DisasterWalking73

I'm doing good, thanks - not too much discomfort anymore. Weight-loss is slow - I've only lost 3 more pounds since being on liquids. But, cutting out the sugary gatorade and juices and switching them for sugar-free stuff and water seems to have helped - I haven't weighed in a few days, so I don't know how MUCH it's helped... lol. How's it going for you? Oh, and about that Tortilla soup - YES, you must try it. My kids are literally begging me to make another batch - it's going to become a staple in our house long after the liquid diet is history! My tip - puree an avocado with a little lemon juice and olive oil until completely smooth - then stir about a tablespoon of that into your hot soup. Sooooo good (and will keep you full for a long time). Yum.

Great video - and great progress! You should be very proud. =D>

Thanks for the info, RevyD - btw, have you tried that Chicken Tortilla soup yet? It's AWESOME.

Hey everybody - I have read different places that a certain amount of itchiness on the port incision (and other incisions too, I guess) is a sign of healing. I just wondered what everyone else's experiences have been? Mine is definitely getting itchy (I'm 10 days post-op) it does not have the appearance of being infected. I can feel the hardness of the port underneath, but the area whole area isn't hard or anything. Thoughts?

Congratulations, Lisa - job well done - you have really taken back your health, girl! (and you look beautiful, too!) Willi333 - I am a newb and this is the first time I've seen your pictures - looks like you have undergone quite a transformation yourself! You look great!

Debbie - you may want to confirm this - but I believe I have in my paperwork (or maybe an email that I got before surgery) that fills for those of us that have had surgery at the OCC are free - BUT, there is a $100 fee for flouroscopy. Now, take what you will from that, because I've never heard of the OCC doing a fill without flouroscopy - so, basically it's $100.

lol - Glad I could help, M. If it makes you feel any better, after day 1 post-op, I have had NO restriction when it comes to liquids - I'll bet I could drink, like, a quart at a time if I wanted to (of course, I don't - lol) I find if it's something thicker, like the yogurt or creamy soups, then I drink about 1/2 cup to a 3/4 cup, and I don't feel FULL per se, but I feel a little, slight twinge of pain in my left shoulder. I don't even know if I can describe it as pain - just a really slight, barely noticable ache - so that's when I stop. I've also started taking cinnamon to control my blood sugar (a great thing for anybody with pcos, insulin resistance or type 2 diabetes - it REALLY works) so I've been getting less hungry in general. But, seriously, I don't think you've stretched your pouch - I've heard stories of people eating, like, chicken and rice (not pureed!) in big portions, like two days after surgery - I think they'd be in danger of a stretch, but you've been sticking faithfully to liquids, so - no way. Hang in there, I know you're gonna do great!

Hi, M - well, as you know, I'm a newbie, too (so you may want to take this with a grain of salt) - but I would think you just feel a bit less full because the swelling is going down. I've heard it said on this and other boards that when you have swelling, it gives a bit of tightness and restriction, almost like having a fill. Now, having said that, I am also scared of messing up and stretching out my pouch! I think it is a universal newbie bandster fear - so far I've had two incidents that I consider screw-ups. The first was at the airport on my way back from TJ - I was feeling really woozy and lightheaded and figured my blood sugar was low - so I got a cup of orange juice from Jamba Juice (which the sign said was pulp free - and I didn't dilute it - I was in a hurry and really needed the sugar). Well, turns out, after a few sips I found out it had LOTS of pulp - still it was so good I drank about half the cup and threw the rest away. The second incident was a week later and I'd made this really good soup with cheese, onions and potatoes (pureed) - I'd gotten myself a bowl but didn't bother to strain it (thinking, what the heck, it's pureed!) and ended up with a few tiny chunks of onion and cheese that I had to chew. The chunks seemed really tiny - but that was enough to give me gas later that night and just gave me a weird tight feeling - obviously I overdid it. Anyway - hopefully you are fine (I'm sure you are - and I'm sure I am too) - good luck with everything and keep us posted on how it turns out!

Oooh, that sounds like so much fun - I've never been, but I hear the scenery is breathtaking. Enjoy your hike!

It is really interesting to hear how different everyone's individual experiences have been - the amazing human body, huh? I don't have much bruising (the bruise from the heparin shot is way worse than on any of my incisions, they just each have a tiny little ring of what appears to be very old, almost-healed brown bruising around them - it extends out maybe 1/4 inch. I have been burping, too - and I'm right there with RevyD - it hurt like heck, at first! It's still a little uncomfortable, but not to bad. Port is still a little tender, but I can tell it's healing. My problem is that I've been starving, practically from the first day post-op. I feel like I could eat Thanksgiving dinner right now, if I wanted to (I'm on Day 7, post-op, and I've gotten permission to start drinkable yogurts and creamy soups, as well as protein shakes) - still nothing seems to be very satisfying - I can drink as much as I want - although I try not to drink huge volumes at a time for fear of stretching the pouch. I have PCOS with the accompanying insulin resistance - so I'm wondering if that's contributing to me being so hungry? I'm still sticking strictly to liquids, but it's a struggle. Ah, well - only 14 more days...

Ha ha - isn't that the truth, Carrie! I agree, they are the best - and I have never gotten care like this in the states. Really wonderful.

Hi, Debbie - I'm glad you're home safe, too - and it was great to get to know you as well! It made the experience that much more pleasant - when we got there, I felt as though I already "knew" someone - and that was great! I am sorry to hear about your bruising problems - I am getting a little old-looking (brown) bruising around my incisions, and have seen some dried blood on my port incision - I'm not too worried about it. Also, I have an angry-looking purple and blue bruise on my stomach where they gave me the heparin shot. I've talked to Dr. So - if you are having trouble getting a Doc to call you back, maybe you can do what I did - call Dr. Miranda with a nutrition question (mine was - can I start drinkable yogurt on day 4?) then ask to be transferred to one of the othe docs with a medical question (mine was about the purple bruise - I had forgotten that that's where they gave me the heparin shot and didn't know why I had a bruise in an area where there was no incision). So maybe that might be a way for you to get an answer sooner rather than later. I have heard others say they've had bad bruising - I really hope it's nothing too serious! Oh, and to answer your question, yeah, I'm still dreaming of a grilled cheese! (so, yeah, hungry - head or otherwise, I'm not sure!) Otherwise, I'm pretty good - still a little soreness, gas is mostly gone - burping still hurts slightly. Good luck, hope you get reassurance about the bruising today!

Yes, yes and YES - this was absolutely the case with me. I was not skinny per se - but I easily maintained my weight at 175 before having kids, without really trying. If I made any effort at all, I could get down to 150 - AFTER my first pregnancy, it was a completely different story. My weight went up to 225 and wouldn't budge - I actually gained weight while breastfeeding - and I believe that that time period was the start of my PCOS and low-estrogen levels. Anyway - in a nutshell - YES, it was the kiddos that did me in, weight-wise.

Hey, everybody - now that I'm home I thought I'd take the time to finally finish up my play-by-play. Oh, and yes, I have to agree - it must be a contractual requirement for the Doc's at the OCC to be hotties (did you get a load of Dr. Acosta?) Anyhoo... I have a very slight recollection of being lifted off of the surgery table and then promptly drifted back to dreamland. I woke up briefly and asked to be taken to the bathroom and a nurse (not Carmelita) did so - then walked me up and down the halls a couple of times. At one point I got pretty woozy and needed to lean against the wall, so she took me back to bed. After that point, Carmelita was the nurse taking care of me - and, let me tell you, she is just as much of a sweetheart as everyone says. It amazed me that, although she speaks only a little English, that she could just convey so much warmth and comfort - she is really something special. So, from that point on - it was all recovery. I've got a little soreness at the port site and a bruise where they gave me a shot of heparin. At one point on the first night I was pretty gassy and found it difficult to get comfortable on the bed - but it must not have been that bad as I was already asleep on my own by the time Carmelita came in to give me my sleeping pill. All in all, it was a great experience -- I tried to get in as much walking as I could, and I think that really helped. There were two snafus on the flight home - one, I drank some orange juice that I didn't realize had pulp until I was several sips in - I know that's a no-no for the first few weeks, so I was worried I'd messed something up (although I really doubt it, it still would've easily gone through a straw). Two - I had the misfortune of sitting next to a man on one looooooong flight who felt the need to gesture wildly the entire time to the person he was talking to (jostling me and my incisions each time) - so that was awesome. But, now I'm home with my babies and DH and couldn't be happier -- all in all, a fantastic experience.

Hmmm... that is a very good question, Charelle (since I, too am still on liquids - but only on day 4!) - still, I am already hungry for "real food" and already thinking about it (too much, probably!) -- I think my first meal is going to be a grilled cheese sandwich. I know, bread and all that - but, I'm still unfilled, and I want one soooooo badly. Also, I've heard Taco Bell pintos and cheese is a popular choice, and that sounds really amazing right now, too. Oh well, back now to my broth and my dreaming... lol

Hi, Bams - congratulations! I remember getting to chat with you a little bit in the lobby - glad things went well for you and you are feeling good. Which band did you end up getting? -- Deena

Hi, everybody - I am on my way home, too (still sitting here in the San Diego airport, actually) - so I thought I'd jump in and say hello real quick! Things are going pretty well for me this morning (although the AC in my hotel room was noisy, I did not have nearly as an "eventful" wakeup as Debbie - you poor thing! But, at least you got to walk the halls with a cute guy - you didn't tell me that part! lol) - I do feel a little light-headed. Not sure if that is due to low blood sugar or the painkillers I'm on from the OCC. I drank a strained orange juice, so I wouldn't think my blood sugar would still be low... hmmm... anyway, will probably email Dr. Miranda about that later and see what she says. Other than that, I feel fine - no port pain or incision pain this morning, and minimal gas. Didn't do any shopping in TJ, so I guess I'd better hit the gift shop here at the airport to get some souvenirs for my little ones. Hope everyone is doing well today and have safe flights, RevyD! -- it really was great to meet you and get a chance to hang out a little bit - made me feel much less alone. Take care. -- Deena

Hey, everybody - just thought I'd give you a quick update. Well, I am officially a Bandito! Surgery went fine, I feel a little bit gassy but nothing terrible. All in all, it's just like everyone says it is - easy and the OCC is ultra-professional. Ok, so now the blow-by-blow... Got on the OCC van from the Marriott at about 6:50 am yesterday - not too bad, considering it was actually 9:50 "my time." The van was pretty crowded - we had to squish in three to a seat - but, hey, quick way to get to know your neighbors. Everyone seemed very nice - and I got to meet RevyD for the first time! Cool! So we got there - everyone seemed to have already been there yesterday and had some degree of pre-op testing done. This was not the case with me, so I needed ALL the tests before starting. Met with Dr. Miranda - who was lovely, but basically just told me a recap of everything I already knew from this board. Also, she did give me some interesting insights into PCOS, which I think are going to be helpful. Just so as not to bore you with EVERY minutae - I'll say I completed my tests (bloodwork, spirometer and ecg) - all results were fine. Oh, and blood pressure is taken. Now, I'm no medical expert, but it seemed to me like the OCC's testing is very thorough - and that made me feel very good. Next I met Dr. Ortiz - yes, whatta charmer. He was great and came to sit down and chat with me for a while - we talked about all the things I expected to (Realize vs. Inamed band, post-op diet instructions, etc...) and some things I didn't - like how much he likes the Mummy movies (I had one laying at the top of my duffel bag) - Ariel is an archaeology buff, he told me! So that was very cool. Then it was into the OR where I met Dr. Martinez (who is also friendly and awesome) and was just very very nice as he was getting me ready. The last thing I remember saying was "thank you Dr. Martineeeez" before completely drifting off... oh, there's my husband calling - more later!

Hi, everyone - since I found other people's giving a play-by-play of their experience at the OCC so helpful, I've decided to do the same. And, this is REALLY hot off the presses, since I'm at the Tijuana Marriott, but I have not been banded yet. Actually, through the magic of jet lag, it's about 3 am here and I find myself wide awake and unable to sleep. Ah, well, I've already slept for about 6 hours, I'll try to sneak in a few more later. My Experience so far: It all started yesterday morning at 9:40 am (EST) when I hopped on a flight from Tampa, FL to Dallas Ft. Worth, to get my connecting flight to San Diego. The first flight went absolutely flawlessly - plane left on time, it was great. I did notice that airplane seats tend to get smaller every time I fly - a trend I hope I've seen the last of. Was relieved not to have to ask for a belt extender (but it was close) Sat next to a nice guy who was the perfect mixture of friendly but not-TOO-talkative. Oh, and time to confess - since I somehow DID manage to lose the whole 12 lbs pre-op (I think the water weight going away after TOM was a big factor there) - I treated myself to a Starbucks pumpkin spice latte at the airport. More badness to come later, in the form of pasta... lol The connector flight was not as smooth -- delayed an hour and a half. Seats even smaller. Seemed like the looooooongest flight ever. Finally made it to San Diego an hour and a half behind schedule. Immediately saw a gentleman in baggage claim holding a sign that said simply "Dr. Ortiz" - he didn't have a badge, and the sign didn't have my name on it, as described in the paperwork. He was a very nice gentleman, but spoke very little English. He took my bag for me and led me out to a white van in the parking lot. I have to admit, (although the driver turned out to be perfectly legit) - I was made a little nervous by this whole scenario. I asked him a few questions - like where we are going exactly (he correctly answered the Hotel Marriott) -- and if he was Francisco. No, he said, his name was Ramillio (I think) - or something that sounded like that. I know it sounds paranoid - but, being a single woman travelling alone - it would've gone a long way toward making me feel more secure if pickup had been exactly as described, in a MARKED OCC van, with the person identified in the paperwork. It turned out to be fine, of course, but I was a little worried. Traffic at the border was hellacious - so it took about an hour to get from the airport to the Marriott. We were actually able to cross the border without even getting out of the car, which was nice. Check-in was quick and without incident and the hotel is pretty nice. It's not exactly the most luxurious 5-star resort I've ever stayed in, but it is clean and modern and perfectly servicable. Ate dinner at the hotel restaurant - found it was just me and one other table - a young couple. As my last meal, I got the hotel's seafood pasta dish. Again, pretty good - perfectly satisfactory. The waitress was lovely - she spent a little time chatting with me about my surgery (since I was her only table she had time - lol) and told me she "enjoys improving her English") and she even taught me a little Spanish. Very sweet. After dinner, I headed to the pool/gym area to read for a while - I was the only one at the pool, and one guy was using the gym. The hotel seems to not have very many guests right now - everything seems pretty empty. Oh, and two more things about the Marriott - the first room I was assigned did not have wireless internet and the "high speed" internet via phone jack did not work with my laptop - I asked and they re-assigned me to a room with wireless. Also, the room phones are set up so that you cannot make international calls from your room - you must do it from the desk in the lobby. I did so - and a two-minute call cost me $11.50 (US $$) - so be forewarned, it's spendy... And that's all she wrote (so far) - now to just try to get a little more sleep and head off to the OCC! -- Deena

Hi, Debbie - I am here too (finally!) My flight was delayed about an hour and a half, then traffic was really heavy at the border. I'm finally here, though at 5:00 pm local time. I'm in room 716 - I just tried to call you. If you've already gone to dinner, no worries, I'll just see you tomorrow. But, if not, give me a call! -- Deena

Hey there, girl - I'll bet I know what you're doing right now... packing just like me! I can't believe we are going to be there tomorrow! I am nervous and excited too - is it sick to think the whole thing might actually be a kind of fun experience? lol Well, I'm hoping, anyway. Now back to important decisions - like, which book to bring, and is it silly to bring my knitting? lol See ya tomorrow night for broth/dinner! (but don't judge me if my broth turns into an enchilada - so who else is going to be down there tomorrow? I remember at least one other person saying their surgery date was the 29th. Anyone? Oh, and like your pic, Debbie - it is lovely to be able to put a face to the name. See you tomorrow! Deena

Yay! So glad to hear it!

What Valleygirl said! Hope everything went well - when you get a moment, let us know how you did!

Hi, Bams - my surgery is on the 29th - so I might see you at the OCC when I'm back for my next day check (or you may be getting pre-ops the day I get my band). Best of luck to you!

Thanks for your replies, ladies - yeah, I was nervous about taking the Metformin during surgery, so, even though I have the prescription, I'm not going to start it until a few weeks post-op. I'll let everybody know how it goes! - Deena