InTheCityGirl

AudricIan! Congrats on a successful surgery. I too had a successful run on Dec 3rd. I am soooo hungry at the moment (still on liquids of course) but this is all worth it. I freaked a little when I got on the scale and saw I hadn't lost any weight and was actually up a couple of pounds. All the IV fluids I guess. I am staying off the scale until Day 7:-)) Again congrats! Be sure to update the group over on the Merry Losers thread.

Yeah Chris!!! 6 pounds down in 5 days. Congrats, congrats, congrats! There is hope for the rest of us IV bloated newbies:-)))

I was told to wait 6 months out and then only in moderation. A glass of champagne for a special occassion, etc. I guess they may or may not know if it causes slippage but clearly sugary sodas are empty calories (bad) and diet sodas appear to be addictive/create thirst (?) because everyone seems to say they drank alot of them. Maybe they just don't know for sure and would rather us take no risks. There is apparently no upswing for us to do it. So I guess I am onboard with that thinking. I hate the gas part anyway. I'd like to skip any unnecessary gas explosions if I can:-)

Hi BansterNYC! How many Arnica Montana pills do you take? The package says every 4 hours for pain but clearly that isn't what you are doing. Your scars are the best on the site! After only 20 days. Congratulations on taking such great care of yourself. You are an inspiration! (The skinstore.com site is a great recommendation too!) <SCRIPT>document.write('');</SCRIPT>

Hi Everyone! I am a 35 years old. I've been married for 3 years and together with my DH for 12 years total. I was a marketing exec for a bunch of large Fortune 500 companies up until the end of October (60 hour work weeks, traveling, drinking too much, eating way too much, etc.). I am taking 6 months to take care of myself. The most important is my new band! I have struggled with weight gain since about age 23. It just creeped up every year until I am where I am today - 98 lbs of fat, sleep apnea, difficulty breathing, cholesteral creeping up, blood pressure creeping up, etc., etc. I finally gave in to my need for this change when I call home and my mom has had 2 mini strokes, a heart attack, diabetes all before the age of 60. I don't want to die young and/or be disabled by health problems before I can even collect my SS checks:-) I stuggle because my DH is handicapped and this has really prevented me from being the active person I used to be. As part of my 6 months of time off, I need to get adjusted to eating healthy with the help of my band and finding a way to exercise properly. The Merry Losers Rock!!!

Count me in guys - I'm in Las Vegas (could be moving back to Pennsylvania next year:-))

Hi Carol- So sorry to hear about what happened to you. There have to be other solutions out there for you and we will be here for you as you continue your weight loss journey! Will keep you in my thoughts, InTheCityGirl

Hi Everyone- I am finally home from my trip to Dr. Ortiz in TJ. I could not have been more pleased with my entire experience. I checked in to the hotel there on Monday night, was brought to the hospital for pre-ops at 10 AM on Tuesday Dec 3rd and got my band some time in the mid-afternoon. I stayed overnight and left the next morning. Spent the next 36 hours in the comfort of my hotel room then flew back home today. I have a lot of gas from the surgery and it is slowly coming out both ways. I take some chewed up tums to keep some of it under control because the heartburn feeling is the worst. I have been drinking Clear liquids and can start heavier liquids tomorrow (Protein shakes, Soups, etc.)!! I almost died when I got home and got on the scale. I am up a couple of pounds but it has got to be the bloating from all the IV liquids, my constant Water consumption and general swelling. I took my last pain pill about 3 hours ago. I will move on to Tylenol now. My port area is sore but otherwise I just feel a little stiff. I slept so much over the past 3 days! Constant pain meds that knock me out I guess. I am so nervous about getting fills and starting the journey to my restriction sweet spot!!! I have 5 incisions. I can't bear to look at them all swollen and glued. They look like knive wounds from an episode of CSI. I can't wait to eat my first solids on Christmas Day!!! Thanks for listening and supporting all of us Merry Losers. Best Wishes,

Hey there Merry Losers! I am set for 12/4 Tuesday with Dr. Ortiz!! I am pumped.

AudricIan-I completely understand about your husband. I have a similar situation. I finally did fess up to my DH today but have not told him the cost. Ugh. Luckily we have separate finances so he does not know. I am going to avoid the topic to the best of my ability. I am going to be going to Dr. Ortiz's offices on Monday 12/3 night for surgery on 12/4 and leaving the day of your surgery 12/6. Send me a PM and we can hook up to support each other. I am going alone as well. I am excited and scared all at the same time!

Hey all- Question for you regarding Post-Op stateside doctor's visits in preparation for going to Mexico for surgery. 1. Should I visit a fill doctor before going to Mexico to line up the details like what to expect, costs, paperwork I should bring back, etc? 2. I split my time between Bucks County PA (outside of Philadelphia) and NYC. Any suggestions for a doc? 3. What are your thoughts on www.fillcenterusa.com? Thanks for the help and support!

My honey had said he had heard that she wanted it removed because she hadn't stop being Bulimic and that her urge to purge was dangerous with the band in place. She did an interview on one of the morning shows months ago and that is what he remembered. I love that woman but I do think it is a bunch of publicity stunts some of these talk show appearances. It is really hard to take when someone puts themselves out there but is totally evasive when the questions start coming at them. IMHO. I don't mean to be critical but honesty is so important when she is the highest profile person who has had this done AND is willing to discuss it.

Pre-ops are trans-sexuals before they have sex reassignment surgery. They advertise in the Village Voice personals all the time:eek: Yeah, my insurance won't cover it. Not an option b/c it isn't covered. So, plenty of people seem happy with their docs in Mexico so I'll be fine. Mexico is about 8000-8500 for everything versus 14,000-17,000 locally. I am trying to not go into debt to do this, even though I do consider it a life saving procedure. . .you know the drill.

I'm pre-op - which on this board means something totally different then what it means in the Village, where I am at the moment:omg: It looks like you gals are all local surgeons. I'm probably have to go to Mexico, because NYU wants 2x what they want down there. I don't know if I can save enough to do it here. Welcome!

Just saw the same thing. Maybe they'll actually be clear about the difference between the band and gastric bypass, something they were completely unable to do on Good Morning America and the other shows where she spoke for 3 minutes total.

I lost weight on Wellbutrin only. All others, caused gains. I don't know more and wish I could be more help but please keep us all posted. This is a very good post.

I never heard it called a hoo-hoo (down there was more like what I've heard). I absolutely will start using that!

Hi Tired Old Man- You had a colonoscopy in your 30s? I'm soon to be 35, when am I supposed to start having them done? I thought you were supposed to have your first at 50. I haven't been to a GP in years for a physical. I just go to a couple of specialists for whatever is needed (derma, gyn, etc.). Just wondering what the word on this is these days.

Hi guys- Good thread for some who has not been banded yet (me ). I am at about 32 BMI give or take and have been for 10 years. Prior to this I was always around 25 BMI because I was a competitive athlete through my early 20s. The reasons I want to be banded are below. 1. I met and married a partially handicapped man and although he has little outward signs of his handicap (a small limp) so no one really knows how bad it is, it is pretty difficult to do any physical activities together. Even going to NYC for a date is out of the question because of the invariable amount of walking involved. We've been together for 10 years and I've packed on my extra 70#s in that time. I will be able to get 30-45 minutes of exercise 3X a week in on my own time but never more with my marital situation. The 2 hours away is already painful and I don't want to spend more time then that away from my husband. 2. My mother's and father's sides (a mix of course) have histories of MO. All the co-morbs that come with are happening to my mom right now. I am 34 and see nothing but additional weight gain as my life progresses because of this and #1. 3. I work in a very fashion conscious, appearance obsessed industry but are amazingly good at what I do so have been able to get away with not keeping up with my peers on that front. If I were to fit into traditional women's sizes (I'd be happy with a size 10/12) after a banding, I could spend time on my appearance and I would feel less awkward socially and clear up some of the depression I have experienced about my looks since gaining weight. To summarize, I want to be banded now to prevent the co-morbs which are on the way and to prevent even more weight gain as my metabolism slows even further into my forties and fifties (health) AND to feel better about myself on the inside (mental health) when my outside matches the vigor of youth I feel on the inside (external societal pressure). This is the truth. Does it make me a bad person? I don't know. What I do know is my weight consumes my thoughts all day long. The way those studies say people think about sex 15 times a day or something like that, I think about my fat body, lack of energy and pending health nightmares. If I can do something about that, I am going to. Thanks for hearing my thoughts. This board rocks.

Hi Bella- Also on this side of the pond. . .are you planning on going alone to Den Haag? That is one of my biggest concerns that I don't really have the money or someone close enough to go overseas with me to such a surgery. Also, how long are you over there before you can come back? Thanks!!!