CindyMinnesota

Hi there, Well, the best thing to do is to ask your doctor. :smile2: My surgery was July 3rd, so I will give you my two cents.. My doc said that sometimes it takes a lil while for your body to adjust, and you still might be a little bit swollen. He said that if I had issues going to the next phase that I should go back to liquids for a day or two (I know, now what you wanted to hear..sorry) Especially if your doc put fluid in your band during surgery. I would suggest going back to liquids, and then trying again. If you are still having issues, then I would call the doc for suggestions. Hope this helps!! Hang in there

Unfortunately, your doc is probably going to tell you that you can't drink carbonated products--so, unless you let the Pepsi Max sit out until the carbonation is gone, that will be off limits.. As far as weight restrictions, you will probably have some right after surgery--but once you heal, you will be able to go back to normal activity Good luck :wub:

You look great!!! You so are beautiful. Keep up the good work and keep us updated!! :wink2:)

Nope!! I drink normal amounts of Water, both cold and hot! Nothing will change as far as that is concerned :huh2:

I am 3 months out after surgery..I had left shoulder pain for a few weeks after the surgery. Now, I only get it when I eat too much..I think for me it has to do with the "soft stop" when my body is telling me that I am too full..

Most people feel that way, especially before being banded and then immediately after, before reaching the right restriction. If you do what you have to do to lose the weight ( diet, working out, etc)., you will have great success! It's all about how motivated you are to lose the weight that determines just how much success you will have. :blushing: Congrats on the surgery date!! You are on your way to a new life :smile2:)

I went to Mexico and had the band done by Dr. Kuri... I have heard great things about Dr. Ortiz, I did lots of research of doctors before I went with Dr. Kuri (I think they are in the same hospital). His office has a network of doctors in almost every state here in the US..My fill doctor is at the county hospital, and he is great!!! My insurance also covers the fills (yay!) I had a really wonderful experience in Mexico (well..as far as surgery goes, ha!) I would definitely do it all over again (my fill doc has commented on how nicely the band was placed!). Just like here in the USA, you have to do your research. There are good and bad doctors everywhere!!! I would check with Dr. Ortiz's office to see if they have lists of doctors that they use. I would strongly suggest having your followup care lined up before you go..Many docs won't touch a patient unless they did the surgery (doesn't matter if you had it done in Mexico or not) :smile2: There is always Fill Center USA if you can't find anyone to follow up with you. Good luck!!! :tt2:

I had a great experience. I was banded July 3d.. I have had surgeries in the USA before I got the band, and the experience in Mexico was tons better than any surgery I had here in the states! I went with Dr. Kuri. He has wonderful people that you can talk to before and after surgery. They also have a nutritionist that is very helpful..The hospital was great and the staff was all wonderful! They also have a great network of follow up doctors in the USA, almost every state. Mine is a wonderful doctor here at the county hospital! He is wonderful..Not only that, but the doc here commented on how nicely the band was placed. If you would like more info about my experience, feel free to message me! Good luck in your decision! Cindy

Sorry she is having a hard time.. I got my Lap Band done in Mexico by Dr. Kuri. He has a network of doctors all over the world that perform followup.. I have not had any fluro..My follow up doc looked at the xray that Dr. Kuri took and that was it.. Have her send me an email if she would like to talk..She's not alone I would have her call the doc's office in Mexico and see what they suggesr. Good luck )

Thought I would put my two cents in :smile2: The lap band is just a tool, it is not at all dramatic like the Gastric Bypass or some of the other weight loss surgeries. You usually lose 1-2 pounds a week, where you would lose a lot faster with the other surgeries. The good part of this is that you can keep it off, because it is YOU who decides what to eat. If you don't eat right, you won't lose anything. Not a thing. There are ways that you can eat around your band, and when people do that, sometimes they GAIN. Then, once you get the band in, a lot of times there isn't restriction for a while until you start getting fills, so it can take months to find the right level of fill. Most important..Working out is VITAL to get to your goal. I don't really have time either, but I get up at 4:15am to get a workout in to start my day..It is the only way that I have success. I know some people don't work out, but I feel that you can't get to your goal and change your lifestyle without it.. The band is a great tool if you are motivated to make some changes!! Like I said before though, it only works with you. I have read so many stories of people who thought that they could continue with their old lifestyle and still the weight would come off when the band was put in..NOPE. Anyway, sorry to lecture. ) Just do a lot of research and make sure that it is right for you! You will live a normal life. You can do anything you used to do, with the exception of eating differently (chewing your food more) and some people can't tolerate certain foods. You also are not supposed to drink liquid while eating.. Good luck! I have been banded for 3 months, and LOVE my band.

I had Lap Band surgery with Dr. Kuri on July 3 of this year. He was GREAT!!! I have had lots of surgeries here, but the experience I had there was so much better..They take care of everything for you, and they have great followup. He even gives free fills for life if it works for you to go see him.. They also have a list of doctors in almost every state that will do followups and fills. That was very helpful because not a lot of doctors will see you if they didn't do the surgery. My follow up doc is at a county hospital. He commented on how nicely Kuri placed the band.. Kuri also has a party every year in August called the "Bandster Bash"..There they do networking, workout classes, nutrition, etc. Anyway, just my two cents! Good luck on your decision

Hi! I TOTALLY understand your fear of Mexico..LOL. I heard some really scary things about it. It helped that my husband is from another country and assured me that the USA is not the only place for health care..I have had several surgeries here but nothing prepared me for how great my experience was (well..for surgery, anyway..Ha!) Tijuana itself is apparently not so nice, but Hospital Angeles is in a good location and so is the hotel. We walked around with no issues at all..And since they drive you everywhere, you don't have to worry about navigating or talking to anyone.. We self paid for our surgery, we had just gotten insurance right before we went to Mexico.We were lucky, our insurance didn't ask any questions. They cover preexisting conditions too, which might have been why they covered it. Something else might be interest for you, since you live so close--Dr. Kuri offers free fills for life so if you can drive there or get a cheap plane ticket, it would be almost free (the hospital charges a small fee but it doesn't go to Dr. Kuri). If you are unsure, you can call the office and chat with them. They have offices in California and each patient (or potential patient) is assigned a patient facilitator who will keep in great contact with you, both before the surgery and after. They have a dietician on staff and an online forum. Also, once a year they have an event called the "Bandster Bash" where they rent out a hotel and have a big party, educational classes, etc. They just had it last weekend, it looked like so much fun! I am going to try to go next year... Anyway, sorry for the long winded response lol. If you have questions, feel free to ask or email me!