happy2lose

My advice to you is to get your aftercare lined up before you have surgery. I had surgery in Mexicali Mexico and was very pleased with the care I received. I return to Mexico for my fills since it is only a 2-3 hour drive but I do have aftercare here as well but my coverage here doesn't provide for fills under fluoroscopy. You do realize there is civil unrest in the Tijuana area? I'm sure the surgeons there are great but I would be concerned about the violence. Consider going to Mexicali instead. Mexicali does not have the violence that has been reported in the Tijuana area and you can get transportation to and from the San Diego airport. Either way, I'm sure you will be very happy with the Mexico surgeons. Donna

You are very welcome! The band works great when used properly. The more you exercise the quicker you will lose in my experience. Work hard and you will see the rewards, Donna

Me too! I was given the go ahead at 6 months to re-start my prophylactic 81 mg aspirin but no other NSAIDS.

In my tactless way this is what I am trying to tell you. If you have expectations of people, they will let you down all the time. You are doing the right thing and depending on your level of commitment you will see fantastic results. If you need support, send me a message and I will be all over it! Donna

I can only imagine how frustrating it is for you all who take months to find restriction. I was very fortunate to have restriction after my first fill. I lost my first 39 pounds without any restriction with just good ol' will power but it was tough. All I can tell ya is walk, walk, walk.

You need to remember that you are doing this for you and don't need anybody to reinforce your decision to get healthy. Don't have any expectations of anybody and you wont be disappointed. You already have your husbands support, why would you need support from anybody else?

I too have a fear of my port moving. Because of this fear I have avoided sit ups and ab crunches. I work out at the gym 4-5 days each week for about and hour and ride my bike but I need to do something that focus on my stomach. My surgeon gave me the green light on sit ups but I'm still very much afraid. I know it is all in my head.

You should research and consider the sleeve procedure instead of the band. It works on the same principle as the band, but it's permanent.

I asked my pcp to change my capsule meds to pill form which he gladly did for me.

Congratulations to you! You begin your new life with a thinner healthier mentality and with your excitement and enthusiasm, I'm sure you will be very successful. Donna

I don't sneeze I hiccup. Very painful hiccups.

I had my surgery in Mexico and the surgeon used the older generation 10cc Allergen band. This band only holds 4cc of saline. I was really concerned when I first realized that I had the older style band but now I am very happy I do. I began losing weight immediately and with every fill I've had felt great restriction. I now have 2.98cc (after 3 fills). I wonder if your surgeon used too large a band for you? It is hard to understand why soooo many people with the newer generation bands can't seem to get restriction with them. I would be sure to question your doctor about this. Ask if it is possible that your band is just too large for you. Best of luck, Donna

Very normal......liquid in = liquid out! My surgeon warned me of this ahead of time so that I had Imodium on hand. Be sure you stay well hydrated.

Most if not all insurance companies require the six month supervised diet and some require you to lose 10% of your weight during the six months.

I don't have the Walmart bottle with me at work right now but I'll check the ingredients when I get home tonight. Thanks Kiz

Way to go!

I just bought a new bottle at Walmart and they don't work. I'm gonna go back to Henry's Market where I bought this first bottle and get more of them. The brand is Natural Factors and they work great!

I felt the same way during my 2 weeks of Clear liquids. I kept asking myself, why did I do this? I can tell you that this is the WORST part and soon you will be on your way to a leaner, healthier person. Don't cheat! You will regret it. Just try to drink more Water to fill your stomach. Yes, you will still be hungry but it is so worth it! Donna

You had better call your doctor immediately. Dehydration is very frightening. I was just recently hospitalized because I passed out from dehydration. I thought I was dying.

RE: Papaya Enzymes Contents: Papain (from papaya) Bromelain (from pineapple) Amylase Amia, powdered (gooseberry) And the bottle reads: Supports digestion, Papain and Bromelain act to break down Proteins into various amino acids. Amylase breaks down carbohydrates. Amia (gooseberry) supports enzymatic activity. Hope this info. helps all of you, Donna

It really is a bad idea to cheat on your post-op diet. It can cause you problems later on if you do. Your stitches inside can be torn from the stomach churning during digestion causing a slip later. Your still healing on the inside from surgery. Don't do anything that you will regret later.

Hello carbgrl, I have a Curves membership. It's circuit training & resistance training. It's pretty cool because I have a really short attention span so changing gears every 30 seconds is awesome for me. I also use 5lb weights. Curves has what they call the Smart workout. It is computerized and increases in difficulty periodically. It also tells you how you are working each muscle group and calories burned. The owner at the one I go to has lost 140 pounds and is a great inspiration to me. I get all the support I need from people who work there and workout there. I've made some great friends. I also love to ride my bicycle. I love to challenge myself with new and difficult hills each time. I take shorter rides on the weekdays but at least one day of the weekend my husband and I take really long rides. Sometimes we leave from our house, other times we throw the bikes in the back of the truck and go to the beach to ride or nearby bike trails. Donna

I have been really bad this week since I haven't felt well but, normally I workout at the gym for 45 minutes 5 times per week and ride my bicycle 4-6 hours per week. I just got a fill so I'm hoping I will start losing a little quicker.

Be sure to get some papaya enzymes. I keep a bottle in my purse and at home with all my pills. They don't always work but most of the time they do. Glad you are feeling better. Unfortunately, trial and error is the only way you will learn what you can tolerate. Donna

Walmart has them. I'm so sorry for you. I know it hurts. Has it stopped now? I too learned the hard way. Can't eat any bread or tortillas.