Doddie63

Whenever I hear someone praise the "private health insurance" over "public health insurance" I cringe then get angry. When are people going to wake up that private insurance companies are not in the business of paying out only taking in money. They are in the business only for their stockholders period. Human compassion does not enter the equation. If you are healthy they want your money everyone else go without coverage. Public Health insurance is great but needs to improve in the type of coverage they will or not cover. If they can't cover then they must allow people to go to private without penalty. Doddie

I too have gas and rumbling. Think it is from the carbs that produce gas. I find the gas particularly embarrassing when I am out. I find that if I pretend nothing has occurrec and stare at the poor joe beside me, I can avoid comments! More oft than not though, I am polite and say excuse me and run like h... to the B/R. LOL

I would stay in Canada and go to Dr. Colbourn mainly because of the fills. The TLBC is a great clinic and Dr. Yau is the leading surgeon, but they don't have much in the way of "fill" support outside the province of Ont. I pen pal with someone in Nova Scotia who was banded by TLBC and can't find a fill nurse and is hoping her doctor will do it. Not all medical doctors will do a fill even though the TLBC does have a DVD for the doctor to learn how to do it. Doctors/nurses that specialize in doing fills usually support only one clinic and as someone has posted two fill doctors in your area that support Dr. Colboun, I would go to him. I live in BC and after much effort found a doctor that would do my fills.

Yes I have gas and it is very perplexing. think it is the carbs but whatever it is, it can be a bit embarassing. However, I try the old trick of pretending it wasn't me, turn around and star at some poor joe next too me. LOL

Your are right peaches. I am also signed onto that site. I use FitDay only because of the "records". I can click on "record for nutrition" and I get red printing if I am short and black if I am OK. I like both sites and would recommend both depending on the preferences of the individual user. Doddie

<p>Thanks everyone for your support on my brothers death. I have been coping and no weigh gain although my weight is very slow in coming off. I am averaging about 3 lbs or less a month but the big giant step I have made is I am not PBing as much any more. About once in the last two weeks because I didn't chew properly. I am now thinking about another 1 or 2 ccs to give me more restriction. I am at 4 ccs now.</p> <p>I do know that my progress has been helped by FitDay and tracking is not such a burden with this program. It is amazing what our eye estimates to be one cup and what a real one cup measured is. Doddie</p>

Congratulations Bandiva. The magic 100s. Wow!!!! Doddie

Hi: I found Benefibre worked fine, but I have had better success with Bran Buds soaked in skim milk. LOL, I ate the 1/3 cup of bran buds and everything was fine until the buds started to swell in my pouch. Ouch! Now I soak 1/4 cup of bran buds until they are soft then I eat it. I have had good BMs since then. Also, it is not necessary to have a BM everyday with the small amount we are eating. Nature will takes it course in any event. Just bran helps make it easier. Doddie

Hi Donna D. Go to FitDay - Free Weight Loss and Diet Journal. Jill uses recommended it to me. Also, I was advised to go to NutritionData.com NutritionData's Nutrition Facts Calorie Counter and use the calories burned calculator. I found for my weight and sedentary lifestyle I will maintain my weight if I eat 2,315 calories a day and that I need 96g of protein. WOW I am only eating 1200 a day so now I know why I am still loosing weight. Doddie

Thanks everyone for your support and sympathy. How are you doing loriely, lisa and Donna. Lisa, have you tried filling in Fitday. When you put in your daily food intake, you can click on 'reports' and you will find if you are getting proper nutrition. I use it daily and it has helped me tremendously. Doddie

Yes, stress will cause sliming even with a few ccs. I don't know the scientific angle but do know stress has a lot to do with how your band allows food to pass thru. A footnote, my brother died one hour ago and I am surfing the net to keep out of the frig. I have known for three years this was coming but even knowing, the shock is still great. Don't make any fill decisions when under stress. I must follow my own advice. Glad your family is on the mend. That is great news. Doddie

Well done and he exercise is the key. To exercise is my problem and all the hints and tips to get off my butt doesn't seem to work but must keep trying. Again good work. Doddie

Hi: Don't worry about your eating. You are under enough stress as it is. Just try to follow the one cup rule. 3oz of protein and the rest veggies/fruit. As for the sweet spot, I think that is over emphasized. As long as you are loosing weight, you don't need more fill. I have good restriction at 4 ccs and others tell me the normal is 6 to 8 ccs for Fr. Midbands. Your band is a tool to help you learn how to eat properly and healthy at the same time to loose weight. You seem to be doing that. Good luck. Doddie.

Argon: I mean after care such as band relocation, diet consultation support such as the TLBC gives etc. Doddie.

Hi: Yes I like Dr. Woodhead very much and yes his initial fee is steep, but when I took into consideration the costs of flying to TO or going south it seemed to be a good compromise. I can't go to the states as I can't get travel insurance because of my health issues. Also, he does banding himself and he does the fills for other doctors as a favor. I also took into consideration, that he would be my emergency contact doctor as he has BC hospital priveleges and would know about banding. Surprising how many ER rooms don't want to tackle the problem of a band. At leastthat is what I have read on the postings. Doddie

PS to my previous message. I think he does do emergency calls. I have never had to call him on an emergency basis so will ask him next trip. Doddie

Hi: I use Dr. Woodhead in Delta/Ladner, BC. He sometimes does fills for the TLBC if the patient is referred to him. Dr Yaul trained him. He charges $400 for the initial consult then $75.00/fill thereafter. He offers no aftercare. That is the responsibility of the banding doctor. I have a turned port and he had a great deal of difficulty doing the fill, now he tells patients he will do fills providing there are no complications. The only way you can find out if he will do the fills it to contact his office and fill in an application form. Doddie

Hi Cindy: I certainly know what you mean and I am sorry I didn't mean to come across as criticizing. I was only exploring all options to help you review what was happening. I can't exercise either as I have osteoarthritis in the knees, hip and shoulder. Our rec staff are on strike and I can't get to aqua fit classes so have to make do with just moving around the house. I have only lost 38 lbs since Feb. but that at least I am not gaining but exercise is a big factor in loosing. That may be the reason you are not loosing as fast too. Doddie

How active where you. If you just sat around watching TV, your weight loss would be a lot less than if you exercised. Also, you have had a good lesson on staying off the scale. Pick one day of the week and time. Stick to it no matter how curious you are. Weighing each day just causes you to become anxious as the body weight flucuates with water retention. Doddie

"If everyone is drunk I want to be drunk too". Why when all there are is regret and sickness? Drinking is a social event meant to relax everyone but getting drunk brings out the worst. Besides someone has to drive home.

You can party without booze. Holding a drink in your hand doesn't make the fun. You do. Take your own Nesttea or whatever. My friends don't look at my glass and query what is in it. As for eating look around you most thin people are not eating. Drinks and food are props you make the fun. Doddie

Hi: Speaking from experience, make sure your decision includes where you can get fills. All GPs won't do the fills and you may need emergency defills. Going to the US involves a few things to think about. One I understand to get the income tax benefit you must go to the nearest clinic. Also, there is the costs to go the US which is the fills and the travel time to get an emergency defill/fill. I shied away from the US or Mexico because of the concern of acquiring health insurance. Does that affect you? If you have any health problem the insurance company can deny you health coverage because of "any related" issues. Everyone one that has high blood pressure for instance and has a heart attack can be refused because "it may be related". Hope I have given you a few ideas to contemplated. Doddie

Hi: I was constantly hungry and asked Jill the nutritionist at the TLBC. She reviewed what I was eating and recommended I increase my protein intake. I now have three small meals and two snacks with protein being the main item. If you are on liquids or mushies, the object is not to loose weight, but to heal. As others have stated, drink water and increase your protein drink. Doddie

Hi: Having fills and defills can't be good for your stomach. As some posts have said get off the fill/defill treadmill. Get a looser fill and leave the band alone. The band is a tool to help you feel full. Start looking at your eating habits if you are not loosing weight. Ice cream is not a mushie diet for instance. I have 4 ccs and a small amount of restriction. I only PB when I don't chew my food. I am striving to change my eating habits and to make better choices leaving the band to remind me when I am full (a marble in my throat, hiccup,pulsating feeling in the stomach). I only have lost 38 lbs since Feb. but that is OK because I have the rest of my life get to a normal weight. I guess my point is you are on the treadmill and suggest you start looking at your eating pattern and choices. Doddie

Just a hint. Take an ice cube and rub it over you lips and let a drop or two down your throat. Then throw the ice cube away. People on medication are allowed a little water to take them so you having a little water to mositen the lips and throat is unlikely to cause any problem. If in doubt call the clinic. Doddie