Anyone heard of Dr. Francisco Gonzalez in TJ?

[gracie44 0]

I'm from Phoenix. Do you have more info on the fill that may be available here from patients of Dr. Gonzalez? Who is Dr. Gonzalez proctoring?

Gracie

[WASaBubbleButt 41]

Thanks Bubble, well put indeed.

Started my pre-op diet yesterday and it seems like all I can think about is food. Stuff that doesnt even sound that good but I'm obsessing over anyway, WTF is that about?!!!!! I just keep coming back here to LBT every time I start thinking about what I wish I was eating, and everyone here reminds me that I CAN do this!!

We ALL have an obsession with food, that's why we are fat. And you know what? It isn't going to go away overnight. It is going to take some time but it does get better. It's not going to get the least bit better on your pre op or your post op diet. Actually, it will likely be the worst at those points. But it will get better with time.

Give yourself an emotional break and understand that this is what our problem is, it all boils down to an obsession with food.

But, I also have to say that today, for me... I'm over it for the most part. Oh, I have a day here and there that I want something I know I can't have and I piss and whine about it. But I survive it and move on. If my doc told me today that for whatever reason I had to go on liquids for a month it honestly, sincerely would not be a big deal to me. Food no longer controls my life and you will get to the same point someday. But you have to pay your dues, do the pre op diet, the post op diet, have surgery, learn about your band, deal with your head issues, and then you will come to the same point.

It gets better I swear. But it takes time.

When you are on these crappy diets to deal with surgery just turn the TV off. I don't care what they are advertising THAT is what you will want. If KFC is on TV, you'll want THAT. If pizza Hut is advertising something, you'll want THAT. You'll want it all. But, this is a breath of time in the overall picture and a few weeks of a crappy diet is nothing. The pay off is worth every moment of it.

After you are banded you'll even question yourself then. I'll bet you a dollar that the first month or two of your post band time you'll even consider having it removed. You'll wonder what the heck you were thinking, a band around your stomach? Who does that? How stupid was that? And you'll consider having it removed. I see it on these boards all the time. We all go through it. When it happens to you just remember that this is all part of it and the pay off is big, really really big. It will all be worth it in the not so far away future.

Being banded is hard and anyone that tells you otherwise is a liar. But never forget that this is the kind of hard WE can do.

You'll do fine, you watch. If you start doubting your decision because you want a pizza Hut pizza then do this, get a photo of you when you were thin. Or if you were never thin get a photo of any thin person. Then get a photo of a pizza. Stop and seriously look at the photos and think about which one you want more. Do you want that single pizza or do you want thin? Really think about it, which do you want more? You'll want thin. Oh, you'll want the pizza but you will want thin MORE. That's what got me through the stage you are in now. It really works. But keep remembering that this is the kind of hard WE can do.

Good luck!

[NM Sunshine 1]

Wasa BubbleButt

I'll bet it feels wonderful to be within 5 lbs of your goal weight. Lots of good information. My problem is that I just want something in my mouth even though I'm not hungry, so I overeat the diet foods. Today I got on the scale and it showed me to be 2 lbs. heavier than yesterday.:angry

I found the post-op diet to be HARD. But the pre-op was easy (until recently). At first I had no hunger and little interest in food. Now my interest in food is way up though I don't get real hunger pains. Now I keep overeating and suffer terrific stomach pains afterwards.

I guess the first fill will help there?

[NM Sunshine 1]

Gracie44 you have it made if you want to go back to Dr G for free fills. The ticket from PHX to SAN is 150 including taxes and stuff. Laura would pick you up at airport. I'm going to drive to PHX (about 300+ miles) to catch a plane for San Diego and arrive back in PHX the same day.

[bakerman 0]

Im flying to SD in two more days. Finally getting there and on the lap band weight loss wagon!! Any final tips for bakerman anyone??

[WASaBubbleButt 41]

Wasa BubbleButt

I'll bet it feels wonderful to be within 5 lbs of your goal weight. Lots of good information. My problem is that I just want something in my mouth even though I'm not hungry, so I overeat the diet foods. Today I got on the scale and it showed me to be 2 lbs. heavier than yesterday.:angry

I found the post-op diet to be HARD. But the pre-op was easy (until recently). At first I had no hunger and little interest in food. Now my interest in food is way up though I don't get real hunger pains. Now I keep overeating and suffer terrific stomach pains afterwards.

I guess the first fill will help there?

NM Sunshine....

Don't be so hard on yourself. So you over ate, you learn from the experience and move on but each time you'll be more prepared for the next time.

It's unlikely that you gained two pounds of actual fat in one day. You can gain Water weight from eating something salty. If I eat Chinese veggies I gain 2-3 pounds. Then in a day or so I lose it again. It's the high sodium content in those foods.

Careful with eating to the point of stomach pain during the post op diet. This is a time of healing and this post op diet will set the tone for the life of your band. So hang in there. When you want to eat just remember it will be there in five minutes, it isn't going anywhere. You can have it later. Do it five minutes at a time if you have to. If you need to call someone and get your mind off food, do it. Do whatever you need to get your mind off food.

Each time you see you are over eating stop and really think about what you are doing. Think it through, try to recognize your triggers. Are you bored? Annoyed? Head hunger? TOM? Just learn your triggers and then you stand a better chance at heading them off next time. For me it's plain old head hunger. I just like to eat, pure and simple.

It's nice to be 5 pounds from goal but what it has taught me is that I want more weight loss. Under all this fat I'm discovering I'm pretty small boned! Who would have known? :rose: My primary goal is to be a NORMAL weight. If I do it by 10/6 then I met my goal of 102 pounds in 10 months and that will make me happy. Anything after that is icing on the cake.

[NM Sunshine 1]

Wasabubble

Thanks for the powerful information. I've been overdoing it quite a bit. I certainly don't want to mess up my healing. Going with your advice. The 5 minute thing sounds like it will work. Admire your ability to lose so much in a short time frame.

Bakerman

Good luck. I think you will find the whole experience much easier than you realize. The worse part is the food after surgery. I was in Hospital Angeles for 2 1/2 days and I had orange gello, clear apple juice and camamile tea for each and every meal. At noon there was a treat with my meal...chicken broth. But you won't have any hunger pains.:car:

[BlueEyedKitty 0]

I'll be heading to see Dr Gonzales in 4 days! I cant even believe it...i thought this last month would go so slowly but in fact it has just flown by. I'm excited, nervous, ready, scared, pretty much every emotion I can think of right now. I think all my grocery shopping is done, at least for the liquid phase. I've got plenty of books and movies to keep me entertained while I recover. Tonight I'm at work (im a sleep tech so I work graveyard) and this is my last shift for 3 1/2 weeks. :biggrin1: I've never taken that much time off in my life!

I'm worried about what to eat/drink on monday since I cant take Protein Shakes on the plane...guess I'll figure it out when I get there.

Any last minute words of wisdom from those of you who were just there? Hope you're all doing great by the way!!!

[Lap-bandit 0]

BlueEyedKitty and Bakerman - Best of luck and let us know how things go. I will be thinking of you both.

wasabubblebutt- Thank you for the information and encouraging words - we all need that. This definitely has not bee a picnic postop and hopefully the days will get better. I developed an allergic reaction to the ster-strips....which I never knew I had....and I had to go to the ER to get predinisone because it was getting worse....so I have definitely wondered to myself - "what have I done?"....but I know that in the end, this will be the best thing I could have ever done for myself and my kids.

So everybody hang in there and take it one day at a time.

[NM Sunshine 1]

Lap-Bandt

WOW, so you did have an allergy to the steri-strips. Sorry to hear that ,but , glad you found out what was wrong.

So, is all going smooth now?

Yesterday I checked with my pharmacist about a med I take. He said that I am not surpose to chew it, crush it or cut the pill up. Gads, I need to check on all my meds, especially before I get my first fill.

Since then I have been swolling my pills whole and they don't hurt my pouch.

[Lap-bandit 0]

Lap-Bandt

WOW, so you did have an allergy to the steri-strips. Sorry to hear that ,but , glad you found out what was wrong.

So, is all going smooth now?

Yesterday I checked with my pharmacist about a med I take. He said that I am not surpose to chew it, crush it or cut the pill up. Gads, I need to check on all my meds, especially before I get my first fill.

Since then I have been swolling my pills whole and they don't hurt my pouch.

Yes....major allergy!! and I cannot say for certain if I am okay yet, because I started the prednisone about two hours ago and I think I may have an allergy to that....it seems as though I am developing hives. I was going to ask him if this could happen with the prednisone if I was allergic to the steroid cream, but I didn't. I did tell the doctor that I though I was allergic to the cream because it made the rash worse instead of better. I hope things get better.

[NM Sunshine 1]

LAP-BANDIT

If you are starting to get hives, you have to be real careful. I think hives may be a sign of a dangerous allergy, (don't know, but think).

Recently I had an allergy to medicine I was taking (ACE inhibitors) and I didn't know it. Then one morning I woke with my lip swollen like a bag of Water and the swelling was traveling. I did a search on the net and found out what was causing it. That was a dangerous reaction that could have cost me my life.

Google the medicine you are taking and read about potential reactions to the meds.

[omlagirl 0]

I've made my choice. I'm going with Dr. Gonzalez. :clap2:My financing as been approved and I've requested my surgery date for either the end of October or the first of November. Now to get the time off of work. Any one have any suggestions as to what to tell my boss other than what I'm actually doing?:help: I was thinking of telling them I am getting my tubes tide but I'm not sure as to what the recovery time would be on that. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[BlueEyedKitty 0]

Omlagirl:

I will be seeing Dr Gonzalez on monday and will post next week to let everyone know how it goes. As for what to tell your boss...I just told my boss I was having surgery and needed a couple of weeks off. Didn't say specifically what and she didn't ask, although a couple of my coworkers know.

[NM Sunshine 1]

OMlAGIRL

Kitty is right just say surgery and if he asks say abdomen surgery. Be sure you take enough time off. You need a good week for recovery.

Thought of something funny. What if you told your boss you were getting your tubes tied and 6 months down the road, got yourself pragnant:faint:

KITTY

Good luck tomarrow. It will be easier than you think....