Clynn

Is it possible you walked there but don't remember because of the drugs? If I take Nyquil or am really really tired, I start sleepwalking. Most times I end up changing my clothes in the middle of the night or moving things around my bedroom. One night I woke up tearing the cushions off the couch because I dreamed there was a lit match underneath. But I digest . . . . Glad to hear you're doing better. Isn't it a huge relief to get food down and start to feel normal again?

That's perfectly normal. Your swelling has gone down which is desirable. You're not going to feel any restriction until you get your first or second fill. Don't worry about your weight loss at this point, just worry about healing and getting better. Even though your swelling has gone down, you're still not ready for a fill. Your body will create a sort of shell around the band (or any foreign body which is inside of you) and this shell will help hold the band in place so it does not slip. If you start messing with things by going off the post-op diet early or getting a fill too soon and the shell has not yet formed, you can possibly cause a slip. Just be patient, take a deep breath, and schedule your first fill for 6 weeks out. Many people will gain weight between their surgery and their first fill and it is to be expected. If you obsess over your weight you will only torture yourself unnecessarily.

You can contact her either by email or by phone. The contact info should be on the paperwork you were given. I don't have it handy otherwise I'd post it for you.

Your personal calorie limit will vary from others depending on your metabolism and activity level. Most people aim for 1200 calories per day. If you take in too few calories per day your body will go into starvation mode and you won't lose an ounce. Your nutritionist can guide you further on what you should and should not do.

They used to think NSAIDS were a no-no but now that theory seems to have lost favor. Don't know what you're taking but I take aspirin without issue when needed. Ask your prescribing doctor as planned and then ask Dr Ortiz to confirm.

After you get past the 12 week period you don't have to worry about your port getting in the way. I've done yoga, roller coasters, swimming, etc and have never thought to myself, "I don't think I can do this because of my port/band" unless I was using that as an excuse for something I didn't want to do anyway. It's an automatic get out of jail free card when you are among the non-banded..

My highest weight was 318 and I never had to use an extender or was asked to buy a second seat even though I frequented Southwest Airlines who are the inventors of that practice. If you're really worried about it try and book a flight which has less chance of being filled such as an early morning or red-eye flight. With a little luck you'll have a row to yourself.

I get this from time to time but especially if I've lost some pounds in a short amount of time. I figure it's just my body adjusting to its new shape and it settles down after a week or two. I notice it mostly when sitting so I got a balance ball and use that when I'm working at a desk. The ball encourages me to use correct posture which takes the pressure off my port and really makes a difference.

The pre-op diet is the diet which will get your body ready for the surgery and make it easier for the doctors to work. The details of the diet change according to the doctor and the needs of the patient. Your doctor should give you instructions on what you'll need to do for your pre-op diet when you schedule your surgery.

Have you tried zeroing your scales to make sure they are accurate? I always try to stick to using one scale so that weight loss is relative to what it said the last time I stepped on. Even so, I sometimes do get some odd ball readings. Don't worry about what the scale says during your post-op diet anyway. Your body is in starvation mode and holding onto every last calorie it can. Much of the commonly accepted dogma for weight loss is wrong, such as if you eat less, you'll loose weight. I've known many people who have had to eat more in order to get their weight loss back on track because they weren't getting enough calories in for their bodies to be convinced that they were not in a life-threatening situation.

Whew! Glad to hear that, I was really starting to worry about you . . .

You should not be throwing up on water. Contact the clinic and get their advice on what to do.

Soon as you go on full liquids the rule of thumb is anything that fits through a straw. Fudgesicles certainly count there since they should be melted before they reach your stomach.

The time between surgery and your first fill is a time of healing. Remember, you're on what would otherwise be considered a crash diet and we all know how well those work. Many people will actually gain weight during this period and that's perfectly normal and to be expected. Ignore what the scale says for now and just work on getting better. Once you've had your first fill you can start watching your scale again. Good luck.

Once you get onto full liquids the rule of thumb is anything that fits through a straw, and fudgsicles certainly fall into this category since they are about the consistency of a protein shake once melted. Plus they give you something to chew - bonus! The best advice I can give for the bloating is to do plenty of walking as it will really help move things through your system.

Posted a picture of my stomach a year and a half out recently. Here it is again. http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s61/clynn17/belly.jpg The four small scars look like minor skin blemishes. One of them I have to search for to find sometimes. The larger scar will diminish with time and weight loss.

Dr Miranda should have sent you detailed instructions on what you should be eating and for how long. If you haven't received the instructions you should get in touch with her for advice. I'd hate for a miscommunication to interfere with your surgery.

That is bad. This soon out from your surgery you could do some real damage by pbing and heaving. Go back to thin liquids for a few days and then watch what goes into your mouth like a hawk. If you still have problems with the thin liquids it is time for a call to Dr Ortiz.

Actually, someone told me the bacon chocolate bar tastes as good as being thin, but I'm skeptical. 4mygirls if you end up feeling as bad as you described then your band is too tight. Luckily there's a simple fix for that - get an unfill. I had about a week feeling like that and getting an unfill took care if it right there.

Maybe it's just because I've always been a picky eater but what part of that was scary? There's things on the menu you don't feel like eating for one reason or another so you choose something else. Some restaurants don't offer a very good selection so I don't go back there but lots of restaurants offer side dishes or don't have a problem with ordering off the kid's menu. Over time you'll learn what places are easier to eat at just pre-surgery when you learned that some restaurants have food you like.

I have Verizon and was unable to make calls at all once I crossed the border. It is all kind of hit or miss depending on your carrier and the specifics of your current plan.

I agree with jetdeck, follow the post-op guidelines to the letter. When you have food pass through your stomach it is moving to process it which could cause a slip or irritation which will lead to swelling. When you stray from the post-op diet you're throwing the dice. It may not come up snake-eyes everytime but why take the gamble? You've put how much money and effort into this so far and you're willing to chance throwing it away this early? The fact that you're willing to take that chance does not bode well for you living with the band long term.

The clinic is right across the street. If you get lost, just ask for Costco or donde es Costco.

You can get into Mexico, you may just never get back out again without it.

Honestly, none of this sounds particularly new and surprising to me. TJ doesn't exactly have a great reputation as far as drugs and law enforcement are concerned. It wasn't long ago that the local police had their guns taken away and replaced with slingshots because of the corruption on the police force. However, there are a great deal of American tourists that flow into TJ spending money and if they were in any serious danger the media would be all over it. Remember Natalee Holloway? Common sense rules will keep you safe in TJ and anywhere for that matter. 1) Keep to the safer places. Around the hotel and clinic should be fine. 2) Take taxis between destinations. 3) Travel in daylight. 4) Don't flash the cash. Also, if you are looking to scare yourself, Googling Tijuana street violence is a good way to go, but if you're looking for a realistic look at the situation down there not so much. Go to reputable news websites like CNN or MSNBC, or whatever and do a search there, or go to http://travel.state.gov/ for any travel advisories from the US Department of State. I googled Tijuana street violence and got 31,100 hits. Then I googled Tacoma street violence and got 43,900 hits. Does this mean I'm going to feel endangered when I go to school now? Of course not. Does that mean Tacoma's less safe than TJ? Maybe, but Google is certainly not an accurate gauge for that. Keep your head about you, use common sense, and you'll be just fine.