LoriBecky

hahahahaha now that was funny!

The clnic and the hotel really do take good care of you! I know its an exciting/stressful day, but you are in wonderful hands! For future reference, the direct mexico # to the clinic is 684-9505 so you can always dial that while in Mexico and Cleo is correct, the hotel can get in touch with the office for you anytime.

You might want to change your password! I sometimes MOVE posts if I feel they are better in a different area (surgery vs. fill) but I haven't changed a post. I haven't heard this from anyone else, and I'm really the only moderator/administrator on here that has access to moving/editing posts. I would edit a post if I found something offensive or problematic in it... but I haven't done that yet! I do close topics when I think they are causing problems. Change your password and let me know if it happens again.

Hi Mim, Congratulations on your date. Let me know if you have any questions

Hi Chelley, I hope you received the email I sent you last night, if you didn't let me know and I'll give you a call. I'm not really sure what more I could be doing to help you more with your aftercare, I really am trying, please let me know how else I can help, I am new to this, so any suggestions are appreciated. I did send your post to Dr. Ortiz and he wants to speak with you to see how he can help, so let me know when we can set up that phone conference! By the way Chelley, beautiful pic! I love that more people are posting their pictures!!

I am happy to say that I haven't PB'd yet! I have had some uncomfortable moments as I learn to live banded (no more peanut butter filled preztels in the morning - ouch!) Eat slowly, "chew to goo" and if you feel a "wad in your chest" STOP!! don't try to drink something to force it through - you may just expand what's already there. Give yourself some time. And if you do PB - don't start eating again - wait awhile, you are probably irritated so let things calm down for awhile. Try to avoid PBing often - you risk band slippage! You really don't start experiencing what its like to eat with the band until after that first fill... quite a change!

Hi Bab, If the band had slipped you more likely have more problems eating, not less! The last couple of weeks before your first fill can be tough, because you won't have much restriction as your stomach heals from the surgery. Just hang in there, practice chewing throroughly and eating slowly and not drinking while you eat. The practice will come in very handy once you get your fill!

Hi Peace, If you want to email me your current BMI, etc I can give you an idea if insurance will even consider you for surgery. Most or our patients are either denied by insurance, don't have insurance, or don't want to wait a year (or longer). You can email me or PM me to keep your information confidential

James, I AGREE! I love Slurpees, but not as much as I'm loving my new waistline

Post here to locate other September surgery patients - just click the link. Hi Gabi! September surgery patients

thank you Fiji - that was wonderful

Does anyone else experience slight pains or almost a crampy feeling around their band site? Not all the time, but periodically.

Chelly, I hear ya on the hair thing! I have that problem everytime I lose weight, even when i did Atkins, which is ALL protein! I've noticed a lot of mine coming out, too, and all I seem to eat is protein. Chelly, I'd send an email, or call Dr. Martinez. Dr. Ortiz has been very busy lately and might not have had time to view your email yet. If you need his # just email me. I am so sorry you are having such a hard time. Give me a call sometime, or Carolyn. She's had the band longer and might have some helpful hints. I actually was impressed with the clinic and the follow-up care I got, thats why I asked for a job. Send me an email if you'd like and I can foward it to one of the doctors. Did somebody say water.... it sure wasn't ME!

As you can see, I've started fill patient coordination topics, so you can try to coordinate with other patients coming in around the same time and split the $130 transportation fee. Here is a link to marys post about the bus/trolley. She does a great job of explaining everything, so that's another option.Bus/Trolley Info

Support and coordinate travel with other October Fill patients here. here's a link to the great post by Marys about bus/trolley rides Bus/Trolley info

Here's the link for September fill patients - you might want to post over there September fill patients

Here's the link to the bus/trolley post - marys did a great job giving lots of details! Bus/Trolley info

Just be careful, I know I can't chew gum because I swallow too much air and then I get uncomfortable. Then again... I always had a bit of a problem with gum anyway. If Dr. Miranda says its OK then it should be OK - but it might be one of those things you try... and then have to avoid if you have problems with it.

Hi Bab, if you are a really fast healer, you might not feel much restriction now. You might be ready for your first fill closer to 4 weeks rather than 6 weeks. We tell patients that 4 - 6 weeks after surgery you'll need your first fill. You are 3 weeks out, so you might want to schedule your fill just after your 4 week mark ....additional comments - OK Rene at the clinic told me its 6-8 weeks for a fill... so scratch that 4 week mark stuf, I was misinformed - sorry!.

Hi Wendy, Aren't the other bandsters great! If you have any other questions please feel free to contact me, I'd be happy to speak with you about Lap-Band surgery with Dr. Ortiz Currently we are out of stock on the book by Dr. Ortiz, but we are in talks with a new publisher about getting it re-printed. I promise I'll post to the forum as soon as it becomes available!

Hi bandsters I've had several questions about how to get your picture on the forum. If you go to www.photobucket.com and register there (its free!) and upload your picture, you can then cut and paste the link they give you (URL) and put it on your avatar page in your control panel. Remember... let's keep it clean! Don't make me ask you to remove your picture or worse yet, make me remove it! Please let me know if you have any questions!

OK guys - I just checked with Rene at the clinic (the expert!) he said its generally about a 20 minute drive from the airport to the border.

walk! walking really helps with the gas pains!

You can check out www.fillcenters.usa also check out www.obesityhelp.com and search for lap band doctors in your state, then give a call and see what they charge and how they do them. There is also http://groups.yahoo.com and search mexican bandsters I can't recommend any particular doctor, other than Dr. Ortiz but you can call and find out

YES!!! Slurpee's have carbonation... here's a link to the thread with the information: SLURPEE INFO