NinnyEd

All I can say is "DITTO" to Kevin's email. I had my surgery 4 weeks ago today and it was a wonderful experience. You will not find a more experienced surgeon or a nicer facility anywhere in the States! You will not regret choosing OCC for youir surgery. The entire staff is wonderful and really care about your successful weight loss. I was scared too, after all it is Tijuana, you are in a foreign country... I have had lots of other surgery and this experience was so positive, very little pain, if I needed ANYTHING someone was there right away, even if it was just another popsicle! I would do it again in a heartbeat! Good luck to you.... In a few days you will see what we are talking about and realize that there was/is nothing to worry about!

Hi Marissa! I am just three weeks into my journey... But here are my answers up to now: There is very little pain... Of course there is some pain, but I have had a lot of surgery and this one had the least amount of pain, I think even the biggest pain whimp could handle it! I have lost 25 pounds. I think the hardest part was about week two of the three week liquid diet I started getting hungry, but it was not THAT big of a deal. I am not sure about adjustments yet, have not had one yet! I am very glad that I had the surgery and look forward to regaining my health again! The recovery was really a piece of cake... no vomiting, just a little bit of pain, and I went back to work in 7 days - I probably could have gone back on day 5, but it was the weekend so I got 7 days. The first week I was a bit more tired than normal, but nothing that kept me from my normal routine. My scars, now that the "glue" has fallen off are nothing more than pink lines. I bet in another 6 months they will be hardly detectable. I cannot see my port and can barely feel it. As for saggy skin, already had that from 3 BIG babies. I figure when I get down to my goal weight I will "tuck" anything that regular exercise has not taken care of. I was very disappointed when I talked to the local bariatric doctors about this procedure, they are so into the RNY surgery and I do not know why, this surgery is far safer and the long term studies are showing that the weight loss is almost identical. I had this surgery to regain my health, re-routing my plumbing and putting myself into irreversable malabsorbtion syndrome is not getting healthy, I feel it is just loosing weight at the cost of my long-term health. Just my opinion! Good luck with your decision!

I would also like to know what he used.. It was wonderful.... I was up walking within about 20 minutes of coming out of surgery and felt great, just a little tired! It has only been 24 days since my surgery and my incisions just look like pink lines...

I was emailing with another gal who had surgery the same day as I did and we are wondering what exactly does restriction feel like?? I know it is a goofy question, but I assume it is feeling full after only eating a small amount of food? Do any of you more experienced bandsters have a clear explination as to what restriction feels like?

I am past the hurt stage.... It lasted about 10 days.. Now it is not so bad... I just like room temp things now because I don't have that odd feeling of it moving from pouch to stomach like I do when they are really cold...

Hi Peter!!

Hi!! Since you are on this forum, you should go to the top of the page and click on the "Obesity Control Center Home" link. That is Dr. Ortiz' website. He is absolutly the best! He has a wonderful and caring staff and you will not find care as good as theirs in the states anywhere! I had my surgery just under two weeks ago and feel great!

I am on day 9 and have a weird thing... I cannot eat (ok, liquid phase, drink) cold things. It kind of hurts... Everything needs to be room temp or warm... Anyone else have this??? Does it go away?

OK.... I am looking to travel to TJ the 7th or 8th of December for a fill.... Anyone else looking to fill in early December???

Hi VGB'ers! I received my VGB on October 24th. I guess, for whatever reason, I did not realize that there was much difference between my band and a "normal" one. I assumed when I went in that I would get the regular band and when I got my ID card it says the VGB band. Is there anything else I need to know about my band? I have already lost 22 pounds and now am scared about what happens after 4 weeks.... I do NOT want to live without any restriction!! I am going to schedule my fill in TJ for right at 6 weeks - the first week of December!

Hello again! I had my surgery late this morning.... Not a big deal at all!! I think I was in there maybe 20 minutes (Dr. Ortiz found a hiatial hernia and fixed it. I have very little pain, just the occasional gas pang, but that goes away with a little walking. Everyone here is so wonderful!! They are all VERY concerned about how you are doing and want to make sure you are comfortable. This is just something you can not find in the states! Good luck to all of the other October bandsters- you will not regret having this surgery one bit! More later.... I need to walk back to my bed for a nap!

Hi All!! We are here at the Lucerna!! It has been wonderful so far!! Funny... After all you hear about the Tijuana police... We were maybe 5 minutes over the border and we got pulled over... (Mrs. Ortiz was driving) I was quietly freaking out and the police office came up to the car and gave Mrs. Ortiz a BIG KISS! Turns out it was a good friend of hers who is a police officer here and he just wanted to say Hi!! VERY FUNNY! Anyway, I have met a really nice couple from Nebraska and hope to find Becki and Elaine sometime tonight or tomorrow!! We will all keep you posted on how we are all doing!!! Lynn

We will probably be back at the Lucerne when you fly in, our plane come in at 10:00 that morning. We will be looking for you! ONLY 3 MORE DAYS!

Hahahaha Nita... I have already figured out how to handle that while on the plane.... I could either look over to my husband and say "SCOTT!!! That is SOOOOO Rude!!" or do the old look around to figure out where THAT came from!

I have a question for all of you who flew home after having surgery in TJ. What was the flight like? I have over a 4 hour non-stop flight from S.D. to Chicago and was wondering if you had any advice for my flight home. I am hoping to be able to take pain meds before we get on the plane and just sleep all the way... 4 more days!!!

We will all do great!! This is definately a life changing journey, and we can all do it together! Is anyone else flying in on Sunday? We decided to come in a day early so we could get some shopping in!

Yeah!! Sounds like we have 3 or 4 of us that day!! We can all do "laps" that night to keep the gassy's away!!

I am glad that you are doing well!! My surgery is just one week from today!! Keep us posted!

Hello all!! In exactly one week (10/24) I will be an official bandster!! I have actually been doing real well (suprisingly) at losing the 5% before surgery! I have lost 12 pounds!! Anyway, now all kinds of questions are going through my head... And my husband added another one last night....... So..... Where did Dr. Ortiz put your port???? Does it stick out?? Does it hurt?? Is it easy to find?? Ports... Tell me about them!

Hi Lovetta! Are you flying in on the 22nd? My plane comes in at 10:05 a.m. We might see each other on the van ride into TJ!

Oops.... I am a dork.. I meant I am flying in on sunday, the 22nd!!

Hi Tuesday! I will be having my surgery on the 24th, but I am flying in a day early, on the 23rd! I hope to see you there! Lynn from Iowa