HopefulFuture

I use Dr. Nick Gabriel with St Catherines Hospital. It only costs me my copay from insurance. He only does fills once a month and always under flouro. So if you need a Dr in NY on Long Island he's the man. He is also a good friend of Dr. Ortiz.

I too have little restriction now and hopefully going for my third fill this month...The protein first works great. I keep chicken salad and egg salad handy and I have a teaspoon every 20 minutes. It seems to work and fills me up!!! Just my two cents. Good luck.

Hi Lisa, I am so excited for you that you have lost and are at your goal. I can't believe it has almost been a year seen we were there. I am steady at 146 right now and am looking to get another small fill in this month. I havent reached my goal but another 10-15 I will. For me it's slow and I am happy because I do not need the TT. Maybe at goal I will do the breasts. Keep in touch. Kim

Thanks for the advise and pep talk. I will ask for another fill nxt week and hopefully it will help. I dont rely on it to do the work just to help me. So far it hasn't. I struggle every day as if I was never banded at all. This is what I was hoping to avoid.

I had lost 10 pounds after having the surgery in Oct and had my first fill of 2.2cc on Dec 18th. I lost 4 pounds but gained it back after the liquid diet for two weeks was over. I can eat anything. I do chose healthy foods. more protein over breads..more veggies over potatoes. I excersize 2x a week for an hour. I question this journey often and I dont mean too but I do. Please an advice would help me. I go to the nutritionalist on the 27th and I am asking for another fill...maybe that will work! Hopefully.

I went alone also flying from NY to CA. The only discomfort I had being alone was that my flight landed late around 9pm and I was at the airport waiting for a couple of minutes for the driver. That is it. Otherwise I made friends that morning in the lobby. Dont worry one bit honestly!!!!

Dont feel bad Im here shoveling myself. We just got hit with 7 inches. I just got my first fill yesterday but if it was scheduled for today it would have been cancelled also. good Luck next Friday! hang in there.

I understand completely. My husband is a large support system for me. No one in my family knows I had the surgery in Oct. I think i'll keep it that way. The first few weeks were hard to keep it from them and now it doesnt even cross my mind to tell. Good Luck on your journey. There are many highs and lows, but it is a journey worth taking.

It is really important that you get support from your spouse. This is a person that you will need to lean on when things might seem too hard to over come. You dont want him to say I told you so everytime you comment about bad you are feeling. Dont get me wrong it will not all be bad but there are struggles dont kid yourself!! I traveled alone to Mexico and I didnt feel once threaten or uncomfortable about safety. Everyone you meet will treat you with the upmost respect! Honestly. Any questions just ask or search past posts. Good Luck. Kim

Too funny !!!

Is it just me because everytime I watch it I cry!!!! My poor 8 year old was in tears the night the Father of the yellow team left. She asked me if he was gonna die if he left. Thank goodness they showed him doing so well at home.

I just got back also last sunday and I traveled alone from NY. You will never find a cleaner more up to date facility then the OCC. Not even in the US. We are not paid to say this it's just a fact. If you watch the you tube video of the OCC it looks exactly like that!!!. They are professional and take excellent care of you. I am a mother of three young children and I would never want to put my life at risk and have them lose their mother. With this said. I left for the OCC confident that I would return well. It was a week since my surgery on friday(yesterday) and I feel great. I have also written my details on Oct. 6th. Please dont second guess this decision. It is the best!!!

> Good Luck!! It's a great journey. Enjoy it! Relax and think of your wonderful future!! Any questions just ask us!!!

You are so dedicated. I hope I can be that way!!!

I'd like to know that answer too. When I bulch it feels like the same way when you thrown up. Sorry TMI. The pressure hurts.

I love reading their posts and seeing their progress. It's so inspirational!! Where are you ladies!!!!

Welcome. I was banded on Oct. 3rd. I am still with my liquid diet. I cant wait to see your progress.

When I started the pre-op diet I did two days prior to surgery only liquids to get use to the feeling I was about to experience. It actually helped me alot. I used metamucil to curb the hurger pains plus specail K protein drink. After surgery I didnt feel the hunger pains thank god!!! I am on day 5 of liquids and the hardest thing for me right now is watching everyone else eat food and I can't. I didnt realize how hard the first 21 days are. I have gone thru only 5 and I am dying to eat something badly!!!!! I dont have hunger pains though!!!

Thanks for this post. I read it before my surgery and I am reading it again. I understand the struggle with the band and I hope that I can overcome most obstacles thrown my way. Congratulation on your weight loss so far. I hope I can lose that much too.

Think about what is best for you and your children. With the both of you getting along better separated the children sence that. My husband and I deal with an ex who is spiteful. It is horrible. Please never end up like that. The only people who lose are the children. Good Luck with your new journey. You will be surprised how it will effect your weight loss for the better!!!!

Welcome You will learn so much from this site. Everyday I learn more and more. I was banded on Friday the 3rd of Oct. so I am right with you and your journey!!!

Trudy, One thing that worked really well for me was metamucil pills. I used it for my pre-op diet and it curbed my hungry greatly!!!! I took one at 10am and one at 3pm. The fiber is great for you and it filld you up. If you even take then about a half hour before you eat you will not eat as much. Try it. It might work. Good Luck

I thought I would give you a little information on how my experience went. I flew into San Diego from NY at around 9:40 pm. The driver was not there only because my flight was early( suppose to arrive at 10 pm). I waited about 10-15 minutes and started to panic but sure enough about five after 10 he was there with his little sign OCC. A short drive around 20 minutes and we were in Mexico. The hotel was nice looking and the service was friendly. Don't worry about the language barrier most speak english also. My room was on the ground floor. I got in and it smelled a little mildewy but once I put the AC on it left. I would compare the room to a Holiday inn room. They have TV with English Channels too. The weather was nice but got a little chilly at night. Bring a sweater if you are traveling during this time. At 7am the next morning everyone was in the lobby ready to head over to the OCC. I met Lindsay, Lisa, Mark, Casey and others. We all got along from the moment we met. The driver takes only the surgery patients first over not there family members. He returns for them the second trip around. But families be prepared!!! You will stay at the OCC till 4pm all day. They offer you menus to have lunch delivered in but thats it. Patients and family members can use the phone free of charge anytime. You just dial 84 or 85 or 86 first till you hear a dial tone and then dail as if you were calling from the states. Once you get there you go through a series of test ( some patients do this the day before if you arrive early enough) First you go through the nutrition part, then you get an IV put in either in your hand or arm. Then you go for a lung test and an EKG. The front desk will also take a quick photo of you for ID puropose. Then you wait and wait and wait till its your turn to go through the doors behind the waiting area. You are assigned to a room were you get changed into a lovely thong and gown. The nurses will give you an antibiotic shot first then a dramamine shot. Also then put on these white tight stocking to prevent clotting. The Doctor comes in and talks to you about the surgery. You are then given a pill that you put under your tongue for relaxation. The last shot you get before you go in is a blood thinner shot. They give it to you right in your stomach. Ouch it hurt alittle. I was wheel chaired into the surgery room and jumped on the table and then next thing I knew I was back in my room with the oxygen mask on. I pushed it away and the nurses helped me get into another cloth gown because they change gowns when they do the actual surgery (paper gown). The nurse walks you around the hall twice and then you get to suck on ice cubes. Then back to bed for alittle while for rest. The rooms are very pretty with a suede bedspread and matching blinds. Nice decor and comfortable. The have a LCD TV on the wall which has alot of channels to watch in English. Then most of the day is spent resting. Sipping water and walking. They have two computers you can use near the desk to email or brows the internet. I checked my flight schedule and did my early check in there before I left the OCC. If you have surgery on Mon, Tues, Wed, Thurs you will leave the OCC around 7:30-8am Fridays surgeries you get to sleep till 9 am. The receptionist gives you some relaxation pills for pain and you have some broth. The driver brings you back to your hotel room and you are free to do what ever you like. I went shopping and did alot of walking that was Saturday. I rested most of the evening and had to get up at 3am for my 8am flight!!! Ouch that hurt. The driver picked us up at 4am and had to bring others over for a 6:50 am flight and wouldnt have been able to get me back later so I had to leave early!!!! I waited at the airport for 3 hours. Be prepared with water and protein mixes. Crossing the border at 4am isnt fun. We had all the druck people trying to get back into the US infront of us. But it was quick and easy. They looked at our ID and asked why we were in Mexico and asked if we bought anything. Then we walked alittle ways and jumped back into the van and headed to the airport. I was in alittle pain I guess more soreness but other wise I felt fine. I have been drinking alot of water which helps with constipation. I did get alot of gas on the plane home poor passengers next to me. It was more of a rumble no smell FYI sorry. TMI Okay I think thats it. I hope it helps anyone reading. I packed really light only two outfits and that was it other then toiletries.

I thought I would give you a little information on how my experience went. I flew into San Diego from NY at around 9:40 pm. The driver was not there only because my flight was early( suppose to arrive at 10 pm). I waited about 10-15 minutes and started to panic but sure enough about five after 10 he was there with his little sign OCC. A short drive around 20 minutes and we were in Mexico. See my other post I hit the button by mistake

I have T-mobil and there was no service but the front desk has a card you can purchase for $3.00 and you can you it in the lobby not the room. At the Clinic you can call free all you want anytime!