Mississippi Gurl

I just wanted to let you know that I have saline implants and I have been very happy with them. They are very natural looking and feeling and I have no ripples or puckering. Mine were placed under the muscle with 390 cc's and they put me in a 36 C bra. I was pretty slim at the time I got them and since then have gained all my weight. Now I am in a 42 DD. I hope like he!! they go back down after I lose this weight!! Anyway, I chose saline because of the hassle of the MRI test every 2 years and if for some reason they did leak, I knew that my body would absorb the saline.

Hi Dr. Schulman, I have a question about my boobs. I had breast augmentation in 2003. I have only been over weight for about 5 years. At the time of my augmentation I was pretty slim and since that time I have gained about 60 lbs. I am getting lap band in two weeks. I am currently a 42 DD and I hope to go back to a 36 C. My question is this, since I have already had an augmentation, will my boobs just reduce in size with my weight loss or will they become saggy as well. Also, as I have gained all this weight and my boobs have gotten bigger, it turns out that one boob is bigger than the other one. While hospitalized for pneumonia a few months ago, I had an MRI and noticed that the implant of the larger boob is much lower in my chest than the smaller one. Would this have anything to do with the size difference and will I have to have this fixed for them to be the same size in the end??? Thanks for your advice!!

I'm getting banded in a couple weeks and I too am afraid of failure. Personally, I have only struggled with my weight for the last 7 years and I'm so worried that I won't be able to get back to my "old" self again.. Also I'm worried about not being able to drink while eating.. I'm one of those that drinks alot when they eat, and I'm really concerned that is going to be a problem for me. And probably the biggest fear is that I am a social eater, meaning I eat out alot with friends and family and I worry about how I am going to be able to continue my social habits without all the eating!! On top of that, only my husband and my mom know about my surgery, so it's going to be hard to explain my new eating (or not eating) habits to everyone...

Hi Mississippi Guy! I live in North MS and I just wanted to let you know my story.. After several months of research, I am being banded by Dr. Ortiz on January 29th. I am self pay so I did a lot of soul searching and praying before I came to this decision. Just so you know, I talked to EVERY doctor's office in our area including Oxford and Memphis and as you mentioned their self pay prices were upwards of twice what I will pay at Dr. Ortiz's clinic. Now like RestlessMonkey said there were concerns with having the surgery so far from home. Obviously the two biggest were aftercare and fills. It took me forever to find someone in this area to do fills for patients banded in Mexico. Honestly, the doctor's office in Oxford was so rude to me when I suggested that I might have the surgery in Mexico, that I decided right then and there that I would NOT have surgery in Oxford even if I could afford it!!! In my opinion, their attitude it just one more thing that is wrong with the healthcare system in the US. Anyway, I digress!! Since I haven't been banded yet, I can't speak for Dr. Ortiz's clinic, but I feel like I have made the right choice for ME and I am beyond excited to be banded. If you want to email me, I will be glad to give you the name and number of whom I will be receiving my fills and aftercare through and some more info that you might find interesting. Best of luck to you and your wife!!

Congrats slimville on all your hard work!! I'm not a fitness expert by any means, but here are my suggestions for some not so painful crunches. The first one is to get you an exercise ball and lay across it with your feet up against the wall for balance and stability. Place your hands behind your head and slowly raise yourself slightly using your abs (like a traditional crunch). I find that using the ball with this type of crunch really takes alot of the pain out of a traditional crunch you do on the floor. The second crunch I like is to lay on your back and have someone stand at your head with their feet on each side of your head. Reach behind your head and grab their ankles for support. Raise your legs as far as you can. I try and do at least 10 reps bringing my legs straight up and then 10 reps to each side. This one really helps keep you from using your neck muscles instead of your ab muscles. Also, on the second one you might want to put a rolled up towel underneath the small of your back. I hope I've described them well enough for you to understand what I'm talking about. Also a great place for you to get some more ideas is from any fitness magazine. Even though they have skinny beautiful women demonstrating each exercise, they still have alot of moves in the mag that us "fluffy" gals can do also!! Good Luck!!v:thumbup:

January 29th!!! I'm so ready!!!!!!!

Hey to everyone in the Mississippi family!! I live in North MS and I have been researching lapband surgery for several months now. It is so reassuring to read all of your posts and see how well you are all doing!! Kudos to you all!!! I am so thankful that I found these forums and would really appreciate any guidance you all could give me!! I have so many questions (concerns) I don't even know where to start!! :biggrin: My biggest concern at this point is exactly where to have the surgery done. I am self pay so of course money is a concern. I am considering surgery with Dr. Ortiz in Mexico, but I am worried about not being able to get affordable fills in my area. Does anyone know of a doctor in the North MS area that does fills if you have surgery in Mexico?? I've read the posts about Dr. Byars in Oxford, but I can't afford to pay $700 for a fill!! I also wonder if it wouldn't be about the same price to use Dr. Byars for the surgery once all the costs of having the surgery in Mexico are figured in?? Any suggestions?? I'm also worried about the longterm effects of the band and the port, like does the port protrude out especially after lots of weight loss?? Thanks for any and all advice you all could give me and I am really excited to get to know everyone!!

I live in North Mississippi and I am contemplating having Lap Band surgery in Mexico with Dr. Ortiz. My problem at this point is I can't find a local physician to do my fills, and I don't feel comfortable going through with the surgery without finding a local doctor to do my fills first. I have called every physician in North MS and they all refuse to take patients banded in Mexico. Some of them even went as far as to tell me what a mistake I was making for choosing to have my surgery in Mexico!! Of course, I explained that I am self pay and I simply cannot afford to have surgery in the US or naturally I would have chosen a surgeon in the US. Anyway, can someone please give me some info on doctors in North Mississippi or the Memphis or Nashville TN area. I have posted on the Mississippi Local Support forum and did not get any replies. Help!!! Thanks!!

Hey Lana!! Congrats on your date January 29th - ME TOO!! Are you getting banded in Mexico with Dr. Oritz by any chance?? If so we will get to meet that day!! Also my last name is Whitehead too!! :thumbup: Go Whitehead Girls Go!! :biggrin:

Of course I made sure it was okay with Margaret before I gave her name and number out... She does the fills under the care of a doctor and she is certified to do the fills.. Once again, I encourage everyone to do their own homework and research. Give her a call if you are looking for someone to do your fills. She will answer all of your questions and you can decide for yourself.. Good luck!!

Hi Jachut! I couldn't agree with you more!! While I know how important protein is, I don't necessarily want to get all of mine from a processed drink. I also think that a well balanced diet is the key to weight loss and maintaining that loss long term. I am curious as to what you eat on a daily basis and what you ate during the first few weeks after your surgery?? I would really appreciate if you would share with all of us what your eating habits are so that we could get a different prospective on someone elses "diet".. Thanks!!

None in my neck of the woods either!! :confused_smile: Still hoping for a white Christmas though!! :thumbup:

Sounds great - I'm in!!! Let me know when and I'll be there!! BTW, can anyone tell me how to jazz up my profile??

HI wtbgone!! You sound just like me!! I read everything on these forums for a couple months before I joined in.. I too feel like I am physically prepared, but I am worried about the emotional side of it, but I felt like I had no other choice to keep the weight off permanantly!! :thumbup: I'm getting banded January 29th and I can't wait!! Good luck to you and keep us posted on your progress!!:tongue2:

Congrats on doing all the planning!! I envy people you like you!! How did you plan your menu 8 weeks in advance?? Where did you get ideas for the menu and would you mind sharing some of the menu with us?? I think I would be so much more productive with my pre and post op diets if I planned them in advance!!

Congratulations!!! I love to hear these stories!! I'm getting banded in January. Is that 19lbs strictly what you have lost since surgery or does that include the weight you lost in pre-op?? I really love reading everyone's story.. Keep up the good work!!

There is no doubt that getting banded in Mexico is the only option for me. Since I first posted this thread, I have found someone within easy driving distance for me to do my fills and she only charges $100!! She was banded in Mexico five years ago and had the same trouble as me, so she became certified to do fills and now does them only for patients banded in Mexico. As far as the price goes, even if I had of had to pay upwards of $500 for fills and have to take off of work and lost wages and so on, I still could not have afforded the surgery in the US because I couldn't pay the $16,000 up front that it cost to have lap band surgery in my area. Everyone has to weigh their own options, and I am truly excited that I made this decision!! I am counting down the days!!

Thanks for the advice. I should have told you in my original post that I have a hard time with chewable Vitamins. For some reason anything chewable (vitamins, tums, etc.) activates my gag reflex really bad. I think it has to do with the texture.. I know that sounds crazy, but that's the way I've been as long as I can remember?? I found a liquid Vitamin mixture at GNC do you think that would be sufficient. Also what about liquid or shot form of B12?? As far as my hair falling out, I know two people who both have been banded and their hair became really thin and brittle and they lost alot of it in the intial months after the surgery. Both of their docs said that it could be attributed to vitamin deficiencies. I've also read about the same thing happening to other members in these forums. I'm just trying to make sure that I do whatever I can to prevent that from happening!! I think Biotin is the vitamin to take to prevent that?? Any recommendations??

Hey Smajors, her name is Margaret and her number is 662-346-3307. She is sooooo nice and she really eased alot of my fears about this surgery.. Give her a call and let me know how it turns out. Good Luck!!

I finally found a nurse today less than an hour from me!! She was banded in Mexico 5 years ago and couldn't find anyone around here to do her fills either. She contacted her surgeon in Mexico and she went back to him and he trained her how to do fills!! She says she has patients coming from all over the US and she only charges $100!! I am so thrilled!! If anyone else wants her name, just let me know.

I am getting banded at the end of January and I'm worried about vitamin deficiency after surgery. Do you have a recommendation for a liquid vitamin that I can take?? I'm really worried about maintaining my energy level for work and I'm also really worried about my hair falling out.. Any suggestions and advice is greatly appreciated!! Thanks!!

AMEN!! I could not agree with you more!!! I live in MS and my surgery is scheduled for Jan 29th in Mexico and I have called everywhere!! Every doc's office I talk to gives me this attitude and tells me what a mistake I am making by having my surgery in Mexico. I even had one doc's office tell me today that they wouldn't touch "Mexican Patients" (her words) because they didn't know what type of bands they had and that alot of the bands were missing parts??!! By this time, I was livid and basically let her have it!! Who do they think they are anyway?? We are only people who are trying to get our lives back the only affordable way we know how?? Do they not think that we would have surgery in the US if it was financially feasible?? AAAARRRRGGGHHH!! Sorry for venting... But I am so frustrated!! Good luck to you.. If you find a doc in TN please let me know... I will drive to TN...

Hey WannaB!! I just saw your thread and wanted to say hello!! I'm actually in Tish county (MS). Hopefully I am having surgery in Mexico at end of January. My only drawback at this point is I can't find a fill doctor close to home that will take patients banded in Mexico. I'm self pay so I can't afford surgery in the US. Anyway, good luck to you and all the Shoals bandits.. I will keep up with you guys!!

Hi everyone!! I am hoping to get my surgery scheduled for January 29 with Dr. Ortiz. My only hold back at this point is finding a doc near me to do the fills.. I live in North MS and I might as well be in a foreign country, because I cannot find a doc within driving distance that takes patients banded in Mexico?? Is anyone else scheduled for Dr. Ortiz on that day?? Good luck to you all!!!