Bobbi

I took a loan out with one of the finance companies on Dr. Ortiz's sight. Low interest rate and 4 years to pay back.

I live on Oak Harbor, Whidbey Island, WA. I don't know if it will be to far for you to travel, but there is a clinic in Arlington WA, called Northwest Fill Center. They have done my fill for me. They are just wonderfull.

All I have been doing is taking the full 20 minutes to eat and starving (no just kidding). I don't know how I did it. I excerise every day for 45 minutes, I make the time the family can't even disturb me anymore. I ate small meals even when I started getting hungry. I also went throught therapy to understand real hunger and mental hunger. I lost 28 pounds from the day of surgery to now.

Well I had my first fill yestereday at 2:00 in the afternoon. Didn't have a florouscope, it took them two tries but they finally found the port. I have lost so much weight since the surgery my tummy is pulling the port down and in. They filled to 1.6 cc, they gave me a small glass of water, the water got stuck it felt so weird like I had a big lump in the throat. They layed me back down and took out .4 cc and I felt the water rush through the stoma (kind of cool). I was 24 hours on liquids, and now on mushies for another 24. Have had no problems and feel just great. I love being banded, my husband and I call it JR. Will know tomorrow night how it is with regular food. They told me to remember to chew, chew, chew and take the full 20 minutes. >

I have type II diabetes, have had it for over 20 years now. My intake on insuline before band was 130 - 145 units a day of insuline. My gloucose levels never came down no matter what I did. I would run very high over 200 the last time I went in for my A1c test it came out to 10.5. Very high!!! The morning of my surgery it was 375 way to high they gave me an insulin shot before surgery. Since surgery my gloucose level has not gotten over 120. I have been able to lower my insulin intake to 20 - 25 units a day. This has been the best gift I could give myself. I don't who else has diabetes I only know the band has helped me out tremedously.

I am so sorry to hear that the food trap has hit you. Just remember that you have to chew chew chew, and take that 20 minutes or so. I do think that does help out a lot. My kitties are doing great. All has been forgiven now, since we got back from TJ. Noisey has gained another pound though, every time I leave he always seems to put on the weight. I keep telling Larry I need to get a cat treadmill, that way he can get his exercise in the same time I am. Big boy 18 pounds now. Cats do sense their time to go and if she is hiding maybe Bastet wantsw her up there with her on a big feather pillow with all the milk she could want, and all the mice by her feet.My prayers wil be with you and your little Missy.

She is not a food/nutritionist specialist. She has been my therapist for sometime now over 3 years. My food addiction started when my father's friends would rape me. That's as blunt as I can make it. I was 5 years old the first time, when I hit my teens decided that food was going to be my weapon of choice ate myself up there until no men would look at me. Ever since then food has been my friend. Yes I am married, but the man had to see through the weight for me. And he is truly a remarkable man. Anyway going throught the therapy has helped me tremedously, my therapist even sought out help to get me through this rough time in my life. She is wonderful, and I can pretty much tell her eveything and I know it will not go out of the four wall of her office. I think we need some kind of help every now and then to get us throught the tough spots in our lives. >

I have been on this forum everyday. Just haven't had much to say. Was banded on 3-24, went through the healing process quite well. Now I am on the food stage, have been eating for two days, but I have to say I am not hungry at all. I was very lucky, my doctor sent me to a therapist a year ago. I have dealt with the head hunger for sometime now and can honesly say I can tell the difference. I have not heard my tummy rummble in years, I really didn't know what true hunger was, I always had food in my mouth. Now my tummy rummbles and I get excited, sounds funny huh! I have been eating three small meals and that fills me up. But like some of you I just am not hungry at all in the morning. Besides my work gets in the way so I do think I will go back to having a shake in the morning. A friend of mine saw me today and boy was he surprised, couldn't not believe the weight I have lost. I have decided not to weigh myself until the 24th of this month. Just don't want to get myself down with no weight loss, instead I am going by the size of my clothes. Which I can say I have gone down by two sizes since the surgery, my shirts are hanging on me. My lab coat at work is starting to look kind of big on me. Just wanted to let everyone know. I have made the best decision in my life. I love being banded!!! :cheerleader:

Glad you had a great experience. And yes he is soooo cute. Hope you healing time goes well for you too.

So sorry you are still having these problems. Just do as they ask. I hope you are better soon.

My journey started over 4 years ago. My doctor finally gave the go ahead for gastric by-pass, and then boom I was in an accident that landed me off my feet for almost 1 year. My right knee was totally destroyed and they had to fix it. Still am in pain, will be the rest of my life. But I just knew I had to do something so a little over a year ago started researching the band. It has taken me this long to get banded (3-24). I do believe my higher power was watching over me and decided the by-pass was not a good idea.

I had one breathing treatment before and two after the surgery. No shoulder pain at all. Stayed all in the midsection for a few day.

I get the same feeling around the port. But, how about a lump in the back of the throat. I feel like I have something caught back there now. I was wondering if this is normal too.

Darlene - Congrat on you surgery. It was a great experience down there, I would recommend it to others. Sorry to hear about you airsickness, but thanks to Dr. Ortiz's staff for helping you. Now is just healing and starting to feel so much better!

I actually went to Wal-Mart and bought Centrum in liquid form. Taste yecky! It just a regular multivitamin. That's all you really need, when we start eating again our bodies will absorb all the nutrients it needs.

I just got back from the hospital. Let me tell you the coughing really hurts your sides, but it can also hurt the inscisions. I have bronchitis, they took chest exrays and stomache exrays. Everything is okay with the lapband and port area. Just the lungs a little yeky. I am on meds now and should feel better in a few days. While there I met 4 nurses who have numerous friends and family who went to Dr. Ortiz. What a small world. Thanks for all the support.

You know it's hard to say. Going on the plane being inundated with all those little rug rat germs(:lol). The rule in my house is no grandchildren here if they are sick. I can get sick so easy due to my asthma. My throat really hurts, not from being sore. Just feels like I have something caught in there. Or maybe it was scratched by all the coughing. Don't know, but sure wish I could stop coughing.

Yes I have asthma, but I have been taking alll my medication, even giving myself breathing treatments. If not better by tomorrow I was going to see my Dr. Just don't want to go on prednisone. Hate that stuff. I was sick for all most the whole month of March. I went in to the Dr. the tuesday before my surgery. She prescribed a Zpak and going into the bathroom and turning on the shower getting all that warm moisture into my lungs. Can't understand felt so good down in the dry climate of TJ, and California. Get home here to the Pacific Northwest and boom here I go with all the chest conjestion and coughing.

I was banded on 3-24 got home on 3-27 and all I have been doing since is coughing. Does anyone know if this does damage to the band or the port?

Ramona - I just felt really uncomforable, still bloated, the pain on the port side still hurt. Took a pain pill hoping that would help. Didn't so tried to sleep on the plane all the way home. Your family will understand, maybe a little shocked but you are doing this to get healthy. I wish you all the luck with telling them about the surgery. I was lucky because my whole family backed me up, Mom, Sister, Husband and children.

Oh yes thanks for helping me understand this posting stuff!

Ramona - So glad to hear you are fine. All that shopping wish we had gone with you, I hate to shop. The shot in the side didn't hurt me at all. Just the plain ride home.

I remember you. And yes that is my motto. Am glad you are doing well.

My journey started on Sunday the 23. My husband and I caught a late flight in, we arrived in San Diego at 11:30 , we were met by a very nice gentleman, we got to the hotel at 12:30. Was met right away by a nice bellboy who took our lugage, we checked in and were taken to our room. Oh it was just beautiful (this coming from a person who goes to Motel 6, to save money on family trips). The bed was comfortable, I felt like a queen. The next moring went down and met all of the other ladies that were to have their lap band. Mrs. Ortiz came and picked us up and took us to the clinic. We had to have some test before surgery. Nice just sitting in the lobby area and visiting with everyone, finding out how far they came from, we had a diverse gathering from different states. They were all very nice and kind. Went in and had the breathing test and EKG the Doctor just cracked me up asked me if I could speak spanish said no so he started telling me how to say chicken and salad. I told him not fair I hadn't eaten since the early Sunday afternoon. Next we (husband and I) went in and saw Dr. Miranda she weighed me and I could not believe the weight I had lost in the last 6 months. I have been doing the 2 shakes and salad with dinner for a long time. She said I could and will suceed with that much will power. Teeth don't have much to say about that, other then it is good to have healthy teeth to chew. I did learn that. Next we had to have our IV's put in, she was so gentle didn't even feel it, but that could be do to the fact that there was a very cute Dr. talking to me. But all of them were wonderful during the test. After the test one by one we went in to have the surgery. I was put into room 3 and given my medication while waiting 2 ladies went in and had their sugery. That nurse who attended me was so kind, she had to put these stockings on me and I could tell she was struggling, she was so sweet just smiled and was so gentle. Her smile was what settled me down. When it came my turn Dr. Ortiz came in and talked to my husband and I. He asked how much weight I wanted to loose. I just told him I wanted to get healthy and not be taking so much medication. He told me no problem that I was on my way with having the lap band. Stayed the night, next day Mrs. Ortiz took me back to the hotel. Pretty much walked, drank, and slept. Just trying to recover. Wendsday morning woke up feeling so much better. Just felt bloated and tight in the chest area. I know that in time this will end. We just have to remember that it takes time to get adjusted to what ever we have on our person (a new ring, new fillings in the teeth, whatever.) We had to hire a private taxi to get back across the boarder but this was our fault. I didn't have time to let anyone know that I have family in San Diego and they wanted to see us before we left. The hotel was kind enough to get us one. I know we have this all covered in our cost. But, let me tell you, this gentlemen who drove us back made it cleared to all the other drivers on the boarder that we had hired him and no one else could ride with us. Made me feel comfortable. So if your plans do change let Rene or George know right away. I am sorry but I am bad with names I can not remember everyone, but they were all kind and very helpful. We arrived back home on Thursday the 27. I can only say the plane ride was not a vey joyous time, cramped couldn't get up to walk. All in all I had a very excellent experience, and would not change anything. Just remember sip, sip, sip, sip and walk, walk, walk.