Gastric Reflux Post Plication/Travelling Home

[KrrnCan]

For those of you who have had the plication.....have any of you experienced more gastric reflux (or has it started up) following the surgery?

On another note: If any of you have had to travel by plane for more than 7 hours .... did you bring anything with you that would help you on the way home and did the airline provide you with enough water/drinks on the way home?

[Lindsay]

I had the lapband, and I traveled 11 hours on plane.

It was hell, I can not lie. I was so uncomfortable ... and it wasn't just the gassy feeling.

It was the being stuck, and not being able to move feeling. Achey.

Blah.

If anything, bring crystal light packs, and bouillon cubes, you can add to hot water.

There will be NOTHING at the airport, nor on board you can eat or drink.

PS. I told them I had just had surgery, and I got boarded first ... so do take advantage of that!

[KrrnCan]

I feel bad for you that the trip was so uncomfortable. What would you have done differently to make things easier if you could? Did you have a stopover anywhere and if you did, how long was it? How soon did you fly back following the surgery/

Thanks for the "Head's UP". I will make sure to follow your suggestions you have listed here, for sure.

Great pointer about telling the airline about recent surgery!!!!

[Lindsay]

I did have a couple hour stopover in Chicago, which didn't help at all.

Probably made me feel worse, as my boyfriend was hungry, so he got a Big Mac and the worlds' biggest coke at McDonalds .. and I just watched him eat it. I couldn't find ANYTHING 'clear' at the airport, and by this point, I was completely tired of apple juice, and wasn't sure I was allowed *that* much apple juice! I was completely paranoid!

A the Chicago airport, the terminals were really far apart, so there was a lot of walking (or running, b/c we were late, in our case!) from one end of the airport to the other.

I was just really uncomfortable because the planes were small, and I was big.

And I was paranoid about my surgery spot. I thought my guts were going to fall out or something .. LOL.

And I was hungry, tired, cranky .. you know, the typical

I waited the suggested 1 extra day in Tijuana, and to be honest, I was ready to go home.

Sticking around longer wouldn't have made a difference. I was just really scared to eat, drink ... scared I was going to ruin my new stomach, and such.

[KrrnCan]

Out of curiousity, why was the stopover so horrible? I was looking for the opportunity to get out of the plane and move around (or as in your case run around to the next terminal). Were you just really uncomfortable, sore and tired? Now I am a little anxious about it....

Doesn't apple juice make you even more gassy? I know it does with me and I find it very sweet too.

About the extra day thing....my surgery is scheduled for Feb 9 and I will be flying home on the 11th. Everyone at OCC seems to feel that I will be fine to fly, but I am very concerned about flight home. Mostly b/c of pain control issues, nausea and tolerance for liquids.

Did you ask for a seat belt extender?

Thank you so much for sharing your true feelings with me here...every bit of info helps. If I feel prepared in every way - I hope that things will go as smoothly as can be expected.

On another note:I live near Windsor,ON (flying out of Detroit) and I think that in another post you had posted that you are from TO. Is that correct? I find it so completely amazing that so many Canadians are flying down for bariatric procedures. It is so funny that the general consensus is that we have such a great health care system here in Canada. If they only knew how terrible it really is.....

[Lindsay]

When you haven't had food in days ... and you're restricted to only CLEAR LIQUIDS, the pickin' is slim, i tell ya!

You'll be drinking Apple Juice, and it will taste like the nectar of the gods! LOL!

I was never big enough to require a seat belt extender, but just being cramped in the planes ...

Wah wah wah .. me being tired, my boyfriend being cranky .. blah blah blah

It was more of the emotional aspect of it -- than the physical!

I can't recall being in pain at all. No post-op pain at all. Maybe a bit gassy, but honestly, as long as you've got your GasEx strips, or whatever your choice is, you'll be fine! Walking around helps A LOT with it too, so even on the plane, when I got gas pains, I'd just walk the length of the plane and back again, and I'd feel a bit better.

In Toronto, there was no way I could get the lap band covered under any form of insurance, or such. And the cost is 30k.

I'd much rather pay out of pocket, which seemed like pennies, including the flight down to Tijuana. Even with the cost of each fill, it was still worth it.

The only difference, is the lack of follow up care: the majority of people who aren't successful with the band, have little to no idea about the diet/food/exercise aspect. While this forum is an incredible support, it often isn't enough for some people.

The only difference, would be trying to find fills in Toronto, which is impossible now. The couple of lapband centres have caught on to what 'us' Canadians are doing, and will no longer touch a mexican band. Thank god, I was one of the last ones they accepted at one of the clinics here, so I made it under the radar.

Otherwise, I'd probably be driving to NYC to the Univ Hospital there, to get my fills, and paying at least $300usd JUST for a single fill. I'm not even sure if they're accepting 'international' bands anymore. I know there's been quite the clamp down on it, for liability reasons, and of course, financial.

Back to the plane experience:

The stop over was terrible because I was tired. And cranky .. and there was a lot of walking.

Really had nothing to do with any sort of pain!

I don't remember feeling any pain. Just so tired. and anxious.

I never felt any pain during my post op. That is one thing I can recall!

I was just so nervous I'd screw something up

PS. I drove from Toronto, to Buffalo, to get a flight out of there ... so I was flying back into Buffalo.

Buffalo>chicago>san diego

and back again.

[CanGirl]

I have noticed a lot of Canadians going to Mexico too. I hope your procedure goes really well today. I am heading down next month for the Plication. I'm from Stratford Ontario or as some people have started calling it....(Justin)Bieber Town. Let me know how it goes. I would love to know about your experience. I am flying out of T.O. and thankfully have no layovers. You can email me at canoe24@hotmail.com if you have a chance.

Take care,

Sarah

[KrrnCan]

I have noticed a lot of Canadians going to Mexico too. I hope your procedure goes really well today. I am heading down next month for the Plication. I'm from Stratford Ontario or as some people have started calling it....(Justin)Bieber Town. Let me know how it goes. I would love to know about your experience. I am flying out of T.O. and thankfully have no layovers. You can email me at canoe24@hotmail.com if you have a chance.

Take care,

Sarah

Hi Sarah!

I had a very long flight home with a 2 1/2 hr layover in Phoenix. My flight left San Diego around 12:30 (Tijuana Time) and I left Phoenix (around 5:30 Phoenix time - one hour difference between the two cities). We arrived in Detroit around 11:00pm ( 2 hours time difference between Phoenix and Detroit). So total travel time was about 7 and a half hrs. It was a very long day, but I felt wide awake, only some occasional discomfort with movement. I drank some Arizona Ice Tea (that I had purchased in San Diego before the flight) and nursed it all the way home. We picked up some G2 (low cal Gatorade in Phoenix) so I had that as well but only a few tiny sips - I really didn't want anything but hubby insisted because of the electrolytes. I also used a few Gas-X strips too, which really helped. I brought my IPOD loaded with relaxation and healing CD's and I even used that during the last leg of the trip

During the layover, I walked so much, first getting from one terminal to another and then once at the gate - every 1o-15 min. I walked around to keep things moving.

I wore some yoga pants for travelling and had no trouble at all. Believe me when I say you will be fine.

Also, do not be afraid of Tijuana, it far exceeded my expectations and everyone, I mean everyone was wonderful. Never did I feel threatened, uncomfortable or any thing close to that. My husband and I enjoyed everything about the trip.

The crossing at the Tijuana/San Diego border was so much easier than at the Windsor/Detroit border. In fact, it was a breeze. You will be better than fine!

Good luck to you and let me know if you have any other questions, and of course let me know how you fare.