LaDonna a response to your questions - VERY LONG!

[Guest guest]

Hi LaDonna,I remember being right where you are now. I wanted to desperately to talk to someone who had gone to Dr. A and know about their experience. I called Nina and got the list of referrals and started calling people. I was so relieved to talk to real people I called about 20 of them and they all had good things to say. In fact, one of the girls I called was in the van headed to Mexicali for a fill and had her daughter and daughter-in-law with her and they were getting the band done. Too funny! I was definitely reassured this is what I wanted. I will try to keep this brief and I will send you my phone number in case you want to call too.I was trying to get my insurance Blue Cross Blue shield of North Dakota to approve my surgery, I

started the classes the Dr. here in North Dakota required, I saw the psychiatrist, dietitian, surgery coordinator and all. After 3 appeals my insurance still wouldn't cover. All the while I was researching Mexico Dr's. I started a spreadsheet of what each Dr. charged, the pros and the cons etc. Dr. Aceves was not the cheapest but he was definitely the most highly recommended. I wanted a Surgeon who performed lap band in a hospital not a clinic so that was a factor for me. I didn't research the sleeve so I can't give you any suggestions on that. I want to get pregnant in a year or less so I knew I wanted the band for it's flexibility. I want to be able to have an unfill if I need one when I'm pregnant, I want to be able to have a fill again when I'm gaining and know that I can get too much food in, reasons like that I went for the band. I was able to get financing through Dr. Aceves, something that

most US hospitals don't get involved in. Dr. Aceves takes on the tough cases, Jane M. on this board was denied lap band by 3 or 4 dr's because of her risk factors - blood clots, I believe - But Dr. Aceves agreed to take her case. Only a Dr. that is confident that he won't have problems takes on high risk people. No Dr. wants bad publicity. Mexico Dr.'s know they have to work 10x as hard to get a good reputation with US patients. They know that if they screw up 1,000 people will know, not just a few. So after talking to Dr. Aceves patients on the phone I set a date and had my surgery done.There is not a single day in a years time that I'm not grateful for my band. That is not to say there aren't days I wish I didn't have a band. Like when my husband sinks his teeth into a big juicy bacon cheeseburger. But I have come to realize that I will take weighing 94 lbs less than I used to over that greesy

hamburger that probably doesn't taste near as good as it looks. Things I will tell you to look out for... Mexico Dr.'s that are the cheapest, don't go strictly on cost, do your research, see that Dr. Aceves has an impeccable reputation too! Mexico Dr.'s that perform surgery in their "clinic", make sure that you go to a Dr. that works in a hospital that is equipped to handle an emergency should one arise. I have to say after all I have heard about the sleeve and the band, I would still chose the band. I can't get my "head" around something that will make you have a smaller stomach for life, with out some maintenance (fills) I don't understand how a sleeve works so make sure and do your own research, I have not research the sleeve, only what little has been talked about on this board, but I think if a gastric by-pass patient and stretch out that little bypass tummy, why can't you stretch out the little tummy that the sleeve

leaves you. I like that if I start to eat too much, I can get another fill and it helps me stop eating so much. Like I'm sure you have heard a million times, the band is a tool, it doesn't do all the work for you. Some people say they snack all the time and work against the band. I have had to deal with that too but I truely have enough restriction that even some snacking won't cause me to gain weight. You have to work the band, get fills when you need them, you need to work into the cost of the surgery, the cost of going back to Dr. A for fills, that is the safest place to get fills, not somewhere local. I thought I would go somewhere local to and I did for 2 fills but my last one I went back to Dr. A and I'm so glad that I did. I don't have any worries when I'm there, I know they want the best for me.I have had NO complications from the surgery. I had blood work done in the US about 4 months

after surgery because I was having heart palpations, it turned out to be nothing serious and nothing related to my band. The only side effect I have had from the band is losing 94lbs In June I quit my job, moved my family, started a new job I knew nothing about and was very stressed. The stress caused me to be too tight during that time, if I would have budgeted for fills I would have had an unfill during that time but I managed to get through that month on mostly liquids and didn't have any problems, I just didn't have the quality of life I would have liked during that time, but who does in the middle of all that. When I have my period every month, I get tighter then normal. I have learned to deal with that and watch what I eat during that week. You will definately have a time in this journey that you deal with your emotions rather than eating them away. That is tougher than you think. I have to "play

games" with my head hunger and ask myself if I need a drink or to eat, am I really hungry and then stand there and figure out if that is head hunger or real hunger, I have taken up crocheting to keep my hands busy and not eat all the time. There is so much support on this board that when I have questions or concerns they are all here for me, or when I had a victory that no one else would understand they are all here for me. I'm sorry that I talked so long, please keep asking questions and reading posts and continue your research until you feel at peace with your desicion.Best of luck, CyrenaDOB: 1/19/07240/146/150 Re: My Funny NSV Yesterday3 fills - 1.9cc's in 4cc band.

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Hi my name is LaDonna

I looking to have the band or possiable the sleeve? How have you enjoyed having this done

now almost 1 year later? Why did you choose this Dr. as to a Us hospital? Have you had

complications related the surgery itself. Anything else in the way of heads up for me to

beware of. I could really use some answers from a patient; former patient. Thank you

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