Financing

We offer attractive financial plans together with MediCredit and
E-Medical Financing Solutions. Both institutions provide financial aid for all aspects of the elective medical services. If the solicitor meets the requirements, credits can be approved in a very short period. For more information you can visit their website at :

and

Frequently Asked Questions:

1. Am I Good Candidate for Adjustable Gastric Banding?
2. What happens if I get the flu?
3. What if I decide to get pregnant?
4. Isn't weight loss surgery risky?
5. Is surgery safe in Mexico?
6. Are there foods I can no longer eat?
7. What happens if I overeat?
8. Why do I need to chew well?
9. Can I drink alcohol or soda pop?
10. So do you eat soup all the time?
11. How much weight will I lose?
12. Do I have to exercise?
13. When I reach my goal weight do I need to remove my band?

Are you between 15 and 65 years of age and have struggled with your weight for a long period of time? Is your BMI (body mass index) 35 or over? Do you have co-morbidities that weight loss would either improve or eliminate? Are you ready to step forward and take control of your weight problem forever?

Adjustable gastric banding is sometimes referred to as the “thinking person's weight loss surgery”. We are all human and not 100% compliant in any one area of our lives but we need to understand that if we choose to be banded we must plan on adjusting our band to maximize weight loss. We will also have to try and stay away from calorie dense foods that are easy to ingest such as ice cream, chocolate, liquid calories etc.. This doesn't mean that you may never have them again, that is the old diet mentality. You are going to be living in your new life as opposed to your previous dieting, so you will occasionally make inappropriate food choices and that is exactly how people of normal weights eat. Forgive yourself and move on. The goal is to make good food choices 95% of the time.

We each may have to address learning why we turn to food for comfort instead of asking for what we really need, such as a hug, sleep or comfort. Many of us are so fed up with our inability to achieve our weight loss goals that we are willing to change to lifelong patterns to insure our weight loss success. This is why support with others that have followed this path is so important. I am not sure those that haven't struggled with weight issues will ever totally understand where we are coming from. Our staff have walked many miles in your shoes and we are committed to supporting you on your quest to lose weight permanently. Banding is only the first step, but a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.

2) What happens if I get the flu?

Typically, anything that can go down can also come up. However, if you experience prolonged or hard vomiting, call your PCP immediately.

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3) What if I decide to get pregnant?

That is the wonderful thing about the band is the adjustability. Simply remove your fluid for the duration of the pregnancy so your baby is adequately nourished and refill slowly after the baby is born.

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4) Isn't weight loss surgery risky?

Any surgery has a degree of risk and should not be taken lightly. However, when you weigh the risks involved with surgery against the risks of the co-morbidities that accompany being over weight, the surgery is usually far less risky.

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5) Is surgery safe in Mexico?

Yes.

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6) Are there foods I can no longer eat?

You will be on a liquid diet at first progressing to a soft diet then to solids for the six week healing phase. When properly adjusted, there are some foods that no longer are as easy to eat but many of us long term bandsters can eat anything, just very small amounts. Most of us have trouble with soft mushy breads, tough or dry meats, skins of certain fruits or vegetables such as grapes, potatoes and tomatoes or very fibrous foods like asparagus or pineapple.

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7) What happens if I overeat?

If you overeat it will come out, it is just food so it isn't like being sick or vomiting. It is more like coughing up a hairball. Gross, but most of us have had an experience or two that have taught us to eat slowly, chew our food well and not to over eat.

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8) Why do I need to chew well?

Your stoma (the opening to your stomach) is going to be very small and large chunks of food, or poorly chewed food could potentially plug the stoma. Most of us will experience something being stuck at one time or another. It is very uncomfortable but not usually a dangerous situation. You will find yourself salivating excessively as your body tries to dislodge the offending material. There is a learning curve to being banded and sometimes discomfort is necessary to the learning process.

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9) Can I drink alcohol or soda pop?

Alcohol is not a good idea because it is a stomach irritant. The are quite a few empty calories in alcohol too, so many of us prefer to eat our daily 1200 calories rather than drink them. However, many of us do have a drink occasionally. Beer, soda pop or any carbonated beverage is not recommended because of the potential to stretch your pouch. Most of us find the carbonation very uncomfortable after we are properly adjusted.

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10) So do you eat soup all the time?

No, that is what we call soft calorie syndrome. After the healing phase you need to eat a balanced diet of regular food to maximize your weight loss. By eating too many soft food such as puddings, soups, or ice cream it is just way to easy to consume more calories than you need. Soft foods or liquids empty into your stomach too quickly never allowing you to feel full and satisfied.

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11) How much weight will I lose?

This is not predictable; most of us will never be skinny people. But the majority can and do achieve a normal, healthy weight for our height and bone structure. The FDA trial statistics in the U.S. indicated the excess weight lost per individual was about 35%. The Mexican statistics reflect 75% of excess weight lost. Experience and support are essential ingredients to reaching your goal weight.

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12) Do I have to exercise?

We prefer to call it increased physical activity as 'excercise' sounds like something one has to do in a gym. Increased physical activity is cumulative, you don't need to walk the dog 5 miles in a day, start with 15 minutes once a day and gradually increase as you feel able to handle it. You can also park farther out in the lot at work to increase the walking distance, get up and switch the channels rather than use the remote, stack wood, vacuum or anything that involves motion. Look for opportunities to increase your motion; as you lose weight and it becomes easier to move find activities you enjoy.

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13) When I reach my goal weight do I need to remove my band?

No, most of us plateau with our weight loss when we get close to a normal weight and stop losing. If you continue to lose beyond your ideal weight, some of the saline may be removed from your band to stabilize your weight. Most banded people regain most if not all of their excess weight if the band is removed.

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