... or, It Only Hurts When I Laugh.

(Warning: this will probably be long.)

First, I have to say that this board helped me get through the first few days of banding. Before I went into the hospital, I read a lot of old posts about pain, the joys of the liquid diet, etc. -- and that heating pad suggestion was great.

I was banded by Dr. Roberto Rumbaut in Monterrey on August 26. There were at least three other women having the surgery on the same day; we kept seeing each other in the hotel lobby, at the medical testing facility, and at Rumbaut's office. While this did make me feel like I was on an assembly line, I grudgingly admit that this is not a bad thing. The docs here have routines and procedures in place, based on long experience.

Dr. R's patients stay at the Hampton Inn, your basic Americanized corporate motel. If you’re looking for local charm, you're out of luck. But the staff are very helpful, especially the van drivers, and the place has all the mod cons we Yanks are used to, including internet connections and HBO.

Dr. Rumbaut and his staff were great. Easy to talk to, answered all my questions. Dr. R had two assistants – medical residents, I think – talk to me a couple of times in the hospital. One of them explained the best way for me to take the take-home pain medication (crush it into small pieces) and assured me that the worst was over. After the surgery, he also gave me a tour of my abdominal cuts: liver retractor goes here, port goes here, band was placed through here, etc. I was grateful for the information, although I could have done without the prolonged look at my iodine-yellow belly!

The nurses were all sweet and competent; our US medical staff could learn a lot from them. Best of all, the IV in my hand, which I had been dreading because of my past two experiences, was practically painless. She gave me a local anesthetic, then in went the needle, perfectly placed the first time.

What would I do differently? Well, I wouldn't go alone. Two friends offered to go with me, but the last-minute airfares were awfully high, and I thought they'd be bored senseless, so I demurred. Probably a dumb move! I also would have stayed in the hotel an extra night; I flew home less than 48 hours after being banded, and while the flight wasn't as uncomfortable as I expected (and Mexicana has pretty long seat belts), I was very weak and had to rely on the kindness of strangers for help with my light luggage.

Now it's Monday. I've been banded for four days, am doing fine on the liquid diet since I have no appetite, and worked half a day today (although I had to push my chair back into a reclining position while at my desk). My belly is extremely sore, especially near the cuts on the left side. And thank you, everyone, who warned us newbies about gas pain! Mine is pretty much gone, but those first two days were rough.

I had ovarian surgery years ago, so I knew that abdominal incisions dictate shoes that don't need tying or buckling, no socks, free-flowing clothes without waistbands, and big baggy underwear, if any. (I'm mentioning this for the benefit of anyone who's going to be banded and hasn't thought about recovery clothes.)

Of course it's too early to make grand proclamations, but right now, even as I shift position to get my big yellow belly comfortable, I have no regrets. My only caveat to American patients regards language. Dr. Rumbaut and his staff speak fluent English, and most of the hospital nurses speak some, but you might be frustrated if you think you can rely on Dr. R’s phrase chart to help you through all situations. I speak Spanish, and my stay was made much easier because I could communicate exactly what I wanted -- especially when it came time for pain meds! Maybe I’m selling the nurses short, but every time I forgot & started muttering in English, I was met with looks of kindly incomprehension. (Of course, I *was* pretty stoned.)

That's all for now. I've lost a few pounds already... maybe Water, but I'll take it. Thanks again for your support. You have created a valuable resource here.

Hey Zoe, I would Love Love a picture of your inscisions because we have the same doctor so I know mine will pretty much look the same. But if you dont want to send them I totally understand. I am so glad you are feeling better. Did you go into the computer room at the hospital. I also might bring my lap top so I can be on here in my room the night before I am really going to need you guys!!!

I have read these post for several days now and wanted to say that it has helped out a lot.. I read all about things that I might of had questions on and always seemed to find the answer here.. and there are so many nice and caring people out here I think thats great.. I was banded on Aug 13th yes Friday the 13th I know what most of you might be thinking that you would wait and do it the day after or the day before.. but any how I did it on that day down in Mexico Dr. Gonzalez is my Dr. and he and the staff were just great and cause I chose to do it on the 13th I had the whole floor almost to my self.. boy was I spoiled.. I went back last week to have my stitches removed and my first fill I stepped on the scale in his office and was 16lbs lighter than before the surgery but now my one question is do you all have Water weight gain when you are going to start you period and is there anything that I can take to get rid of some of this water...

well thats all I really have to say for now.. I hope that one of you might have the answer for me..

thank you...

avoid all salt, it makes you retain water, drink more water, it helps your kidney's function more efficiently, then they will draw additional fluids out. There are some otc pms meds that take care of bloat, but I'm not sure it's something you can take once banded, better ask a doc about that one. I wouldn't want you to go from bloated to dehydrated.

Hi everyone -- Jemigirl, I could pack on 10 lbs. of Water just before my period, and due to my weight I tend to get swollen ankles and feet any day of the month. You've been banded two weeks longer than I have. For what it's worth, my feet have not been puffed up at all since my salt intake dropped to almost zero on the post-band liquid diet. I've lost nine pounds, and I suspect a lot of it was water. Pam offered some good advice: drink more water & avoid salt.

Sheeanisland, a surgeon friend of mine (brain, not belly) wants to see my incisions ASAP out of bizarre professional curiosity, so I will hand her a digital camera this weekend and let her do her worst. But note the exchange between Pam and Leatha in this thread; other bandsters have posted their photos too, so you can have a wide range of bruises to check out! As for computer access in Monterrey, I don't remember anything about a computer room in the hospital and probably couldn't have used it anyway because I was so dopey. However, the Hampton Inn has a computer room/business center with a few PCs, and each room has a high-speed connection; the front desk can supply a cable if you don't have one. Don't worry, we will be here for you!

Thanks Zoe,

I am still trying to figure all this stuff out but I can tell you that I dont take in a lot of salt and been watching what I eat.. I think that its just my period but its frustrating when you know that the scale has not moved all week.. but on the brighter side the scale has not moved all week.. it could have went up..

Jemigirl, start looking at the "sodium content" on foods you eat. You'll be surprised how much is added, especially prepackaged, frozen, and canned foods. I haven't cooked w/ additional salt for years, but I still get plenty. Again, that miracle cure, "Water", helps flush out that sodium, too!