godgiven

i have had my band 2 1/2 weeks...ive lost 12 lbs & im so thrilled & feel good! Ive been sore but started taking advil & it has nelped so much. Im so happy I did it & thankful!!!

We also wanted to go there but decided not to because it was a half hour away & i wanted to rest at the hotel. Fransisco from Dr.Ortiz office told us that . My friend has a condo there & says its awesome!!:)thx,staci http://www.myspace.com/staciamicarelli

I also have had to answer to my friends & family about why I went to Mexico....one reason is I dont have insurance & had to pay cash ......honestly, I would rather have a leading doctor in Mexico than throw back dr.'s we have around here in my area. Sad to say but all the health care experiences Ive had here in California have been pretty horrible.........does that make sense?

YES!!!! ive lost 10 lbs!!! wooohoooo!!!!! i wanna flip around ....yea!!!

i dont own a scale ...so i went to my best friends on day 6 & i had lost 6 lbs .....i will weigh in again this week though....i cant wait!!!! i guess i can buy a scale now...lol....now that i know im lossing weight it wont be so depressing:)

Well, i am on day 8 & i finally went to work half day & i feel so much better.....so much better!! I dont know about every body else but i needed a week for recovery. That was my first trip to mexico via the boarder so other people prob have a better sense of good times to cross:) It was by FAR my best experience as far as health care,2:)

in order to cross the boarder quickly I would go with the driver in the morning. When I was there the driver picked people up @ 8am & again @ 1pm..... The morning people got thru quickly it took us acouple hr or more.

I know everyone is different but i couldnt work again that soon. I have to bet you'll need a lil more time? But im 34 yrs old now & i dont bounce back like i used too:)

I arrived on a thursday night & left on Sunday afternoon....it took 2 1/2 hrs to get across the boarder cuz we didnt leave until 1:30 in the afternoon. The Driver was sweet & the van was new & clean & had a/c . It was comfortable:) even though i was uncomfortable & sore.

not worried about that cuz on day 7 i get creamy soups & day 6 i get protein drinks.......so i know that it will even out...I was told to eat about 1500 calories per day after all this post op stuff, ya know:)

Well , i was told to have clear broths, gatarade & different vitamin h20 for the first 3 days. Then on day 4 I was able to have drinkable yogart, too. Then I day 6 I get to add protein drinks. Then on day 7 I get to add creamy soups. I get to have solid food again after 3 weeks. Believe me, the reason it seems a lil easier to do is that I know I will keep this weight off...it's not like every other diet ive done where i gained it all back each time.....im lookin fwd to my skinny future:) good luck with you

On day 2 i was feeling pain from the gas they use and day 3 i had heartburn/gas pain but i took it easy & got thru it ..... On day 5 Im feeling a lot better. All the gas pain that your talking about is finally gone,whew. That was uncomfortable! I didnt get it my my shoulders just in my chest & whole body pretty much,lol. The first 3 days i had only clear chicken broth & gatorade,& h2o. On day 4 I had drinkable yogart ( danimals) ..its totally weird to be full after a few sips or a half a cup of liquid, but its true. The worst part is in my head & trying to retrain myself on food & hunger & ya know all of the food addiction parts. It reminds me of the 1st time i went on Atkins & had to train myself to stay away from carbs. I have to stay focused that my body is not hungery its in my head...now when i truely am hungry I drink a lil something & the hunger goes away....staying on liquids is really a battle of the mind.......is how i feel....its actually starting to make me feel free from my food addiction that was grippin me for so long......if that makes sense? >

I just left Mexico yesterday & came back home to California....I am 34yrs old & saw the Oprah show 2. I made my appt instantly & it has been a wonderful experience . I didnt tell my family until it was over either.........ive been band for 4 days & I am recovering much much better today!! Im less sore & less tightness/heartburn 2day...The warm/hot drinks helped more than cool drinks...im sticking to hot today Walking after surgery makes a world of difference,too! It took me until day 4 to feel pretty good but i saw other people bouncing back in a matter of hours!!wow!

How are you feeling any luck recovering? Hope all is well, any advice for the rest of us?,thx staci I am currently on day 4 of being band & finaly feel a lot better...a lot less sore & less tightness/heartburn:)

http://www.myspace.com/staciamicarelli add me if ur on my space:)

my bmi was 33.2 & i weighed in at 219lbs. I am 5'8 & 1/2 ,,,,,, im telling you that dr. ortiz & his whole staff are so wonderful & awesome ...I can't say enough good things!! I was so stressed out last week cuz i made such a quick appt. & didnt know much about lap bands just what i researched last week ....and they made me feel so comfortable , they gave me a pill for my nerves and calmed me down & were so sweet .....i was never rushed & sunday morning b4 we left the hotel i called one of the dr'.s on his cel phone @ 10 am on a sunday morning....AND THE DR. ANSWERED!!find any dr. in the US who gives u his personal number or answers his own phone??? I also met a lot of people gettin bands ...it was busy but u never feel rushed or anything...its like ur own personal hospital:) A lil advice i can give is stick with warm/hot liquid post op.....it goes down much easier....when my broth got cool & i kept drinkin it i felt horrible...then i had some hot liquid( several hrs later) ....... & felt like a new person.

=D> I had the most wonderful experience at Dr. Ortiz's office in TJ, Mexico. I first heard about this procedure on Monday's Oprah show....and with in 15 mins of the show I KNEW IT WAS FOR ME!!! I called and had the best person named Lori answer the call & it just so happens we live near by each other. I booked my Dr. appt to get a lap band for Fri. 2/8/08. 4 days later & here i am a new banster!, Every single person from the driver who picked me up to Dr. Ortiz's mother to the fantastic nurses!! At one point the nurse even hugged me because i was so nervous!!! The receptionist, Dr. Hermans and Dr. Miranda ( invite me ur ur wedding & ill invite u to mine)lol........these people are the most wonderful doctors I have ever experienced! I was not rushed. I was not hurried. Dr. Martinez went above and behond to make me feel safe & ready to leave. I just had the best experience and would NEVER go or recommend anywhere else. I feel very lucky and look forward to my skinny future. For the record Dr. Ortiz is even cuter in person!! omg!! Can't wait for my first fill in 6 weeks I will be traveling to mexico for my fills directly based on what wonderful care I recieved! OUTSTANDING TEAM!! THANK YOU!! Staci http://www.myspace.com/staciamicarelli

my name is , Staci with an I ...i also will be having the procedure doen feb. 8,2008...sure we will meet there:) i just discovered the lap band on monday while watchin oprah & so off i go....