Kalipso2

i was a self-pay patient too. in the cleveland area the cost was between $15,000 and $21,000. then i started looking into Mexico but knew i'd have to find a doctor to do my fills here and i couldn't find one who would fill a patient banded in mexico. so i started expanding my search and found a WONDERFUL surgeon 4 hours away in cincinnati, ohio. it was luck that he was also the least expensive. after i did research on his background i knew he was the right surgeon for me. he answers questions under the "complications" section and he always, always, always responds to all his emails personally.

today has been 30 days since my surgery. when i went in for my first fill i asked about increasing my exercise to more than walking. i mentioned that i tried to use my ablounger and it hurt. i was told that after 30 days i was free to do any exercise i wanted BUT the port area will hurt... you won't tear the muscle where the port is located but the pain will be there for around 3-4 months. i was told to stock aleve!

i had my surgery on 04/21/08 and my first fill today, 05/19/08. during my consultation, my surgeon said he would most likely use the Realize band. I found out today during my fill (not given by my surgeon) that i actually have a Lap band. She didn't know why he decided to switch. also, she said i already had 1.5cc in my 10cc band that was given to me during surgery and she gave me another 1.8cc today for a total of 3.8cc. i didn't think they put the band in with any Water? how many cc's will it take to feel a decent amount of restriction? the good news is, i've lost 14 pounds during this first month and it was hard work. my dr's office said i did great and a lot of people don't lose anything during the first month after surgery.

deb, i'm not sure if your doctor does fills under flouro but try to find a video to watch about it because it totally freaked me out! i watched a regular fill being done but wasn't expecting the first fill under flouro. i was standing up and the dr sprayed some numbing stuff on my port incision and came right at me with the needle. i didn't think... i just reacted and grabbed her arm before the needle got to my stomach. i guess i didn't think i would be numb enough yet. it happened so quick! i did apologize for grabbing her (oops!)

i kept saying to myself i would do something if i went up to a size 12 jean... then a size 14... then a size 16. when i hit size 16 i knew i needed help and being a binge eater i knew i would need medical help.

Alice, My doctor's "rules after fills" is the day of fill clear liquids only, day after fill full liquids, two days after fill mushies and three days after fill regular foods.

i was banded on 04/21/08 and i could feel my port right under my incision. as i started to lose weight, i noticed that the port has started to move. now its about an inch above the incision. i'm a little concerned about it moving so soon.

i was supposed to get my period the week before my surgery. each day passed and it never came. i was so worried to wake up the day of my surgery and have it but *knock on wood* it waited until the next day when i was at home. the nurse did ask me before my surgery if i was having my period and if i had a tampon in. just be honest... they see it all the time!

of course there are risks... it's surgery. while i was VERY confident with my surgeon, i still filled out a living will and power of attorney... much to my mom's dismay. maybe my family is morbid but we all talk about what we want done if one of us dies. i have all my animals assigned to specific family members and my burial wishes were told to my whole family.

i got banded by Dr. C on 04/21/08 and i'm heading down for my first fill on 05/19/08!

hi, i live in mayfield heights and i was banded down in cincinnati on 04/21/08. wishing you luck on receiving approval!

i chose to stay overnight because i've never had surgery before and wanted to make sure i had access to the stronger pain meds before going home. i can't really say it was worth it because the nurses come in every 2 hours to take vitals but the stay was included in my payment.

understandable... i almost went that route too but decided it would be too hard to find a doctor to do the fills in the US. make sure you have one lined up before you go to Mexico unless you plan on going back there for your fills! There are a lot of US doctors who won't do fills on another surgeons "work". If you want the name to my surgeon, let me know. He participates on this board regularly but most of the time in the "complications" section so he can help answer questions. Good luck!

i live in cleveland, ohio but i was banded on 04/21/08 in cincinnati. have you picked a surgeon yet?

i haven't had my first fill yet either and i find that as long as i eat slow i can eat a little more than half the amount as i did before surgery. my dietician recommended not to give in to the hunger and continue to eat small means with a lot of protein.

yep, a lot of people will wear weights around their ankles too. most of the doctors know they are too... i would go that route instead of gaining more.

i was banded on april 21st and technically you're not restricted until you have your first fill. i'm lucky and my doc does the first fill at 30 days under flouro so my first fill is scheduled for may 19th!! i'm nervous AND excited. since you're not restricted, it's absolutely normal to feel hungry! i actually gave in to temptation one time and PB'd... it wasn't pretty... so don't give in to the ho-ho's!! i emailed my dietician and asked what to do to stop the hunger and her only advice was willpower and Protein. i found that the slimfast optima creamy milk chocolate shakes are awesome... especially when stuck in the freezer for an hour or so!! also try to eat ever 2-3 hours... small meals. here is what i've been "eating": breakfast: slimfast snack: sugar-free pudding lunch: small wrap with 1/4 cup cheese (melted) snack: slimfast dinner: 2 scrambled eggs snack: sugar-free Jello w/sugar free whipped topping supposedly this is what's called "Bandster Hell" because we're banded but not restricted and HUNGRY!

good luck with your surgery! it's an exciting time, isn't it? i was banded on 04/21/08 by Dr. Trace Curry in Cincinnati (but i live in cleveland). i know when i was "shopping around" i had a hard time finding a doctor that would do fills on a patient that they didn't operate on. If you would like Dr. C's # let me know. he may take fill patients. i know i called the cleveland clinic and was told they do it as a "case by case" basis.

i am a stomach sleeper and i was banded on 04/21/08. i slept for one week on my back and probably only because it just hurt too much to move. a week after my surgery i started sleeping on my stomach again. at first with a pillow supporting the port area and now almost 3 weeks post op i sleep on my tummy just fine!

i was banded on 04/21/08. i get to start mushies on 05/06/08 but i just couldn't wait. (no lectures, please). friday is "doughnut day" at work. i didn't even want one but i ate one. i started feeling stuck and then the hiccups started. i wasn't sure what was going to happen since it's never happened before. luckily i was smart enough to walk to the bathroom. i gagged and out came the entire doughnut. it reminded me of cat vomit the way it came out in one long strand of food. needless to say, i'm back on liquids and have learned the hard way that i need to learn to eat slowly!

i didn't have a catheter but i bet the nurse wished i had lol when i was in recovery and still REALLY out of it i told the nurse i had to go pee. she rolled me over and put me on top of a bed pan. i don't even remember how long i stayed like that but when she came back i told her i couldn't go. next thing i know they're rubbing something on my lower abdomen and the nurse said "honey, there is absolutely nothing in there." i guess i didn't have to pee after all lol

i went back to work 8 days after surgery at my sit down job... i felt like a lot of my swelling had went away but i notice now that i have my "big girl" clothes on my right abdomen gets swollen by the end of the day... hopefully it gets better!