adjustments to lapband

Hello! I just found this website through a friend. I had the Swedish lapband surgery done last year in May 06 in Nicaragua. Everything has gone wonderfully. I've lost almost 70lbs. which is great for my 5'0 frame. I now weigh 133 lbs and losing. The problem is that I cannot find or know of any doctor in the area that will do adjustments to lapbands done overseas. I had found a Dr. Ross in Tacoma, but he moved to the Tricities and now I cannot find another provider. Does anyone know a doctor who can take care of me?  Thanks! All your pictures are very inspiring and make me feel like I took the right decision. I couldn't have it done here because I wasn't fat enough and I did not have any of the diseases associated with obesity, although I have a family history of heart attacks. I am now 52 and feel great. It is hard to go out and eat with other people because all I can handle are a couple of bites and then I get real thick saliva and need to go "throw up". How do you handle this? Is this normal? Thanks for any guidance. 

If you just want fills they just opened a new fill center in Auburn and I think they do fills on thursday. There is also one in Arlington.

Thank you very much for the information and for taking the time to write. I felt isolated until now. I will check out the place in Arlington. The doc in Auburn is the same doctor that did my adjustments in Tacoma, but I didn't have a very good experience with him, so I will check out the Arlington facility.  Many thanks!

Well, I'm fairly new to this just banded in Oct. but from what I've read on the lap band forum is if you are getting saliva or "slimming" as we call it and need to throw up (which is very bad for your band) your band is either too tight or you are taking too big a bite or not chewing enough. Your bites should be about the size of a pea and you need to chew until it is liquidy. I would suggest that you come over to the lap band board where you can get more information specifically related tot he band.

It is hard to go out and eat with other people because all I can handle are a couple of bites and then I get real thick saliva and need to go "throw up". How do you handle this? Is this normal?
No, it isn't normal.  Life with the band shouldn't be a challenge and you should be able to eat "normal" sized band portions with little trouble.  I think you may want to have the band tested under fluoroscopy to see if the mechanics are working ok for you. My suspicion is that you're either taking too big of a bite or not chewing it or that you aren't recognizing a soft stop telling you it is time to stop eating and you continue (which makes you uncomfortable and you slime). I have only actually thrown up (actually we call it a PB = productive burp) three times since I was banded two years ago.  For the most part you shouldn't need to throw up.   If you are, something is wrong.  And once you do throw up you're supposed to go back to liquids then mushies before starting solid foods for a few days.  This allows the irritated stoma to heal. If I happen to be going out to eat at an important meal (say a client meeting), I'd stick with soup as my main food if I were having any issues at all.  Salmon (because it is so rich and usually served very moist) also can go down quite well. Good luck on finding a doc. Lori

Thank you ever so much, Lori. You gave me a lot of information that I didn't have or knew. Indeed I try to drink liquids after the incidents. And I think it might be a bit too tight, because sometimes even the liquid is hard to go down. How much weight have you lost? I didn't find a doc, but I heard of two ARNP's that are doing adjustments about 50 miles from here, so I will go see them pretty soon. Thanks again!!!

Thanks for all your advice. I will go and get it checked. Thank you for the information on who does the adjustments. The doctor in Auburn is one of the same doctors that I was using before. They were in Tacoma and the son moved to the Tri-Cities and the father moved to Auburn. From my experiences with him, I think I will go to Arlington for the adjustments.  Also thank you for telling me about this "sliming". I didn't even know it had a name. Now I know it shouldn't be happening, so I will take care of it. You guys have been a blessing. Thanks so much!!! Nora

Are you sure about the Auburn doc. I know that it just started. He is Dr Fox doing thiursday fills only.

The doctor in Auburn is the same doctor that was in Tacoma. He sent all his patients (including me) a letter announcing his move to Auburn. I just had a bad experience with him and don't feel comfortable with him doing my adjustments. Last time he adjusted me, he poked me 5 times before getting in! I just about fainted. His son is pretty good. One try and he's in, but he moved to the Tri-Cities. I guess I will check the place in Arlington, although I don't know their name. I will try to find out.

I just got my first fill 12/15 by Katie Carmichael, ARNP in Arlington, WA.  360-435-5365.  $150 for the first fill, $125 for subsequent fills, and adjustments within 10days are free.  Her nurse assistant is a bandster, they are professional, and did a great job (I'm a nurse too).  Do check them out.  -Beth Q