Being Realistic?

[scubadot]

Hi Everybody,

My name is Dottie and I just scheduled my surgery for August 24 with Dr. Ortiz. I live in the Cayman Islands and work as a scuba instructor/divemaster. My plan is to fly home to my Mom's in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina on August 20, and then fly to San Diego on August 23 and have the surgery on the 24. I will remain in the States until Oct 19... and fly back to the Caymans. I am staying in the States for so long to give myself plenty of time to heal and get the liquid phase out of the way and be on regular foods before I return to the Caymans. I am planning on flying back to San Diego approx. 6 weeks after surgery for my first fill with OCC around Oct. 8-12. Once I return to the Caymans... I will probably have to fly to Tampa to one of the Fill Centers for any other follow-ups.

Am I being realistic in thinking I won't have to fly to Tampa very often for fills or adjustments? For one... the airfare will be a big hurt on my pocketbook... plus having to request additional time off for the Tampa visits. Is having 1-2 additional fills in a year feasible? How many of you out there have had your follow-up fill in TJ and find you still have to have multiple fills or unfills in the months following?

Am I going to be able to do this and make it work?! :-?

I am so excited, but so scared also.

Thanks so much for listening to me!

Dottie

[PAMMIE]

Hi Everybody,

My name is Dottie and I just scheduled my surgery for August 24 with Dr. Ortiz. I live in the Cayman Islands and work as a scuba instructor/divemaster. My plan is to fly home to my Mom's in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina on August 20, and then fly to San Diego on August 23 and have the surgery on the 24. I will remain in the States until Oct 19... and fly back to the Caymans. I am staying in the States for so long to give myself plenty of time to heal and get the liquid phase out of the way and be on regular foods before I return to the Caymans. I am planning on flying back to San Diego approx. 6 weeks after surgery for my first fill with OCC around Oct. 8-12. Once I return to the Caymans... I will probably have to fly to Tampa to one of the Fill Centers for any other follow-ups.

Am I being realistic in thinking I won't have to fly to Tampa very often for fills or adjustments? For one... the airfare will be a big hurt on my pocketbook... plus having to request additional time off for the Tampa visits. Is having 1-2 additional fills in a year feasible? How many of you out there have had your follow-up fill in TJ and find you still have to have multiple fills or unfills in the months following?

Am I going to be able to do this and make it work?! :-?

I am so excited, but so scared also.

Thanks so much for listening to me!

Dottie

CONGRATULATIONS DOTTIE ON YOUR SURGERY BEING SCHEDULED!!! I WENT BACK TO MX TWICE FOR FILLS AND HAD ONE LOCALY. I SEEM TO BE AT A PRETTY GOOD SPOT RIGHT NOW. I HAD SURGERY IN AUG. HOPE THAT HELPS

[barbflorida]

I was banded Nov 30th and went to MX for my first fill on Jan 13. I just had my second fill in Tampa about 2 weeks ago and wish I had gone back to MX. I made sure they had Fluoro but she didn't use it the same way they did in MX and she overfilled me on a Friday and I was okay Friday and part of Saturday then it just seemed like everything closed off by Sunday, so another 2 1/2 hours each way to Tampa on Monday to have some saline removed. I feel great now, but paying extra for her to use the fluoroscope to look at it and then put me on the table and basically do a blind stick was kind of stupid. St. Pete also has fluoro but when the time comes for another fill, I am going to make sure I am VERY clear on how they do it, if it's not the way it's done in MX, I'll make the trip back to the clinic. That has been the only problem that I've had since the surgery and it was handled and I am back to feeling great!

Don't be scared Dottie, they are absolutely awesome in Mexico, Dr. Ortiz and his staff are the absolute best! I was worried about it and kept researching for almost a year, the only regret I have is that I waited as long as I did.