Doddie63

Well done Donna D. 2.5 is a great loss. Really, you can loose without exercise, just a lot slower. If you note, one hour of exercise (depends on what you do) is around 278 calories. What exercise does is improve the internal organs such as heart, blood pressure etc. Calculate how many colories you consume as opposed to what you do. On Fit Day, for instance, just doing the washing uses calories. To exists (if you were bedridden) you need approx. 800 calories. My point being, consume less food if you find you don't exercise consistantly but more frequently. Do a diabetic diet. Tiny meals all day long. Hope these hints may help a bit. And good luck in the boot camp. Wish I could be there. Doddie

PS Donna D. The TLBC now has a psychologist on staff. Is it possible he takes appointments. Maybe he could help? Doddie

Hi Donna: Don't worry about the five pounds if you can. That will just exasperate your depression about the weight not coming off. What you have to do is focus on the new year not what was last year. Take a deep breath and charge forward. I am absolutely sure that Jill will find a spot for you. She cares and will find a way to help you. She certainly has helped me. I am now on her phone list and she has been very supportive. I only lost 2 lbs again last month. Jill sent me a protein drink that I find absolutely delicious. Now when I go to exercise, I drink the protein drink and I no longer am having low sugar. So all I can say is my dear, look ahead to the wonderful future and not behind at something you can't change. Happy New Year and good loosing. Doddie

Hi: That would be terrific news. I called them earlier this year and I was told bluntly that it was a proceedure not going to be done and fills would not be done as they had to open an operating room and have surgical staff available. I told them this was rediculous as any nurse or doctor can do a fill. I was rudely told that I didn't know what I was talking about. I was told that the BC College would not allow bands but things may have changed. Can't wait to find out. doddie

Happy New Year and my wish is that everyone becomes a hug loser. Doddie

Thanks. Like your way of looking at the loss. I am consitantly averaging .85 lbs per week. I keep a loose fill mainly because I tend to gulp my food no matter how hard I try. So I am satisfied with the looser fill as my band is not under so much pressure I cause irritation to the stomach. I take the attitude this is not a race. I just want to loose weight a keep it off and I have the rest of my life to do it. Happy New Year and and great weight loss to you. Doddie

Gingerbug: Sorry forgot to mention. They take your complete medical history. ON my band I have "gastric band", hypo thryroidism, high blood pressure, diabetes. I was also given a wallet card. The Canadian Medica Alert are in the medical field and very discreet. You have to have passwords, etc. Just tell them a gastric band, they don't ask for more information. Doddie

gingerbug: If you are Canadian, just do a search for medic alert bracelets. You can buy the basic for around $35 and that is the end of it or because I have other health issues, I purchase a year subscription. So if my meds change, they send me a new wallet card, also if I am unable to speak, they have all my medical information including my doctors. I know the web in the US have some very attactive bracelets as well. I don't find it difficult to wear one. Just like a ring, you get used to it. Doddie

Hi: It surprises me even more that the government continues to support gastric bypass but won't acknowledge the gastric band. Doctors should have the option of deciding which is best for their patients not what the government wants to fund. I understand that Dr. Leung is training another doctor to take over. Hopefully this is true. As for Dr. W. he is young and very sensitive to a person's eating disorders. He is very unjudgmental. I go and see him every two months whether I need a fill or not (I pay him as I was not his original patient). He is very helpful in helping me decide what I should do next. The last visit, he suggested I not get a fill and I went away very happy. Paying him or weightwatchers, I would rather pay him. Doddie

Ang1982 Congratulations, wise decision. I have marked Jan. 23rd on my calendar and will be cheering for you as you begin your journey. Doddie

soozan. What you should do is point out to that silly sister of yours that "yes it is easy to loose weight" but it is equally easy to put it back on. The band is a tool that prevents you from overeating. Most obese people do not know when they are full, as well as they eat emotionally. The band helps you to keep these problems in check. My sister also pulled the pout trick on me. Refusing to speak to me etc. When I held my ground, she was the first to backdown. Most of it is sill resentment that you may be doing something that will give you a normal life. I suspect your sister is comfortable with "fat" you and doesn't want to find you (in her mind) equal or better than her. So chin up, suck it it and do what is best for YOU. To hell with your sisters opinion. Yours is the only one that counts. Yours in support Doddie

Hi: For out of province patients, this is one of the most difficult aspect of getting a band. That is finding a fill nurse/doctor. Lissie like you my GP reneged AFTER I had the surgery. The fill is a procedure and the College may want to prevent any law suits. My real suspicion is the band is outside the medical coverage and are trying to preven the spread of private clinics. Don't know just my suspicious mind. Doddie

Hi: When asked, I tell. Although I had a bad experience with telling my sister, I don't regret making my band public. Hopefully, I will give someone else the idea to have a band if they have a weight problem. One thing I do recommend, is that you wear a medic alert bracelet. There are some very attactive ones on the market. If you have an emergency, whether it be an accident or a band problem, the medics need to know about the gatric band. Happy New Year everyone. Doddie

Any one out there doing research on gettig the band, make it a priority to know how you will get your fills and after care. It is a major problem. A lady in Halifac has just found out her GP has told her he won't do fills because the College has not approved the proceedure. I am fortuantely in that I go to a briatric surgeon referred to me by TLBC otherwise I would have to go back to Toronto for all fills. By not having someone in your locale if you had an emergency requirement for a defill you could have problems. So my advice to all is to ask the question of fills then confirm you have coverage. Happy New Year everyone Doddie

lizzie 07 Contact the TLBC and they may be able to give you a name. I know a lady in Halifax whose physician does the fills for her but there is also a nurse in the City that does fills at her home. contact me privately and I will put you in touch with the lady who has a physician willing to do fills. She also runs the new support group in Halifax so one of her members may help you.

Merry Christmas everyone. Best for the New Year.

Merry Christmas Peaches and all others checking in. I too had a great Christmas. Cooked my Christmas turkey and stuck to my one cup of food. 2 oz of turkey, tablespoon of dressing, tablespoon of chestnut dresssing and the rest in veggies. I am so proud before I would have left the table absolutely stuffed to the point of making myself sick. It was indeed a great Christmas. Doddie

Well it looks to me like you are loosing weight. Remember, the turtle wins the race. Go slow and easy, focus on changing your eating habits, exercise and the weight will come off. I am the turle and have been loosing .85 lbs per week since February. But my eating habits are changing that is my goal. Hope you meet yours. Merry Christmas Doddie

Hi: After a time, story to long to tell, TLBC referred me to a bariatric surgeon in Delta,BC . After reviewing my health histroy and the comments from TLBC he took me on as his patient and he does the fills. I am very satisfied with him. TLBC has great support groups in and around Toronto, but they are only now attempting to give support to out of province people. I have been doing ok, but having someone to be accountable to when I reach a plateau is good and Jill fills the bill. I smile when you say "I can't wait to get started". You HAVE STARTED YOUR JOURNEY. The hardest part actually. The surgery is a snap and after that it is all how you address you weight issue. For me, it was to focus on my eating habits, particularly chewing, then nutrion. I keep a loose fill as I still tend to swallow too quickly and lumps get stuck. Then I have to PB, which is not good. I am loosing .85 average a week so feel good. My GP asked what I thought about the band and I areplied "I wish I had done it sooner". Good luck to you Merry Christmas and a most successful new year. Doddie

Anne Elliot: Most of us were put on yogurt and cottage cheese but I understand lately they have been allowing more foods into the pre op diet. All I know is the yogurt, cottage cheese diet is to shrink the liver so that it is manageable. It is easily damaged as the surgeon has to push the liver aside when putting on the band. So the smaller it is the better. I was obese at 303 lbs so it may have been that my liver was excessively large so the strict diet. Whatever, stick to what you have been allowed to use. Merry Christmas Doddie

Anne Elliot: January 3rd so close. You had to go thru the holdays on the special diet. You sure are dedicated. Good luck and keep in touch. As you will find, you will go thru all the emotions in the book, sometimes even second guessing your decision, but as most bandsters will attest, they would do it again in a minutes. I certainly would. I keep a loose fill and am loosing .85 lbs per week, but others like a tight fill. You will have to find your own way, but my advice to you now, don't rush thru the 30 days of liquids, full fluids, soft foods etc. You band will need time to heal. So you may be in a hurry to loose weight, but if you play by Dr. Yau's rules, everything shold be OK. Good luck and Merry Christmas. Doddie

Iwood I was banded at TLBC and whole heartedly recommend Dr. Yau. There are a few great clinics in Canada but one of the outstanding features of TLBC is they have local support and distant support (I live in BC). You will be introduced to the TLBC support groups and they are a very friendly bunch. One of them met me at the clinic for my first fill. They also have a nutrionist/chef called Jill. She gives excellent advice. Good luck in your journey. Doddie

When you gain wait, your body weight presses down on the foot causing it to press outward. As you loose weight, there is less pressure on the foot, thus is does not spread so far. Example press down on a rubber ball and watch what happens then release. I believe the foot is similar. Doddie.

Very sorry for your loss, our prayers are with you and your family. Doddie

Hi Conib: There are two BC doctors I know of Dr. Leung and Dr. Woodhead that do the band privately. I go to Dr. Woodhead for my fills. I really like him. When I found it difficult to travel to TO for my fills, the TLBC referred me to him. Hope to see you at one of our meetings. Doreen