LiveLoveLaugh

Hello.... I hear what your saying and I'm now in the same boat as you. My lap band surgeon just informed me Tue. 4/27 that he wants me to lsoe another 30 pounds and by end of summer wants me to start the plastic surgery consult to remove some and most of all my extra skin. I have a very large apron that hangs and he said it appears that we may need to go ahead and remove that after the summer into the late fall/early winter.... I'm a bit concerned since I was under the impression that this would be done at the end once most of the weight has been lost. He seems to be very adimit to get it done about 3/4 way through this process to help me with mobility etc.... So does anyone know why this is and if it's the best way to go?

Wow... that's a real treat. What is it her biz to know why you needed to change your appointment. You need to start getting names of who your talking to and report this problem. When you have all the facts and names times etc... it makes a huge impact on your complaint. See if we all band (pun intended) we can start to make a difference in customer service in that place. I keep asking the Hoff when he's going to go private practice and I would work to be his office manager (LOL) since I have the skills and the customer service respect that would help make his practice thrive....... I even think the whole staff has a bad attitude right from the LPN, RN down..... I see a lot of attitude and snippy uncalled for comments, eye rolling and discussions between them about patients in front of other patients. It makes my head spin at times.... All I can say is I don't get any of the bull since I won't take one slip of it..... I'd call them out right there and then... make it a point to see the supervisor and report this misconduct and then make a point that if at any time in the future I was not treated the same as before this report was made I would take my report to the higher level...... So don't feel they might subject you to worse treatment cuz believe me if you have the skills and courage to rock the boat DO IT!!

Toot Toot our own horns......

This one sticks in my mind right now..... Going from a 4-5X top to 2X........ Just went shopping this weekend since I was looking really dumpy in some of the bigger shirts.......Hello summer wear.

That's great you get to visit the area... I've been back in this area awhile now (I grew up here whole family still lives here too). We (X-hubby & kids) lived in Pearl Harbor Hawaii for many years... I had lost over 160 lbs. with WW yet to only gain it back plus after moving to the Buffalo area... to much family style foods like wings, pizza, pasta etc....... It's like a huge bad food market. Plus the winters are long and lazy....... When you are used to doing everythig outdoors year round you can burn calories like crazy.... Here you just get in such an indoor winter funk you do less activities to burn calories.

Awesome..... where do you live now? I'm near the Buffalo airport in Cheektowaga. I weighed myself this morning since Tue. is my weekly day to do so and I've lost 2 more lbs for the week. hoot hoot. I need to update my tracker as it's not reflecting my loss from the past two weeks...... So now I have 129 to go until my goal..... I just love my band!!

Bravo - your success is what we love to see!! You rock on too.... Yeah at 350 your one of the bigger bandsters and you can join us anytime. I love the fact you feel comfy with your size even when it's not what everyone would think is perfect. A size 12 is nothing to sneeze at -that's awesome...... I would love to be a 12 and I'm making my way down..... So if you decide to go for those other pounds save ur clothes for me!! LOL

It's okay..... Take a huge deep breath - you know you have been on your pre-op diet and you will have lost in order to have your band placed. Now that you have that last meal mind-set out of your system start thinking like a bandster and do all the right steps to get to where you want to be...... Your going to be a great success and do the correct steps to get to your goal. Believe in yourself, your surgeon, and the plan ahead...... Rock on!!

Call the other doctor's office and explain what your going through..... If they take you and make you an appointment in a heart beat go and see what your options are at this stage of the game. That's what I did when my 1st surgeon's office blew me off after being approved and the office manager treated me like crap. Come to find out they did this to many of their patients after I looked into it...... So I switched surgeons and I coulldn't be happier. It only took me weeks to get my band - They even let me pick the date I wanted since I waited so long.... Due to my mistreatment from the other doctor's office. Do what feels right - you have choices and if something in your head and heart tells you something is not right - run don't walk from this doctor's office. Best to you.

Hey I'm here to tell you that it works... I started off at 411 and I'm a bit over two years out now. I've lost over 100lbs. I'm just like you been over weight my whole life and have been in the 300's to my top weight of 411 for atleast 20 plus years..... Except for twice losing big #162 & then again losing#169 lbs with Weight Watchers only to gain it all back on plus..... It has taken some time to get used to the band and the way it works and you working it into your life but I would do this again with-in a heart beat. I wish I had done it back in 2000 when I first thought about WLS. But I didn't so no need to dwell. I have to say this if you have coverage I stress and I mean stress be sure to see your surgeon every 7-8 weeks. This will give you a huge advantage for fills and the support you need. You may not need a fill but go in anyway to keep yourself on track we bigger bandsters need this help to discuss anything on our mind. What made my weight loss stall was I went 7 months without seeing my surgeon I didn't gain a pound but I didn't lose any either.Amazing because in the past if I went 7 months on anyother plan I would have gained everything back. What happened was my surgeons office called to cancel my appointment since the doc was going to be out in July/09 so I just made an appointment for Sept/09 well long and behold I got the flu couldn't make my appointment so called and made it for Nov/09 shoot the fat self I am called to cancel it days before - Why you ask because I knew I needed a fill but hell the holidays were coming Thanksgiving/Christmas etc. didn't want to be filled to miss out (fat girl thinking) so I cancelled that Nov. appointment told her I would call back to set up my next appointment. So I called early Dec/09 to make an appointment 1st one aval was Feb. 23, 2010 well now I go in and wow no gain/no loss satyed the same - Thrilled but disapointed in myself. I've forgiven myself and moved on to have gotten the best fill/sweetspot ever. I've been getting a 3 lb a week loss since and feeling awesome. It takes time to get the right fill, right habits and when you have the right mind set we larger bandsters can get to goal just like everyone else can..... Best thing I've ever done as part of my weight loss attempts........ You can and will do it!!

Thanks.... It's funny to hear that.. since I really must have been eating like a really fat girl. I have to say it does gross me out to watch some other people eat now. Huge bites, super fast and the huge amounts all day long. I'm even grossd out to watch my family and I have to stop myself from saying to much to them because they get a bit offensive. Yikes.... I don't want to become their FOOD POLICE!! LOL

Deb LadyRose - Your going in the right direction - Love your attitude and reaching out for help is the best thing you can do. Rock on gurl.... It takes time, willpower and oh a whole lot of advice to get into the right mind set and break some bad habits both from you and your family and friends... It's funny cuz I'm a bit over two years out and after my last fill Feb. 23rd I've finally hit my best sweet spot EVER and my mother who has supported me from day one. Kept telling me you need to eat more, is that all your eating, your gong to get sick if you don't eat more than that on and on.... Finally I looked at her and said "mom I know what I'm doing is correct, I'm finally following the doctor's menu and portions to a Tee I see him every 6-7 weeks now and if he feels I'm not doing good I'll change what I'm doing" She smiled and said " Ok sorry I seemed to gear you off your plan, I'm just not used to you eating so little, kinda like a skinny girl" we both busted out laughing and that broke the ice with out me hurting her or having her mad at me. I knew she had my best interest at heart but it just didn't come out as well as she thought it was...... Gotta love the family.. Hmm, me eating like a skinny girl..... Holly Cow!! LOL Leaving food on my plate, taking small/tiny portions, taking all healthy items.....

I have to say that this might not be intentional on her part (the Boss). I've had relationships with people who I only had eating incommon with..... food was a main focus in my life for way to long and once I had surgery some of my friends still were in the food focus mode with me not even knowing better. They too have to adjust to new ways of being part of my life - just food not as the main focus. Did you eat lunch out with your boss everyday, order in and when you got in the office was the focus being what and where are we going to order from today? I know that was how we acted in our office alot...... Sometimes I was the No I was the one who started this problem. Now it's stopped and everyone is much happier and healthier and we have an office salad bar day where everyone brings in a good healthy topping to share. We have turned 360' in the right direction. Take a huge deep breath and give your boss a little slack she may need to catch up to your new surgery and know the best way to now have a healthy relationship with you. If she becomes jealous/bitter and does out right nasty things after you ask her not too... Than you have no choice but to go the next step to make your point.

I'm so happy to hear all this great news. I've been in your shoes and I'm very proud of you. Keep your head up high and keep being the wonderful person you are...... Much love and well wishes.

This is just my in-put from knowing how my X-hubby was and still is to this day in the relationship with his family. Your hubby is the same as you, you mentioned his father was/has always been unkind to him as well. You see the abuse is now directed at you, now more so since your what I called fresh meat in the family. Do yourself and your husband a favor - grab him up and give him as much love as you can and make your HOME a happy safe place at all times as much as you can with-in your ability for him and yourself. Don't allow them to contine to make YOU both clash with the toxic crap they swing your way. He can't or has not mastered the ability to protect you from them, he can't even do it for himself. All I can say is one time as our children grew my X in-laws went after one of our children and I've never in my life saw my husband blow on this mother like he did..... This I do know I'm an adult and can hold my own and have gotten better as I age..... But once I saw him protect our child he vaildated all the years he couldn't for me!!!

Thanks...... Sorry to see all the stuff your going through right now!! I went back and read all the postings.... Wow you can never be 100% sure nothing can happen even when treating your bad with respect. I wish you all the best. I'm trying not to be a stranger it just happens when I'm so busy. Between my two children, my son graduating high school this June and working VA Research/UB foundation it's been a real adventure. LOL

Awesome - I'm so thrilled you had that control. Feels great huh..... I know..... It's powerful. I wanted to add that I got into trouble with my Vet. We have a small dog and when I didn't finish my plate a few bites here and there I was feeding out Yorkie out of love - Bad, Bad, Bad idea.... She gained a half a pound and my vet said I was slowly killing her. OMG I was shocked I was doing this to her. She's only a 4 1/2 lbs dog and I was feeding her those bites.... So remember you can over love with food to others in your house hold be careful......

Yup... But guess what - I'm over it now!! That little bit of eating this and that and everything else is what got me to 411 lbs. If you ever notice skippy girls always leave something on the plate or never take a lot in the first place. I'm thinking like a skippy girl now. Waste -what a bit of food oh well better than on my butt - wasting my life away is more costly than those bites of food. Hmm you know how much money I wasted growing in sizes for my clothes I ended up giving away or donating. But I do understand your thought process.... Changes are coming my dear it gets easier over time to not eat it or think it's a waste....... Much love an support your way!!

Hello, I know I've been missing in action. Well let's just say I went to an appointment in July/09. Had a fill and was to return Sept/09 but my appointment was cancelled since the Hoff was going to be gone out of office so I booked Nov. just before Thanksgiving. Well I decided to cancel it since I didn't want to be filled two days before Thanksgiving. Stupied me I ended up getting Feb.23,2010 as my next appointment date. I didn't lose anything yet never gained weight in that 7 months but I could have had better restriction during that time so I could have lost more weight. So lesson learned make sure you get appointments every 8-10 weeks just to keep up on things even if a fill in not needed. I was filled .75CC on Feb.23 and it's been wonderful. I've lost already 27 lbs in 5 weeks. Now tell me this won't work for us bigger losers. I need to update my tracker once I get off this message. Even just a small tweek can make a huge difference. Ok here is what happened when I had to complain. I was giving Dr. Hoffman's name out to some of my bigger frineds (5) who wanted the band by him. They applied asked for his by name. Went to the seminar and when they called them for a consult 4 out of five of were given to Posner and the other lady can't recall her name right now. They even asked for Hoffman etc... they were told it's the luck of the draw and wouldn't budge to give them Hoffman. Well first if a patient requests a doctor by name they cannot make you take another by the so called luck of the draw and once they wanted him weather or not an appointment date was open for the other two they had to set up a later time with Hoffman. Yet they gave these 4 patients the complete run around. This is a complete violation of patient rights to choose. So we placed a complaint to the Admin Director and it went through the chain to patient affairs etc.... In the end it worked and it was resolved.

We need to band together and contact the Admin officer of BGH. I had problems back a year and a half a go and was completely satisfied with the results. Seems things are getting out of hand again.

I'd jump on the table right now to have one placed again. This has been life saving for me. It took some time to break some bad habits and get used to the eating plan. The head hunger was a big one for me to over come.... But that was a life time of eating this way so I knew it wouldn't be an over night change. Now it's like a whole new life... I don't live to eat.... I eat to live..... No more mindless eating everything in sight and killing myself with every bit. Life changing and I'd do it again in one second flat........

NO. NO. NO stop doing it!! I know what your talking about. This is a slider food... It's sweet, sticky and oh so yummy. But high in fat, fat, fat. It's okay in portion control but if your eating to much and have no control you need to step away fast!! Easier said than done but I too had this problem with peanut butter it's a trigger food for me and I avoid it now. If I don't I'll eat it in heaping spoon fulls and gain. Do your best to get rid of it today!!!

Good afternoon, Wow that sounds like a great way to avoid scars. Everything done by the bellybutton....Awesome!! I have no scaring except a pea size light rose color spot where my port was placed. I was glued closed due to latex and other allergies so the steri strips could not be used. Staples/stitches were out of the question..... Way to much scaring with those options........

I have to say I went in thinking GBP at first since I had so much to lose (240 lbs) but when I took all my history & concerns into my surgeon and he sat with me (I'm talking one on one) and gave me all the information, his thoughts and the choice of either option. He gave me such support and his blessing that Lap Band could work for me that I took this information to heart and made my choice. He told me it would take much longer since one it was difficult for me get a good physical program in place the first year due to my large size and weight problem. Now that I'm down in weight I'm able to do more physical activity and the pounds are coming off at about 3-4 lbs a week. I need to update my ticker. I'm at perfect restriction and I feel awesome!! I'm so happy with my choice and it's up to you to decide, ask your doctor get all the facts and make the choice. I have a few friends who have the GBP after 4 years and now are gaining some weight back (30-40 & even 50 lbs) and have made comments that they wish they had a band to adjust to help them with this rebounding weight. Not to say I won't have any in the end but I have an option of adjustments to help with this in the end!! We have had conversations about if GBP patients can ge the lap Band on top of there surgery to help ... As of right now I have heard no. Hope this helps and remember what ever you decide you're going to be a weight loss winner and be healthier and happier than ever. Cynthia

Hello where are you from? Having surgery where may I ask? I know what you mean when they say those comments. I got them mostly from non family members. Since my family knows first hand how after losing 165 pounds twice in my mid 20's to my mid 30's they know how the pounds just came right back on after all that hard work. The stress, the happy & the everything momments in between just kept my gaining time & time again. Now I'm losing slow and it's for sure permant this time. Cynthia