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Fill Centers USA - New Orleans I went to the New Orleans fill center on May 12, 2010. I was apprehensive about going there because they only take appointments 1 time a month starting at 3 pm. This worried me that they were not experienced. Also, I was told they just started using flouro (in April I think). I saw Dr. Scharmaine Lawson-Baker. The cost was $349 for the first fill centers USA visit, and $100 to Dr. Baker for flouro. The flouro is not optional, but I wanted it so that was fine. The location and appearance of the office was fine. Dr. Baker was pleasant. I gave her my surgery report. She used the flouro only to locate the port, she does not use the barium at all. She got it in the port on the first stick. She told me she was going to put in .25cc and she would possibly go up to .5cc, and that was the recommended amount for a first fill. I said, "Even in an 11cc band?" She said yes. I was upset about this because it would make sense to me if I only had a 4 cc band to do small fills, but was thinking that would be nothing in my 11 cc band. She put some in and I felt absolutely nothing, she was using a 2cc syringe, so she put in all of the 2 ccs. I still felt absolutely nothing. She had me sit up and drink some water, still I felt nothing different. She said that was all she was comfortable putting in and I should try it out for two weeks and call her if I have trouble. I called her office a little over a week later and told her I still felt nothing different. She made me an appt for Monday, May 24th, and told me to call fill centers and have them get an approval. I paid $165 to fill centers USA for the second visit. This time she wanted to do it at her regular office and there was no flouro machine there, but she said my port was easy to locate. I went to her office, she tried to locate the port for the fill, but after a couple of minutes, she asked if I minded going to the other office to use the flouro. She told me she would not charge me the $100 for the flouro because she really thought she would be able to locate the port. We went to the other office, only about a mile away and used the flouro to locate the port. She got it on the first try. She put in 1cc more and I still felt nothing. Then 2cc more, still nothing. Then 3cc more for a total of 5. I still didn't really feel anything different. I sat up and drank some water, it went down fine. The doctor and I decided we didn't want to put any more in. I said I would just try out 5 ccs for a while, because I didn't want to get too much. I left the office and drank a bottle of water, then a small bottle of Gatorade. It was fine. I do like the fill doctor in New Orleans, although I would have rather went back to OCC, because I feel that i would be more comfortable with them, due to their experience at doing fills. I just didn't have airfare money. Dr. Baker is a pleasant person and does seem to care about patients. Also, she is only an hour or so drive from where I live. I do believe this will cause me to have to get more fills than someone who goes back to OCC though, so in the long run, it would have been more cost effective to go back to OCC for fills. I am going to schedule another fill, but I am considering driving to Roswell, GA Fill Centers location (8 hours away) instead of driving 1 hour to New Orleans. I have read good reviews about the Roswell, GA location, and I believe they use barium. Its just with all that I have already spent, that would cost me a couple hundred more by the time I drive there and get a hotel. So I may just go back to New Orleans.

I wondered if everyone would be willing to share their "Sweet Spot" number. (Be sure to say whether you have a 4cc or 11cc band). I currently have 5 cc in an 11cc band, and am not at my sweet spot. I am not feeling restriction. I have had 2 fills. The provider used flouro, but no barium. I think she was inexperienced, because I have an 11cc band and she wanted to give me .25cc for my first fill!!!! I was extremely irritated because I had paid $450 already for my first Fill Centers USA visit ($350 initial fee, $100 for flouro). She did go ahead and give me 2ccs because I was irritated about it. Then I went back to her 2 weeks later and got another 3cc, for a total of 5cc. But I already know that I need another fill. I am debating on going back to her or traveling to Roswell, GA where they use the barium and have decent reviews as opposed to no reviews at all. I have been reading tons of posts, and it seems to me that a lot of people on here have right around 8cc in an 11cc band, for good restriction. I do realize that each person's "sweet spot" will vary. I have been losing about 1 lb a week, but can eat 2/3 of what I used to eat and I want to cut that to 1/3 of what I used to eat. I have been exercising on an elliptical for 30 minutes a day as well, and doing weights on my legs and arms too. (Can't do abs, not 3 months post op yet).

I requested my surgery report, since I am getting my first fill soon. I got it today and it does say it is 11cc. So I got the Johnson & Johnson SAGB BD3XV. If the US docs try to tell me something else, I will know they are mistaken, and I have a report to show them!

That is great! 12 lbs from goal!!! Can't wait til I get there. I was just banded 1 month ago, so it will be a while. But I started working out daily last week and hope to lengthen the workout as time goes on. Congratulations!

I was banded on March 23, 2010 and I am 4 weeks post-op. I don't feel any restriction at all. At first I was chewing and chewing my food and worried that I would swallow something too big, but I tried chewing and swallowing like I used to and nothing happened. I am still eating the way I am supposed to and not drinking with my food. I am barely eating. Sometimes I am hungry but I have been sticking to 3 low calorie very very small meals. I didn't loose any weight in the last week and last week I started exercising too, daily. 30 minutes on the elliptical a day. I hope this will change when I get my first fill in 3 weeks. Please let me know if anyone else experienced this and if it is common.

I don't know if this will help or not, but I do think that the US uses a different version than Mexico. The reason I believe that is that my card says Johnson & Johnson SAGB VC, which when I searched on google, it uses J&J and Realize Band interchangeably, like they are the same thing. Then I went back to the OCC website ( http://www.obesitycontrolcenter.com/surgery.php ) and it says they use 2 types of bands, the Lap Band and the Realize. So I assumed, I have a realize band. I went to the realize website and tried to register for the "Realize My Success" website and it wanted the dr name and state, but it wouldn't let me pick Mexico, so my registration was limited, because they couldn't verify with the doctor that I have a realize band. So I called to tell them that my dr was in Mexico and wouldn't let me select that option. She told me that in Mexico they use a band that is not available in the US and it is the Swedish Band, not a US Realize band, so I could not get full access to the realize my success website. So I emailed Carolyn and she said "You do have a Johnson & Johnson Realize C band. In Mexico, the J & J Realize band is calles the SAGB - C band. It is the same band." I don't know if it is 10cc or 11cc but I do intend to ask because I am getting my first fill in 3 weeks. I also think most providers that I have talked to in the US have an attitude about people who went to Mexico, like it is sub-standard or something. But I researched it before I did it and I believe Dr. Ortiz trained a lot of US doctors. Trained them!!! And some of them refuse to do a fill on a patient that he banded!

I am going to New Orleans for a fill in May and wondered if anyone else has used that location. It is a fill centers USA. I am a bit worried about it because when I first looked New Orleans did not use flouro this was around March 1, 2010, so I was going to go to St. Petersburg, but then I was looking at fillcentersusa.com again around April 10th and it said New Orleans uses the flouro now. So I called to make my appointment. (This is my first fill ever). Anyway I was told they only make appointments one day a month, so I said I will take it, no matter what time it is at, but I prefer the earliest time available. Then they called me back and said that they start at 3 so I got a 3:00 appt. Anyway, this sounds a little weird to me. Only 1 day a month and it starts at 3:00????? I hope this goes well, and this is an experienced provider.

I just wanted to share my experience so far, as it relates to the conversation. I didn't ask or know what brand I was getting at the OCC. I assumed that Dr. Ortiz is a gastric band expert as he trains others and I believe he was part of the trials before they ever started doing it on people. (I believe I read that in the "Lap-Band For Life" book). Anyway, back to more relevant stuff....When I got home and looked at the patient ID card and saw that it was a J&J band, I thought, OMG! I assumed it would be a Lap-Band, and some providers I called actually said they would not fill a J&J band, and some said they would not see me just because it was done in Mexico. But I started doing some research on my own, and this is my opinion as to why the doctor MAY have chosen a J&J for me: I had a 35 BMI, but had a previous tummy tuck, so a perfectly flat stomach, and 65 lbs to lose. I read, and I'm not sure it is a fact, but I read that a Realize J&J band has a shorter port. What I mean by shorter is that when you lose the weight, it will be less likely to stick out and make a bump on your stomach. I would like to discuss the differences with Dr. Ortiz and maybe sometime I will email or something, but I am just trusting that he knows what he is doing. Did you ever get to talk to him? Hopefully he resolved all your questions. I am only 3 weeks post-op and I won't have the money for a trip back to the OCC, so I will be getting a fill at the fill centers usa. I have chosen to only use a provider who uses flouro, because I have read horror stories about getting a hole poked in the tube or port messed up from a blind fill. But I have read posts on this site as well as others about getting a 5 and 6 cc fill on the first time. Probably not for everyone though, because I have seen some who said they felt restriction at 1.5cc. Good Luck! Just remembered - "Lower Profile" was the term used.

I went to Tijuana on 03/22/2010 and the border crossing was very easy, especially to get in to Mexico. We had the driver from OCC pick us up at the airport and then take us back to the airport. On the way back the lines are really long, but with the OCC van you get in the bus line, which is much shorter. It was easy and there were no problems.

My surgery was done on a Tuesday and on Thursday I flew from San Diego to New Orleans, and then another hour ride in the car to get home. It was fine. The pain pills they give you are nice, because they aren't too strong and they dissolve under your tongue. You only get like 4 though, but there are pharmacies everywhere and you could go get another box without a prescription or anything. I took one right before flying, but really the discomfort was very mild anyway, and I probably would have done fine without any pain med.

I'm glad all went well for you. I also have terrible anxiety and almost talked myself out of the procedure. But I too have some little pills that help. And thank God they gave me that sublingual one just before hand too. I am wondering about the pain though. I have burning, like acid (which I didn't have before) and lots of soreness. Especially getting up from a laying position. I may call tomorrow morning, just in case and make sure it is all normal.

Today is my last day in Tijuana. We went to the Revolution Street Market (shopping street similiar to the Old Strip in Vegas or Bourbon Street in New Orleans). Lots of souvineers. It was fun, but you have to barter. I would rather just see a price tag and take it or leave it. The Lucerna provides 2 bottles of water per day, when they clean your room and they have a restaraunt in the hotel that my husband likes a lot. He has brought me up some tea and stuff from there. They do have a coffee pot in the room and I brought some boullion cubes and made broth a few times. Everywhere we have been sells bottled water, even restaraunts. We went back to the Mexican restaraunt diagonal to the hotel, it is called Casa de Mole, and I had the chicken broth. It was so yummy! Most everyone can understand english here but I also put the Spanish translator on my iPhone and it did come in handy today at the restaraunt to say "clear liquid diet" so they gave me the soup without the chicken and rice in it. This is unbelievable since it was just soup, but I feel like I ate way to much of it. And I was eating it slowly.

Pre -op tests for me were blood test, which is why they need u fasting, meeting with nutritionist, ekg, and lung test (blowing in a tube 1 time). That part went fast.

I am in Tijuana now. I had all my pre-op tests today and I am good to have the surgery tomorrow. I was worried because Friday I went to the urgent care back home and had a UTI, so I am on anti-biotics for that. I was afraid I wasn't going to be able to do the surgery. Then today, I had a surprise monthly visitor during my flight to San Diego. How wonderful. :-( I am sure you know about the airplane bathrooms.....can barely get in let alone do anything in there. So that was a bummer, thought I had another 3-4 days before that would happen. I am staying at the Lucerna, and I really like it. There is a wonderful Mexican restaraunt diagonally across the street, next to a pharmacy. The best food ever!!! Our favorite food ever is fajitas, and theirs were awesome. I didn't care for the tortilla soup, I thought it tasted like ravioli. I am not a big guacamole person, but theirs was amazing! I have only eaten it once before and liked it. Then across the street there is a convenience store, and we got some gatorade, bottled water, drinkable yogurt, they have normal convenience store stuff there. And all the places we have been will convert the price to US dollars if you want and u can pay with US dollars. Just as an example at the Mexican restaraunt we had 1 order fajitas, tortilla soup, 2 bottled waters, 2 beers, and they brought chicken broth(that comes with a meal)and some kind of desert too. The US total was 16.42! I think we will go back again after the band and I will have that chicken broth. It does have some chicken and rice other stuff in it but I will just take the broth (it was mostly broth anyway). There is a Dominos across the street from here, if anyone's husband is interested in that. I saw a Office Depot down the street. Watch out for the drivers when walking though, they are crazy! My experience so far here has been nice but I am terrified of surgery! I have panic disorder and terrible anxiety, and I am just so scared about it. I am hoping that I will see others at the clinic tomorrow and they can help me get excited rather than terrified. I really liked Dr. Miranda, and the other staff were nice too. I haven't met Dr. Ortiz yet. The hotel staff seem very eager to please and help out with where places are and whatever you need. So I am pleased with the hotel. And they have free wireless internet in the room. I am a little disappointed that there is no refrigerator or microwave, but I plan to use the coffee pot to get hot water for my boullion cubes. Most everyone we come in contact with can speak English, but some is not so good, so you have to rephrase and do the best you can. But the hotel staff all seem to speak English well. Well any words of encouragement would be greatly appreciated and I will post again as soon as I can.

You won't find a loving supportive husband if you stick with the non supportive jerk. Sorry to be blunt, but I have been there and after letting go of the jerk, I now have the relationship and husband I always wanted, but never thought was possible.

I had a friend who had wonderful radiant skin (on his face) and I wondered how it could be so nice. He is around 55 yrs old, and I am 34, anyway one day he mentioned that he takes MSM for joint trouble but that it makes your skin nice too. So thinking I finally had his secret, I went out that day and got some and after about 3 days of it I had wonderful facial skin too! I used to have an acne problem and now if I forget to take it for a while the acne comes back. I take 4000mg per day (which is what he told me he took). You can get capsules or powder. I like to put powder in orange juice to drink it every morning. Anyway, I loved it so much I bought some cream, like a lotion in a little jar. I had a breast lift surgery and after the incisions closed, I put it on the incisions and at my month check up, both the Dr and his nurse commented on how my scars were the best they had ever seen at 1 month. I love it, and I will continue to use it and if it helps with saggy skin too, then that will be great! Also, I know they sell a powder for horses like at a feed store, and this man said his wife puts it in her bath water for softer skin. I thought, what the heck, I'll try that too. And it does seem to make your skin really nice.

I was curious, how much weight have u lost post op? I am on my pre-op diet and so far have lost 8 lbs (surgery date 03/23/10), but I am hoping all the liquids will make me lose more!

I started my pre-op diet 3 days ago. WOW! The first two days were rough but today was better. I am getting excited but am still scared!

This is my first time to make a blog. But I was wondering if anyone will be in Tijuana at OCC on that date? I am nervous and excited. Very scared. I want to be thin and free from this extra weight! I can't wait til I can feel like an airplane seat is big enough. I like to travel, but I HATE sitting next to people! And I want to put on a slinky black dress, and buy cute clothes and shoes! When I am overweight I wear dumpy clothes and shoes, because I just want to be invisible. I want to live my life in color again! Also, I don't know if anyone out there agrees with me on this, but it is so much easier to exercise when you are carrying less weight. It takes so much more effort when there is more weight, not to mention the fact that skinny people look more comfortable at the gym than me. Anyway I plan to start taking pictures now and maybe a new one every month of my journey, and I am going to keep a diary and food chart and a weight chart! Also does anyone know of things I should absolutely do in Tijuana? And does anyone know how the Marriott is? I am thinking I will chose that hotel, but I am not sure. Wish me luck!!!

I am going to have my surgery on 03/23/2010, and I am very scared about the diets and feeding kids as well! I have 2 at home and my husbands kids will be coming for spring break for one of my pre-op dieting weeks, which will be hard, because we normally try to do a lot and eat out a lot while we have them, so that is going to be a challenge. But I did want to mention that I was told on the first week post op when it is clear liquid you can drink Isopure Protein drink (available online at amazon or a local GNC). The protein will help with hunger. Best of luck! Please let me know how your experience goes with the surgery.

I have not been banded yet, my date is March 23, 2010. But I would like to say that in previous attempts to lose weight, I kept a food journal. And if you be really honest when you do it, as you are writing you are thinking "what the hell am I doing?" I know I have sabotaged myself in the past but you could consider a food journal and keep yourself aware every single day of what you are eating. I did lose 60 lbs by eating healthier at one point, but it all came back. I have emotional eating. And I need to control it. I hope all goes well for you and wish you the best!