WAgal

Lisa... woowhoo!!! The jeans probably looks awesome and he was speechless! You know how guys are... when things are going well or in the right direction then they stop thinking about it and on to the next task.. Oh well, that's how my husband is. Still haven't tried on jeans... I will have to try it on sometime.... but I wanna dig up my size 13 too in the garage... There's a task for me to do this weekend. Keep up the great job!!! You rock! Mackenzie... you and Michele are so on top of it. I do so well cooking for my family and actually making good choices for their meals but when it was my turn to eat, I was having cravings for the bad stuff. I gotta stop it and think... food is no longer my friend (I read that either here or on another forum). I'm so glad I have the band 'cause I could have probably eaten a whole cow had I not had the band last night!!! In my mind I was going to have that whole juicy burger and just work it off today. NOT... my band was not letting me! I actually thought that I still must have eaten too much 'cause I about died from being so full from that piece of hamburger meat and a few measly chips (LOL.. do I sound like I'm complaining?). My husband had a weird grin on his face when I told him that I felt so FULL and I thought I was going to burst. He said "I thought you were kinda too excited to eat and that the hamburger may not have the best choice!" He was right and I told him to never let me do that again. My question is...why? I thought there was no restriction yet until our first fill? If any of the EXPERTS here have an explanation then please explain. I mean I'm really thankful that the band restriction was there because I could have done some major damage (eating), but now I'm confused. Am I still not ready to eat solids.... should I take it easy and start with mushy foods? I'm emailing Dr. Miranda about this.... I'll let you know what she says... Hanna

I took $200 cash with me and I didn't use it except for tipping and a couple of cab rides ($5 each). I used my American Express card for the hotel and charged my last meal before surgery on the card and no problems. I was planning on shopping for just a few items but didn't get to (just very sleepy then).. so that depends on you about the shopping thing. I heard that it is a great bargaining tool, in US dollars, but don't go flashing cash as it may make you a target for crime when shopping. Hope this helps. Hanna

> LADIES!!! How are you today? For us that get to eat today... I know there's at least 8 of us... how was breakfast... I was little scared but did fine. I ate drinkable yogurt 3 oz... (has become a habit), 3 pieces of calamari (I hope I'm not grossing you out) and drank 8 oz of milk 1 hour later. I feel bloated still... I thought we had no restriction??? Go figure, I hope I'm not still swollen or something... Okay.. anyone else feeling restriction? Well what I'm calling restriction.. still feeling bloated only after a few calamari... I chewed and chewed and chewed... maybe that wasn't the best choice for breakfast... I'm going to try the 3-4 oz salmon w/veges for lunch and see how that goes. I hope you are all doing good... POST please... I want to hear how you are doing. Hanna

Cassie, You look so lovely... Thank you for all that you do... and please keep us updated from time to time.. My journey has just begun. Happy rebirth day! Hanna

Wow you look just fabulous! What an inspiration you are for posting your story! Thanks so much!! =D> Hanna

Zulma, you are the best!!! > How about we just pitch in for the gas money since you have offered your services... You are truly a sister bandster!!! I'll copy your email and number now into my phone... I will contact you if not by email then by phone closer to our fill date. Please let me know your opinion about the shopping thing. I'm keeping track of the news and will ask all our fill gals to see if they want to do the shopping thing still or not. Hanna

Hi all, Thanks for sharing this recipe Mackenzie... I am craving quiche, 'cause it was a dish brought over by a friend to help during my recovery time. My family loved it 'cause it was all gone for dinner and no left overs. So we are down to a day before we eat. Yay... I'm ready! I'm going to try out my lapband card (order child portion) and eat out to celebrate. We had already planned this in advance. I have to remember to chew chew chew 30 times before eat swallow. I've been keeping a diary log on myspace so it's been very helpful to me. Knowing we have gals/guys out there going through what I'm going through encourages me. This is my support team and you all have been wonderful!!! My weight loss has slowed down to about a lb every 3-4 days. I am at 176 now and will continue to practice as if I have restriction when I go back to solids tomorrow. I've increased my walking to about 1-2 hours a day... but leisure walking only. I'm not counting the steps but I'm sure I'm getting a bit done. Physically I feel good... I had side pain which went away after a good nights rest.. I think that was from over walking one day and then drinking a little too much at one sitting. I pray all of you are doing fine. I'm still thinking skinny jeans ladies!!! I can tell you that my journey so far has been challenging but I can tell you that it's been rewarding too. My family has noticed it! What I mean is that they have seen that I'm happier and wanting to do more stuff and actually wanting to go shopping for myself... I'll shop for my kids but usually never for me. My feet have shrunk a half size and I'm starting to like how my feet look again in heels! My best compliments yet are that they see the weight loss in my face... Now I don't know about you ladies... I'm one of those people that gain weight all over!!!! Its most noticeable on my face/chin neck ares. I'm very encouraged but I get those moments of desperation and want to eat... is that how I handle stress??? I have no restriction yet but I get that bloated feeling when I drink too fast or too much in one sitting. It's good for me to hop in this forum and be reminded of the newbies question were once mine...the desperation to have the overeating stop...the need to feel that you "eat to live" and NOT "live to eat". Food was the main focus of my life and has some history there that I have to fix so that my kids don't fall in the same trap. We are so bombarded with food everyday of our lives. On TV and on the streets. Family gatherings were more about what delicious meal we can prepare instead of celebrating family get togethers to catch up on life... Stay well my friends and be supported here. You may email or post to me here anytime... When I help you I'm helping myself!!! Blessings, Hanna

Congrats Krista! Happy recovery... and keep us posted of your progress... it's always nice to just know how everyone is doing. Hanna

Wow... lots of posting since I posted this topic. Thanks everyone... we will have our common sense thinking cap on. I wasn't ever worried about the center or Lucerna... I was concerned with Revolucion Ave.. where I want to do the bargain shoppping. Maybe we should offer to bring Francisco along as our body guard!!! Ha ha ha... I'll have to take a vote among our group on how they feel about this. Thank you all... my husband is always sooo concerned when I travel without him.. understandably.. Blessings and thanks for the great input from everyone! Hanna

I just emailed my hubby and he said to google it with: Tijuana street violence I'm going to read right now too.

Michelle, Do you think that OCC will not charge us for this? Can you email them and find out? We have Linda who has decided to join us! Yay! > That makes six now. Anyone else wanting to come, please email and join us or post here. I booked my hotel for Hyatt Manchester in San Diego... I was really hoping to get the Omni since it is right in front of the trolley station but this is okay too... I'm investigating the map area and it seems there's a trolley station nearby also. I'll be bringing my daughter too... the other adult daughter, not Charlene. She wants to do the whitening for her teeth. By the way, how was your experience with this Lisa? Did you like it? Did it work? Would you recommend it? Thanks, Hanna

Hello ladies! My hubby just approached me this morning and said that I shouldn't go shopping in TJ when I go for our fill. He says that there's been turmoil in TJ regarding drug issues. I haven't been following the news lately. I have been preoccupied. Does anyone know of this? Anyone that's been there recently find any peculiar activity in the area? Hanna

Thank you Cindy for the book... I looked it up at Amazon.com and found it. I think this book will be a great handbook thru this whole process. I love this forum and all its people and resources. =D> Monet... I can't wait to be where you are... I'm maintaining 177 for the last 2 days. I'm thinking I will have to continue an Atkins type diet when I do start to eat. I'll try to eat food in order: protein first, veges/fruit second, then carbs. as recommended by Dr. Miranda. I'll see how that goes. Keep posting... I follow your post closely so I know what to expect when I'm at your stage... ha ha ha... it makes it easier 'cause you're only a week ahead of me. Like you say! Be blessed ladies! Hanna

Great post Bev4life... it's a lesson I will not forget! Hanna

I mean the brand "Lapband System/by Allegan" vs. "Realize by Johnson & Johnson"... I don't know the difference only that Dr. Ortiz has used by one made by Allergan since he started banding... the other brand "Realize" is fairly new but I don't really know the difference between the two as far quality of product other than they are made of the same silicone material used in breast implants. But I do LOVE the lapband so far.. I have no restriction yet so I don't know... I get my first fill next month. Hanna

Ladies, Fantastic Lisa you're onboard! I'll email Rene right after this post to add you in. Rene said the rate he can get for us is $84 per night double occupancy, don't know if that includes taxes. I'm trying to work it out so that I can stay at a hotel in SD for 2 nights, April 17th and 18th. I'm going to be flying in/out of Los Angeles. If you fly in on the 17th then I CAN'T cross over to the border with you, but if your flight comes in early Friday morning then we can probably travel together to the center. Linda is flying in on the 18th so I'll try to hook up with her to travel to the border that morning of our fill as well with Michele and Zulma since they are driving in to SD. So I think a good time to stay overnight at Lucerna would be the 18th & 19th if you are wanting to stay awhile and make a vacation out of it. I have friends I'm to meet up with in SD on the 19th so I'll be returning back to SD hotel after our fill and "day shopping" in TJ. Arrangements for the fill is our own responsibility.. the center will no longer provide our ride there and back.. You may arrange for pick-up but their services will cost $130 (can be split up by a group). It only cost about $2.50 for bus and trolley from airport to the border. Then hail a cab from border to center $5.00... that's for a cab load. so most you should spend is about $10-15 for one way trip to center. Zulma and Michelle advise as how we should go about this arrangement. Shall we meet at the center or meet up in SD that morning and make our way to the center together? I will definitely be there on the 17th, Thursday night... then anyone who wants to come along with me to travel to the border can join me if they are not comfortable going at it on their own. There are some of you arriving on the 17th and will already be there at Lucerna so that group can just meet us at the center. Please email Rene for arrangements with your hotel room at Lucerna (rene@obesitycontrolcenter.com). Plan on doing our shopping on the 18th right after our fill. We can have lunch/dinner together as people's schedule permits. Look nice... our handsome doctors and staff will be taking a picture with us! Hanna

Praise the Lord! Now I will pray that peace will come upon you so that you will be focused on the surgery and what's up ahead! Hanna

He uses both brands, Lapband System and Realize. The doc gets to decide which size to use and I'm not sure if you get a choice of which brand. I can tell you that it costs doctors 2K for each Lapband System implant for the Lapband Sytems brand by Inamed/Allergan. I called their office in Orange County, CA. By the way, that is how I was told that you can check up on a surgeon's claim of how many lapbands they have actually done. They purchase the bands from the manufacturer directly and records how many each doctor orders. I don't know of the Realize band though. I guess if you've researched it enough and have a preference that it wouldn't hurt to ask Dr. Ortiz. My card that you get after surgery says I have the Lapband System 10.0cm with a ref. and serial number. Wow.. I feel like an appliance or software is inside of me. This is the time to clear details before your surgery. Don't know if I like the Lapband System per se... but I'm happy with the process so far.. only 12 day post-op. Hanna

From Rene: Hello Ms Ramilo, Okay very good. Is it okay with you starting at 9am and then subsequently 9.30, 10 & 10.30? Let me know.. ***** I'm letting him know it's a go! So firm up your plans. I'll be flying in to LA a few days early, some stuff I wanna do there but I'll be at a hotel in SD on the 17th and 18th, and I'll let you know soon as it's booked. We can even meet up there if you'd like. Lisa and others can always add on as they firm up their plans. I've asked Rene to have Dr. Ortiz and Dr. Martinez ready for a group shot!! LOL! I am also planning on inviting my sissy to come since she sees how I've been excited about this... she's investigating the whole surgery too.. Hanna

So here are the YES I have heard from: 1. Zulma 2. Linda 3. Michele 4. Hanna Diana & Alyssa can't make it for that day, she'll be coming the following week. Lisa is waiting on her friend's schedule. Shall we firm up our plans? I will confirm with Rene the 4 of us but to also keep open for some that might join us. Does that sound good? All interested in joining us, please email us and join the group. I've already asked Rene to make sure to have Dr. Ortiz and Dr. Martinez ready for a group shot with us!!! LOL! It should be fun... I would love to come back in a year or so to have another picture taken with the results of my goal!!! Have a great day ladies... now we can start planning... and prepare for those LONG needles I'm in fear of for the fill! LOL!! I'm sending Rene an email to confirm us 4 above... but it would be WISE ladies to call or get a confirmation email from Rene @OCC that you do have an appointment for the morning of Friday April 18th, 2008. Hanna

Does anyone have Kelli's number or email address? I forgot about her. Please let her know 'cause I haven't seen her post at all.

Name and Location: Hanna from Seattle area, WA Age: 45 Gender: F Band Date: Feb. 28th, 2008 Height: 5'4" (I was 5' 4 3/4") Highest weight: 196 Current Weight: 178 Goal Weight: 120-130

I just emailed you Linda. It's on the 18th, Sorry about my confusing everyone. Yes, wanna split a room, what are their rates? Hanna

It's the 18th, Friday!!! Have you made a diff. appointment already???

Michele, So sorry... it's the 18th, Friday... yay.. so you are with us!!