Jim

Lisa, I am sorry to hear of your loss. My prayers and thoughts will be with you this holiday season. I know the holidays are when we miss our loved ones the most and we remember all the good times past. I was at the SWLC clinic for a fill last Tuesday and was talking of you to another bandster of the same profession as you when we were waiting to go in for a fill. I hope we get to meet again at another lunch in the new year.

I am a Libra, 22 Oct. That is probably why the scales have played such a big part in my life.:eyebrows:

I used to have a very strict policy. I would only eat when I was alone or with someone.:rolleyes I would also raid the house when alone or figure what fast food restaurant would give me the most bang for my buck when I was alone out of the house. When going out to eat with family it usually meant a buffet meal or at a home with enough food to feed an army. I used to eat because I loved the taste of food. At different times I would have different cravings but there was really very few foods I didn't like.:help: I love how the band not only controls how much and what I can eat but also sends messages to my brain somehow that I don't want food all the time.:clap2:

Hi Lisa, I am from Kitchener. There is a poll on the Canadianlapbanders site for this very subject. I hope there soon are lunches in this area. Hope to see you at a lunch soon.

I don't know Green, I think we should prepare to invade the "Excited States" to the south, especially now that our dollar is worth more than theirs. :faint:

Derick, I thought you meant a version of "smarmy" (unctuously flattering) with you slippery, oily tongue.:whoo::clap2: It was good for a laugh and got many of us, or maybe only some of us looking in our dictionaries. That is a good thing.

Peaches, I am a little confused. You were talking about trip cancellation insurance right? Not medical insurance. I would think you would still want to have medical insurance, even if it does not cover the band or de-fills, but any other non-related illness or injury. Some of the horror stories you here about people without insurance getting injured or sick just scares me when I leave this country. I hope you have a great trip.:car: That's me green with envy.:rolleyes

Lizzie, I agree with Ginger and Andrew. It sounds like we all feel the band would be good for you, and we all wish we had this surgery when we were much younger and got more out our younger lives. It would be a lot easier for you to have all the support from your family and doctor but you have to decide how much you can do with or without their support. All the best wishes and Good Luck.

Please count me in. Is this the same place we were at in Aug.? That worked out well then. Thanks

You don't just stare at some poor victim. You whisper in a voice just loud enough for all to hear, "that's OK I'll take the blame.":whoo::whoo:

Hi Missyr, I have found the amount of gas is directly related to the amount of carbs I've eaten, especially the All Bran snacks. I do like them though.:heh: If I can keep the meal to protein and good vegies then there is not usually a problem. Good Luck

If you can only get water down you might want to look for a clear protein drink so you are getting both protein and liquid. I tried and liked a protein drink at Walmart, it was flavoured with sour apple or lemonade. I preferred the sour apple, it did not seem sweet or have an after taste. My prayers are with you and your father, good luck.

Good Luck to both of you. I had to do four weeks of opti-fast so I know what you are going through. The crystal light flavours do wonders for the vanilla. I liked the tangerine and grapefruit for breakfast. It also helped to add fruit and benefibre to the magic bullet mixer. The vegies are the only solid food you get to eat so they are very important to add variety to your diet. Salad is only good for a short time, you can eat raw peppers and tomatoes, you can also stir fry in chicken broth. The spritzers from Hellmans give you a good low cal choice variety. The reason for the different amount of time on opti is because of the ammount of weight the doctor would like you to lose before the surgery. The less fat around the liver the easier for him during surgery and for you post-op. I lost 49 lbs. on opti, so it is safe to say this will probably be your best period of weight loss, it was for me.

Way to go Cindy, You sound like you have done your research and you know what you're doing. I am sure you will be happy with clinic both the day of surgery and during you post-op follow up. Good Luck:whoo:

Sweetz, The important part of the opti-fast diet is the Protein not the liquids. I also wanted to start prior to the opti diet. The important part is to get into ketosis. You can do this by eating lean meat and low GI vegies. Once you get on the opti part you get three Protein drinks and 250 cal of low GI veg. I was banded at the same clinic as your choice. I did four weeks on opti and lost 49 lbs. between consult and surgery. This is probably the best weight loss in my life. Feels good. Good Luck, remember this to will pass.:clap2:

Hi Sweetz, I am sure you will be happy with the clinic and all the staff I had Dr. C's sidekick Dr. M. They both get rave reviews and so do the nurses that will be doing your fills. Your band date will be my 36th wedding anniversary so I think of it as a lucky day. Good Luck and best wishes.:whoo:

Susan, that was a good reply on fills. I just had my third fill on Thurs. and I am now feeling restriction for the first time. I was begining to think it was a myth. Now I definately think and chew before I swallow. Sallie, you are welcome to the great northern site. We like Americans to keep Canada green, by spending your greenbacks. I was in Vegas last Feb. the highs were only 50F and damn cold at night but we had a lot of fun. (my DW and I) I did my share of keeping Vegas green.:phanvan I am living about 60 miles west of Toronto but I did live on the left coast for a couple of years when in the navy. I just heard on the news that they had hail the size of baseballs in Sask., they need that in Nevada. Good Luck losers.

Hello from across the pond. Mrs. D I miss read you signature at first and thought you were banded 19-03-07 and wondered how you lost 9 stone 10 lb. ( it is 14 lb. per stone right?) Why did you get the band removed? It is interesting I have to use a calculator to keep track of your stones and the Aussies kgs. In case anyone is interested it cost me $16,000.00 Cdn. That includes consult, surgery and free fills and post op visits for five years. I only live one hour from Toronto, the only city in Canada that has clinics that do lapband surgery, the people that fly in from the east or west coasts and in between have to pay a Dr. or nurse to do their fills around their homes. approx. $100.00. Good Luck to all.

Hi Susan, I just got my second fill today and I asked the nurse about the amounts. She told me everyone gets 4 cc the first time and I got 1cc more today, (2 weeks later). Happy loosing.

Both Dr. M. & C. are good and kind and all that good stuff but the real important people at the clinic are the beautiful nurses. They actually do the fills and the follow up visits. You could not ask for better people to help you. All the staff try to meet your needs and are very friendly. Be sure you are in good hands with Dr. M. and friends.:clap2:

Hi Wheezy I too am interested in what Dr. C. said about restriction and also what did you mean about increasing amount of patient suppport? I am going for my second fill on Thurs. the 21st. I don't think I've had the restriction I should have yet. I know it is not the same as the old "FULL" feeling I used to get after a big pig out but I am not sure what it should be. Awaiting your reply.

Mr. Yoda Congrats on your NSV. That should be a good inspiration for many. You and I are only one day apart on band dates so I can feel your joy with people food instead of baby food. Now I know why babies throw it on the floor or throw it up so often.:girl_hug: All the best to you. When is your first fill?

SusanI admit I did start solids early. Once I was two weeks post-op and everything seemed to be going OK I started experimenting. The whole puree idea did not appeal to me. I made sure everything was cut small and well chewed but I can only live so long on liquids and I was on the optifast for four weeks pre-op so I was in need of solid food.Everything seems to be still OK, I'm going for my first fill on Thurs. Everyone is different though I did not have the post-op problems that many people do ( Thank God). How is everything going for you? You did not say if you started early or how it went.

Thanks Doddie but I have been to the clinic I only live an hour from TO. I get my first fill 7th June.

My family doctor was very supportive. I haven't seen her since the pre-op physical and I will not until I get sick from something. It will be interesting to see her reaction to my weight loss. The info I got on gastric bi-pass scared the hell out of me and most people who have not done the research (like your nurse) do not know the difference between lap-band and bi-pass. It is a very big decision but I have no regrets. I have just found this web sight, it looks good. Do as all have suggested and talk with people in the know you trust. Good luck, it nice to be a loser.