abbypoo

Thank you guys for your suggestions. I'm getting better at drinking my fluids, and I'm getting braver about how much I drink at a time too. Seems like every day I improve a little bit.

Thanks for all your kinds words. Yesterday was my first day post-op and let's just say it was ROUGH. I've never had a major surgery before, so I guess I was just naive about the amount of pain and discomfort I'd experience after the surgery. On top of that, after I was discharged from the hospital we still had to drive from Detroit back to Wisconsin. Phew. I was so glad to be home. My mom was here waiting for me and went and filled all my prescriptions and tried to make me feel as comfortable as possible. She also gave my exhausted boyfriend some respite. I'm glad I ended up getting the surgery, but I now know that if I end up having extra skin there is no way I'm going in for plastic surgery! As far as pain goes the narcotics they gave me are definitely taking care of that. My only complaints are my complete lack of desire to want to drink anything and that I'm a little gassy. Not too bad, overall.

Does anyone else have absolutely no desire to eat or drink anything? That's me right now. I'm pretty sure I'm pretty dehydrated because of it, but I can barely bring myself to take sips and I'm worried that it will hurt if I try to drink more or faster.

Oh you poor thing! I hope that the meds clear it up and you don't have to go under the knife again. At least it sounds like the infection was caught early. Good luck girl.

Hey ladies. I too was commando for my surgery. I was also on my period. My tom decided to be a week late and arrive on the day of my surgery. It was very light so I know I didn't bleed everywhere, but you know what's super creepy? I woke up with a pad between my legs!

We went to dinner near the Greektown Casino on our first night. I can't remember the name of the restaurant (probably because all I could eat was a crummy chicken salad), but it had TexMex. I wanted to go into the casino, but the bf wasn't feeling it. Wish I had read this post earlier, we were so BORED yesterday after my pre-op consultation. You're right, I am very pleased with Harper Hospital, and the whole Detroit Medical Center as a matter of fact. Detroit might not be what it once was, but these facilities are outstanding.

Thanks everyone! Just found some wifi, my surgery isn't until this afternoon (poo) so I'm playing the waiting game right now. Anyway, anyone been to Detroit recently? All I can say is "wow." I almost feel like I'm in one of those sci-fi movies where everyone has been abducted.

Hey everyone, just wanted to say hello to everyone. I'm off to Detroit today and then tomorrow I have my pre-op consult and then my surgery on Wednesday. Just wanted to give a shout-out to my fellow August 12th BANDits and to everyone else who has been so supportive. I'll be sure to let everyone know how it goes when it's all said and done.

Name..................WK1........WK2.......WK3......WK4......WK5...... WK6......WK7......WK8......TOTAL formerfatchick....262.........260 abbypoo............275.........266 jennyr1222........265.........263 missK...............241 morphiend.........238..........229 Tripletmomma.....327

I hope you all had smooth surgeries and are doing well!

Gray, thanks for sharing your experience! It's easier to get a better gauge on what's "normal" during post-op that way. That stinks about your band feeling too tight, hopefully all that discomfort will vanish when the swelling goes down.

Can't wait to hear how it goes Jenny!

Hey congrats on your surgery. You don't need to buy a ticker, they are free. Go to Graphical Tickers and Trackers: Weight Loss, Trying To Conceive, Pregnancy... and create one, then copy and paste the html code they give you into your signature. Glad to hear your surgery went well!

Ha ha! You'll be fine! The pre-op diet isn't as bad as you think. I was really apprehensive about it, but I'm on my fifth day and I think I could deal with this for another month if I had to. I did the same thing as you before my pre-op diet, I ate candy and Chinese food and everything in between to have my last hurrah. Hope the shrink helps you, but try not to come out of any of this feeling like you are somehow a bad person because you don't have control over what you are putting in your mouth. You are not alone in that struggle.

Hey, I'm self-pay and my doctor requires lap-band patients to stay overnight in the hospital as well. I know hospital stays are uncomfortable, but try to think of it as a good thing. I'm sorry you're experiencing so much anxiety over everything, maybe it wouldn't be a bad idea if you tried to get your mind off of the surgery for a while until you feel a little calmer. Do you have one of those mother-in-laws that annoys the crap out of you? Maybe give her a call... lol

Thank you for writing this. I wasn't trying to say that Mexican doctors are inferior, I am just saying that there are a lot of real risks. Risks people need to think about before they say to themselves "Wow, that is cheap, I can afford to pay 7k." There are a lot of things to consider. American doctors screw up just as much as Mexican doctors and vice versa. Experience or ability is not the argument here. The real argument is that once you decide to have surgery outside the U.S. you have no security net to protect you from all the bad things that could potentially happen. Some people don't mind rolling the dice, but others need more security than that. All I'm saying is that it's not a decision to be taken lightly. Do your homework.

What is the deal with all the people who have been banded in Mexico trying to convince everyone else to get their surgeries done there? I am not saying that there is anything wrong with getting banded in Mexico, but there are certain added risks and inconveniences when making the decision to get banded in any foreign country. There is also another category of people out there who like to sugar-coat the surgery in general and its possible complications to newcomers. They also like to preach about how gastric banding is superior to all other forms of bariatric surgery. I don't understand why people can't just share their own personal experiences and allow others to use that information to come to their own conclusions. Every one is different. They have different priorities, needs, fears and everything else. Just because something worked for you does not mean that it will work for everyone else. So, in summation. Just because you got banded in Mexico, doesn't mean that the guy who is thinking about getting the bypass or the sleeve in NY needs you to "enlighten" him. Just give your honest experience, and let that guy decide if it's for him. This is surgery people, not some kind of contest.

Hello? If money wasn't one of the MAJOR reasons for choosing a particular surgeon NO ONE would have their surgery done in Mexico at all. I can't say that I know a single person who has ever chosen to have a non-elective surgery in any foreign country, even if the doctors were more experienced. The fact of the matter is that there are real risks and inconveniences that come with getting banded in Mexico, and this needs to be weighed heavily before making a decision. This website is full of tons of horror stories that support my point fully.

Ha ha Former, you crack me up! 265?! Are you kidding me? The only way I can catch up to that is if I exercise. Exercise is like my kryptonite, lol. Grrr

Although Mexico is the cheapest alternative for self-pay, many people are still having issues with aftercare. Also, if a Mexican doctor screws up or defrauds you somehow it is practically impossible to seek legal action against them. This is not to scare you or dismiss Mexican doctors, but something to think about. There are inexpensive options in the U.S. There is a doctor in Denver who charges $9,900 for the surgery and a group of physicians in Detroit who charge $10,700. Both of those doctors offer financing options as well. I've also heard about doctors in Texas and on the west coast charging around 12k. This may seem like a lot, but like I said there are financing options. No one can tell you what to do, that's really something you're going to have to decide for yourself based on your own personal priorities and level of comfort. Just make sure you do a lot of research on whatever surgeon you choose, foreign or domestic.

I am not on the same pre-op diet as you, but I know a really good way to make some delicious veggies! Cut up some onions and bell peppers (I use the green ones, but I don't think it matters) into thin strips and fry them with some steak seasoning. I usually use olive oil, but if you can't then just use a non-stick skillet. This is REALLY good, trust me. Another thing is broiled asparagus. Just stick some asparagus on a foil-lined cookie sheet and drizzle with olive oil (if you can, otherwise still good without it) and then add a dash of salt and pepper. If you can't use salt, use minced garlic instead. Another good thing to do is to make tomato mozzarella salad sans the mozzarella. Just cut up tomatoes into slices, drizzle with balsamic vinegar and olive oil (once again, if you can have it), add a dash of salt and pepper and top with fresh basil. DELICIOUS. So those are my favorites. Hope I helped.

Hooray! This post had me laughing my butt off! "My kids bugged out" ha ha. I'm also happy that you're having so much fun with the vicodin! Lol Thanks for the reassurance as far as the hospital goes. That makes me feel a lot better. Once again, I am SO HAPPY that everything went so smoothly for you. Ha, I love Arizona! It hadn't even occurred to me that I could still drink that post-surgery. Yay! Oh I didn't know that you had a lesion on your spleen, I'm glad that you didn't have to have it removed or operated on, I know from experience with family members that splenectomies are bad news. Do you get to have Protein drinks tomorrow or does your doctor want you on Clear liquids all week? Anyway, I have to go so I can google "fundus." Lol

Jenny, yeah you're an inch taller than me and I suspect I'll be looking rather thin at 180, so I bet you'll be one hot woman at 165! Ha ha, actually, I just can't wait until I feel healthy again and fit into normal size clothes. Everything beyond that is just icing on the cake!

Texas: I guarantee you that most of us have had our little fantasies about being thin and shoving it in the faces of the people who mistreated us because of our weight. I'm positive you're not alone :sneaky: Mommy: Ditto on #2! I am only 22 and healthy as a horse, but I have gone to SO MANY doctors for various things not related to my weight just to hear them talk about how I need to lose some weight. I always wanted to say "No sht sherlock!" I also love how doctors accuse obesity for being the cause of EVERY fat person's ailment. I have a story about that actually. A few years ago I broke my ankle when I fell and didn't realize it so I continued to walk on it causing it to heal badly and actually grow a piece of bone that was digging into my tendons and nerves. Anyway, I went to the doctor a couple years after I broke it because I was having a lot of pain in my ankle and at the time I didn't know that this was why. So what did the doctor say? I have ankle pain because I am overweight and it will subside if I lose weight. This diagnosis made me so angry and I thought that it was so stupid because only one of my ankles was giving me problems. It also didn't help me with the crippling ankle pain I was dealing with at the time. How the heck am I supposed to lose weight if I can hardly walk? Anyway, I took it upon myself to schedule an appointment with an orthopedic surgeon and almost cried when he showed me the xray of my ankle and proved that it was in fact a legitimate non-fat related problem ...but I digress.

Noor, I have some useful information for you as to why the Australians have experienced more complications that us. Read what Dr. Watkins writes in this forum: http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f78/lap-band-erosion-46721/ I think you will find that information helpful. To paraphrase Dr. Watkins, he says that they used to install the Lap Band a bit differently and it would cause a lot more complications than we see today. Complications are definitely something to be aware of when making your decision, but you should also realize that there have been advancements in the technique of the surgery as well. As far as the nutrition information, I'm sure one of the coordinators at Great Lakes would be happy to give it to you before you scheduled your surgery if you asked. If you don't want to go that route, you can pm me with your email address and I can forward it to you, I have it in pdf form I think. Are you wondering what happens when you eat the wrong foods immediately after being banded or in the long-term? Immediately after being banded you run the risk of slippage or other complications, but it is only a risk. Some people have followed the post-op diet to a T and had several complications while others started eating solids right after surgery and were fine. As for the long-term there isn't much you can't eat that will harm your band. My doctor has very few restrictions in the long term except carbonated beverages. However, it is heavily recommended that you eat Protein first and then vegetables during your meals, lest you become malnourished! There are also plenty of foods that you will not be able to tolerate, but that is different for everyone, so it's sort of a trial and error. If you are worried that you are not going to be able to stay away from your favorite foods it's ok, you will probably still be able to eat most of them, just less of them. And if you can't, most people say they don't miss them at all or they develop new favorites. Noor, it is my understanding that most people (but not all) have very few problems with their bands. I've also read many times that even those who had complications do not regret getting their band. There are two forums here in the support-groups section one is called "Complications," and the other is called "Life After Lap-Band Removal" that can you give you more information about what happens when things go wrong. It is a BIG decision. I understand that, and I think it is very wise of you to educate yourself and consider things before you make that decision. I know that losing weight on my own was not something I am very successful at and so my options were to stay obese or do something about it. I personally chose the Lapband because it is cheaper and less invasive than the other forms of bariatric surgery and it is also reversible if need be. Hope this didn't seem too long-winded, just wanted to share with you what I know. My surgery is less than a week away I will keep you updated with the process.