ARIZONA FILLS WITH FLUORO?

[angelarias]

HI ALL:

Dr. Berger in Flagstaff does fills for patients banded abroad. I think the charge is $225 WITH FLUORO. Does anyone know if he is indeed skillful?

Only Dr. Ortiz from Mexico and Wendy from Mesa have done my fills and they never have poked or missed the band port. Has Berger does hundreds of fills or has he done thousands of fills? DOES ANYONE KNOW? I don't need to know about his surgical competence-I want to know about his "fill" competence. Can anyone help me on this one?

For newbies or long-termers out there, always try to use a fill provider that has done at least a thousand band fills. . You need to ask the person that is ACTUALLY DOING YOUR FILL what his/her individual experience is.

I have talked to Berger's nurse and of course she gave him a glowing review. Problem is--I don't know of anyone that has used him for fills. His reviews on obesityhelp.com write nothing about his fill skill.

If anyone knows of affordable prices with fluoro in Arizona updated for 2009 please post them. The only one I know of in the reasonable range is Dr. Berger for $225.

Cheers,

Angel

Banded July 2004/Drs. Ortiz/Martinez Tijuana,Mexico

260 starting weight/250 surgery weight/200 plus or minus 5 pounds current weight

50 percent weight loss attained/goal weight 135-140

I have 6cc's in a 9.75cm (4cc) Lap Band. I am hoping to be at goal 135-140 in a year! Thanks for the encouragement all of you have provided me! LONG TERM BANDSTERS WORLD-WIDE, SHARE YOUR BAND SUCCESSES AND YOUR BAND SORROWS!

[flaggirl]

I have used Dr. Berger for all of my fills so far, and have been very pleased. All fills are done under fluro. at TASC (outpatient surgical center attached to Flagstaff Medical Center). The nurse there told me that he does MANY Mexican band patients. The cost is $250 for TASC and you will have to pay when you get there. I'm not exactly sure if there is a bill from Berger also?

He uses a local anesthetic at the port site before the fill. It feels like a little pinch, but the fill itself is painless. The last fill I had was with the PA, and he wasn't as slick, but it went just fine.

I don't know how many fills Berger has done, but I was very satisfied with the whole thing. As much as I would love to return to the OCC for follow up, it just isn't possible now due to time off work, expense for travel, and just plain inconvenient. I would recommend him without reservation.

Hope that helps.

[snowbird]

If you are interested in driving to Mexicali, which is not Arizona but a whole lot closer than Tijuana, Dr Aceves will do fills on other doctors'patients. He is very good, and told me he was a good friend of Dr Ortiz. He does fluoro and works out of the AlMater Hospital, which is close to the border. Like Tijuana, you can park in Calexico and walk across the border. He charged me $69 last time, because I told him I was a member of the Arizona Bandster Lunch group, which is just a bunch of us who get together for lunch from time to time--no membership dues required!

[angelarias]

Hi there:

Thanks for the advice.

I don't mind traveling to get a fill. Unfortunately, plane and long car rides and stress make my band tighter and I'm unable to get a "proper fill."

I don't like that DR. berger has to numb the area before a fill--the logic being is that if one is good at fills, they could do them blindfolded and without numbing the area. He does them with fluoro and has to numb the area? Hmmmfff. Does Dr. Aldriedge have to numb the area also?

Flaggirl and all others out there who get "stuck" with the doc's nurse or physician assistant to get your fills--if you are unsure about their "fill ability" just refuse to get a fill. I've known no less than 5 bandsters who had a port leak because of inexperienced fill providers.

To all Phoenicians out there, Fill Centers USA is opening an office on 40th st and mcdowell this saturday. I don't use fill centers but they told me that "vera medical" (i couldn't find their phone number) will be doing fills on 4040 east mcdowell. fillcentersusa.com is opening a fill center in peoria. they are pushing an annual membership plan that is $1300 and includes 6 fills I think. THEY DON'T USE FLUORO YET--BOO...

All the best,

Angel