Doddie63

Hi: I am from north vancouver and was banded at the TLBC. Unfortunately, if your mom doesn't want to wait she will have to go out of Province. However, tell her there are fill issues if she goes out of province. The TLBC is working on setting up a network of fill doctors/nurses as well as some GPs will do a fill but most are reluctant even with the DVD given out by TLBC. Also, there is a support group of banders starting up and will be every 3rd Wednesday at the Lions Gate Hospital between 6:30 and 8:30. The first one is this Wednesday and if your mother wants to attend to get information I am sure she would be made welcome. Doddie

Yoda: If you read my old posts you would have seen I did my have my GP lined up. He reneged. But, the clinic also has a responsibility to inform the client that fills are a difficult problem for people outside Ontario. The DVD suggests local gps can easily do the fill. Maybeso, but most will not do the proceedure. That was never pointed out to me and in my view should have been.

Hi Argon: I have had so much difficulty in locating a fill nurse/doctore in N. Van. I was so elated when the TLBC found a doc. in Delta that would take me. I paid $400.00 for the visit only to find out 25 minutes of trying to do the fill, the doc (who is a surgeon trained by Dr. Yau) told me the port had flipped. He has since stopped taking patients of other surgeons because of his experience with me. I am still hoping, that he will keep me on if Dr. Yau anchors the port. If not, I will fly to TO and stick with whom I know. I am so tired of being rejected time and time again so will wait to see if the TLBC comes thru with a fill nurse in BC. I understand they are working on it. Doddie

Your upbeat message is exactly how I feel. In spite of the flipped port, the lack of fill nurses, the costs of travelling back and forth, I would not hesitate to have the band. The positives hugely outweigh the negatives. Doddie

Hi: I have contacted the sales rep that accepted my registering of my Fr.Midband and she said she will contact the manufacturer and get back to me. I will also ask the doc as I will be in TO to see him. Doddie

Sieni did you find a fill nurse in Saskatoon? My doc reneged when he saw how difficult the fill for me would be . The port flipped so back to TO tomorrow to have it corrected. As for fills, back to square one for me. Guess I will have to fly to TO for the fills and any defills go to ER here in North Vanc. At least in Sask. you can get to Alta fairly easily. Doddie

Hi Yoda. They have never called me unless I called them. The telecommunication support group just had its first one and their website is never used. The other one is run by one of their staff and is very much into the Toronto support. Although people further away do join in, you can ask anyone from Sask., Alberta, BC how they feel. Most feel very much alone in finding fill nurses, etc. I did have a call from one doctor after I commented on the website I never had a true consult. I won't go into old details. As I posted earlier, some of the lack of communication was my fault in not researching thoroughly. Havng said that, I still would pick the TLBC as my first choice. I take the position they are very busy dealing with new patients and that if I have a problem, I can call them. Once advised they do everything for me they can. As for personal e mails from a doctor, I really don't know who is writing it anyway, could be a staff member.

Hi Leslie Lee Yes your comments do give me pause for thought. Just being told that there may or may not be a pouch stetching issue without any scientific proof (particularly when doctors can't agree) does not lead me to blindly stop what I feel is not hurting me. I don't for one minute think the gas stays in the pouch indefinately, nor if the drink is sipped slowly does it stretch the pouch as all liquid goes down into the regular stomach. Gas from other things such as certain vegetables finds its way out of the body so in my mind it is too simplistic to say the pouch will stretch or explode. Just my thoughts. Doddie

Hi Donna: Redo your ticker. This happened to me and the easiest solution is to delete your ticker and redo. My Q: How many are drinking diet pop? I have the Fr. Midband and what I do is pour a glass and let it sit until the fiz has disappeared. I sip it slowly. By letting it sit, even though the fiz is gone, I get the psychological lift of having "my diet pop". With me, if I am forbidden to have anything, I immeditely want it so I have to play games with my brain. Doddie

Dr. C. appears to have a good network of support whereas the TLBC lets the patients take charge of the support groups. Excellent for TO patients but anyone further away is left out in the cold. Excellent support is given by the TLBC if you call about a particular problem, but for the most part one is left to their own devices. Doddie

I am feeling like a freak. I have a Fr. Midband and have had restricton since day one. I now have 2 ccs and feel "full" after 1 1/2 cups of food. If i eat too quickly I barf. I am told 1 cc more should do the trick for me. Does anyone else have restrictions from the outset???? Doddie

Keep posting Andre. Will watch you progress in your journey with interest and support if you need it Doddie

Not too sure what you are referring to??????Does this mean you are on he high road and the rest of us are lowlifers or does this mean you are always right. Whatever

Hi Buffy until you start your group, look into the gastric bypass patients. They are usually great about letting you join their group. Weight issues are the same just not the medical remedy. And yes, from the web I believe here are SK people looking for support. I am formerly from Yorkton but live on the west coast and support out here is also a problem. Doddie

To change the subject a bit, every clinic seems to have its own idea about what is or isn't the appropriate diet to be on. The best idea is to follow to the letter your doctor/clinics advice. Your doctor after the consult has determined what is best for you only. I would suggest if you can't find what the doctor ordered, go back to the clinic and ask them. I know the TLBC gives a link to the online shopping for certain protein drinks. Personally all protein drinks/powder make me gag.

Sue hope you can convince your DGD to take the cruise with you. The east coast (like the West Coast) has some of the most beautiful scenery anywhere in the world. The ocean in the summer is cool but with the pools (and all the guys) on deck who needs to go swimming in the ocrean.

Lots of beaches on Canadian coasts. Just a bit cool that's all.

Hi: You have probably lost your cookies (lol). When I do a full scan for viruses Norton Security posted a message that I was being tracked and the threat was low. I deleted the cookies and lost my ticker. Had to go back and reinstall it. Doddie

Mine is ancient and boring. Doddie is the nickname Doreen's use and 63 stands for my age. So many people use Doddie, I had to add something to it to be able to call it my user name. Doddie

Will do. I think it is working now. I have had no burping since I started. It also has slowed my eating and I have no not "puking". Thanks for the wonderful suggestion. I knew I was swallowing air but had no solution as to how not to. Doddie

HI Andre: You have been approved now make your plans. When you get your consult, you will have to make a downpayment, then prior to the surgery, you will have to make payment in full. So if your loan was recalled all you would have to do would be cancel the surgery. Don't worry, if they have approved you as eidie said, they want your interest payments. That is how they make money. Doddie

My June goal is to get the port flipped back and anchored so I can get my second fill. I had no post op problems, but the fills have not been so successful. After that, I want to loose 1 lb a week. Doddie

Hi: When we have to chew so much longer we tend to swallow more air, much like a baby on a bottle. That's why you burp a baby. I was given a suggestion to breathe out when swallowing and I find this works as I don't want to be burped (lol).

Hi: I followed the instructions to the letter. Unfortunately, it is when I am on my own I screw up. Doddie

Me too. Great idea. Doddie