karen

Macysgranny! Wow! You have done fantastic! Way to go! QuasiTova: Oh, Oh, I understand why you have to wait until November...but boy I would be impatient! I was impatient (inside) having to wait 3 weeks! I just can't wait! Good luck!

Hi Ben! Lucky you! You are just a few days away! While you are at the surgery center, I will be getting my blood drawn for my surgery the next week! Good luck and keep in touch and let us know how you do! Karen

You might want to check on fill centers USA, to see if there are any close to you. There are very few doctors who will fill patients banded in Mexico. You also could try called lapband solutions and see if they have a referral name for you. Good luck!

Their entire staff is awesome!! I thought fills were easy, I don't remember them hurting at all.

I'm in Keller also. I started with AIGB(lapband solutions) but they had my insurance info wrong. Because I had already had a band, they wanted me to have a consult with my doctor first. When at that appt, I talked to the insurance lady, so agreed about my insurance, that "fast tracked me"!! Good luck!!

O2BSlim! I am being banded my Dr. Ferrara on Oct 23rd!! I am so excited! Have you had your pre-op yet? Karen

Hmmmm Lisa's post means....... <grin> You can bring anything..as in the way of food or alcohol...and nothing....as in no swimsuits allowed!!!!!!!!!!! okay I am joking... swimsuits are allowed!! I hope I am not on call so I can drink with you all this year! Last year I had to be "good" Can't wait to see you all!!! Karen

:alien Lisa made me do this! Here is my new dooooooooo!!!

Hi Babs, Vera and Donali! Hope all is great with you!!!! Babs - I am flying out of town on the 5th, will return the next day. I told Lisa we need to shoot for something then if it will work out!!!!!!!!! tmarie, I had my band removed Nov. 18th because of erosion.... so I am now bandless Donali - you inspire me, I have to tell you I have really gone through a grief period and have withdrawn from all of my support groups because I feel as I dont' belong there... I read your post on the thread "Donali's Secrets of Success" and found you to be an inspiration!! Karen

DANG!! Lisa you are a tough cookie!! Hi Megan! Hi Leatha! How are you guys doing?!! Thank you for asking about me... oh hum....well as you probably know..my band was removed November 18th... very sad day... anyway... I am hanging in there... gained 5...lost 5..gained it back.. right now I am PMSing...so I have the 5 on! It's a struggle, but it all will work out. I need to get my a$$ in gear and start working out more!!!!! I hope you all are doing great!!!! hugs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Karen

Well I am coming out of lurking mode. I am outraged.... I am one of the erosion victims.... my surgeon Dr. Lopez. My band was removed a week ago and I am mourning the loss of it. I was told "The band has a 1% erosion rate internationally, if a particular surgeon has a higher rate, it is due to technique" I believe that Dr. Lopez has flawed technique. I have talked to Craig Arthur at Inamed and am planning on writing more letters. I have been a model bandster since I was banded and am less than 10 lbs from goal weight. I have eaten like a bandsters, I have exercised appropriately and I have followed every "bandster rule" I haven't even had a sip of a carbonated drink. This is not a coincidence.... its much more. I have not changed my signature line...but will soon... take care all my beautiful bandster friends!

Babs- HI! I could have wrote this post! However I have not seen the scale move in about 2 months...or more.. I don't know I don't keep track anymore. I have seen my body compacting and remolding. I decided to throw out the numbers on the scale... seriously... I am aiming for a specific size. (<grin> notice I say throw out the numbers...not the scale <grin>) I think that we become lax in our habits because it starts to grow old, it's not a new novelty anymore....you know what you can eat, you know how to eat, you know what you can "get away with" and what you can't! In my mind if I never lost another pound, or if I never got into the size of jeans I want to be in, I am still a success story.. because I feel healthier, I look healthier and I am just plain happier all the way around! Do what you feel is right for you!!!! You are so successful!!!

Alex! I thought it was all in my head! I have a fill appt coming up in a couple of weeks and all of a sudden I am feeling that restriction just like I felt it after my first fill! UGH! I thought I was going nuts! hmmmm maybe I am!!

Hi everyone.... I enjoyed myself at the Vegas get together more than I thought I would. Each of the bandsters that were there bring special thoughts to my mind. What a wonderful group of special people who are compassionate, funny, and most of all kindred souls in this journey of becoming healthier!! Well Lisa delegated me to make the cheese dip and I had a few ask me for the recipe...so I thought I would just post it on the board here and let you get it here. Now I have to warn everyone this is sooooo not healthy!...but hey!!! I also was asked to post before and after photos which I am going to do also! I am not at goal yet.. My surgery goal is a mere 10 lbs away.... but now that I am getting close, I realize I want more than 10 lbs to be gone. So I am changing my goal to "need another 20lbs off" and then I will see how content I am with that weight.... we shall see! I need to instructions on how to post my pictures... I can attach them as files..but does anyone want to really download picture of me? Okay Lisa might.. <grin> but that would be it! <griN> So recipe first. I guess we could call this Karen's cheese dip since I literally have never made a cheese dip in my life and just decided I would make up something and pray to the food Gods that it would be tasty! <grin> that's the truth! 1 - 2lb box of Velveeta cheese 1 - 8 oz container of sour cream 1- 7oz can of Jalepenos - sliced 1 - 7oz can of "Embasa" (brand name) Salsa Mexicana (bought at Albertsons. It's not like a salsa you would eat plain with chips... I melted the cheese in the crock pot, added the sour cream and salsa..mixed well...then I put in all of the Jalepenos but I didn't add the juice...then I added the Jalepeno juice to taste. It was not near as spicey as I like, but I was conservative on the "Jali juice" I added -- so whadda ya think? Definitely not healthy huh?! <grin> So if someone can tell me how to get my pictures posted..that will be next! Hugs to all of you!

I am putting in this face shot so you can see how dramatically my face changed with the weight loss..comparing the befores and afters. People who have known me for years do not recognize me...crazy!!!!

Me and my granddaughter about a month ago.... Shayla is 6months old in this picture!

My after taken a few weeks ago with my "baby boy" who is now 13 and 5'5" .... size 11 shoe... for reference, he weights about 150 lbs

Another before in Hawaii

This picture is of me and my "Ex" mother in law.... yep EX..and had been an "ex" for over 3 years!.... in Hawaii. When I saw this picture of me, I knew that I HAD to do something.. I was so distraught when I saw this picture. I had no idea how I really looked....

Well this may not help...but I have a scale that has been calibrated with one of those doctor's scales in which you do the "sliding" thingy....you know the dreaded ones. I could bring it...however that doesn't help much because we won't know what your starting weight is. ... .... but if you want me to bring it... I will be more than happy to!!!

NPO no food by mouth MN midnight hee hee:D

WOW! Thanks Vera for sharing your photo album! I don't know you, I don't know your family and friends but I thoroughly enjoyed every second of watching it! That was cool! Makes me want to make one also! I might have to do that!!!! Look forward to meeting you all in Vegas this weekend (I am a lurker on this board...but will come out for the party!) I will be the "mellow" one who will keep Delarla/Lisa in line <wink> hee hee...okay just kidding Lisa...promise! See ya all in a few days!

October 25th here! can't wait!!!!!! am counting the days!

Yes ...there is a huge difference between Eastern Medicine and Western Medicine.. I fall in the middle I believe. I practice some "eastern philosophies" for myself (my own health). What western medicine has the idea that if we can not prove it consistantly and know why it happens... it's not "real"..... Now that younger more "open" thinkers are entering into medicine, we are seeing more "non-traditional" practices being employed. With all that said.... for some reason I fall into the "west side" of the fence when it comes to the tongue.... I dunno why?!! :-) I should start researching what you have said and see if it makes sense to me... again..that western training coming out in me.... Thanks for the insight!!!!!:rambo

A white coating on the tongue could be from many things.... First things first! you should brush your tongue every day two times a day!!! Your tongue accumulates plaque on the surface, just as your teeth do. You can use your toothbrush or a tongue scraper... either will do the job. If you gag, then try breathing out when you brush...it really works! So my first guess would be plaque... you have changed your eating habits ...and food choices.. no longer are the hard/dry foods... more softer... food is a natural "de-plaquer" to a certain extent... Also ... brush your tongue in the morning.. then in the afternoon look at it... then drink milk and look at it..you will have a coating of "whitish" stuff on it.... milk! a fungal infection was mentioned.. yes it could be one... in our mouths we have fungi, bacteria (good and bad) who live in a semi-harmonious relationship..the good bacteria along withour immune system keep the fungi and "bad bacteria" in check... but sometimes this balance can get out of whack and a fungal infection can start up. If I see a fungal infection in one of my patients, I am more worried about their general health than I am the fungal infection because it's telling my their immune system is compromised for some reason..and I need to find out why (but if they have been using Chlorohexidine... fungal infections will occur because the micro-organism balance has been disrupted) The tongue is a muscle... nothing more..nothing less... it is not the outlet for the toxins the liver has eliminated. Any questions..please feel free to ask... and to add to my signature.. Dentist...so you know that I have studied this stuff