nicole1byu

I was banded on May 29th and have had minimal weight loss which I attribute to the most painful gas you can ever imagine if I don't eat. I mean excruciating, knife piercing, take your breathe away, fall on the floor pain in my shoulder gas. It goes away once I eat something, and only after I eat, which makes me graze all day. It did go away a bit after about 5 weeks. I just got my first fill yesterday and low and behold, here comes the gas pain again! I broke down and had some watered down eggs just so I could stay upright - even though I am suppose to maintain a liquid diet. So far I have tried gasx, rolaids, tums, and a whole slew of other antiacids to no avail. Is it my diet? Is there something I am doing wrong? I think my restriction is fine - I have little or no restriction with fluids and feel full rather quickly, especially with the fill. Some foods like bread are still rather tricky, but thats normal. Any help would be greatly appreciated!! I have only lost 11lbs. so far and am getting rather frustrated. :wub:

I do eat a lot of dairy items! I just talked to the phone nurse too and she suggested the same thing. I never really drink milk on its own, but when I am on the liquid diet especially I eat alot of milkshake, yogart and pudding. Thanks! nicole

I was just banded this past Thursday in Mexico by Dr. Arturo Rodriquez and so far so good. Minus one very painful issue! I left for Mexico on Wednesday 5/28 and arrived shortly after midnight. There was a very nice gentleman there to pick me up and take me to my hotel. I headed to the hospital at 7AM the next day and was surprised by how nice the hospital was. Very quiet and better than the one I worked at in Denver! They had a coordinator who spoke excellent english with me the whole time through pre-op and post-op who could explain everything to me. I was soooooo nervous I nearly lost it on the way to the operating room but everyone was so nice and calming I was able to keep it together. When I got out of surgery - I thought I was going to die! The one bad thing about the whole Mexico experience was the severe lack of pain control. I started crying in the post-op area and finally got someone's attention and they gave me some more pain meds - not nearly enough. The whole rest of the day and night was pretty awful. Dr. Arturo came in around 7PM and was really ticked at the nursing staff. I finally got a few hours of relief but again not nearly enough. The next day I went back to my hotel and Dr. Arturo gave me some pain medicine that wasn't nearly strong enough. A few other women and I went to the mall with the local cordinator for a walk which was torture - but of course needed. That night I paced around my hotel room and didn't sleep a wink. The other women who had the surgery the same day I did felt the same as me, but there was another woman who had the surgery the day before who was just fine with the pain control. Maybe its just my pain tolerance? I am not sure what they use in the states for pain control and lap bands, but I can tell you my C-section was less painful than my lap band. When I finally got home yesterday I popped a few percocets I had left from a surgery this past winter and slept for nearly 11 hours. Today with the percocets, I feel soooo much better and can see the light at the end of the tunnel. The gasx seemed to work well too and so does all the walking I have been doing. Right now I would never, ever do it again. BUT I have already lost 5lbs. and have a feeling I will change my mind in a few months. The Mexico staff and Dr. were totally wonderful and I would not hesitate to recommend them. However, I was very disappointed with how my pain was handled and I think its just a Mexico thing in general. I am hoping that as time passes I will forget the pain issues - especially as the weight comes off! I know in the end it will be worth it, but right now all I can think about is how I would have killed for a Vicodin or Percocet when I was in Mexico. Nicole Banded 5/29

Thanks for your reassurance! Its also good to hear that Dr. Rodriquez just won't put in the band without looking at anything else. I am more excited than every!!! Nicole

Hello everyone! My name is Nicole and I have been considering a lap band for over a year now. I just made my appointment for June 16th in Monterrey MX to have Dr. Arturo Rodriquez put in a lapband!! :wink: I just had my gallbladder removed which is why I have to wait till June (it was orignially schedule for April 2nd.) Has anyone heard bad/good things about Dr. Rodriquez? I have found nothing and even my fill center here in CO has heard good things about him. I currently weigh 245 and am hoping to get down to 145 within 18 months - a weight I haven't seen since Jr. High!! I am more excited now than nervous. I work as a nurse and I am hoping the surgery will help extend my career and make me overall healthier. I am somewhat scared of acid reflux - I got it alot when I was pregnant, but rarely get it now. Is that common for any of you? Thanks! Nicole

Be sure to let me know when your surgery is! Its good to know someone else will be going through the same thing.