La_madam

I live in So Cal so I just go to Dr. Ortiz for all of my sftercare/ fill or emergencies I'm just an hour and a half from the border in Orange County

I noticed in another post you wrote that you are going to Dr. Ortiz He is wonderful and so is Dr. Martinez. Iam a very happy Ortiz patient. He and his staff have been there for me every step of the way. Good Luck If I can help answer any questions for you please feel free to contact me angel.atheart@cox.net

Mom Ceo, please get the name of the Dr. that Ortiz wil lrefer you to in Florida. If it is Dr. Grossbared please make sure you call him before surgery. I have heard from other Florids?Ortiz patientswho thought they were going to use Grossbard to only find out after surgery he was not taking any more patients from Mexico or Ortiz's patients. Maybe it is a different doctor, Orti'z has trained so many all over the US. bt do make sure you have some Dr. lined up for aftercare or emergencies in your area, it is vital. I have seen so many not get this taken care of before surgery and have regretted it deeply and have had to fly back to TJ for aftercare & fills ..in theevent of an emergency you want someone near your hometown.. P.S. Ortiz is the best. he and his entire staff wil ltake great care of you..you are in good hands ( cute ones too

All I know is my Dr. told me NO MORE CARBONATION ever again..it was in big bold letters on my post op instructions. SO obviously there is a reason for it ..I'm gonna listen to him When I asked the nutritionist at my surgeons office why...her answer was there have been studies saying erosion is possible with carbonation so do not take the chance until the studies have been proven correct or incorrect. Coca Cola will eat the acid buildup off a car battery..have any of you ever tried it? You will be amazed. If it does that to a car battery Hmm..only imagine what it does to our stomachs and our plastic bands ..not wort the risk for me..but to each his own

Nice Job on the weight los Katie 3 lbs is awesome!

I am a smoker and have no problems with my band

Joanie I had the exact same pains you are having..mine felt like a pinching from time to time, like I pulled something, when I called Dr. Ortiz and asked him aboutthis he told me it is all the healing phase from surgery. I even had aside ache like I ran too fast on my port side and he too said that was normal and will eventually go away and it has. Everynow and then I get pain in my port area but now it is from me being able to feel it so much more since I have lost 80 lbs. Dont worry you are not normal, if there is no redness or ooozing or swelling on the outside of your incision I'm sure you are just fine :cool:

Fransecca and Zoe Both of you look amazing. What a great job both of you have done!! Incredible...Incredible..Incredible This band really does work :cool:

My DL says 180 and has since I was 16..Iam only 4.5 lbs shy of it WOO HOO!!!!

Here is my starting weight Monday morning 184.50

Yeah Vera! Im so happy it was nothing serious. Glad you are home safe and sound

184.50 1/2 lb loss for me this week

Alex you are one of the most experienced bandsters her always giving such sound advice and encouragement. I'm so glad you are going in for an unfill . You are being a responsible bandster and I admire you for taking control and not letting the great wieght loss you have been experiencing deter you from doing what you know in your heart is the right thing to do for you and your band :cool: I have always said, this is not a race but a journey.

Hi Vera, Like all the rest, I'm hoping to hear all went well with you in Mexico

Paula you got yourself a deal. Iam in!! 12 lbs by June 1st would put me at 173, I need a jump start I have had no weight loss in 2 weeks now. I am eating good foods and exercising like a crazy woman .I just think my body is resting now. 10 months of continuous weight loss every single week, I was due for a plateau. So I am ready for this challenge!!!

[QUOTE In my opinion, this board has become kind of "clicky". It happens with most boards, you get a group of people that become close and seem to create an inner circle of communication and for the most part shut Very Well said! OMG This is exactly how I have been feeling. I was a guest on this boards for a year before joining just recently and now I'm asking myself why I did. I have felt a conspiracy going on here for about 3 weeks now with a couple of members and it finally came to a head. It is so sad that a couple of struggling members had to take this wonderful board to a level of negativity.

Kelly I have been doing this for years, that is porbably why I look so tan. I have always told my husband that tan fat looks better then whitefat. SOmething about having atan makes me feel so good!

Betty..Im sorry you are having a bad day..birthdays of a loved one who is no longer with us are tough. I know all too well. I hope tomorrow is better for you. Sending you lots of hugs...

Frank so sorry about your loss If you are Pbing 10 times a day, cal lyour doctor. When you PB it is reccomended to go on liquids to let the swelling go down and if you have not this could be why you are still Pbing, you need to rest your esophagus, it is a vicious cycle..so rest and do liquids for a day or two to see if the Pbing is from all of the swelling..Pbing that often can reslut in slippage..

I go to the tanning booth 2 times a wekk and have for years. I can not remember the last time I did not have a tan. I have never tried the spray on tan..I have heard it leaves orange stuff all over your clothes and is very streaky..

Did any of you come from a fat family? My Grandmother was morbidly obese, my father is morbidly obese and both my brother and I have been obese all of our lives..we both weighed over 9lbs at birth and were both born at 7 months. My mother however was a toothpick, maybe 100 lbs ( wet) Can some of it be genetics coupled with the fact we like food? My husband was so suprised to hear I wanted this surgery he has told me for years I eat like a bird..so how come Im obese? Could it be I just ate the wrong foods, not large quantities of food? Who knows..maybe a little of both..all I know is I feel like Iam finally getting this ( fat) monkey off my back. Thank God for my band!!!

Chocolate hampers me

I do not count calories..but I do write down everything I eat on a little pad of paper I keep in my purse . I gives me a visual as to what went in my mouth and helps to see why the scale may have not moved..and helps me to eliminate things I do not really need to eat . I find this very helpful For example today so far I have had 2 eggs whites with spinach, green onions and mushrooms scrambled together with 1 piece of dry wheat toast and 3 pieces of bacon..I did not need that bacon

Amen Alex! What I enjoy the most is not getting up fro mthe table with that full unbotton your pants disgusting feeling..I still enjoy all of the foods I used to eat but in much less quantity..I also find myself making better food choices..some things I can tolerate better then others and some days I can tolerate things better then other days..the band is a fickle thing..for example I can not eat a tortilla, it is my worst nightmare but I can eat bread no problems,I can eat chiicken no problems with out it getting stuck but I pop a tiny jelly belly into my mouth and WHAM restriction..go figure..

Melissa, do not let the numbers on the scale discourage you. I too have been stuck and I know I have been doing great with me eating and exercise. I know I have lost inches regardless of what the scale says. Sometimes our bodies just need a break, when I stop and think about it, my body has lost weight every week for 10 months...thats a long time , the scale is just taking a vacation right now and Iam ok with it....the last few lbs are always the hardest to lose..you will get there, remember this is a journey not a race. You have been successful so far and Iam sure you will continue to be, your body is probably just taking a time out right now too .What you are feeling, just know you are not alone we have all benn there or in my case Im right there with you