kimmizing Posted October 11, 2007 Report Share Posted October 11, 2007 (edited) I got my first fill last Friday. Did not go to Ortiz in TJ. My bad!!!!! #-o I had a "blind" fill done locally because I was trying to save time and money rather than going to Dr. Ortiz in TJ. Dumb me! First fill last Friday cost $300. And that was for a physician's assistant to do it!! Not even the doctor!!! When I first called the office about getting fills, I asked tons of questions, one was "how many fills has the doctor done?" Their answer: "thousands"... Hmmm, yet, I got a PA. Maybe the PA's been doing fills for years too, but I still think I'm being over-charged! ((He was very nice, I'm not putting him down for being a PA. I'm just shocked that I was charged so much and I never even met the doctor!!))1.5 cc was put in at first because I was asked if I wanted to be agressive and I said "yes". A drink of water got stuck, so .5 cc's taken out. Was STARVING all weekend, and no restriction..... Flash forward 4 days to Tuesday. Went back to doctor for more... I was thinking .25 cc's or so... Ended up with another whole 1 cc!! Total = 2cc's. In the office, I felt fine. Water went down OK. Restricted, but not overly so. =D> Cost: Another $100!!!!!!!!!!!!! However, for the rest of the day, I wasn't able to swallow anything w/o PBing and sliming!! Now too restricted!! Can't even keep down water!! So, yet ANOTHER appointment tomorrow (Wednesday) morning to take some out at a cost of $50 . Total thus far for first fill = $450, and not sure if they'll get it right this time!!!!!!!!! So, who knows when this money pit and frustration will end!!?? When I first called this local doctor about fills, they told me the initial $300 was good for about 2 weeks of adjustments. LIARS!!!!!!!!! They keep charging me every single time!!! Saying too many patients "abused" getting fills and unfilled for holidays etc, so they charge everytime now. OMG!! What idiots! THIS WAS MY FIRST FRIGGIN FILL!!!! And they told me $300 would cover adjusting it for a couple of weeks!!!! I'M PISSED!!! ((Side note, the PA was impressed that my Lap Band surgeon -Ortiz- was the author of LAP BAND FOR LIFE, because they recommend that book to their patients!!)) This is ridiculous!! I should have gone to Ortiz in the first place!!!!!! It would have cost $100 for him to do my fill using flouro x-ray, $140 for r/t plane ticket, $130 for Ortiz's driver to pick me up and drop me off from San Diego to TJ and $85 for one night in hotel room. Total = $455 for friendly professional people I know and trust!!! Did I make a mistake? I don't know. But right now I'm kicking myself!! #-o Just took a sip of water and PB'd it up and slimed!!! A SIP OF WATER!!!!! I'll update tomorrow after my 3rd appointment. Maybe I'm just cranky because "Aunt Flow" just arrived today!!! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Starting weight: 7/01/2007; 235 lbs 33.7 BMI Surgery weight: 8/13/2007; 224 lbs 32.1 BMI Current weight: 10/09/2007; 204 lbs 29.3 BMI Goal weight: May/1/2008; 159 lbs 22.8 BMI 1st fill: 10/05/07 1cc then 10/9/07 1cc = 2cc total OVER RESTRICTED!! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Edited October 11, 2007 by kimmizing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pamela Posted November 1, 2007 Report Share Posted November 1, 2007 That sucks!! I wouldn't get a fill without Fluro because they can see exactly how tight it should be. You are spending way to much money on these "blind" adjustments. I hope they get it right this time!! Good luck to you and call around to find someone who uses fluro. I am paying $250 for a fill with fluro in Dallas Texas administered by the doctor. Well, good luck and hang in there!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clynn Posted November 1, 2007 Report Share Posted November 1, 2007 So far I've paid $375 for fills with flouro and $150 for blind fills in the US. You are being way overcharged and they are being irresponsible by putting such a huge amount in blind when you came back for the 2nd adjustment. Blind fills are fine but you have to have a pretty good idea what you can handle and it's best to be conservative as being overfilled will do much more damage than being underfilled. I certainly would not recommend one the first time out. Find a lap-band support group in your area, they'll tell you who the good fill doctors are and who to avoid. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
minnie Posted November 3, 2007 Report Share Posted November 3, 2007 I got my first fill last Friday. Did not go to Ortiz in TJ. My bad!!!!! #-o I had a "blind" fill done locally because I was trying to save time and money rather than going to Dr. Ortiz in TJ. Dumb me! First fill last Friday cost $300. And that was for a physician's assistant to do it!! Not even the doctor!!! When I first called the office about getting fills, I asked tons of questions, one was "how many fills has the doctor done?" Their answer: "thousands"... Hmmm, yet, I got a PA. Maybe the PA's been doing fills for years too, but I still think I'm being over-charged! ((He was very nice, I'm not putting him down for being a PA. I'm just shocked that I was charged so much and I never even met the doctor!!))1.5 cc was put in at first because I was asked if I wanted to be agressive and I said "yes". A drink of water got stuck, so .5 cc's taken out. Was STARVING all weekend, and no restriction..... Flash forward 4 days to Tuesday. Went back to doctor for more... I was thinking .25 cc's or so... Ended up with another whole 1 cc!! Total = 2cc's. In the office, I felt fine. Water went down OK. Restricted, but not overly so. =D> Cost: Another $100!!!!!!!!!!!!! However, for the rest of the day, I wasn't able to swallow anything w/o PBing and sliming!! Now too restricted!! Can't even keep down water!! So, yet ANOTHER appointment tomorrow (Wednesday) morning to take some out at a cost of $50 . Total thus far for first fill = $450, and not sure if they'll get it right this time!!!!!!!!! So, who knows when this money pit and frustration will end!!?? When I first called this local doctor about fills, they told me the initial $300 was good for about 2 weeks of adjustments. LIARS!!!!!!!!! They keep charging me every single time!!! Saying too many patients "abused" getting fills and unfilled for holidays etc, so they charge everytime now. OMG!! What idiots! THIS WAS MY FIRST FRIGGIN FILL!!!! And they told me $300 would cover adjusting it for a couple of weeks!!!! I'M PISSED!!! ((Side note, the PA was impressed that my Lap Band surgeon -Ortiz- was the author of LAP BAND FOR LIFE, because they recommend that book to their patients!!)) This is ridiculous!! I should have gone to Ortiz in the first place!!!!!! It would have cost $100 for him to do my fill using flouro x-ray, $140 for r/t plane ticket, $130 for Ortiz's driver to pick me up and drop me off from San Diego to TJ and $85 for one night in hotel room. Total = $455 for friendly professional people I know and trust!!! Did I make a mistake? I don't know. But right now I'm kicking myself!! #-o Just took a sip of water and PB'd it up and slimed!!! A SIP OF WATER!!!!! I'll update tomorrow after my 3rd appointment. Maybe I'm just cranky because "Aunt Flow" just arrived today!!! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Starting weight: 7/01/2007; 235 lbs 33.7 BMI Surgery weight: 8/13/2007; 224 lbs 32.1 BMI Current weight: 10/09/2007; 204 lbs 29.3 BMI Goal weight: May/1/2008; 159 lbs 22.8 BMI 1st fill: 10/05/07 1cc then 10/9/07 1cc = 2cc total OVER RESTRICTED!! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Sorry this happened to you. I think some of the health care workers are jumping on the money wagon and maybe feel that it is only a port and that they can do the fill. Go to someone that do flouro x-ray. I just had my first fill and Iwent to a Dr. that do all the fills under flouro. It cost 375, but I have had no problems and I got 2.5cc for my first fill. Minnie : ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frostys3 Posted November 6, 2007 Report Share Posted November 6, 2007 That sucks!! I wouldn't get a fill without Fluro because they can see exactly how tight it should be. You are spending way to much money on these "blind" adjustments. I hope they get it right this time!! Good luck to you and call around to find someone who uses fluro. I am paying $250 for a fill with fluro in Dallas Texas administered by the doctor. Well, good luck and hang in there!! Hello Pamela. I also go to a doctor in Dallas and have my fills done for $250. His name is Dr. Jay at Medical City is that were you go? I'm from Hugo, just about 2 Hours away from his office. Let me know I'd love to compare notes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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