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I discovered that I am intolerant of Xylitol, one of the "alcohol" types of artificial sweeteners. It causes gas, cramping, etc. I take some Gas-X when I inadvertently consume some and it takes care of the problem. It seems strange that you would be intolerant of all of those artificial sweeteners since many are not even chemically related. Does your surgeon require you to consult with a nutritionist as part of your pre-op plan? He/she would be the best person to help you with this issue. This should only be a problem for you during the liquid diet phases. Good luck........Dan

First I want to say that I am so sorry that you feel you've not had a good experience with your band. Second, I want to say that I am pre-op scheduled for the 17th of this month. Third, I want to say that THIS FORUM has been an AWESOME resource for information, support, stories, inspirations, and has only fueled my anticipation of joining the MANY people who have success stories here. I don't understand how anyone could read the posts on this site and then say they wish they would have read here first or they would have never gotten the band. To me, that makes no sense. I'm not trying to make light of your situation, but I just can't see that. To me, a successful surgery is one I wake up from and with little or no complications. THE REST IS UP TO ME!!!! Only having one fill since having the band put in isn't following what most doctors advise. You have to be completely honest with yourself (I'm just saying in general, not YOU specifically) about your eating, exercise, and following the program as it should be. WLS is not a magic bullet or bean or anything other than a tool to assist you in losing weight. If it's not working, then maybe you aren't working it like you should. Kind of like an alcoholic can quote the 12 steps all they like, but if they don't work the program or actually TAKE the steps... its meaningless. If I were to be completely honest, I would say how much it bothers me that we live in an overly litigious society and people think that they can cure all their woes by suing other people, but I don't want people to think me inappropriate. If I were to continue to be completely honest, I would say that if I were to sue my surgeon for me not losing weight when I haven't been following his/her instructions as well as the dieticians would be as silly as me suing Taco Bell for being fat! I think, being the honest person that I am, I would maybe look in the mirror to find the person to blame for my lack of success after being given all the tools I needed to be successful. But... that's just me. Best of luck to you anyway.

It might pinch here and there, but other then that it's not bad. . when they clean it after with alcohol that tends to sting but it's not bad. . . I had mine taken out before i left the hospital.

D. asked: TexasT, OK have to ask; I too am a tea-alcoholic( just regular Lipton no fancy stuff for me)! Did you switch to decaf??:smile: I am weaning myself off of regular and miss my caffeine. Besides sugar it is the only "vice", if can call it that, I have left. How did the port removal go? I have a realize port and am concerned because it is attached with surgical clips not sutured in place. Getting my unfill next week, concerned I will gain too much weight back. already up 5 # my jeans are getting tight!!! :thumbup1: No way going to buy a bigger size... D. OK - I'll fess up. I did decaf the first week after surgery, then went back to my normal tea. I love Constant Comment, Earl Grey, and Lady Grey - which all taste better with a touch of sugar. So I put in just a little. I get migraines from artificial sweeteners, so I forgo them. I'm still losing weight at a steady pace, so I'm not worrying about it. I can taste a difference in decaf vs. caffeine, so I prefer the taste with it. I haven't had any problems so far. I do drink decaf or herbal teas at night, but after drinking a big Protein drink, I don't have much room for tea. As for your question regarding port removal, you should see my thread titled "Hematoma Hell" for the answer to that question. :scared0: They put those ports in to stay, so taking them out really messes your insides up. Mine was sutured and had clips - it wasn't going anywhere! Good luck with the unfill. I had mine just 10 days pre-op so I didn't have much time to gain any back. With the band, your stomach has shrunk already, and I found that I still couldn't eat a whole lot with an unfill. But it was nice to eat salads, which I couldn't eat with the band. Plus they were very filling. Starting on some Protein drinks now will also help you feel full.

AmyJ, Hope you are feeling better. You have lost 21# :thumbup1:? !!!!! Hang in there! TexasT, OK have to ask; I too am a tea-alcoholic( just regular Lipton no fancy stuff for me)! Did you switch to decaf??:smile: I am weaning myself off of regular and miss my caffeine. Besides sugar it is the only "vice", if can call it that, I have left. How did the port removal go? I have a realize port and am concerned because it is attached with surgical clips not sutured in place. Getting my unfill next week, concerned I will gain too much weight back. already up 5 # my jeans are getting tight!!! :scared0: No way going to buy a bigger size... D.

be careful not to replace your food addiction with another one. My mother did that and has been hospitalized 3 times in the past year for alcohol abuse.

So I played hookie from work today...did a lot of running around TJ's, Ross, wally's. Got home just before the rain started again. So did you see Dr OZ? recap....Carnie was an alcoholic, gained 70 lbs after her baby & RNY blah blah. Dr OZ had her "start over" 2 things I need to do 1. 10,000 steps a day & 2. basic meals. He said to pick 2 breakfast, 2 lunch & 2 dinners and rotate those to get back on track. Maybe I should try that? If you saw it how long does this last? couple weeks? Oh Carnie has a reality show too. has anybody seen it?

You know, Elfie, you make a really good point. I can't remember what it's like to not think about food. Even when I wasn't hungry, it was already thinking to the next 2 or 3 meals. Support group and the classes have really helped, but I realize I still have an unhealthy addiction to food (after all, it's not like alcohol in that you don't need alcohol to survive where you NEED to eat in order to stay alive). It is slowly getting better, but I am so happy I did this for myself. I'm so proud of all of us :-)!

I have had gum once but I didn't chew it long as I was afraid I would swallow it. I got my first fill at my 6 wk checkup but I didn't have anything in my band after surgery - I got 4 cc for my first fill. Dr. Im does fewer fills, but more at a time. I could go to a Superbowl party with my singles group - but since I don't watch football and can't eat and can't drink alcohol - I decided it wouldn't be much fun and I know I would eat more than I should. I figured out how to get to Reggie's today - only 14 miles from my house - can't wait to see everyone - I'm bringing my camera this time.

I was banded in 2008 and lost about 60 lbs that year, right around my 1 yr mark, I got over-tight and started having "night cough", regular vomiting etc. I waited to long to deal with it and had to have 1/2 my liquid taken out. Fast forward 6 months. I am back at an optimum fill and can not lose any more, I gain and lose the same 3 lbs each month. here is what I know...I eat TOO many carbs, my exercise is irregular at best, and I drink Alcohol (not too much) Has anyone been there? how did you break through?

It's my understanding that some Vitamins can interfere with the absorption of calcium. In addition to other meds/vitamins, Calcium needs an acidic stomach to fully breakdown for absorption in the intestines. Since most of us are taking a PPI, our stomach acid is decreased. I found contradicting articles on Prilosec interfering with calcium citrate absoprtion, one article said yes it can/does, the other said no it doesn't. So, I take my calcium mid-afternoon and right before bed. I take my Prilosec first thing in the morning. Iron and zinc are listed in this article: How to Best Absorb Calcium Supplements | eHow.com Step 1 Take Vitamin C at the same time you take a calcium supplement. Or eat a food rich in Vitamin C, such as an orange. This helps with the absorption of calcium. <LI id=jsArticleStep2 itxtvisited="1">Step 2 Eat foods high in the amino acid lysine, which is needed for calcium absorption. These include eggs, fish, lima Beans and soy products. <LI id=jsArticleStep3 itxtvisited="1">Step 3 Take a sunbath without sunscreen for 15 minutes, three times a week. Sunshine is the easiest way to get Vitamin D, which is essential for proper absorption of calcium. Stay out of the sun when the rays are strongest, between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. <LI id=jsArticleStep4 itxtvisited="1">Step 4 Divide up your doses of calcium. It appears to work more effectively if taken in smaller doses spread out over the day, rather than a large dose all at once. <LI id=jsArticleStep5 itxtvisited="1">Step 5 Combine calcium with magnesium in a 2-1 ratio - two parts calcium to one part magnesium. <LI id=jsArticleStep6 itxtvisited="1">Step 6 Avoid taking iron and calcium together. It reduces the efficacy of both minerals. <LI id=jsArticleStep7 itxtvisited="1">Step 7 Avoid taking large doses of zinc with calcium. At high doses, zinc can interfere with calcium absorption. <LI id=jsArticleStep8 itxtvisited="1">Step 8 Decrease or eliminate soft drinks from your diet. They are high in phosphorus, which can cause you to lose calcium. High phosphorus intake can lead to calcium excretion in your urine. <LI id=jsArticleStep9 itxtvisited="1">Step 9 Decrease or eliminate animal-based products in your diet. High intake of animal-based Proteins causes increased amounts of calcium to be excreted in your urine. A high intake of sodium is another culprit. <LI id=jsArticleStep10 itxtvisited="1">Step 10 Cut down on junk foods, alcohol, caffeine and white flour. All of these lead to an excessive loss of calcium from your body and a decreased rate of absorption. <LI id=jsArticleStep11 itxtvisited="1">Step 11 Eat foods containing oxalic acid in moderation. Oxalic acid interferes with calcium absorption. Foods containing oxalic acid include almonds, beet greens, cashews, chard, kale, rhubarb and spinach. <LI id=jsArticleStep12 itxtvisited="1">Step 12 Use wheat bran in moderation. Excessive amounts can interfere with calcium absorption. <LI id=jsArticleStep13 itxtvisited="1">Step 13 Check your prescription medications. Some, such as glucocorticoids, can interfere with calcium absorption. Discuss supplementation with your doctor.

I am 6 days post opp today and I was wandering How you guys did with the incisions? I had tape on top of it and today on the shower one came off (with my help). Should I cleaning it whit alcohol or something or cover it again? how should it look like? I had 2 incisions and this is the small one I don't want to imagine the big one.

Reggie you better take care of yourself my lady! I will pass on what my PCP ALWAYS tells me when I call him every time I get a new brain tumor - He says "Not to worry - if it was a tumor, it wouldn't go away - You would still feel the way until the tumor was removed or treated." Always gives me a little piece of mind when I'm stressed out about my migraines. Get the CT scan, it will make you feel better - at least it put me at ease! Diabetes is a different story - don't know what to say about that as I have zero experience with it thus far - knock on wood! Please keep me updated as to what your doctor says and let me know if there is anything I can do to help. Tina - I completely agree with you - stress & personal issues must stall weight loss because I haven't been hardly eating at all and my scale isn't moving - I have been under alot of financial stress lately - Can't wait for my husband to get back to work - he's an electrician in the san fran union and work is so slow - there are 150 guys on the books ahead of him waiting to be called out to a job! - sorry if I'm repeating my self cuz I think I already told ya'll this before. Pammie - i so wish I could say something to make you feel better!!! Heck wish I could say something to make myself feel better. I will say this.... At least you know when you're feeling your lowest there is no place else to go but up! Call me if you ever want to; to cry or whatever! Patsy - I'm so jealous! I didn't get ANY warm air tube! so glad you're feeling so well. Can't wait till you get where I'm at - Can't wait till everybody who isn't already happy with where they are with the band gets here - I know it can't be possible that I'm already at my permanent sweet spot but boy do I feel like I am - so in love with Rambo HOWEVER - Rambo failed me a bit today - or I guess I failed Rambo - apparenlty he enjoys Hershey's chocolate syrup as much as I - Just when I thought I had gotten rid of all chocolate my nephew asked for some hot chocolate - we don't have any chocolate I say - and he says - yes we do - dad got some GRRRRRRRR. got the nieces & nephew this weekend. I hate when I get to ramblin cuz then I forget what I wanted to say to everybody! Tamra - how are you doing? Still starving?? Coco - still waitin for my doorbell to ring - need my house cleaned & organized from top to bottom - where are you? Went out with my bestest friends that I had to cut off to lose weight LOL - of course we went to chevy's I got a Chilli Relleno - yummy! they got margaritas, pitchers of beer, rice beans taco's & all kinds of junk food - i held strong for as long as I could but I ate 4 chips with some salsa! Of course it couldn't stop there - then we had to hit the bar so they could have a few more pitchers! I had zero alcohol. For the first time I actually felt guilty that i lost weight - one of my girls came by here before we went to the restaurant to borrow something to wear cuz she can't fit into any of her clothes anymore - she just had her 4th child! Anyway - I use to always have jeans she could fit into but suddenly - i had nothing for her - She wound up staying in her sweat pants & t-shirt. It's a bittersweet feeling. I know she's not one of the ones that doesn't want me to succeed and I know she's happy for me that I lost weight but I also could feel her sadness at how big she's gotten - I'm sure that I only made her feel even bigger. Heather - did I mention that I don't take the citrate one? I don't know what the difference is but in the class Robin pointed out that it was ok for me to take the ones Im taking because I was getting the band & not RNY - RNY'ers have to get the citrate ones because of the malabsorbtion thing... Ok, I'm sure I'll be back up again when I remember everything else i wanted to say

Thanks for the congrats guys. I'll probably be going up and down for the next week before the new weight settles in. Thats what usually happens. Jessica, as a Christian who went to Christian schools and sent my kids there and as one who teaches in a Christian school, I gotta say your SIL is nuts. She'd rather do the most unChristian thing I've heard of than get the child the help he needs from a public school? He's probably ADHD with a learning disability and now the hormones are kicking in. And she's too busy and tired trying to raise and homeschool the rest of them to give him the extra help and attention he needs. So she'd rather get rid of him than send him where he can get the help he needs and admit that she's failing him. What misplaced pride. The most generous interpretation I have is that she's having pregnancy psychosis. What a message she's sending to the other children. Screw up, don't measure up to our "Christian" standards and we will get rid of you. Where is her DH in all this? Why isn't he getting her the help she needs? Including psychiatric. I would have the boy thoroughly evaluated before fostering or adopting him. He may be very damaged already from his first home life as well as the second. He may need special placement in a therapeutic setting, particularly if he has bonding issues and PTSD as well as academic and behavioral issues. Reactive Attachment Disorder can make adopting an absolute nightmare. Some of these children are too damaged to be placed in a regular family. If that is the case with your nephew, then we may be judging your sister too harshly. Sometimes these children are actually a danger to their parents and siblings. But like most sociopaths they can present really well to outsiders who don't see them on a daily basis. They can be very charming but never actually bond and feel no remorse over doing wrong or hurting others, only over getting caught. They can be highly manipulative and you end up feeling crazy and not knowing why. I think what you are offering is tremendous and I truly hope it works out. Make sure you have state funding and medical care for this child and payment for any therapy and extra tutoring he might need. I would initially go foster care with him because once adopted you might not have access to funding to provide for his needs. My brother and his wife had to give a young child back to the province because the local social services refused to diagnose the child as having rad and provide them with the support services they needed. They had the child privately evaluated and found out she not only had RAD and PTSD, she was ADHD and had Fetal Alcohol Sysndrome. It killed them to do it but they did not have the training or the access to funds to provide the child with the care she needed and this was the only way they could force the province and social services to provide for her. The two or three years they went through all that were some of the worst times of their life and they felt like total failures. Cheri

I can only tell you from my own personal experience. The band has been working very well for me and I would do it again in a heartbeat. I wish I would have done it sooner. I am very happy with my weightloss results so far. The band does prevent me from overeating. I do not count calories, but I also do not live on candy bars, icecream, Cookies or alcohol. To tell you the truth, I put very little effort in. It has not been a hardship and does not control every minute of my life. The only negative for me has been thinning hair. I think I am more at risk for this than some others may be because my hair is naturally baby fine, thin and straight. At almost my 7 month mark, I think the thinning is slowing down. Good luck to you with the surgery, the weightloss, and a better future! :biggrin:

Just be careful as to how it affects you (i.e. getting tipsy quicker). I had to go to a party when I was just 2 weeks post-op. I mostly held a glass of wine -- only took a few sips and I could feel it immediately! Remember, you are taking in much fewer calories than before so alcohol will have a much quicker effect than you are used to.

My nutritionist said it was fine every once in a while as long as it didn't exceed 4 oz and I had met my protein requirement for the day. Don't waste calories on alcohol if you still need to get in all your required nutrients. And she said that if I ever stall in my weight loss, alcohol will be the first thing she cuts from my diet.

Where are you, food-wise? A glass of wine now and then won't hurt you--provided you're meeting your body's other needs, too. But at just a few weeks out of the starting gate, it might not be the best option, in terms of using very finite space to give your body what it requires to recover from surgery. Every surgeon is different; mine does not recommend adding alcohol until 75% of excess weight is gone. (Notice that he specifies 75%--while many surgeons are fine if their patients only lose 50% of their excess weight altogether; this will tell you that my surgeon is more stringent than most.) He actually prefers that his patients reach goal before adding starches and alcohol.

Do you think you are retaining water right now? Is it your TOM or have you eaten something salty or drank an alcohol drink in the past day or so. Any of these things could make you retain water and that can make the band feel tighter. In any case, I've heard its best to go on clear liquids only when you are experiencing trouble like this to see if you can get the swelling to go down. Every time you try to eat something solid right now or even the protein drink, you are making the swelling worse. If after being on clear liquids only for a couple days, if it doesn't get better, then you gotta go see your doctor. Or, if you are miserable right now, certainly go to your doctor right now. Good luck to you and I hope you feel better soon.

I just had my surgery done 1 week ago today and while I'm totally committed to taking my excess weight off first, I was/am really wrestling with the thought that I could never drink another beer... EVER, which is why I searched for a discussion forum such as this. I also realize that I'm going to have to make behavioral changes with not only my eating habits and choices but, also with any beer consumption. I am somewhat of a beer connoisseur and after reading other posts the issue seems to be more that of CO2 content and not the alcohol content per se, and I can tell you there are beers out there with relatively low CO2 content Guinness Extra Stout comes to mind (not the ones with the "gas widget" in it to produce the creamy/foamy head upon opening). A lot of these beers are called Big Beers and have higher alcohol content so watch your intake level/tolerance, not to mention they'll have more calories. I'm not a fan of liquor or wine and all the "Light" beers that I'm familiar with seem to be all the more carbonated:thumbdown: And don't forget why you had this surgery in the first place. Start meeting those goals first and then incorporate the "brew" back slowly over time with committed moderation.

Andreanoelle - I, like Tiffany, am an EXCELLENT dieter, but could never maintain weight loss. Eventually, I would get hungry and eat something I shouldn't. One bad day would lead to the next, and eventually off the diet and back to gaining weight. Now, post op, I still track what I eat. I need the accountability to myself. It is keeping me focused on my GOAL. I can still cheat occasionally and don't have guilt from it because I can't eat enough of it to add up. For example, on my absolute WORST post-sleeve calorie day, I consumed 1450 calories (and 450-500 calories of it was alcoholic beverages). A "bad" day on the sleeve is a pretty good day on my previous diets. Because of that, I stay focused on tracking because I'm still focused on losing weight. I can see in my near future where I relax a bit, and begin to maintain. I am so excited about my sleeve and it giving me the ability to control portions and maintain.

My doctor says NO ALCOHOL for a year! Call your doctor for some meds.

I think its funny all the controversy over one Cape Cod. For all the time spend updating and reading this post, I bet if we had all spent that time on the treadmill instead we could've all had a Cape Cod and burnt up the calories in it too. LOL Ultimately, though, we all have to fashion a 'lifestyle' utilizing the band as best we can as individuals. My dietician has a lot of advice, but ultimately I have to decide what I am willing to do permanently for my lifestyle. In some cases, that means I embrace something more than it is even recommended. I've been able to get in more Protein, more Water, and more exercise than what has been recommended. I have eliminated carbonation, caffeine and artificial sweeteners as recommended even though I didn't think I could at first. I have cut way back on alcohol, but for me, this is something I want to keep in my lifestyle in moderation. I think everybody has something they refuse to give up entirely or refuse to embrace (like exercise or drinking water). I think on the long list of behaviors that could slow your weightloss, drinking one Cape Cod in a month is pretty minor.

Hi! Wanted to let you know about my TJ, Mexico experience. Disclaimer a) I have no allegiance to anyone in this company or its representatives and I have not been coerced, cajoled or otherwise persuaded to write this chronology of events; I write this because I know what it's like to need the surgery but be prevented from having it, for one reason or another. Saturday- Jan. 23: I've not been surprised about the surroundings or the people here. From the airport the driver and I drove directly to the lab to get my bloodwork done, which took about 10 minutes. By 1.00 p.m. we got to the clinic that yes, is among retail stores in a mall-type setting. Across the parking lot is a "Love Boutique". The clinic is on two floors; not one. The top floor is for patients waiting and admin. The bottom has the surgery and recovery rooms. Every hallway and room I was in was clean and cleaning people cleaned all day long. I remember seeing that I was wearing white socks that stayed white. For me, things were a little tough because I had no 'real' Water for more than 24 hours. I knew my surgery was to be the last one on the board but wasn't sure what time that would be on what I knew was a very busy surgery day. Because I'm pretty well an "all-in" type of person, I also had my eyes done (Dr. Lara, who did an excellent job but this belongs in another forum). Sunday - Jan 24, 12.30 a.m.-3.30 a.m.ish: I was in surgery for 3 - 3.5 hours. While coming out of anaesthesia, I remember saying (or perhaps yelling?) "Silencio, por favor...Silencio"! I must have had a headache then...or at least I hope so :wink0: When I came to, fully, my coordinator and Dr. Betancourt were looking over me and asking me how I was feeling. Yikes? Do you think I was telling them to be quiet? Ah, the things we say when we're partially under...:confused1: Yes, my coordinator waited for me to get out of surgery to ensure I was doing well. Her name is Melissa Bracker. Yes, she is business minded but she is also a caring person who was there for me. Sunday - Jan 24, 3.31a.m. - to Monday, a.m.: The worst parts -- post-op acid reflux and severe headaches that were so bad I couldn't rest. I didn't take a Prevacid when I should have and I paid the price. On the headaches, they were from dehydration and the eye surgery and yes, stress. Monday, Jan 25, - 10-11.00 a.m. I had my blue barium swallow at the clinic. Since I couldn't get down more than that, I used it to get down a Prevacid. This was my "McGyver move" and is not sanctioned by any of the staff. Yep, teeth and lips turned blue from the dye. The stuff was tricky to get down because it tasted 'metallic'; not because I was necessarily in any pain. Actually, the coolness made my esophagus feel better. Then we headed off to x-ray to make sure there were no leaks. I would have paid not to have to take the next swallow of some clear stuff that I first, had to hold in my mouth until the camera was ready and then gulp. As for taste, it was like, like, oh! like a weak version of the bitter apple you'd spray on something you didn't want your puppy to chew. I haven't figured out what that was yet, but we all had it, we all had various stages of nausea afterward, we all lived. Oh yes, if I wanted to, I could have paid $10.00 for the x-ray photo of my new tummy on a t-shirt....c'mon! I'm just kidding :blushing: -- There is no such thing...But, I claim patent on the process and copyright on the idea! Then we were taken to one of two recovery houses. Everyone had their own bedroom but perhaps, not their own bath. This is unless you were able to negotiate the Master bedroom in your package, as I did. In my house, there was one cook and 1-2 caregivers every day from 5.30 - 5.00 p.m. Every night, 5.00 p.m. to 6.00 p.m. there is also a caregiver for you, who will also heat up food for your companions. Dr Betancourt saw me Monday afternoon, checked out my stitches and drain, told me I had a reaction to the tape, changed my dressings and made sure I was o.k. He offered to have my hair dried and/or to have my feet rubbed. Dr. Lara saw me and replaced tape with glue -- yep, glue -- on my upper and lower eyelids. Yesterday, Tuesday, Jan 26th: One of the caregivers removed my drain -- after the Dr found out if the reaction had stabilized, etc.-- and in moments, it was out. How does that feel? Well, I liken it to putting your thumb in very firm Jello and then pulling it out slowly. The feeling was one of suction rather than any pain. The caregiver then bandaged the 3/4" wound (no adhesive tape for me). Today, Wednesday, Jan 27th- Before I had a shower this morning, I removed the bandage, showered and then left everything to breathe. After about 5 hours, I saw a 'dime's diameter' of leakage, sprayed no-alcohol antiseptic on the wound and rebandaged. It feels fine but the incision needs cleaning and less of me sitting-up and walking 14 stairs, 10-12 times a day. Dr Lara saw me in a happenstance way and said my eyes were healing as they were supposed to. Dr Betancourt showed up and looked at my incisions again. Then he asked the caregiver to give the drain incision a 'good' rub with antiseptic. I've been ordered to do the same as many times in the day as I can. Improvements I would like to see a) Since I've been here, I've met only one person who was somewhat unmotivated and perhaps over her/his head. But s/he was not in a critical care giving position. However, s/he did work in the clinic. I am not giving out the name because I don't want to have her/him discharged. I have however, given the name to my coordinator so the person can get more training? more sleep? both? as I believe s/he is still a good asset to the team, who could become better. I talked to both my coordinator and Dr Betancourt about the situation. They listened attentively, and promised to address issues with that team member. Best Ofs a) one-hit IV excellent coordinator (Melissa Bracker) - she and Dr. Betancourt kept their promises c) the care in the recovery house, 24hrs/day d) the warming saltiness of chicken broth e) Actually, it's Dr Betancourt who sells the t-shirts across the street from x-ray! :wink0: Suggestions a) do your research about the country and culture in which your surgery will take place - If you want to have done full research about having surgery done in Mexico, go to where you'll be having surgery, meet the people and understand the culture of the service industry, then find a coordinator who has the same understanding. Then make your decision. negotiate your package c) In all cases, Mexicans' first language is Spanish -- learn some Spanish or be patient with the various levels of English d) if you really want something you're not getting, then ask for it e) do not be afraid to leave tips Thankyous to Other Patients and their Families Because I came here alone, I thought I would be alone. This was very far from the truth. I would like to say a public thank you to those other Posters/patients and their families (I will not post their names) for checking in on me, for buying me sunglasses, for giving me a couple strips of gas-X and for being so very caring: Tyrza and Family Brett (Sorry if I've mispoken your 'real' name) and Family Margie (Sorry if I've mispoken your 'real' name) CynCyn and Family Braden, The Rock Star and Family That's what I've experienced so far. I will share a brief conclusion after I get home. Take care for now, Cheryl Emmanuel Jerusalem Clinic Tijuana, Mexico Dr Almanza: VSG Jan 23/10

I doubt it was the Long Island Ice Tea. I have heard that with the band alcohol hits you faster but I haven't had that happen to me. I don't drink much, my drink of choice is one of those flavored malt beverages and I average one or two a week but they hit me the same as previous, not falling down drunk like people have said. It sounds like you have a stomach bug. I would stick to clear liquids, for a few days, then go to shakes then soft. But as an ex nurse I can tell you that you shouldn't drink anything for at least 4 hours after vomiting then sips, no more than 1 cc every 15 minutes. Kind of like what they had me do in the hospital after surgery, 1 cc every 15 min. Why did they bring me that tray with a cup of broth, a 30 oz bottle of Isopure and sherbert? I got the broth down in about 2 hours and they took the tray away.