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Does Inamed make different bands for export?


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Received a report from a friend;

the doctor said the band looked beautifully placed. they showed me xrays of other bands...the bands placed in the US have a much larger port opening and are almost opaque and show up bright on the scan. they showed me 2 other mexico band xrays and the port opening is significantly smaller and the band doesn't glow like the US placed ones. this confuses me since they supposedly are all inamed bands.

Just curious if anyone else has been told this when getting a fill in the US. Do bands placed in Mexico differ from bands placed in the US? Perhaps Inamed makes different bands for export?

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We only use Inamed bands, we do use the low profile port - so it is less obvious or intrusive - maybe that's the difference?

I did not know there were different options for the ports. That could explain the difference. I proudly carry my band card in my wallet with the serial number, so I have no doubt it is an Inamed band.

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I would also question if they were all Inamed/Allergan bands. There are other European bands and in my research I even heard rumors of some of the less expensive docs fashioning their own. These are different than the Inamed bands and are not approved in the US by the FDA. I think this is one of the reasons US doctors are reluctant to even do fills if your band was not placed in the US. It's also a reason to not just shop for price when looking for a surgeon, expenses are going to be cut somewhere . IMO, when you consider experience, quality of care, want to ensure you get an Inamed band, and then price, there is no better place than OCC and Dr. Ortiz.

Roger

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actually, i was probably the bandster that told Greg about my experience with US fill doc telling me the port was very small and somewhat difficult to see. since that time, i have researched this some on the internet and as far as i can tell, inamed does make a "low profile port"... apparently the port is dime sized versus quarter sized. this is desirable since it makes for a less visible port once your abdomen gets nice and flat.

oh yeah, and here's just one more reason EVERYONE should use OCC... tonight i was reading on other message boards that the US docs are charging an extra $700 if you request the low profile port that Ortiz places STANDARD in his patients!

=D> Yay, Dr. Ortiz!

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actually, i was probably the bandster that told Greg about my experience with US fill doc telling me the port was very small and somewhat difficult to see. since that time, i have researched this some on the internet and as far as i can tell, inamed does make a "low profile port"... apparently the port is dime sized versus quarter sized. this is desirable since it makes for a less visible port once your abdomen gets nice and flat.

oh yeah, and here's just one more reason EVERYONE should use OCC... tonight i was reading on other message boards that the US docs are charging an extra $700 if you request the low profile port that Ortiz places STANDARD in his patients!

=D> Yay, Dr. Ortiz!

Yes, Kristi was my source. Anyway, good to know we get an upgraded port at no extra charge!

Hope your weight loss is continuing well, Kristi. Also, great photo!

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  • 2 weeks later...

Hi everyone, I had my surgery Jan. 4th and have been shopping around Iowa for a fill Dr. (since I don't have the time to go back to TJ for the 1st fill) anyway, since everyone is talking about prices and port size I thought I would share this with you, I called a Dr's office near me and asked prices and they said it would be $300+ for the initial consult (depending on how much time they actually spend w/ me) then the fill is $385 each time. Well, I thought that was kind of expensive, so called another Dr's office and got prices, the office charges $150/fill, (not bad) but then you have to pay the hospital where the fill is done under fleuro, so I called there and about had a heart attack when told the price, it is $3000 :wacko: for each fill, not $300 - $3000!!!??, this is b/c it is such a new procedure and basicly no one in IA does it, so they think they can charge whatever they want. Well, needless to say I am not going to that office for my fill. Just thought I would share this story with everyone. :D

Kellie/Iowa (the state where it is cheap to live, but not cheap to get a fill)

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