Vangirl

So I've all but decided on where I'm having the surgery (OCC, in Mexico) and am just waiting to see my dr. tomorrow before I set the date for sure. I had been hoping to get a date in the third week of November, mainly to avoid the US thanksgiving travel rush as well as give myself time to recover and get through the liquid diet phase before Xmas. However, I was warned that I needed to lose 18 pounds before I could do the surgery, and I'm anxious to get it done no later than the end of November. Is this a realistic amount of time to give myself? 18 pounds in 4 weeks? Have any of you accomplished this? I do have a way out in the sense that if I am not able to lose the weight, I can push my surgery date back. But I don't want to do that. I'm starting to feel discouraged, because I don't know if I'll be able to lose enough weight in that amount of time. The pre-op diet is two meal-replacement shakes and a frozen dinner. I think I might go crazy after four weeks of that. Plus I'm concerned about my metabolism, if I'll even lose weight on that diet. Also, is it normal to feel all kinds of fears/anxieties pop up after making that decision to have surgery? I'm worried about not getting a good surgery date, how I'll feel after, whether I'll lose the pre-op weight, if the surgery will work, if I'll have pain after, how I'll feel not being able to eat the same way anymore, etc. etc. I know how important it is for me to go into this with a positive, optimistic frame of mind, so I need to somehow battle these anxieties that have been coming up lately.

2big4u, Did you go to the OCC? -Vangirl

Yea for you Heather! That sounds great! Glad everything went well for you, hope I do that good! Here we are leaving for Mexico on Friday and we all have strep throat! Me and the kids still feel like poop but my husband is feeling better. He got it first and has been on meds longer. I was diagnosed on Monday and the kids yesterday. Glad we're all on antibiotics and hope we will be on the mend by Friday morning. On a side note, this is helping me lose a bit more weight! My pre-op consisted of 1 shake and 2 lean cuisines a day...the nutritionist e-mailed me Monday and said it was time to start phase 2 of the diet and switch to 2 shakes and 1 lean cuisine a day. She also wrote me at the bottom in big black bold letters not to give in to ANY temptation while in Mexico...that is gonna be my toughest challenge yet!! My in-laws don't know yet and I'm not sure I want to tell them but don't see any other way to explain why I am not eating. Tammy

I am sitting here I OCC's recovery room. My proceddure was done about two hours ago. I am sitll not beliving how well I am doing. I haven't been up to writing these last few weeks as I thinking about it just made me more nervose. I think I'm ready to talk now. Can't pretend it didn't happen! lol

I am sitting here I OCC's recovery room. My proceddure was done about two hours ago. I am sitll not beliving how well I am doing. I haven't been up to writing these last few weeks as I thinking about it just made me more nervose. I think I'm ready to talk now. Can't pretend it didn't happen! lol

Thanks for posting this information Babe! I would have gone to the seminar myself except that I had a scheduling conflict. I was told there is another one on Nov. 15. And congratulations on deciding to have the surgery!

Hello ladies!-oh and men if we have any. Yesterday sucked! I have to email my weight to my nutritionist every Friday and I had not lost any weight-but I did cheat a few times so I kinda knew. Anyway, I have still kept off 18 lbs and just for the heck of it decided to try on a pair of jeans I haven't worn in 2 yrs. They fit-very snug, but they fit! Yea NSV!!! Heaven forbid I gotta fart cause it sure won't have anywhere to go but dang it..I got them on!!! LOL!!! We went out and got a few things for our trip today. I can't believe we're leaving this coming Friday. I think with the trip and meeting my husbands family for the first time that it will really keep my mind off being so nervous about the surgery. I dread the plane ride-I KNOW I will have to have a seatbelt extender. CRY!!

I sent Dr. Arseneau an email, but got an auto-reply saying he's away until Nov. 10.

What kind of vitamins are you taking? Yeah, I've been feeling all poopy too. I just thought I was down in the dumps cause of PMS and it could be. I have mixed feelings of sadness and anger. Sad like I am losing my best friend and angry because why can't I be normal. Why can't I eat normal? Why am I the one that has to go thru such drastic measures to get back to life...or even to ensure I live a long life. UGH, such an emotional time. Plus I didn't lose any weight this week. I think my mind is talking my body into rebelling!

I know, I know...I need to learn!!! I guess I'm just lazy! We've been married 5yrs and I have not learned yet. I have learned enough to pretty much tell what a conversation is about and can speak a little but not enough to get by in Mexico on my own. I have a 4 year old and an 8mo old-both boys. We wanted them to learn Spanish from the start so my husband only speaks to them in Spanish. My 4yr old fully understands him and can speak Spanish but mainly speaks English. Ya'll are right though...he is a good entepreter. On a different note...being married to a Mexican has been really bad for my weight. I have learned to cook authentic Mexican food and have put on sooo much weight. I used to tease my husband that my next husband was gonna be Chinese-my 2 fav foods..ha ha!! Road_less_traveled, We're all shakin in our boots and thank goodness this thread was started so we an all hold hands!! Glad you joined!

Hi everyone, I'm new to this forum, and like many on here, am busily doing my research before I take the plunge. I'm in Vancouver, BC and considering doing my surgery either in Seattle area or in Mexico, and one of the issues I've come across in my readings is the need to establish a fill doctor that's near you locally before going away for surgery. So far I've heard of a Dr. Woodhead that does fills for patients who have had their surgeries in Mexico, but I also read he is no longer taking any patients. Does anyone have any updates on this, or know of anyone else in BC that does fills? Thanks! Vangirl

I'm origionally from Bowling Green but moved to Louisville when I was 21. Now I live 15 minutes outside of Louisville in Mount Washington. It's a teeny little town with a lot of charm...but not much else. My best friend just moved from Memphis. She worked at a Hotel there somewhere but transferred back to Bowling Green. Yes, the in-law situation should be interesting since I don't speak Spanish!!!!!!!

Yes, Kentucky is beautiful and for the most part I love it here. Thanks for warm welcome. Cindy-I loved the story about your OCD lady. That was too funny and it sounds like you were waaaaayyy more patient than most people woulda been. I am being banded in Mexico. My husband is from Mexico-close to Puerto Vallarta. We are leaving on the 24th to go see his parents and staying till the 29th then flying to Tijuana for my sx, then home on the 1st. I am VERY excited about the vacation part of the trip but am nervous about meeting my in-laws for the first time and having the surgery. I like to read where people say that it is just your mind playing tricks on you. I literally feel like if I wasn't so fat and could actually get my foot near my face I would be biting my toenails off cause I have no more fingernails to nervously chew!

Hey Ya'll! My name is Tammy and I am gonna be banded on the 30th. I would love to be in your little support group. There was one person on the 30th with me but unfortunately she had to cancel her surgery so I am all alone. Boo Hoo!!! I have been on a pre-op diet for about 4 weeks now. Nothing overly drastic...just a shake for breakfast and lean cuisine for lunch and for dinner. I have cheated a couple times but have lost 18 lbs so far. Supposed to lose 23 by surgery but I have been stuck for a week.

I hope that the port doesn't get in the way of wearing a bra properly. I am a DDD-cup and an underwire bra is a must!

I had a great time meeting everyone tonight as well. It was inspiring to see so many people having a great experience with the surgery and I'm looking forward to taking the plunge myself. Thank you to Canadagirl33 for the information on Dr. Arseneau. I'll be sending him an email shortly. Hopefully it works out that we have a fill person here in Vancouver.

Does PCOS cause weight gain? I was once told I might have this, but it has not been diagnosed.

As a follow up to this question (thank you to the original poster for asking it, because I was thinking of it as well), when you lose weight, are you more likely to be able to feel/see the port? It would be strange if you finally lost all that weight, but had this strange poking device.

Thank you Kat817 and all the others who have shared their experiences. All of this is really important stuff to know about, and much of it I wouldn't have considered. Unfortunately due to large breast size, an underwire bra is a must for me, but I could try to wear a sports bra over it, so I have some cloth that protects the skin from the bra. All of these details are really helpful to know about!

I will try to make this group meeting as well. I've recently decided that lap-band is the way for me to go, and am leaning towards Dr. Ortiz in Mexico for the surgery. I'm glad to hear, from reading this thread, that there is a doctor locally (Dr. Arsneau at St. Paul's Hospital) that is doing fills, as that is probably the biggest concern for me, in terms of getting aftercare post-surgery. Anyway, I hope I'll be able to make the meeting tonight, as this is a huge decision, and although I'm excited to have made it, I'm nervous as hell! I have an appointment with my family doctor tomorrow to inform him of my decision to have the surgery, and I'm nervous about what he will say, especially when I tell him I'm considering Mexico.

Thanks for the info JAC, that was certainly one of the things I was concerned about - flying and walking all around the terminal with luggage and through customs and everything post surgery. Other than getting my tonsils out at age 3, I have never had surgery, so it would be a completely new experience.

Hi Ange1982, Thank you for your reply. I'll definitely be checking out your blog, as I'm kind of saturating myself with reading about other people's experiences so I will know as much as possible what I'm getting myself into. It's great that you had a good experience with Dr. Woodhead. I've read good things about him on this forum. Ideally I would like to have the surgery locally, but even factoring the cost of travelling for fills/unfills, it still works out to less money travelling to Mexico. Money is definitely an issue in my case, although certainly not the only issue. From what I've been reading, problems with fills or erosion usually don't lead to a trip to the emergency room. I think it comes down to how much of a risk is one willing to take, how comfortable one is with that risk, etc. Not an easy decision for anyone, that's for sure!

Thanks for the advice flowers and jmegirl, I actually have been thinking about the first-class flight too, because I've always been horribly uncomfortable in economy, and post-surgery would be unbearable.. That does factor into the overall cost though.. So much to consider!

Thanks for this advice! I tend to overpack, so it will be important for me to remember this, especially as I will be travelling on my own.

Thanks! I was able to get in touch with her. Hopefully I can make this week's meeting!