Linda in Enumclaw

The bus/trolley ride/taxi worked just fine. Just make sure to leave yourself a minimum of 90 minutes. I missed the bus by about 30 seconds, so had to wait for the next one, then just missed the trolley, so I had to wait another 15 minutes for that one. It ended up being 90 minutes from the time I got off the plane to the time I arrived at OCC. The trip back took a little longer, as I had to wait about 20-25 minutes to walk through customs. (That was on a Thursday afternoon -- I'm sure the wait is much longer on weekends.) One important thing: Make sure you have cash or your checkbook for the $100 fee at OCC for the fluoroscopy. I (erroneously) assumed that they'd take a debit or credit card, since that how I'd paid for my surgery. Ooops! They only accept cash or a check and I didn't have any checks with me. I had to run down the street to the bank ATM. The really bad part, though, was that the woman at the front desk miscalculated how many pesos I'd need to take out (she added an extra zero), so I ended up removing something like $700 instead of $100 from my checking account. When I went to exchange the pesos back to dollars at the border, I got a crummy exchange rate and lost a bit of money in the process.

Yikes, I'm starting to worry about whether this was a good investment or not and need some input from others. I lost 14 pounds on the pre-op diet, was banded by Dr. Ortiz on 1/26, lost four pounds the first week while on clear liquids and have gained back the four pounds. My concern is that I'm going to be one of those people for whom the band doesn't work. I have absolutely no restriction and eat just as much as I did before surgery. I'm going to TJ for my first fill on Thursday, 3/8, but I'm afraid that since I haven't done well so far, it's not going to make a difference. I keep reading everybody's success stories and it seems like those that lost a lot before their first fill are the ones that continued to lose after their fill(s). My question to the forum is, "Did anybody who didn't lose weight between the time of their surgery and their first fill lose a significant amount of weight after getting their first fill (or second) " Or am I doomed?

Hi, Marsene - I got banded on a Friday and I went back to work on Monday. I'm not sure what others' experiences were like, but for me it was no problem. Good luck! Linda W.

I'm scheduled for my first fill on 3/8 at 11:30 a.m. I arrive in San Diego at 9:34 a.m. and depart at 3:21 p.m. I was planning on doing the bus/trolly thing, if for no other reason than the adventure, so if anybody wants to join me, just let me know. I can't wait to get my fill. I have no restriction whatsoever and can drink a lot of creamy soup and still be hungry. Hopefully, I'll feel at least a little different after my fill.

Hi, Hopeful - I did the Slim-Fast for breakfast and lunch and the Lean Cuisine for dinner. Knowing that I had dinner to look forward to (and something to chew) definitely made it easier to get through the day. I liked the Slim-Fast Optima High Protein French Vanilla shakes. When you put them in the freezer for an hour or so before you drink them, it's almost like a vanilla milkshake. I'm a real chocoholic and their chocolate flavor was kind of gross to me. The twelve day got a little long near the end, but you do get to eat a light meal the night before your surgery, so that's something to look forward to. I lost 14 pounds doing the pre-op for 12 days, so it does work. Linda W.

Thanks, everybody, for sharing your experiences and words of encouragement. This week, I'm feeling much more secure in my decision to get banded and am no longer feeling emotionally traumatized by having done it. I lost 14 pounds on the pre-op and have lost 5 pounds so far since surgery (1/26), so I guess I'm doing ok as far as weight loss goes. I feel like I could eat a ton of soup if I let myself, so I don't think I have much, if any, restriction without my first fill. I'm thinking that I'd better schedule mine for right at six weeks because I'm afraid I'll go out of control when I get to solids if I don't have a restriction. Did anybody gain weight between the time they started solids and had their first fill? That scares the you-know-what out of me.

OK, I'm going to stick my neck out on a limb and hope that nobody will think I'm a freak for posting this, so here goes. I was banded on Friday, January 26th by Dr. Ortiz. Everything went well for the most part, but when I woke up yesterday morning and thought about the fact that I have a band in me, I became really anxious and wondered if I had done the right thing. It's so strange to think that I have a foreign object in my body and that it was my idea to have it put there. I find myself thinking, "What in the world have I done?" and "Why did I do it?" I'm really anxious to have a big ol' piece of plastic or silicone or whatever suddenly inside me. Has anybody else ever had second thoughts, despite a lack of complications? Maybe I felt that way because I came home from Mexico weighing exactly what I weighed when I went down there and I expected to drop several pounds since I went a few days eating (drinking, actually) so little. Or maybe I didn't give it enough thought and rushed into it. So far I've not had any problem sticking to the liquid diet (but I sure can't wait to get to actually chew something!), but I'm just feeling really anxious. Is this normal? Am I freaking out for nothing? Linda W.

Great idea re the calling cards, Michele! Thanks for the idea. I totally forgot about those things. Good luck with your fill tomorrow!

Thanks, Clynn - I appreciate the response. One more question for you or anybody who knows: Will my Verizon cell phone work in Tijuana (from the hotel)? I was hoping that since it's close to San Diego it might still work.

Hey, All - I'm one week away from pre-ops and starting to wonder about the little things I hadn't thought of yet. I have a few questions, if anybody would like to respond: 1. Do I need to take my contact lenses out for surgery? I hate wearing my glasses, but will bring them if necessary. I had laparoscopic surgery for infertility a few years ago and they made me take out my contacts before the surgery. I was a little worried they were confusing my eyeballs with my ovaries, but I guess my 3-year old son is proof that they knew what they were doing. 2. I've seen a lot of posts about food getting stuck if you don't chew enough or eat too fast. Obviously, I'll try to avoid that, but what do I do to dislodge the food if it does get stuck? Drink water to try to push it through? Lay down and wait for it to pass? Stand on my head and hope it comes back out? 3. What's customary for a tip for the OCC driver? I know what goes for a taxi driver, but I'm not sure what's appropriate for a driver that works for the clinic. 4. Has anybody had a problem getting back through Customs to catch their flight in time? Rather than worrying about the surgery, I find myself concerned that I'll be stuck in line at Customs and miss my flight. And given the fact that I'll be recovering from surgery, pole-vaulting over the border to bypass the line just isn't an option this time. Thanks in advance for any insight you can provide. Linda

Thanks for your replies, everybody! It does seem that it's different for everybody. I should have asked this question a long time ago, as I'm reading the responses while on the pre-op liquid diet and starving! Reading about different foods (that I can't have for a while) is torture! I'm scheduled to be banded on 1/26. Some days I'm totally nervous, others perfectly calm. But reading this board and all the posts really helps. I really appreciate everybody taking the time to write about their experiences and support others. You guys are the best!

Hi! Yes, actually I am coming alone. My hubby was going to join me, but we decided it would be best if he stayed home with our 3-year old. He's going through a clingy phase. (My son, not my husband!) I, too, was nervous, but I've calmed down and am totally excited about it today. Of course, tomorrow may be another story. I hope we run into each other in TJ! I hope your experience goes well, too! Linda

Is anybody from Washington getting banded on 1/26?

Did any of you who are banded suffer from RLS (restless leg syndrome) prior to surgery? I'm scheduled to be banded on 1/26 and wondering if the band has any effect, positive or negative, on RLS? Thanks! Linda W.

Hi, Everybody - I'm scheduled for surgery with Dr. Ortiz on January 26th. I'm curious to know from those of you that are on solid foods post-op, what do you have trouble eating? I've read that steak and rice are tough to deal with, but have you had problems with any other foods? I'm just trying to prepare myself ahead of time. Thanks! Linda