coltonwade

This is also not a fair comparison for a few reasons. for one doctors over seas ( not just in mexico ) have been doing the surgery for a few yrs longer than docs in the US , lap band was approved in the US in 2001 .So they docs over seas have had longer to aquire more "experience" Also Quantity does not always mean Quality . Granted not to say that docs in Mexico are not experienced and good docs. But its not really fair to make a statement like that and not qualify that docs in the US Also HAVE EXPERIENCE and are trained competent professionals as well .. In fact My doc was trained by a Mexico doc.Just my input. Mindy

<br /> <br /> Exactly . I am not one of those people that think because i was banded in the US that everyone should be or because I WASNT banded in Mexico NO ONe should be. However, I will NOT tell anyone " YOU SHOULD go here or you SHOULD go there" because if i did and some thing were to happen to that person I would NEVER forgive myself. So i am one that tends to just give info on both and let that person choose for themselves. I dont think its right to push one way or another. I think its best to give UNBIASED info for both and let that person make the choice. I could never live with myself if someone went to a doc and something happened to them based on my recommendation . That is including my doc . I do recommend my doc but i want people to check out all options and i tell them that as well. Mindy

Have you tried making a meat loaf ? I have had that a few times and it goes down fine , still have to make sure that it is chewed well. But i put veggies in it as well. also those frozen meat balls you get at the grocery store. I eat those some times with Gravy or tomatoe sauce on them with veggies. Also i have made hamburger patties with no bread. Now steak type meats i have tried a few times and like you get impatient with the meat. I have made pot roast in the crock pot, With that those , if its the butt roast and its striny , you have to cut it up into small pieces of it can get stuck .. anyway just a few ideas thought i might help with ?? Mindy

Welcome , this place is great. Im curious as well to why the recliner and why is your tail bone sore ? Your doing great so far. I too have to set small mini goals for myself. I stay motivated that way . I have 3 more pounds to loose to meet my mini goal to get into ONEderland (into the 100's ) by thanksgiving. I gotta hurry LOL I was also nervous about my first fill but its a breeze. my doc doesnt even numb me. Its no biggie. But I cant say dont worry , you will be nervous about it then you will be sitting here like me telling another newbie not to worry ! Good luck your doing great so far. Mindy

First off , take a deep breathe, it will be ok. I went through this about 3 days post op . the hunger issues will get better. Most of this is probably related to banster hell ! You have no restriction right now ( if you have not had a fill) and once you get some restriction the hunger will get better. Every time i feel hunger I stop and think " when was the last time i ate" what did i eat, how long after I ate did I drink . Sort of replay the rules in my head. THEN I ask myself, am i bored, emotional. Bascially ask myself am I REALLY Hungry . I can have up to 5-6 meals a day . SO when I do have a "snack" i make the right choices. Im sitting here now eating wheat thins. If your on soilds now track your calories and make sure your eating enough , If you dont see a counselor already it might be a good idea. This is not easy . you might need someone to help you along the way . Good luck you can do this. Im going to read your journal now LOL Love Mindy

It may be gas pressure . Are you taking or have you tried taking any Gas X strips ? Theones that dissolve when you put them in your mouth ? That is probably what it is . but i would call your doc just to make sure. Its better safe than sorry . Also make sure the vitamins are small enough . Are the chewables ? HTH . Mindy

will you be up to solids by thanksgiving day ? If so stick to soft, moist things until your sure. If you think about it though most "traditional" thanksgiving meals are pretty soft foods , probably why they are so bad for us LOL Mindy

aww sorry i read it wrong. My only advice is if it gets to the point where you think your too tight you probably are. I waited and waited , probably too long try to wait it out . Now i think i need a fill again LOL But want to wait until after the holidays. Sounds like your doing better which is good Good luck Mindy

I just went through this myself. Only i didnt have problems early on like it seems you have. I didnt have problems until i got to solids. I couldnt keep solids down. So be very careful . Dont keep it to tight too long to try to ride it out . If your doc thought you were too tight in the beginning you probably were ? Thats just my input. Its not fun to keep it tight Let us know how your doing . Mindy

I did not have to do a clear liquid diet before surgery , how ever I do have to do 6 days of liquids , 3 days of mushies and 3 days of semi soilds after every fill and I loose a pretty good amount of weight after that and it doesnt come back. If that's any indication. On average I loose about a pound a DAY post fills for those 6 days So i have had 2 fills so thats 12 pounds that hasnt come back LOL Mindy

I tried crushing my pills at first and NOT HAVING it . :sick I take wellbutrin that is about the size of an M&M I could probably swallow it with out a problem but I chose to cut it in half to make sure i dont have any problems . I take another pill for my migraines that are the size of a birth control pill and I swallow those whole. Anything over the size of my wellburtin i cut. or like Tylenol i take Liquid tylenol or the meltaways I dont take any chances Mindy

not a stupid question at all. My doc says no straws . In fact I had to ask the same question because I could not remember what he said. He said no straws ever again . They can put air into your stomach. I dont have any issues drinking fast either. I know some people that say they cant gulp Water or chug anymore, I Can if I wanted. you just have to watch it and take small sips. I actually stopped drinking from a straw before banding because I found that i drank MORE and faster when I did use one. So just work on the drinking it comes with practice. Good luck Mindy

The problem also isnt with just the issue I had. It is also drinking after eating can wash the food through the stoma too quickly and cause hunger to onset sooner than needed. Also over time it can stretch the pouch . I think I got that right ?? LOL Mindy

Ok today has been 4 months since I got my band so i thought I would finally get up the nerve to post pics in here. I started at 250 and I am 203 now. I am SO CLOSE To ONEderland I can taste it , I want to be there before Thanksgiving . So here I go ( She says hiding LOL) First pic 250 Second 223 Third 209 Last (Taken today ) 203 Not the best pics. but Im working on it . Mindy

If im at a restaurant i drink up until my meal comes then when the food comes I ask the waiter to either take my drink or I ask for a to go cup . I put my drink in the cup and take it with me to drink when the hour is up . After what happened the one time i drank after eating I will NEVER Do it again. It scared the sh*t out of me . Mindy

Your welcome. No you wont eat too much from the unfill. Your not doing yourself any good by doing things the way they are now. What good is the band when it slips due to PBing too much ? That is one way to look at it ? I do however understand your fear , i tried to "ride it out" myself as long as I could I kept thinking, It will get better, its stress" but it didnt. Things are alot better now . I am allowed to eat up to 6 small meals aday . And I will tell you before i was not eating enough . So I eat when im hungry , I do check myself and make sure " Am i eating because im bored or because im HUNGRY . When im hungry i eat . Which usually ends up being 4-5 times a day and I am fine . There are times when I might have an hour that i need to tide me over because its too soon to eat , so i drink Water and that helps . But I NEVER Go for 2 or more hours of being SO HUNGRY i cant stand it. I have never had to do that. Feel free to PM me if you like. Good luck Mindy

San Antonio TX . Dr Jorge Rincon Click my Sig line for his website for info Mindy

Be very careful drinking when your eating , especially right after you take bites. This is how i PB'ed the first time and I am not kidding I literally felt like I was suffocating. The liquid made the food expand in my stoma because it was not all the way down yet and I am not kidding ya'll I felt like i was choking. It was THE MOST painful experience i have ever had. My husband came running in and was about to do the Heimlich on me SO I would NOT Advice drinking , Especially RIGHT after taking a bite !!! I drink right up until the meal , that helps cut down on the suden dehydration feeling . HTH Mindy

Pbing freaks me out too . I am betting it was the texture. good luck Mindy

have you had trouble with anything else ? it could be the consitantcy of the nuggets or it could mean you are too tight ? you said you felt very hungry , did you wait too long to eat ? maybe you ate faster than you thought you did ? I eat faster than I should when i get hungry . Your hunger might be head hunger. if your having problems with solids you need to call your doc you might be too tight. Also my doc recommends 24 hours of liquids after you PB . HTH Mindy

the best thing you can do is research . Dont base your choice on price alone. There are good docs in the US and Good docs in Mexico . BUT There are bad docs in the US and Bad docs in Mexico. I dont think that this surgery is something that you can Bargain shop for . That's just my input Mindy

Congrats, where were you banded ? Make sure your very careful when you start off on solids . make sure ya follow the rules . Your doing great so far . Good luck Mindy

I heard "muffin top " from a friend the other day and I about fell on the floor laughing . I was explaing to her that I needed to buy a larger size jeans that i really needed due to the skin/fat on my waist . and it still bunched up and she said " OH you have a muffin top " I said WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT " LMAO She explained it to me . I had no idea there was a name for it Mindy :faint:

I had an apron before being banded, Im SURE it has alot of fat in it as well. But it was there prior to surgery due to my kids. It has gotten worse , I have lost almost 50 lbs now . The other day i was putting my hair in a pony tail and looked over and almost threw up , my arms , no kidding seemingly over night have developed hanging skin bat wings if you will. I am not sure if i would have gotten these or not but i lost nearly 30 lbs last month alone . I have a feeling that has something to do with it ? I am HORRIFIED. I really did not want the arm surgery the scar is so bad looking . I think i thought because of my age i wouldnt need it ? So much for that LMAO SO i think I answered your questions. BUT I DO plan on having a tummy tuck , boob job and apprantly now my arms, I will have what ever plastics i need LMAO MIndy

I have had PCOS for a very long time . I got pregnant with my first son at 16 and did not know i was pregnant until i was almost 5 months pregnant because I did not have a period for those 5 months. Most people would yell BS but im sure ya'll understand that LOL I cant take BC pills due to migraines. So i only have periods if i induce them with provera and that i only do 4 times a yr due to horrible hormonal migraine. Since being banded in July I have had a period every month . I have not been regular in nearly 15 yrs . Even when i WAS THIN . So its rather odd for me and really something I could live with out LOL Mindy