julieburns

First of all... :lb9: I hope since you posted you have spent time reading this forum. There are so many testimonials and positive words about Dr. O and the OCC you cannot miss them if you look here. Have any and all who are worried spend some time on the forum also reading the testimonial section. If they won't sit at the computer, print it out. There is also a video section with great informative youtube segments where Dr. Ortiz goes through everything. My gosh if that isn't enough I will give you my phone number and you can have any one of them call me and I will shout from the rooftops how safe, sanitary, homey, the OCC clinic is. I am a nurse now for 20+ years here in Portland. I was more than impressed at this facility when I got there. From the time they pick you up from the airport until they return you to the airport you are totally catered to and made to feel so at ease. I could go on and on. I don't know you and have nothing to gain by saying untruths to get you to not feel as at ease as you and your friends and family members can be. But I do have a stake in my own health and let me tell you I had a mini-vacation while in the care of the OCC. Dr. O is known world wide and has been the instructor to many, many of the US docs for the lapband because it was legal in areas outside the US long before they allowed it here. So in my opinion as someone else once posted why go to the student here in the states when you can have the professor doing your surgery. His notoriety among colleagues as well as his vast experience and the number of bands he has done speaks for itself. So read on and share with your people. Also I have read that some have actually had their SO's talk with Dr. Ortiz and he will do this!! He has nothing to hide. The area around his clinic and the hotel is like a normal city in the states. It's only along the border and surrounding walking distance area that may seem a bit touristy, just like any foreign country's market areas. I traveled alone for my surgery and NEVER felt scared or abandoned. The hotel is very nice with a beautiful pool. One or two of the waiters in the restaurant at the hotel havd been banded for something like 10+ years. They were some of Dr. O's first patients and they still brag about him. Everyone speaks english with the exception of a few of the nurses aids but they can understand everything you need. All the aftercare while in Mexico is fantastic. The nurses anticipate your every need and cater to you. One will even give you a little back massage before you go to sleep. Again I could go on and on but I hope you can feel my sincerity. As I said and I know I am repeating myself now just keep reading on this forum. Go to each catagory and when you are done you should be able how to help your SO's understand. If they don't or still are giving you a hard time about going you must just stay committed to yourself and your health. You're all you have!!!

Perhaps people who have banded other than at the OCC have a mushy food stage. I know Kittycat did and she talked about it on the forum. Different doctors have different post-op diets to follow. I do believe Dr. O is the King of the lapband so I would stick to his recommendations. Yes I will admit I was one who dared to take a few bites of something "mushy" during the liquid phase. I have learned more since then and truly regret I swayed. If you have to chew something up and then SPIT IT OUT!! I also did this. The risk of damage to the band in the first 3 weeks is huge. You will not know early immediatley or even in the next weeks or months ahead if you have caused a problem. The band is "settling" into place and anything can cause it to move except liquids. You will not have probs until you start eating more real food and perhaps 4,6 or even 12 months later you start having the trouble because the band has slipped. It's like the food in the first 3 weeks just starts to loosen a lid on a container that you can't get open. You keep trying to open it using various things. you finally hand it to your husband and whalah....he opens it with no problem... That sometimes can be because you have loosened it for him. Now perhaps not either but you get my drift? I urge you and anyone else reading this that on the liquid phase you stay true. It's not worth the weeks, months or even years of worry because you will never know if you have a problem if you indeed caused it in the first 3 weeks.

Not sure what the answer is, I am no doctor just a nurse and I don't play one on TV either. (supposed to get a chuckle but maybe I am the only one who is chuckling). Anyway All I know is OB nursing. Pregnant women get nose bleeds sometimes. That is due to the increased volume of blood that they have to help maintain the baby. I wonder if with TOM you have this extra buildup of blood lining the uterus and so other blood that may go there circulates more for some reason and that's why the nose bleeds?? Does that make any sense?? Maybe not but it sound sort of good!! So much for my diagnostics. That will be on the house for you my bandster friend!!

The liquid phase really sucks. I am sorry you have the trouble with the medicine. What about taking them after you eat some drinkable yogurt, like as much as you can swallow to coat your stomach. I also can think of milk, any typr or protein drink, or even get some special creamy soup that you love and have some of it first. Yes this is a tough one and maybe you have already tried these things and others but you must go to the store and find something that will work. Take the extra time to do this today so you won't be tempted to "cheat your band". This first 3 weeks really is defining times. Hope this helps or you'll get other tips here to help. and to all of you on liquids right now :lb4: this ride has only just begun!!

OMG I love all the pics of the before and after's. I've got to do this for some inspiration.

Yes I knew Trina was a hottie, what a great pic. Trina I got 2cc in my 4cc band on my first fill. I had a tough time especially the first few eeks because oh boy did I have restriction. I didn't realize how serious that is and tended to gobble and not chew and had a few too many PBing episodes. I finally have figured it out though after about 3 weeks now. I have even started losing again....Praise the Lord, and the OCC!!! I hope this fill works as great for you as it has for me but learn from my mistakes...take it SLOWLY with the food. Don't eat anything new in a hurry or you'll be sorry. I have to eat about every 3 hours though because I wasn't getting enough protein in and having terrible hypoglycemia. So be careful not to starve yourself either. Good luck in this new chapter for you!!

Michelle those jeans are so cute on you. Yes I agree with what all the others have said as well. I sometimes am up at this crazy hour of 4AM for some reason when I can't sleep so I come to the forum and usually you have just finished posting sometime around 3 AM. Being a junkie too I find you an amazing role model in this weight loss journey of mine. Your posts are always something I look forward to as I am sure so many others do as well. I can seriously not imagine myself at a size 8. I need to though to start brainwashing my brain that yes I too can do it. Whatever size I choose I can be and you are the proof as well as LisaL and the other faithfuls who continue to post as they get down to size. Thanks for the inspiration. =D> =D> =D> =D> =D> =D> =D> =D> =D> =D> =D> =D> =D>

I am sending you some positive love and mojo to get you past this "PLATEAU". Yes the word we all hate to hear. A reality sometimes when we least expect it. At 5 pounds, 15 pounds or 50 pounds they are no fun. And a 7 week one if for sure frustrating when you are doing the right things. My theory is that you are not someone who has 100+ pounds to lose and so unfortunately sometimes I think the less you have to lose the harder it is. I love the advice Lisa gives and so just do this. Persevere, endure, stay focused, and yes have a great new fill that will only do nothing but help. Thanks for sharing on the OCC forum. I love this place!!

So glad to see you post Yorkiemommy. Yes it has taken me awhile to "get"this thing too. I think as of about 4-5 days now I am doing as I should. Yes my loss is slow but as you said it hasn't gone up and it's creeping down. Yes an insurance policy for sure. I have stopped just shoving things into my mouth without chewing and not caring what it is, especially at work when I have no time to eat or even take a sip of water. I am planning each day's entire food for the day and that also helps. No more ice cream in the house....that's a biggie that took me this long to conquer. I'm glad we are on the trip together...it will be well worth the ride. :lb4:

And now I'll say OMG Vix is 56!!! NO WAY. You too look 20 something. I certainly understand how you feel Vix. It's so frustrating to say the least when our bodies deceive us in ways. I do agree wholeheartedly that getting the weight off should/could/will help somethings, it already has. I am almost off my diabetes medication completely!! As far as the fibromyalgia though I wonder if it will be nay better. I can only pray. I do know some extremely thin women that have the fibro also and have never been heavy a day in their life so I'm just so curious. I do try to be positive to the "world"out there as well as most of the time to keep my brain in the positive mode. I let my guard down a little here and I do sound negative at times, but I feel that way and once and awhile I just need to say it. On a good note, I stepped on the scale today and it down again. I've focused entirely on getting enough protein in each day for about 5 days now and it is working to help me lose, YEAH!!

I love Will"s posts, I mean Hal-9000 also. Hope your ok by now because we need you on this forum for the light hearted laughter provided. Now Misty if I were into girls I'd be coming after you girl, yes you are an amazingly beautiful self-confident looking young, young, woman!ENJOY :lb13:

I had surgery on Wednesday and flew home on Thursday. Actually changed my trip from Friday home originally to Thursday because I felt so good and was anxious to get home. No problems!!

PariegirlBarb is almost 55........NO WAY. In your pic you look like about a 25 yo. I truly always have thought of you when seeing your pic as this beautiful young lady, and you ARE!!! Now for me at 46+ yes it sucks being this age. I too take meds that don't allow me to lose the weight like I would want to. Too many meds to count, not just 1 either. I also am riddled with pain and barely make it to work and home, not much ability to do exercise when I am in tears from pain and fatigue. So my #1 challenge is being able to get exercise into my program as a middle aged woman...I had to type that but when I did I HATE the sound of it. I still feel like I am about maybe 28 in my head, perhaps 30 if you want to push it:)

Can't wait to see your results. I hope it's easy to upload the pic.

Thanks for the reminder. I just programmed it to record.

I wanted to share that for the last several days I have taken none of my diabetic medication and my blood sugars are staying in a good range. I had been having terrible problems with such low blood sugars and it dawned on me I perhaps didn't need the meds. So I cut out 1 a week or so ago and now the last 2 days I havn't taken any. :yahoo: :yahoo: :yahoo:

What a great accomplishment in such a short time. :clapping: :clapping: :clapping: :clapping:

I'm sort of like Pariegirl, I don't use alot of cookbooks. I do know that I need to start though because I don't have a huge variety in what I cook that is high protein and band friendly. I want to get some new ideas also. I do have alot of beautiful cookbooks from my mom so perhaps I need to start browsing through them. I'll also try the suggested ones I've seen on this thread so far. Thanks for this post.

Francie you'll do fine. Really take it from many of us who say to try and relax. Stress is no good for you. Look at it as a mini-vacation just for you and you'll be pampered to death. Picture yourself in a tropical setting, feet up by a beautiful pool and sipping on some wonderfully tasting umbrella drink, that being apple juice, but even so if you can set this picture in your head and go with it you'll relax. Take 10 nice deep breaths as you envision this beautiful setting and again you will relax. Visualize this whenever you feel anxious, immediately replace it with the calmness of the pool water just as tranquil as can be. You can even have a cabana boy fanning you or spray you with misty water to keep you cool!! As for you eating pre-op just try and stop the insanity now. Taste and enjoy whatever you want but don't gorge yourself. I do recommend the Italian restaurant Rivoli at the hotel Lucerna for your night before surgery "last supper". If you feel like you want to go away from the hotel there is a delicious authentic mexican restaurant that the van driver Francisco should point out to you on the way to the hotel. Ask him to as you cross the border so you'll know for sure where it is. It's maybe 4-6 blocks from the hotel on the same road and it's this huge YELLOW building. You can't miss it. Hope this helps. You really will have a great time as weird as this sounds. And if you like to shop and barter...this is a paradise of a different kind for you then. Personally I skipped revolucion Ave. because I don't like crowds and dealing with people when I am not at my best, even when I am I have to be in the right mood. I got plenty of walking in around the hotel area though. Now about the life insurance... it's kinda funny how men are sometimes, so practical!! Now just let him know he'll have to wait to collect because you don't plan on going anytime soon. In fact you're going to be around alot longer since you'll be losing your weight and you'll be so healthy he better get travel insurance or something that makes more sense!!

Oh yes this is a big day for you. Hope you get the restriction you wish for. Relax and have a fun, great day knowing this is for YOU!!

I can answer for sure that you can do no harm with liquids as long as you stick to the clears as recommended and then introduce the drinkable yogurt and then full liquids at 7 days. Drink as much broth, juices, popsicles, special K protein water, gatorade as you like. I bought benefiber which totally dissolves in liquids so you have no clue it's there and added a teaspoon or 2 to whatever I drank and had no probs with bowel issues. Congrats on a successful surgery and I hope you recovery goes well.

Also a great way to look at this. Thanks Dr. Phil and you too Julie for reminding me of this!!

Yes I since have realized that and never use them anymore. I just bought a new ready made one in a little box thing at costco that I have yet to try called "PremierNutrition Protein" It's whey based, chocolate, and has 30gms of protein per 11 oz. I hope it's good because I bought 2 cases. I still have to use these for breakfasts as I am just usually too tight in the AM to eat solids. I also don't have time to prepare anything mushy enough to eat. I do do an egg now and then, scrambled with cheese. I eat about half of 1 egg and that's it! Edit to Post: I just tried the new drink I talked about. It not too bad and I can drink it. It needs to be ICE cold though and has a thicker kind of weird texture but as I said it is going down fine. Since it has such a high protein content I think that's why the sort of weird texture. I had the same kind of texture taste in my protein bullets with 25 grams of protein. I think it's how they pack so much protein into such small amount of liquid or something.

I started with sparkpeople but didn't really use it. I then started with thedailyplate recommended by Oprah and like it alot.

OMG!!! You look FABULOUS!! And yes you do have some great abs. What a truly terrific Tahitian Princess!! I bet the guys oogled with you up there dancing too. Love the pic.