Newblew

I know that there is another thread out here for Dr. Gonzalez, but that seems to have evolved into more of a discussion on the pros and cons of this doctor. While I absolutely agree that this is a necessary thread, I feel like those of us who have done our research and are comfortable with our personal decision don't really have a place to post anymore. I am scheduled for surgery with Dr. G on December 7th and I would love to share pre-op, recovery and living with the band stories with fellow Dr. G patients. I thought it was interesting that Dr. V told me that I could have mushy veggies on the pre-op in addition to the liquid diet. Because I am a little freaked out about the whole liver issue, I think that I'm going to try to stick to straight liquids, but it's nice to know that it's out there. I also am going to start the pre-op diet the day after Thanksgiving (2 weeks instead of one). Thanks for listening!

Judy, I forgot to say that we have almost the same amount to lose and if I lost another 20 pound like you, I think I would feel downright skinny.. remember that we are always hardest on ourselves and to the outside world, I bet you are a hot tamale! Good luck with the health issues. That's always scary - I think even more so now that we have something "foreign" in our bodies all the time. It's hard to forget about that. Sending good thoughts!! newblew

Looks like we can have our own mini versions of "Slow Users - Unite" on this board! I'm stuck at 20 pounds over 3 months so I want to join too. This is purely anecdotal based on the stories I read on this site, but is seems like there are a couple different versions of bandsters. The one that we all want to be is the person whose head is actually ahead of the game. Those people jump right into exercise and have rapid weight loss from the beginning. They start off with a diet of a tiny person and keep losing. That positive reinforcement helps the brain stay in the right place and before you know it they have changed their lives. I applaud those people - I wish I was one of them. But even though I'm not, I still think that there is success ahead. For people like me, I think the physical limitation for eating has to come first. My brain wasn't any more ready to sustain this life change than it was the last 20 times I went on a diet. The difference though, is that without the band, I would have gained the 20 pounds back completely and would be spending the next few months beating myself up over it before I tried another diet to get ready for summer. Now I can own this 20 lb weight loss and turn to another fill to help it get started again. The fact that I had lost a lot of my first fill gave me a taste of what life is like without the band. I think that made me get down on myself because it felt like every other diet and I felt like a loser because I couldn't do it myself. The heck with that! I don't care if I am calling the doctor every three weeks...I am going to maintain this feeling of restriction. I need this help. I knew I needed this help last fall when I decided to get the band. How foolish am I if I don't use it as much as possible to help me achieve my goals?? I think we will all still get there!! NMSunshine - how far is your second home from the first? Will you be commuting for weekends or is it more of a "pack up once and stay there for a few months" deal? It sounds beautiful. My goal in the next 10 years is to buy a second home in a warm climate so that hubby and I can float back and forth when we retire. Retirement is a long way off but I can dream.... Judy - hang in there!! You really are doing great! newblew

I finally had my second fill yesterday. I was scheduled for 2/22, but we had our one and only snow storm on that day, so I got rescheduled. It was interesting because after I complained of no restriction, the doctor took out all of my fill and told me that even though he put in 2.5 at my first fill, he withdrew 2.0. Where did the other .5 go?? He said that he sees it all the time with first fills but not so much after that. He assured me that I don't have a leak or there wouldn't have been anything left in the band. So we filled me back up and I'm keeping my fingers crossed. He didn't realize that I had been rescheduled and told me that I should have come in sooner. So that reassured me a little bit. If I don't feel restriction after three weeks, I'm getting back on the phone. I need to use this tool that we've all paid so much for! NMSunshine, a second home sound great! Hope the offer goes through without a hitch! California nurse, I loved your last post about how much you could eat. I felt like you were writing my story! Here's to better restriction! Newblew

Wait! Wait! I didn't tell you the best part...I'm the "cookie mom" for my daughter's girl scout troop! Since January 20th, I have had 2200 boxes of cookies pass through my dining room. Actually, now that I write that down, and really think about it, girl scout cookies have been my downfall this month. That's good news because next week, they are all out of here. Next year - some other poor unsuspecting mom will be taking on this job. Hopefully one of those naturally thin moms who can eat just one Thin Mint and not a sleeve at a time! Judy, I hope that you feel better soon!

Thanks so much Judy!! Your advice makes a lot of sense. My true confession is that I know that I'm overdoing on the wrong foods. Nothing that is going to hurt the band, but definitely junk. And I also know now that there is nothing the band will be able to do to fix that. I hesitate to write that because I've seen other posts (not on this board)where people who have had a lot of success make comments about why people would waste their $ if they were just going to eat the same way. I get it - I just thought I was going to be full faster no matter what I ate. Not that before surgery I thought I would be able to live on three bites of cookie and a half a candy bar a day. My best intentions were to eat only things that were good for me. But that was my intention on every diet I ever started... But I'm also getting ahead of myself in the melodrama department. Rationally, I know that there is every reason to think that this next fill will put me in a different place where I see more results, and find it easier to stay motivated. So I'm really not throwing in the towel. Tomorrow I'm on liquids before my fill on Friday. I'm re-dedicating myself today! Thanks!

Hi all - I've been MIA for a month or so. I had my first fill and after one week I had no restriction. So I've spent the last month losing and gaining the same two pounds - very frustrating. I hope that the second fill does the trick. It's just a little depressing right now because I know other people have had much better success in their first months. I wish that I could control it myself, but then I get annoyed because the reason I had the surgery was because I knew I couldn't control it myself. Glad to see everyone's successes though. I'm still hopeful that will be me someday.

Just wanted to add that I had my surgery in Mexico too!

I just wanted to update this thread because I had my first fill today at the above location and it was a great experience. I opted for Flouro for my first fill. Before we even started the fill, I met with the doctor for a good 20-25 minutes while he reviewed the best way to make the fills work, the important rules of banding, etc... Now I was very familiar with everything because of my pre-band research, but it was still great to hear again face to face. Then we went into the xray room and confirmed that the band was where it should be and everything looked normal. He found the port with no problems and I started drinking Water. We found a spot that worked, I drank the tasty white stuff and then I was on my way. This board can be great, but I'm glad that I didn't let The Fox's post above deter me from a very convenient (for me), very positive fill experience. Good luck to all Philly fillsters! Newblew

Hi California nurse...welcome to our happy band of bandsters!! Jen - you're done...yay!!! I'm jealous of all of you who can return to Dr. G. But Wednesday is my fill day - can't wait. Have any of you requested and received your op report? Dr. V mentioned at discharge that I would need to bring it when I went for my first fill. I requested it from Laura a few weeks ago but haven't heard anything. I guess I'll send an email to Dr. V directly. My Fillcenter didn't say that I needed it, but I think that I'd like to have it anyway. Newblew

Hi! I'm 41 and happy to join with my age group! I live on the East Coast, have three kids (13, 12 and 8) and a yorkie-poo that runs us ragged. Great dog.. we're just not disciplined enough to accomplish the whole potty-training thing. If any fellow dog lovers out there have tips, I'm all ears! I was banded 12/7/07 and my first fill is next week (hallelujah!) Right now I'm at the point where I'm questioning if the doctor even put a band in me - I am able to eat way too much and feel completely normal. can't wait for some restriction...it's so hard to be patient. You wait and wait for the surgery and then after a few weeks you realize that you might be waiting for another few months until you really have the whole eating thing under control. I'm really not as much of a whiner as I look like in this post:heh: Restriction will bring back the happy me! Welcome everyone!

Hi all, Judy - Everything has definitely cleared up. I struggled with left side pain (like a charley horse) fo a couple weeks along with a skin reaction at my incision sites but I feel 100% now. Almost too good! First fill is next Wednesday and I can't wait. I know that people don't usually get restriction from the first fill, but at least I'll be that much closer to the second fill! I'm going to a Fill Center USA since I'm on the East Coast and I can't easily get to Tijuana. I've heard good and bad on the Fill centers, but nothing specifically on my site, so I guess I'll have to make my own decision. I am so glad that I haven't told anyone about the lap band (except my husband) because now that I'm healed and not restricted, I'm not making the best choices. If I thought that people were watching what I ate and judging me, I would be a mess. My DH is very supportive and just keeps telling me that it will work after I get fills. Thank God for him! I'm sorry that you are having pain with eating Judy. I understand about not minding negative reinforcement (I'm wishing I had some right now...), but you just want to be sure that something isn't going on that will ultimately hurt you and cause complications down the road. But if you are not PBing, that's probably a good sign. And kudos on the 34 lb weight loss - that's awesome!!! Congrats on the first fill Omla! Hopefully, they can tighten you up soon. Hi NM! Here's to making better choices this week - you and me both! Newblew How much did everyone receive for their first fill?

You're right NM! I know that I was just hiding because I didn't want to stop enjoying! But I got on today and only put on 2 lbs. I say only because I had convinced myself that it was at least 8 or 9, so 2 lbs was much easier to accept. I'm not even updating my ticker because I'm back on program and I figure I can blow those two lbs away in a week. Ask me in a week though...because I want to keep myself honest and if I haven't lost it by then - I've got to record it!! Omla - I feel so bad that you are still waiting for your first fill. I also scheduled flouro for my first one because I just want reassurance that everything is where it should be. I'm hoping that my port isn't too deep though, because flouro costs an extra $300 and that will get pricey for every fill!! Thanks for helping me get back on track! Newblew:)

Hi - I was banded on 12/7/07 and am currently waiting for my first fill on 1/16/08. I can't wait because I know that I've gained some weight in the last week. What has your experience been with fills as lower BMI patients? Did your first fill give you any restriction or did you have to wait until three or four? I'm up for an exercise challenge because as of right now, it's a challenge for me to even get up off the couch! I need to start moving and I would love a little accountability. Happy New Year! Newblew

That's wonderful and just what I needed to hear! I am in the swamps of bandster hell and right now it's hard to believe that this willever work for me. I've read enough on the boards to know that this is normal, but I hate the fact that I'm putting on weight. I'm such a chicken that I haven't gotten on the scale in 10 days because I don't want to have to update my ticker. My first fill is on Jan 16th so I'm hoping that I get some restriction. The general rule is 4 weeks between fills, right? Sorry, I'm just having a little pity party because I thought that willpower would get me through until the fills kick in, but I don't seem to be having much luck. Alright - enough whining about me... Christine, you are an inspiration!!! I hope that when I'm 6 months out, I can be an inspiration to someone else. Patience (along with willpower) are not virtues of mine so I'm so grateful to have people ahead of me that can forge the way! Here's to keeping our eyes on the prize in 2008! Happy New Year to all!!! Newblew

I'm resurrecting this older thread to see how long it took for the allergic reaction to go away for any of the previous responders. It continues to amaze me that no matter what "weird" thing I have going on, all I have to do is put it in the search engine to find many others withthe same experience. This site is such a blessing! My rash also started about 9 days after surgery. One incision site looks really red, but the rest of them are starting to look a better. Did it take three weeks to clear up? A month? Heaven forbid...two months? The itchiness is the worst, but hydrocortizone cream seems to help me for a little while anyway. Thanks for listening! Newblew

HI NM and Judy. I think that the metallic taste had to do with the antibiotics. At least, as soon as I was done taking them, it went away...so I'm not complaining. This week's issue is that I seem to have developed a rash from the steri strips. Itchy and annoying, but the first incision site that started with the rash is much better so I just need to wait for the other ones to catch up. Overall, I'm feeling great and enjoying my mushies. My kids think I'm crazy though (they don't know about the band). Today is my last day of work until next Thursday so I thought I'd take a mini break and check in with you all. NM - glad to hear about your restriction. I'm definitely getting hungry again so I'm looking forward to that first fill next month!

I was banded on Friday Dec 7th and returned to work on Monday the 10th. That's not to say I wouldn't have enjoyed a few more days at home, but I work in an office and I really was fine. Now almost two weeks out, I'm almost completely back to normal except for an itchy steri strip rash. Good luck!

I'm 6 days out from surgery and overall feeling fine. I'm back at work without difficulty. All of my incisions feel great. BUT... I have a constant "stitch" in my side slightly above and to the left of one of my incisions. When I breathe in deeply, it hurts. When I walk to much, it hurts. I'm not taking pain meds, but I'm going to take Tylenol when I get home. I'm just trying to figure out if that is gas (it doesn't feel like it) or what. Has anyone experienced this? Thanks in advance for your valuable input! Newblew

Thanks for your kind words Christine and NM. I did decorate my tree on Sunday and headed back to work on Monday. I'm fine for most of the day, but I do find myself petering out at around 4:00. But by 6:00, I'm on my sofa vegging for the evening, so I feel like I'm getting a little better everyday. I can't stand this metallic taste in the back of my mouth. I don't know whether it is ketosis or just a lack of food, but it is nasty - it even kept me up last night. I know that I need to start eating(drinking) more and getting some calories in. The weight loss is great and I even feel like I can see a change in my face already, but there's no need to do it all before Christmas! Only two more days on the antibiotic - thank God! Better get back to work - just wanted to check in. Hope everyone else is doing well!

150bound - I was right there with you. I thought I was going to get a prize for the most morbid bandster. Two nights before I left for Mexico, I was up ALL night playing through every possible bad scenario - leaving my kids alone, having my big old fat body shipped home...it was not a good night. All I can tell you is that I just kept going - I think that something in me knew that it was the right thing to do. My surgery was a breeze!!! I was banded on Friday and am off pain meds. I decorated the tree today and did some shopping. I might have pushed myself a little too much with the shopping, but I'm just a little tired. I think that all of these feelings are normal and unless you pick up the phone to cancel your surgery, then you are still comfortable that it is a good decision for you. I am really glad the surgery is over, because the anxiety was fierce, but I'm so happy that I did it! Good luck! Feel free to PM me! Newblew

I am a Mexico patient so it's been pretty much a whirlwind over the last three days. I flew out to Tijuana on Thursday, was banded on Friday and flew back to the East Coast on Saturday. Now it's Sunday morning and my biggest complaint is how nasty my antibiotic pill taste when crushed in sugar free Jello. I did a ton of walking on Friday and Saturday (during flight layover) and pounded down the gas x strips and I think that really helped. I don't feel any gas pain at all this morning and my stomach just feels like I did about 500 situps. It is such a relief to be one the other side. I can't wait until all the Merry losers are banded! I found myself getting very anxious and morbid about the surgery - but all my fears were unfounded. Good luck to everyone and I can't wait to hear your recovery stories! Newblue

:help:Did any of you have trouble with those? I crushed the first one in some sugar free jello, but it tasted so nasty, that I was worried that it was going to come right back up. I can not do that again! I'm thinking that if I break it into four small pieces and then just swalow them one at a time with water that I might have better luck. Anything other ideas that worked for you? Thanks, Newblue

:)The whole experience was really great although I wish I had been able to have someone come with me. But I made it through ok on my own. Laura picked me up at the airport and took me to the hotel. I thought that the hotel was very nice. Then I went and met with Dr. Gonzalez and Dr. Valenzuela. I specifically asked about his rate of erosion and he told me that it was between 1-2%. I found that reassuring although I don't know that I'm comfortable with the fact that he treats erosion with acid reducers. From all of my research so far, it seems to me that the only treatment for erosion is removal. He acknowledges that is one way to treat it, but he does it a different way. So at this point, I'm crossing my fingers that I don't erode and have to find another doctor to take out the band. But that is a minor, minor, possibility, and based on the rest of my experience, I have the utmost confidence in his practice. The clinic reminded me of the plastice surgery clinics in Nip/Tuck. Very comfortable - people checking in on you all of the time. I enjoyed my night at the hotel. Room service was very nice - they brought up my soup and salad on china with cloth napkins and a little vase of flowers - very snazzy! The one thing that I hadn't counted on was not getting cell phone service in Tijuana. It worked fine in San Diego but once I cross the border - nothing! That kind of put me in a tizzy because I really wanted to talk to my family. Then I tried to call from the hotel, but it wouldn't work because I had to go downstairs and put a deposit down. Then I had to have the operator call, but my husband didn't recognize the number so he let it go to voice mail.....this was the only time I really came close to losing it. But I left a message and he called me back very shortly. I got to talk to him and the kids and I felt normal again:) On Friday, I arrived at the clinic at 8:00 and was on the operating table just before 10:00. I think that I woke up between 1:00 and 2:00. From the beginning, the pain wasn't really bad. Dr. G even asked me "Why do you have no pain?" I told him "I guess it's because you're just that good!" I was walking all over the place and sucking down gas strips to alleviate as much of that as I could. One funny translation story. Like I said, the nurses were very kind and knew more English than I knew Spanish so I was grateful for their help. But at aroud 8:00 I asked one of the nurse for an extra pillow. I told her that I wanted to prop up aginst my stomach to help with the gas. She checked with someone who asked, "Is it for sleeping or gas". I said "gas because that's what I was going to use it for." So then they told me no - I just had to walk and blow in the blue lung machine to help with the gas. So while I lumbered back to my bed, incredibly annoyed and wondering what the hell and extra pillow was going to do to hinder my recovery, I realized that they though I was asking for medication (a pill) not a pillow. But I am nothing if not determined, so the next time someone wandered into check on me, I used my prop - Can I please have another pillow? No problem - I had it in less than a minute. By late evening, (around 10:00) I was starting to feel pretty uncomfortable and the nurse brought me a sleeping pill and pain meds, and that's all she wrote until about 6:30 this morning. I showered, walked some more and waiting for discharge from Dr. G. He checked me out around 9:00, I picked up my prescriptions downstairs and then a van came and picked me up to go to the airport. I was a little nervous about the border crossing because my first flight was at 12:35, but I was at the airport by 11:00 am and arrived in Phila at 10:00 pm. I feel like I got punched in the stomach multiple times, but I don't think that I have much gas. Thank goodness! My plan is to go into work on Monday and I think that is definitely do-able. Also, a note for anyone who pays through paypal. Start the process early! I used paypal because there are no extra fees and I put the payment through on Tuesday. My credit card company held it up because it's a new card - so I call them and then my husband called paypal and all was good. But Thursday when I got there, Laura said that they had gotten an email saying it was on hold through Paypal. So that resulted in more multiple phone calls and emails to paypal. The payment finally came through Friday morning at 6:00 - whew! I can't say that I don't want them to protect my money so thoroughly, but I was getting a little nervous! So that's the news on this front. DH did pick up the tree, so I will be spending tomorrow decorating it with the family - yay! Thanks for all of your support! Newblew:)

I can't believe that it is finally here. I spoke with Laura and she will be picking me up tomorrow. I'm anxious to meet Dr. G and Dr. V. and actually have the surgery over with. Last night I had extreme anxiety about dying. :faint: Morbid, silly and (hopefully) normal, but it was a long night. I'm ok today, but I won't really relax at this point until I wake up from the anesthesia. I'm sure that a lot of people feel like this with any surgery, so I just have to ride it out. I had a C section with my youngest 8 years ago, but I've never been "under" anesthesia and I'm having a problem with being asleep. Like somehow if I was awake, I would be able to will myself not to die, but if I'm asleep I might not notice until I was already dead. OK, I giggled as I typed that last sentence - I can't believe some of the stuff that my crazy brain comes up with! I'll be back home on Sunday - hubby is picking up the Christmas tree and putting it in the stand before I get home, so I am just going to spend the next two days focusing on being with my family on Sunday decorating our tree...I feel better already:) NMSunshine, hope that your fill settles in a little bit and you keep the restriction without the sliming! Thanks to all for you support - talk to you on the flip side!! Newblew