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TGsMom

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  1. My daughter was banded on 3-09 and had her first fill at OCC on Friday (1.6 CC). Today she returned to eating solids after the required 3 days of liquids. She is depressed because she says she feels nothing...no restriction, no fullness, just normal! The fill doctor (I dont know which doctor it was, but young and dreamy of course!) said it could take 2 or 3 weeks to feel any restriction. Ive never heard that before...anyone have any experience with this wait? Any input would be greatly appreciated!
  2. Thank you! Im going to GNC today to find some protein shots for her! She hasnt gotten any protein in yet, because she was sick on day 7 and HATES all the shakes I bought. Now I guess I have questions about the creamy soup. Is all creamy soup OK? Im sure at some point even Campbells had to use a blender to get potatoes (or anything) to a creamy consistency. The soup I bought from the restaurant is smooth and liquid enough to be drinken. But I assume a blender was used at some point. Im confused about the creamies...Help! And, sorry.....fever was gone by the next morning and hasnt returned. She feels pretty good today (day 8), but down 12 lbs now :lb12: .
  3. My daughter and I drank the bottled water, used ice in our glasses (she even sucked on ice at the OCC) and even ate the dreaded (gasp) vegetables grown in Mexico. Not one issue!
  4. Just a quick break-down.....My daughter had the surgery last Monday (3-9-09), she is 15. I am supporting her completely in her decision and being a "mother-hen" while she recovers. Surgery went fine. The day after... we were shopping and laughing on Revolution with just some minor gas pains that were walkable. Trip home was great! I treated her to first-class plane tickets and she sipped juice and read with little to no pain in a seat where she could fly comfortably. That night her best-friend (the only one who knows of the surgery) came over as soon as we got home and kept her company while she rested and ate popsicles. The next 2 days went well also, although she was already tired of the clear liquids and opted for nothing a lot of the time :lb12: . She had little hunger, but felt like she just wanted to chew something *which she wouldnt dream of doing because she is taking the rules VERY seriously!). Day 6, first bad day :bad: ! My daughter slept all day and ran a fever (incisions look great, no redness, healing nicely). I called the OCC and got instructions (liquid Tylenol and see how she is on day 7). Ate NOTHING on day 6. She says she is just not hungry. Drank several glasses of diluted juice, but very little water. Day 7....no fever, but diarrhea (sorry if its TMI, but I need to know if this is normal!), and nauseated. Not hungry....down 10 lbs since surgery day(of the 45 that the doctor wants her to lose! :lb12: ). Ive been reading the forum to get some advice and just keep coming across DRINK DRINK DRINK. She is achy also, so I had to put my foot down tonight and MAKE her drink enough water. After one bottle she already feels better! I told her that if she doesnt hydrate herself, I will have to take her to the ER to have it done by IV. I also took her to a restaurant for dinner, one of her favorite places that has a creamy potato soup that she loves. I got her the biggest bowl (and 2 for take home) and she managed to eat half a bowl before she lost interest. I pretty much opt for soups (even when I am feeding my husband and other daughter) so that her and I can eat together, but she says that seeing people eat doesnt bother her. I eat my soup, she barely touches hers. I really thought I would be calming her because she would be so upset about not being able to eat for 21 days and the opposite has occurred! I need someone to calm me! It is disconcerting to me that she is not eating and just doesnt seem interested in food. I have to talk her in to putting SOMETHING on her stomach and I dont always win. One more thing.....Since she was 2 she hasnt been able to take any liquid meds. It goes down the throat and right back up. She gags the minute the liquid vitamins and liquid Tylenol touch her tongue. I had to grind Tylenol into powder last night for the fever. Can I do the same with vitamins? Thanks for any insight!
  5. You dont need to exchange your money, they def prefer american money! However, you will need small bills because a lot of people wont be able to make change for you (the cab drivers always had american change though). ON the last day I was down to 20's and not even the hotel could give me american change for tipping. People got big tips that day! Also, one problem I ran into....pay phones (I got nonexistant cell service) and vending machines only take peso and getting change for a dollar was IMPOSSIBLE.
  6. My daughter was banded on Monday (3 days ago). The port site with the bigger incision is a little distended and you can actually touch the area and feel the port. Normal? (She thinks its cool, not quite sure if I feel the same...). Would love to know how normal this actually is. I guess I should add that she is only 15 and her BMI just meets the criteria at 30. The doctor only wants her to lose 45 lbs, so her abdomen is probably smaller than a full grown adult (if that makes any sense). She carries a lot of her weight in her lower half (maybe that makes more sense!). Thanks in advance for your help!
  7. There were 2 women getting banded the same day as my daughter that travelled alone. They seemed perfectly fine! The OCC takes very good care of you and you really wont need the extra help. Dont go anywhere alone....dont try shopping. But the hotel and the OCC seemed perfectly safe to me. I would suggest picking up some gatorade or vitamin water on the way...you might need it in the hotel after surgery and they dont have them there. But room service at the Lucerna was happy to provide broth (tell them you are a patient of Dr. Ortiz, and they will know exactly what to bring you. When I ordered broth for my daughter they also brought her apple juice.). I was able to walk across the street and get gatorade, but you probably wont want to. The border was perfectly fine! The presence of Border police is overwhelming! We felt perfectly safe! Just pack light since you will have to lug your own suitcase through (otherwise the OCC drivers will handle ALL of your bags for you! And the hotel staff wont let you touch even the smallest bags!). Stick with your plans! You will be just fine!
  8. Def tipped the OCC driver "Jesus" $20 each way to and from the airport for 2 of us. Didnt tip in between the clinic and hotel though. Tipped the cab drivers $5 each way and the bell men $5 every time they handled my bags. DONT tip on Revolution! Such high pressure sales, they got too much from me as it was (but, we had so much fun!). Oh and I tipped the room service guy $5 minimum when he delivered our food and got surprisingly quick service for the rest of our stay!
  9. Just a quick update (my daughter has already posted her update on testimonials). We have had a wonderful experience here at the OCC! We are back at the hotel now and heading home to Texas tomorrow. My daughter is feeling good, very little pain or discomfort, just some usual gas pains that are walkable. Sneezing is interesting! And the bumpy cab rides are a little rough. But all in all.....no regrets! I highly recommend Dr. Ortiz and his staff....they are truly great at what they do. The rest will be my daughters journey! I have done my part, and according to the patients we have been around...I am Mother of the year, LOL! They all wished they would have had this as a teenager and think their lives would have been much different. I am excited to see how this all plays out! I will keep you all updated!
  10. Thank You! Ya'll have been so helpful! I never even called to see about my daughters pre-op diet but, after I read that your daughter didnt have to do it I emailed Dr. Miranda and found out that my daughter doesnt have to do a pre-op diet either! Im glad you mentioned that! And we have already decided that all fills will be done at the OCC. One more quick question......My daughter has an unreasonable fear of getting the IV. How bad was it? She had surgery a few years ago and they waited until she was under before they did it, any chance we will get that this time?
  11. Im really hoping that there are some moms out there that can answer some questions for me! My daughter is 15 and scheduled for surgery at OCC in 2 weeks. I have been 100% supportive, but I do have my fears and concerns. We are just a few days away from starting the pre-op diet (12 day)...was that a painful experience? I can imagine my daughter being miserable and starving and wanting to cheat. She insists she will be fine, but I have some doubts! Same with the post-op diet....will she be miserably hungry? Her friend (thin!) keeps telling her that she will be on the worst kind of diet ever because she will be hungry for the rest of her life and unable to eat. Reason tells me that this is untrue, but I guess I need some reassurance. Did you feel safe with your daughter in Tijuana? Everyone keeps telling me that its very dangerous (and its just the 2 of us travelling). How long was it from the time they take them away to surgery to the time that you were reassured that surgery went fine? I dont know how long I will be able to sit still and keep my composure while she is gone. Is your teenager able to be in social situations (post-op) that involve food without feeling "weird" (ie, Starbucks or pizza outings)? How do they handle these situations? I dont want her to end up feeling like she cant be around her friends if there is food involved or that she is different. When you have a teeanager that has had this procedure done in Mexico, how did the family doctor react back at home? I havent told her family doctor, but Im sure that the next time she has to go in I will have to explain that she has a lapband. I have these horrible fears of a screaming tirade and questions about my ability to make these decisions for my daughter. It wouldnt stop me from supporting her, but it would be incredibly uncomfortable. Thin people just dont understand and many are quick to make harsh judgements! I was an overweight teenager (and still am, but can only afford one surgery for now! And this is more important to her than my own vanity is to me). I understand how difficult it is to be a teen battling a weight issue. My thought process for supporting her is simply...medicine has come too far for her to suffer unneccessarily. If there is a medical way to give her a healthier and happier life than I will do whatever I need to do to see it happen. My heart literally breaks everytime she cries when shopping for clothes or cries over something some ignorant person has said to her. She floored me when she asked for this surgery for Christmas.....it was the last thing I expected to hear from her. So no matter what I WILL be supportive! Thanks in advance for answering my questions. I know its a lot (and I have more!). Please add anything else that you think might be helpful to me as I see my daughter through this exciting time (in her opinion!)
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