Hi- will those of you that have had surgery this week please let us know how you are doing and what the experience was like? It is very helpful to hear from those that are already healing.

I went to Ortiz as well.... Had my surgery on the 6th. One of the things you can do is get the emails of the other people you have surgery with that day and keep in touch as to what everyone else is doing. What state do you live in? I'm in FL, so returning for fills wasn't practical. If you don't live close enough to return start looking for local Dr's to do it, it's not easy to find local's willing to fill "Mexican bands".

Feel free to contact me with any questions...pb

Hello fellow Dr. Ortiz patient! I live in Omaha, Nebraska. I have already set up after care with a local Dr. I only ran into one physician who would not accept patients from Mexico. Other than that, everyone was pretty nice. I did get the "Oh, you are having it done in Mexico?!" statement by one nurse. Yes, I am. I feel very good about my choice in surgeons. I believe Dr. Ortiz is a very good surgeon. At anyrate. Dr. Mc Bride will be seeing me for my after care. I have my first appointment set up for June 1, 2009.

I am secretly hoping I will be one of those patients who have restriction right away and can hold off on getting my first fill. :thumbup:That would be awesome! Do you ever go on the lapbandforum.com? It is made up mostly of OCC patients, however not entirely! I like it there. It is a smaller venue and seems more personal. Each forum has it's perks though I will say.

How are you doing? Feeling good? How's the post-op?

Hello fellow Dr. Ortiz patient! I live in Omaha, Nebraska. I have already set up after care with a local Dr. I only ran into one physician who would not accept patients from Mexico. Other than that, everyone was pretty nice. I did get the "Oh, you are having it done in Mexico?!" statement by one nurse. Yes, I am. I feel very good about my choice in surgeons. I believe Dr. Ortiz is a very good surgeon. At anyrate. Dr. Mc Bride will be seeing me for my after care. I have my first appointment set up for June 1, 2009.

I am secretly hoping I will be one of those patients who have restriction right away and can hold off on getting my first fill. :thumbup:That would be awesome! Do you ever go on the lapbandforum.com? It is made up mostly of OCC patients, however not entirely! I like it there. It is a smaller venue and seems more personal. Each forum has it's perks though I will say.

How are you doing? Feeling good? How's the post-op?

Feeling OK, I think I over did it yesterday doing laundry, too much bending over and down. Just got back from the grocery store, and that was a bit of a challenge, the only time I want someone to help me out, it's a pregnant woman, so I have to decline the help! LOL don't mind the liquid diet when I can have the yogurt and creamed Soups, I have my first fill set up for May 6th, it would be nice to post pone for a while. One thing I wasn't too happy about is after the fact I'm told I have a 4cc band, not the normal 10 cc. Don't know if that's a good thing or not, but it seems you have less to play with, not that I could say anything about it after the surgery. But I have no complaints with the "service", no violence that I was aware of, we all made it safely back over the border to SD.

I've been to the OCC forum, but I wanted to get some objective input before surgery, no one there was going to complain, and I wasn't sure if someone did if the comments would be removed, so I can hear to see if there were any major issues with Ortiz. As you can tell, I didn't find any...

Let me know how you're doing afterwards, good luck! pb

Glad to hear you are doing well. I bet laundry would be a bit tough on the tummy. From what I have read about 4cc and 10cc bands, they both work well. The one thing that sticks out the most, is that it takes people longer to feel restriction from a 10cc band. I think everyone is so different though, so who really knows. I will let you know how it goes. Take care!

Ok'd the friend thing, let me know if it doesn't take, not too swift on this forum... pb

Hi Everyone,

I was banded on the 14th. Came home yesterday. I have a hard time standing straight up due to the soreness on my left side. I am also having alot of trouble drinking all of my fluids.

Last night I took two pills with a ounce of Water and I immediately began to feel nauseous and felt like I was going to throw up. I spit up a lot of saliva but nothing else.

I have only been able to drink about half of the water we are supposed to.

Otherwise, I am still happy I am banded.

Had surgery 4/10 and the gas is killing me. I'm using gas x strips but I'm still hurting. Had a rough day at the hospital and I had to stay two days. Turns out I am allergic to morphine and suffered quite a bit. I'm a lil better now but this gas is a mother.

Ask your Dr. about Milk of Magnesia.. my brother's Dr. recommended that.

Hello fellow Dr. Ortiz patient! I live in Omaha, Nebraska. I have already set up after care with a local Dr. I only ran into one physician who would not accept patients from Mexico. Other than that, everyone was pretty nice. I did get the "Oh, you are having it done in Mexico?!" statement by one nurse. Yes, I am. I feel very good about my choice in surgeons. I believe Dr. Ortiz is a very good surgeon. At anyrate. Dr. Mc Bride will be seeing me for my after care. I have my first appointment set up for June 1, 2009.

I am secretly hoping I will be one of those patients who have restriction right away and can hold off on getting my first fill. :thumbup:That would be awesome! Do you ever go on the lapbandforum.com? It is made up mostly of OCC patients, however not entirely! I like it there. It is a smaller venue and seems more personal. Each forum has it's perks though I will say.

How are you doing? Feeling good? How's the post-op?

I too am a patient of Dr. Ortiz.... surgery May 22nd!

I am feeln better guys. Not good, but better. I am drinking the Milk of Mag and it has helped. Thanks. Unlike JT, I hate the liquid diet and I am so damn weak from food deprivation. I too can't drink all the required liquid, but each day I do a little better. I think at first I was too afraid to drink, because I am so tight and full of gas. I thought I'd pop!

Went back to work today and it was sloooooooooow motion. No one knows the details, they just know I'm having a tummy ache. I can tell ya this, I look smaller already. My face has slimmed and my body is taking on a new/old shape. I can still fit my same clothes, but the shape of my body is getting back to the days of yester year already. I haven't weighed myself and I wont until I go back to have the staples removed.

Also, I cheated a bit today, had a couple spoons of mashed potatoes. I was so weak. I need them.

LOL...KImber I guess my sarcasim wasn't clear enough. I was planning on at least full liquids and was very disappointed when the doc said only clear liquids and no soups, I have 6 or 8 cans of family size cream of chicken, cream of mushroom and tomato soup that I'm not allowed to drink plus the milk that I had to throw out since I couldn't make the protein drinks I was planning on because of the clear liquid diet. Good part is few calories and until today wasn't very hungry anyway.

Edited April 17, 200917 yr by JayTee562
typo, add to comment

JT, I was so weak yesterday that I had a couple spoons of mashed potatoes. I feel a bit better and I have no guilt. I needed some substance. I'm glad to know you're with me on being sick of clears (smile). Congrats Buddy!

I had my surgery April 3, at Prestonwood Surgery Center in Plano, TX by Dr. Castro. Wow, I got there at 8 and was back in my car at 11am, literally...They get u in and out, I was in pain for a while, the next day I was admitted to Dallas Methodist for 3 days...I was dehydrated and in servere pain...The pain was leading from my bottom abdomen to upper left shoulder so I was getting IV fluids, morphine and phenergan through the IV every 4 hours. I was experiencing something like a ball, everytime I swallowed. Dr. Castro did a fill at the hospital and loosed my band, he felt it was too tight. Second week out I was so hungry I started eating regular foods. Now I'm week three, one of my incisions is still open and leaking green fluid...I have lost 13 lbs since surgery, but I guess I could lose more if I actually stick to the diet. I stay away from the sugars, but I just eat foods as if it is week 15... everything goes down, I never have a problem with the food, but I don't eat much....

geez,

your experience is awfull! You really need to do something about your open incision. Who is your doctor?

My Doctor's nurse talked to me today (banded on the 14th) and she told me I could start eating soupy consistency foods like baby food, etc.

I think I am doing pretty good. I am still having problems getting all my Water in to ensure I don't get dehydrated.

How are the rest of you doing?

I had my surgery April 3, at Prestonwood Surgery Center in Plano, TX by Dr. Castro. Wow, I got there at 8 and was back in my car at 11am, literally...They get u in and out, I was in pain for a while, the next day I was admitted to Dallas Methodist for 3 days...I was dehydrated and in servere pain...The pain was leading from my bottom abdomen to upper left shoulder so I was getting IV fluids, morphine and phenergan through the IV every 4 hours. I was experiencing something like a ball, everytime I swallowed. Dr. Castro did a fill at the hospital and loosed my band, he felt it was too tight. Second week out I was so hungry I started eating regular foods. Now I'm week three, one of my incisions is still open and leaking green Fluid...I have lost 13 lbs since surgery, but I guess I could lose more if I actually stick to the diet. I stay away from the sugars, but I just eat foods as if it is week 15... everything goes down, I never have a problem with the food, but I don't eat much....

I hope this is a joke and you're pulling our leg. have to agree with the other responder, what an awful experience. You need to go to your reg Dr and get antibiotics or something. And did I read that right - your Dr gave you a fill right after your surgery or while you were in the hospital?? Soonest should be 4 weeks, some go as long as 8-10. You need to get a few books and do some research if you're going to stay with this DR and be more responsible for your own care. Good luck. pb

This is actually true, not a joke at all...I am scheduled to see my doc once every week for wound care..He gave me the fill in the hospital due to me having a blockage when I swallow and I couldn't get anything down like the liquid protein in the hospital so he assumed my band was too tight...So he gave me a fill to loosen it, he took out 4 CC's..As far as the incision goes, I had five, I thought it was gonna be four, but the fifth one is right in the crease by my navel and it's giving me a hard time...I am still in pain and it messes my sheets up because it leaks so much...Also, it is difficult to sleep on either side, so I don't know if I'm just not responding to this lap band procedure, or if there is something truly wrong here...When I saw him last week, I had green coming out and he told my husband to squeeze it out 3x's daily, put peroxide on it and put a band aid on long ways...To continue taking showers...I go back to see him tomorrow, so we shall see.....

kishaadamshall

I agree with the others when I say that you had stuff comming out of one of your incisions I was a bit concerned you definately need that looked at. Sounds like you Dr. put some Fluid in at surgery and did an unfill when you went back to the hospital. I got antibiotics while in the hospital and 7 days worth after comming home.

Please take it slow.