the Koala's DH

Gas-x can only help with gas produced in your intestines. Different people's digestive tracts react differently to being "shut down" for anaesthesia and messed with. Some produce a lot of gas afterwards, some produce a little. The carbon dioxide used to inflate the abdomen is unaffected by anything you can take orally. Walking, the inspirometer, and time are the things that get rid of those trapped bubbles (which can be incredibly painful). I believe that any relief from Gas-x strips is purely coincidental. Of course, if anyone can point me to a scientific explanation that explains differently, please do so. The only references I can find are anecdotal and I'd never even heard of it until researching WLS, so I think this is a "WLS old wives tale".

Hi Dixie, I think it might just be the best decision you will ever make. After speaking with Dr. Ortiz and hearing how passionate he was about his reasons for believing in the lapband, I have no doubt that it was the right decision and that he was the right person to do it. Dr. Ortiz covered every conclusion that I had personally reached regarding the lapband and bypass. Right now, we (it's like saying "we" are pregnant) just completed Day 2 post-op. My wife is sleeping and while she's still sore, she's feeling great! Heck, that group of women who had surgery on Monday, just about wore me out while shopping up on Avenida Revolucion. I've never read about anyone going shopping and out for dinner sixteen hours after having gastric bypass, so it's easier to see which surgery is easier on your body. Surgeons are not Gods, despite what some of them think. I have never believed that re-routing what (has taken millions of years to evolve/God designed)* to lose weight was a good idea. The simple fact is that no one can tell you precisely how you will react to a bypass because no one with your exact genetic code has ever tried it. A bypass patient may never be able to have any sort of dairy product again. (This was no big deal to the nutritionist to whom we spoke.) A bypass patient may never be able to touch refined sugar again without running to the bathroom hoping that they aren't about to "dump" (That is such a bull====, namby pamby, politically correct, hide-the-patient-from-the-truth term!)** Those things just don't happen with the band. You have to actively and consciously work to defeat the band. Heck, even if you don't change what you eat at all (a bad idea), you'll lose weight just because you're eating a third of your former volume. I can't imagine how complicated life would truly be if we had been stuck with a bypass. One more thing before I go into a full blown rant mode. Here's what I saw at dinner tonight. Four people who shopped until I was ready to drop...the day after they had major surgery. Four people who were overjoyed at finding a little place that sold popsicles in one of the biggest tourist traps in the world. Four people who ran the gambit from feeling fine to a little sore to a lot sore. Four bowls of chicken broth and four servings of red jello. Four people who couldn't believe they would ever order that in a restaurant Four people who couldn't believe that they were full. Four people who finally have hope. Jason * take your pick and substitute name as appropriate, or heck, pick both! ** I think part of the pre-op qualification for gastric bypass should include eating an entire bag of Ruffles Light chips....you know, the ones made with Olestra. In fact, they should have someone do that at EVERY gastric bypass seminar, then tell the attendees "Yes, folks, that is one of the things you will experience if you pick the more expensive surgery."

Ah, well, that's great. I thought I saw something about wireless access at the clinic, but couldn't remember where since I was just reading over my wife's shoulder. You may want to get that info posted at the clinic (near the computers would be a good place) since the receptionist had no idea what I was asking. One other item to bring with your laptop computer is a wireless adapter if it isn't built in. Hotel Lucerna has free broadband, but it's wireless G. They don't document this on their website. They do, however, have a few loaner wireless adapters but I wouldn't plan on using one. The coverage is decent, but would've been a little more reliable with a higher gain antenna. We have Vonage (woo hoo. woo hoo hoo.), so I brought our telephone adapter with us from home so we could call everyone back in the states (or Canada, Mexico, Europe, etc.) completely free of charge. Unfortunately, there wasn't an ethernet port in the room so it rendered that useless. However, I ran down to the Plaza Rio, bought a computer headset from the Steren store, and activated the Vonage Softphone feature so that we could place and receive phone calls through the laptop. We had virtually unlimited calls for $10. Had I known for sure about the wireless access at the clinic, we could have called directly from the clinic. :-) Be sure to check with your cellphone carrier to see what the rates are for international roaming and long distance. T-Mobile said it would cost .80 for roaming and .20 for long distance to the states from Mexico. I would also suggest bringing a small electric kettle and your own chicken broth cubes. The hotel's chicken consomme is good, but some people in our group said it was different at night than it was at noon. It's certainly not expensive, but the $6 for broth, jello, and bottled water can add up pretty quickly. Regarding the Gas-X, please note that it works on intestinal gas only. It will not help with any leftover carbon dioxide from laproscopic surgery.

I intend to make a much more detailed post about our experience at Dr. Ortiz's Obesity Control Center when I don't have to type on this laptop's keyboard, but here are some initial thoughts at one day post op.(We are still in Tijuana and this keyboard is too annoying to use for long.) My wife had surgery yesterday and I can say, without hesitation, that I do not believe that you could go anywhere and receive better treatment for any amount of money. Dr. Ortiz is fantastic. He is an expert at this since he's been doing it longer than anyone in the United States and it is the entire focus of his practice. He spent quite a bit of time talking with us and he managed to state all of my thoughts about band vs. bypass with no prompting from me. I liked him a lot, as well as the other doctors who work with him. (BTW, the nutritionist is a doctor, as well.) As for the actual surgical center, I can honestly state that it is equal to or surpasses any similar center in the United States. Any surgeon in the US would be proud to own a clinic like OCC. The place looked like it was brand new. They've been open since February 06. If anyone knocks this place, I guarantee that they have never seen it. One of the things that impressed me was the required use of "booties" over your shoes. I've never seen that in the states. They also don't have anyone sick at the facility like you would at a hospital, so the risk of infection is greatly reduced. I haven't read any "assembly line" comments yet, but I certainly didn't get that feeling. They are very efficient, though. Think about fixing your car. If your transmission goes out, most people would opt for a transmission shop for the repair rather than the guy down the street. Now imagine going to a shop that only repairs transmissions on your specific vehicle. How much more efficient would the repair be at "The BMW Z3 Transmission Shop" vs "Bob's Quick Lube, Towing, and Auto Service"? That said, there were some minor baubles, but I will detail those later when we're back in the states. I can highly recommend Dr. Ortiz's program without reservation. ...and if you're located anywhere within driving distance (personal preference, obviously), it's almost a no-brainer. Jason