La_madam

Im very happy to se both Betty and Marie are still moderators of LBT As well as the rest of the moderating team Like Betty said All of the moderators add something special to this board.

Paula on the moderating page where thye list the moderators it looks like the new moderating team is Penni, Alexandra and Kellymoos.

Happy Birthday Ryan, I sure hope you have a wonderful day, if anyone desreves it it is you my friend. Enjoy your day

Kelly congratulations on your new moderating job I wish you the best, you have my support as well & Marie, you are awesome, you have handled yourself brilliantly through all of this, not many women would be able to do it , we have seen that first hand here

I am sure there were some people who did use other names trying to deciet other members and were trying to scare other members with their threatening PM"s But then I'm sure there were members who used other screen names for safety reasons, in fear of certain members. Either way it is a done deal, we all need to wait for Alex's new guidlines, then move on and put this entire mess past us or this board will never be the same! Do you realize how stressed out most of us have been over this mess , I speak for myself here when I say it has affected my weight loss and eating habits the last week and a half , anyone else? This is not why we come here!

Thanks Bright for the sweet compliment any excuse to go to New York I'm looking forward to meeting all of you. I have heard of the Madisson It is a budget hotel in New York I have stayed at hotel Pennsylvania which is also a bugdget hotel in Manhattan and the HOward Johnson on 8th & 51st, very nice Ho Jo nothing like Vegas HoJo (Penni) here is the link to it http://www.madison-hotel.com/ I will most likely take the red eye from Orange County to Newark and arrive 6:00 am Friday morning and take the early plane out on Monday so I can get a full 3 days there. This is how I usually do it when I go to the east coast., it works well for me ,

My insurance does not cover the band yet, but Blue Cross is covering the band in other parts of the U.S. . I self payed, was not going to fight with them , I'd still be fighting and appealing, Iam 19 lbs from goal weight 11 months later

1) I am worried about the gas and noises that bandsters talk about. At least once a week I present to a staff of 40 people. I can't imagine having my stomach making noises during my presentations. How loud are the noises? Is it easy for people around you to hear them? Over time, will the noises ever stop? [I]No one yet has been close enoughto me at the time my tummy makes those noised only I can hear them and they seem loud to me [/i] 2) Do you always feel the device in your body? No I do not feel the band in my body, but I do feel my port in my body, sometimes I get a few pains or twinges of pain from my port area. 3) Is it a probelm to do rigorous exercise (not that I do any of it)? If you jump up and down can you damage something? I have been working out at the gym and have had no problems, there is a wait period after surgery to make sure all is healed and set in place. 4) Does it hurt when food passes from the small pouch to the larger part of the stomach? It is the food that the bite is too big that is painful or the food that does not want to go through the band that is painful 5) Do you regret having had the surgery? If so, why? NO NO NO NO !!!!! best thing I have ever done for myself Thanks so much for your time Reply With Quote

I love New York, I would love to meet you all wherever. I have stayed in Jersey and the city..either one is fine with me. I will wait to see where you all decide on and then book mytrip, Sept 24, 25 ,26th right? Or did it change

That is where mine is too

Shamrock, glad to hear you are home and things are going OK for you. Rest up !

I agree with Alex When patients are too tight they tend to fall int to the soft food syndrome, food that goes through the band quicker and does not give the satisfaction of being full hence to only eat more softer foods quicker then eating solids and letting the food sit in your pouch and fall through slowly. Not to mention Pbing often is not good for your band, it is a definite way and proven to be a factor in your band slipping and the reflux damages your esophagus, If it were me and I was experiencing these symptoms I would go in for a small unfill . Many have had your experience and would share their input, I agree again with Alex, start a thread about your experience to date, you will get lots of info

Here is a link from Inameds web site that may be of hel pto you with Blue Cross of Tennessee if you are a state employee, they may cover it now even if you are not a state employee, this statement was made back in September of 2004, it is worth checking into http://ir.inamed.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=90325&p=irol-newsArticle&t=Regular&id=615494&

I think we are were nervous and excited at the same time.. Congratulations on your big day tomorrow I hope everything goes very smoothly for you:) Once you are home and feel up to it please post and let us all know how things went.

I love that hotel, stayed there a few years ago, love their beds..so comfy Have a great time

Joann did I meet you at Dr. Ortiz's office in November?

Mrie, I have been struggling with thesame issue. I lost 78 lbs with my band before I really started exercising, I joined a gym Feb 1st and have only lost 3 lbs since joining. I was working out 4-5 times a week and not seeing a difference, so I cut it back to 2-3 days a week and the scale is moving ever so slightly, but I am noticing a difference in my clothes sizes. I went form a 16 to a 12 very quickly, was not in 14's very long. It will happen, it is funny how our bodies work, more people have been noticing my weght loss now in the last week then before , it is because my body is shaping. Don't get discouraged, they say muscle weighs more then fat so maybe you are building more muscle, I started off with weights and cardio and was stuck but since have only been doing cardio and like I said the scale is moving agai nslowly. We can not let thescale dictate to us or discourage us, think off all of the non scale victories you have had since banding. Could it be you are not eating enough, when I do not eat 1200 -1400 calories a day my body shuts down and goes into starvation mode and every morsel of food I put in thereafter is stored . Hang in there you wil lstart to see a difference, DO NOT GIVE UP!!!

Are we not countig anything under a 1 lb loss? I noticed my numbers did not change on the chart, but I started at 184.50 an am now 184. I know it's not much but hey it is a loss

What a beautiful little baby girl and such a nice looking family. I'm very happy for you. 5l bs is nothing , you are so right it is the best 5lbs you will ever gain. Congratulations on your newest addition

Bushbaby..I know Dr. Ortiz does fill on other bands. I have met other women in his office who were coming in for their first fill with the mid band, they could not find a Dr. to do their fills in the US and they had theis surgery in another country like Belgium and Costa Rica Give him a call if not maybe he can tell you of a doctr in Mexico who will. I'm pretty confident he can help you, if anything put you under the fluoro machine to check your band.Losing restriction is a scary feeling. Im the kind of person who would go and see what was up, it is better to be safe then sorry, I could not wait a week, I would go crazy. I hope you find an answer or restriction returns soon.

184 for me a loss of .50 and I will take it, got my cycle coming any day. Way to go Darcy

Wade 4 lbs & Darcy..4lbs OMG way to go & Ladiebird 7 lbs ..all of you are awesome I lost .50 again but I got my cycle ready to start here any day now. I'm happy with my 1/2 lb Congratula tion all you losers

I was one of those whose Dr. did not require a pre -op diet. My Dr. only requiers a pre op diet if your BMI is over 50, atleast that is how it was when I had surgery 11 months ago. He may have changed his policy. Every meal was my last supper right up until the night before surgery .

One day at a time Jenna, you can do it, you're doing great so far

YES YES YES it is really worth it in my opinion. I have tried them all ( diets ) to only fail, this is the first time in my life I know I will never put the weight back on. Thje band has been the tool I have needed. yes there is some discipling and mental work but iyour band will help with that, it reminds you when you have eaten too much or eaten the wrong thing, thats the best part about it. This band really works but again you do have to do some of the work it is not a magic wand but a tool. Good Luck to you on your decision, I know it is a tough decision