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adokes

LAP-BAND Patients
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Posts posted by adokes


  1. I decided to have weight loss surgery because I just couldn't loose the weight on my own. My highest weight was 291 lbs. and a BMI of 45.

    In August after lots of research and questions I decided to have my surgery in Mexico with Dr. Kelly. I put my deposit down on August 14, 2010 and started making plans. My surgery was sheduled for November 19, 2010.

    Started my pre-op diet on November 10th and that included yogurt, sugar free Jello, broth, and Protein Shakes. Ten whole days of only liquids! I didn't think I would be able to do it but guess what I did do it! I never cheated once! Everyone was so supportive and really encouraging. There were days when I daydreamed about ribs and nights when I dreamed about hamburgers. It got easier by the Wednesday before surgery thank goodness.

    November 18th and I was all packed and ready to go. I was not not allowed to eat or drink anything after midnight that night. My flight was scheduled to fly out at 6:00am to San Diego, California where I would be picked up by my patient coordinator and then driven to Tijuana, Mexico.

    My flight was great and I arrived in San Diego at 9:45am or so and called Laurie my patient coordinator to let her know I was there. Once Laurie arrived she introduced me to three patience that where on there way back home after having their surgery. It was nice to meet actual patience that had gone through this process.

    Next we traveled across the border to Tijuana and went straight to the hospital and got settled in our rooms. I met Dr. Kelly and he asked if I had any questions. He speaks perfect english and answered all my questions. All the nurses are super nice and polite but don't speak any english. I didn't really have any communication problems with any of them.

    After that they did an echocardio gram to check my heart, then a chest x-ray, drew blood, checked my vitals, and put my IV in. Finally, I was wheeled down to surgery and then I was out. Next thing I remember I was waking up and was trying to throw up a little into the bed pan. Then I went right back to sleep.

    Finally woke up enough to access what I had done and then pretty much slept the rest of Friday. I was able to get up on my own and use the rest room sometime in the middle of the night. Saturday, I was able to get up and walk the hall several times then I slept off and on.

    Sunday morning, November 21st, I got up and took a shower and walked the halls again. Then Dr. Kelly came in checked me over, then removed the drainage tube and my IV. Next I was taken down to have my Berrium leak test done. That stuff is soooo gross but it is something that has to be done and I did it. YUCK! The leak test was good and they gave me a copy of the images of my new small stomach.

    After the leak test we checked out of the hospital and they took us to a hotel where we were able to eat some chicken broth. Now remember I had not had anything to eat or drink since Thursday at 10pm and it was now Sunday afternoon. That chicken broth tasted so good but I was only able to eat about 8 spoonfuls of it and took the rest to my hotel room.

    I was not in any pain by the way and was able to use the restroom and walk with no help from anyone. Dr. Kelly came to the hotel to talk to us about taking our medications and follow up care. My patient coordinator, Laurie, came to my room and chatted with my for about an hour and then we made plans as to when we would leave the next morning for the airport.

    Monday, November 22nd, we crossed the border with no problems of course and the wait was only about 35 minutes long so we got to the airport earlier than expected. My flight back to Houston was no problem at all; I had been worried it would be painful but I slept most the way back.

    Finally got home to my house about 7:30pm and got to hug my family, which was awesome.

    Check out my pictures below.

    That was my experience, if you have any questions please feel free to ask!

    Thanks,

    Amanda

    post-33580-13813667781255_thumb.jpg Go to San Diego

    post-33580-13813667782534_thumb.jpg Me on the plane

    post-33580-13813667783257_thumb.jpg Outside INT hospital

    post-58020-13813667784667_thumb.jpg My bed and room at Hospital

    post-3718-13813667784517_thumb.jpg Me almost ready for surgery

    post-29756-13813667786193_thumb.jpg My bed after surgery

    post-43821-13813667785306_thumb.jpg Me after surger

    Getting ready to cross the border from Mexico to the USA.

    post-3432-13813656049217_thumb.jpg

    post-3432-13813656051656_thumb.jpg

    post-3432-13813656054107_thumb.jpg

    post-3432-13813656056482_thumb.jpg

    post-3432-13813656058978_thumb.jpg

    post-3432-13813656061389_thumb.jpg

    post-3432-13813656063854_thumb.jpg

    post-3432-138136560662_thumb.jpg

    post-3432-13813656068701_thumb.jpg


  2. My best friend(s) after surgery were a little travel pillow for the car and airplane, a soft, flat pillow to lay under my tummy so i could lay on my side when sleeping and a heating pad, it felt so good on my incisions when I was awake during the day. The heating pad was better than pain meds, which after leaving the hospital, I only took before bedtime...and only took the first week! Good luck!!!

    Thanks for the ideas NtvTxn. I am getting a little travel pillow for sure for the flight back to Houston. I am making a list of things to take with me and I appreciate the help.

    Amanda


  3. Besides the normal ones, shopping in the regular clothes, no more meds for health issues...

    1) buying a bra at Victoria Secrets and pushing the girls back up where they belong.

    2) coughing and not having to cross my legs. The mommy cough as my friends call it.

    3) not having to worry about camel toe when I wear pants.

    What are you looking forward to?

    I am looking forward to the following:

    1. Walking through a restaurant without picking out a path first because I can't fit between chairs.

    2. Playing softball with my daughter

    3. Being able to walk into any store and start shopping without having to ask were the "PLUS" sizes are.

    4. Sitting in a chair and crossing my legs.

    I will be sleeved on November 19th. :clap2:


  4. Hi all,

    I hade my surgery at 10 am on Monday and I just got back home from the clinic. Monday is a daze, pain and sickness which was both quickly medicated against. Had trouble finding a comfortable position in the bed, but dozed off everynow and then anyway. Tuesday morning we where moved into our private rooms with extremely comfortable massage-beds and tv - felt like heaven. Tuesday was also a day focused on sipping; Water, juice and drink yoghurts, sip, sip, sip...I had a lot of heartburn and acid reflux, but got both tablets and fluids for that. Had a good nights sleep last night and after a shower this morning, I felt like a whole new person! Apart from acic reflux, I feel great!

    I'm so relieved that all has gone so well so far, I can only hope it stays this way.

    Congratulations on your sleeve. Glad you posted your experience, I am getting sleeved on November 19th, so I am reading as much as I can.

    Keep us up to date on how you are doing.

    Amanda :high5:


  5. So I had my surgery yesterday 10-22-10, and today 10-23-10 I am back home and pretty comfortable. I didn't have a leak (yay!) and have been really working hard on getting all my liquids in. Now it finally makes sense when people post that it is hard to get all their liquids in. lol It is HARD because you only have an ounce of liquid every 15-20 minutes, and sometimes you doze off waiting for 15 min. and then wake up and try to make up for lost time. I definitely cannot drink fast and my tummy is gurgling all the time. At least the gas that they gave me during the operation is only coming out in burp form. But still the burps aren't fun. I have not thrown up anything (yet) but have felt waves of nausea sometimes after drinking. Then the wave pass, and i burp some more and get more comfortable.

    I still have a drain in...ick. But never had to have a catheter, so that was good.

    Thank you so much for all of you who were thinking of me. This board is truly a source of comfort and support. I don't know what I would do without it!

    Congrats, I am glad you posted your experience on here. It helps those of us who are on here to learn.


  6. Hello I am back from Tijuana 4 days post op and very tired it is 3:00 am right now. I will tell you as much as I can right now, but if you have any questions please ask more I would like to help many people with their journey. I actually had surgery with a better surgeon named Dr. Ramos Kelly, I liked both Lopez and Kelly but early on I was told that Kelly was not going to be an option. Kelly last minute about a week before surgery became an option, I jumped on the opportunity and I am so grate full for it. If you compare the way he performs the procedures compared to how American doctors do it, you will see the exact same method. He has great bed side manner, he was very caring, and he put my nerves away very quickly by going over everything with his calm and cool confidence. I remember researching doctors for years on several sites, and I always see people posting that their doctors would see them for 10 minutes before the surgery and that would be it. Dr. Kelly was there everyday constantly asking me questions and making me ask him questions and he even came to my hotel a few minutes before I was about to leave, just to say good bye, good luck, and that if he was in my area of Florida he might check me up. Dr. Kelly is a down to earth guy who is very understanding to his patients. I got out of the surgery 4 days of good care, great hard working nurses that don't speak English but they know what they are doing. All the Doctors I saw speak very good English, and if you need a translator or go between there is a very nice woman named Trish who will pretty much bend over backwards for you no matter if you ask for it or not. Going to Tijuana was very scary but from the moment you get there you meet this nice man named Ricardo who is very lively and animated, he is the driver. He showed me and my companion around Tijuana before going to the hospital, my impression of the hospital is mixed, yes its a little small, but it is very clean and very nice especially compared to some of these clinics that some people go too. I also had my final leak test performed at Hospital Angeles in Tijuana, another hospital Dr. Kelly is connected with and I really liked that place, probably out of most people's price range but I was impressed. I stayed at this nice hotel called the Baja Inn that has great Mexican food which I have taken pictures of, but I wasn't hungry just would have liked to get a taste. I would really like to go to Tijuana one day when I get better, the place is covered with great food everywhere from fresh sliced up fruit, and freshly grilled steak tacos. I will post my Tijuana pictures in my profile some where and maybe even a blog, but you should get a look at them to get an idea for yourself.:glare:

    I just found out I am having my surgery with Dr. Kelly on November 19th so I am glad to hear you had a great experience with him. I am getting nervous and excited at the same time.

    ADokes


  7. I too am having my surgery in Nov, at OOC with Dr. Ortiz. I am doing my surgery week of Thanksgiving.. I have been on this site daily readying everything I can. I almost changed surgeons but decided to stick with Dr. Ortiz, he seems the most qualified. It is such a tough decision. I am ready to do it now , I hate having to wait. I love readying everyones post, there is sooooo much support on these forums its amazing.. Good luck and I hope to keep up with your success..

    Hi I am having my sleeve surgery the Friday before Thanksgiving. I will be in Tijuana with Dr. Lopez.< /p>

    Let's update each other on how we are doing. We can encourage each other as well.

    Good luck with everything!

    AD


  8. I'm having surgery with Dr. Martin Lopez on sept 21st, when are you having yours?

    Mine is November 19th. Please update me when you do have your surgery and let me know how it goes. I am excited to have the surgery and can't wait. Good luck with everything and please send updates. Thanks.:thumbup1:


  9. How long has it been since your surgery? Did you fly home after the surgery? If so, do you have any advice for me. I will be flying on a nonstop (thank goodness) from San Diego to Houston.

    How much weight do you want to lose? I want to lose 120 to 130 lbs. and can't wait to have my surgery so I can get starter.

    Thanks for the help,

    AD


  10. Thank you for all the great information. I have written it down so that I can make sure to remember everything.

    I went to your blogspot and read your blogs. Very interesting to read and I am going to keep reading it to see how you are doing.

    So in a month you have lost 23 lbs? That is really good. Do you still get hunger pains?

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