stephleon

This is the best idea. This is exactly what I had to do to see it. I am down 80 pounds and couldn’t see it until a couple weeks ago. I started at 24W and currently wear size 16. It was obvious to everyone around me but I just couldn’t see it. So I got out some old pics of me from before surgery (they were hard to find, I was always hiding behind people) and compared them side by side to some from a week ago. I thought to myself…. Wow what a difference. I also looked at some pics my husband took and had to take a second and third look because I did not recognize myself. It was great. Hope you get the same experience. I have been trying to take a pic of myself every 2 months and compare. Keep lookin and you will notice a difference too!

I also had the shoulder pain and bloating for many days. It is all the gas they put in me to move things out of the way. It went away eventually and I also had a rough start like you are. It was not anything serious just a lot of discomfort. I had my surgery on 12/13/08 and am down 75 lbs. Once I got off the bumpy road (gas, bloating, discomfort at port site, bruising, stitches opening, ect...) it was so worth it and I WOULD do over again even with what I went through for the first couple months after surgery. I would do it because now I am a totally different person and I love life. I wake up every day feeling so much better and my kids have noticed a huge difference in me. I still have a few minor holes in the road to get around but I feel unstoppable at this point. You will get there too. It took me 3 fills and several months before I really started losing the weight. Take it slow at first. It’s okay to go slow. My progress is slow compared to a lot of people but I am healthy and it’s going to stay off. I have slowly developed mew life styles and have NO regrets at all. Good luck and stay positive. I paid for my surgery out of pocket and started second guessing my decisions for the first month or so but I a glad I stuck with it.

Me too! I paid for the lap band out of pocket even though I could have had the gastric bypass paid for through my insurance. There are way more problems with bypass and its permanent:eek:. I knew with the lap band I could get it out if anything went wrong. The lap band takes work but it is worth it. I am losing at a study rate and I have complete control. I have control. With the other surgeries you do not get to control the amount of restriction. I am happy with my choice and I would do it again if I had to!

I am doing great. I am losing slow and study, just the way I wanted. I am using a Nurse practitioner named Sheila. She is located in Salem and I make all my appointments through Fill center USA. The fills and consultation appointments cost $165. If I just want to have a regular visit with her (no fill/unfilled) then it costs $85. There is another person that works out of Eugene that comes to Portland once or so a month. I was having a hard time making her schedule work with mine so I went through the Fill Center. It has been working well for me. She is really nice and has worked hard to make things work for me too. Hope that helps and good luck!!

I am always cold all the time too. I lost my boobs:crying:. oh well cant have it all I guess. Too bad we cant pick the places we want to lose the weight. on the good side.... I have lost exactly 80 pounds since the date I called to schedule to be banded. I was 308 in oct 2008 and tonight I weighed in at 228:thumbup:

In about a week I will have my 6 mo anniversary. I have lost almost 60 pounds. I had a slow start but I am doing good now. I am having a slow and study weight loss. How is everyone else?

im in. i have already made small goals for myself as well. so when is start? how many weeks do you want to go? there are other challenges out there as well for different dates ( ie june 1st and 4th of July). So throw out some details and I will join the fun.

I have a 9.75 CM band that holds 4cc. I have had 3 fills and am currenltly at 3.2 cc. This is my sweet spot (for now). I had my last fill just over 2 months ago and have been losing 2.4 lbs a week since this last fill. I am pretty tight and there are several things I dont dare to eat (breads, pizza,torillas, oatmeal, things like that). But I am very happy where I am and excited to see the changes every time I step on the scale and look in the mirror.

I was banded 12/13/2008 and had a slow start. I have had 3 fills and hit my sweet spot:thumbup: now I am losing 2.5 pounds weekly :drool:

one week to go and I am 2.8 lbs under my goal of 13 pounds:thumbup:

OMG I DID IT!!!! I got weighed in at weight watchers tonight and I am down 13.2 lbs (goal of 13 lbs) and still have a couple weeks to go. I am going to keep going and see how far I can get in the next couple weeks. Good luck all!!

wtg all....

I live in Oregon and flew into San Diego airport on 12/13/2008. The driver for Dr Huacuz picked my husband and I up from the airport and drove us over to the hospital in Tijuana. We got out and went straight up stairs. After surgery we ventured out (just my husband and me). We went to some stores that are close by. The staff there was very nice and told us exactly where it was safe and where to stay away from. We went out for a few hours and bought some liquor (so cheap over there we just had to do it). It was nice to get out. Then the doctor took us the next day to get our first fill. When I was ready to go home the driver took us back to the San Diego airport. It was very nice to have them do all the driving. They are so friendly. There was another couple that came with us that drove. They meet us at the airport and followed the driver. They were shown where to park and told not to leave anything valuable in car. Then they moved the car to a safer location for night time. The staff is very aware of all the things going on in the local area and wants the patients to be safe. They will do anything to make you stay better. I took somewhat of a stab in the dark with this doctor and now I can not say enough nice things about him and his staff. I am so glad everything went smoothly and the other 3 girls that were there (2 from day before and the 1 that followed us from airport) all said the same. I would totally do it over again if I knew then what I know now and with the same doctor. The price is right and him and his staff earns every cent of that money. Good Luck!

It’s Buena Suerte (not bueno). So that makes me wonder even more. This is a positive place to help and give opinions…. Not to give sales pitches. This is the first time I have ever had anything negative to say on here. But the way you are doing things make me question your true intention.

Getting down to the wire.... Just 21 days left. I am down 8.4 and have 4.6 to go..... everyone is doign so well. WTG!!!!

I had my surgery in Mexico and was never told this and I didn’t give any tip. I was told to bring cashier’s check for the balance of the surgery and not to bring too much cash with me. They were saying it is for safety reasons. I am not sure why you would need to tip the nurses. I am not sure why they are asking for tips. But I guess that is up to you. Good Luck!

Wow sooo defensive. What is in it for you?? You tell me if I had enough knowledge.... funny I have enough knowledge to hear a sales pitch when I hear one. I had a great experience in Mexico but I wasn’t trying to push it off on people like you do. Like I said above.... it is important to investigate the doctor. There is a whole thing on main page about people like this person trying to get a quick buck with a cheesy sales pitch and a website to promote sales.

What a sales pitch.... How much did u get paid to post that ad? Surgery for under $2100??? r u kidding me? I really wouldn’t go. I didn’t want to pay the $25000 either but $2100? Does he even sterilize the instruments? I have been to Puerto Vallarta and lived in Guadalajara for a year. Puerto Vallarta is expensive and so if someone is doing lap band for $2100 it must be in the bathroom of their home...

I guess I had one too without knowing it. I found out after surgery. I did some research because I had not heard of this kind of hernia before. I guess it is common to not have symptoms and to not know you have one. Well, its fixed now and so I guess I don’t have to worry about it now.

I also had my surgery done in Mexico by Dr Huacuz. His staff and him were great and I had no problems. I also work in the health care. I also had to self pay. There can be complications whether you do it in the states or in Mexico. It is a chance you take. All you can do is research, research more and ask lots of questions. I called many different locations. Then when I decided who I was going to go with, I stilled called that surgeons office probably 20 times before going down. I called until I was comfortable with having him as my surgeon and thank god everything went perfect. Then after surgery I called many more times and am very pleased with the support I have received from them. And the cost of the entire thing was bearable. I would have never been able to self pay in the states at that time. Now there are a couple places in the states that lowered their prices. Even with the lowered process, they start out around 6K more than having it done in Mexico. Just do your research and make sure you are comfortable with your decision

My pre-op diet consisted of Clear liquids for 10 days and the post op was the same:eek:. I was not able to work out during this time because I had no energy. Before starting the pre-op diet, I had already made up my mind that I would not even try to work out. I got right back on track once I was to the mushy stages and could actually get some (almost real) food in me. I started out by just walking a little each day and now I am back to working out 5-6 days a week for at least an hour each day. Don’t beat yourself up if you need to take a break. You need to heal properly after the surgery or it will take even longer to get back into your workout routine.