Chelley

The first thing that led me to Dr. Ortiz was the cost. I'd written off ever being able to have the lapband because it was not affordable here in the USA for me. Imagine my suprise and the hope I had when I discovered that Dr. Ortiz is one of the most highly regarded lap band surgeons in the WORLD and is considered an expert among his colleagues. I carefully researched his background and found that his credentials are what he says they are and then some! I am very pleased with the experience I had at the OCC with Dr. Ortiz and his staff, both as a patient and a healthcare professional.

I know there were several of you who were banded around the same time I was, yet we haven't heard from you now that you are several months post-op. How is everyone doing? I have been pretty frank in my "blog" as I call it under the newly banded section about the ups and downs of being banded. I've been participating in lapbandtalk just to be able to get some feedback from others who have been banded longer. Let us hear from those of you who have had the band for a while ... your support and experience are invaluable.

I just wanted to share with you all an explaination for what could be happening to my band that was posted to me in another forum by a bariatric surgeon from the USA. The doc said that sometimes with the VG band it takes up to 3cc's just to PRIME it and often this not done in surgery because most surgeons prefer the band to heal in place before any fluid is added. He said he sees it happen all the time..... whew! I wish there was more information out there on the VG band. Even the Inamed website is lacking in information. If any of you know a website where I can educate myself further about my VG band ... please share! I can't tell you all the relief I felt in reading that my fills could have went into priming my band because I was seriously about to freak out thinking my band was leaking. I have good restriction this morning and am following the liquid diet recommendation after a fill; however, I do know from past fills that it does take about 3 days to find out if the restriction is true restriction or swelling. I'll keep you all posted. BTW ... scales went from 215 to 211 in one day post fill... ... i know I'm obsessed.

I received a 2.4cc fill today at the radiology center in Paris, TX. I just don't understand how in two weeks I can go from feeling restricted to no restriction. My last fill was on July 10th with 2.5cc fill. The radiologist had no answer to my question since he is not a surgeon, but a radiologist trainned to do fills under fluro. I was dismayed to watch the barium rush through the band with no restriction when just two weeks ago I saw the restricton on fluro for myself and felt it. "It's quite loose", he said. They also had trouble accessing the port as it has now tilted. I'm praying I have the restriction I need now to start loosing this weight as I am very frustrated at this point. I honestly don't know what I will do if this doesn't do the trick. Grin and bear it I suppose since I'm completely tapped out with credit card maxed as of today's $350 fill.

I honestly don't know what to think about my VG band and the fills at this point. I'm having my 3rd fill tomorrow. Someone did point out on lapbandtalk that the VG band is segmented and does not always give the full volume of return on aspiration of the band. I've researched the Inamed webpage and Dr. Ortiz's book with no confirmation of this, however it does make sense and when looking at the VG band the segments of the fill area are visible. With the swelling down from fill #2 on July 10th, I have very little restriction and sometimes no restriction at all. The more I obsess about it the more I want to eat to comfort myself. I'm rather disappointed to say I am back up to my pre-surgery weight of 215lbs and I'm trying hard not to feel discouaraged. I still do not regret my decision to have the band, but I do wish I'd been a little more prepared to realize instant results are not always possible and that it takes patience and work to get the band filled to the correct restriction so I can control my overeating. Since I blabbed to everyone that I was having the band placed, co-workers are constantly asking me how much weight I have lost and I feel like every bite I put in my mouth is being monitored. I'm finding I feel like I need to defend my decision to have the band and educate my colleages. Forgive me if this bums anyone out ... not my intention because I truly am happy to be banded... I'm just frustrated and want instant results. I'll keep you posted as to how fill #3 goes tomorrow. Chelley BTW ... Sister has lost 40lbs... so I do know this thing works when you have the correct restriction! Mom is going with me for a fill since she's at a plateau.

I just wanted to update everyone. I did e-mail Dr. Ortiz again and most likely I just need another fill in a few weeks. I guess the initial restriction I had was stomach irritation from getting the band filled and now that has resolved, I can eat a bit more than I should. I do have restriction though and have felt the protest of my smaller pouch with liquids backing up in to my esophagus ... ouch! And I do have to confess that is is very difficult for me not to want to take a sip of something while eating. Years ago, back in my 20's I had a tumor on one of my saliva glands and had to have it removed, so I don't seem to have enough moisture in my mouth when eating so I compensate by drinking fluids. That is a big no-no with the band and I'm training myself not to drink around meal times, but that means I have to work to get the fluids in between meals. I sip, sip, sip, sip. It's also helped that I've found a fellow nurse at the facility I work for who was banded a year ago by another Mexican surgeon. She has been through all these ups and downs of hitting the sweet spot on a fill. She's been supportive and has shared with me it took 3 fills and 2 unfills to get her band just right before she started dropping weight. Since getting her fill adjusted just right, she has lost 65lbs. That inspires me! Chelley

Hi! I'm sorry to hear you are having so much trouble after surgery getting answers to your questions. I agree, it is difficult to get aftercare following surgery, especially in another country. I am a diabetic too and I followed up with my endocrinologist here in the USA after surgery. He has continued to treat me although he was concerned about me having surgery in Mexico. I've not had any complications other than a freaky incident with a wasp sting and a subsequent allergic reaction. Thankfully, I have been off my insulin since since surgery with reasonable blood sugar levels. Since my surgery in April, I have e-mailed Dr. Ortiz 3 times and got a response from him on the same day or within 42 hours. I've also made a call to his cell phone number and was able to speak to one of his colleagues since Dr. Ortiz was in surgery at the time. I believe I e-mailed Dr. Miranda once in the immediate post-op phase and she does take a little bit longer to respond, but I did get a response within a week. However, my Mom who also had surgery with me, has had poor results in trying to reach Dr. Miranda. Aftercare is definately something to consider when planning this surgery. I'd encourage future lapbanders to talk to your local physician about post-op care and plan where you are going to get your fills after surgery if TJ is too far away. As Lori had mentioned, any serious complication should be followed up on immediately and in the USA you can call 911 or go to your local hospital's emergency room. Chelley

If you are seeing Dr. Ortiz, have you had your telephone consultation with Dr. Miranda, the nutritionist at the Obesity Control Center? The diet of protein shakes and salad greens isn't really meant to be followed for more than a week and it does work. I lost 12.5lbs on the pre-op diet. I'd encourage you to call the nutritionist at the clinic you have chosen and see what the recommendations are. Chelley

Congratulations on your decision to have the lapband. I wish you the best on your journey. Keep us posted as to how you are doing! Chelley

Get the facts first ... I did ... I could have came online and blasted my concerns as a nurse, but I didn't. I conducted my own research, very carefully I might add. I've always encouraged those on this site to research to their own satisfaction. Although your opinion is welcome, get the facts first.

When you arrive at the OCC and talk with Dr. Miranda, the nutritionist, she will give you a four page instruction guide that will clearly define what you can eat the the post-op phase. Dr. Miranda may modify this guide depending upon your needs. Since I am a diabetic, she altered mine plan slightly. By the fourth week (days 22-28) you are to start solid meals. Dr. Miranda explains that she wants you to use the "plate" method. Divide your plate into quarters. In the first section place a protein source no larger than the palm of your hand, in the 2nd place a green veggie, in the 3rd a fruit, and the 4th a carb. Eat in order of 1, 2, 3, 4 without mixing bites in the beginning. This is to help you learn what you can tolerate with the band. If you are mixing bites of 1,2,4 and you get plugged up and start to PB then you won't know what caused it. There are several guidelines for eating solids and Dr. Miranda will go over all those with you and she encourages questions and open discussion. She is also available by e-mail or phone after your surgery if you have any questions or problems. As for me.... my eating plan was altered to accomodate my diabetes. I was experiencing some low blood sugars after surgery which was unusual for me since I'd been taking loads of insulin and still having high blood sugar before the pre-op diet. I transitioned to solid food by eating soft food and I really wish I hadn't because mushy food goes through the band and then you are hungry again. I've found if you eat the way you are told to eat then you have much better weight loss with less hunger and are eating a more balanced diet.

This will be my last post on this particular topic because I find it distressing and destructive and will not lend this topic another nanosecond of my time. Before anyone comes into a forum and begins making allegations, you should confirm the source otherwise you are just spreading rumor and this rumor gained in chat is a slap in the face of those who have been banded that did their homework and verified Dr. Ortiz's credentials. Don't believe the scores of accounts posted by happy lapband patients, but believe the gossip of a supposed insider? Shame on you! As for websites where you can quickly verify Dr. Ortiz's credentials other than his own, www.facs.org and www.asbs.org to start with??? Littleroo ... I'm very disappointed in your commentary and as an educated woman, you should well know how to conduct internet research. I have to wonder, are you a ringer in this forum trying to destroy Dr. Ortiz's credibility???

I was very skeptical about having surgery in Mexico, but I did my homework. I would encourage any of you who are skeptical, to please check Dr. Ortiz's credentials to your satisfaction. Once upon a time before I became a nurse, I did medical staff credentialing so I know how to investigate a physicians background. You can go to www.obesitycontrolcenter.com and use the quick link to the left of the screen to pull up the topic "Who is Dr. Ortiz?" In this screen you will find a link to review his credentials which contains his surgical certificate from Harvard Medical School, A cirriculum vitae, a certificate of membership with the American College of Surgeons which means he is a borad certified surgeon, as well as a certifiate proclaiming his membership with the American Society for Bariatric Surgery. In addition to all of these credentials is a letter from INAMED, the maker of the LapBand proclaiming Dr. Ortiz's expertise in this field. Verify these credentials for yourself, I did. I am most impressed by Dr. Ortiz and his colleagues. I assure you, not many American doctors would be so willing to lay open their professional history the way Dr. Ortiz has. He understands that we Americans are skeptical about surgery in Mexico and he has made all this information available to help us make an informed decision about trusting our lives in his care. Chelley

A lot of times the stress of surgery will often throw a female into her cycle. It happened to me... post op day 1 ... went to the ladies room and ugggg! It's a wonder they didn't hear me down the hall screeching "you gotta be kidding me"! As I nurse, I see this happen all the time to surgical patients. If you are concerned about it, ask Dr. Ortiz I'm sure he would be glad to put your mind at ease.

It has been a week since my first fill and I'm feeling fine. I still have restriction although it doesn't seem as tight as it did those first few days. I have to admit that even though I'm a nurse, I still have the same doubts and worries all lap band patients have. Now that my restriction is not as tight I have this nagging voice of doubt in the back of my mind saying ... "what if your band is leaking" ... and it won't shut up! I'd mentioned I'd e-mailed Dr. Ortiz because I was very concerned about what happened to my orginal 2.8cc fill. I'd love to hear from someone else who has the VG band and what their fill experiences were like. Chelley

There are some very good reasons they are soooooo strict about you loosing weight before surgery. The most important reason is that they must delicately pull back your liver during the surgery. The liver is a very vascular organ and is fatty and soft in large people. When you go on the crash diet of salad greens and protien shakes, you loose water weight rapidly and this helps shrink your liver and make it more firm so that it is not damaged in surgery. When you loose the weight and your liver shrinks it actually makes the band placement go much more smoothly for the surgeon and is safer for you! The second reason they want to see you loose the weight pre-op is to see what level of committment you have to making this work. If you can't commit to a diet for a few days pre-op then what chances do you have of following the post-op diet for the rest of your life? The band is a TOOL. You can still overeat with band and risk your health. Someone described the band as a gentle reminder ... if you ignore that gentle reminder then there are consequences to your overeating and I'm not just talking about a little vomit... I'm talking about serious complications like band slipage.

To be certain, ask Dr. Miranda or one of the clinic doctors. Are you on the pre-op diet of salad greens and protien shakes? If so, a protein shake is about all you can have for breakfast pre-op. Also, verify that you are having surgery on the second day. Lately, I've read several posts about people who have had surgery the same day they had the pre-op done and this was the case when I had my first fill done in TJ. The reason I mention it is Dr. Ortiz requires nothing by mouth starting at midnight on the day of the surgery and will postphone the surgery if you've had anything to eat or drink.

Eve - It was nice to read that you also had a positive experience in TJ with Dr. Ortiz. Keep us posted on your progress. Congratulations on your successful banding. Best wishes on your journey! Chelley

My flight was 3 hours and was uncomfortable enough because I'm not a fan of flying. I took a pain pill in the airport because I'd avoided a near pile up on the esculator with some looki-loos and hurt myself trying to side step them and manage my suitcase. It was actually a good thing I did take a pain pill because the last half of the flight was full of turbulence since we were flying through a thunderstorm. Bumpity-bump-bump does not feel good on a fresh port site! On the flight, before the turbulence, I asked for a cup of water and a juice ... mixed them because we are not suppose to drink straight juice after surgery. Don't worry about getting hungry ... it's just not an issue right after surgery because your tummy is swollen and the liquids do satisfy you. I had some flavored water in my purse as backup. The only other thing I have to add about clothing is take a sports bra, especially if you have an ample chest. My upermost incision is only 1/2" away from the band of my bra and I couldn't wear an underwire for a few weeks. Chelley

Beth - It sounds like you are very determined! I wish you the best on your journey! I financed my surgery via credit card. My mastercard offered a deal of 5.5% financing over the course of the loan which was much better than anything else I could afford. Keep in mind, as you plan for your procedure to save some money for fills. In my experience, I've found that having surgery is just step one. Step 2 is hitting that sweet spot on a fill. I had surgery April 18th, fill in TJ on June 12, and fill in Paris TX July 10. With plane fare, travel expenses, and cost of surgery and fills my running total is still under $10,000 ... which is unheard of in the USA. Chelley

When you make the decision to have surgery at the Obesity Control Center and start the ball rolling, part of your preop requirement is a telephone consultation with Dr. Miranda. Because I am diabetic and my starting weight was 227.5 lbs, she told me that I could just do a sensible low fat diet if I wanted, but since I was having surgery with my Mom and Sister, I opted for the strict diet so we could support each other and because I didn't want to take any chances of not loosing the belly fat needed to help shrink my liver and protect it during surgery. The first couple of days was tough on this diet of salad greens and Slim Fast Optima. I drank 3-4 shakes a day and I used the canned variety so I wouldn't be tempted to sneak an extra scoop of the powdered kind. Something else that also helped was that I cleaned out my cupboards and my fridge and stocked only the foods I could have on this diet and began stocking for the postop phase. Since I am single, I didn't have to worry about keeping tempting goodies on hand for a family. The first couple of nights with only salad greens and slim fast onboard, my stomach rumbled and I was hungry for the first time in a long time. I was feeling weak, was cranky but I was committed. I just kept telling myself that I could do anything for 7 days and kept imagining (with my nurses imagination) what a blood bath it would be if my big ole fat floppy liver got punctured because I couldn't follow a itty bitty diet for a few days! HA! That was great incentive!!! To be honest, I do have to say on day 3 of the diet I snuck a grilled chicken breast in that salad and felt better but was right back on the diet without any slip ups. That night I went to bed without a growling tummy and then it got better. I stuck to the diet and Mom, Sister and I supported each other and I ended up loosing 12 lbs pre-op! Best wishes! Chelley

Thanks, but I found a Radiology group in Paris, TX to do my fills. I actually got the information from Carolyn, Dr. Ortiz's patient coordinator. Although, the OCC can't recommend any of the doctors on the list, they do have a listing compiled of doctors who will do fills for patients banded in Mexico.

I'm so happy to report I'm back down to 207lbs! I'm doing great. I know what restriction is now! I had one little episode of a 8oz slim fast I'd made for breakfast ending up in a PB episode, but it wasn't bad... just slime in my mouth ... walked it off... thank God! I'm learning what my soft stops are ... for me it is a pain in my left flank ... go figure! I also just have this voice in my head that says "DO NOT TAKE ONE MORE BITE". It's like I instinctually know not to take that extra bite or there is gonna be big consequences. I absolutely will not vomit unless I'm dying soooo ... hopefully I'm back on track to weight loss. Chelley

Jennifer - This has happened to me this week after my 2nd fill. I was trying to drink a slim fast for breakfast and I guess I just took too big a sip toward the end of the 8oz shake I'd made from powder. Before I knew it my burp was actually slim fast comming back up ... no pain.. just slime. I immediately stopped, walked around and thank goodness it hasn't happened again. However, Mom and Sister who were banded same day I was have both had the hard stop ... pain the chest with heaving because they have eaten too much or something that didn't want to pass through the band. Just hearing about it is enough to make me not wanna do it!!! Needless to say neither of them have repeated the experience! Chelley

I e-mailed Dr. Ortiz about my fill and asked what had happened to my 2.8cc fill I received on June 12th. When I went for the 2nd fill here in the USA they could only pull back 0.5 cc. As a nurse, I had concerns about my band possibly leaking! Dr. Ortiz e-mailed me back and told me that the VG bands sometimes disipate on the first fill. I followed up with another e-mail with medical questions and he answered that one too! Just wanted you guys to know that Dr. Ortiz is there for his patients via e-mail or cell phone. He e-mailed me back the very same day! I assure you, there are not many doctors in the USA who are so accomodating to their patients!