snowbird

For meat, I also cut it across the grain to make it easier to chew and get through the band. My meat pieces are probably about an eighth of the size of my pre band pieces.

I heard that! OOOHHHH, cheese logs. MMMMMMMMM. And you can hold the steak knife. Monday is our 31st anniversary. And don't tell my husband, but he only has about 22 lb left to lose and I think he is looking kinda cute right now. Maybe I'll tell him myself.

Do your pouch test first. We are headed to Tucson this weekend for our anniversary, so later next week would be fine for me.

I'm back to defend my taste in chicken. It wasn't exactly like taffy; more like wood chips. You know you're in trouble when they bring a steak knife with your chicken breast! WABB, are you ready for some PAPPADOUX's???? I can order one of their meals and know I have my food shopping done for the week! By the way, I am off to sign up for a beginning Spanish class, so when we have to ask directions next time we're south of the border, we can actually understand their answer.

I was diagnosed with BE prior to banding last year. I need to schedule another endoscopy within the next couple months. I'm on nexium too. i still get some reflux every night, but it's not as bad as it was before I was banded.

Okay, three people. I don't think we've hit critical mass for a group yet, though . . .

Anyone in the Phoenix area interested in a fall get-together? We haven't done a real one since last winter, and I'm willing to organize it if anyone else is interested in attending.

I have heard that a lot of BC people go there. Hope it works out for you.

I just don't think you should consider a single fill to be the norm. That would only disappoint you if it doesn't work for you, and make you, or at least some people, feel like they have failed for some reason. My husband has had five fills, while I've had two. It is far more dangerous to be overfilled than underfilled, so there is nothing wrong with taking it slow and easy.

So has everyone from the Phoenix area deserted this board?

Don't know about BC, but I do know there is a fill clinic in Arlington, Washington down near Everett that my husband has used and liked. It's Fill Management Northwest. Northwest Fill Management providing affordable lap-band fills for weight loss surgery patients.

I have to agree, I'm skeptical too. I was in my doctor's office a couple weeks ago with two women receiving their first fills in 4 cc bands. Both of them were given 2 cc. Well, I've had my band a year, and only have 1.9 cc in it, and I still pb from time to time and have done so ever since my second fill last January. I had fluoro with my second fill and everything looked fine, but after sitting in the doctor's reception area for 15 minutes I realized I was way too tight and went back in to get some taken out, down to my 1.9 level. Point is, the doctor can't tell how much is right for you; the fluoro can't tell how much is perfect; only you can tell, and only after the fact. Experience helps the doctor make an informed guess, but it's still a guess.

Didn't have any such thing.

Not to mention this: Elections officials deny illegally purging voters - Yahoo! News

Next trip, I think I pick the restaurant !!

Lap band surgery is cutting into your body, so yes, there is a chance of complications. But the incisions are quite small, the surgery is relatively quick (under an hour) and the risks of remaining obese far outweigh the risks of surgery itself. I won't say "most" but a great number of us have this surgery not for cosmetic reasons, but for health reasons, and the health benefits are far greater than the health risks.

Hey yourself. I'm not skinny like you, but you know where I've been.

Thanks. I have a feeling a lot of the longer term Phoenix bandsters aren't hanging around here anymore. I know of one other person in Glendale, and one in Surprise, plus a few more farther away. I'm out west of Surprise.

I've had my 4 cc band a year now, and only have 1.9 cc in it after two fills. You may be too tight, like others say. I would have your doctor do a slight unfill and see if that helps. Your eating habits also have a lot to do with it. Eat very slowly, with lots of time between small bites, and of course, chew very thoroughly. Are there specific foods you have problems with? Try to find foods that don't give you trouble (NOT ice cream) until you can get this resolved.

Why are your fills so expensive? I mean, $1700? That is criminal. I pay less than $170 without insurance. It's a quick, 15 minute procedure, for heaven's sakes.

When people say to me "You're not going to lose any more, are you?" I've started answering "No" just because I don't want to get into the comments and arguments. I figure I want to lose about 5 more pounds and they aren't going to notice it anyway, so why talk about it?

Well, two things from me here. One, my husband didn't hit real restriction until 8.6 in his band, so you may just need a little bit more in yours. However, my second point is that you have to find what helps your band work. What foods do you have trouble getting down? That's what you should have on hand to eat. What foods are sliders for you? Those are the ones you should stay away from. Now, don't start with the "if I could control my eating I wouldn't have needed a band!" I've heard it, and I've even said it. But you have to learn what works for you and your band, and do it. I've learned peanuts get stuck after a couple, so when I start to binge on my slider foods, I have a couple peanuts and I don't feel like eating anymore. Just because you have a band doesn't mean you no longer have to really make an effort to eat less. The band helps, and gives you a few new tools to stop eating so much, which is great because without it I have never been able to lose weight and keep it off before. But you still need to understand yourself and how you eat.

Go up and type "Betancourt" into the search window at the top of the page, and you may wish to change your mind.

Get into a doctor and get unfilled right away. You are risking severe dehydration if you can't keep any liquids down, and it can kill you. If you can't get into your own doctor, whoever that may be, try the Obesity Control Center in Tijuana. I know they do fills and unfills on other doctors' patients; cost is $100 with fluoroscopy. Their number from Mexico is (664) 684 95 05 or from the US 1-866-376-7849.

lotstolose, Our bad eating habits are just that--habits-- but they are mentally addictive, not physically, and we can break them. Don't fill up a glass and have it near you while you eat. Drink a lot before the meal so you really aren't thisty. Make it harder for yourself to do the wrong thing. Sometimes if I am eating a dry food that won't go down, I don't really see harm in taking a sip. After all, some doctors recomment putting a low fat sauce on some foods to help them go down, and what is that besides adding liquids? Use your head about what your weaknesses are and refuse to break the rules. As Yoda said, "There is no TRY. Do, or not do." Or something like that. lol