Corliss

Hey, my advice would be to drin some hot tea with honey before eating and then chew your food very very well after taking very tiny bites. Start wit h mushies again and only have about one half cup at a time. Take at least 20 minutes to eat. If that is not enough in itself as you doc for a prescription for reglan. You may be having esophageal spasms. good luck, Corliss

Hey smart blonde, I haven't been able to get into chat lately so thought i would check out some chat buds blogs. Hope to get to chat with you soon. Corliss

Can't get in either! I hear ya on the walking, drug my grand on a walk and it was my first since monterrey besides at the grocery. I took her shopping today, poor kid was dressed like her daddy's mini me. I told her she was a pretty girl and we had to show it. The girls day out was good for both of us. This one was the youngest one, not my usual shopping buddy, but she sure loved it, though she initially protested. She loved one outfit so much that she wanted to wear it home from the store, so I let her! Hope to talk to you soon chooks, Corliss

Just getting a bit quicker start....Good luck! Corliss

Go LK! Have a blast hon. Corliss

My doc specified that I should not get a fill till at least 8 weeks out. I am gonna hold out as long as I can. I am a second go around with the lap band and don't want to chance anything with mine. I lost the first one probably due to a large hiatal hernia which my surgeon repaired when he enstalled this one. The hernia probably caused the vomiting which eventually caused the slippage. Since I dont know for sure what caused it, I do know that I should be able to minimize problems by using it simply for hunger control and not for restriction. If I am not successful in loosing this way then I will go with minimal fill neccesary. Good luck to you my band twin. Corliss:thumbup:

Some docs put in some fill at the point they install the band. I am glad mine didn't. I think the writers sittuation is a perfect reason not to. Corliss

So glad you got taken care of. You will do just fine without the fill. My doc didn't put any in mine at implantation and I have some restriction. If I can get by without any fill I will. Corliss:thumbup:

Better to keep the drain than have it out too quick. I have seen some nasty abscesses where doc took drains out too quick. Tummy tuck is a big surgery. Bear with it, you will be glad in the long run. Corliss

Please do not be so casual about pbing. Productive burping is the term that many of us use. It is a myth that it is not a problem. True it is not as bad as bringing it up from the lower stomach, however, it has its own set of issues. 1. There is acid in the upper part of the stomach also and it does not to be in contact with you esophagus. 2. The esophagus can become stretched with frequent PBing as it is supposed to work to keep the food down not bring it up. 3. This can be a habit which we develop unknowingly. It allows us to eat more and can become a very subtle form of bulimia. We will overeat routinely and pb routinely. This is a problem which can lead to esophageal and stomach damage and bad breath. It can also be difficult to stop once the pattern is set. Again please do not be casual about it. Good luck. Take care of your band, it is a wonderful tool. Corliss

Sounds like you may have some gastric edema. I would just revert back to full liquids if mushies are hurting. Let your surgeon know. I had mine on June 18 and absolutely no problems, no pain. Corliss

Tide, honestly as much as I like Dr Cardenas and the crew in Monterrey, I don't think I would have a lower body lift out of country unless I was prepared to stay at least 6 wks, because there can be loads of edema and Fluid pocked accumulation that could be a set up for infection if not drained properly. If she is not near her surgeon it would not be possible to do that as she might need it and it is extremely hard to get a US doc to do follow up for other proceedures so I would bet the same with Plastics. I did know of one woman from Louisiana who went and had LBL and returned after two weeks and at some point she became septic and ended up in intensive care with a load of complications. It was not the fault of the Doc in Tijuana who did it, but I think they should require a long stay for follow up. I am not trying to scare ya here, but in thinking about possible additional surgeries for me, I don't think I would ever do that one, but If I did, I would want to be near my surgeon quiet a few weeks. I do think Cardenas is an artist, and would probably return to him if I was going to have LBL, but like I said, only with intent of staying there at least 6 wks, then cost would be equal to here. I will post some more pics soon, prob when I wash my hair and post without bandages. I have to wear them all time except changes for another week, then can leave them off at night, then next week, can leave them off in day time and wear at night. Most bruising is gone except right under jaw. My daughter and Kathy and oldest grand absolutely love it, but the youngest is freaked out a bit by the changes in her Nama! I told her I was still the same OLD Nama, that I just fixed myself so I would look prettier. Don't know that it will be okay with her or not. But you guys might want to prepare the children. My daughter had talked to the kids about it, but Graicen can't even remember me being real fat. It is hard for her to conceive that her Old Nama was ever a baby faced gal! talk to you soon, Corliss

Congrats chris, way to go! that is fab presurg wt loss. Corliss

Hey hon, I got my ear revised today but he didn't take the stitches out. He plans to do it late tommmorrow. I go home friday unless he says stay a couple more days in which i will stay. I had a small corner on the right ear lobe after the first surgery. I had extremely long ear lobs and have always been self concious of them. I asked him to trim them. One really looked funny. Very different form the other. Niether of them ended up small and pretty, however with the one not shaped right, i sort of freaked about both of them. Funny when he fixed the one with the little corner, it looked fine and so did the other one which he didn't touch today! They matched, lol! I would probably not look right if i had pretty little ears. As far as recipes go, there are loads of recipes without sugar on Low Carb Luxury website. It is free. I dont' know for sure what you can have right now as far as how solid, but one of the yummiest mushies/creamy things i have had was greek yogurt, with apple sauce, splenda and cinnamin. It was so good. You can also get a sweetener called erytritol from the netrition.com website and mixed with splenda it tastes just like sugar. Use it with cocoa for hot chocalate. You can take sf jello and chop up a banana in it, and add some cool whip which has very little sugar and fat free or close and it makes a nice light desert. Sweets are easy to make low carb and low fat too if you buy like low fat or fat free cream cheese or yogurt. You can make a little cake in a cup using protein powder and an egg, sweetener and chocolate, cook it in micro. I dont' watch my fat, just my carbs and calories, so i use fat in mine. But there are loads of options, just check out the low carb website. There is one called Eggface.com that has some really great recipes but not always low fat. I can send you some more some time. Glad you are feeling better. Corliss

How are you doing hon? Haven't heard from you in a day or two. Hope things are better with the pain. I am feeling much better from the plastics ands hopefully will get my stitches all out today except for the ear whear he is dong a minor revision today. Corliss

Hi Ellen, unless you are going to be in the hosptal all the time you are there it might be good to hire a sitter when you are discharged. I hear the inner thigh lift is one of the worst surgeries. The brachioplasty is not that bad. You have had one so you are prob aware of it. I hired a sitter for 2 days after discharge and am keeping her during days this week. She takes me to doc, changes bandages, gives med, takes me shopping and sight seeing, does my laundry, cooks for me, runs errands, makes appointments and arrangements and is a very nice and intelligent knowledgable person who specializes in the care of patients who have plastic surgury. I am getting a real bargain and the first two days i needed her desperately due to pain and language issues. She understands more english than she speaks and i speak a good bit of spanish. She has been extremely helpful. Good luck to you hon. I am sure you will do well. Corliss

I had a huge hiatal hernia which Dr zapata only found when he went inside. It did not show up on my upper gi which was very thorough nor did my surgeon who removed the previous lap band find it. I am so glad it was found and fixed. Hopefully this banding will be problem free, so far so good. No pain a little over a week out. I am on mushies now. Beans and potaoes are mighty good as is cottage cheese and mashed banana. Banded again and loving it! Corliss in Monterrey 1st band Nov 17, 2005 by Dr Sanchez Removed Sept. 19, 2008 in Chatt TN by Dr. Sass Day of banding 356 Day of removal <170 Gained up to 230 lbs and lost to 219 by day of banding June 18, 2009 Monterrey by Dr Zapata Plastic surgery June 23, 2009 by Dr Alexandro Cardenas arms and face, PLS SEE my PS album

Hey, I just had brachiplasty and face lift on Tuesday. I am a nurse and plan to be off work for 6 wks. Should be totally healed by then but the inner thigh lift is generally more diff to heal from I understand. You are probably young so you should heal quicker also watch your Protein and Vitamin c and Iron intake. Those ave very important for healing. My arms a looking great. The face is very swollen. I would not advise anyone to be alone after a plastic proceedure. I am glad you are oging to be in the hospital for five days. I have had a wonderful sitter for two days, stayed overnight in the clinic. I have had great care, but don't let anyone kid you, it hurts. Corliss

Hey hon, hope things are better for you. I had lots of pain with my face and arms but no nausea or disiness. Take care, Corliss

YES it REALLY IS THAT BAD! LIKE THE WORST THING YOU CAN DO IF YOU WANT TO KEEP THIS BAND AND WANT IT TO WORK! You may not have paid for it, but you went to a lot of trouble to get it, so why would you even think it would be okay to puke on a regular basis when all the docs say don't throw up if you can help it. Everyone tells you that you are to eat smalll bites and eat slowly, so I have to reason to believe you will listen to this, but you did ask the question. You can force yourself to eat slow. Put your fork or spoon down between each bite. What will happen if you keep throwing up is your stomach will get so inflammed you won't be able to keep anything down, then one or two things will happen1.You will go into soft food syndrom and possibly even gain weight 2. YOu will puke so much you loose your band due to a slip. I hope you reconsider your approach to the band. It is only a tool to help you feel more full and eat less. Yoou have to do some work. I hope you can make some changes, not trying to be judgemental, but that is the way it is, like it or not. Corliss

Mandie, I read about you husband and son, and that is unbelievably sweet about the 3 year old eating the yogurt! You may be breaking a multigenerational pattern of obesity. He just sounds adorable. Hang in there, girl. It will get better. I had almost no pain from the lap band this time, but my plastic surgeon tells me it is extrememly unusual for anyone to have pain from a face lift and I have had much more than my share, but it is getting a lot better, with the right drugs and the TLC from my sweet sitter named Angela. I call her mi Anghelita! She has been for sure. I would not advise anyone to have major plastic work without a professional sitter. She is amazing. My partner would not have been able to have handled this must less know what to do to deal with the issues I have had. Everything happens for a reason and I am actually glad she has not had to experience thsi with me step by step. I am so excited about what I believe the outcome will be. I think it will all be worth it. Glad you will not settle for just one md's advice if he is not doing anything for you because if you do have a pulled muscle and that is all it is, you need to know it. In the meantime, you might put some ice on it. If it has some infection then you need antibiotics and it will be no big deal but if you have infection and don't get antibiotics there could be big trouble. Take care, Corliss

Mandie, it sounds as if you have pulled a muscle. I am having no pain or soreness in my surgery sites. The first time I was banded, I had a problem in that I pulled my port. I also got a minor infection in the port area. My home doc was able to give me an antibiotic which cleared it up quickly. I believe when I pulled it, it irritated it enough to cause the minor infection. It was no big deal but needs you surgeons attention. Hope it gets better soon. Corliss

Sometimes, I think the muscle pain is due to tensing out muscles which is probably an unconcious response to stress and trauma. I have had multiple surgeries in my life and this is my second lap band and my first experience with plastic surgery and i had the musle and joint pain you are describing shortly after the lap band, but it went away after about 48 hours. I also had similar pain about 48 hours out with the plastic work in all areas of my body. Those areas were definately not touched by lap banding or my plastic work. The medications they gave me for lap band and for plastics have helped greatly with this type pain as they are primarily antiinflammatories. My plastic surgeon tels me that I am his first face lift patient that has face pain also. The anesthesiologist is taking good care of me, but the surgeon did express his surprise that I required anything other than the Supradol which is ketorlac or Tordol. With this lapbanding I was able to stop taking pain meds, 2nd day out of hospital, because all pain including muscle and joint pain stopped rather quickly. One weak out, I am not even experiencing any pain in the port area. You muscle and joint pain should let up fairly soon if you can conciously get in touch with body stress and work on relaxation. Good luck, Corliss

Mandie, I was supposed to have plastic surgery today, but i broke out in a rash, probably due to nerves. The PS wife is a dermatologist and she saw me this morning and okayed me having it tommorrow. So I will be having my face lift and arms done tommorrow around noon. Corliss