alice

Hi... my eyes look fabulous. They seem to look better all the time. People just now comment on how good they look, lol. Actually I am going to try and contact Dr. C this week. My left ear has a stitch that was sticking out and my husband tried to pull it and it won't come out. My left ear is also sticking back out a tad. I too am thinking of a tt and rest of my face. I just wonder if I need to wait until I lose more weight. I have lost 20 lbs since my surgery in Jan 2005. I am a bad bandster and I admit it. I have good restriction but my weakness is ice-cream and sweets... I would peel the weight off if I laid off them and I am going to try. I am 5'7 1/2 and weigh 175... I have been this weight for 3 months now. I get really tight around my period but after I can eat pretty good but not too much... I need to know if a tt will be affected by another 10-15 lb weight loss. Who knows if I am even going to lose it or not. I am a loose size 14 and work out often. I really don't care if I lose more or not to be honest. I like the way I look. I will try and get some photos on. My husband doesn't like the idea of me posting my face on line.. Have you talked to anyone? My private e-mail is alice@livinghope.com... When are you thinking of going? I am seriously thinking of going in a week or so...

I too am worried about my band and if it doesn't get better I am going to call Monday to Judy with Dr. Sanchez. I have had sudden restriction for days with innability to eat much and much discomfort at my port. Even a few bites makes me feel too full, it isn'nt normal.

I have lost 19lbs since January (surgery). I been the same weight for three months. I can't eat much. Breakfast- 3/4c oatmeal lunch 8 chicken nuggets from chic fillet dinner 3 oz steak and salad... I do like to have ice cream and eat a couple per day, but my overall calorie intake is not too much. My band gets tight sometimes too. My problem is I think I need to eat more. How can I work out and eat just a little? Do you think I need a fill or what?

I am eatting stuff with sugar... lite caramal frapps from starbucks, soft serve from chic filet exc...

My band has tightened up the past few days. How can a band get tighter? My husband says it is impossible and that it must be my stomach. What do you think? I am much tighter. I ate some melted cheece a few nights ago and pb'd for an hour... do you think I am still swollen? It has been four days. thanks...

Never mind I looked at your previous posts and saw it was a nose and chin implant.

What did u have done Isa?

My band feels tighter for some reason and has the past three days. It is the weirdist thing! I did travel or Oregon and just got home last night, but this is too weird. I can eat, but very slow and not much. Anyone else experience this?

You might want to check out Dr. Cardenas in Monterey. I am so very happy with the results of my eyes and ears. People keep telling me how good I look. He is cheaper than the above named surgeon and very skilled and personable. I plan on going down for a tt and lower face lift at the end of the summer. I hired a private nurse and he checked on me daily

Do ur homework and don't expect much of a consultation. I had three minutes in the elevator with Dr. Sanchez, LOL. I liked him and had done my homework so I really had no questions. If you are super sensitive to pain take ur own (but tell the doc) because they give what I call Mickey Mouse pain pills. I took darvocett and he let me take it, but I did ask. Take ur own pillow, it will make u more comfie and a headset to listen to relaxing music (it helped me). If u are flying home through a big airport like Houston, ask ahead for a wheelchair (it was a life saver for me). Walk as much as possible after they let you out of bed (I walked for three hours) it will help with gas. Say hi to alma. Get a cosmetic surgeon consult with Dr. C while down there. Alma can set it up. If u think u might want future tummy tuck or facial surgery. I had upper and lower eyes and ears done. My eyes look fabulous!! I am going back for tummy tuck in fall and lower face work maybe end of summer. Have a good time and tell yourself this if you get nervouse "I will be so glad that I did this 6 months from now". I had mine done in Jan. and I am so glad that I did. I have lost almost 20 lbs but I didn't have a high BMI like most gals... Blessings...

I visit Africa yearly, sometimes twice per year. Have not been to Congo yet. The one thing I would worry about is getting sick to my stomach and vomitting, but using some cautions would protect you from that. Also, not sure if anyone in Africa knows much about the band. Have not seen any posts by anyone from South Africa. Just a thought.

I have NOT been getting my water in at all. I can drink fine and eat ok. I will pump up my water intake. Thanks.

I have nothing but good things to say about Dr. Sanchez. He is a very experienced surgeon and a very nice man too.

I was able to eat runny oatmeal this am 1/2c and about 1/3c of Beans with cheece for lunch. I have had fresh spinich, carrot, celery and beet juice to make sure I am getting nutrients. I also can snack on nuts if I chew real good. It seems the later it is in the evening the better I can eat. I was able to eat some moist fish the size of two half dollars last night and 1/2 lentil Soup. I don't know what to do. I was at 1 cc and went to 1.6cc. I can only eat deli meat, a couple slices. I am concerned that I am not eatting enough. I keep hearing what a fine line it is and I just don't know and that is why I am telling you what I have eatten. It seems I get full on NOTHING at all. Is this the way it should be? Would you suggest I get .1cc out or am I ok? Tonight I ate about 1/2c arichoke, slowly and sometimes will start sliming, YUK! No problems with liquids and it takes me 30 minutes to get down the little I do eat. Thanks for any advice you may have.

I went in for a slight un-fill because I have not been able to eat hardly any solid food and if I do it is only a few bites. The radiologist had me drink the barium and looked at me under floro before he took any out and said, "You look like you are right where you are suppose to be" "This is where most people want to be at in terms of restriction". I felt like a weany... My first fill was 1.cc and I went in two weeks ago for .6cc making a total of 1.6cc. It was just too tight, thats all there is to it. He removed .1cc and showed it to me. He than had me drink again to see if the barium went down any easier and said it did. I have read that people react different to different fills. He was stereotyping me for sure. He also up that darn needle in and kept moving it around (after it was in) trying to get it in the middle of the port. I would have to get a obsessive compulsive doc! I am bruised and have a big looking hole on my tummy. I was able to eat 1/2c taco Soup on the way home. I will see over the weekend how I do. The doc told me that the whole idea was to cut down on my eatting. I said, "Yes, but not to starve to death"! I told him I had zero energy to do any exercise and had to eat icecream to get 1000 cal per day in me..... GEEZE The good news is that my un-fill was FREE. The policy is you can come back within two weeks for an up or down fill.... and they are cheap too.... YIPPIE I hope I don't have to go back in there for a long,long,long time....

Happy Birthday

I am so sorry that you are going through all this. I am glad that your problem will be resolved and you can get on with it. Keep us posted.

I am praying for you Vine..... I don't know what good a "white light" would do but God sure does love you!

I flew in to Monterey from Dallas. I was met at the airport by a driver. alma at Ready 4 a Change arranged it all for me. My surgery was on Friday and my stitches were removed on Monday. I wore sun glasses home. I still have some redness under my eyes that look like bags, but it is fading daily. One eye still has a bit of swelling that only I notice. I like the results a lot! The bags are gone and I am tighter under the eye and less droop above the eye. You can't see the suture lines, they are in the creases of my eyes. There is a faint scar on the lower lash line, but it just looks normal to everyone else. The proceedure was done in his office under heavy sedation. I might as well have been under. I absolutely love him and the anesthesioligist! I am going back for a lower face lift and tummy tuck. They speak great english and he visited me every day in the guest house. I was able to stay at Dr. Sanchez'a guest house for a small fee. Dr. Sanchez banded me. If there had of been many guests I would have stayed at a hotel. I hired a private nurse for 24hours to keep ice pads on my eyes for swelling for under $200 I highly recommend Dr. Cardenas. He trained under one of the top 25 plastics in the world. If you have any other questions pm me.... I will get some photos up as soon as my dh does shows me how. I look re-freshed, nothing drastic.

I can't see the value of eatting 1/2 cup of soft food the rest of my life! Sure, I can get some Soups down and sometimes late at night some real food, but I am not interested in a "quick-fix". This is going to be something that I am going to live with for the rest of my life. I have lost 5 lbs the past 11 days and I just think that is too fast too. I want a 1-2 lb weight loss per week. Am I crazy? I read some people are begging for restriction, but good grief, I would like to eat real food just not so much of it! I am at 1.6cc. I was at 1.cc before my fill. I am thinking of asking him to remove .2cc to put me at 1.4cc. Any thoughts?

Do I need to have an endoscope yearly to check for erosion? What are the signs and symptoms of erosion? I have read that sometimes there are no signs or symptoms and that is why we need a scope annually. What are your thoughts?

This morning is the 2nd time in 11 days that I have been able to eat something in the am. oatmeal. I have been so tight that I almost got an unfil yesterday but had to cancel because of personal issues. I am much looser at night. I eat around 8pm because I can get food in than. Last night I was able to eat about 2-3 oz talapia and a couple of bites of broccoli. I am jazzed! I keep hearing if you do the protien first and then the vegies it will fill you up.

Pat, am I to understand that you kept your fill and it settled down? If so what are you eatting?

You are a beautiful woman even with all the fat. I can really tell a diff in your face. You are going to be a knockout! I am encouraged to start taking photos, but my husband says NOT to post anything online because the whole world will see. I tell him I want the whole world to know there is hope for obese people!

How long have u had your band Norma? I had all the same stuff you are talking about for two months except the Water. Have u had a fill? Can u share more about what is going on with you?