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Dr. Ortiz will continue to do surgeries..he is the best in my opinion. If you are looking for a Dr. in your area you can always contact Inamed Don Mills Don.Mills@inamed.com and ask him for Inamed surgeons in your area. He will send you a list

Many people go alone, and once you arrive you are not alone you will make life long friends while you are there, your band sisters and brothers.

I had the nausea also, it is not the gas. I thought is was from the anasthesia leaving my body. It doesget better each day I promise, it does not last forever, I haditfor thefirst week or so. Hang in there , give your body some time to adjust but in the meantime just keep drinking those liquids. Sucking on ice helped me.

Windy, if your band had slipped you would most likely not be able to get any food or liquids down without vomiting instantly. What you have explained is exactly how I feel it with my band...My band hurst too if food is backed up, I have lost 95 lbs. There is what some of the veteran bandsters call of soft stop, it is a small subtle signal that you are full..for example, some get a runny nose, some get a pain in their shoulders, some get hiccups. For me I get an instant ice cream headache, it is my signal telling me I'm full..Next time you eat, pay attention to a signal or a sign. If you are waiting for the full feeling we used to get after eating a huge meal; it will never happen. Most bandsters do not ever experience that " thanksgiving Full, I got to unbutton my pants" feeling anymore. This is where the head work comes in. Eat for 20 minutes, then stop. You know you are getting in enough calories and nutrition so try to let the head tell your body OK, I'm not going to starve, I have eaten, time to stop. Also some of it can be from the foods you are eating, softer foods will drop through the band where you can feel it more. It has been 16 months for me and I have never gotten that full feeling, it just doesnt happen like it did pre band. You know the saying, " Just because we can does not mean we should" so you can eat more, does it mean you should? Will you starve to death if you stop eating? The band does not do all of the work, we have to do some of the work too, like stop eating even though we do not feel full. One thing that works great for me is when I go out to dinner, the minute my meal arrives I ask for a box and put half of it away to take home before I even start eating. This way I am not temtped to eat more then I really should or need. Eat off a smaller saucer size plate, use a small crab fork all of these things help with portion control. I hope some of this info is helpful to you..Hang in there. Dont give up! You can do this! If I can help you in any way, email me

I went shopping the day after my surgery. Take a cab from the hotel..ask the driver to take you to El Revolucion, it is the main shopping street where all of the tourists shop. It is very safe and just a 5$ cab ride from the Lucerna, and it is easy to get a cab back.

Ditto on everything that Jenna just said!

First let me congratulate you on your new band I wish you lotso f success Second let me say that any weight loss during this 6 week healing phase is a bonus. Remember you have no fill and the band was designed to be filled to work at it's best ability. This first 6 weeks should be about healing not weight loss, if you lose wieght you are ahead of the game. Some do and some don't I lost 20 lbs in the first 9 weeks when I went in for my first fill Do not get doscouraged if you gain a pound or two when you transition from liquids to solids. This is totally normal and to be expected. Most of us have done it. Once your body gets adjusted to the solids you will most likely start losing again. Also do not get doscouraged once you are on solids if you feel as though you can eat anything and everything in the same ammount as pre band. Again you have no fill yet. Best of Luck to you

My gas pains lasted for two weeks with each day being less and less , everyone is different.. Walking is thebest medicine for it, got to get moving to get it out. Laying down makes it worse and only causes more. So get active, move, walk, GAS X all will help. Each day gets better and better.

Well good for you, thats a start anyways...each fill will get better and better eating less and less and harder ot eat the breads and pastas.

TRT, isntead of having the band removed and spending the money to do it, why not take that money and go talk to someone and find out why you do not do the right things? The band does work if you work the band, there is no question it does take head work, it is not a magic wand, if you do not get to the root of why you eat, your right, it may not work. Try talking with someone, come to the boards more and ask for support, there is another great board for support www.lapbandtalk.com We are all in this together and are all fighting the same demon. Dont give up, you can do this. I am willing to help you in any way I can to offer you support and get you through this rough time. Get back on the "band wagon" get back to basics. You say you can not eat solids...what happens when you eat solids? Talk to me, I want to help you, we are all here for you I found I was becoming complacent with my band and my choices, two weeks ago I made a committment to get to my goal weight . I went back to basics, I exercise 20 minutes 3-4 times a week riding my stationary bike,( I hate exercise and have not exercised much this past 15 months) I 'm making better food choices. It's possible if you want it bad enough..and Im sure you do or you wouldnt of had the surgery in the first place. We all know going itno this that it is not going to be a cake walk and the lbs are not going to fall off, we are all told that the band is a tool to help us. We do have to do some of the work. Are you not willing to do any of the work? Dont spend the money to have the band removed, spend the money and find out why you do the things you do, get to the root of it all, find out why you wont give yourself 20 minute of exercise a day, find out why you choose the foods you do, then when you have found out why you will have the band there to help you and you cant beat this demon once and for all How has the band decreased the quality of your life? Have you net had any benefits of the band? DONT GIVE UP! email me we can talk, I will help you

Newbander what was your fisrt day of oslids like with your new fill?

Nobody says you cant eat in any order, but for best results in your weight loss protein first is the wiser. protein curbs appetites and reduces cravings and keeps your pouch fuller longer, carbs will crave more carbs and make you hungry sooner. We are not trying to be mean and if you took it that way then I'm sorry it's normal to be hungry after a fill since you can not eat prior to a fill , liquids will go through fine , it is when you go to solids, please be careful with your first meal and eat slow and chew chew chew, with 2cc's you should definatley feel a difference when you go to solids. Good Luck with your new fill, I hope it works out for you

Thats odd, Dr. Martinez told me differently and the Inamed handbook tells it differently When I had my surgery Dr. Ortiz did not have Dr. Miranda on staff. There was a different nutritionalist. Anyway, hope it all works out for you with your fill

If you do not like eggs, steak or pork how are you getting in 60 grams of protein a day? You say you are doing everything right but eating a bagel before any protein is not what I would consider right. Sorry if I sound harsh but I was told to eat protein first then veggies, then fruits and if I had room then the bagel ( carbs) Never do I start my meal with carbs NEVER! I'm surrised you are going to get a fill if you say you are losing pretty quicky. Does Ortiz & Martinez know this because Im sure if they did know you were still losing without a fill and eating such small amounts all ready they would be reluctant to give a fill. Have you ever read this site below ? It is about fills, when to know if you need one, you might want ot check it out, it is very good info and very helpful http://lapbandtransformation.com/Adjustments.htm

Just becasue you have a low BMI is not reason to fell you are not a candidate for this surgery. There are many who have had a BMI under 40 and have had the band. Only you truly know how you feel inside both physically and emotionally from your current weight. If you feel this is the right thing for you then go for it! I know it is the best thing I have ever done for myself

Headaches for me either means dehydration or not enough protein in my daily intake. Up your water and protein, it will help! 2 bites of a plain bagel just isnt cuttin it. instead of a plain bagel, try some scrambled eggs.. 60 grams of protein and atleast 64 oz of water a day track your intake at www.fitday.com it tracks everything, protein, calories fat carbs etc..

I paid 3/4 cash and finaced 1/4 of it throught www.cosmeticfeeplan.com

Very interesting thread... My experience has been 3 fills to 2.5 cc's, then I was unfilled for 2 months due to another surgery. I am now filled again to 1.5 I have had 2 fills since June 20th. I will not have any more fills, this is just right and Iam very close to goal. It does happen but is rare that patients do not ever need a fill to get to goal..I know personally of 3 people who have gotten to goal without a fill. Also depending on the ammount of weight you need to lose, your dedication on doing some of the work and not relying on the band is also what determines how many fills you will need. Burnsun who is a member here has lost over 100 lbs in a year with just one fill from Dr. Martinez, it is possible. You get out of it what you put into it, your head has to be right So many think the band is a magic wand and do not work with the band and just keep getting fills and then unfills. We still have to work at this, the band does not do it all. If you think otherwise you need to think again, if your head is not into this and you are not willing to do some work and make some changes in your life the band will not work! Iam at 1.5 cc's..before my unfill I was at 2.5 so I am not even up tp where I was restriction wise before my unfill...but that is OK with me. I want to make the neccessary changes in my head and brain to make this a lifestyle change and have my band long term..so I work with the band. Sure I can probably eat more then I would like to but in my mind I keep saying to myself, just becasue I can does not mean I should. It's also about choices, when I eat breakfast, I eat egg whites instead of whole eggs, I eat turkey sausage instead of pork sausage, I use low cal dressing on the side instead of drowning it in the real stuff, However there are days when I am not the perfect bandster.

Ignore them, I had skeptics but now 16 months later down 95 lbs from a size 22 to a 10 They all are believers and a little jealous too Your success will show them all!

I have lost 93 lbs in 15 months with my Lap band, it can be done. Do not let anyone else tell you otherwise. I am not going to lie to you, the band works if you work with the band, it is not a magic wand, you do have to do some of the work, it is a tool to help us. If you want it bad enough it will work, sure you can eat past the band, Iam sure many have including me, there are days when I eat the wrong things but the great thing with the band if you have a bad day, there is always tomorrow, the band keeps you in check. the band lets you know it is there. I do not get down on myself if I have a bad day unlike before my band. The bypass was just not an option for me, too many risks and I did not like the fact my insides were going to be cut and rerouted. I also did not like the fear of malabsorption and dumping some have with the bypass.

Are you worried about it showing through the skin? I can only speak fopr myself when I say you would not even know I had a port under my skin unless you felt for it. Dr. Ortiz is great about how and where he places the port

COngratulations, that is great! I am so glad everythingwent so smoothly for you and you were happy with your experience in Mexico..I think Dr. Ortiz & martinez are the most caring Dr.'s I have ever met. I havebeen very happy with the care I have recieved from them. I wish you lots of success with your band

When I had my surgery over a year ago, I did NOT have a pre op diet because my BMI was below 50, it may have changed since then so ask that question to Sandy when you speak to her.

Dr. Ortiz does his fills on Mondays and Saturdays only, unless it is an emergency and youneed an unfill. Yes you can fly into San Digeo and get to theclinic in TJ, there are several options, like cab, bus, trolley, or Dr. Ortiz has a driver to pick you up at the airport for a 55$ fee each way...it is cheaper to take the trolley or bus from the airport to the border then get a cab for 5$ in TJ to the office.

I had 3 fills and lost 93 lbs in a year I had to be unfilled for 2 months due to another kind of surgery and have since had 2 fills and I feel like I have very good restriction. I have gone to Dr. Martinez for all of my fills. It is true that many U.S. docs are very conservative om their fills only giving a standard ammount. Plus many U.S. docs do not useflouro, I liek the fact Dr. Martinez uses flouro, it gives me peace of mind seeing it all happen and seeing my band, & port are in place where they should be.