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Thanks all for the welcomes and reassurance about my "side effects"! Jann - so glad you liked the pics! We did all have fun together there.

Good luck! It'll be great.

Thanks ladies! I'm glad to hear that some of you have experienced the lovely side effects I have. I did a search on the forum yesterday and saw that it was indeed fairly common. I don't know what I'd do without this forum and all of you!!

Hi all! I was banded on Tuesday, 6/24. The OCC (like everyone says) is awesome! The docs are all great (and adorable) as are the nurses. Indeed, such an improvement over my previous surgery experiences in the US. I posted pics in my gallery of my sister and I (got banded together) and our Dad who came for support. We went to LaPalapa (across the street from the Lucerna) and had a fantastic dinner the night before surgery. I had ceviche for an appetizer and the "fish La Palapa" for my main course which had a cilantro sauce and cheese and bacon - yummmm!! (Can you tell I'm still on a clear liquid diet and thinking a bit much about food?) I was a little anxious the day of surgery, but the staff really calmed me down - of course they gave us Ativan too, which really helps. Dr. Ortiz came by and chatted with us for a bit - he really put me at ease. He made sure we were clear on what to eat after surgery - and then how to succeed once on solids. And he told us that we'd both be hot mamas soon He's just so relaxed and warm and he made me feel much better. Shortly after surgery I was chatting on the phone with family and sucking on popsicles. last time I had surgery I felt sick from the anesthesia for days, so it was amazing not to have any of that. My sister and I both went back to the hotel the same day as surgery, which was great. We had the broth and apple juice at the hotel restaurant that night -- it was a bit too much to drink the broth and a whole big glass of juice at one sitting. We were a bit uncomfortable afterwards but did about 6 laps around the block where the hotel is and that helped with the bloating and gas. The next day we went to the Arts and Crafts market and Revolucion ave. We bought some beautiful pottery at the market. It was a great place to go. I liked it a lot better than Revolucion Ave. Much less pushy sellers, and more beautiful wares in my opinion. We flew home early Thursday, which was a long flight for me back to NYC. I slept a lot on the plane and felt great when I arrived home. My trouble began the next morning when diarrhea set in. :lb1: I was feeling really sick to my stomach most of Friday and early Saturday. Yesterday I was allowed to add some liquid yogurt, and I wonder if that helped a bit. My tummy started feeling better, but the diarrhea continued. I started taking Imodium yesterday afternoon which slowed it a bit. It's still there this am, but not as bad. I hope to feel ready to go to work tomorrow!! I started feeling hungry Friday - kinda stinks I have to say. But I keep sipping on something and it helps. I stopped drinking juice when the diarrhea started. So that's my story so far - hope it helps some future bandster know what to expect. Despite the diarrhea I'm feeling pretty good - and still so happy I did this!! Looking forward to those creamy soups I tell ya!

I have 5 incisions in my belly - most are very small, about 1/4" or so and there is one bigger one that's about 1". They are all above my belly button, more on the left side. The big one is about 4" above my belly button and about 3" to the left. The highest one is just under the middle of my bra. They need to make little holes to put their scope and instruments into - so they can work inside. The big one is where the band and the port go through, and I was told my port is about 1" below that incision. The pain really isn't too bad. My biggest issue this week has been diarrhea, but the pain from the incisions hardly bothers me at all. I most certainly have no regrets - and I'm sure you won't either. I just added pics to my gallery - check them out - as you'll see my sister and I were goofing around at the hospital just a couple hours after surgery (we went back to the hotel late afternoon on surgery day) and then went shopping the next day.

Hi - I was banded the day after you and still have some pain at the port site. For me I mostly feel it when I use my stomach muscles though - when sitting or standing up from sitting, or bending over. When I'm walking around or laying down it doesn't bother me. I've been taking liquid tylenol when it hurts the most. Hope it gets better soon!! -Susan

Don't know that doc - but I'd suggest you contact the folks at the OCC (click the logo on the upper left). Most of us on this forum were banded by Dr. Ortiz at the OCC, who is one of the top lap band surgeons in the world. I'm not sure what their upper weight limit is, but they can tell you. I know it's at least a BMI of 50, possibly up to 60. Good luck!!

Good luck with everything - I'm sure it'll go great!

You're looking awesome! Congratulations on your speedy success!! :lb10:

Congratulations!! You WILL make it to the 170s - and soon I'm sure. :lb16:

You look beautiful! It's just so inspiring seeing how well you're doing - makes me so excited about what's to come for me. :spruce_up:

Oh rats!! Well I can wait another 1/3 day. Thanks for keeping me honest!

Thanks!! I think I'll try a bigger supermarket - and I'll check by the taco shells - thanks for the description! And yay - I'm glad to hear you think I can count surgery day as day one - 1 day closer to this soup!! :lb21:

Congrats Cathy and Julie on your great restriction! I obviously can't answer your question since I'm newly banded, but I'm happy to see you're doing great - think of the money you'll save with leftovers that provide a bunch of meals!

Hi all - silly question perhaps - is "enchilada sauce" the same as salsa? Or taco sauce? Or picante sauce? This soup looks so good and I just looked for "enchilada sauce" at the supermarket but didn't find it. Thanks! Only a few more days till I get creamy liquids - can't wait!! Oh - one more question. Do you think surgery day counts as day 1 of the liquid diet? My surgery was before noon. Or does it start the next day? Thanks!!

Hi Lisa, I just got banded on Tuesday. I was a bit nervous about it all, but it was just fine. They give you an ativan before surgery so that really helps relax you. And Dr. Ortiz came by and chatted a bit and completely put me at ease. (He's even more adorable in person). Let's see what advice I can come up with... - Definitely bring some gas-x strips - Check out the arts and crafts market the day before or after - I thought it was much better than Revolucion ave. - After surgery don't drink too much too fast - at the restaurant at the Lucerna they'll give you a big bowl of broth and a very large glass of apple juice - but I felt full and really uncomfortable after drinking that much - I packed some juice boxes in my checked luggage which were nice to have after surgery - remove any nailpolish from your fingernails before you go - toes are okay to be polished - walk a lot after surgery to get that gas moving - my sister and I did laps around the block where the hotel is - so we wouldn't have to cross those crazy traffic circle streets! - about the streets - the cars have to yield to you, so if you just start walking they'll stop and let you go - but it is a little stressful That's all I can think of. I'm just 3 days out and feeling pretty darn good - just a little sore at the port site (hurts when I bend over and stuff, but not at all when I'm just standing or sitting) and a little uncomfortable inside (belly) but overall pretty good - and getting better each day. Good luck! You'll do great! -Susan

So adorable!!

Jim - I am so very sorry for your loss. I send my deepest condolences to you and your family. I can't even imagine what you're going through... take care of yourself as best you can.