KarenB

I just saw this thread for the first time today. Boy did I need a good laugh. I'm happy to report that my farts (I feel so uncomfortable saying/typing that word, thanks, Mom) have gotten much fewer since my banding. My family is grateful. Also, the only time I burp now is when a pill is going thru the band. I was a real champ before. Mom didn't get quite the daughter she had in mind! Seriously, when I'm hungry, I get horrible pains, similar to gas, I guess. I'm glad to know that's not only me.

Thanks for making my crappy (no pun intended) day better!

Karen

Hi Alice. Yes I had the same thing. But I didn't know to go to liquids right away, plus I was on vacation and I kept making it worse. So, to make a long story short, when I got home, I had .4cc's of a 1.4cc fill removed. I had to give my stomach a rest! 2 weeks ago I had .2cc's replaced, and today, hurray, I had .5cc's put in.

I've learned that it's a process. I thought I was an expert after my banding, but I was a newbie, a baby and in many ways I still am. I hope I get it right this time. And speaking of fish, I pb'd on sushi (at a business dinner, no less) & was told that's very common food to bp on.

Best,

Karen

Dear Crystal & Christina:

Best of luck to you both for successful & uneventful bandings. Pls. let us know how you're doing. Lots of prayers coming your way.

I liked the shave your legs post...that's what I did in labor & almost had my son at home!

Love,

Karen

Hi Robyn, glad you're on the mend. Amazing how these 16 year old boys can mature before your very eyes. Mine's 15 who thinks he's 25. I was rear=ended w/both kids in the car (daughter is now 17 & driving herself) & I was petrified cause they were in the car. All was o.k. though.

Hope you enjoyed your wine, and yes you can have it occasionally after the band. (Not sparkling, tho)

Do you notice how our friends in CA, TX & other places are telling us how nice their weather is? WE CAN'T WAIT FOR SPRING...DON'T RUB IT IN GUYS. (Just kidding, glad someone's having nice weather.)

Take care, & btw, a chiropractor was of help to me after my accident.

Pls. let us know how you're feeling.

Best,

Karen

Congratulations, Wade. Ditto to what everyone else has said. Please keep us posted!

Best,

Karen

Hi Amy. I'm the one from West Hempstead. My insurance wasn't band friendly (CIGNA PPO) so I went to Dr. Ortiz in Mexico & am very happy w/him. I use a nurse practitioner on LI for fills & she's excellent (see my post in the Fills section). Be happy to help in any I can. Pls. keep us posted on what & where you do. PM me anytime you want.

Best,

Karen

Hi Kathy. I had to laugh when I read your posts...my PCP wanted me to stay in the US for banding. I really like him a lot & told him I was going thru w/it. He did all my testing here & was supportive after I told him to forget about the US (Cigna doesn't pay). So, now my hubby's not feeling too well, & I went to the same doc to accompany him on a visit...the doc's mouth fell open when he saw me. I couldn't wait to hop on his scale, whereas before I wouldn't go near it, I would just tell him how much I weighed! Since then (about a month ago) whenever my hubby goes to see him, the whole staff asks him how I'M doing. I have to admit, my husband feels a little neglected. But he's truly very proud of me. So, we just have to educate these doctors & show them our great results. Best of luck to you.

Karen

Hi Debby. Good luck to you w/your insurance. I have CIGNA PPO & they wouldn't pay a dime. I was self-pay in Mexico & it cost $9,500. Now my 17yr. old might do it--more loans, credit cards, but it would be worth it.

Anyway, I STILL haven't told my mother! She'd be horrified that I went to TJ--I'll tell her when I'm 135! (lbs. not years). She was born to worry, and I can't take it. We only live about 1 hour away from each other & I definately owe her a visit. I've been able to get away w/not seeing her cause my hubby has been ill, so we've had to cancel a couple of times, but I really must go in the next couple of weeks. I'm guessing she'll notice 30+ lbs. gone. I might have a moment of weakness, but I hope not.

Nobody @ work knows either, they just think I'm very successfully dieting! I did tell them I had to have some bile duct surgery when I was out from work. What a hoot!

Good luck & keep us posted.

Karen

I am using Dory Ferara at the Long Island Bariatric Center. She's a Nurse Practitioner and was a coordinator for Lap Band trials. She works with several NY area MD's as well as Dr. Gabriel & other Mexican Docs. She has offices on LI, Westchester & NYC & sees people from all over the northeast.

She charges either a flat fee for a year's care (about $1,250) that includes as many fills as you need) She performs fills either under floroscopy ($100 for radiology center's fee) or without. After having my first fill in TJ under floroscopy she had to unfill me a little then add some. She did it w/o the flor. & was totally fine. She also sees patients on a per diem basis, first time she charges a little more (maybe $350) & meets you at the radiology center for floroscopy. Then you can choose with or without for the next fills (I THINK $250 - $257) per, but don't quote me, cause I'm using the flat fee method)

Anyway, her # is 516-579-0094. The sec'y there can give you her NYC or Westchester #'s. Sorry this is so long, but I really like her a lot. Hope this helps someone.

Moved to new thread

Thanks for the suggestions. The wine sounds divine, but not for work! Question to Bright--I've always read about Paracetamol in police/crime novels (my absolute favorite) that take place in England, Ireland, Scotland, but never knew what it was. Is it the same as what we call Tylenol? (acetaminophen)?

I LOVE having all you new friends from so many different places.

Karen

Hi all. During my menses I get really bad cramps for 2 days. I've taken a combo (after checking w/several dr's) of 2 advil/2 tylenol every 4-6 hours & it's been the only thing to work. Now w/the band I'm worried that's too much advil. Dr. Martinez said occasional advil liquigels are fine, but I think my regimin (sp?) is more than occasional. I've been white-knuckling it for past 2 month & probably taking more advil than I should, even tho he says no evidence to support advil is bad, blah blah...I don't want to take any chances!

Any suggestions? Does anyone take anything natural or stronger...narcotics are an option for 2 days a month! I wanted to get suggestions first before asking my after-care nurse practitioner for a script, if necessary.

Thanks

Hi Zoe. Thanks for your very moving words. I didn't realize before reading it that I'm approaching my 3 month bandiversary. AND I can't figure out why I haven't lost 100 lbs. yet! AND I was feeling embarassed to be asking about PB'ing almost 3 months out, but you helped me remember that we don't always take a straight path, nor are we sent on one. Contrats & thanks.

Karen

Thank you Alex. I had a Protein shake for Breakfast, will stick to liquids today & have chicken Soup (minus the chicken) tonite. Tomorrow I'll do yogurt drinks & sweet potato & such & should be o.k.

However, I did have trouble swallowing my meds this a.m. I think I should have waited till later in the day to take them--between a.m. restriction & pb'ing last nite, it was a problem. Speaking of meds, I get really bad cramps once a month--I've always taken tylenol & advil for them, sometimes every 4-6 hours for 2 days. Dr. Martinez did say I could take some Advil liquid gels, but I don't think he meant that much. Should I ask my Ob/gyn for something liquid? Has anyone else had this problem? Thanks,

Karen.

Hi Alexandra. Welcome to band land. You will feel better soon. Just take it easy (but do walk some to get rid of that pesky gas) and follow your Dr.'s instructions. You're probably on clear fluids now, right? Sip what you can, take liquid tylenol or something stronger that your Dr. prescribes. The most important thing is to be in touch w/him/her. Please hang in there & let us know how you are doing. Also, you might want to post a new thread in the support section so that more people will see it! You'll get tons of responses. P.S. I had a not great day today, but it's still better than any day pre-band!

Best,

Karen

Thanks Marie. That was quick & made me feel much better. How embarrasing, thank goodness nobody else was in the ladies room!

sushi, too much in a restaurant, too busy talking. It wasn't much, but I don't want to get into a viscious cycle again. SHOULD I GO ON liquids NOW AND IF SO, FOR HOW LONG? IF SO, CAN I DO Protein Shakes OR DO I HAVE TO BE ON CLEAR?

Hope to hear from someone soon. Thanks.

Karen

Oh well, I guess I'll chime in too. I had my banding Fri. a.m. Was up & walking about 1.5 hours after. I did A LOT of hall walking. On the other hand, the fellow who had his right after mine was sleeping for hours & hours after. I was in more pain than he was after, so go figure. Everyone is different. I flew home Sunday, rested Monday & went to my desk job on Tuesday. If you're fortunate to have a whole week, use it! It can only help. I too was bothered by gas pain in my shoulder for several weeks, I really thought something was wrong. Doc said it was only gas & to keep moving. He was right. I couldn't wait to sleep on my stomach/left side again, I found that a long "body pillow" helped me do it sooner than on a hard bed. Hope this helps. Best of luck. And yes, pain or no pain, gas or no gas, sleep or no sleep, I'd do it again in a heartbeat!

Congratulations, Patty. Do you mean cause of the laproscopic incisions that you look like you've been shot? That advice about walking around the house was good. Take it slow & you'll do great!

My husband has no idea how high my weight has been. He's very small & I would be mortified still if he knew how much I weigh. It doesn't help that he's been ill lately & has lost 35 lbs off a 5'4" frame! I think I weigh 100 lbs. more than he. UGGGG!

Thanks all. I love this site!

Thanks for the warm welcome. I really appreciate it! O.K., here's a question...i tried to go to tickerfactory.com & made a ticker but when I pasted it on my signature, all I got was the URL code, not the cute design I made. Any ideas what I did wrong? Thanks!

I've been banded since December but haven't visited this site before. I think I've met some others on other site(s), like La Madam. I started @ 232 lbs. the week before banding & am now @ 203.

It's been hard lately, I went back to TJ for my 1st fill & was super anxious to get it cause I was leaving on vacation a few days later & had not experienced any restriction. Not the best move I ever made! Last week I went to the nurse practitioner here on Long Island & she had to take out .4cc's from a 1.4cc fill. I had been spitting up, not holding very much food at all & it had become a vicious cycle. I guess I didn't really know I was supposed to go on liquids after the 1st time it happened. But, it's a process, right? Either tomorrow or next Monday I'll have .2cc's back & take it from there.

As I posted on another thread (I think, I'm not too good at this yet), I'm a 2 yr. breast cancer survivor. I gained my last 35 lbs. or so in the 2 years after my surgery, but had been slowly creeping up my whole adult life.

I'm trying to make better food choices now, cause I've been on a plateau the past 3 weeks or so...I didn't even lose when I was SO very restricted! trying to excercise more too.

Anyway, that's my story, and I'm defintely looking for buddies, pals, friends who share my common goal.

Thanks for listening.

Hi Renee. I had breast cancer 2 years and 3 months ago. I had a total double mastectomy w/tram flap reconstruction. That means they took the skin from my lower tummy (effectively a tummy tuck), and microsopcially attached it to my chest, making me new breasts! Well, the Tummy Tuck got bigger instead of smaller, cause I proceeded to gain over 30 lbs in the next 2 yrs! Of course I had sworn that I would never gain anything after, etc. etc. So when I was looking into lap banding, I was worried that the previous work would prevent. Luckily, my surgeon said that as long as Dr. Ortiz stayed above my belly-button, which he did and I think always does, all would be fine. Thank G-d, all has been fine! I'm thrilled, and now am looking into having my 17-yr old daughter banded.

Sorry this was so long, I'm just so grateful that I'm cancer-free & losing weight. What a miracle.

Best to you,

Hi Mike, I too used Dr. Ortiz & so far very happy. I love him & Dr. Martinez. I have CIGNA PPO & they wouldn't cover either.

There is Obesity Center of Long Island, nurse practitioner Dory Ferara, does fills for lots of docs (Dr. Katz in NYC, Dr. Gabriel in NYC & Cancun, etc.) She works one or two days in NYC & one day in Wantagh, LI & I think in Westchester also. She did my pre-care, set up all my testing (which in retrospect was unnecessary) Anyway, I went to TJ for my first fill. I went to Dory last week & she had to take out a little cause I had become too tight (this was one month after the fill). I won't hesitate to have Dory do my fills from now on--next week she's putting some back & we're taking it slow from there. I don't know what she charges per fill if you go to her after, but it's worth looking into. Good Luck!

Hi. I was banded by Dr. Ortiz on 12/10 & has similar (though milder) experience w/port pain. Dr. Martinez will call you right back & help you. He had me take Advil liquigels & they were a life-saver. But don't do anything until you speak to one of them. Dr. ortiz is better answering e-mail, & dr. Martinez is better @ phone calls. Good luck!