Nykee

Thank you! I am so ready to get this going and be a part of this board again. I am moving so I wont have the internet for a bit.. Hopefully when i am back I will have nothin but good news.. You guys's support is importtant to me! Jack) "I'm nearly DOWN to what I promised myself I would never get UP to!" girl) LMFATAO

Thanks.. I am sensitive to this stuff so it takes me alittle longer to heal. Plus I have NO money for an unfill and when I say no money I mean today is my last day in my place of 4 yrs... and I am moving me and my kids into a camper! lol I was just able to drink 16 ounces of hotcocoa... with just alittle pain.. So I will be fine. Of course if it doesnt get better in a week or two it will be obvious I need an unfill. I was told as long as I am able to get down my own saliva and take in some liquids and not be choking and gagging many times a day (I'm not) than its ok. Its the choking and gagging or constant sliming that can risk the band. I have only slimed once today and it was small,.. NO PBing ... So.................. I am so happy that I am finally on my way with this thing.. I lost a 2.4 fill due to emergency.. and I wasted a ton of money I didnt have and I am really trying to do the best for myself THANK YOU FOR your concern and I welcome anyone's support

and now I am sliming it out.. yeah Dont worry, every night about 8pm I am able to get a 10 ounce classic tomatoe Soup down in amout a half hour if I heat ir up every time it gets cold..

Delarla, Your all banded and right again? I am so happy for you! Jac...I dont know.. I do know salads were fairly easy before I was kinda filled. But pineapple and grapes were hard. I just now had 1/4 a popcycle and its killing me. First thing I tried to eat today.. it 1pm. I was filled to 1.6 on wednesday, so much for mushies after 24 hours!

The Lucerna was nice. But its not THAT nice. Its just as good as a basic hotel here in Oregon.. like a best western. Cept it has a resturant in it.. and it has bell boys and room service..

my hand swelled up (infiltrated) from the meds.. so much they seeped out of me for a week after the IV was out.. but I STILL wouldnt say anything bad about them, over anything good.. They were JUST FINE! its a 10,000$ price difference.. what do ya exspect.

Karen, yes.. thats true...thank you.

I was filled and its been HELL ever since. This is the worst feeling in the world and it has NOTHING to do with wanting food. I went to get my fill on Monday in TJ ... He filled me to 2.0 and had me go down and eat something. I ordered chicken quesedilla and was able to eat way too much of it.. So he gave me some more.. 2.4.. I sat and sipped Water and then I went back to the airport. At the airport I ate two bites of some banans bread I had bought before my fill, I was real carefull eating it BUT that didnt matter. (MISTAKE!!! STUPID ME) My chest begins to hurt and then from 10pm to about 2 am... I am gagging and vomiting and spitting up ad heaving and all that FUN PB horror. (at the airport.. on my clothes... no way to clean up, crying my head off.. alone..trying to hide my predicterment) Once home.. I think that some Hot broth will help.. I take a few sips and all it does is hurt.. so I just go to sleep, but the entire night I have to sleep with a towel to spit my saliva up in. I assume the banana bread and PB episode lasting 4 hours has Inflamed the band and I just gotta wait till it settles down. BUT... at 10am.. I am in Mass pain, not having been able to take my PAIN pills for a while.. (this is back pain, sciatic pain) SO I think taking two of my morphine pills (each the size of half a pea) and ONE tiny sip of milk to get them down will be OK. NOT OK!!!!!!! From 10am till 4:45pm I gag and choke and puke and vomit and I FILL 4, 6 ounce cups with my own slime and saliva.. plus I am spitting my saliva every 10 seconds to keep it from being swallowed as well.. Its impossible to sleep when the body has to spit up every one to 4 minutes like that. Finally at 4:45 I have this one huge vomit and BOTH of those little Morphine pills come OUT into the spit cup IN TACT!!! I feel a sudden rush of "feeling better" Like this is over... But its not.. I havent attempted to drink or eat or take a pill since But I am still not able to keep my own saliva in.. The Episode lasting 6 hours when the pills got stuck.. has prolly inflamed me way way more than even the 4 hour episode when the banana bread did. AS I am typing this.. and spitting up my saliva about once every 5 minutes.. It hurts so bad. every muscle in my neck and chest and shoulders aches so bad. PLUS my back pain is not covered. I called my docter to get a morphine patch or something and he wanted to get me liquid and he just cant het the fact that I cannot even keep down my own saliva.. My stomach is completely closed. He says to call my band doctor.. BUT WHY?? HE is MY doctor to help me with my back pain! I will go to ER tomarrow IF my back pain is not covered. I am crippling up, soon I will bed ridden if I have no pain meds. I have been covered with meds for a long time and FREAKING out at the prospect of not having any for even a few days. PLUS, when the swelling goes down, I want to be able to eat some mushies.. no have to use all the room I have on pain pills.. I wish my doctor would work with me better than this.. I even have to pay for the pain Patches my self.. I have a whole bottle of liquid viccodan, I just need some patches becasue I cant swallow. Oh well.. Tomarrow I will try to convince him again that I REALLY REALLY cannot swallow and see if he has the time to listen and help me YEs, I realize I may be filled too tight. WE will see.. NO PAIN< NO GAIN

Delarla). 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. girl) it wasnt my doctor, it was the emergency room, they had never done one and its way easier to unfill ... than to fill... PM me your secrets.. I was filled to 2.4, they know i took the pills.. but hey ya never know... gotta do what ya gotta do. thank you!!

OH DIXIE I was so hoping the steroid shot would work.. but once ortiz heard it had been over 30 hours he said it was an absolute emergency that my fill be taken out!

lisawa) Im so sorry to hear of your experience. I also had Dr. Ortiz for surgery. Dr. Martinez did my first fill and I was instructed to be on warm liquids for 3 days. Are you sure he didnt mean for you to eat soup or something like that? girl ) He sent me down stairs to eat food and then had me wait an hour and checked under flouro if there was any food left in the pouch, there wasnt ans that was evident I needed more fill... so was the fact that I was able to eat what I ate.. If I had a hard time on my first bite, I wouldnt have eaten any more and told him I was filled enough... then I would of gone on liquids.... he also had me stay two more hours sipping Water to be sure everythin was OK... He was wonderful. He spent all day on me. It was very kind. you) I have had three fills and I have always been told to stay on liquids for three day so the stomach doesn't have to work to digest and it stays still. girl) Yes I know.. but he needed to see and like I said, one bite might of been hard on me.. but it wasnt.. and if it was, i would just have to suffer.. it doesnt swell for a few hours I assume. you) I have hard time with dry foods like bread. Sometimes I can have it and sometimes it comes back up. girl) never ever gives me a problem .. ever. you) I wish you lots of luck... take care. LisaWA girl) thank you your so nice, I think I found a way to get a fill for 150$.. I wonder how much they will fill me.. I want 1.8

julie dizz, you dont believe me? Read the entire thread and you will see my doctor had another of his patients do the same thing.. maybe you will beleive her. It was to see if I needed more fill so I didnt go home with too little of a fill after going through all the trouble and money to get one. (my second one) I happen to think its a GREAT idea and think he is wonderful for going through so much trouble and caring so much.

its not a nsaid thats in the hydrocodone is it?

Hi.. you asked me how bad was the terrible chest pain.. or how long.. it was for the few days I was in the hospitl but it was only when I had to try to take some ice chips or sips of Water.. Becasue I was NOT having this problem on my own saliva I was free to go home. I could of went on my own.. and I wouldnt have needed anyone to take care of me after.. But it sounds like you have all kinds of problems with the band and really need some help.. but thats not what its like for everyone.. its really very simple usually. I just went through some 30 plus hours of choking on my own saliva... it sucked real bad BUT it wasnt THAT bad,.,.. I mean OH WELL,, I lost my fill over it was the worst part. Some people think this episode I had (like my mom and such) thinks its just terrible.. I could of EASILY gone 30 more hours if it was possible and they let me and thought it was OK.. but they didnt.

I just went through like a 40 hour PB... (got an emergency unfill) But OMG, the whole time I was hiccupping and blowing my nose every few minutes as well as the gagging and sliming and spitting and vomiting my own saliva.

This was very interesting actually. I told them there was a port. I showed them the two needle marks that Martinez had made. This girl doctor felt for it under my stomcah and found it. She had also spoke to ORTIZ on the phone, I do not know what that conversation consisted of except he told her I needed my fill out ASAP. She had all kinds of needles ready saying "he (Ortiz) said a spinal needle would be the best" She thought she could get it with no Flouro and she tried and tried and it hurt real bad (never hurt before) and she couldnt get it. Then they decided to take me down to Flouro. The Flouro machine was 10X bigger than the one ORTIZ has in his office. Then this man did it under flouro. He had never seen a port to a lap band before and he had never stuck a needle in one and well he did a pretty good job. He got some liquid into his needle and this other lady doctor was like "thats it, it doesn matter if you get out every drop, he said you may not be able to get out all of it" I looked at the needle though and it looked like a good 2cc's So, thats how. I guess its not so hard to do.. (to take out)

Dr. Ortiz sais this is how he saw people lose their bands in the end 'every time' becasue of this situation. and thats when I stopped crying and complaining about having the unfill... I didnt care i was choking on my own saliva for 40 hours, I ould of done it another 40 at least.. to save my fill.. BUT ORTIZ said It would lead to the loss of my band if I didnt do it.. he forced me to do it actuallly.. I am glad though. I have to get into Mexico before I can rent a car so I dont really know what you mean. Plus I do not have a credit card. I dont even have a running vehicle right now. I own a 91 mini van I paid 1800$ for and its my NICE car. Plus my vehicles could never be trusted to drive that far, even if I could get the gas money.. If I broke down I dont know what I could do. I am in Oregon, so its not all that far but still a few hundred in gas money. I could sleep in the car though, I dont need a motel. money money money.. lol Thats all I am thinking of right now, I want filled so badly!

Hi, I am not filled at all now, it was all taken out. I am back to no restriction at all. BUt as said, I am real lucky not to have lost my band! I am doing fine. I feel no ill effects at this point... Thanks for asking. I am just sad is all. Frusterated too.. of course. I have to go back to SanDiago/TJ (he said I could in a month after my tummy calms down) and all that but I cannot take a trolly or walk becasue I am unable to walk more than a few feet at a time. So I need the shuttle service at 130$ plus my plain 300$ and then I can go try again. Thats alot of money to me now that all the money I saved for this procedure is used up... and so I hope within 6 months I can go. At least I know I am sensitive to fills now and from now on I think I know I can do this right and get it done as soon as I can save some money. Tracey... we were trying the IV full of steroids to get it down, that was my own idea and then when I called ORTIZ and he heard it took me almost 7 hours to PB uo two pills that came up intact.. he said no antiinflamitories would work and to get the fill out ASAP and was talking to the hospital and everything,,.. but that was me trying to save my fill at all cost. Also... I heard my fill doctor here isnt doing fills for mexican patients anymore.. I spent ALOT of money on his office to be sure I had a fill doctor here... that sucks! (EUBANKS) I need to find another and get the process rolling.. if I ever get in any trouble again like this, I rather be able to go get a small unfill (soon) rather than wait 40 hours of hell and then have to have my fill all taken out in an emergency. Loves to all.. Thanks so much for your support.

I got my first fill today. I didnt have any idea what band I had. So he would only put in 1.1cc He thought maybe I had a vangard?? (its big) (once home I found out my band holds 4cc) I went to Denny's resturant about an hour later to 'see what happens' 2pm I ate this much: One motzerella stick half an onion ring two chicken strips (appetizer size) 3tbs bbQ sauce 1/2 cup broccolii cream Soup 5 french fries, dips of ketsup two bites biscuits and gravy 20 ounces milk half a chocolate dipped cone from MCdonalds (the whole cone) Then at home I had 8pm One mini corn muffin and almost PB'd on it Worst feeling I had since I first got home But it subsided without inncident. (my family was freaking out..lol) then I tried some chilli at 9pm and was able to eat like 2 cups of it! 10pm Then just now I ate 4 nutter butters with like 24 ounces of milk. THIS IS NOT ENOUGH RESTRICTION OF COURSE. I cant wait to go to the fill day in MAY!

Thanks to everyone who responded here.. your support and info is invalueable to me!! THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU! Everything is OK now except I am not filled.... and if it takes me 6 months to get the monry to get back to Mexico for a fill then so be it.. I am still young.. lol

Sorry.. I am feeling down is all.. This place makes me feel better.. Lamadame) Nykee, Iam sorry to hear of all of this.. Dr. Ortiz had me go down and eat something as well one time before he sent me back across the border, it was my 2nd fiill, he told me the first fill may take some time to feel but the other fills there after should be felt right away. I ate and was fine and went on my merry way home. girl) YEah... the fill was amazing. he did the best job he could possibly do. He had me under flourao and drinking so mych baruim and waiting for hours until it was perfect. I never exspected so much attention to perfection. It was the DAM pills.. I cant believe I took those pills! Lamadame) Call Dr. Ortiz or Martinez, let them know what is goin on girl) I did, he ordered an emergency unfill.. and I been in ER and they did it.. I was in ER for 12 hours.. It was quite an experience

I went through something like this immediately after banding, except that I wasn't trying to eat anything. >>>>>>>>yeah, those two bites of banana bread was prolly the whole entire reason, then I tried to take my pills the next day and made it worse.. All becasue of those two little bites... THATS ALL my fault.. I see that.. How stupid can I be??!!! I guess I really could not believe it could be that simple.. I really thought people this happened too were trying to eat like something real bad, not a nibble.. THEN.. I wasnt even thinking that pills were "food" .. Stupid stupid stupid. Your immediate problem is hydration while the stoma is swollen. Forget food. Do NOT try to eat anything solid...and I have no idea why you were not warned about that...but, forget any food for AT LEAST three days. The quesadilla irritated the stoma and the bread just made it worse. It needs a few days off. >>>>>>>>>>Yeah, the tortilla lunch had no problems what so ever... he watched that it had passed through and the barium too and that measly .4cc more must of made ALL the diff in the world. In fact, the stoma is so swollen that the brain thinks something is stuck, and is sending gallons of saliva down there to try to "wash through" whatever is stuck...which just gives you more stuff to pass through a really tiny hole. >>>>>>>>Well tiny tiny little pills WERE stuck. I took two little pills half the size of a pea and almost 7 hours later they came out IN TACT.. This was the main reason ORTIZ KNEW I must be unfilled immediately. Then, you have to get Water in and if you don't you'll end up getting fluids IV. >>>>>>>>yeah, one sip of water was impossible for over 35 hours. What Rumbaut had me do was eat ice chips and the occasional teaspoon of Maalox. But focus on the ice. (I know that many people use WARM water, but rumbaut had me on ice chips. Whichever works better for you.) >>>>>>>>That wasnt working.. I spent the last night in ER.. My stomach was completely closed,, they finally just did an unfill.. I cant beleive a doctor in my hospital with no kind of training in the band was able to remove my fill.. I was crying the whole time and they were like "your gonna feel so much better" and I was saying "I DONT CARE" I WANT MY FILL!!!! Needless to say, lots of valium. Also, spit. I know you're not getting any sleep. So plant yourself on several pillows the bed or the sofa with several layers of towels and a small trash can lined with trash bags and stop swallowing all that saliva and just spit it out. You may finally fall asleep and drool a lot. Don't worry about it. Just pull out that towel and go to the next. The less slime you're trying to deal with, the better. >>>>>>>Yeah, I had cups and towels and zip locks with me.. lol I was doing all I could to wait this out. Thats really good advice and I know future fills can kinda be like this.. just not AS bad.. This will pass, but when it does you need to go back to Clear Liquids for a few days, the slowly add full liquids, the pureed, etc. If at any point you irritate the stoma and start with this routine again, go back to square one and go even slower. >>>>>>>>I am clear fluids now for 5 days... I want my next fill to go as best as possible.. When I got the band done, I had to stay 2 extra days cuz of this kind of thing.. So I am assumeing I am sensitive to inflamation or something. If you cannot get fluids in, you will need to go to an ER and get hydrated. I've met people who were very swollenlike this for a week or ten days post op. Now you know that you are someone who is very sensitive to fills. >>>>>>>Yea, I just said that.. LOL THANKS SO MUCH!!! you guys are awesome supportiing me like this!!

Alexandrea) Oh, Nykee, I'm so sorry you're going through this! Time will help and indeed, so will hot liquids sipped very cautiously. Girl) I couldnt sip once tiny sip of a hot liquid the entire time. It came up immediately. Everytime my own saliva seemed to subside, i tried a sip of diluted hot cocoa and it came up within seconds. alexandrea) Whatever you do, do NOT try to eat any solid food! You must give your esophagus and stoma time to rest and let the swelling go down. You will not starve, and it WILL get better when you give it some time. girl) Eating was the last thing on my mind.. I cannot explain how it felt to choke for 20 hours on saliva. I been in the ER from 6am to 6pm... I had to have all my fill taken out by order of ORTIZ, he said it was an emergency and absolutlely necessary. I fought it hard.. but I know HE knows the best.. dont want to lose my band later. alexandea) I don't understand having someone "test" a fill on solid food. girl) They were really trying to work with me.. I have NO money,.. to get a fill is the same amount of money as one month income for me.. and my kids. I prolly had no business trying to get this apband being poor white trash on welfare and SSI.. I am gonna try real hard to just diet until I find like 500$ so I can get a fill.... just keep trying ya know..I been fat for 20 yrs, I can not lose any weight for another year if I absolutely have to.. Thank you so much for your support...

up intil 2 years ago I had always wanted a reduction.. NOW, I just need them sucked out and refilled!

My boobies sagged about 2 years ago.... I am 34 yrs old. I have had size DD for a long time, hard.. with clevage in the right bras.. Since I was 12... and I wasnt obese until age 17.. Now, no matter what kind of bra, I cant get good clevage.. they cant even float in Water and look perky anymore. Its very sad.. They Smooosh to half their size, they are wrinkly too.. (loose skin) This is not cuz I lost weight.. Sooooooooooo I cant even imagine whats gonna happen to them when I do loose 100 pounds.. and I have 200 pounds to loose!