ozzy greene

I am at the 6 month mark and I am thrilled.

Hi I am Bob , Banded in Toronto Aug 7 2007 No we can never have a carbonated drink. As for the caffeine, I hear ya. I used to drink 4 litres per day. You can buy caffeine pills in the drug store. Good luck to you . ,Bob

The first thing to do is to call your clinic. That is why they are there and you paid so much. You sound right sometimes a small defill is good in this situation. Good luck.

We will all find someone. We have confidence in ourselves and we are all worthy. We will be together with someone. Just keep believing in you. Bob:clap2:

You will make it. The " right " number will happen.

You will be happy with having the band. It has helped me extremely.

Yes you are right , smoking kills even the people who don't smoke it directly. Such a waste of human life.

Hi Candle That is great losing the 50 pounds. Way to go. Bob

Hi Reggie I am Bob in Toronto. I got my lap-band on Aug 7 2007. I love my band. In mid June I weighed 353 pounds (most of which was around my waist. On Aug 7 my surgery day I weighed 330. Now I weigh 265 pounds. Did I mention I love my band ? It is not magic, it is a tool. For me it helped because I am a binge eater and an emotional eater. My band reminds me to make good choices at the food store and when I eat. Also why I eat. I still have to do the work , but it helps. I am 42 and I needed to lose the weight or I would not live until 60 for sure. Maybe before that I would have had dietetes or more back pain or ? I needed something to help me to lose the weight and keep it off. That is also important, we have all lost the weight at one time or more. Then it comes back, not now. With enought fills we can not eat the sheer volume of food I eat before. Plus I will still be making good decisions. For me I did not want the by pass. Too many deaths, like 1 in 200. For lap-band it is like 1 in 5000. It is laproscopic surgery no big cutting and long time healing. Lapband can be taken out if you don't like it. The same easy way it went in. There are too many extra problems with bypass. People cant absorb vitamins and they tend to have a problem where they have at times no bowel control called dumping. The lap band is not extreme. It may be a bit slower than the bypass. However people do lose the weight and keep it off. Not necessary so with the bypass, as some people have re gained the weight. Good luck to you. Bob

Hi I am Bob banded Aug 7 2007 in Toronto. No these items are powerfully helpful. We all lose at different rates and we all slip at one time or another. We look to each other for hope and care. Please be proud of what you have done. Bob

Hi I am Bob banded Aug 7 2007 in Toronto The tube is common. I did not even think of this until a few days later when a slight soreness in my throat went away. As for the catheter, ask your doctor. They should answer all of your questions. Good luck. Bob

Heck of a difference, way to go.

Hi I am Bob , banded Aug 7. For me, regarding the will power, I use my band as a gentle reminder of what food to buy at the store or what to eat. I combine my little teeny tiny will power with the band and that has tended to help. It is like a second opinion for me. May be that will help you. You are still losing even when you were on vacation, maybe you should be proud of your self. You also seem aware that you are slipping back to old bad ways, that self awareness is a good sign. Bob

Hi Arria, I am Bob in Toronto Go ahead and tell him. If it scares him off, then he is not right for you. He would by his actions tell you if he is a good guy or not. Anyone who would not date someone due to weight is the same person who will dump you for someone else who comes along. You sound like a person of quality, you should have someone nice. We all should. Good luck, Bob

. Hi Isvadala I am Bob in Toronto. Yes and no to the drinking of anything during dinner. The no part is, if you drink when eating, the food goes through the band very quickly and you don't get the "feel full" effect. The yes part is hey what the heck, every once in a while is ok. In general we should not drink anything during the meal or for at least one hour after. Some people say a half hour, others say two hours. For me just before the meal or with in a half hour of eating I drink one to two non carbonated drinks. Then I am not thirsty during the meal. , Bob

Hi some of us have trouble with rice as it tends to ball up. Think of sushi wraped in rice. Perhaps the trouble is the rice itself or may be not, each of us is different. Something to consider.

Hi I am Bob in Toronto. Welcome to the club. One of the benifits of the band is the self confindence that comes with weight loss and knowing it will stay off for forever. Self confindence is sexy and others can see and feel it. So hopefully things will improve. Good luck, Bob

Hi Karri, I am Bob in Toronto, I have been banded since Aug 7. 2007. I have heard some people say that when this happens they drink something hot or at least warm to loosen up the band or stomach. Some people can't eat in the morning, but later in the day they can eat. Yes by all means call your clinic, that is why they are there. You have a great idea. Good luck, Bob

Hi , a good question is why can you not eat. If you are having a problem then may I suggest you call your clinic. If this is a tempory problem then sure, have some soup or Chrystal Light, but be carefull of heavy calories in some liquids.

Hi for me I drink two glasses of water with Chrystal Light mixed in before my meal, then I am not as thirsty during my meal. Any low calorie drink will do, except we can't have anything carbonated.

Hi , if you are in Toronto , call the Surgical Weight Loss Centre. They train other doctors how to do the fills. May be they know someone in your area. Good luck to you , Bob

How it has been is great. Only a bit of pain right after surgery. Some sorness for a week , but that is it. I love my band. It has helped me to make better choices and not to over eat. I am an emotional eater and an extreme overeater. The band is a help. Each person is different and will lose weight at a different rate, but it works. Good luck to you , Bob

. Hi I was banded, on Aug 7. I love my band. I was 353 pounds on June 19 , on my surgery day I was 330 , now Oct 10 I weigh 273 pounds. Did I mention I love my band. It has helped me , first by being a reminder, not to eat at the wrong time, or for the wrong reason. I am an emotional eater and an extreme over eater. The band helps me feel more full and quicker. There is some discomfort after the procedure, but it is well worth it. Just follow your doctors info and you will be fine. Good luck , Bob

Hi , I am Bob in Canada, the city of Toronto. I got my band at the Surgical Weight Loss Centre on Aug 7, 2007 I weighed 353 pounds in July, at my surgery date of Aug 7. I weighed 330 pounds now I am 273 on Oct 10. The change has been wonderful, the best part is knowing it is not going to return. Best of luck to all, ,Bob

Hi I am Bob in Toronto I was banded recently on Aug 7. Yes you are right in what you feel. We , I think all had semi-similar thoughts and feelings. Happily I can tell you those thoughts and feelings do pass. The pain goes away and the soreness and you will begin to feel normal. Then, you start to lose weight and there is a double good feeling. First the weight going off and secondly you know it is off for good. It is not a quick weight loss, but it is not extremely slow either. This time will pass for you as it did for all of us. I love my band. I wish it had been around twenty years ago. Good luck to you, Bob