DeLarla

It's damn creepy. My real estate office was robbed through the roof. There was a skylight in the building, and he shimmied down it and back up and out with all the goods. They should cut off a finger for the first offense, then a hand for the 2nd and both hands for the 3rd offense. My house was robbed, too. Bastards.

Dr. Billy might not be such a good idea any more. He hasn't returned any of my calls or e-mails for over a week already. I spoke with his office, who explained the problem. He takes on too much. He has good intentions by taking on Mexican patients. I've called 4 times & sent 2 e-mails but he's so bogged down now that he can't return my call. She gave him a huge note last week to follow up on me, but still no response. I keep answering everyone's question of when I'll get a new port, but now Billy won't even communicate with me, so what I supposed to do now? Penni, you might want to ask Billy before referring anyone else to him to see if he's got the time.

Scary, yes. Shocking, no. Unfortunately, there are countless stories like this coming out of Mexico. While some are thrilled with their experience, this situation isn't as rare as we'd like to believe. It's a huge relief that she's in good hands now and getting better every day.

Somebody just shoot me already! I'm not doing great, but at least I'm doing better. My husband needs a lot of food since his job is physical, and he's a goodie junkie. He has a candy bar, a snack pie, chips & a Pepsi with his lunch every day. The other night my skinny pal, Shelly, stayed with me. We packed his lunch together. He was SO good and ate the whole thing without complaining. Sandwich, grapes, dried apricots and a tapicoa. I noticed he snuck goodies in, too, but that drawer is looking pretty pathetic since I'm not restocking it for him. I'm not making much progress, but at least I'm making some. Been snacking on dried apricots & mangos & sugar free lofat ice cream.

My Phen-Fen doctor was fat. So was his nurse.

I just read on another post that carbonation causes band slippage. Susie says Dr. Ortiz & Martinez told her this, so I asked Susie to contact them for more information and post it as soon as she can. Has anyone ever heard this? Does anyone have a good relationship with their doctors that they can call & find out more?

Sue, this is the first time EVER that I heard cabonation can make the band slip. I've been asking many doctors about carbonation, and all of them say to avoid it but for different reasons. Some say it stretches the pouch, others say it's just uncomfortable. If Martinez & Ortiz say that it causes slippage, that's news to me. Thanks for sharing that. Now I have a reason not to drink it since it never hurt me at all. Any chance you can call Ortiz or Martinez and ask them for more information? Even start a whole new thread, or do a search for another "carbonation" thread to add this? Could carbonation cause slippage after one use? After long term use? How? Why? Did I miss another post? HELP! Has anyone else ever heard this? Thanks, Susie!

It's Saturday morning. Part of my problem is I'm a caffeine addict, which makes me nervous, which makes me eat. So why not quit caffeine? Cause I have been trying for 30 years, and I'm a mental case. I'm not giving up coffee, just cutting back to 1/2 cup mixed with 16 oz milk, cinammon, and sprinkle of fake sweetener. I finished off the 2% and restocked fridge last night with 1%. I yelled out for help, and one girlfriend rushed here to rescue me and even spent the night. She calls me several times a day, and today is the day we'll sit down and talk for real. No excuses since I managed to grocery shop last night, and somehow healthy food fell in the cart. Lots of fruit & dried fruit. Chris won't know what hit him because I even passed up the meat section and only got chicken and fish. If I'm goint to maintain any sort of weight loss, I can't do it with a drawer full of crap in the house. I planned on buying 1/2 gallon ice cream as my last binge last night, but I heard all these supportive voices and bought a contaniner of pudding instead. Sure, that's fattening and not the best choice, but I would have eaten all the ice cream, while I only had a cup of the pudding. Big, deep sigh. Baby steps. I'm going to the site to log in my milk now. Wish me luck in sticking with the plan for just one day. One day, one night.

Time for true confessions. Michelle, you WERE right until today; I had maintained nearly a 70 lb weight loss. Today it's official though. I've gained 9 solid pounds. I'm crying as I type this because I screamed out for help, and rescue came. My size 2 friend is sleeping in my bed right now. She showed up last night to rescue me from eating and is going to help me. It's the end of the line at my house. Once the junk food drawer is empty, Chris is going on a health food kick whether he likes it or not. I went shopping and didn't buy his candy bars or chips. I got fruit, dried fruit, more fruit, seeds. Today I'm filling the drawer with nuts & pretzles. Zero hour. My Band journey started when I posted a personal ad at Yahoo out of desperation, hoping some therapist or shrink would find me and talk to me. Somehow Karen, a stranger, saw my ad & responded. Eventually she came to my house and showed me her band, which I'd never heard of. Soon I was in Mexico following her footsteps. Unfortunately, she eroded & had her band removed a couple months ago. Anyway, Karen is also coming to my rescue. She's not letting Band-removal get the better of her, and she's fighting and winning! Karen's the one that gave me the milk web address. She's sticking to the plan, logging in her food, and we're going to meet on a regular basis. She's working on her "mind" which is what I need. Anyway, I'm going to the milk site now to log my 16 oz lowfat in.

Bruising is usually black, blue, green, but then as you heal it lightens up and looks yellowish. When you say red, is the area hot? Tap on the area - does it seem like it's filled with fluid and ready to pop open? Is it warm, inflammed, red, hot? Any foul odor? Any leaking? Bruising (even yellow) is normal. Infection is not. I've had 2 ports removed due to infection. One doctor told me I was rejecting the port, but another doctor told me there's nothing in any medical literature about "rejection." An infected port, however, could lead to "erosion." If you have any of the above symptoms of infection, see your doctor ASAP.

Something has to give soon. I'm starting my novel-of-a-letter to the FDA this weekend. I'll send a copy every day till something is done. Most of us that had to resort to Mexico for surgery are all in deep doodie right now (the ones that can't find local aftercare.) I'm in the middle of a nervous breakdown because I don't have a local doctor. I'll never go back to Mexico, and right now I don't even have a port. I consider my Band a lifesaving device that my insurance should cover. I don't even know what I'm trying to say, but something has got to be done for those of us that can't find local care.

I've used 6 Band surgeons (4 in Mexico, 1 in California, 1 in Vegas.) I had to go to Mexico three times and have two ports removed, so I've read nearly every post on these boards for support. After all I've been through, Dr. Rumbault would be my choice if I had to do it all over again. I've never met him, but I"m very impressed with his reputation.

I'm in Vegas near Henderson. The Windmill west exit off the 215 Freeway, really close to the offramp. I'll PM you the address. My husband would get a kick out of someone riding their bike to the party!

Sorry to hear you're feeling poopy. Your body has been through so much. Allow anyone and everyone to pamper you. Heck, send them out for a 2nd heating pad if you want to. My heating pad was my best friend, but it didn't stay hot enough. I say get two. I'm also a big fan of pain meds. Lots of people refuse to take them, which cracks me up. I mean, if you're morbidly obese to the point of needing weight loss surgery, then you've eaten more than a fair share of crap that's bad for you, right? So take the meds and relax. My Mexican pain meds were melted in Water. Other ones I had to crush. I never even had any pain because I stayed on them for a few days even if I didn't feel the need. They made the gas & bloating discomfort easier to deal with. And they made me all floaty. I like floaty. Sending healing vibes to both of you. How cute that you're recovering together here!

No wonder I'm sluggish. I don't have a port so my oil is dirty. Sigh.

Struggling, desperately. Yesterday was my first half decent day. I fasted all day after thinking I hurt my band by eating too much, then I made a pot of amazing Soup. I ended up eating 4 medium bowls, but it's all healthy and mostly broth. Then I ate a cup of low fat pudding to get some dairy in. Today I had a Coke. And a Diet Coke (damn it, I hate confessions.) A lowfat Yoplait for lunch. 1/2 gallon Water. That's it so far. More soup for dinner & another pudding if Chris doesn't get to it. I'm doing this whole sabotage thing. Not sure why. Wish the guys in white coats would get here already.

Here's a good one. Before I got my band I was moving forward with the bypass (since my insurance covers bypass.) My primary doc is like my girlfriend, and she begged me not to get a bypass. She asked me if I'd try a new diet pill first. So I took her speed, which made my blood pressure go sky high, then the insomnia kicked in. I had an appointment with my gyno, who knew I was on the diet pills. She gave me blood pressure medicine and Xanax to help me sleep and to take the edge off the diet pills. Pretty blue pill for Breakfast, white one for lunch, blue for dinner. How patriotic. And deadly. So I took out a loan and got the Band.

No matter what way you look at milk, it's the one food that's been around since the beginning of time. Okay, maybe amoebas don't have nipples but you get my drift. The fact that anyone would say milk is bad is just silly. It's got staying power. It's convenient, affordable, healthy, yummy (when chocolate falls in it) and it's even cute. Nothing is really "good" for us if you pick it apart enough. Chemicals in Water, bacteria in the air. I say drink up. This whole dairy thing is popping up all over the place. It's finally one "diet" trick I can live with. Say yes to dairy! Woo hoo. I hate the whole "soy milk" craze as well as the whole "holistic" craze. Screw soy and chamomile tea. Give me a Xanax and a cocktail.

Well, I was gonna fly out for the night but then I saw all them rules. Phooey!

Jenna, not only does it count, but I already crown you Queen Too-Too for such talent. Zoe, you're scaring me... did I actually say something in French? I really am listening to tapes, but I didn't think I knew anything!

You people that get on the computer the day after banding simply amaze me. I was able to get up and walk quite a bit, but the thought of concentrating and getting on-line wasn't something I could handle. I was, however, in Mexico with no computer, but I'm not sure I'd have gotten on the computer if I had one. Just wanted to walk and lay there making grimacing faces at all the swelling and noises coming from me. Glad to see you on the healthy side with a new band. Good luck

A lot of it depends on your surgeon. Many people aren't even given a pre-op diet. I was banded with about 6 other people, and half of them ate piles of Mexican food the night before surgery (bitches, hahaha.) Everyone else had different pre-op dieting instructions. One gal was on a liquid protein shake fast for several weeks. I was simply told to eat low-cal for one week, then fast 24 hours before. I did okay for a couple days, then binged bigtime. I was worried they'd turn me away, but the doctor just said, "don't worry, Honey, this Band is going to help you."

I bet if you tell Ortiz about your money issues he'd give you a break. He might even let you sleep at his facility if it's not a busy day. Heck, ask him if you could sleep on the couch in the lobby. But here's the question of the day: If your Oregon doctor was able to remove the fill, why not beg, plead, hell, threaten if you gotta for them to put the fill back in after you're healed? Have you even asked them? Maybe if you become their new "pet patient" they might consider taking on other fill patients. Stranger things have happened. I understand your money troubles - many of us have been in the same boat. I certainly didn't have money for this band, then the complications I had nearly bankrupted me. I'm in huge debt over the whole thing but we're talking about a life-saving device here. I struggled horribly when I lived in Oregon cause the job & income situation sucked back then. Don't feel bad about asking Ortiz for help. I have little secrets about Mexican surgeons that were very generous to me, I just don't post them because then everyone would expect the same, regardless of how much money they have. Human nature and all. Nykee, when you're ready to go for your fill, just post here. There are generous and helpful people here. You never know, maybe you could hitch a ride or share expenses. Good luck. Glad you're feeling better.

No more hiding in the closet. Come out and play!

I like the one that came with my Danskin weights that I bought at Walmart. It's a cute barbell that only comes with around 17 pounds worth of weights, but it's coated in colored rubber to protect our nails (how cute is that?) It comes with a work out video. Very easy, plus you tone up at the same time, and the weights aren't too heavy. I bought a couple extra 2 lbs weights to kick it up a notch.