FurEllie

When you arrive they will pick you up at the airport and take you to the hotel. You may have to get out and push the "pass" button (I think that's what on it) at the border but that's kinda fun The drivers and the hotel workers are amazingly nice. The next morning you will be picked up and go to the clinic. If you're lucky, you'll ride with Mama Ortiz - she is a total sweetheart! They'll do all the tests at the clinic, hook you up to your IV and depending on where you are in the group, you'll probably be banded by noon The then incredibly nice nurses care to your every need. MAKE SURE AND WALK AS MUCH AS YOU CAN!! You can watch satellite TV, read, do some more walking or sleep. The next morning they take you back to the hotel where you'll stay that night, then they will take you back to San Diego depending on your flight the next day. SOMETIMES you have to walk yourself across the border but when I was banded whomever was working recognized it as a "medical van" and let us pass w/o having to walk. But the walk is no biggie. I haven't read of ANYONE having trouble with their insurance covering major issues with a band. I recently had one (was vomiting, it's POSSIBLE the band was restricting my ability to vomit - not sure yet - and I ended up "killing" half my stomach and having emergency surgery to remove 1/2 my stomach and the band). However, if it's something like a port flip, you'll probably need to head back to TJ. Honestly, I've had a lot of medical procedures and the lapband and the OCC was by far the best experience. If I can ever get another band, I will SO be there! Best of luck!

I have found that Atkins Advantage has the lowest amount of sugars/calories compared to protein for RTD.

She was actually responding to a recent post - KBosco revived it. Transportation doesn't always have to be expensive. From Atlanta to San Diego I found flights as low as $350. That's pretty inexpensive if you realize you're flying basically from one coast to another.

I don't think it will hurt your band, per se, but one of the "suspects" in the constant vomiting that caused necrosis of the bottom part of my stomach where I had to have that AND the band removed was antibiotics I was taking. If you start vomiting, get thee to the doctor ASAP.

I'm in GA and I had no issues at all about flying there for a fill, an unfill (which could be considered an "emergency" as I couldn't keep ANYTHING down at all - even sips of water) and another fill. When I had my ACTUAL emergency, even though the hospital had a WLS group, they still didn't remove the fill like they should have until it was too late. I could have literally gotten in TJ faster and probably still have the band

I am 5' and honestly have NEVER been able to get below 120. 125 is my new goal weight (even w/o the band). One thing that's an interesting aside to being short and overweight - even though there's a VERY strong history of osteoporosis in my family, several doctors have told me that at 5', weighing over 130 most of life has been like a built in "weight bearing exercise" and my risk is lower than if I had been the 105-110 my mother and grandmother always weighed

Correct - there are several doctors who won't do fills on Mexico banded patients. I suspect more has to do with the fact that they have patients of their own to take care of. Dr. Ortiz has done a wonderful job of working with Fill Centers USA and more seem to opening every day. My disagreement with restrict2008 was their statement that "....if something went wrong- if mexico isnt readily accessable. Many doctors will not treat a patient who had their band placed abroad.". That is completely untrue. A fill isn't something "going wrong", IMO.

I'd be interested to know where you're getting that information. I don't know of ANY doctors who won't treat a patient who had their band placed abroad. Will every doctor fill them or do basic follow up care? Maybe not. But if "something went wrong" and you find a doctor who won't treat you because you had surgery outside the US (especially since more and more people are going abroad for all kinds of surgery), then I suggest you report them to the AMA and any other group they are a member of. That's like telling someone who lived in Europe all their life, had all their medical care done there and a US doctor saying "Nope, sorry, won't treat you cuz you didn't have it here". Sorry, but I just don't think you've researched enough to make that statement as from what I can tell and have experienced 1st hand, it's completely untrue.

The surgeon who finally DID unfill me Wednesday AM told me today that if they had unfilled me when I got there Monday night/Tuesday AM, I probably would have walked out fine a few hours later. Again, to add to the "Well it was because of the Mexican surgery", everyone automatically assumes it was a problem with the band. IT WASN'T. Period. The band being filled made the problem worse but the band didn't cause anything. People ask me "Can you sue the guy in Mexico?" lol. Give me a break. One friend even said she was glad I had it out now since it probably wasn't put in right in the first place. Oh freaking brother... ..

I submitted a claim with them since many here are being reimbursed. Haven't heard anything back yet - thanks for reminding me I need to contact them! They just paid all my medical bills when one of the items was removal of the band so yeah, besides me filing the claim, they know. All insurance companies are different so read your contract with them. Usually getting care outside the network isn't against their "rules".

Yes, walking around does help with the gas, but you'll still poot a lot Your body will have just gone through surgery, you been under anesthesia and pain pills - you're really not hungry those first few days. Plus you DO get fed - ice chips, freeze pops, broth...and you can drink water, broth, clear drinks etc. once you get to the hotel. I can't remember when you can drink the protein drinks - Dr. Miranda will give you a schedule - just be sure to follow it The worst time is after you heal and before your first fill - Bandster Hell. You can/do eat so of course you're not losing any weight (some people even gain). But understand you need to let your body HEAL. This isn't a fast fix and yes, there may be times when you're hungry, anxious, etc. But it's worth it once you find the sweet spot

I had some problems (an overfill and most recently I was sick enough and didn't get attention fast enough and had to have my band removed) and would STILL highly recommend it. In fact, if OK'd, I will be getting another one ASAP. I loved my band and miss it deeply OCC is awesome and I will be going there again too.

Sweetheart, you are amongst fellow addicts here That's what's so hard for people who AREN'T addicted to food to understand. When you're addicted to booze or drugs, you can completely remove those things from your life while you fight your addiction. But you CAN'T REMOVE FOOD! I eat because I am addicted. Not because I'm hungry. I LOVE food. I don't cook but I love to read cookbooks. Food websites are my porn. I love to read restaurant reviews and look at pictures. I have NO control over this addiction which is why the band was so perfect for me. I heard someone on the Today show refer to WLS as "cheating" the other day - totally ticked me off. That's like telling a drug addict that checking into rehab is cheating.

I either got the flu, food poisoning or a reaction to some strong antibiotics I was taking after a recent hysterectomy. Whatever it was caused me to vomit uncontrollably. At some point, per the doctors, my stomach basically doubled over itself and began to die off. I was completely unresponsive to any of the anti-nausea medications they tried on me. IMHO, had they removed the fill as soon as I got to the ER, my body wouldn't have had so much trouble expelling the vomit. Or the band could have had zero effect whatsoever. I am still waiting to get a complete report from the hospital and doctors who worked on me. BUT the band itself didn't cause the problem. Not getting it unfilled immediately could have caused the problem to worsen though.

In hindsight, I should have gone to the hospital a LOT sooner (I'm good at thinking things will just "go away") and I also should have demanded they unfill me as soon as I got there. They didn't do the unfill until Wed morning (the general surgeon did it, hit the port on the first try and pulled out exactly the amount I was told was in there) but by then, the damage had been done I would STRONGLY, STRONGLY, STRONGLY suggest that if you are sick for more than 6 hours, get somewhere ASAP for a complete unfill. 2cents

As I stated in another thread, after several days of vomiting, I was forced to have my band, as well as half my stomach removed. EVERY SINGLE NURSE AND DOCTOR ASKED ME WHY I WENT TO MEXICO! "Because the doctor I went to has done more lapbands than any other doctor in the states AND has trained many if not most of the US doctors". They still couldn't believe someone would go to Mexico....what do they think happens to the Ex-pats who have moved to Mexico, Central America, etc? Even the surgeon who did my stomach removal who was VERY, VERY against lapbands ("You shouldn't put something foreign in your body." Oh brother - I bet he stares at the chicks with the implants though, lol) said the band was one of the best he'd seen and was done very well. TAKE THAT, U.S. DOCTORS Heck, if I can get approved for it, I'll be back in a year or two and get another band put in by Dr. Ortiz! After spending 2 days in the hospital after my hysterectomy and another week due to this latest problem, I can honestly say the care at Dr. Ortiz's office made the U.S. medical system look like a joke.

Half has been completely removed. When you look at how big the stomach is, it's really not that much that they took. The band holds such a TINY amount and when they do "official" stomach stapling, they staple off 85% so 50% isn't any sort of restriction at all Yep, my family not only talked me into going to the hospital, but they drove an hour and a half just to get me. I'm still ticked they didn't take the fill out immediately. I think that would have solved most if not all the issues.

I used the one in Roswell also. I have to say after reading stories of people getting stuck several times before finding the port, I didn't mind paying the extra for the Fluro. She is excellent and the two fills I had there she hit the port the first try each time

This happened to me also over Tday weekend (must not have been a good weekend for bandsters!). I was sick for 24 hours before my family finally dragged me to the hospital. I wasn't responding to any of the anti nausea meds and it wasn't until Wed AM (24 hours after I got to the hospital) when a general surgeon took my fill out. At that point apparently my vomiting had doubled my stomach over and 50% of it had "died". I had to get the 50% removed and the band Now with 50% of my stomach gone and no band, I can eat like crazy. I'm SO ticked off they didn't contact the bariactric doctors at the hospital. I spoke with one later who said they are considered the red headed step children there. I watched an episode of Big Medicine where the doctor's daughter/sister had the same issue and she flew from Ohio to TX because the docs in Ohio didn't know that all she needed was an unfill. Needless to say I'm NOT a happy camper and I'm having an attorney go over my medical records.

I would seriously consider going to Mexico to a Dr. who Dr. Ortiz recommends, but I would pay extra for the "in home" service and stay as long as they would let me, lol. I plan so far on getting a breast lift and TT. But I still have 40 more pounds to lose so who knows what other excess skin is going to raise its ugly head

It's been a month now and no response. I guess it's time to start calling them after T'day!! I know it's not a delay problem as I've had other treatments since I faxed them the info and they've sent me EOBs for them - just not anything on this yet. :-?

I went by myself for my surgery, 2 fills and an unfill. I walked around the hotel and went to restaurants and stores. I never didn't feel safe. Your husband will be fine

Personally for me, if I could put down 2 bowls of chili, I'd go in for another fill.

It's possible it's too tight. If you can get liquids down I'd give it another couple of days to see if it's "irritated" or swollen. When I was overfilled I couldn't even get down hot liquids. It was NOT fun and you don't want to get to that point. Let us know!!

I will probably go in a few weeks. I can't remember the cost, TBH. Sorry It was done through fillcentersusa.com so they would be able to tell you exact amounts.