DonnaC

I am on the pre-surgery and found a great protein drink by Naked - protein zone mango that I like and it really seems to fill me up and my stomach seems to like it as well. I think just from surgery your bowels would get out of sync...I use a pro-biotic that seems to help get things back in shape. Glad you aren't hungery - that would be the pips after surgery. DonnaC

Great thread. I had the band and am revising to Plication. I didn't want to go back to a band revision for many of the reasons listed in this thread. I am tired of fills and fiddling with adjustments. I like the idea of being in control with what I eat and how I eat it... You might want to consider the Plication instead of the sleeve - it's a much easier recovery time as nothing gets cut out - but talk to the docs - they will tell you what your best choices are based on you. Thanks DonnaC in Seattle

Hi there, I went to TJ in 2003 to get my band and have made Mexico my standard choice for medical. I live in Seattle and travel down when needed and would recommend it wholeheartedly. OCC picks you up at the airport and takes you down to their wonderful facility. You are supervised and protected at all times. Plication is reversible - as is the band - but typically you don't reverse it unless you have had problems and are getting a revision. I am in that place now - 9 years with the band - worked great but then I had a stretched pouch and am now going to plication and having the band removed. I hope never to have to reverse this one! But I like th option if I need to...you can't get part of your stomach back with the other operations. Please let me know if you have questions. For many of us - this is our only solution as our healthcare doesn't cover obesity surgery. DonnaC

I ask the OCC about this today - and they don't do plication and band together at the same time..it might be possible to band a plicated stomach...but they have not done that at this point. I know that if a person had a bypass that they could get a band...so I suppose it is possible. I don't think the plication has been around long enough for folks to need a revision... DonnaC

Read your pre-surgery info - the liquids should be in there - right after the diet options. I know I had it with my band all those years ago...and now with the plication. You should be able to get a list of what medications they want you to have...and if you can get your doc to do the prescriptions and insurance to cover...good on ya! Ask to speak with the doc - or ask for Dr. Miranda on diet and then ask her. Let me know...I might try the same thing... DonnaC in Seattle

Hi Angela Ann, Can I ask why you went with a sleeve instead of plication? I am about to get plication and am truthfully a bit afraid of the sleeve as I don't want any of my stomach removed... What are your thoughts. DonnaC

Interesting. I have a band that is failing - due to stretched pouch and am having it removed and the plication done. Now I wonder if I should just leave the band in place. It doesn't bother me at all...I'll call the doc today and see what he says. Thanks for the info. DonnaC in Seattle

Hey there - I am right before you on July 1st and I am from Seattle as well. If you want to meet up before I go down and chat - I am happy to! DonnaC Seattle..

lol - as you are on a liquid diet for 3 days before the surgery and reduced diet for several weeks before - I think you have prep'd your bowels just fine lol... I did an enema just to be on the safe side - but I am a bit careful. I also do a good shower scrub with antibactrial soap before surgery as well... Donna

Thanks Lori -totally agree. I am banded right now and was very successful with my band. For some reason the band is failing - I am not. I worked with the docs to try and save/fix the band but their recommendation is revision - and I agree. I am doing it now before my weight becomes a problem again. I have never been happier than after I got the band. I was not longer controlled by food, my cravings were gone and I was able to actually make smart choices with food. I have seen so many people over the years saying that the band, bypass or whatever surgery they choose didn't work. Sometimes it was becasue the tool itself was not working, sometimes it was because the person wasn't working the tool. There are going to potentially be issues with anything you do to your body - some more major than others. I fully trust the docs/folks at OCC to give me the best possible service and advice... thank you! Donna

congrats...I am down about 7 lbs as well on my pre-surgery diet and have 3 weeks until I get my plication done. I am excited, nervous and just flat ready! I figure I will lose another 5-10 lbs before surgery - which is great - I am really good at short term losing weight but have an issue keeping it off. (sort of like holding your breath - can do it for a bit but then you need to breath).. I have started working out every day to get my body in best condition possible for the surgery and taking all the vitamens ect that the docs recommended. When is your surgery? I am thinking you are having it done at OC right? I am banded now - 10 years out - and having a revision - don't freak about this - I got 10 great years from this band and would do it again in a skinny minute.. Please feel free to ask me anything - happy to help. DonnaC

great question...the doctors call it a tool. It does help me - at least the band did to modify my eating behaviors. Can I control my eating - sure I can. For any length of time - nope it doesn't appear that is something I do well. I need help and the band did that and I hope the plication will as well. Even with all the fill out - there is still some restriction if your pouch is not stretched. So you still have the tool in place.. Not sure what you were asking...but basically I don't care if it's a crutch or tool, as long as it helps me control my eating. Donna

wow even with the band and eating right for it for almost 6 years - once the fill was out I went back slowly to bad habits. I am one of those who just has to have the tool.. Congrats on all your hard work! Rowan

I have used Dr. Quiroz and am looking at OCC now for plastics. Both os these are personable and work with you to make sure you get what you pay for...and honor the contracts they give you. I trust them completely and have no problem recommending them. Sorry for your issues - thanks for sharing. Rowan

good points. With the Plication there are no bones involved so it's just a bunch of soft tissue/organ that needs to move back into some other position - and I think of it sort of like silly puddy - leave it on the desk and it goes flat every time.. I am hoping I don't ever have to find out but it's always better to research than to be surprised. Donnac (can ya tell I am getting a bit nervous - but so ready)

It's good you are doing your research. There are going to be issues with anything you do but the band overall has a great track record. Yes there have been some issues reported but that is a small percentage.

First let me say thank you for posting. Not all of us have great success (or what we think of as great success) and in some cases the docts oversell what these tools can do. Now - Dr. Ortiez is pretty good at setting expectations and is a realist and does tell you up front that you will probably not lose all your desired weight - it's usually about 65% - but it varies with which procedure you choose. That said there are alot of folks who have/had problems. I have been banded for almost 10 years and am getting a revision in July - and have heard some pretty amazing stories - both good and bad. But back to you. You have suffered some pretty horrific setbacks but you are still hanging in there. You are reaching out for help - and hopefully some of us can give you bits of advice that will work. First - get your leg/back fixed and get back to being healthy so that your health and wellness are in place. Hopefully you are off those steriods...talk about something that will cause you grief! Now - time to see if your tool/band can start working for you again. It worked before - maybe not as fast as you would like, but it can work again. If not - then start researching what else might work. Is this something you want to try again - I guess you need to decide that. Most of us faced the same stigma of not having our surgery in the US - for various reason - but the docs in Mexico will work with you - I went back one or two times a year for floro and fills - so that I had it right (that is about what you spent in the support group maybe??). When is the last time you had a floro - is your band giving you restriction, are you hungrey, eating the proper amounts..you just have to bite the bullet (small bites lol) and start writing down everything that goes into your mouth. Maybe it is going to be a bit harder for you - but don't give up! And last - talk to your doctors. I must have spent hours on and off talking to the docs - asking for advice - trying what they suggested and then when it didn't work..trying something else. Finally listening to them - understanding that my pouch is stretched, will not work and I need to do something different (or have the band removed - wait several months and re-band but truthfully I don't want to do the whole fill thing again) Don't give up on yourself...or us... Donna

well bless your heart! Thanks - you know how it is - you get ready for surgery and post your little heart out and hope it helps someone besides yourself... I found out the answer - it's reversible because nothing is cut out and you can take out the stitches (especially the way OC does it) but it does have a bit of lasting effect depending on how long the procedure has been in place...but it's not like trying to put back in stomach or intestines that have been cut out lol. Donna

sorry to hear this. I had not heard of any issues with Plication with OCC. What was the support like from OCC as you started with this issue. If your surgery was in October - when did you start with the reflex? Donna

I am sorry for your issues with Plication. Did you get your surgery done with Dr. Ortiez - you didn't mention that. I know there were a few cases where the surgery was not done properly and it did cause issues. I have never heard of a patient of Dr. Ortiez having a problem - so I am very interested in that. I did alot of research and overall this surgery has a better success rate than the band and a lower complication rate. That doesn't mean it won't or can't have issues. What did your baratric surgeon say when you started having problems? I seems like you would have lost alot of weight if you could not keep anything down?? Please let us know - hope you are doing better. DonnaC

Hey there, Unfortunately I am hearing more and more that banded folks are having problems. I was very similar to you - did great and lost 170 lbs...kept it off for about 6 years and then had similar issues with stretched pouch - 50 lbs later and 3 years - I am heading down to TJ with OC to get my band removed and revised to Plication. I tried several times to get my band to readjust but it just didn't work. I am going with Plication as it is the best option for me. I don't want to have to do two surgeries - get my band removed and wait three months to get a new one - that was not an option. Also I didn't want to deal with fills again if I didn't have to this time. Good luck - talk to the doctors here - they are great and are very knowledageble about revisions and bands. I would say out of about 45 closer banded friends here in Seattle who started around the same time I did -over half have issues now with their bands.. Way I figure it - I had almost 10 years of great control - I am more than willing to get my "tool" redone at this point. DonnaC

Hi Kelly, Please let me know if you have any band questions...I am a pro at that...and I know you are in good hands. You will be so happy with your choice... Take care. See you on the banded side. DonnaC

so - I should probably ask the docs - and I will - but thought I would throw it out to you all. What do they mean - this is a reversable surgery. I understand that nothing is "cut" out , but the stomach is partially unattached from the connecting tissue, folded on itself and stitched, repeatably to itself...how is it possible to undo this after any length of time? I understand how it could be adjusted - that makes sense. Anyone have more info on this? DonnaC in Seattle (ps I keep posting hoping that someone will read these!)

hang in there - before too long you will get to your sweet spot and then it will be no more fills for longer and longer periods of time. Once I hit my sweet spot I went almost 18 months between fills. Also it's becoming more and more common for US docs to do fills on non-US patients... As I am getting my band out on the 1st - I am having a friend of mine who is a cancer nurse take my fill out - she deals with subdural ports all the time...and I don't have to worry about messing it up as it is coming out...but I would imagine that more and more docs will be able to do this as it's covered under insurance. DonnaC

there's a great resource in the yahoo group "smartbandsters" and there are some good food recommendations. I went through this with the band and I went from liquids to what we called slush and mush - which was basically anything we put in a blender and got the lumps out... I started with very liquid mash potatoes which tasted absoutely fabulous. I kept with soups (no lumps)for about 3 weeks and added some smoothies for a change up. Everyone is differnt and your body will let you know what it will and won't tolerate. Don't go too fast..take small bites - count to 20 and see what your stomach tells you. We tend to be fast eaters...break that habit..or your band/plication/whatever will let ya know in a few different ways - pb, slime, it is not pleasant.. My fav is an almond butter smoothie...made with greek yogurt, a scoop of protien powder and a teaspoon of almond butter (much better for ya)...it made me feel like I was treating myself... My basic rule of thumb as I moved into solid foods...eat my protein and veggies first (measured on a small plate) and then if there is room I can have a bite of something else - like fruit. Or even better a small square of 90% coco dark chocolate... Hope this helps someone.. DonnaC