jetdeck

Scared, I don't see the nutritionist, I was never told it was a requirement. However on the first visit you will get an esophogram (sp?). I did go for my second fill and am tight but doing well. SJ

Mona, Driving to NYU is a breeze and only costs my copay for a fill. Getting to the sweet spot could take a while or happen quickly I'm just glad to be so close to a place for adjustments.

Call Rene, he will fax it in a day.

Scared, Fill has been fine, the experience was very easy and pleasant, I will be getting another fill soon as I am not there yet I really think another .5cc will make a huge difference. I am in the middle of a divorce so I am not the best indicator. SJ

Way to go Paula...I know what you mean about those pain pills. Very interesting about the 35lb in relation to your knees. SJ

I can feel my port, it actually bulges a bit...will definitely have it buried deeper when i get to goal!

Thanks MM...ugh 3 days liquid!

iwant: they don't fill under fluoro, Dr Ren developed the flow chart which she uses to determine fill amount. ina: i'll post about insurance, i'm sure it would be too good to be true! lol

MM I was with Paula and concerned about drinking shakes when they wrote in BOLD not to. I am so glad that you posted your reasoning behind having the shakes and that Dr Miranda agreed. I also am not a day eater, but definitely PM eater! I love having breakfast shake then lunch and dinner so now I'll do it without guilt! SJ

Since I didn't go to TJ for 1st fill I am wondering what guidelines OCC uses. NYU is liquids day of and next day, then 2 days of soft mushies, then full diet. Thanks - SJ

It was an interesting day, mainly because I am a small town girl and I drove to Manhattan by myself which was a trip! For new patients who were not banded at NYU you get an esophogram (sp) done 1st to check band placement, etc. Then up to Ren's office which was pretty small and jammed packed. Nurse does a history and physical, Dr Ren was all business, then she did the fill. She gives you a chart to look at to determine your current level of restriction, then bases that on how much of a fill to give. I told her I had no restriction so she put in 1cc. Go back every 4 weeks for adjustments. $40 out of pocket, they will bill insurance for the rest...wondering how that will go since I was banded in MX. SJ

Allcdngirl Good question, would be interesting to know. They use this flow chart since they don't do fills under fluoro so it would be interesting to know opinions on accuracy. SJ

http://en.alsomnah.com/downloads/2007-4-1_...ugay%202-04.pdf I wanted to re-post under different topic title to make sure it didn't get missed.

Going back to TJ isn't an option for me so I decided to go to NYU for follow up. Attached is an interesting algorithm that they published on band adjustments http://en.alsomnah.com/downloads/2007-4-1_...ugay%202-04.pdf

Rene faxed mine the day after I requested.

I'm glad to see Admin Chad finally show up!

For me slimfast and yogurt drinks made my stomach a mess and didn't help with hunger, I realized I was getting way too many grams of sugar. I switched over to EAS whey protein powder and blended with ice and skim milk, it was so thick, filling and delicious. My advice, especially since you are only 5 days post op, follow Miranda's post op diet to a T. SJ

Hey Lynn, Glad you made it ok, keep us posted. SJ

Sorry to hear about your surgery complications, I'm sure it was horrifying to wake up after a seemingly minor surgery and face what you had to face. I had to have surgery to remove a fibroid tumor and was warned before going to surgery that if the Doc couldn't remove it by lap he would have to open me up. Well...he had to open me up and I can tell you that even though he had been very candid about the possibility I still went into surgery convinced that I would get off easy and only require lap, I wasn't at all prepared to wake up from major surgery. I had my lapband done by Ortiz in March and was very happy with the experience but AnnieLou's experience does raise a concern that I had before traveling to OCC. How would AnnieLou's complication been handled by Ortiz? Would she have been transferred to a hospital? I know we all have glowing experiences but this is a reality and I'm curious as to what the procedure is for complications at OCC. Anybody know? SJ

I was intubated, woke up and tube was still down my throat. I'm pretty sure when under general anesthesia you are always intubated. SJ

walked in, wheeled out!

All I can say is WOW!

gosh I don't know...is it a low profile port? seems to me you should be able to have the port replaced or adjusted without having to altogether remove the band. SJ

If it were me I would be tempted to go to the place an hour from your house...for $375 under floro. I'm in the same boat...I live in PA and to travel to MX for each fill is more than I can take. I'm limited in my options and have yet to find a place that will take MX patients and that do fills under floro! One place said they will do the fill then send you down the street to the hospital to have the floro...makes no sense! SJ

sorry you are having such a hard time, but glad to know that you feel supported by OCC! SJ