susieq321

I know when Kathy travels for conferences she tries to set up support meetings but she isn't traveling as much this year and she can't do fills etc... They are also do a fill session in Kingston I am not sure when but soon which helps all the eastern ON people a lot more.. So I wouldn't be surprised if more and more of these keep popping up all over ON. I am not sure they could do fills outside of ON because as nurses they would have to be licensed to do that as an RN. Heather

hmmmmm... Innamed brought her in for Tom's clinic which makes me wonder... why didn't they bring her in for SWLC's conference they are established with a lot of patients.... are they really that shallow that now they have SWLC locked into a contract for only Innamed bands that they don't care about the clinic anymore and want to seal up the east end business only now... And interesting if she is slamming the other clinics by saying Toms is the best wonder how the other Innamed clinics will feel about that one.... I don't see how a clinic that has done 10 bands personally can be the best of anything I think I will stick to my tried and true Heather

Phone your mexican surgeon and ask them to help you they should be able to phone the band manufacturer and get some details... I have heard SWLC will fill you for 5 years for 5grand no access to their surgeons etc... just fills and I don't know how limited that is. And you now know one of many many many reasons I wouldnt go to mexico

Doddie, I just know they are looking into it and arranging speakers and places etc

" and that is exactly what I am trying to do. I was living in Mexico when I had my lap band done. It is a "Inamed" Lap Band. My own Cdn dr does not agree with this surgery, therefore not an option. I understand exactly what you are saying about our wonderful health care system and I am a proud Canadian. I am simply looking for a well qualified fill doctor in this area with reasonable pricing. I had hoped my fellow Ontario-ians would have some names and numbers. :cool2: If you have an innamed band i would call your mexican doc and have one of his support staff call innamed and have them help you find a doc in ON who can do fills. Innamed has connections all over the place with surgeons so why not try it. heather

It really has nothing to do with thinking Mexican vs Canadian Drs are better or worse but why should they fill you? You choose to go somewhere else and pay another person for your surgery... part of what we pay for in ON is a comprehensive aftercare program which if they accept you for fills they tend to have to give you access too the other portion of the program, you become a patients and once a patient you get access to everything like the websites and resources they pay for us to have. The other issues for CDN docs is if you go to an ON Dr for fills and they do something like pierce the tubing or you have a complication who is responsible for fixing it as per the CDN healthcare system if the DR takes you on for some post op care he is morally responsible for fixing you if you are broken and the ON clinics don't want to take the risks. My clinic used to take on Mexican patients but after fixing a lot of problems including replacing bands for free they said no more. Think of it this way if I get my hair done somewhere and two weeks later the perm falls out I can't walk into another salon and say fix this moron's mistake and expect them to do it willingly for less of a cost or for free most of the will send you back to the place that messed up because of the chemicals used etc. And if you don't want to they will charge you the full price.... I would say find a family Doc willing to fill you or head to the states the only caveat with most US fill centres is you need to have an FDA approved band or they won't touch you for a fill and the only two that are FDA approved are the INNAMED and J&J bands. So if you have anything else call first and make sure they will help you. Good luck Heather

If you figure it out let me know, nothing seems to change in my life but my band it is a fickle bitch as one bandster said... stress, periods, altitudes, who knows... all sorts of things can cause you to self tighten sometimes it releases a day or two later sometimes it just stays tight, mine likes to self tightened and stay together so no biggy. For a lot of people it is stress and periods that cause it to self tighten, I can take all the stress in the world most of the time and sometimes something will set my band off... but then I tend to live a stress filled life that drives mere mortals insane as do most people. As long as you are prepared you should be fine, but as Tracey and I both said the best offense is a good defense so knowledge is power and being informed paramount. good luck Heather

Susan, There will be no Bash this year, the committee after a long discussion decided that because the two main clinics are holding educational seminars for their patients individually and hiring speakers etc and inviting all the bandsters at their clinics to attend for free it didn't make sense to ask them to shell out money for the bash also. We have decided however that we still want to a non clinic affiliated fun event so a group of us are planning a splash party that will be strictly for fun and a chance to band with other bandsters... look for details to be published soon. In the meantime SWLC just held their educational weekend and TLBC is planning on holding one in the fall with their own selection of speakers etc.

I have been eating out since immediately after getting my band no choice.. soup is an awesome option, I like ordering french onion and for a long long time I would order it with no cheese or bread, stews are great too. I also order a lot of appetizers or I tend to talk a lot during if you are talking no one expects you to be eating and they just think you are a lighter eater. Until you are really familiar with your band don't push eating out with strange foods or foods that are known to irritate a lot of bandsters like bread and rice or beef. You can also offer to share an entree with some one just say you are super hungry right now. I would stick to smaller portion sizes and by all means get comfy in restaurants I am in there4-6 times a week at least so it took a bit but now I am great with eating out Good luck H

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I love my band... I never forget I have it and I have never really hated it... it is what it is.... after 6 years I know it is one of my salvations and graces. I will say there are a few things I miss.. like chugging a beer or a huge glass of milk I can't do it, I miss eating thick crust pizza a few bites and I am full... am I will to change for the things I miss no because I don't miss being 296 lbs Heather

I think you are smart to only have your band doc or someone he trains playing with your fills... but I am over six years out and my last four trips have been to get a defill, I haven't had a fill since 2005 and the only reason I needed a defill was because my band selftightened months and months later... I hadn't seen my surgeon in over a year and there I was getting a wee bit of a defill because it selftightened and with some people it is much worse than others. Just make sure you have a contingency plan. Heather

Guess what? We live in Canada, they can't refuse us healthcare, we are not Americans!:redface: You would be surprised what they can do.. i had a minor minor complication post op plastic surgery in Calgary and the hospital response.... go back to Toronto to your own surgeon to have it looked at we want nothing to do with you.... so don't think it is all roses you can be referred back to your original doctor and Tracey is right they only thing they will do is take the band out of you. I would ask the same question regardless of where I was being banded 1) if there is a complication who fixes it and who pays for the repair (I had 6 band surgeries all complications I knew who was paying) and get this in writing.. 2) what post op support do you get this is more important than you will ever know post op is vital to success in most cases 3) fills who pays how much and when... you might need one fill you might need 2 dozen I am over 6 years out and i still get fill and defills and I have been at goal almost 5 years now 4) if you are no where near your surgeon can they arrange fills in advance for you at another office... they all know the other banding docs in most cases other surgeons and they have relationships with the companies that sell them the band they should be able to help you out 5) what band are you actually getting and what is it made of get a name brand band that way if something goes wrong you have a better chance of someone being familiar with the band type you have rather than some no name type that isn't tested, make sure your band type is approved by the FDA if you are american and Health Canada if you are cdn.. and get your band type in writing as part of the contract. 6) if you are going out of country get it all in writing and make sure the contract is legal in the country you are getting the band in and that you understand what you are agreeing too... usually there is a reason why something is so much cheaper it may not be cheaper in the long run, it may cost you a lot more than you know. I have a friend who worked in hospitals in San Diego and used to see the botched surgerical patients coming back from Mexico for plastic etc and she says she won't even head over for an afternoon of fun anymore never mind get surgery there after what she has seen. This is a foreign country that does not have the same standards as Canada and the US have... some surgeons are great and some are very very bad. Me I would rather pay in Canada and know what I am getting. And I say this as a patient who did it all right and had almost everything that could go wrong go wrong are you prepared to pay to go to mexico for 6 surgeries... I was barely prepared to pay to fly to Toronto for them never mind mexico. Good luck Heather

i prefer not to post my personal cell numbers in this forum email me at susieq321@hotmail.com

I was banded by Dr Yau over 6 years ago I would gladly talk to you but I am traveling right now and in a different time zone (mtn) so a few hours behind you Heather

It might not have been a chunk it might have been too much food.. it is really hard for people who aren't banded to get the whole I just have to move sometimes or I will puke.. tell him it is like thanksgiving dinner or Christmas when you eat too much you feel gross and like vomiting and don't want to move, but you go the extra step to vomiting. People react differently dont read too much into it... one of my best friends stopped talking to me for a few years because she wouldn't ask and I wouldn't tell without her asking me... and she got mad. Who knows it is a private thing to me so I tell some and don't tell others. And you explanation was good, nonbanded people just don't get it.. even my RNY friends don't get it Heather

I can agree but the technical explanation is as I stated if you need it you need it when you read some studies there are a lot of similarities between bulimia and obese binge eating, and anoxeria and obese people with body dismorphic order, so don't discount how close you can be... and possibly needing help to get over it or work with it. We all have issues with food some are easier and some are harder detoxing is a great way to start I did it a few weeks ago mostly I needed to get the majority of the sugar out it really helps to stop it for 7-10 days when you are ready to do it. Good luck, says the girl who is fighting the salt craving demon lately. Heather

Walk around as much as you can, take the drugs if you need them, if you don't just go slow and don't push it too much. DON'T STRAY it is only a few weeks of your life... you can do it. I used to freeze juices so I could get the sensation of chewing something solid in there I really missed chewing a lot. I wasn't overly hungry for most of the liquid phase but that was just me. Keep going Heather

Lorily, Sometimes yes sometimes no... mine never really loosened up only got tighter but that is me..but it is not uncommon for people to get looser... if you aren't loosing in two or three weeks i would get a little out. Try taking a zantac before bed I can't live like that but that is just me. Good luck Heather

Binge eating is consuming massive amounts of food 2000-3000 calories in a rapid period of time eating until you almost feel sick or do feel sick... consuming an entire tub of ice cream etc a few almonds isn't a binge but eating the whole bag in a matter of minutes. It takes time to learn control and sometimes we all fall down and we get up again and start all over again.. Heather

I am sure your tests are fine, be honest about any health issues and you will pass Good luck Heather

Susan, If you are having issues with solids a good kick start is the full Fluid diet or clear fluid.. hard but a great kick starter. You are taking the right steps, take them the in direction you need to take them. Sometimes we all need breaks and we all fall down it is just time to dust yourself off and start doing what is right for you and it sounds like you are partway there. Remember everyone struggles and as important as victories are to read about, challenges teach people more and people want to help. Keep going Heather

HippieMama, Welcome and great choice in TLBC it is a great clinic with an amazing surgeon. Keep making the right choices. Heather

Donna, It is not the vomiting that upsets, me it is morons who call it sliming and pb'ing and think there is a difference in the type of stoma contractions to bring up saliva, just chewed food or well chewed food.. it is all vomit... if I swallow it and it comes back up I am vomiting, puking, tossing the Cookies... not pb'ing.. my burps produce gas not food (reread that sentence and read it carefully, there is no difference in the type of stomach contraction required to slime, pb or vomit they are strong contractions to force the food upa nd those stomach contractions are where the danger lies)... I am not sliming my dog slimes.. I am vomiting. Regardless of what comes up the act of sliming, pb'ing or in truth vomiting it makes the stoma contract violently and every time that happens it puts you a little at risk, if you are doing this daily or multiple times in a day it puts you more at risk... it is a relatively small risk but in truth slippage is just on of the risk, eroding your teeth enamel is another anytime something gets swallowed it gets mixed with stomach acid and that can do serious damage.. it may not be a lot of stomach acid but there is still some there. I think the head game and learning to eat is one of the hardest things we will do it is harder than forming a work out habit it is a huge head game and one of the reasons we rush eating is because we think we still can, it is part of the head. I still vomit once in a while not often, and it is all my fault.. with my band I can eat any type of food and some days it just self tightens for a wee bit and loosens off the next day or ten days later. So it may be fine at lunch but by dinner or during dinner it tightens up suddenly and if it tightens while or post eating watch out. I have been fine with the amount of food I ate for a meal and a 1/2 hour later I need to vomit... didnt feel overly full with the meal but after eating the band tightens to the point where I am overly full and after over 6 years I can think about vomiting and be able to vomit. But these are the exceptions for me not the rule.. it doesn't happen daily or even weekly but once in a while I vomit tears streaming out of my eyes vomit. There are also times where I feel like vomiting and I know if i walk to the restroom I will puke but if I can sit it out or move walking fast somewhere the feeling passes again fine with the amount of food by suddenly for whatever reason it just hits me.. uh oh no more no more no more.. and I wait it out when possible. My band is fickle and variable and changing daily there is no predicting what sets me off but I do eat slowly.. on dates I look at my date who is done eating as I just slog away eating slowly and say oops I am a terribly slow eater and continue to chew chew chew same with business dinners.. I can't tell you the number of times that everyone else is done around me and I am just munching away or getting leftovers for the dog. Heather

Doddie, it is a challenge for most people it was a challenge for me to learn to take only what i could eat not what i wanted to eat.. the chewing was fast I had the old band and if i didn't chew i would puke immediately within bites not meals so i learned very fast..and it has served me well. Before you eat take just a minute and stop and think.. it is hard but it will help trust me. Heather