time you couldn't find them outside of Europe.

Oh - fun side effect - you may end up burping peppermint breath

Hi to all,

Thanks to all of you for answering all my questions over the past month or so. I was all set to have the surgery and had found out that my insurance would have covered it. Unfortunately, after today's appointment that included an endoscopy and a barium swallow, I was told that I am not a cancidate for the surgery.

I have a paraesophogeal hernia which means that a large portion of my stomach is in my diaphragm. Even if it is surgically repaired, I will not be able to have the band.

Back to square one......with over 100 pounds to lose.....and looking for a new plan!

I'm so sorry to hear that!!!

Your stomach is partially IN your diaphram? Does that cause any problems? The only thing I can think of is that you can't hiccup, lol. What a bummer