happygirl02 Posted October 2, 2008 Report Share Posted October 2, 2008 i'm now 10 weeks in and really need my first fill. had a doctor lined up in calgary (dr. decouteaux) but as of NOW, he is not taking on any more mexico patients. this totally sucks! also was told dr. mitchell in calgary does them, but he also is no longer taking mexican patients. i am in manitoba and there is just no way i can afford to fly all the way to tj (700 bucks flight only) for my fills. does anyone have any docs out there for me to try?! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
julieburns Posted October 2, 2008 Report Share Posted October 2, 2008 I have no help for you unless you want to come to Salem OR, about 1 hour from Portland. You could stay with me Van buddy!! How've you been? I am sorry for the Dr.'s not taking anymore "Mexican" patients. I had heard this from Cujo when I was down in TJ for my 2nd fill. good luck on finding someone as locally as you can. If you have read any of my recent problems you should know the importance of having a fill dr. close to home, ,or at least easier to get to than TJ!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jnlebean Posted October 2, 2008 Report Share Posted October 2, 2008 OH MY GOD!! You have to be kidding me! I have been on the phone with that doctor for about a month trying to ensure that he will take me as a patient after my surgery in January!! So I guess Im out as well. I totally feel your pain, why are there no doctors in Calgary or even Alberta for that matter that are taking new patients. I live in Calgary and my family doctor is still in Edmonton because I cant find a family doctor here in Calgary. I will be on the look out for a fill doctor here in Alberta and I will let you know what I find. Dont worry there must be someone out there that will fill us!! Jenelle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cujo Posted October 2, 2008 Report Share Posted October 2, 2008 I think there is a Fill Center USA in Minnisota. Check out their web site. Try N and S Dakota as well. You should also look at Regina. There is a Lapband support group so I assume someone there is doing fills. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marek Posted October 2, 2008 Report Share Posted October 2, 2008 Hello. So I guess my self and mine friend are w/o a fill doctor smh. Some1 told me that thers a place in Vancouver but I never look in to it. There are two places in Toronto . Mine buddy who went thru Toronto with his lab band is tryin to get his doctor to do the fills up here in G.P. But I haven't hear any thin yet. I let you guys know as soon as I find any info bout that. Take care ev1. Marek Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happygirl02 Posted October 2, 2008 Author Report Share Posted October 2, 2008 wow - this is so frustrating. i've called all 3 doctors in calgary, a doc in mississauga and 2 in toronto. "we don't take mexico patients". aaarg!! i'd really like to stay in canada cause it's just plain cheaper! sorry, cujo, but there doesn't seem to be any fill docs in regina help! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlanaH Posted October 2, 2008 Report Share Posted October 2, 2008 Hey all ..... I have a doctor here in Fort McMurray who is going to be doing my fills .... not sure what he is like as in two hours I'll be going to my first appointment with him. You could always come up here and have it done Not like anyone wants to come here! hahahaha I had been in touch with Dr. Descouteaux's office last month about making an appointment and the girl said he'd definitely take me but the time that I wanted to see him he was actually going to be in the OR that day so it was out. That sucks because we're hoping on moving back down to Calgary and will need a fill doctor! Google Lapbandtalk forum - there is a Canadian section on there with a list of doctors -- and that should definitely help you as well. And I was wondering - I know the Maples Surgical Center in Winnipeg does the surgery -- I wonder if they do fills? Definiely check out that site -- I have the link at home, but not here at work ..... Good luck!!! Alana Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cujo Posted October 2, 2008 Report Share Posted October 2, 2008 Keep trying I guess, but try to stay positive. Even at $1,000 per fill ($279 to the OCC plus flight) you can get 8 fills before the OCC becomes more expensive than having the band done in Canada. In a year or so you will be at goal weight and still have 'cash' leftover! Keep you eye on the prize.! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jann Posted October 2, 2008 Report Share Posted October 2, 2008 i'm now 10 weeks in and really need my first fill. had a doctor lined up in calgary (dr. decouteaux) but as of NOW, he is not taking on any more mexico patients. this totally sucks! also was told dr. mitchell in calgary does them, but he also is no longer taking mexican patients. i am in manitoba and there is just no way i can afford to fly all the way to tj (700 bucks flight only) for my fills. does anyone have any docs out there for me to try?! I found this on the system -- http://www.lapbandforum.com/index.php?showtopic=6560. Also Andrew Gaffney, Med Info was very helpful to me when I decided to get my band. He hooked me up with Dr. D. Try giving him a shout. I cannot find his email address -- anyone? Lori at OCC should know how to get in touch with him? Lori??Jann Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cujo Posted October 2, 2008 Report Share Posted October 2, 2008 A comment about Alberta. We are in a catch 22 situation. Lap bands are considered medically necessary and therefore must be performed in the public system. (Unlike boob jobs....go figure, I call those medically necessary ) So you can have a boob job tomorrow but will join the waiting list (weighting list) for the lapband. And 'they' only budget for 35 bands a year because its really just a lifestyle issue! It blows my mind! Good news - these rules may be changing, Dr Mitchell is supposed to be opening a private clinic so things may change next year. ....or not if the court challenge to the new private clinic is successful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jnlebean Posted October 2, 2008 Report Share Posted October 2, 2008 Just an FYI, I phoned Dr. Mitchells office a few minutes ago and he will take patients that have had the band done in Mexico, but the charges $5000 for a 5 year post op care! Thats a little rich for me, Jenelle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jann Posted October 2, 2008 Report Share Posted October 2, 2008 Just an FYI, I phoned Dr. Mitchells office a few minutes ago and he will take patients that have had the band done in Mexico, but the charges $5000 for a 5 year post op care! Thats a little rich for me, Jenelle WOW! I pay $100.00 a fill at the PLC and Alberta Health pays as a normal part of health care for the rest should something be a problem with the band. A thousand a year seems a bit steep? Jann Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlanaH Posted October 3, 2008 Report Share Posted October 3, 2008 So.... I went for my first fill and everything went good. Except...... He told me that a couple of weeks ago he (and other doctors) were at a conference and they had a lawyer speak to them about doing post-op patient care on those who have been banded in Mexico. I don't know the particulars but if a patient was banded in Toronto, they have an understanding that if the patient gets his/her fill say here in Fort McMurray and the doctor punctures the band or something wrong happens - the patient goes back to Toronto and it is covered by Toronto ..... and not the doctor here. But with patients from Mexico - there has been one cause where one was filled and something wrong happened and they sued the doctor. Since there is no "agreement" with the doctors from Mexico to Canadian doctors to say that if anything goes wrong the Mexican doctor will fix it. And its because of that, that many doctors are now not wanting to fill patients from Mexico. I'm lucky though -- as he was telling me this my hopes were getting down and I was starting to get quite sad. Here I spent $8000 to get banded and now may not be able to find a doctor to do my fills and have to fly back to Tijuana ..... lots can go on in your mind within a couple of minutes! He gave me the good news though - he said that he's also not going to turn his back on someone who needs care and will continue to fill me. Heck, I'll sign a waiver to say that if he did do damage I wouldn't sue him -- that's really what he is worried about. He was upset though that I didn't get an Operative Report from OCC -- to say exactly where the port was, how big the band was, did the band have anything in it, etc. I'll try my hardest to get that again from them and then he can have it on file. For now though - I'll stick to him.... My first fill I can't complain - he put in 1cc in and I have an appointment for another .5 in two weeks ..... soon I know but he thinks that if I can get myself up to 2.5cc in the band I should be very happy. The needle didn't even hurt... yay! So I'm not sure if thats the reason why some of the doctors are now not taking on patients who have been banded in Mexico but thats what I was told today. I hope that you're all able to find fill doctors!! Have a good night! Alana Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bowierocksme Posted October 3, 2008 Report Share Posted October 3, 2008 Hi Alana, If you e-mail your patient co-ordinater at the OCC they will be happy to send you your files. I had no problem getting them e-mailed, I plan on having my fills done through fill centres USA even though I live in the Toronto area. Cheers, KIM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happygirl02 Posted October 3, 2008 Author Report Share Posted October 3, 2008 Hi Alana,If you e-mail your patient co-ordinater at the OCC they will be happy to send you your files. I had no problem getting them e-mailed, I plan on having my fills done through fill centres USA even though I live in the Toronto area. Cheers, KIM hey kim! i emailed rene at occ and what he sent me was a receipt! i don't think that's what they are looking for. i asked him for an operations report (which is what the receptionist said i need to have). when you got your paperwork, what specifically did you ask for? thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Willi333 Posted October 3, 2008 Report Share Posted October 3, 2008 hey kim! i emailed rene at occ and what he sent me was a receipt! i don't think that's what they are looking for. i asked him for an operations report (which is what the receptionist said i need to have). when you got your paperwork, what specifically did you ask for?thanks I sent Rene an email back in Mai after my surger and listed specifically everything I need (surgery report, invoice/receipt, test results) and got it within 2 days or so. Maybe resend your request ? Good luck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bowierocksme Posted October 3, 2008 Report Share Posted October 3, 2008 hey kim! i emailed rene at occ and what he sent me was a receipt! i don't think that's what they are looking for. i asked him for an operations report (which is what the receptionist said i need to have). when you got your paperwork, what specifically did you ask for?thanks Ask for your surgical report, they send it as a PDF file. KIM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happygirl02 Posted October 20, 2008 Author Report Share Posted October 20, 2008 just an update on this topic... begged and begged and got dr. decouteaux's secretary to sneak me in as a patient!! yay! so i flew out there and had my first fill and HE IS WONDERFUL. got 1.2cc's in a 4cc band. i was so worried i would be overfilled and he assured me he has a strict policy of how much he puts in so that that can't happen. he found my port right away and said that it's actually easier because i waited awhile (3 months). i don't feel much restriction now but i didn't expect to on a first fill. will likely be back there for my second fill in 3-4 weeks. THANKS TO ALL WHO REFERRED ME TO HIM! I CAN'T SAY WHAT A RELIEF IT IS TO HAVE A DOCTOR WHO TRULY CARES AND HAS AMAZING BEDSIDE MANNER! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jann Posted October 20, 2008 Report Share Posted October 20, 2008 just an update on this topic...begged and begged and got dr. decouteaux's secretary to sneak me in as a patient!! yay! so i flew out there and had my first fill and HE IS WONDERFUL. got 1.2cc's in a 4cc band. i was so worried i would be overfilled and he assured me he has a strict policy of how much he puts in so that that can't happen. he found my port right away and said that it's actually easier because i waited awhile (3 months). i don't feel much restriction now but i didn't expect to on a first fill. will likely be back there for my second fill in 3-4 weeks. THANKS TO ALL WHO REFERRED ME TO HIM! I CAN'T SAY WHAT A RELIEF IT IS TO HAVE A DOCTOR WHO TRULY CARES AND HAS AMAZING BEDSIDE MANNER! Awesome, I'm so glad to hear you got into Dr. D! YAY FOR YOU! He is a great guy and he won't overfill ya. Take care! Jann Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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