jkpenny376

:confused2:I had my band placed on Thurs the 5th. My small incisions are covered with small round bandaids, (they used glue) and my port incesion is covered with a large water tight bandage that has this gauze stuff in the middle..but I have had a little drainage because I can see it on the bandaid --little blood and some small discoloration where you can tell liquid has come out.....and I am thinking it needs to come off so it doesn't get infected...but when I tried to take it off today...HOLY cow it was hurting and sticking...so I chose to leave it alone until I posted to see if anyone had any advice. I just peeked at it and it's open...NASTY but no redness, no oozing now, it doesn't smell, not hot, no pain...just looks gross. Also on my papers it said not to use neosporin for possible allergic reactions? Has anyone else heard about this?

Juarez Mexico, Hospital Angeles-Dr. Jose Rodriguez

:thumbup:I was banded by Dr. Rod on Thurs. and was released from the hospital this am @ 8am...I could have gone home lastnight had we not had the 4 hr drive in front of us...so we chose to stay the night and not push the subject. :drool:I have to say that I have been hungry...and actually had some very thin potatoe soup if you could call it that. Boiled some potatoes in water with bullion cubes and then just blended it with 2% milk until it was thin and soupy...and ate that for dinner...ohhhhh boy was that the best potatoe soup I have ever in my life had:tt1:....about 2 -3 tblsp full...I asked my facilitator if it was okay and she statted that as long as it was full liquid that I would be okay. I have to say that going to Mexico wasn't bad for anyone thinking about it. Just research your Dr. and don't leave a stone unturned. I will say that if you are someone that wants a lot of after care and hands on care Mexico isn't for you....and what I mean by that is that they don't wake you up at all hours of the night to check your vitals, but the moment you call they are in there in a matter of seconds. The floor I was on only had about 15 patient rooms with about 2 nurses and 2 aids..but there was never more then 6 ppl on the floor while I was there...The thermometers are the mercury ones...old school under the arm, all dinner ware is in glass and metal...and they don't have shaved ice, but get you ice in cubes...The hospital itself was very clean and my experience was good. Dr. Rod. is very much to the point comes in and looks you over, asks you if you have any questions and is out like a flas to his next patient...but I think if I had asked questions he would have stayed...He told me numerous times if I had problems to call and gave me their numbers...I even had their ext. in the hospital for the people that I needed. Dr. Calderon was a hoot. He spoke very good english and was the primary one that would explain things to me. All in all I would go back. I would recommend taking a small personal fan with you as the shades on our windows didn't block the sun out and during the day it would get warm..and I would recommend bringing plastic cups of styrofoam...I didn't like drinking out of the glasses...just my own quirk...felt like the ice would melt to fast. At any rate I am home and doing good and feeling better..esp. after that potatoe soup...woo hooo. Can't believe I am finally banded...seems like a dream.

Hi all. I was just banded on Thurs. in Juarez by Dr. Jose Rodriguez. I am doing good and would recommend him and the hospital was very very nice. If you have questions please contact me I would be willing ot speak to you. There were a few things I would have liked to have known, but none would have been deal breakers. So far so good...although I am hungry I must say. I am jealous of those of you that coming out not hungry....you can send me a PM and I will respond. One thing for sure...RESEARCH RESEARCH RESEARCH...

:thumbup:I am here and getting really nervous...can't believe it's my day. Have about 3 hrs till count down and in about 5 hrs I will be banded and on the flip side....wish me luck and send me all the prayers you can...adios amigos for now. Kelly

Thank you Tai....

:biggrin2:Hi Junsters...well I am here in ElPaso in my room waiting for our ride into Juarez and I am suddenly feeling very ill....nerves.....anxious...excited....and scared out of my witts..... This is now or never and now turning back now. In a matter of a few hours I am hopeful to be banded and recooperating. Please pray for me and my courage....and that Dr. Rod got plenty of sleep lastnight and didn't skip his caffeeine........I can't believe that I am actually doing this. I have put it out of my mind and then it has hit me like a ton of bricks this morning. I didn't sleep good and when I did sleep I kept waking up. My stomach is upset and well I haven't been very nice to my hubby this morning....guess this is all part of it. Catch you on the flip side....I get to go from pre op to post op boards now. Kelly

Here we go Jazzy Junsters our time has come. This is the first "month" of our new life to a new self. I am so excited for each and everyone of us. We can do this....we WILL do this. I am praying for all of us.

:bored:Oh my gosh trust me if I had willpower I wouldn't be a size 22/24....now would I? :eek: My problem is I am a picky eater:thumbdown:...and....if I can't have the real thing I don't want it....for instance... Ranch Dressing:drool:...I can drink the stuff..if it is the homemade stuff..but the bottle brand......YUCK...can only tolerate the least amount I have to to get that salad down...so common sense would say don't get the good stuff so I don't eat so much..but NO NO NO..not how my brain works.....if I want it I want the real deal....and apparently what Kelly wants she gets:wink_smile:...and my size proves it. I have never really looked at how much I ate. I was in denial...getting the extra burger to eat before we went somewhere so someone didn't see how much I was eating. I am fearful that those same behaviors will continue...but I know I can only control right here and right NOW..and that's all I will do. I have to admit I love food...and when I can't have it I am CRANKY:cursing: to say the least..and I have never really taken the time to really notice that...how much food has controlled me. Always thinking about the next meal, or where we are going to eat, or new recipes...I mean it can consume you....and it has. I hate that hungry feeling...therefore I don't let myself feel it.:sad: I want so bad to be able to succeed at this without having the band, but that's not possible with my personality apparently. I am scared to think that if something happens how senseless it would have been that I couldn't get it under control w/out the help of the band...and how selfish I would have been...but on the same token I know if I don't do something and soon...I will continue to get bigger and more unhappier and my health will going down the tubes....so I know something has to give and be done....I have been through numerous abdominal surgeries...3 c-sections and hysterctomy..so that part doesn't scare me...I can deal w/the pain..I just am hoping my surgeo had his coffee that morning and the anest. doesn't go to sleep:closedeyes:I know it will all work out..and I know this is just my mental moment before the storm....so watch out Hurricane Katrina you aint seen nothing yet...I am coming with both barrells loaded it seems. I can't believe that I can count on two hands till my band date.

Don't bother with the SLIM Fast Low Carb...I just tried it and I was gagging.......It was Nasty...cardboard isn't even a good description...that's putting it mild...I even tried adding Splenda and Vanilla to it..even added some bananas and then went so far as to add some peaches..thinking hmmm smoothie...obtw.....I put mine in little personal blender to make it creamy and ice creamyyyyy. I was able to eat about 10 small spoonfuls and I was done..at this rate I will be a RAIL if this is my choices.......NASTY...did I mention not GOOD. I am hoping my other four kinds I bought today to try will be better then this one. I bought the Akins and the EAS along with some protein that you add to water that is a drink--fruity type---and then some carnation instant BFST type stuff...hoping it is better and I saved the best for last. I am getting a little scared since I have find something since I have started my high protein/low carb. 10 day pre op diet....

I am already feeling like I am failing. Today was day one on my high protein/low carb diet. Did fine this am had my shake then I couldn't even stick to that...had some smoked ribs for my lunch that I smoked from yesterday..no bbq sauce on it---thinking that was better then anything else..since it is after all protein....right? But then I had 6 cheese-its and 3 puff cheetos from my kids plate as well. How am I ever gonna do this for 10 days when I can't even do it for one day......What have I gotten into? How in the world did anyone do this.....I want this more then anything so why in the world can I not get a grip on this....how in the world did I get to this point????

My doc has required me to have a low carb high Protein diet 10 days prior to surgery. I have started it today. They actually want me to be in a state of Ketosis...I have attached my info they sent me.... PRE-OP DIET - for Dr. Jose Rodriguez Dr. Rodriguez now requests that all patients with a BMI over 40 do a pre-op diet for two weeks before surgery. IMPORTANT: The key is to try to keep your carb intake less than 50 grams a day. The pre-op diet is designed to help you be internally healthier for surgery. The effects are not immediate. It takes about 10 consecutive days before results show up internally. The goal is to have the liver let go of some stored fat. Some people also call it a liver shrinking diet. This will mean an easier recovery for you post-op. BACKGROUND INFORMATION In the obese, the liver is a huge, fatty organ. It is “in the way” of the surgical area during band surgery, and must be held back with surgical instruments. An enlarged liver is very fragile and bleeds quite easily when touched or manipulated during surgery. This bleeding can be difficult to control, and the extra care required with an enlarged liver increases surgical risk, as well as surgical time. Longer surgical time and extended time under general anesthesia can make both immediate and longer-term recovery much more difficult for you. An especially large and fragile liver has even caused some band surgeries to be cancelled, for the safety of the patient. Following this Pre-Op Diet is extremely important. The goal is not to lose weight, necessarily, but to enter a temporary period of dietary ketosis, which is not harmful to you at all. However, many do lose a good amount of weight, which will jump-start your Band weight loss as you begin to regain and improve your health. It is this dietary ketosis that results in liver-shrinking and the normalizing of your metabolism so that you can do well with banding. Pre-Op Diet: THIS DOES NOT HAVE TO BE A liquid ONLY DIET. IF YOU HAVE DIABETES, KIDNEY OR HEART DISEASE; PLEASE CONSULT YOUR LOCAL PHYSICIAN BEFORE ALTERING YOUR CURRENT DIET. Start with proper protein sources (no less than 20 grams of protein per serving with 6 total grams of carbohydrates or less and 6 grams of saturated fats or less per serving), keep a close eye on the fat intake (don’t over do it). Some choices are lean chicken, turkey, fish, fresh fruits and vegetables, sugar free jell-o, pudding, Beans. Please include fresh fruit at least 2 times a day. PLEASE eat *only* solid protein! Choose only a piece of chicken, a lean steak, a hard-boiled egg, or some low-fat cheese. PLEASE: NO mayo, BBQ sauce, ketchup, sweets, junk food, cereals, or anything else. Even the smallest amount of non-protein, carb-laden food can take you out of ketosis and easily negate many day’s worth of the low carbs that are so greatly decreasing your surgical risk. Those that choose to use a Protein shake, please read the labels. You should try to choose a protein shake with between 20-30 grams of Protein, less than 6 grams of total Carbohydrates, and less than 6 grams of saturated fat per serving. Count only the NET CARBS that are on the label, not the “total” carbs. Please eat and drink NOTHING that is not clearly labeled as to net carb content. With some products, the “Net Carbs” are called “Impact Carbs” or “Effective Carbs”. Protein shakes are NOT required, but are very convenient. These are just some of the brands that have the correct protein/carb/sat fat ratio: Iso Pure, Slim Fast LOW CARB, Designer whey, www.unjury.com. Your local GNC or other nutrition store will have a variety of drinks and bars to try. We suggest getting one each of several kinds to try before you buy a larger quantity, so you can find some you really like. Many find that the unjury brand of Protein Drink is the best tasting and among the least expensive. It is available only online, but ships very quickly. www.unjury.com Do a web search for “low-carb protein bars” and compare costs, grams of protein, and grams of Net carbs. Online sources are often much less expensive than those found in local stores, and the shipping is often free. We feel that the Atkins ADVANTAGE and ENDULGE Protein Bars are excellent, with about 3-4 grams of Net Carbs per bar, but there are several other brands that are fine. Watch out for things that you would normally not consider food! You must also have NONE of the following things that are full of sugar: · chewing gum with sugar or carb sweetener · breath mints · cough syrup · hard candy and cough drops. NOTE: Increasing your Water intake for 2 weeks prior to surgery greatly reduces difficulty in starting the IV. Your goal should be to drink enough plain water to keep your urine out-put pale to clear each time you void. Of course, nothing can beat a positive attitude. Deciding that you are "worth it" & willing to learn a new way of life is key. Thank you for following this very important first step toward a successful Banding and great Band weight loss.

UPSET--I just found out my bananas are high in CARBS...RATS. I just found out that the equate brand weight loss shake I like is to high in carbs and then to top it off once I got past that ....that the bananas I add to it is to high in CARBS too......crap. I am not a milk drinker but have been using those shakes and frozen bananas to make me a smoothie and it tastes YUMMY. Go figure..think I have found something I can live with on the preop high protein low carb phase before being banded and it's all down the tubes. I have ordered a few samples from some other companies so cross your fingers.

Cosmos....I am not going to Arturo...I am going to Jose Rodriguez...I have heard a lot of negative things about Arturo...and I know there was some confussion on previous posts with both of them. Just wanted to make sure we were both talking about the same Dr.

Ginger...we have a doc in grand praire/fort worth area that does the fills. My friend who was just banded by Dr. Rod has seen him a few times and likes him. I am not exactly sure how much he charges...I think in the 200 dollar range. Are you going through Belite? If so who is your faciliator and if I may ask how much are you paying for your procedure. Looks like I will be keeping your bed warm for you before you get there....I will the rowdy american all of them are talking about when you get there....free from the kids....woohoo..hahah just kidding. I am assuming you are going to Juarez? I would love to add you to my friend list so we could chat...I need all the support I can get right now so I don't CHICKEN out.

:rolleyes2:How long does Dr. Ortiz have you stay in the hospital. Dr. Rod requires you to stay two days...I have the band placed on Thur. afternoon and then if all goes well am released from the hospital on Sat. I was just wondering because some call it outpatient and some require hospital stays...me personally with going to Mexico I would rather be there with the Dr. for a few days to make sure nothing is wrong....I dont imagine I would want to go shopping after the band is placed, but you never know. We will be going to Juarez, hospital angeles to have it done. Anyone else have gone there and their experience with the markets and getting their pain meds after as well. Thanks

I am to being banded by Dr. Rod. on June 5th and Jessica is also my facilitator. I will let you know how things go for me. May I add you to my friend list so that we can chat on our experiences? Thanks Kelly

OMGosh..I am feeling so nervous...I can actually count on my hands until I leave to go...that is freaking me out. I am so excited and NERVOUS...not knowing the changes I will face and my issues with food and how with a family of 6 I am going to be able to maintain and cook for them and myself...and make the changes. What if I am that one in a 100 that it doesn't work on..our mind playes CRUEL tricks on us and our perception of how it will be. I guess since I have failed at every other diet or attempt to lose weight I feel the odds are stacked against me in my UPHILL battle to fight this weightloss. CALGON TAKE ME AWAY is what I am thinking about now. My hubby got me a massage for xmas and I haven't used it uet..but it expires the end of June....so I have to get it before I get the band because I know I won't be able to lay down flat and get rubbed like I am suppose to....I am even stressed about that........oh goodness. I think I need to just stop and breath... Does anyone know how long before you can swim. We have a pool and the kids and I usually spend a lot of time in it and I was just wondering also how long you have to wait? Thanks Junsters...ready or not here we go!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:biggrin2:

I would like to respond to this thread. Please do not take offense but with you being on the US side to have the surgery and me being on the Mexico side I think it only fair that I express my situation. When you say you should think more about having it...please know that this has been years coming...I didn't wake up yesterday and say you know I think I want to have lap band in a foreigh country. Now I will say that in the beginning I searched the states for a way to get the band. Our insurance makes it IMPOSSIBLE to get it done and then they cap what they cover..so I have a 10k lifetime payout..well HELLO it costs more then that so I would have to cover the extra 6-7k for the band and all the requirements they put on it..not to mention the year they make you wait and the hoops you have to jump through. I have 4 kids and we live in a rural part of Texas so seeing these specialist continually isn't possible for me as they require it. Now does that mean I am ignorant to the risks and that I am being careless with going to MX. NO. I made an appt. w/my general prac. and told him my plans. I had him to a complete physical and run all my blood work. He talked to me in depth about my decision and wants to see me after the band is placed. I am taking all the precautions I can to make sure I am safe. For some the adiitional couple of thousand dollars might not be a lot..for me being a stay at home mom of 4 kids, single income family it is nearly impossible and my family is sacraficing for me to have this surgery. I am just grateful to my husband for allowing me this opportunity. There is NO room in our budget to finance the surgery for the states....trust me I have looked into it before we researched MX. The monthly rates are like a mortgage payment...again not a possibility. I have 2 personal friends that have been banded in MX..one was 4 yrs ago and one was this March. I have also had 2 friends banded in the states. All are doing good. I think RESEARCH is the key. There are many drs with bad reputations.....and it's your job to find that out. So it really doesn't matter where because you still have to research. As far as cash pay in the states and negociating the $$$$ haven't found any that are even close to my cost that Dr. Rod is giving me, and I don't know I would even want them touching me. Just a little info on me. I was raised in South America for many of my child years. I am fluent in Spanish. My father was a entrepaneur and had many ventures...so I know the bad wrap of some of these countries we visited and sometimes lived in...just like in the states there are slums and bad areas. Although I know you can't sue your MX dr. know that their practice is geared towards Americans, and they know how big our mouths are. For me finding a Dr. wasn't as hard as I thought it would be. I first disqualified the ones I wouldn't use or researched and found to many negative postings on...and then went forward with my search. I have spent HOURS upon HOURS reading posts after posts and websites after websites on peopls opinions and experiences. I have spoken to Inamed, Dr. Rod himself, and hospital Angeles. I just don't feel guilty for making the choices I did and did my research. I have aftercare set up and am doing everything I can to make sure I have a great outcome...now does this mean I am not nervous as HELL? Well no it makes me human...and yes I am scared to have this procedure and yes I hope my choice was the correct one for me...and I will answer that ????? in 2 weeks. I know you only mean good, but please don't assume we haven't researched because we are going to MEXICO and that if we researched more we wouldn't go there. I have and I am still going there. :thumbup:Kelly

:sad_smile:Okay everyone. I am scheduled to be banded in MX on June 5th. Monday I start my pre op diet...high protein low carb...btw I just figured out my pre-op diet stuff on another thread. so see if you aren't careful you will learn something everyday..hahaha......at any rate....it is all starting to hit me. This is really going to happen and this is really going ot happen in Mexico. I trust Dr. Rod and have a personal friend that went to him in March..but I can't help but have all the things go through my head of what ifs?????? I also found out that since I am a self pay and not going through insurance that if there are any complications my ins will NOT cover any of it...so anything related to the band they will not cover...I know though that my general pract. will help me out as best he can with that and coding my bills..but just say there was an erosion or slippage...and I had other health items..they won't cover it if it can be realted to the band at all. They are even making me meet the requirements so that they will cover a portion of the fill cost, otherwise that will be completely out of my pocket as well. I know I can't afford having the band here in the states and I have to do it now....there is no waiting and saving another year for it...( I don't know if anyone else understands that....but I know it is now or never for me...) I worry about things happening to me and would being thin be worth the loss of being taken from my kids...all to be thin...and of course healthier, but lets face it...our appearance is a major decision maker for most of us...although not for everyone I am sure. I just know this is not who I am in this large exterior...and I want to be free from this hold food has on me. I want to change and I want to be a success story where you look at me and say there was no way that was you. I am still reluctant to tell anyone other then a few close friends and family members. I guess for fear of being eyed for everything I eat or everything I do or don't do. It's not that I want it to be a secret, but I don't think that it is anyone's business. I don't really know how I am going to handle the, "Wow you have lost weight...how'd you do it?" I don't want to lie, but I don't feel I owe them an explanation, but I don't want to be rude either. I know people have the misconception that this is the easy way out..oh hahaha are they wrong, but for those that don't or have never struggled with major weight issues...they don't understand. I am not talking an extra 20 or 30 pds...I mean over 100 xtra pounds that your body is carrying around. I want my kids to be proud of me and not be ashamed to say that is my mom. I don't want people to stop and stare at me and wonder why my husband is married to me. I don't want to assume when I walk by someone and they giggle that they are giggling at me..I want to be here for my kids no matter what size I am...this is my only REAL issue....that I come out safe and can grow old with my kids. So as much as I am afraid of being taken from them now..I am more fearful of the life we won't have if I don't do something about it while I am younger. I don't want to be that one that it doesn't work for. How do you handle that mentally after you have to come to grips with life changing changes then to have to deal with it not working on you. I know I know I know..I am a mental case right now. It just is becoming so real now...it is down to a matter of days and not months of weeks..and as I look at the calendar it is quickly approaching. I know this will pass and I will look back on this post and laugh..or so I hope I will. I was just wondering if anyone else is going through this same emotion and if you are or did how you managed.

I have heard about this muscle milk. Where can you find it?

The thing I most worry about is not making it back to my children. That if something were to happen would this weight surgery thing be worth leaving my children for...but on the other side if I continue adding this weight I won't live my life to it's fullest and it will be cut short. With my other surgeries..c sections, hysterectomy those really weren't by choice. I guess you could look at it that this isn't by choice either..it is really about life and death.

I just placed my order for the Unjury product and you can order samples of the products instead of the whole shabang...which I would rather pay $4 for shipping on 3 sample packs to find out I didn't like it rather then paying $20 for something I don't like or want...so you should try it out this way and try the samples rather then the whole container. The sample packets run $1.75 per sample and my total for ordering 3 samples and the shipping was $8.70 for everything. Again I would rather have a few samples then a whole lot of stuff I don't want. Just FYI incase anyone else is also thinking about trying this stuff. Kelly

I AM SO PICKY ABOUT THESE THINGS. i AM NOT A MILK DRINKER AT ALL. The only way I can drink it is with lots of choc. or straw. syrup or in a milkshake. There is no way that I can drink anything that tastes anything like MILK alone. I am the kind of person that if I can't have the real thing and what I want I would just as soon not have it. I guess that's why I am the weight I am hu?

:frown:I found my email and have attached it...it appears those lovely wal mart type slim fast shakes that I like so much isn't good for the pre op phase...not enough Protein and to much carbs and sugar...rats that figures.:biggrin: PRE-OP DIET - for Dr. Rodriguez Dr. Rodriguez now requests that all patients with a BMI over 40 do a pre-op diet for two weeks before surgery. IMPORTANT: The key is to try to keep your carb intake less than 50 grams a day. The pre-op diet is designed to help you be internally healthier for surgery. The effects are not immediate. It takes about 10 consecutive days before results show up internally. The goal is to have the liver let go of some stored fat. Some people also call it a liver shrinking diet. This will mean an easier recovery for you post-op. BACKGROUND INFORMATION In the obese, the liver is a huge, fatty organ. It is “in the way” of the surgical area during band surgery, and must be held back with surgical instruments. An enlarged liver is very fragile and bleeds quite easily when touched or manipulated during surgery. This bleeding can be difficult to control, and the extra care required with an enlarged liver increases surgical risk, as well as surgical time. Longer surgical time and extended time under general anesthesia can make both immediate and longer-term recovery much more difficult for you. An especially large and fragile liver has even caused some band surgeries to be cancelled, for the safety of the patient. Following this Pre-Op Diet is extremely important. The goal is not to lose weight, necessarily, but to enter a temporary period of dietary ketosis, which is not harmful to you at all. However, many do lose a good amount of weight, which will jump-start your Band weight loss as you begin to regain and improve your health. It is this dietary ketosis that results in liver-shrinking and the normalizing of your metabolism so that you can do well with banding. Pre-Op Diet: THIS DOES NOT HAVE TO BE A LIQUID ONLY DIET. IF YOU HAVE DIABETES, KIDNEY OR HEART DISEASE; PLEASE CONSULT YOUR LOCAL PHYSICIAN BEFORE ALTERING YOUR CURRENT DIET. Start with proper protein sources (no less than 20 grams of protein per serving with 6 total grams of carbohydrates or less and 6 grams of saturated fats or less per serving), keep a close eye on the fat intake (don’t over do it). Some choices are lean chicken, turkey, fish, fresh fruits and vegetables, sugar free jell-o, pudding, Beans. Please include fresh fruit at least 2 times a day. PLEASE eat *only* solid protein! Choose only a piece of chicken, a lean steak, a hard-boiled egg, or some low-fat cheese. PLEASE: NO mayo, BBQ sauce, ketchup, sweets, junk food, cereals, or anything else. Even the smallest amount of non-protein, carb-laden food can take you out of ketosis and easily negate many day’s worth of the low carbs that are so greatly decreasing your surgical risk. Those that choose to use a Protein shake, please read the labels. You should try to choose a protein shake with between 20-30 grams of Protein, less than 6 grams of total Carbohydrates, and less than 6 grams of saturated fat per serving. Count only the NET CARBS that are on the label, not the “total” carbs. Please eat and drink NOTHING that is not clearly labeled as to net carb content. With some products, the “Net Carbs” are called “Impact Carbs” or “Effective Carbs”. Protein Shakes are NOT required, but are very convenient. These are just some of the brands that have the correct protein/carb/sat fat ratio: Iso Pure, Slim Fast LOW CARB, Designer whey, www.unjury.com. Your local GNC or other nutrition store will have a variety of drinks and bars to try. We suggest getting one each of several kinds to try before you buy a larger quantity, so you can find some you really like. Many find that the