LFERLAND

My favourite is the Cravings Chocolate Fix... coconut and chocolate... mmmmmm.......!!!

Good luck on the pre-op diet. I'm sure you will do just fine. I found it relatively easy as I was still super motivated at that point! My advice to make sure the surgery goes well is to make sure not to cheat on the pre-op diet so that you lose all the weight the surgeon wants you to. I also work 12hr days and nights and I completely understand the food fest... I work in a hospital and there are ALWAYS treats from patients or staff that bring in sweet and salty snaks... both days and nights. Unfortunately I have no advice on this as I still have a very hard time not nibbling on what is out. I just try not to start because I know I will not be able to stop! I think you have the right idea... just stay as afr away as possible... I wish I could do that...! I do find that if there are treats around then I will only go into the staff lounge when there are other people around so that there is someone to watch me eat. People watching me eat is always my largest deterrant! I wish you all the luck on your pre and post-op adventures. Sorry, I have no clue about the shopping in Toronto... but have fun!!!

Congrats on the pregnancy!! Good thing you found out before you booked your surgery.

I actually had my first obstruction klast week too... I swallowed a too-large piece of hotdog. VERY painful!!! You are right Jacklyn... there is no mistaking it!!! It freaked me out at first, until I spoke to Dr. Coburn and he calmed me down. It was a very valuble learning experience... CHEW!!!!

Even though I NEED to wear shoes because of my bad feet I always instinctively take my shoes off unless I am in a home where the owners have their shoes on or I have been told to keep them on.

Has anyone had any post operative care with Dr. Coburn not his staff??? When I went in for my consult he was seeing patients post-operatively, but I have yet to see him. I have not had any major issues or anything, but I question the quality of post-operative care I am receiving. Even at the least to see how I am doing with the hernia he repaired. Just wondering what others have experianced. Thanks for your input.

Hi all, I'm just wondering if there are any bandsters from the Brantford, Cambridge or Kitchener areas. It would be nice to meet some of you more in my area instead of having to travel to Toronto (which I am certainly willing to do) for the get-togethers. I live near Brantford, grew up in Cambridge and work in Kitchener so I am familiar with these areas. Please let me know if you are in the area and are interested in meeting! Take care, Lisa

To confirm, yes, SWLC does have the free fill policy, up to 5 years post-op. I really wish SWLC had similar programs, information sessions and support groups like TBLC... can I crash your meetings???? :mad:

Jacklyn, I am glad to hear that all went well for you. Please do not go back to work before you are feeling up to it. I was told to take 2 weeks to recover before I went back to work and I am glad I did. I hope your trip home goes well.

<p>I completely understand your frustration. I lost most of my weight (so far) in the first 4-5 months. After my 4th fill I plateaued and am still there. I am very discouraged and disappointed in myself eve though I am still losing inches. I try really hard not to be hard on myself but is very difficult not to be when you try so hard and your result does not reflect your effort. I am very much an immediate gratification person and I have to learn to not expect so much of myself... and so do you. You are doing very well.</p>

I am actually off for this one but Pickering is too far away... verging on 2 hours is too far for me!!

DAMN!!! So close to home and I'm working AGAIN!!!!!

Michee, if we could do that it would be great. The third weekend of each month sounds good to me (although I am working that one November too!!) at least I can plan ahead for the next ones!! What does everyone else think of making the third weekend of the month a time guide for our lunches?

I wish I liked coffee to have helped me out with the Optifast... I'm really glad you like it!! Good luck with your surgery on Friday!!

I have 6ccs in a 10cc band and I am the same way sweet, I usually eat about 1.5 cups of food for the same reason. I also do have a lot of head hunger and find myself grazing sometimes... bad me!! I do not drink the protein shakes because I would think that the shake would go right through the band and add extra calories... but I could be wrong! Good luck!

LOL, in that case I wish I lived in Calgary!!! Congrats on making the decision to get the band! My advice is to not expect too much of yourself in the way of weight loss. Don't expect to lose a lot in the first month... and when you plateau (I am there right now...) don't get discouraged. Do not to weight yourself more than once a week. I lost weight relatively quickly and, of course, was very happy about it. I was proud of myself and started weighing myself twice a week. Soon I was obsessing about how much I was losing and started weighing myself every day or two... don't do that!! Be proud of yourself regardless of how much or how little weight you lose. If you "cheat" don't beat yourself up about it... we all do it once in a while!! Don't worry about it and get back to the healthy eating afterward. Don't feel guilty about it. Enjoy every NSV (non-scale victory), even the small, seemingly insignificant ones. I love the fact that I can walk between 2 cars and not brush against either mirror any more! That's all I can think of at 4 am! Good luck on your banding tomorrow... let us know how it goes!!

Hi Laurmac, I'm just wondering if we can get the dates for the November and December lunch (if there will be lunches) as once again I cannot make it to this one because of work. I know that is a lot to ask so far ahead of time but they are making us put in our availability for December / January already and I need to put in unavailability for the lunch... I really want to meet all of you!! Thanks, Lisa

I really hope I can come to this one but I have to wait for the next work schedule to come out to see if I am working or not! If I am not working I am booking the day off ASAP so I can come!! I am also glad that this meeting is not so far away from me... I hate driving in TO! I was also thinking that we should try to do somethig as a group that does not revolve around one of our biggest weaknesses... food. Maybe a night of bowling or some other social spot. What you you all think??

Hi Bob, Welcome to the site! I am right with you, I wish I had gotten the band years ago!! I missed out on the September lunch and I am hoping to go to the October one... maybe I will see you there!! Hi Jacklyn55, I did not have to have a complete physical but I have heard that some people around the age of 50 have to... I'm not sure if this applies to you! I did not have an EKG either, but on my big day the anesthetist said I really should have as I have a heart condition... so the complete physical may be a good idea just in case! My consult with Dr. C was mid December and I had my surgery Feb 28... but I made my appointment during their transition to the new site and the practice did not seem as large as it is now, so I would think that the wait would be a little longer now. I wish you luck!

I am sorry to hear that you are going through hell with your friends and family when they SHOULD be supportive of you... whether they agree with the surgery or not. Many people do not understand half of what we go through and therefore they cannot wrap their head around our reasons for having the surgery. They do not get it that it takes more than just will power to lose weight... if that's all it took I guarantee no one in the world would be obese!!! I was very lucky to have very supportive family and friends. It was only my best friend that was opposed to my having he surgery. It was only after I explained to her my reasons for having the surgery and what t5he surgery actually was that she was 100% supportive. I found that the people who were opposed to my having the surgery actually thought I was having a gastric bypass, not the LapBand. I had to explain to many, many people before... and after surgery what the LapBand actually was. Maybe it is a similar situation with your family and riends. Maybe they are ignorant to what procedure you are wanting. Have you tried explaining to them exactly what the procedure is or do they just start the fight when you try? If your family and friends do not want to listen and try to understand your reasons for having this surgery then I agree that you probably should not bring it up again... but don't give up on yourself in the process! I am proud of you for making the decision to change your life and health for the better. I am sure every last one of us on here is proud of you, as we are for each other. I know that we are not a replacement for the lack of support from your friends and family but we are all here for you. I have learned that there is never a lack of support on here! I hope all goes well for you. Take care.

LOL, just posted that and now I want a snack...

Yes, I do snak between meals, though I really try not to!!! It find it so hard to break the habit. I will nibble on something, a yogurt or pudding cup or cheese stick, even when I am not hungry. I sometimes don't even notice I am eating it until I am almost done. I feel guilty about it and am trying to slap my hands when I notice myself about to snack in hopes that when I go to snack the next time I will remember the slap and not eat!! I am also trying to ask myself if I am hungry or just want it. If I only want it I will say aloud to myself "You are not hungry. If you eat when you are not hungry then you will stretch your pouch and you better not stretch your pouch!!!" Self-lecture does help me sometimes!!

Hi all, Just wondering if anyone else has encountered this... I just had the flu but was unable to vomit... even when there was something in my stomach, it was all dry-heaving. It also seemed more painful than vomiting before the band. Just wondering. Take care, Lisa

I had the same thoughts about our new anatomy as well. It seems that it would take an awful lot of force to push contents up through the band and then out. Wow, your experiences sound scary... irritation, slips and possible CLOSURE of the band... eek! When illness does happen again I will certainly be careful to watch my feeling of restriction. Thank you all for sharing your experiences.

Thank you all for your input. JLB, I do not recall Dr. Coburn speaking to me ater the surgery, but he may have while I was still out of it! Nor did I receive a call within the first few days after surgery... I would have remembered that! I suppose my dissatisfaction toward Dr. Coburn is slightly misplaced... I am very pleased with his nurse (I am horrible with names), she is very nice but the staff that make the appointments have upset me every time I have made an appintoment and I have misdirected my anger... although I still would have liked some sort of after-care... like that call!! Every time I have made an appointment with the clinic they reschedule it. The last appointment ended up being delayed 6 weeks because they could not seem to make my 10 minute appointment for a time THEY could keep. I can understand having to reschedule once in a while but every time is a little much. I have to book the day off work in order to make any appointment so when they do this it is not only inconvenient but expensive!! I am sorry for venting to you all, I must seem like a complete nag!! Take care and thank you all once agian for your input.