Dolittle

Day 52, I feel great! I think I can say I'm 99% healed from my plastic surgery repair. Complications from my original surgery seemed to have resolved. Time will tell.

I just had the revision done a year ago. I was banded back in 2007 and saw many of the old timers having some sort of issue with the band. I thought about it for awhile and said to myself, do I want to being going through all that crap? It was a hard decision, I loved my band, but I opted to go with the sleeve. It's a different feeling when you get "full". No more food stuck, no more fills and so on and so on.

This Topic is for those who are coming to the OCC for their lap-band surgery in 2015. This is where you can meet patients that will be at the OCC the same time as you.

Day 20, I still have a drain tube and reservoir. Still draining around 50cc's to 75cc's a day. I can tell it's slowing down compared to the first couple weeks of draining 100cc's a day. I feel good, but still swollen in the lower groin area, but it's getting better.

Ok,, I'm going to reply to this topic. For all of those whom seemed to be concerned about certain patients that have a low BMI and are thinking of having WLS,, please consider their reason or reasons they have not mentioned. When a patient calls the OCC via the 866-376-7849 and talks to an OCC surgery coordinator, the process of evaluating a patient begins. Dr. Ortiz reviews every patients reasons for having WLS,, he's the one that makes the final decision. Most important, he's is not going to preform a WLS procedure on someone that doesn't really need it. If the patient has a low BMI, they better present multiple medical reasons or have a family history.

I'd like to add one more thing to this topic. Back in 2007 I was lap banded. I had such good results that six months after my WLS, my wife came to me and said she wanted the band. No convincing there, she was sold on that the lap band worked.

You'll figure a way to do it. All I can tell you that I was 54 when I had my WLS and I've never looked back. 100 lbs later, it was the smartest thing I ever did.

If you can quit smoking for two weeks, just think, you could turn that into a lifetime.

You'd have to ask Dr. Ortiz. If any patients or forum members have a question, always feel free to ask Dr. Ortiz.

Day 7,, I feel good, but still ache when I get up and down from my favorite TV watching chair. lol. My swelling is getting better and my drainage is decreasing. I'm trying to get back to my everyday normal routine.

Just call Ora at the Ariel Center and ask. 1-866-376-7849 One thing I can say, Cosmetic/Plastic surgery is a whole different ballgame. I've been through a Lap-band,, Sleeve Revision and a Lower Body Lift. The Lower Body Lift was "Brutal" compared to the other two. I had my LBL back in 2008 and I'm still shaking my head wondering if that was the smartest thing I had done. Also,, Do your homework when it comes picking a procedure and a surgeon. There are a lot of bad plastic surgeons. I've named names here before. Just look into my past posts for that info.

Day 3, part 2. I really didn't have much to report. It was a travel day from TJ to San Diego. I ended up meeting Ora, she's the Ariel Centers patient coordinator and her boyfriend for a wonderful lunch at Phil's BBQ near Sea World. If you ever have the free time to do some local sightseeing before and after visiting the OCC, Phil's BBQ is a must stop. Phil's was on the Food Networks Top 10 BBQ joints in the USA, and I can see why, it's really good. Ora got a first hand visual experience on how a Sleeve/Band patient has to eat. You get a lot of food at Phil's, so I ended up taking half of my lunch back to the hotel. The hotel had a mini fridge/micro wave and I ended up eating the remainder the rest of the day. If you have been banded or have a sleeve, you know what I'm talking about. The rest of day was a take easy day. Day 4, Travel day. Got up and checked out from hotel, jumped on a bus and trolley and headed to airport. Spent most of my day sitting on my butt in several airports and planes. It was a long day. Did notice that my drain pump was working well and was collecting plenty of fluid. I'm going to try to keep this drain pump inside of me as long as possible.

Day 3, still swollen, black and blue all over the groin area, but feeling good. Today I cross the border and spend the night in San Diego. Tomorrow I head home. Plastic surgery scar looks great. After all this swelling goes down I'll be able to see the results better.

Day 2,, everything is swollen, and I mean everything. lol. I got to take a shower last night and my new scar looks a lot better than the original scar from the lower body lift. Today Dr. Medina is going to check me and hopfully I get the ok to travel. I'm going to try to keep the drain in as long as possible to avoid having the same issues I had before this.

Today I'm at the OCC with Dr. Mendina, having plastic surgery to correct a couple complications from my Lower Body Lift done in 2008. Let me bring you up to speed. I was lap-banded at the OCC in March 2007. I had great results and lost over 100lbs with it. I LOVED MY LAP-BAND! Then a year and a half goes by, I decide to come to MX and have a lower body lift to get rid of all my excess skin. Back in 2008 the OCC didn't have an "in house" plastic surgeon, so I choose another TJ plastic surgeon. It didn't turn out to my expectations and I've had small complications ever since. Last year in August, I had revision surgery from band to sleeve and I found out the OCC has a great plastic surgeon named Dr. Medina "in house". While here I talked to Dr. Medina and got his opinion on how to correct my complications from the lower body lift. Today this is where I'm at, right here at the OCC getting "fixed" by Dr. Medina. I haven't seen the results yet, I'm very swollen and black and blue. But he did his magic and removed some deep scar tissue and sutures that were giving me grief. I'll keep everyone posted as to how things go in the next couple weeks. Time to run,, heading to the Marriott.

I can't tell you what they give you as far as pain meds,, your OCC coordinator can advise you as to what they are currently using. The drain tube will stay in for 3 to 5 days,, depending on how much they're collecting. The OCC clinic, as well as the Marriott has free WIFI.

A lot of patients worry about the pre-surgery weight loss. You need to relax and take a deep breath. You'll do fine if you follow the diet as much as possible and EXERCISE! The hotel is ok, food is good, prices are comparable to other large hotels. There's a Walmart a couple blocks South of the Marriott, you can buy water and other things. There's a McDonalds and Carl jrs a couple blocks North of the hotel. Questions about companions staying with you at the Marriott can be answered by Gloria at the OCC. As far as how you will feel post-surgery is a individual thing. I felt really good. I even walked 5 miles the next day. Easy surgery for me.

I'd be calling my Family Doctor and going in to see him,, sounds like common flu. But, I'm not a doctor. Plus,, call the OCC when you think something strange is going on.

Article from Weather.com July might be the peak of American meat-eating with all the backyard barbecues and summer parties. All in all, Americans are notable carnivores, downing about 260 pounds of meat per year, James Hamlin recently wrote for The Atlantic. But there are some among us who still might come up short on protein, Cindi Lockhart, the senior program manager of nutrition and health coaching for Life Time Fitness, told weather.com. "For the average person, you should get some form of protein every time you eat," she said. "Depending on how active you are, you'll also want protein snacks in between." Seattle sports dietician Kim Larson, R.D.N., a spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, told weather.com that protein problems are relatively rare in the United States, but that getting a protein boost at every meal is essential, especially as we age. To find out if you might need more of this essential nutrient, read on, though this article is not meant to diagnose any medical condition. Cravings for "sugar, carbs and starches" might be symptoms of a protein insufficiency, Lockhart said, noting that insufficiencies are more common than deficiencies in the Western world. "If you're reaching for crackers, cookies, breads and other refined carbs, and if you're hungry all the time, you might not be getting enough protein," Larson said. This is one reason why protein is so important for people who are trying to lose weight. It not only helps build muscle, which can stoke your metabolism, but also it can help you feel fuller, longer. Protein supports muscle growth, so if you're having trouble building or maintaining muscle, that might be a sign of an insufficiency, Lockhart said. Because of protein's role in muscle and bone growth, it's particularly important for people over the age of 50 to prevent the muscle wasting associated with aging, Larson said. Muscle wasting could also be a sign of too few calories, she said, adding that when the body has too few carbohydrates for energy, it breaks down protein. "Your muscles breakdown the protein that you're eating for energy, and then that protein is not used to build your muscle mass," she explained. Protein fortifies the immune system — another reason it is so important as we age. "Getting sick a lot would certainly relate to protein intake," Larson said. "Protein does so much for us. It regulates a lot of different metabolic systems," Larson said. "We think of sodium and potassium for fluid balance, but it's a very key component in fluid balance as well." The important thing is to know is that you should have high-quality proteins for breakfast, lunch and dinner, she said. If you're losing hair or noticing an uptick in split ends, your protein intake might be to blame, Lockhart said. This happens because when the body lacks protein, it stops growing hair to use protein elsewhere, according to WebMD. Horizontal, white bands on your nails can also be a sign of a protein problem, Lockhart said. "Protein insufficiency is more prevalent in kids — they can be picky eaters, and they're developing fast, so they need that protein," Lockhart said. "Anyone else who is a growing phase — adolescents, [during] pregnancy or lactation." Vegetarians and vegan also have to be more conscious of what they are consuming, she said. Although it is completely possible to get enough protein on a vegetarian diet through beans, soy, nuts, dairy and eggs (depending on dietary restrictions). Although, Larson cautions, few plants sources contain all nine indispensable amino acids, so a variety of plant sources are needed. The elderly are another at-risk group, Larson said, as muscle wasting is a problem associated with aging. Some very active people also might lack protein, which can help the body recover. "In general, marathon runners are not very buff. They don’t have a lot muscle mass," Larson said as an example. "They're a group that tends to under-consume [protein] and under fuel." It was once believed that too much protein could cause kidney failure, but that is an out-of-date concern, Larson said. "We really don't see kidney failure even at 2.5 grams of protein per day per kilogram of body weight [170 grams a day for a 150-pound person]," she said. "That concern is obsolete." Gender, weight, age, activity level and more all play a role in determining an appropriate protein intake, Larson said. Generally, 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight is a good starting benchmark, with more protein needed if you're trying to lose weight, or if you're a very active athlete. Athletes who are heavily strength training might need as much as 2 grams per kilogram a day, she said. "Proteins are made in our body all throughout the day, so you constantly have to replenish that steady stream of amino acids by eating protein at breakfast, lunch and dinner," Larson said. Meat and fish are go-to protein sources for most people (and the reason why true protein deficiency is not much of an issue in the United States). Low-fat dairy and eggs are also great complete sources, Larson said. As far as plants, "soybeans are one of the best sources of complete protein," Larson said. "Edamame, tofu: These things provide all of the indispensable amino acids [though] variety is really the key." Protein combining used to be a big deal for vegetarian — for example, eating rice and beans together to hit all the amino acids at once — but now it is believed that a generally varied plant-based diet is enough. Protein powders can also supplement intake, Lockhart said, particularly for on-the-go athletes.