NM Sunshine

judy That is where I met Laura this last time. You'll wait in street in front of MacD

DrPhil You will feel even more sure of your choice when you experience the aftercare. Believe me you don't get the same treatment from other docs.

Judy Good luck to you. Perhaps you could just get the extra insurance and drive your car into TJ to the clinic. It's right close to the border in the new beautiful part of TJ. I'm sure it would be perfectly safe. Otherwise, Most likely Laura would drive you through customs, so you wouldn't have to stand and wait.

CAROL i think i have the newest band on market. It's the Lap-Band AP with access port II. Mine is small and holds 10cc's the larger one holds 14cc's TURTLEWIND From what I understand is that we get addictions because it causes our brains to release endorpins. Endorphins give us a strong sense of pleasure. A person can choose their addiction. All they have to do is discipline themselves to do it for 6 months. Exercise is the best one.

Hmmmm think my man wouldn't mind the nympho addiction. That is as long as I stayed home. Exsersize can become a transfer addiction. That would be a good one to have. People can become quit addicted to it and it's a healthy one to have.

Poohlvr, I just realized that. I was reading the threads about fills and everyone had bands that only held 4ccs. Then I saw a thread that was about AP band. It was a band that held 10 to 14cc's. Checked my band box and it said Lap-Band AP small. From what I read on the AP thread, my band would hold 10cc's. What does the VG stand for? Is it the vertical Gastric band????

Hi All, I'm back from my first fill. I was given 4cc's in the new Lapband AP small band that holds 10cc's. Felt a lot of restriction the first few days. Don't feel so much now. Will get 2'nd fill in November. WOO WOO I get that pain you mention when I eat too much or too fast and not chew as well. I think it is something getting stuck because it doesn't come until sometime after I ate. Get Prilosec otc 20mg/acid reducer from the drug store. Take two tablets instead of one. (2 is the prescription dose) and your pain will go away within a short time. VIKKI Wishing you guys :rain: San Diago and TJ had that tan haze to the sky like you mentioned and it looked very foggy (which was smoke). I saw some of the fires from the airplane. Do you live in an area that is threatened?

How much fluid did your doc put in for the first fill? My doc said 4cc's but I hear that is too much. Perhaps he put .4cc's?

css95 I'm glad to hear that the second fill is so close to the first fill. Dr.G will be in Phoenix next month and I'll be getting my next fill there. Was wondering if I would be ready so soon but looks like I should be. As I understand you reach that 'sweet spot' after 3 fills. Then the fills are spaced a lot further apart. You are so lucky to be so close to TJ. I have to drive 150 miles to Tucson and board a plane to Phoenix and then one to San Diego. You might check and see if Dr. G does fills on Saturday. That is unless you work on Saturday. Also I waited too long to get my first fill. My surgery was 2 days before yours and I got first fill this Thursday. For a few weeks I was becoming c loser and closer to eating just like I did before band. I took 14pds off but put 8 pounds back on.

Hi All I'm back from Tiajuana MX. I feel great. My pouch was not stretched. I felt like I could eat like I use to. Got the fill Thursday. Yes I can feel the restriction and most of my hunger pains are gone. My doc (Dr. Gonzales) had me lay down on table and found the port right away. He inserted the needle (feels like a pin prick) and had me sit up with needle still in. He sent some fill solution into my band and had me gulp down some water, went down easy. He kept repeating this until the water backed up my esophagus and a burp came out. Then he pulled out some fluid and had me drink. The water went down. Next I sat in a room and slowly drank a bottle of water. I was to let them know if I had any problems, which I didn't. Is this the same way any of you got your fills?

:whoo:I'm back from Tiajuana MX. I feel great. Yes I can feel the restriction and most of my hunger pains are gone. My doc (Dr. Gonzales) had me lay down on table and found the port right away. He inserted the needle (feels like a pin prick) and had me sit up with needle still in. He sent some fill solution into my band and had me gulp down some water, went down easy. He kept repeating this until the water backed up my esophagus and a burp came out. Then he pulled out some fluid and had me drink. The water went down. Next I sat in a room and slowly drank a bottle of water. I was to let them know if I had any problems, which I didn't. Is this the same way any of you got your fills?

Judy There is parking at the border. That would be the place to park. If you do take your car across the border be sure you get extra insurance. Laura will pick you up. You just walk across the border. It's a short walk and no stop for border check. I went alone for my banding and everyone is so helpful. They understand that you are in a foreign country, getting surgery. I had my first fill Wed. and it was a piece of cake. Nothing to it. I'm feeling restriction again which feels great. Bye Bye hunger pains.

jessie There wasn't hardly any pain beyond gas pains. The tough part of the flight home was finding a bottle of water. Plan on not carrying any luggage. Use one of those pull alongs. If your walk is long, stop and rest a minute. Yes Dr. G gave me pain killers but I only took a couple as my pain wasn't much. I did sleep a lot. If I ate too much or too fast I'd get terrible stomach pains.

Hi All Will power is a tough one. Seems that if the key was will power then when we lose weight without the band we'd keep it off. I eat very healthy, whole grains, skim milk, olive oil for fat, fresh fruits and veggies, no sweets, deserts or white bread. Some wine after dinner is my greatest foe. Yet, I've gained a monsterous amount of weight. Seems that I enjoy food and go back for seconds and even thirds if I can. That is what I love about the band restriction. One gets full on very little. I'm due for 1st fill on Thursday. Appetite is Back to where it was before banding. Flying to San Diego on Thursday for fill in TJ. With those fires, I don't know.

Hi All My fill date is the 25th, this Thursday. I fly to San diego from Phoenix. I'm driving 300 miles to Phoenix tomarrow so as to catch the early plane on THurs. As for what is going on with the California fires, I am not sure what to do. To drive 300 miles and find that the airport in San Diego is closed would be a bit of hell. So sorry for those poor people who are losing their homes to the fire.

My doc wanted to do my first fill at around 2 weeks. I put it off because I didn't have much hunger at two week post band. When I decided to get a fill, I had to wait a few weeks because of cost of airfare and doc was gone until Oct 23 anyway. I'm due to get the fill this Thursday, the 25th. I fly to the San Diego airport. Airport is open now but may not be Thursday. I eat regular sized meals now. Cannot feel any restriction. If that causes my pouch to stretch, I'm in for big trouble.

VIKKI You look great!! LindaE I was also banded on 9/11/07 but didn't lose 20 pounds. Congradulations. I can feel that I do need a fill badly. I actually have gained 5 pounds back of my 14 pound loss. I'm due to fly to San Diego and cross the border to TJ for my fill on Thursday the 25th. As of now the airport is still open, but with those fires it may be closed by the 25th. I begin my 300 mile drive to Phoenix to catch a plane to San Diego on Wed. So keeping fingers crossed that those fires stop. Horrible situation down there.

tpagrn stopped by to say hi. I'm in that miserable place where the stomach swelling is gone, I feel no restriction and am hungry like before. I've gained back 5 pounds. Next Thursday 10/25 I get my first fill.

OH and my first fill is due next Thursday. Will that work? Will that take away my capacity to stuff my face?????

REDGIRL I have been doing the same thing!!! After I started on the regular food diet, I started gaining weight back. In a week I have gained 5 pounds!!! OHHHHHHHHH Misery. My DH was doing his own cooking before. I happen to be a super cook. I went back to cooking and cannot resist dinner. Think I may have to move out and leave DH while I am trying to lose weight. Poor guy, he is the best man any woman can have!!!

tmostert I went to TJ Mexico, Dr. Gonzales, for the band. I am flying back next week to get my first fill from Dr. G. Since I live in New Mexico, thought I''d check and see if dr. Kirshenbaum will do my fills and what t cost will be. My fills are free if I go back to MX but the air ticket is 117 to 250. What doc did you go to in MX

TerriD Yes, it just seems that as you lose weight you also lose in the face. Facial surgery before all the weight is off might just result in the need for it again. As for the stabalizing. I think that is to allow your skin to go to the state it will rermain after all the weight lost. I'm researching very early on (about 8 months to a year early) because I want to get all the info I can before hand. Also I'll need that amount of time to save the money.

jennypoo Lap Bandit is doing good. Had lots of problems with the allergic reaction but is gone. Right now is looking for a fill doc back east. So many of them won't fill bands done in MX. I have a plane ticket to San Diego and will get a fill with Dr. G next Friday. It's the only way i know to go right now. I have to drive over 150 miles to get to airport, then fly to SD. I think my ticket is cheaper than a fill doc in USA and I'd have to drive 150 miles at least to one here.

jessie Dr. Valenzuela is Dr. V. He will also be part of the surgery team. You won't be able to eat bread for a while after you get the band. You'll still wake up with the emotional desire (if that is why you eat late at night). I have the same thing. Sugar free popcycles are great for that. If you need something more substantial then perhaps fat free yogurt. I've used diet instant pudding but find myself eating the whole thing (4 servings) and that's not good. Diet jello would be good.

. I bought this giant container of whey protein for muscle builders. It’s called six star body fuel and has 20g’s of protein in each scoop. You could drink that between your meals to boost protein. I use it as a meal. I put a scoop (chocolate flavor) of it in the blender along with a scoop of chocolate slimfast, a cup and ½ of no fat milk and a bunch of ice cubes. Then blend until the ice cubes are crushed. It tastes like a thick chocolate shake (granted you have to push your imagination a little).