mandems mom

I tried sugar free jello from the box which my wonderful husband made for me, but it's really nasty! I can't stand the artificial sweetness. Looking at my post op diet, everything says sugar free juice, popsicles, pudding, etc...is it really necessary or is it because they don't want us consuming the extra calories that are in the full flavor stuff? With the small amounts that we're eating this early out, I can't imagine overdoing it on those types of foods so I'm wondering if the sugar does something to the sleeve which is why the post op diets say that. Any input would be great.

Tiffykins, do you happen to know when the swelling goes away and the stomach has normalized?

holy crap...I was hoping someone would tell me 1 week to be able to lay on my tummy or side again...oy vay! This is going to suck!! I guess the 6 weeks for sex isn't so bad..my husband will just have to pretend like I gave birth again...lol!!!

I had surgery on Sunday and I have severe tailbone pain (from a recent pregnancy) that makes it very painful to lay on my back/butt for long periods of time but I'm finding that my tummy hurts too much if I lay on my side and I won't even attempt to lay directly on it. Please let me know how long it took for you to resume either of these sleeping positions. Also, I didn't really get an idea as to when I could resume having sex although my take home paperwork said "whenever I feel able". Well, my head says I could go today, but I don't want to damage anything. How long did everyone wait before getting back into the "swing" of things?

I have no idea what my boobs will look like at goal weight (150) as I think I was that weight when I was a teenager and barely had anything!! My husband wishes I could have my pregnancy boobs forever and was so sad when they shrunk back down after breastfeeding stopped so I'm scared to see what they'll look like if/when I get to goal. He's all for me having breast implants/surgery, but I don't love surgery so I'm not too keen on the idea. Guess I'll be praying to the boobie gods to keep me where I'm at!!!

Like others have said, it seems very odd that it doesn't have a bad smell. I know when I've had REALLY expired cottage cheese in my fridge that I forgot was in there, it ends up having a yellowish liquid on the top and a really nasty smell. Are you sure it says 2010???

Are you taking an acid reducer like prilosec or nexium? I just had my surgery on Sunday, but was given 2 months worth of acid reducer medicine to take after my sleeve. But I can tell you that I also had acid with my lap band which usually occurred at night. Definitely make sure you're using one of these products (can be generic) as it will help. Are you eating certain foods when you get nauseous? I'm assuming you're on full solids now and really have no restrictions based on your date. I have heard people say that spicy or even fried foods will set them off. Everyone is different, but you have to be aware of what you're putting in your body and how your body reacts to know what it will tolerate and what it won't. It may just be that you still need a longer time to heal before you implement those foods that are now making you nauseous. If you're nauseous just drinking "safe" liquids like Water and diluted/reduced sugar juice, then I would definitely consult with your doctor.

Try not to give up on yourself and/or the surgery so early. What side effects are you having? If it's gas, that would happen with ANY laparascopic surgery. If it's pain, same thing. If it's the food restrictions, you would have those (maybe not the same) with any weight loss surgery. i had the lap band before I revised to the sleeve and my post-op diet is almost exactly the same as the sleeve. I'm sure the more radical Gastric bypass and Duodenal Switch would be the same if not more severe. You must have read on here how people feel better soon after having the surgery, but it's probably going to take a good 4-6 weeks for you to establish a good routine with your new tool and diet. Don't beat yourself up so quickly. You obviously did this for a reason, which was most likely that diets just don't work long term. Good luck to you!

The standard of living in Mexicali is higher than Tijuana which is why the hospital, surgeon, etc fees will be higher. When I had my lapband done in 2005, I paid $9500 to have it done in Monterrey (known as Little America) because I wanted an atmosphere that was close to home with a doctor who was uber qualified. Now that the economy has taken a hit, I still wanted the great doctor, but didn't think twice about Tijuana. For me, personally, I wanted a full service hospital which is why I never considered Dr. Almanza. If something were to happen, I didn't want to wait for an ambulance to get to me and transport me to another place. It also made me uneasy with it being located in a strip mall. But I've read about lots of people that didn't mind that and enjoyed their experience. To each his own!

Just had my band out this past Sunday and revision at the same time. There was ALOT of scar tissue to repair, but from what I understand from several doctor consults, if there isn't an erosion, you can have the band and and sleeve revision done in the same surgery. If there is an erosion, and the doctor says he will still do it, I would think twice about that doctor.

Oh sweetie...I know this is scary, but it's also such a blessing! Talk to your OBGYN as he/she will likely do a blood panel to see what you may be deficient in. A good Multivitamin or even one that's strictly for prenatal is really all you would need to take unless you require additional supplementation for deficiencies. As far as stretching out your sleeve, I can't answer that since I didn't do the plication and just had my sleeve done this past Sunday. I would check with Dr. Rodriguez on the likelihood of stretching it out and see what he recommends to maintain yours and the baby's health. I had the lap band when I was pregnant this past summer and the most important thing was making sure that I was getting enough calories to sustain me and the baby. There were many times when I couldn't eat good, healthy solid food because of the band so I opted for pure calories in the form of anything that would go down (not a good idea). Your baby needs to live off your body so you have to be very careful about not depriving it too much...but you also shouldn't be put into a position where you would expand the sleeve. Again, start with your surgeon for that question and your OB/GYN regarding any supplementation you might need. Congratulations and best of luck to you!!!

If there's anyone who's planning to go to Mexico for surgery and would like to have a calling card for Mexico to the US (to call from the landline hospital and/or hotel) please let me know. I purchased one, but didn't use it because we couldn't get a line out, so I would love it if someone else could use it. The first person to send a message that they would like to have it, will get the information for the card. It's all available via email. Thanks!!

So, on the way to Tijuana this past Sunday, I saw an ad in the Skymall magazine for this company Protica and they had a ton of different protein shots (3oz) and meal replacement shots. Has anyone tried any of their products? They seem really pricey, but honestly, I wouldn't mind paying if I don't have to try sucking down a huge portion of protein. Thanks for any feedback!

I keep having coughing jags and I've tried the old trick of pressing a pillow against your stomach, but it's still sooo painful. My surgery was April 17th. Can I do any damage to the incisions (internal or external) by coughing too hard??

Hi everyone! I just got back from Tijuana after having surgery on April 17th with Dr. Jose Rodriguez. at INT hospital and I am sooo sore. The morning of surgery, I had a major meltdown leaving my kids (9 months and 7 years) and also changed my mind because of it. My husband talked me down from my insanity moment and let me know that everything was going to be okay with the kids and I would see them in no time. I then blubbered a little more and scrounged around the house for pictures to bring along so that they were always close to me. My mother-in-law took us to the airport and saying goodbye was the hardest thing ever....it just felt so permanent. Our flights were predictable so when we arrived in Tijuana, we just had to wait for our driver, Alberto, to pick us up. We would later find out that punctuality is not high on his priority list, although I was already very familiar with that as Mexicans tend to be very laid back when it comes to schedules. I can remember my first business trip to Monterrey a few years back and the vendor/fulfillment center owner that I was meeting did not start his day until 11am and started drinking during out lunch. I love the personalities in Mexico though. Both that gentleman and our driver were hilarious and very personable. Anyways, back to the trip. When Alberto finally arrived, he picked us up in a really nice 10-passenger van and another lady was getting out as we were getting in. She looked very mobile so I asked how she was and she said she was fine, but really sore. Couldn't tell by looking at her! The trip across the border was uneventful and the driver and I thew barbs back and forth because I tend to have that type of personality, so it made for a fun trip. My husband was starving so I asked Alberto if he would stop somewhere for food and he said no problem and then decided that he would just take my husband to a great taco place once I was at the hospital and having my pre-op tests. WELL....that little trip to the taco place felt like an eternity. They had to be gone for almost an hour and a half and I had a major freak out moment when all my tests were done and they were ready to wheel me to the operating room. One of the ladies from Belite (Jamie) was a GODSEND. First they had problems putting my IV in my left hand (typical for me) and she stayed there and held my hand as I squeeze REALLY hard. I felt bad because it seemed like I was squeezing her hand off. Finally they put it in my right hand successfully and we were good to go. Well, when I freaked out about them wanting to take me to surgery before I could hug and kiss my husband, Jamie promised not to let them and said she would stand in front of my door so that they couldn't take me if she had to. SO SWEET! I don't know what my problem was, but I think you always have that little doubt when you think you might not come out of surgery alive, so I really wanted that last moment with my husband. So, FINALLY my husband gets back with a full belly and tells me the whole story of Alberto taking him to the taco place and made a few pit stops along the way. I won't get into the details because I don't want to get anyone in trouble, but it was really funny. So, hugs/kisses happen and then I get rolled into the operating room. My surgery was supposed to take 45 minutes to an hour, but took 2 hours because of all the scar tissue from the lapband (I had my lapband removed and then revised to the sleeve). My husband was so relieved when 2 hours had passed and a doctor finally came to the room to let him know that I was doing great and was in recovery for the next half hour. My husband also was kind (not!) enough to force me to walk 3 hours later. I really just wanted to sleep, but he wanted to make sure I followed all the doctor's rules. Ironically, it wasn't that bad. My biggest pain (don't laugh) was my butt. I've been suffering from major tailbone pain ever since I gave birth to my daughter last summer, and spending long periods of time laying on it is excruciating. I wasn't all that sore from the surgery itself and was blessed to not have all the gas pain that everyone else had. I actually ended up giving away almost all of my gas strips to a few of the ladies that had surgery the same weekend as me. I met so many lovely people and we had great times just sharing our pain stories and bonding over our similar experiences. One lady was there with her husband from London! Oh my gosh, if I could have bottled their accents and taken them home I would have...I just love the way they speak!! Anyways, I'm back home now. I was originally scheduled to leave tomorrow, but begged to come home and not to the hotel. I was so homesick for my kids and my own bed, it just didn't make sense to spend a night in the hotel in Tijuana when I could be happy and more comfy at home. We got home around midnight last night and I was happy for my bed, but had a REALLY hard time getting comfortable and of course, my baby girl was completely off her schedule so my poor husband was up most of the night with her. This morning, I feel quite a bit more sore than I did in Tijuana so I'm not sure if that's because of the plane ride and the way I was sitting, or if that's normal. It's tolerable, but not the best feeling in the world. The pain medication they gave me doesn't seem to be working that well, so I think I may end up switching to Tylenol. I'm not typically a pill popper, but I'm also a BIG baby when it comes to pain! So, that's my story. Wait...I should probably give some details about the doctors, nurses, and hospital. Dr. Rodriguez was very pleasant but only spent about 10 minutes tops with me (5 before and 5 after surgery) but that's probably because I didn't have many questions. He let me know that he was a very good friend of the deceased doctor that put in my lap band and that he was very familiar with his work so that put me more at ease. There were 2 other doctors whose names I didn't know, but one of them checked on me to make sure I was doing good and the other removed my drain (WEIRD FEELING!). The 4th doctor is whom my husband called my personal eye candy. He spent the most time with me and his name was Dr. Sanchez...VERYy nice to look at! All the doctors spoke English...some more broken than others, but language was not an issue. All but one nurse was great..she was a little more impatient and rougher than the others. None of them really spoke English, but they understood enough of the words to be able to give me exactly what I needed. The hospital was okay. I love how in everyone's posts from Mexico, they keep talking about how clean the hospitals are, but I get it. Everyone has this impression that everything in Mexico is dirty and unsanitary, but really they want to protect their patients just like our US hospitals and doctors do so risking patient lives by having a dirty hospital is not good for business. Okay, off my soap box. The hospital rooms were tiny and the bench that my poor husband had to sleep on was about as wide as him and about 2 inches shorter than him so not the most comfortable sleep in the world. The bathroom was adequate and the TV was a small flat screen where they had a good variety of channels in English. I did have to ask them to change the first mattress cover on my bed as it was stained with something that appeared reddish/orange in color. They did that promptly. The mattress was probably about 5 inches deep and was coming apart at the seams of the vinyl, but that didn't affect its cushion. With the exception of my tailbone pain, it was perfectly acceptable. Okay, so I think that's it guys. Hope you don't get too bored reading this. If you have any questions, let me know!!

Okay, so I've changed my surgery from Dr. Kelly to Dr. Rodriguez in Tijuana and am scheduled for April 17th....in 2 days!!! ack!!

It's sounds like you may have a leak rather than an erosion. You might want to see if you can have an endoscopy done before you go so that you know what you're getting into. That would confirm an erosion. Good luck!

I've recently learned that my Mexican doctor of choice (Dr. Kelly) does not have an assistant surgeon in the operating room with him and he does the entire surgery by himself (with surgical assistants/nurses present). In my case, I'm having my lap band removed and revised to the sleeve. I'm assuming the lack of an assistant surgeon is largely cost savings and probably preference as well, but I'm questioning whether that's a good thing. I would appreciate any perspective on this. Thanks!

Hi, what doctor/facility is doing it for that price? Thanks!

This is not the same surgery. VGB is known to be very dangerous and a surgery that was wildly popular in the 90's (also known as stomach stapling). It consisted of a band and staples used to create the pouch, but essentially kept the stomach intact. Google the VGB and you can see what that looked like compared to the VSG.

OMG...how exciting and terrifying all at the same time! I would definitely follow your doctor's orders to the "T" and listen to what Tiffykins says about the carbs...don't overdo it, but they're very important when you're pregnant. The jury is out on whether or not ketosis really does cause fetal issues, but I've seen enough stories about problems that I wouldn't chance it. There are ketostix at your local pharmacy or even online that you can buy to make sure that you're not in ketosis at any given time. Good luck and congratulations!! Everything happens for a reason, right?

April 26th for me...Tijuana with Dr. Ramos Kelly

April 26th for me...in Tijuana with Dr. Ramos Kelly...woo hoo!!!

Hmmmm....methinks you need to keep track of your muscle mass. What might be happening is that you're losing fat, but gaining heavier muscle at the same time based on how lean your carb count is and how much you work out. That's definitely not a bad thing! But if you're looking for the scale to lose more, sometimes shocking the system with increasing carbs or revamping the exercise regimen is the way to go. Your body has the ability to become used to what your doing and thus your daily "healthy" lifestyle becomes what it wants to simply maintain where you're at. Surprising it by changing things up can help to restart the weight loss.

I have had my band since August 2005. If you ask me, I have complications; if you ask my doctors, they would say it's just a side effect of the band. I can't stand the port pain and absolutely hated the process of getting fills (my last one I fainted right after and that was it for me). I feel like I have bulimia and am terrified of eating in public for the fear of having that "stuck" feeling and having no bathroom or private options around to relieve it. I generally ate good, healthy food before the band, but my issue was volume. Now I can't eat the food I loved and find that I'm eating chips, ice cream, candy all the time just to get calories in. I never even kept that stuff in my house before! The band helped me lose 100 pounds and for that I am begrudgingly grateful, but in no way did it get me healthy. I have heartburn every night and reflux every day. I am anemic with iron and vitamin D deficiencies, lactose intolerant and I can't swallow a pill to save my life. I hate it and want it gone NOW!! I just got the okay from my hubby to go to Mexico this month and I couldn't be happier!