Hello All,

Well I had my revision on Thursday with Dr Ortiz and his staff. I must say I was totally blown away by he and all his staff. They were exceptional. As long as you know nothing will happen on time you will be extremely happy if you should go with them. The facilities are very clean and everyone was very knowledgable. I am glad I went to him.

The surgery itself went very well. Revision surgeries take longer since they have to remove any scar tissue and the old band. But I now have an entirely new band - the LapBand and the port is now in my side instead of on my sternum.

I don't have any fill yet and the doctor will not give me a fill for eight weeks since a revision causes a significant amount of trauma to the stomach. He doesn't want to traumatize the stomach any further until it has had plenty of time to heal. Getting a fill too soon my cause another slippage and he said he doesn't like replacing them a third time so I need to take care! I don't plan on doing this again so I'll follow his rules!

They didn't start me out with any fill in my band (like they normally do) so unfortunately all the liquids I'm drinking now are going RIGHT THROUGH ME and I'm starving every hour which is a pain but well worth the trouble of having a properly fitted band. I haven't suffered any acid reflux since the surgery so I take that as a very good sign!

I am sore but the majority of my pain is in my shoulders from the gas they used for the surgery. Getting up and down are pretty painful though. But just sitting doesn't hardly hurt at all. I find this surgery was more painful than my first band surgery.

Question for those of you recently banded:

Do any of you remember if Swiss Miss chocolate mix (that you mix with water) is allowed the first few days? I had some today (my third day) and I am wondering if that's alright. My first band doctor said it was and I can't get a hold of the nutritionist until Monday, so I thought I'd see what you all have to say here.

So some additional news I'm very excited about...

I'm getting a lower body lift this September 8th by Dr Quiros! It is only $5700 which is far less than I had anticipated - because I don't have nearly as much skin as some do, so prices vary from person to person. I am beyond excited to finally be getting some plastic surgery. I won't wear shorts because my legs sag and I have no butt and my belly looks like an 80 year old's! This is a major step for me in my "final transformation." I know it'll leave a scar, but a scar is WAY better then hanging skin - even though its not that much skin.

I asked Dr Ortiz if it was okay to get plastic surgery so soon and he said it shouldn't be any problem. So yippee!!!! I am so excited. Next I'm getting an arm lift (saggy arms run in my family) and a boob job!! I'm so excited!

You can see Dr Quiros' website at http://www.cosmedclinic.com/

I hope you are all doing well!

Mae

I is great to hear you are doing so well. I really admire you. How exciting on the plastic surgery... that is wonderful. My mom and I were saying tonight we will have to get it done together. Of course years from now....

Hope things go great for you and keep us posted on your recovery.

Kim you have done a great job, 41.6 in less than 2 months. I hope mine will come off that fast

Mae,

Thanks for giving us a report.

You are so filled with good information!

WOW! 8 weeks is a L O N G time with no fill. Ive heard of 4 to 6 weeks, but 8???

Im not sure about the hot choc. I didnt have it during my liquid phase, but then, I never drink hot choc. As long as there is no powder left to disolve, I would think its safe to drink.

How interesting that a second banding is more painful then the first one. It makes sense, but I guess I had never thought about it. How are you doing with the new port location? This may take a little time to get used to?

And thats great news about your plastic surgery.... great news and a GREAT price! My goodness girl, no one will be able to see you after all of this!

Kim you have done a great job, 41.6 in less than 2 months. I hope mine will come off that fast

Thanks...It us getting harder...but I get my fill on Tuesday and will hopefully be back on track. Again thank you!!

Mae, do you mind if I ask your stats? How much weight you've lost etc? And of course we'll be expecting pictures after your Lower Body Lift

Mae, so glad to hear everything went well for you.

Thanks for updating us

I also would like to know about the swiss miss Q that mae asked. You all are doing great...I hope that my insurance comes in really soon. We are suppose to haev it already but this company is a little slow. What makes it worse is that they were bought out and now our FREE insurance will cost us 800$ a month. I am not sure if we can manage that right now. Keep your fingers crossed for me.

Question for those of you recently banded:

Do any of you remember if Swiss Miss chocolate mix (that you mix with water) is allowed the first few days? I had some today (my third day) and I am wondering if that's alright. My first band doctor said it was and I can't get a hold of the nutritionist until Monday, so I thought I'd see what you all have to say here.

Hello Mae,

I was also banded by Doctor Ortiz on 7-29-05 and as for the chocolate I was told nothing but clear liquids. And on the Eight day I could add Yogurt. Did you have to pay the full price for getting rebanded? Hope this helps.

Eddra

How are you doing with the new port location? This may take a little time to get used to?

I actually preferred the sternum location, but maybe my mind will change once things have healed from this surgery more.

Did you have to pay the full price for getting rebanded?

No, it was a discounted price luckily. I am so thankful for that because it would have been a major undertaking for me to take on ANOTHER band loan. I just paid off the first one last year! Plus, it would have meant I couldn't get the plastic surgery.

Mae

Mae, do you mind if I ask your stats? How much weight you've lost etc? And of course we'll be expecting pictures after your Lower Body Lift

I was 250 when I started. Before my band slipped and they took a bunch of fill out I got down to 125. I gained back 13 pounds but I expect to see those slip off during my month on liquids and shouldn't have to worry about putting them back on since I'll be restricted again this fall.

I will most definately post pictures of my new body after the plastic surgery!

Mae

Your revision surgery experience was similar to mine ... more painful because of the scar tissue, etc.

I also need a LBL. I would be nervous about going that far away for PS, though. What was your PS consult like? Did you get a lot of confidence from talking to him at the consult and from examining his before/after cases? Was there any discussion of the port and if the LBL would interfere with the port at all? Also, how long will you have to stay in Tijuana post-surgery?

Thanks,

Yvonne

I also need a LBL. I would be nervous about going that far away for PS, though. What was your PS consult like? Did you get a lot of confidence from talking to him at the consult and from examining his before/after cases? Was there any discussion of the port and if the LBL would interfere with the port at all? Also, how long will you have to stay in Tijuana post-surgery?

TJ, Mexico is only a three hour drive for me since I live in Long Beach so luckily its not that far away.

The consult was fine, I told the doctor I pretty much want everything done (lower body lift, breast lift & augmentation, arm lift, nose job) and he asked what area I hate the absolute most and that's the area we'd start with. My belly and hips are the worse. While they are acceptable by an older woman's standard, I do not accept them being only 26 years old.

Dr Ortiz's staff is who referred me to Dr Quiros. He and Dr Ortiz are friends and just around the corner from each other. His office was imaculate and the before/after pictures (which there where more in his office then any other PS place I've been to) were fabulous. His patient's in the waiting room just loved him (which says a whole lot) and his staff was very friendly.

The PS will not interfere with the band/port at all. Dr Quiros works on lots of lap band patients. I have to go back 10 days later so if you were flying in from somplace you'd want to be there about 11 or 15 days altogether.

Wow ... are you getting a nose job at the same time as well? I need that too!! I cannot believe how much I hate my nose ... it used to be fine, but the tip seems to have changed and become more "bulbous" as I have aged. My nose problem is exactly like this girl's:

http://www.facialsurgery.com/ClkoffTPgt6_4011_04_06mh.html

Wow ... are you getting a nose job at the same time as well? I need that too!! I cannot believe how much I hate my nose ... it used to be fine, but the tip seems to have changed and become more "bulbous" as I have aged.

Well, I'm not getting it at the same time as the lower body lift - though that's not a bad idea! But my nose is wider and rounder then I'd like and I feel it gives me a girly, rather then womanly, look. So I want a narrower nose too. It was cute when I was a kid ... but I'm ready to go a little beyond cute!

Mae