My questions

[hopeful1]

My questions are these: How long does it take from the time you start the process (Submit the inquiry form) until you have a surgery date? How many weeks pre-op are you doing the modified diet? How many days before and after surgery are you there? Is there anyone post-op who would agree to be a buddy to be able to ask questions to and get advice from? Thanks in advance!

[chrissysdolphin]

My questions are these: How long does it take from the time you start the process (Submit the inquiry form) until you have a surgery date? How many weeks pre-op are you doing the modified diet? How many days before and after surgery are you there? Is there anyone post-op who would agree to be a buddy to be able to ask questions to and get advice from? Thanks in advance!

hopeful, once you turn in your forms (I faxed mine) and give them the $500 they can make the appoitment right there. I called on the 1st of may and am going in for surgery on thursday. If you call Dr Miranda she will work with you I started my diet 2 weeks before the surgery. I am going down there tommorrow for the blood work, have the surgery on thursday spend the night in the hospital, friday stay at the hotel the have medical staff there and then go home on saturday. It is the best thing I am so excited and this form will give you tuns of advise just ask. good luck C.

[armynurseb]

you can set up surgery for any time m-f you want, if it is set for a monday the they do the preop test same day as surgery if any other day then the day beofre surgery, yo stay in town for a total of 72 hours. and once paper turned in you start preop diet a week unless you have ahigh bmi then the dietian will review that with you before surgery and they must recieve payment a least 1 week before surgery too. you can also call them they are great at answering questions by phone. emailing questions is a little slow on responses. i have surgery scheduled for monday june 5 and counting down. I would be will to answer other questions you have. armynurseb

[Chelley]

My questions are these: How long does it take from the time you start the process (Submit the inquiry form) until you have a surgery date? How many weeks pre-op are you doing the modified diet? How many days before and after surgery are you there? Is there anyone post-op who would agree to be a buddy to be able to ask questions to and get advice from? Thanks in advance!

Hopeful -

I can only speak for my experience with Dr. Ortiz. From the night I filled out the online request for information to the time I had surgery was 2 weeks and it could have been sooner, but I couldn't get plane tickets that fast! I used a calendar to write down all the stuff that had to be done on deadline since I was dealing with such a short time frame. My pre-op diet started 1 week before surgery. Dr. Ortiz requires a telephone consult with Dr. Miranda, the nutritionist before starting this diet. Dr. Miranda can modify the diet to meet any particular needs you may have. I could have chosen a low fat diet vs. the salad and shakes, but opted to do salad and shakes because I wanted to make sure my belly fat shrank for a safe, easy laproscopic procedure. I arrived on Monday and had the pre-op workup, surgery on Tuesday, discharged on Wed, flew home on Thursday. For a detailed recount of my experience, go to the "Newly Banded" section of the forum and read "Banded April 2006". You'll find several people have posted their experience and it will give you a better idea of what to expect. I'd be glad to answer any questions you have. Also, Dr. Ortiz's book is very informative. I ordered mine from www.amazon.com and got it within a week.