Alicia99

Hi there! I am in Spokane, and getting banded on 4/3 in Mexico. Best of luck to ya!

Thanks Gina! I will be looking forward to hearing about your experience, and keeping you in my thoughts and prayers! Are you nervous? I am a little, but more excited about it than nervous.

Kris, I may have missed it, but where are you getting banded?

Hi Ladies! I am April 3rd with Dr Zapata in Monterrey, also a self pay. Hooray for us and our new start! At this time, I am not on any type of pre-op diet. I am 230 and want to get down to 140.

I rode last night, and thought of you as I jogged my horse around without posting. I am lucky, he can be pretty smooth. But I am having a hard time getting him rounded up and not hollowed out. He is young and never got the proper basics he needed because we were riding so many of the other horses, and he was just so easy! I agree, it is my passion too. It is the reason I am getting this lap band. Might sound strange to some, but I can not imagine a life without riding. And I love my doggie too!

Hi Gigi! Super spreadsheet! Can you update me? My start weight is 230. I am SO EXCITED to update this!!

Well, I live in Washington State, and I am flying out from Seattle to Mexico City then to Monterrey, but its for me and my husband. I should have clarified its for two people. I spoke to Judy also, and alma, and both have been quick to respond and seem to be taking good care of my needs. Like I said, I will be sure to let you know more details after I get home on April 8th. My surgery is April 3rd. I am really looking forward to getting this band done!

Well, a bit off topic, but let me say that I am glad to say there are other bandsters here who are motivated by riding. In 2005 I took my novice horse and barrel raced him every weekend until we ended our season placing 2nd in our class...then just gained weight from there. In barrel racing, every tenth and hundredth of a second counts, and so does every pound. I was heavy then, but he was just that good. Now I am much heavier than I was, and I am SO THRILLED to be getting a band on April 3rd so that I can begin my journey to 140, and barrel race competitivly again. Bravo to you for taking Dressage from a qualified instructor. There was a point where I though I might have to give up riding alltogether. Barrel racing, like any discipline, is dependent upon the amount of training your horse has and the ability of the rider. I actually took a few lessons on my barrel horse, and he was a natural. If I did not have intentions of racing him again, I would have pursued it further, but so much of Dressage has the horse "on the bit" as opposed to using more back end for barrel racing. I have taken some, not much, but some, and I understand about the sitting trot. Just remember to soften your lower back. Doing core strength exercise might help too, like the big toner balls that everyone uses now. JMHO. Good luck, and enjoy every minute of it! Portugal sounds like FUN!

And I am going to do fills locally, unless we love Monterrey and want a vacation...but I paid $1000 for airfare, so I doubt it.

There were many good reviews from people who have had lap band with Dr. Zapata. There seemed to be a lot of people happy with him online, but also I met a family in my hometown who went to him, all three, husband, wife, and son, who had lap band with wonderful results with him. His statistics seemed as good as any. The staff has so far been friendly and quick to respond. The hotel and hospital both seem very beautiful and clean from photos, somehow not my image of a Mexican hospital, and that is a good thing. The entire price, including airfare and hotel and the surgery will be about $8000, which seems pretty good for getting my weight back on track...I will sure let you know how my experience goes. I fly home on April7th to my mom's, then get all the way home on April 9th. Frankly, as my surgery date gets closer and closer, I am searching frantically to read all posts regarding Dr Zapata to make sure I have not missed anything, or someone who is telling of a bad experience there. So far I have found nothing. I don't know, I have never had a surgery for anything before, so I am nervous for sure. I am not a big fan of doctors, and only EVER have gone for the births of my two children. At this point, I am really looking forward to putting this behind me. My overall opinion is that I don't trust Doctors in my own hometown anymore than Doctors in Mexico, so what can I say? Might as well go to Mexico!

I am scheduled for April 3rd with Dr Zapata in Monterrey. So far so good!

Hi Everyone! I am glad to see some Eastern Washington bandsters! I have my surgery scheduled for April 3rd, and I am SO EXCITED. I am going to Monterrey Mexico to see Dr. Zapata. I can't wait, have a hundred pounds to lose, and want to get started!! I can't believe it's really going to happen, its still a little unreal to me. For so long its been just a dream, not a real option, because there was no way insurance would cover me, and no way I could afford it...until we got a HUGE tax return (an answer to prayer) and God opened up this door for me. Now, I am looking forward to SKINNY life again! Anybody else around here looking at Mexico?

ColoradoChick, what kind of riding do you do?

I went out to feed today, and my horse followed me around, practically BEGGING to go for a ride! I was tempted to jump on him bareback and gallop around the field until I remembered that I weigh a hundred pounds more than I did the last time I was able to do that! Its my goal!

Laugh all you want, its a NEED, not a want! Believe me, I don't WANT to spend $30 a week at Starbucks! They MAKE me, its an addiction, its like CRACK or HEROIN! They are EVIL but resistance is futile!!:banghead:

Gwen, Your post encourages me, I am getting banded April 2nd and was reading here to see what life will be like in a year. Then I was surprised to see you are from Spokane! Me too! You inspire and encourage. Thanks, Alicia

April 3rd!! Dr Zapata in Monterrey...Self Pay, 7k, 100 lbs to lose...so that I can be a BARREL RACER AGAIN!!! I love to ride, riding is my passion, and I am so excited to get back on these horses and get them going...we have 6 horses, and my DH is super supportive, he loves to watch me compete. Unfortunately, at this weight, not a chance! Poor critters! LOL. I hope I seem like a fly up there next time we go to a race! I am thrilled to be an April Avenger, and I AM nervous, I just want it behind me so I can start on the long journey to lose 100... Had a Quarter Pounder with cheese today...the meal...supersized it... Ugh, its gross. This is one thing I won't miss. This is my last one. Ever. What is it about this plan that makes us feel like eating ANYTHING and EVERYTHING before we go? Is it something in our psyche that thinks we might be about to starve? Gotta store up for lean times ahead? Look out Mexico, here I come!

I might die if I can't go to Starbucks.....

My Date is April 3rd!!! ...A little nervous but super excited! Lets get it behind us and get on with our bad selves!