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!

Hello! :thumbup: I don't know about doctors in your area, but if you would consider going to Mexico, I had a great experience with Dr. Kuri. The total cost is $7,000 and it covers all of your transportation from San Diego, the preop testing, the surgery, and they have great followup..Plus they have a network of doctors in just about every state for followup. I live in Minneapolis, and my followup doc here is at a great major county hospital and insurance covers all the fills and followup care. I had my surgery on 7/3/10. Good luck in your search!! :w00t: Cindy

Well, I can't speak for anyone else's experience at Curves, I can only tell you mine. There are some people there who don't lose weight, it does take work. Just like any other place. There are people there who like to talk a lot instead of working out (I am not saying that there is anything wrong at all with that!) But you really have to work hard to make it work for you. If anything, it is a great starting point for people who are just starting out. That is initially why I joined, I did not expect to have such great results! :biggrin:

CURVES WORKS!!! :biggrin: I lost 70 pounds before I got the band, and I lost 50 pounds of it at Curves. I did plateau eventually because it was a curcuit, but it was after about a year..I did go to the Y after that for another year, but I only lost 20 more pounds, even with a trainer and working out 6 days a week. At Curves, they have a program now called CurvesSmart. You will get programmed at your fitness level, and then they will give you a keytag. At each machine, you swipe the keytag and it will bring your program up and will flash a yellow light at you if you are slacking or not working up to where you should be, which will keep you on track. At the end of your workout, you swipe the key tag at the computer and you will get diagrams of how you did on that particular day. It will tell you which machines you need to work harder on and which machines you did well on. It will also track your calories, based on your information and measurements when you join. Plus it is only 30 minutes--Today, for instance, I burned 608 calories in just a half hour! And yes, it is accurate. Since you are just starting out, you can take it as slow as you need to. The machines will automatically adjust to the change in workout as you feel better... I had my band put in on July 3rd, and I was just cleared to go back to the gym last week. I went right back to Curves and I love it just as much as I did before! I did sign a year contract, but this Curves is good at allowing you out of it if you need to. Each Curves is individually owned, so you will have to talk to them about that. I don't work for Curves, I don't have any affiliation to them other than the success that I have gained! Every person's body is different--You can make an appt. and check it out and see if it is right for you! Good luck.

Hi Photoman, Kudos to you!!! Being honest with yourself is the first step to overcoming obstacles!! I admire you for coming on here and admitting that you have made some mistakes, even though it is tempting to blame it on muscle gain..Grin! I have been there too hehehe :cursing: It is okay that you have gotten off track, everyone does. If you have to look on the bright side of all of this, imagine how many pounds would been added if you hadn't been working out!! :thumbup: Now that you have acknowledged that you have made these errors, go forward and start again. :smile2: Today is a new day! Good luck! :smile:

Mine says drink right up until I eat and then none for 60 mins after... I do notice that I am full longer if I still to the no drinking rule..Sometimes it is tough tho

Hey JerseyDiva, I am so sorry that you are having a rough time. Thankfully, I didn't have to do the preop diet--ugh! I am sure it is horrible... I know from experience that feeling frustrated is a cycle that is hard to break free from. I would eat bad, get mad at myself, then self-sabotage, and then I would eat badly because I was angry at myself, and the cycle continues. You just have to find a way to break out of that and continue on. You can't change what has already been done, so just start fresh again the next time. Sometimes it helps to keep a list of things you are going to eat and not allow yourself the option of eating outside of that list. I may not have had the pre-op diet, but I had to be on liquids for 2 weeks and then mushies for 2 weeks after surgery. It is really hard when the swelling goes down and you get reeeeeeally hungry again. But that is the time that you absolutely cannot cheat, because you can affect the healing process. It really is "hell" lol.. BUT..I can tell you this. I am 7 weeks post op and I want to assure you that it will get better..A LOT better. There is no comparison between what you are going through now and what you will experience after this period is over. You have to think of now through the first 6 weeks as the hazing period for the band..And if you can make it successfully, then you will be a bandster!! You can go back to eating again!! I know it is hard to imagine but it WILL happen. Just try to stay on the bandwagon..We all feel concerned if we made the right decision in the beginning..But I promise you, it will pay off!!!! Hang in there. We are all pulling for you..YOU CAN DO IT!!

I just had my first fill today, and my doc says full liquids for 48 hours and then go back to normal food as tolerated.

Hi Just wanted to put your mind at ease about Mexico--I went and am 5 weeks post op. I had an absolutely wonderful experience (well..as far as surgery goes lol), no complications whatsoever. My insurance is covering all of the followup care--you might want to check with your insurance and see if you self-paid if they would cover all of the care when you get home. If not, there is a place called Fill USA that can refer you to a doc in your area. My doc in Mexico has a network of docs in almost every state that he deals with that will provide his follow up care. My Mexican doc also would offer free fills for life if I needed them.. Might be worth checking into! :w00t: If you do decide to go to Mexico, just do lots of research before picking one out to make sure they are a good one..If you would like more info, you can leave me a msg Cindy

Hi, all!! First. congrats to all who are starting their journey to a new life,and congrats to all of you who have had great success with the band!!! I am a frequent visitor to this site, and I find it very informative and inspiring! I am 5 weeks post op. I don't have any pain, and I am adjusting to my new lifestyle. I find it very difficult to eat well and not do intense workouts, as my doc has told me to wait until week 7 to go back fully. I am trying to hang in there for a couple of more weeks. I have done a lot of walking, but I can't seem to get into it/feel motivated like I do with my aerobics classes Anyway, I am concerned about how easy it is to stretch the pouch during this time. This is my second week on solid foods. Some days I feel like I have restriction, other days I can really eat a lot (I know this is to be expected, though, since I haven't had a fill). I have had a 4-5 stuck episodes when I eat too big of a bite (I sometimes forget the band is there!) It hasn't been too bad, it is over in a matter of a minute or so..The food eventually goes down. I am expecting that it will be a lot worse when I get my fills, so I a just thinking of this period as practice... I just get a little bit paranoid sometimes that I will stretch it out when I end up overeating..Is it very easy to do? Thanks everyone!!! :thumbup:

Hello all, I am 5 weeks out, and this past week was the first week on solids. Not drinking and eating was a tough rule to get used to. I was told I can drink right up until the meal but not for an hour afterward. My patient facilitator gave me a GREAT strategy, that works!!!! I drink a bottle of Water on the way to the restaurant, and then order water before my meal comes. By the time I start eating, I am well hydrated and don't feel thirsty through most of my meal. By the time the hour is up, I am not thirsty at all. The reason people drink so much at mealtime is that they don't drink enough during the day. So, make sure you stay hydrated! It will make things go much easier :party: Just wanted to share what works for me!!

Hi! Wow, I can understand how frustrated you must feel!! It is really hard not to focus on the weight gain. Just remember that during the time that you were gaining, the band was not doing its job when the doc took out the fill, so the tool that was supposed to help you lose weight was unavailable. Kinda like trying to take notes without a pen..Pretty hard to do Just focus on the fact that you did lose 35 pounds!!! So you know you can do it. When you go back in for your fill, hopefully things will be back on track and you will be good to go!! Don't look back on time lost, just continue from where you left off!! I am also going to see a counselor and it is really helpful. I have one that specializes in bariatric issues, so they have a really good understanding about this stuff. We are all rooting for you, and for each other!! Good luck :tongue2:

Congrats on your weight loss!!!!! ) I absolutely remember feeling the same way you did. :tongue2: I felt that every time I moved on to a new stage. I spoke with a patient facilitator that I had..And she said, "Well..You have to advance. You can't stay on liquids for the rest of your life". And that was enough to switch my mindset. It is scary. I have been banded since July 3rd. I just started on solids on Monday..So far (cross my fingers!!!) I have not had any issues yet. So, hopefully that will give you some reassurance. You are not alone! Like my facilitator said, you will have to advance at some point...Just make sure not to rush things, follow the orders that you were given and you will do just fine :thumbup:

Hi, Well, since you have only been banded since Monday, I would bet that you tummy is just swollen from the surgery. I know I felt like I had a LOT of restriction right after surgery, for about a week and a half. Unfortunately, that feeling full all the time does go away..Sigh. LOL. Don't freak out, don't force anything down that you don't feel you can handle, and if you have any questions, you should ask your doctor. So many doctors have different guidelines for what their patients should be doing. If you are concerned about nutrients, you can always take a Chewable Vitamin and that will help. Just made sure you chew it reeeeeeally good.. Hope this helps