Doddie63

Hi: If you go to your clinic's website you will receive a lot more support than you would on this website as we are from all parts of Canada. Your clinic's site probably has professional nurses, dieticians, etc to answer your questions. However, if I can be of any assistance, feel free you ask. Doddie from North Vancouver:thumbup:

I personally do not use this doctor and would suggest for all details you contact Canadagirl33@hotmail.com She goes to him. I understand this doctor requires a referral from your doctor and all contact must be made through e mail. Many in our group go to him and think he is the best. Also, I think his name is Arseneau but Canadagirl33 will have the correct information. Doddie63

Hope you have the greatest fun time ever.

Congratulations on your success. You are quite an inspiration.

Hi all: I am dancing on air. After 2 1/2 years of slow weight loss (.25 lbs per week first year) of .18 lbs per week this year, the doctor has declared that I am no longer diabeties controlled but Diabeties cured. Oh, how sweet it is. The band works guys. Even though I have sometimes abused the band by not chewing my food as I should many times, it was forgiving. I have had no problems with the band except the flipped port. Now I can concentrate on my chewing and weight goal as my health is normal.

I am so excited for you because I have just returned from my doctors office and I have been declared "diabeties cured". Prior I was diabeties controlled but CURED oh, how sweet it is. I am excited for you because I know you will be able to someday tell us you have been able to walk a mile and expect to see more smilies. The band works used properly. I will be thinking of you on Monday. Please be sure to post and let us know how you are doing. Doddie:thumbup::crying::thumbup:

Use the weight or loose the weight - what's the diff???:wink2: If you want to use the smilies, when you type the message in the message box, make sure your cursor is in the place you want it to be then click on the appropriate smilie.

YOU HAVE DONE GREAT YOURSELF. Wow! what a wonderful inspiration to see how the band and your hard work has paid off. Congratulations.

I responded to your request, but somehow the message went off into cyber space. I am such a NON COMPUTER GEEK!! Yes I do have a few suggestions. Exercise is great for the heart, lungs, blood pressure, etc but I wouldn't worry if you can't. Just keep moving somehow. As you loose weight, you will notice how much less your joints hurt. If you try to do too much you could injure yourself even more and that in itself would discourage you. I took aqua fit as my exercise of choice. My first time was like walking to my death. I was so afraid of the stares, but LOL the women came up to me and told me not to worry as they were too worried about their own appearance. The instructors were equally kind. To me, Water exercises are the best, but if you can't get to them, try chair exercises. There is also the new form of exercise Wii. I understand you can get a great workout with their programs. Anyway, at the start of your journey it is more important to make sure your caloric intake is less than the energy expended. At our weight, we can consume more calories than the average person just to maintain. Reducing to 1400 would give you losses without too much exercise. Listen to your body, discuss your plans with your doctor or support group and don't be in a rush. Hope some of this might help.

Congratuations Diana on your decision and I wish you well in your journey. Just one thought, the older we get makes loosing weight slower but we can loose all the weight we want to. Just takes more time that is all. I am 66 and lost 83 lbs in 2 1/2 years. What keeps my sanity is tracking everything I eat and recording my weight once a week. I do not count the daily ups and downs (although I do weigh frequently) but only "my official weigh in" is what I believe to be my true weight. Many times, my weight has been recorded as a .18 lb per week loss but boy does it add up. I would strongly urge you to start something in the way of tracking so you don't get discouraged when you see a "water gain". Everyone tends to gain Water over the day and I understand it is normal to gain up to 4 lbs. Also, a photograph and measurements are great incentives too. Good luck

His Everyone. Had my fluro at the Northwest fill clinic and was suitably impressed by the friendly but professional manner in which I was received. The band is properly placed and the Fluid went down easily. The nurses did recommend that I was restricted enough and that 5.5 appears to be the best fill level. Their clinic was easy to find and I certainly will be going back once a year to have the band checked. For $250 American, the peace of mind was worth more. Doreen :scared2:

Don so happy to hear how you are doing on your journey. I wonder what has happened to all the 60+ bandsters. I would love to hear how their journey is going. It is nice to get other peoples successes and disappointments and I do miss the variety. Keep on truckin' Don. You are doing very well.:thumbdown:

I am not familiar with American Law, but I would suggest you ask the Insurance company for their Appeal form. Try to get a letter from your surgeon indicating you were deemed to be a candidate for the band because of your co morbity problems, etc. and your former insurance company approved the fill proceedure. Hopefully your surgeon will state in his letter that the fill is part and parcel of the band and aftercare is important to the success of the band. Good luck.

My best wishes for your success in the future. Just because you don't have the band, doesn't mean you can't keep in touch. I would love to hear how you are doing. Doreen

Dr Amson is the gold standard in BC for WLS but the wait is very long. Sometimes the best is worth waiting for, but there are an increasing number of skilled surgeons in the country that now do the band as well as the clinic in Washington State. Just a matter of determining what your criteria is.

Diva If you do have the surgery, your surgeon will tell you if you should be banded in the hospital. My surgeon has banded some of his patients in the hospital because of the risk. You may want to ask your surgeon if he would do the surgery in the hospital he has privileges in,

Hi: It has been over 2 1/2 years now and I am an slow looser. I have lost and gained the same weight over and over again BUT the bottom line has been, I am still going down. the only way I keep my sanity is to weigh every Saturday at the same time and record my weight on Fitday. When I generate the chart, I see that although I gain and loose, my weight continues to go down .18 lbs per week. Your problem may be your metabolism and food choices combined. I would suggest you record and see if you can pinpoint why you are not loosing. The simple answer is too many calories in but as we all know, we are not all made the same and nothing is simple. Also, I resent not being able to eat my favorite foods, so I made the decision at the time of banding, I would not diet but work hard at the choices. If I really wanted my favorite snack, I have it but I record it. This gives me some control and yet allows me to be "normal". I am sorry I do not have any easy solutions, but I have found the band is just a tool and I still must work hard to loose. Just have less of an appetite for huge quantities. I wish you well in your journey.

Patricia: This doctor has been used by TLBC (Slimband) from the Toronto Lapband Clinic (now Slimband) for their patients in BC. He does fills for their patients. I know of one lady who goes to him and thinks he is very caring. Payment up front of course. Slimband patients go through the clinic fill nurse in Toronto for appointments. I understand they pay up front too and get reimbursed later if their contract calls for free fills. Also, I was told that this Dr. has been trained by Slimband in fills.

You are welcome, I am in the process of making a fluro appointment with the clinic.

There are a couple of fill nurses somewhere close to Seattle Washington. I used to have their name, but if you google fill nurses Seattle or Bellingham you should come up with their clinic. I am sure someone else will give you the website as well once they read your request. Took time to look up the site northwestfills.com.

Hey, how about asking for a refund. It was not your fault the band slipped upwards. Also, are you considering having a new band put on in six months time. Seems to me the surgeon should remove the band and reinstall it for free. I understand the band manufacturers have a warrantee on them. Have you discussed this with your doctor? Just curious.

Hi Mom2two: How are you feeling now. Have the docs given you some way of getting and keeping food down or are you on liquids until July?

The updated profile which requests City & postal code is personal information I do not wish made public. Who will have access to this information?

I am not in a position if you should or should not get some fill removed except to say that I have read that it is imperative not to become dehydrated. If you can't get any liquid down then definately return for a defill. I think I would suggest you call your clinic where you received the fill and ask them if you should return or not.

Did he at least take all the fill out to allow food to go down? I can't help thinking and wishing that there is a typo and June as opposed to Jan. is your surgical date?????