B-Rog

How long did your approval take?

Yes! I'm scheduled for Wednesday, March 16th. I'm disappointed my surgeon doesn't do surgeries on Mondays. But, I think I should be fine to go back the following Monday. I'm a high school teacher and can make my day as active or sedentary as I want. I'm sure I'll be exhausted and sore but, I'll manage

Oh, no ma'am! The hunger will come. Just wait until you're all healed up and not yet at your fill time... We like to call it "Bandster Hell." And hell it is. You're hungry and can eat again. The trick is... Do you revert back to your pre-band episodes or do you keep it in check? And how do you keep it in check when your band isn't doing what it was designed to do because you haven't had a fill yet. And then after the first fill you still hate the dang thing because you can still eat and you're still frickin hungry! But then you hit the sweet spot!!! You still get hungry, so eat regular meals. And if you don't be careful so you don't scarf something down and out yourself in pain. In short. You will get hungry. You will miss eating some things that you no longer can tolerate. But that donut, kolache, slice of pizza, or that PB&J sandwich just don't taste as good (And hurt like hell) as watching the scale numbers drop! Do I miss certain foods, certainly. Do I get over it in 47 seconds, definitely!

I flew within 36 hours of being banded and was fine. I also flew within 24 hours of my last fill and was perfectly fine. My restriction was at the expected level after the flight and was consistent for weeks.

Biotin!!! I take one twice a day and my hair and nails have never been prettier. I was so scared of losing my hair that I started taking them right when I had surgery. I haven't experienced any significant hair loss and I attribute it to the Biotin.

That's an AWESOME NSV! How exciting! It's the little things like that, that make this journey so worth it!

I was banded by Dr. Armando Joya in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. My experience was wonderful. There is not a thing that disappointed me. The care I was given far surpasses both knee surgeries I had in the States. Do your research. Talk to some people. Call the surgeon (mine gave me his cell #). And make an educated decision.

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d86/beth7470/collage.jpg 6 month Bandiversary pics

I bring a Lean Cuisine to work everyday for lunch. Or leftovers from the night before. I heat 'em up and eat the protein bits and veggies from the Lean Cuisines and if I bring leftovers, I know its nutritous and will go down. These are my quick and easy lunchtime solutions that I've come up with...

I self-paid. I scrounged every cent I had for a while until i saved up the cash. I spent $8,000 and had the surgery in Mexico. My experience was wonderful. There was nothing scary about it at all. I now spend $200 a fill, which I have had 5. So, I've spent 9,000 total and would not take back a single cent!! I love my band!

It isn't bad AT ALL! The kind I get is pretty smooth and doesn't taste like much at all...

It is possible to completely fill the band. And some doctors fill over the specified amount with no complications. I've noticed good, reliable restriction occurs pretty close to being filled up, no matter what size band. The more Fluid that is in the band, the less it takes to tweak, as well. I have 10cc band too. 1st fill: 3cc's 2nd fill: 3 cc's 3rd fill: 3 cc's 4th fill: .6 cc's I'm at almost perfect restriction and pretty dang close to being filled up. I asked my doctor what happens when I hit the 10 cc mark and she said little fill increments over that wouldn't be a problem.