Kristina J.

I don't know where everyone is in their process that was talking about getting together, so I don't know if I'm a little too "newbie" here... BUT, I would love to tag along, and I would even be willing to host when it gets hot or even now since I'm a stay at home mom too! I'm at Dysart and Thunderbird. I have two young kids and have a backyard with a big swing set and slide to keep the kiddos entertained! I am scheduled for May 3rd in Mexico so I have the medical tourism experience to add to the group too, especially since I have had surgery out of the country before too!! Totally understand if you all are a little further along in your journey though, and if so, maybe keep me in mind and I could start tagging along a little later on down the road! lol But if I'd be a good fit, I'd love to meet you all and it might be nice if our kids are close in age too!!!

Scheduled for May 3rd... this wait is going to be torturous which seems silly since it's been a couple of years in the making... I'm filling my time with getting started with an exercise routine, though admittedly, I'm not doing as well as I should. Working up to it. I have hired a very handsome personal trainer (henceforth known as "Hottie Trainer") who kicks my booty once a week and I try to walk with my handsome hubby a couple times the rest of the week. Also filling some time working on passport applications right now and some new diet routines to carry through post op. Who else is finding the wait unbearable (either scheduled or close to it)? What are you doing to pass the time?

Definitely what I'll go with again. Especially since we'll have the special circumstance of the hotel and needing to be acceptable in public! You'll love it! Someone mentioned the IV getting in the way. That is a good reminder! I don't know how they'll feel about it down there and some hospitals prefer you stay in their gowns but when I've had to stay more than a day (like with both c-sections) I asked to get in my own clothes and we worked around the IV. Just have a nurse or your support person, help you run the bag through your shirt. Make sure you have one tank top or short sleeve shirt for the hospital to make that easy and keep fabric off of your IV site to avoid irritation!

Ok ladies, this is my first sleeve coming up in May, but unfortunately, not even close to my first abdominal surgery!!! Lol I've had a total of SIX now (place band, remove band, replace band, gallbladder, 2 c-sections and hysterectomy... Yikes)!!! I'm going to tell you the greatest secret I have in my surgical arsenal after all that experience... Maternity pajama/yoga pants!!!!! I know it's a little embarrassing to think about going in and buying maternity pants when we already feel like everyone and their mother are looking at how fat we are (hint, they're probably not lol), BUT a fellow "bandster" told me this before my first abdominal surgery (after I posted about not being a nightgown kinda girl, with my monster thighs making me uncomfortable and all) and I never turned back! It gives you a bunch of room and therefore loose fabric over those sensitive incisions and tummies and they cover up perfectly with a big t-shirt. No one will know the difference. I'm bringing mine from my last pregnancy with me in May!! Loose, comfy and acceptable in public! BTW, Target usually had the best selection at the best price when I was pregnant a year ago!!

My mom had the same issue after a successful lap band and I lost hair as well after each pregnancy. My hair is crazy thick so it didn't bother me, but my Mom's hair is much thinner and she felt self conscious about it. Her doc told her to take the 5,000 biotin twice a day for a few months until she noticed improvement. She did and it definitely worked. She still takes the 5,000 once daily, because she liked the way her nails grew too lol but she's had no more hair loss issue! good luck!

Ditto to the previous posters. Ready 4A Change is legit and how I scheduled and am coordinating my procedure for May 3rd with Dr. Garcia at Mi Doctor Hospital in Tijuana. Call and speak with alma, she is a rockstar and can take care of everything!

Read this whole thread... Now I'm horny AND I want a brownie!!!! Hahahaha I'm very lucky in that I have a husband who likes it as much as I do.... BUT, with that said, even being totally in sync with my partner sexually, I still think "taking some time for yourself" is an essential part of life!! If I don't know what I like, how can I tell him?! Let's not generalize that personal gadgets are only for single ladies or sexless marriages lol

I'm with you!! Ready to go and finding the waiting excruciating lol though it gives me plenty of time to talk to people and plan my trip as efficiently as possible. I needed to schedule far enough out to change my name on my passport and renew my husband's.

I fear another failed WLS. I am afraid of getting my hopes up and not getting results. And (because I have faith this will all work for me despite my fears) I'm afraid my husband won't leave me alone once I'm really losing He's pretty darn handsy now!!! lol

Jacee, that made me tear up! I couldn't have said it any better!! I am a bit lucky in that most of the things you need to avoid with the sleeve, you have to avoid with the band too, and I've been banded for the better part of a decade. I do think the one thing I am going to miss is chugging a drink. With the band I can still down a bunch of liquid... it will make me full in minutes, but not painful at all. I am not good about drinking throughout the day and end up crazy thirsty and downing half a bottle of Water in a drink or two! I am working on drinking throughout the day now so that it won't be such a transition and the more I stick to sipping regularly, the less I feel a need to chug later on! lol

It was amazing!! I still can't believe I did that! I only wish that band had worked for me like the first one. It was more expensive, including flights for my support person and me, the total was just under $13,000 USD. The hospital was really nice (we stayed in the hospital for the whole stay). We went and did some shopping at the local markets before surgery. Americans were treated like royalty over there (at least they were in 2006 lol), so it was quite an experience!! If the doctor that performed that lap band also did sleeves, I might have returned. I ended up in Mexico this time because I have children now and didn't want to go that far away, and also because I was so impressed with Dr. Garcia. One of the biggest differences from the experiences I'm reading here about Mexico is that the hospital stay was 2 days pre-op and 5 days post-op. We decided to leave 2 days early because of concern over international travel. We were in Mumbai when the attempt to bomb the London airport occurred. The only downside (which honestly ended up being a positive in the long run) is that in Hindu culture they do not believe in much pain medicine. They believe that by only using mild pain relievers the body is more aware of the pain and can better send healing energy to the source of your pain. So post surgery, they only use mild pain relievers. They gave me one shot of morphine (or equivalent) in recovery, and from then on only low dose Tylenol (equivalent). When I returned home, I saw my primary care for additional pain medicine and found out the reason I was still in pain with my medicine from India is because it was the equivalent to a full dose of children's Tylenol! Lol Honestly though, it was a second surgery and should have been a rough recovery, and it turned out to be the easiest. Maybe there's something to the theory.

I can only say what he is for me, but my total is $5500. I got a cash pay discount but had some additional fees. $500 because its a revision surgery and $300 for an endoscopy the day before to check on the condition of my stomach after the band. For someone with his experience, credentials and recommendations, it's an insane deal!

So excited/anxious/nervous... finally getting rid of my band (well, my second band!!) and revising to sleeve with Dr. Fernando Garcia at MiDoctor Hospital on May 3rd!!! Anyone else scheduled for early May or thinking about it? Where?

I know I'm a little far out, but anyone at MiDoctor Hospital in early May?! Confirmed my surgery date with Dr. Garcia today for May 11th!!!!

Melissa, I'm glad to hear that you have a new doc and plans to demand an endoscopy. Your complaints sound a lot like mine when I had eroded, though I also lacked the ability to swallow Water which was the only thing that got me in urgently! Certainly sounds like we have a lot in common and it'll be nice to follow each other's journeys! I'm just 29, but as my mother has always said, I'm a bit of an old soul I can really relate to the fears and questions you're having as a mom. It determines every choice in life. Everything becomes second to our kids!! I think you making the decision to finally figure out what has happened with your band and even consider a revision is just a sign of what a good mom you are, and I wish you all the luck in the world! One thing you touched on that I think is something that doesn't effect people as much now as it has effected those of us banded 10 years ago, is the total lack of understanding what the band is, does and means! I can't count the number of doctors that I have had to explain my WLS to. It's always a scary situation when your providers don't know anything about your special circumstances. And as far as that doctor suggesting a FILL?!? Lol wow! I am amazed. He should know more than anyone that a normal fluoroscopy, while helpful, can NOT exclude an erosion!!! Yes, sometimes they are visible via fluoroscopy, but not always, so that should only be the first step in clearing a banded patient of complications! So glad you're not seeing that doc anymore!!!!

Scheduled for a band to sleeve revision with Dr. Garcia (Ready 4A Change) and getting excited/anxious/nervous. Was scheduled for 4/25 but had to switch to May 3rd for my husband's work schedule. It's wonderful to hear SO many people who had a great experience. I can't say much for the experience quite yet, but to say that Alma is a rockstar!!! She is like lightening returning emails and always has all the answers!! Love her!!! Did anyone on this thread have a revision from band to sleeve with Dr. Garcia? I'd love to hear more about your experience if so!!! Either through post or PM, I'd just like to hear from someone who's had a revision with him since there's a little more involved Thanks!!!

Hey Pete!! Just wanted to say hi! Your post caught my eye since I'm in the Phoenix area too and have been banded for (most of) the past 10 years. My band was removed for slip and erosion in 2005 and replaced in India in 2006. Had success with my first band, but never with my second! I am going to Mexico (though different doc and hospital) for a revision now that I have had 2 separate pouch dilations. I am so over my band and would go tomorrow if I didn't have to change my name on my passport and renew my husbands! lol Anyway, glad to hear of your successful revision and was wondering how you're feeling now that you're home and getting back into daily life! and again, thought I would introduce myself since it seems we've had some similar paths and live so close!

Thank you DixieGal. Sounds like things are starting off really well!! Hopefully that ease and success will only continue and get even better for you! Congratulations!! Melissa, I too am really anxious about having this surgery, but I decided to do it BECAUSE of my 3 year old. There are certainly risks that are very serious, but there are also a lot of risks living at the weight I'm living at as well with a BMI close to 50, and even more than that, I am constantly held back by my weight. My 2 daughters (3 and 1) deserve a mother who is healthy and can keep up with them! I want to live long enough to play with grandchildren and that's not going to happen with my health suffering the consequences of my weight battles. My biggest fear right now is that I will not be able to convert in one surgery. I am self pay and if I travel to Mexico and find that I have erosion again, I will be devastated. I will have my band removed, but will have to regroup and then finance yet another surgery! But, I will do whatever it takes to do this revision. And I WILL do it with my safety as first priority, so if it takes two, it takes two and we will just have to make it work!

I was banded in 2003. I was initially successful like you. I lost around 100lbs before my band slipped and I had to have urgent surgery. Due to erosions it was removed so my stomach could heal. Long story short, I eventually had my band replaced a year later after regaining all the weight plus some. I have finally scheduled a revision to get the band out and move onto a sleeve. If I had the option back then, with the info out there today, I definitely would have switched! Best of luck!!!

Thank you both!! And Amazon, that is great to hear!! I have heard all great things about Dr. Garcia and am feeling even more confident about my choice in surgeon now!

I now re-read and realize you never said "married" or "husband" lol but I think the same logic applies to a relationship outside of marriage as well.