La_madam

I'm a very happy & proud patient of Dr. Ortiz http://www.lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=7160&highlight=bowel+obstruction

.I have gotten a free fill from a referral, but that is not why I promote him. I promote him because I beleive in him. I trust him completely. If I did not trust him or believe in him..I certainly would not send a patient to him just so I could get a free fill. I am in no need of fills any longer and only got 1 free fill out of the 5 I had since Iam just 5lbs from goal..and I would still send patients to him..in my opinion he is one of the best. I have sent 5 of my friends to him not because I got free fills but because these people saw my success with the band and wanted to have the band themselves, it is only normal that if a person is happy with their Dr. they are going to reccomend him to others if others ask about him regardless of any referral program. It's about helping others and getting the word out about the Lap Band that matters more to me then anything my Dr. can offer me free or otherwise. I beleive in the band and I believe in my Dr. Yes I have heard negative comments on my Dr. just like any other Mx Dr. but I know he is a good caring man from my own experience and that is all that matters to me and that is all I can go on, from my own experience. This is why I would reccomend him to anyone who asks me. I have had a fantastic experience in TJ with my MX Dr. My Dr. saved my life, not just from doing the band surgery..but from caring enough about me well after my surgery 1 yr post op when I had bowel obstruction and the Dr's here in the ER in the U.S would not operate on me since I had my band in TJ, The ER Dr. called my Dr. in TJ and told him what was going on , on his cell phone mind you and my Mx Dr. told me to get there ASAP.. I raced and I mean raced down to TJ at 90 mph and he and his staff were there literally waiting for at the front door of the hospital me to take me into surgery and fix my bowel obstruction. He saved my life, I was going to die if I did not have that surgery. He cared that much about me.

small sips of warm liquids, colder liquids will tighten you up where as warmer liquids will open you up..try some hot chamomile tea, it is very soothing..sip slowly

it has been my experience that the harder foods will feel as though they are stuck like chicken, beef, hard proteins, but the softer foods goes down much easier like eggs, cottage cheese softer proteins, this could be why you are hungry again so soon after you eat. The key is to fill your pouch with hard proteins not soft foods. Your pouch empties quicker with softer foods. Our bodies will give us a signal that it is time to stop or when we are full since we do not experience that full feeling anymore... your's could be the headache or the ears hurting..I know for me, my signal is I get an ice cream headache. When you get your headache or ear ache how much have you eaten? Whe nyou say you eat endless ammounts of some things, what are they? If they are softer foods or junk foods this is why you are hungry again sooner , they go through the pouch much quicker. I hope this makes some snes and helps you

Popsicles and Jello worked for me , it made me feel as though I was eating instead of just drinking...also orange juice helped me alot to curb hunger, ut stayed with me along time, how about trying a different protein drink with more protein in it, protein curbs hunger.

Iam 16 motnhs out..when I got to a restraunt I order either chicken, fish or beef, the first thing I do though is ask for a box and immediately put 1/2 of my meal in a to go container, this helps to not ever eat or to be tempted to nibble once you are done, then I have a meal for the next day or later that evening. It works great. I also leave one bite of each food on my plate regardless if Iam full or not, it is a behavior modification, changing from cleaning my plate clean....I eat my protein first, then veggies & salad, if there is room I then have my carbs.. THere are also times I orderfrom the kids menu or my husband and I split a meal..

I agree wit this 100%..I have been on a mjor plateau so on August 9th I started heavy duty exercising, riding my stationary bike 8 miles a day,swimming laps 45 minutes 5 days a week that is alot for me considering I have not exercised much since my band. The scale never moved. This week no bike for meno swimming...and the scale has moved..GO Figure! In the time my scale did not move I did notice a big change in my body shape...so something was happening. Just because the scale is not moving does not mean you are a failure...Other things are happening. I have said it a hunbdred times...Dont let the numbers on the scale dictate your success or faliures with the band. Think of all of the other possitive things that have started happening or happened since your band. Keep doingwhat you are doing...it will happen! Hang in there

Same thing happend to me the other morning but I remembered my password

1.8 is not too much, I have seen alot more in other people in their first fill. I was 1.1 with my first fill.

First off..stop getting on the scale , that is a sure way to sabatoge yourself and to get discouraged. Secondly, remember you have no fill yet. The band works when it is filled. Once you start getting your fills, you will notcie a change Thirdly, you can not comapre yourself to others, this is not about anyone else's experience but yours. We all have different metabolisms, different starting weights, different BMI's we all lose at different paces. Have you ever lost 8 lbs in 3 weeks before on your own without the band? Most liekly NOT or you wouldnt have opted to get the band. You're going to do just fine with your band. Give it time, thie first 6 weeks is for healing, any wieght loss is just a bonus. You have the rest of your life with this band, we did not gain this weight overnight, and it will not fall off overnight. It takes time...keep that mindset..this is not a race. You will succeed!!! Keep your head up! Don't get down, you can do this. YOU ARE NOT A FAILURE

I love to put a tri tip in the crock pot in , in the morning and come home an dinner is done. Tri tip i nthe crock pot is the best, it falls apart, makes great shredded beef tacos. Love doing the corned beef and pot roast also. I have modified a few of my caserole recipes too to work i nthe crockpot. No fuss, no mess!

Halloween is my favorite day of the year. I do not have many fond childhood memories but my mother always made halloween special. So I do the same now for my kids, we go all out decorating our house inside & out. Something about the smell in the air during Halloween time..

When were you banded? 4.6.05 What was your weight ON DAY OF SURGERY? 265 What is your weight now? 170 What size do you wear? 8-10 How tall are you? 5'5

I had 3 fills thefirst year. Then was unfilled right after my one year makr and since have had 2 fills. No more fills for me. This 1.5 cc's is just right and Iam close to goal weight. I'm riding it out

Good Question..that is my fear..being filled to almost capacity or to capacity and still not near goal. Fortunatley for me I am almost at goal and only have 1.5 cc's in my band. Lets see what kind of replies this thread gets. I'm curious to know

Alatina, I wish you the best. I hope this fill works for you. Thanks for answering my question

Doesnt it make you nervous that you are at 3.5 cc's with 58 more lbs to lose? You only have .5 cc's left of room.

Good Luck tomorrow, I hope it all goes well for you. Don't let your Dr. get you down..like Vines said "You are in charge"

Alatina, what size band do you have? I ask because if you have the 9.75 inamed band that holds 4cc's I am curious to know how that feels being filled over half way to capacity. Iam going to assume here you have the 4cc band sicne you stated thatwhen he had you at 4 Water would not go down. Myself personally I have always been in fear of being filled like that so newly out of surgery. I would hate to be almost at capacity in my band and not any where near my goal in fear I do not lose and can not go any further with my fills.. I hope this fill works out for you and you notice a difference and can start losing again Best of luck to you....wishing you lots of success, take it slow the first day back on solids.

Lisa Lisa Lisa.. Oh My God! You look fabulous. What a weight loss ..AMAZING What is your secret for such fantastic success? Details please Iam so happy for you

I'm glad you are getting counseling, you had come so far to let "attention " have you go back to where you were. I hope you get to the root of your issues and find success again with your band You have found a great site here at LBT there is loads of support

Hi Fran, Im so sorry to hear what you had to go through, but Iam greatful for your post, this way there will be no more heresay about it. Thank you for sharing your story as painful as it might of been to do so.

Gitana You are right choice is a great thingand research is SO important so after doing my "research" I found that the J&J band is not yet approved in the U.S. so for me to have a Dr. take care of me in the event of an emergencyhere in California was not possible, none in my area are trained with the J&j band. I do go back to Tj for my fills and aftercare, but many U.S. Docs are not trained with th J&J band so I opted for the Inamed band Does you friend go back to Mexico for her aftercare? Does she have a U.S. doc lined up that knows the J&J band in the event of an emergency or does she live close enough to Tj to get their quickly in the event of an emergency.

I personally like the Balance Gold Bars for my chocolate cravings, they have 14 grams of Protein and satisfy my chocolate craving Here is a link for them http://www.balance.com/products/default.asp?product=gold I do not drink Protein drinks in the morning, no liquid calories for me, the only time I have a Protein Drink is when Iam on liquids after a fill

I also have the same thing in my fridge