LoriBecky

Hi Rid, glad all seems to be going well. If you really feel your energy is diminishing - you could be getting dehydrated... so keep drinking!

You shouldn't have any restriction for water, if you are having trouble drinking water, your fill may be too tight. Rid... you can drink water all day. I think the grazing comes in after you are able to eat - but now you need to keep hydrated, be it popsicles, water, diluted juice, clear broth, etc - keep hydrated. I drank in sips all day long after surgery.

You'd need to wait until you go to full liquid phase, day 10. No chunks!

Karen, Congratulations!!! Please keep us posted on your progress, and if you have any questions or concerns, please call or email me anytime!

Did Inamed take care of the cost to replace your defective band? My understanding is that there is a warranty on the band and if it is truly a defective band (not a puncture to the port or tubing) that Inamed will replace it. I could be wrong, but you might want to check into that.

Hi Rid, Your port site will be sore for a couple of weeks. I really understand why after watching a surgery - they really have to do some manuvering (and some skin stretching) to get the port in place without cutting a larger incision than absolutely necessary! I ended up wearing a bandage over my port site for a couple of weeks because even my shirt brushing against it irritated me... and going without real food for awhile... i was irriated enough hahahaha Hope all goes smoothly

We do fills Monday - Saturday. Fills on Saturday are usually scheduled from 10 - 2. You can call Rene at the clinic 1-866-376-7849 ext 83 to schedule your fill. They are $100 with fluroscopy for our patients, that's the only way we do fills. If you aren't a patient of Dr. Ortiz the fill is $350 and we need a copy of your surgical report, the report on any previous fills, and your band size information.

hahahahaha now that was funny!

The clnic and the hotel really do take good care of you! I know its an exciting/stressful day, but you are in wonderful hands! For future reference, the direct mexico # to the clinic is 684-9505 so you can always dial that while in Mexico and Cleo is correct, the hotel can get in touch with the office for you anytime.

You might want to change your password! I sometimes MOVE posts if I feel they are better in a different area (surgery vs. fill) but I haven't changed a post. I haven't heard this from anyone else, and I'm really the only moderator/administrator on here that has access to moving/editing posts. I would edit a post if I found something offensive or problematic in it... but I haven't done that yet! I do close topics when I think they are causing problems. Change your password and let me know if it happens again.

Hi Mim, Congratulations on your date. Let me know if you have any questions

Hi Chelley, I hope you received the email I sent you last night, if you didn't let me know and I'll give you a call. I'm not really sure what more I could be doing to help you more with your aftercare, I really am trying, please let me know how else I can help, I am new to this, so any suggestions are appreciated. I did send your post to Dr. Ortiz and he wants to speak with you to see how he can help, so let me know when we can set up that phone conference! By the way Chelley, beautiful pic! I love that more people are posting their pictures!!

I am happy to say that I haven't PB'd yet! I have had some uncomfortable moments as I learn to live banded (no more peanut butter filled preztels in the morning - ouch!) Eat slowly, "chew to goo" and if you feel a "wad in your chest" STOP!! don't try to drink something to force it through - you may just expand what's already there. Give yourself some time. And if you do PB - don't start eating again - wait awhile, you are probably irritated so let things calm down for awhile. Try to avoid PBing often - you risk band slippage! You really don't start experiencing what its like to eat with the band until after that first fill... quite a change!

Hi Bab, If the band had slipped you more likely have more problems eating, not less! The last couple of weeks before your first fill can be tough, because you won't have much restriction as your stomach heals from the surgery. Just hang in there, practice chewing throroughly and eating slowly and not drinking while you eat. The practice will come in very handy once you get your fill!

Hi Peace, If you want to email me your current BMI, etc I can give you an idea if insurance will even consider you for surgery. Most or our patients are either denied by insurance, don't have insurance, or don't want to wait a year (or longer). You can email me or PM me to keep your information confidential

James, I AGREE! I love Slurpees, but not as much as I'm loving my new waistline

Post here to locate other September surgery patients - just click the link. Hi Gabi! September surgery patients

thank you Fiji - that was wonderful

Does anyone else experience slight pains or almost a crampy feeling around their band site? Not all the time, but periodically.

Chelly, I hear ya on the hair thing! I have that problem everytime I lose weight, even when i did Atkins, which is ALL protein! I've noticed a lot of mine coming out, too, and all I seem to eat is protein. Chelly, I'd send an email, or call Dr. Martinez. Dr. Ortiz has been very busy lately and might not have had time to view your email yet. If you need his # just email me. I am so sorry you are having such a hard time. Give me a call sometime, or Carolyn. She's had the band longer and might have some helpful hints. I actually was impressed with the clinic and the follow-up care I got, thats why I asked for a job. Send me an email if you'd like and I can foward it to one of the doctors. Did somebody say water.... it sure wasn't ME!

As you can see, I've started fill patient coordination topics, so you can try to coordinate with other patients coming in around the same time and split the $130 transportation fee. Here is a link to marys post about the bus/trolley. She does a great job of explaining everything, so that's another option.Bus/Trolley Info

Support and coordinate travel with other October Fill patients here. here's a link to the great post by Marys about bus/trolley rides Bus/Trolley info

Here's the link for September fill patients - you might want to post over there September fill patients

Here's the link to the bus/trolley post - marys did a great job giving lots of details! Bus/Trolley info

Just be careful, I know I can't chew gum because I swallow too much air and then I get uncomfortable. Then again... I always had a bit of a problem with gum anyway. If Dr. Miranda says its OK then it should be OK - but it might be one of those things you try... and then have to avoid if you have problems with it.