akapsi

I was banded 10/12/07 and recently noticed pressure in my abdomen. It's difficult to lay on my stomach and there is a lot of pressure in my chest area when I'm eating. Today, I went for the swallow test and the radiologist said he saw a "little" hiatal hernia. I am not sure if I had this prior to surgery, but I will be going for a follow-up appointment with my doctor to discuss treatment plans. The radiologist mentioned that the doctor may decide to do nothing if the hernia is not very serious. I'm assuming he would have told me if I should be overly concerned with its size.... we'll see. Anyone have the surgery for hernia and self-pay?

I also went to Dr. Rod and had a wonderful experience. I do not return to Mexico for my fills, however, they will accomodate you if needed.

My surgery was great! My recovery has been effortless and everything is going well. I was surprised by the immediate weightloss because of my low BMI and the absence of any fill right now. I was told to expect 2-3 lbs a week and I almost immediately dropped 10lbs. I'm at a stand still now, but I'm excited that to see so much progress during the healing phase.

When you got pregnant, did you return to the fertility specialist for assistance?

<p>For those lower BMI's under 40, it's fairly difficult to get approved. I believe once you're over 40 BMI, it's almost guaranteed because that's not the lower category. If I'm correct, greater than 40 is actually the cutoff for morbidly obese.</p> <p> </p> <p>For those of us under 40 BMI, the process is a little different. If heavy clothes or putting a lower height will help you, good luck! I also considered it, but I ended up going to Mexico.</p>

I have also gotten to the point where this liquid phase (almost) over is VERY DIFFICULT. I have been extremely disciplined until the past day or so. I didn't do much, but I did take a pinch from my husband's plate. By the time I chewed it and chewed it to make it as liquified as possible, I was satisfied. I'm really trying to cope with these cravings. I'm sure we're not the first to cheat, but I was VERY careful with making sure it was ONLY a pinch - literally. I didn't have any cravings until I beat a fever I had on Friday, followed by diarrhea. I found out I was actually dehydrated. Now, that my fever (102) is gone, I'm starving.

I have to agree. I am STARVING and must confess that I had a pinch of something solid. I chewed it until it was totally gross and mushy, but I still feel awful. It's getting so hard because I do not have any restriction either. My first fill will be in about 4 weeks or so.

I was banded on Oct 12th with a BMI of approx 34. Anyone have diarrhea? I know we're drinking all liquid during the first week, so excuse me if this is a silly question.

Good question. I was wondering the same thing. I rubbed a little Coco Butter on them, but not Neosporin. I was told Neosporin can delay the healing of a wound (if your incisions are sealed with Dermabond vs. stitches)

Susan, My reason for going to Mexico was because I couldn't get banded in the States. My BMI was around 33 or 34 and I have insulin resistance. In addition, I have been married for eight years with no children due to the effect Insulin Resistance and PCOS has on my body. Doctors in the states prefer to wait until your BMI is morbid, which I think is absolutely ridiculous. Most European countries qualify patients at 30 BMI. Everyone has their individual reasons, this is mine. I am choosing to take control of my life before things get worse. I've been treated by an endocronologist for two years with no success. I've seen my mother go through a gastric bypass at 400 lbs, and I choose to be more proactive than the American doctors would allow.

My doctor said the rule of thumb for liquids is anything that can be sipped (not pulled) through a straw at room temperature. So, this would disqualify things like pudding, cottage cheese, and oatmeal. I also saw conflicting messages.

I just returned from San Antonio on Sunday and my experience was great. Please feel very comfortable with your decision. There is a nurse there named Rosario who is the sweetest nurse I've ever met and all doctors are extremely pleasant. I have no pain or any of the other side effects. Just a slight knot in my chest. The shuttle will pick you up from the airport and will also escort you to places in the nearby location. I was also impressed with LaQuinta Hotel. Don't be nervous.. all will be fine. They will also provide you with an ENORMOUS amount of information. Please feel free to contact me directly if you have any questions. Also, don't forget to take your laptop! You can hook up in your hotel room in San Antonio for free (you will need to use an Ethernet cable which they will supply if it's not already in the room).

I still have no pain or any of the symptoms I have heard others complaining of. The only pain I have is still that slight tightness in my chest. But, that's it. I'm actually considering going to work tomorrow. I drove to the post office today and it was somewhat uncomfortable, so that would be the only reason I don't go.

I had my surgery yesterday and I feel great! No complications or extreme pains. I feel slight pressure in my chest - like a burp is stuck there, but other than that, I'm 100%. My experience with Dr. Rod was great. The staff was warming and I was very well taken care of.

I am going to Dr. Jose Rodriguez and yes, he will be using the J&J Band.

I had this EXACT same experience once when I was on a painkiller. I ended up in the hospital after going through this "birthing process" for almost 12 hours! Trust me... I understand. They gave me a supasitory (not sure if that's spelled right). Anyway, I've decided to be proactive to try to avoid that by drinking an herbal tea called SmoothMore. It can be found in the grocery store. It may help you pass a bowel also.

You should be fine. Based on the posts from other threads, not all doctors require a strict pre-op diet. I am not on one either. So, if you cheated this weekend, I'm sure you're fine.

CynthiaR - Yes, the J&J band is also adjustable and reversible. Based on the information I was provided by the doctor's office and reading about the successful surgeries online, it operates the same as the INAMED with the exception of the enhancements. I will post to the page after my surgery to let everyone know how it went.

Well, I'm counting down the days... October 12th is the big day for me. I thought I was mentally prepared until the doctor's office contacted me and asked me if I was interested in the new Johnson and Johnson Band. I guess I shouldn't really say new, because it's been around outside of the United States since 1996. The FDA just approved the J&J Band in September: http://www.jnj.com/news/jnj_news/20070928_123729.htm. I've only been able to find posts about the INAMED band, so I don't really have a lot of people out there that can provide experiences. This is nerve racking! I'm just prayerful that I will not only have a successful and safe surgery, but also a smooth recovery. Some of my nervous energy is coming from the fact that the new band is supposed to be an "improved" version of the INAMED with the titanium port and the continous circle that avoids any pinching of the skin. I just hope this is the right decision...:nervous :guess

Well, I'm counting down the days... October 12th is the big day for me. I thought I was mentally prepared until the doctor's office contacted me and asked me if I was interested in the new Johnson and Johnson Band. I guess I shouldn't really say new, because it's been around outside of the United States since 1996. The FDA just approved the J&J Band in September: http://www.jnj.com/news/jnj_news/20070928_123729.htm. I've only been able to find posts about the INAMED band, so I don't really have a lot of people out there that can provide experiences. This is nerve racking! I'm just prayerful that I will not only have a successful and safe surgery, but also a smooth recovery. Some of my nervous energy is coming from the fact that the new band is supposed to be an "improved" version of the INAMED with the titanium port and the continous circle that avoids any pinching of the skin. I just hope this is the right decision...:nervous :guess

<p>Cynthia,</p> <p> </p> <p>Thank you for the input. With your experience as a nurse, I was just looking to see if there was something extreme that you were aware of. I have read about the J&J band recently (since the FDA approval in September). Currently, I am not able to find any comparisons online, so I'm just asking questions whenever possible.</p> <p> </p> <p>The differences I have been able to find are (1) the port is titanium versus plastic which increases durability and (2) the notch doesn't have the fasten feature. it's a continued circle, which avoids the possibility of skin getting pinched/caught.</p> <p> </p> <p>Hopefully this is informative for anyone else who may be researching this right now due to the increased buzz about the J&J since the FDA approval.</p> FDA Approves REALIZE™ Adjustable Gastric Band For Morbid Obesity

Jenn Core - <p>My doctor provided a list of US doctors that will provide service to patients who received their band in Mexico.</p>

Cynthia R - <p>Why do you say we should want the INAMED band? Do you have any information regarding the Johnson and Johnson Band? I am trying to decide whether I want the J&J or INAMED...</p>

I actually don't have a preference. I'm just trying to make sure there aren't any extreme cases out there that I should be aware of. The doctor's office was very accomodating and offered a discount for the J&J band or to pay for the fee to reschedule my flight. My entire experience with Dr. Jose Rodriguez has been great. I think I'm going to go ahead with the J&J band.

Thanks for the info bexleygal. That's really interesting that your friend received the same FYI that I did. One doctor I tried to see in the states (prior to just scheduling my appt in Mexico) said he didn't want to see me for a consultation if I was animate about having a baby. I was open with the admin assistant and acknowledged that this was to help with fertility issues. She called me back after scheduling the appointment and said the doctor wanted to make sure I knew the pregnancy should be delayed for at least a year if I move forward with the surgery. If I keep hearing all of these success stories, I may just let nature take it's course and see what happens. If I still need to go back for shots (Follistim, HCG, etc), then I still may need to wait if the fertility doctor wants to hold off. Will keep you posted.