Banded14yr

Vera, Good advice. I'll remember that during my next fill. I'm also glad to hear that your band was in perfect shape. Good news for you all the way around. I'm sure you're relieved to have everything back in working order. Thanks for the updates, I know it hasn't been easy for you, but by you posting what you went through gave all of us things to look out for. In otherwords, you have probably helped a lot of us just by sharing with us what you're gone through. Thanks!!

Like most have already posted, everyone is so different when it comes to recovery from surgery. I had minimal pain but had dry heaves for a while. A quick dose of Phenergan knocked that out and I slept pretty good after that. I had surgery on a Monday and was back to work the following Monday, but could have easily gone back to work the following Wednesday instead of taking a full week off from work. I just got back from Monterrey. I went (as support) with two ladies that were getting banded. Both went through the surgery just fine, but one of them was very sick to her stomach for most of the day and night after surgery, she was very dizzy and had a hard time walking a couple of steps. The other one acted like she hadn't been through anything at all. She was getting up and walking around with her I.V. pole about 2 hours after surgery. I couldn't keep up with her! LOL If you can take a week off from work I would do it. I would rather take more time off even if I felt like I could go back to work sooner. Just my opinion. Congratulations on your upcoming surgery! Please keep us posted. Tricia

Vera, Did the kink cause the hole? I'm very happy for you that they found the problem and were able to fix it. I'm assuming that they didn't give you the option of replacing your band with the Inamed band? After what you have gone through, I had my doc in Mexico check my band and tubing under flouro to check for kinks and leaks, I think I'm becoming a bit paranoid :cool: Again, glad you're home and that everything went so well. Take it easy! Tricia

Vera, I'm so happy that everything is ok now! Wow! Sounds like you have a terrific medical staff in Monterrey. How in the world they can see something so small on an xray and then go in and repair it is amazing! Glad you're home safe and sound. Tricia

Ryan, I hate to see you go, but I totally understand. This board used to be a great source of information for me along with a great source of support. I used to moderate a message board for years. It was quite different than this, it was for a fan page for a professional football team. Needless to say, the message board would get quite heated at times and I was forced to delete posts and became "the enemy" to many. After about 6 years of being the "bad guy" I decided that I had had enough of the moderating job and handed it over to someone else. I learned a very simple yet valuable lesson while moderating, it's impossible to please everyone all the time and frustration levels seem to be elevated because points that are trying to be made in type versus in person tend to be misunderstood. 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 down the support to "outsiders" or "newbies". I don't post much anymore but I do like to come here to be with fellow bandsters and to see what they are talking about. I've always enjoyed reading your posts and will miss them in the future. We all have a common bond and objective in life. It's refreshing to be able to come to a place where most understand what you're going through and what you're feeling. I too have become sickened at the public lynching that has gone on this message board, and as a result my interest in coming here has taken a nose dive. When I read posts and feel really bad for someone or see someone else belittle someone then this board is no longer a positive support resource for me. I wish you luck in your future weight loss journey, but I know you will not need much luck. You have such a wonderful outlook on life that I know you will be successful in anything that you do. It was nice "knowing" you..... Please take care! Tricia

Good luck Vera! I'm sure that Dr. Sanchez will get the situation corrected so that you can have the benefits of a working band again. We'll be thinking of you! P.S. Just got back from Monterrey and the weather there is beautiful

YOU are NOT a failure. I'm sure that most of us have done pretty much the same thing when we were on our liquid phases. The thing that I always had to tell myself is that I could be doing harm to myself if I ate solid food before I was instructed to. It's very hard because you don't feel pain, or it doesn't hurt when you eat solid food so you think everything is ok. My doctor told me that when you eat solid food, your stomach churns and moves to try and digest it, and you don't want your stomach doing that while it's in the healing process. You'll be fine. Just try to stick to your doctor's orders and don't beat yourself up over the tiny bites that you've already had. Take it day by day, you'll soon get through it!!

Betty 54 Paula 43 Kelly 65 Becky 77 Carol 102 Alex 110 Nana~49 Rich 20 Larae 22 Maureen 73 Marie 56 Wyld Blu 73 Penni 54 Vera 60 Darcy 59 Kelly 39 michelle 135 mary 65.4 greg 77 Sharon 35 Tricia 60 Total 1416.40

I'm confused..... Was there a band placed at all? Did it "break off"? Was it just laying there next to your stomach? Did he band something else? This is incredible! I'm sorry that you're having to go through this fiasco....but once you get a band placed properly, you'll start living a new life and enjoy the benefits that the band provides. Good luck to you!

Michelle, You look absolutely fantastic! Wow!!!

Good luck Brenda! Sending thoughts and prayers for you today. A friend of mine was banded by Dr. Rose. You're in good hands.

Thanks everyone! It's amazing what a mere 55-60 pound weight loss will do to a person's face ..... I can't wait until I drop another 55-60 pounds, maybe I'll lose that second and third chin by then. I agree with everyone else who said that the before and after thread is very inspiring.

Oh wow~ ! Way to go girl~! Now get some rest and take it easy! Congrats!!!!

OK ... here it goes. As you can see, I don't do below the waist shots. I'm actually surprised that I found some "before" photos since the camera and I haven't gotten along for many years now. (btw: That's Laserjock in the other 89 jersey. He has been my support rock throughout this whole journey) I'm still a work in progress but I love my band!! 12/17/07 - I wanted to update my after photo....I'm now down 130 pounds and feel wonderful!

Vera, I'm also glad that you're going back to Mexico to see Dr. Sanchez. It sounds like Dr. Sanchez will take care of you and anything that's going on with your band. It looks like we'll just miss each other in Monterrey. I'll be there the 18th and returning on the 21st. Good luck to you on your trip, it sounds like you'll be well taken care of!

Teresa, I'm glad you went to see your fill doc. Hopefully the pains you have been experiencing will subside. I like the fact that he will use flouro in the future, it will give him a look at your band to make sure that everything looks O.K. Be sure to take it easy for a few days and keep us updated on how you're doing Tricia

Donali, I don't know what to say..... I'm speechless.... Really that was an incredible post. All I can do is thank you and I hope that people that are faced with an ignorant doctor that requires someone to lose weight before performing weight loss surgery to prove that they are "serious" about losing weight will print this off and give it to him/her. Bravo!

Chanting..... "Go Penni.....Go Penni......Go Penni!" :Bunny

It's like a soap opera! Wowza....

Good luck Rachel! We'll be thinking about you! Here's to a speedy recovery and a new beginning. Just take it easy after surgery and try not to overdue too fast! Tricia

You have proven that it can be done! You're an inspiration. Way to go and congratulations!

I have spoken with someone who was banded in Mexico and wanted Dr. Ponce to perform her fills. He's changed his policy recently. He now charges $2000.00 a year for fills, no limits. I think that's a little extreme. I've never heard of Dr. Caylor, but would be interested to know if he would fill someone who was banded in Mexico. I know of a doctor in Nashville that will take on patients that were banded in Mexico. He will even see you in an emergency situation, but Nashville is a pretty long haul from Birmingham.

I agree with gagirl, get your surgical papers before leaving Mexico. I'm fortunate that my aftercare doc here in the states didn't require them, but I want a copy nevertheless. I'm going back to Monterrey with two ladies that will be banded on the 19th of this month, so I'm going to get a copy of my surgical paperwork then. I'm going to make sure that the two ladies with me get their paperwork before we leave.

Wow... Good info Donali! Thanks!

Darcy, Good post. I agree whole heartedly! And I'm thankful every single day for my band. You hear so many people say that it's a tool, that it's not the "solve all" of every eating problem out there, but it helps me so much in controlling my obvious obsession with food. Now when I drive by a Wendys and crave a single cheese burger with fries, I just keep driving because I know I physically CAN'T eat it. There's no more, "Well, I'll start my diet tomorrow, so Wendy's here I come!" I absolutely love it but I do realize that my brain needs a lot of help also :clap: Do they make a brain band?