Mxmom740

Had my 2nd fill done this past week under fluoroscope & was advised that my port was slanted downward. Dr was able to do the fill, but had to come in from the bottle up towards the top....

I've had 2 fills & find that my port site is sore for a few days afterward each time.... I was told that is normal ~

Had my first stuck episode w/ a small piece of chicken yesterday. It was miserable... and scary to me! I am 8 weeks post-op & recently had my 2nd fill. I should have waited another day or so to attempt the chicken so I blame myself, totally! I knew what was happening, but then I got very light-headed and sweaty; almost as if I were going to faint. I tried to get the chicken to come up, but I couldn't. I tried to flush it down with Water (BIG MISTAKE!!!) and that was when the water came up, but no chicken. After about 30 minutes, it alleviated itself, but I'm not sure I'll be eating sold food anytime soon :-) I'm grateful that I was home when it happened and not out at a restaurant or work or public in general. I learned a big lesson and once my band is no longer irritated with me, I will learn to respect it more and what I can & can't eat....

I, too, feel like I've been conditioned to eat at a certain time each day. I'm trying to wrap my brain around the fact that if I'm not hungry, I shouldn't eat!!! I've been having good success with Protein bars & shakes, as well as loving my chicken & fish. I'm 1 month post-op today & am down 20 lbs. so far. I think I'm getting the hang of how this lap band works, but I love these forums to hear from others & their experiences. The protein is what gets me through the day so keep on trying different ways to get it! I'm rooting for you!!!!

Fericito, I am one of those who went "south of the border" for a self-pay Lap Band. I had my surgery done on 4/13/2012 in Cancun Mexico by dr. sergio verboonen. My cost for the pre-op blood work, EKG, chest x-ray, surgery, anesthesia, IV & post-op pain meds/antibiotics & one night hospital stay was $5400 USD. My patient facilitator, International Patient Facilitators, also paid for one night hotel stay at the hotel of my choice. My add'l costs were the airfare to Cancun & my husband and I stayed a total of 6 days there to enjoy the sun & relaxation! I am paying out-of-pocket here in the Midwest for aftercare. My first fill/follow-up appointment is on May 16th. My cost for the new patient visit/examination/fill using a fluoroscope is $400. Add'l fills run $250, but all use fluroscopy (no blind fills). Personally, I have been extremely pleased with my Lap Band journey so far. I had a few questions when I got back to the States & was able to contact my patient liaison and get answers from her & my surgeon. I did about 6 months worth of research before making the decision to venture to Mexico. I didn't have the $10-20K to self-pay here in the U.S. This situation worked for me & I'm really excited about what the future holds. Good luck in your endeavor to get your Lap Band done! :-)

Congratulations! Keep up the great work!!!!

I was banded on 4/13/12 and took a week off work afterward. Last week & this week, I have been doing office work in a "light-duty" status since I'm in law enforcement. I was advised because I wear a lot of equipment (i.e., gun belt, ballistic vest, etc..) to take a total of 3 weeks off before taking on the physical aspects of my job. I'm 15 lbs lighter thusfar so I'm hoping those uniform pants are a little less snug!

I was banded on 4/13/2012 (Friday the 13th!) in Cancun, Mexico. Had a wonderful surgeon & patient facilitator. I had 1cc of Fluid in my band upon discharge from the hospital. Just started on a "pureed" food diet & that is definitely a learning process! I am finding that if I don't ingest my food really, really slowly, I get a sharp pain in my left lower abdomen (below my ribcage/above my pelvis). I was slightly worried about it, but I'm thinking it's because I may not have chewed my food enough....If it continues, I'll give my primary care doctor a call & see what she thinks. In the meantime, I think I may revert back to more liquids until my body can adjust. I have a follow-up appointment in the O'Fallon, Missouri area on May 16th. It was tough to find a practice that was willing to see me since I had my surgery in Mexico, but my first impression w/ this practice via telephone seems really promising. I'm 16 days post-op & have lost 15 lbs. so far. That liquid diet works wonders apparently! I'm really excited about the prospects that my Lap Band holds for me in the future; I also think this forum is fantastic for questions/answers/support/etc....