AngieB

Lena - I am not the best one to ask. I have NO needle jitters, so that make the getting poked part harmless. I will say it was more of a weird pressure. I could feel it when she was in my port, which was strange. She did say I have a smaller port, and that often the lapbands packaged for Mexico have the smaller size. Learned something new, I didn't realize the port came in two sizes. Dr. Mc did it under floro so there was not any issue finding the port. Oh and guess what! Not sure if I had mentioned this, but she is a bandster too. There are several people who work in her office who are WL patients. I think that is pretty cool. There was a very small amount of blood, not enough for a bandaid. I was suprised at the gage, thickness of the needle. It was larger than I thought it would be. Oh and there was a tiny sting, but the pressure feels so odd that you are focus on that.

Shelby - The sad thing is I really want to eat something already. During the day I am good to go, it's at night when I am at my worst. It is hard not to have expectations, but I will focus on my new good habits. I found some protein shakes that have 30 gms of protein in them. As soon as I drink one I automaticly feel satisfied. The bad thing is I don't need to be satisfied to eat. I really have to work on head hunger. YOU LOOK AMAZING! Your new picture is so flattering!

I met with my local Dr today. Dr. McBride did an upper GI and took pictures of my band to "make sure it was placed correctly." Everything was great. (I had no doubt that it would be, thanks OCC Dr.'s and staff.) She also inflated my band to make sure it was okay. She put in 1.5 cc's of saline and slowly backed it out until the barium was not getting held up. To my suprise I only needed .7 cc's to start me off. She had the table tilted upward while taking out the fluid. It is pretty neat to see the barium flo too. I am officially off and running! She did advise to have liquids for 2 days, then soft foods, lastly on to solids. Dr. Mc also told me there was not need to rush back to soft or solids. As long as liquids are satisfying me, I could stay on liquids as long as I would like. Better weight loss this way. We will have to see how it is going! Very nice doctor and staff. I hope this will work for me. I have some very poor eating habits. Oh, and another thing, she was suprised I did not have any diesases, high blood pressure, shortness of breath, cholesteral, ect. Most people who have this procedure in the states have these issues. I am happy to say I do not, and that is another big reason as to why I am doing this life style change. I don't want any health issues and my family has several in there history. I enjoy reading all your posts! Angie

Awesome! I can't wait to hear how the jeans go! You rock that smock! LOL

I go tomorrow to get my first fill. I am staying local and going to the Durham Outpatient Surgery Center! I am excited and ready for some restriction. Looking forward to my swimming suit fitting better. Next summer I will need a new suit all together! Yay!

Leah - I had surgery on the 24th of April. My incisions are still the purplely red color, especially if I have been swimming in cold water. My swelling is gone. I did have something odd happen last week. I push up against one of my incisions and it made a pop like bubble wrap would. So, me being me, I pushed on all 4 of them. Each one of them popped. Has not done it since either. I wonder if it was a air pocket, or scar tissue, maybe even water? Not so sure on the latter, water....hmmm. I am going for my first fill on Monday and boy am I ready. Not so ready to do 3 days of liquids again, but hey, whatever I have to do, I will do! Here is to our weight loss journey!

When I began the search for an after care Dr. I looked at the bariatric programs at the hospitals. Took there ph# 's down and cold called each of them. I made sure to tell them I got my band in Mexico. I had a few questions I asked. 1. what is the charge for self pay for fills? 2. is there an office visit charge? ( in addition to the fill charge?) 3. Do they offer a bundle discount. (for instance, 4 fills for $1,000 each additional fill $125.00) 4. What support programs do they offer? 5. Do they give fills under floro everytime? (I prefered to have floro everytime.) ect. you get the point. I was suprised at just how much the different offices charged. Hope this helps! I also did my research on each Dr. There are websites you can search threw to see what there patients think of them. In the begiining I did a "blind" google search and saw what that pulled up and worked from there. Each Dr should have a bit of info on the web out there about themselves. HTH! Angie

It is going good. Today has been oddly hard for me. It's Friday so that means treat day. I had treats, then my lunch, then split a ice cream treat with a girl friend. Lots of extras today for me. I have to wonder if it is because I have a fill coming up....?! I am not looking forward to 3 days of liquids, but will do it none the less! You are nearly 50% done with all liquids! How awesome is that! Yay! How did your surgery go? Feeling okay now?? Great to hear from you, won't be long and you will be going for your first fill! YAY!

I was released with the instructions not to lift over 25 lbs. My son is 17 mos and is 24 lbs. I lifted him and did fine. I limited my lifting as much as possible, but as you know sometimes you don't have much choice. I was not very soar or in pain after the surgery, one of the blessed ones who comes out feeling great! I brought comfortable cloths. The waist band won't matter really as your incisions are higher up.

I replied to you via pm.

It’s fill time baby! I go on Monday for the first fill in the band! I am so ready. Feels like I can eat anything. On occasion I have had some hang ups with bread mostly. It would not surprise me one bit if I was not able to eat bread for much longer. Not overly concerned about it. Taking it all in stride, that is the great thing about “forced behavior modification” since I have issues with food, it is good to have that firm do this and feel pain and cause complications. No, don’t, shouldn’t, stay away from, eat less of really don’t mean much to a foodie. It’s restriction time! I am ready to get this party started!

Arianna - you are in the right place. The more we know the better advocates we can be for ourselves. Next time you go to your Dr. you can begin asking him some of the questions that your've had arrise and get his take. Knowledge is power baby! Knowledge is power! When your Dr can see you have been reading up, he will be more likely to treat you differently!

Oh crud! Sorry I should have read your post better! My bad.

Could you tell me/us more about the difference between laying down and the sitting position? Thanks!

Clynn, my first question is, does he have a brother!? LOL J/K I am happily married, but got a kick out of your reply!

Great question. Matter of fact I asked the same question as a poll a little while ago. I think 6 people had taken the poll. Most if which had waited 8 weeks. I am having my first fill after 6 weeks. If you check out the fill section you will see the poll. I had asked because I had seen many patients on a different forum getting fills a month out. I thought wow! Turns out most have waited past the 4 weeks on this forum. Hope that helps! Angie

D. - I am well, thanks for asking. The gas has subsided, which I was sooo thankful for. I think solid food was a shock to my system and sent the toots out! LOL Like you I am sooo ready for my first fill! Do you go on Tuesday? I go on Monday and have sent my surgery records over for there review. I will have to have a Upper GI first, so they can see my band is placed correctly. I understand why they are requiring this, and don't mind one bit. I will be very happy to have care right in my home town. From the sounds of it this office is very hands on and super friendly, so I feel good about my choice to go with Dr. McBride and Dr. Getty. I can go in monthly for no charge to be weighed, and talk to the case worker or nurse if I want, plus they have other support they offer. Not to mention a support group that is also a education session as well where you can meet other weight loss surgery patients in the area, which is pretty cool. I'll look at home to see if I can help you out with the MX website. I'll have to find my notes and book. Woo hoo! Good for you! I bet you are so happy to loose the scooter and wear a shoe again! (not that the scooter wasn't handy dandy!) Did you get your surgery report from the OCC? If you did, was your pre-op test results included? I did not ask for mine and got the report only. I really didn't think of it. My case worker didn't seem to caught up on that though so I am glad. Does Patty or Pam ( was that your friends name?) belong to this forum? She was cool, and that was awesome that she was able to come to TJ with you! Hey, I have a question for you, given your employment. I pressed up against one of my incisions, and it popped. A pop similar to the pop you would feel if you where popping bubble wrap. So, me being me, I pressed on the remaining 4 incisions. Each popped in the same fashion. So strange! None of them have done it again. I am not showing any signs of infection, but it makes me curious. Do you think it is an air pocket or scar tissue? I'd like your opinion if you have one. Glad to hear from you! Let me know what you think of your first fill apt. I was happy to find that they shoot for restriction on the 1st fill here! Yay! They have advised me to have a liquid diet for 3 days after the fill. What instructions has your Dr. given you if any?

Remember this website is for the US. There is a different website for MX. Not sure if you knew this or not.

Great pictures! My mom and and loved that tree too! It is so pretty! Glad you are back and on to another leg in the journey.

I was banded on April 24th of this year. I had surgery at 10 ish and was back at the hotel by 4 ish. I had no pain and my recovery was a breeze. The worst part was my 6 hour flight.

I am so glad your surgery went well! Congrats on getting the lap band. I think you have a special place in several of our hears. I know I have been thinking and pulling for you myself. I joined this forum it was after or around your first sugery. So gald to know you where in good hands!