sunsett

I'm thinking about having a tummy tuck one of these days. What are you general charges for this?

I realized after I had the band for about 6 weeks that I wasn't sticking to the band rules. At that point I started looking at my watch when I was eating. I would take a bite chew a bit, swallow sometime put the fork down other times played with the food on my plate. Whe the second hand on my watch hit 1 minute I'd start all over again. I not only started timing myself but I started timing others. One day I went to Boston Market. I saw someone pull into a spot and I started timing him. From the time he got out of his car came in stood online ordered ate and got back into his car it was 12 minutes. Have fun start timing your self and others. You may drive your family crazy like I do, but your sticking with the band rules and that is what leads to success! I take 20-30 minutes a meal, but rarely any less.

Welcome! I thought I was crazy at times before my surgery day. What am I about to do? How often will I get sick? Can I ever have pizza again? How about a bloomin onion? (which was part of my last supper) What will the port feel like and look like? What if I don't lose? what if I'm a failure? 2 years and almost 4 months later I can tell you that I am so glad that I did this! I had a problem with my band 4 months to the day after we found out I had a leak in the band. This is super rare! A month later I had the whole surgery over again. Would I do it again? In a heartbeat! I feel so strongly about the band that I have recently started working for a company where I talk to people considering having the band. Do I still fear something will go wrong? You bet I do! But the way I look at it is that I have had a major non lifethreatening problem and even with that, I will continue to live healthier and help others too. Good luck to you. What your feeling is normal I promise! GO FOR IT!

Hi Cal girls, I'm actually not from California, but I work with Dr Davtyan and NewHope Bariatrics. Dr Davtyan is in LA and he does do fills. As far as a support group goes. I do not know of any right now in the area. I do know that a lot of people were talking about putting one together. We started ours here in Charlotte. It was just 6 of us and now we have over 30. I strongly recommend you all try to get together. Patty, I can't remember her screenname, but she hangs out in the NJ section. She is also from that area. I maybe able to help you with a meeting place. Let me know. Hope your all doing well. I love my band. I have not been a great bandster this past month, but last night I had my last bite of cake finished the carmel popcorn and said ok this is it! So so far today I'm back on track! If you have any questions for an old timer, please ask away. I hope you don't mind me popping in!

Wow Jean a weekly support group that is wonderful. How does he run it? Is he there or do the patients run it? I'd love to hear how he does it. I've been thinking about a weekly meeting in the area of where I live. Our monthly group is wonderful and I think I invited you all to come join us. We meet at Dr Voellingers office, but it is for anyone who has the band or is thinking of the band. It does not matter what Dr you used. A bunch of us started it up from this website about 21/2 yrs ago. Last time we meet we had people coming from wilmington nc. Stats show that the people that attend support groupd have better wl results than those that don't. Needless to say, I'm sticking with it!

Welcome to band land Danny. Why are you having second thoughts, if you don't mind me asking? I struggle sometimes more than others, but it is the best thing I ever did in my life!

Thanks guys I am going to join you all on this eating healthier at night time thing! I have become addicted to jelly belly's! They taste so darn good! It's terrible. But tonight I am going to have a hot protien drink instead! and then go to bed, I might even jump in the hot tub

Need support . . badly!! Defect leak in My 30 month Vanguard My friends name on here and also band2gether. net is judybellyband. This is one of her posts. Good luck.

Actually her name is JudyBellyBand. Good luck let us know how you do.

My friend Judy went there and as Jennifer said, you dont' get personal attention there. she had a major 1 of a kind band problem and they basicially said oh well! She landed up coming down here to Dr Voellinger in Charlotte. Even though it is a ride for her, she is thrilled that she dis it. You can look up her posts here and also on Band2gether.net (b2g) Lap band Support Forums - Powered by vBulletin Her name is Judybelly.

What about trying food tenderizor with msg in it?

Everyone is different', so you really can't judge by others what you should be feeling like. I have been very slow with my fills and am almost at my goal weight. Most people that I know of with the 4cc band have over 2cc in thiers. I am only at 1.7. Go with your hunger, scale and Dr to judge. Really you know for sure if your eating to much. I judge myself by pizza! If I can eat an entire slice and then 2/3 of a second slice it is time for a fill.

I must tell you that my thoughts are that no one is going to be looking at you like that and if they are then they have a problem. People get the band that don't need to lose much weight at all. Some get it with a BMI of 30. Right after my surgery I went in for a follow up and there was a man that came in the office and I felt embarrased he was so fit and looked great. Then the receptionist handed him his paper work and I realized that he had been successful with his surgery. Hang in there you will do great and you will see people all different sizes.

You can only talk about foaming and slimming to a select few!!! lol Diane we are following each other! Our group started out meeting at restaurants. We would meet on differen't sides of Charlotte, so it was never more that a 30/40 minute drive for anyone. We grew and as time went on it was to difficult to talk with everyone so we just recently started meeting at my Dr.s office which is a central location. It doens't matter where you got your band everyone is invited. Now that we meet in the office we have more structure to our get togethers. The most important part I feel is getting to hear where others are at. Some are just thinking of the band, some getting ready to have it, some have just had it and then there are oldies like me. We all learn from each other every time. And some wonderful friendships have been made through it. I will try to see if I can find out first and then most recent picture to show you.

LOL I will find out about the discount and let you all know what I find out! Thanks for calling Diane it was great talking with you too.

Hi, I have only heard recently that he does the band. I have not heard anything else about him to be honest. You may want to go to band2gether.net there are a lot of Charlotte people on there. What made you chose him? When I looked for my band surgeon I wanted to know how many bands he had done, what was his success rate with the band. What is follow up care like? Who decides on the fills? Is he personable? Talk to people in the waiting room. See what they say about follow up care. I would not want to go with a Dr that didn't relate to me. They are all good sales people, remember that. You really want to be sure that it is you and your Dr that make the desicions on your fill not anyone else in the office. Support meetings? How often do they meet? Hope this helps. Band2gether.net (b2g) Lap band Support Forums - Powered by vBulletin like I said has a lot of CLT people. We have a support meeting that meets the second Saturday of the month. It doesn't matter who our Dr is, all are welcome. If you have trouble getting onto that site try it without the www My name there is lovemylpband Let me know what you find out, good luck!

Georgia Girl, Hi, I'm from Charlotte and we started a group about 21/2 yrs ago it was just 6 of us. We now have over 30! You should start one for sure. Even if it's just 2 of you, it will grow for sure. We post our pictures of our get togetheres on band2gether.net Most of the group just posts on that site now. I post on both. I started here and LBT has helped me so much over the past 2 yrs. #1 Do be to hard on yourself. We are all human and eating is a huge part of our lives. #2 Give yourself permission. Your an adult if you want a cookie give yourself permission. The guilt goes away and it is much easier to get back on track. You've lost 55 pounds in 3 months! Wow that is fantastic. I think that the fear will never go away for us. My size 10's are snug and some 12s aren't fitting quite the same since the holidays. However, I am an adult and I will take control over my choices. The Holiday's have been so hard! Candy Cookies all over the place. I keep saying I have no self control, which I have now stopped saying because I do have self control! Also write down your next mini goal weight write it everywhere think about that # and say outloud that you are whatever that # is. I have 160 everywhere. When I put my makeup on in the morning it is on the mirror so I think about being 160. Your doing great. Somedays you'll do better than others. Just think first before you make your choices and let yourself go with whatever the choice is that you have made and move on from there.

Diane, I would be interested in the discount for the contouring undergarments if you still have access to them. How are you feeling? I had a breast reduction last March. Went from a 34GG to a 36 D or C sometimes a 34 DD depending on where I go and who measures me. Someone sent my husband a sympathy card right before my surgery. Tummy tuck is maybe next year. I had to have vericous vien surgery in Nov and have to have my other leg done again most likely the end of this month of February. So thats enough surgery for me this year! Who was your band Dr?

Hello everyone and Happy New Year. I have the NewYears Blahs! Trying to get over them. I have been eating poorly which is really what I think is making my mood bad. I did get on the bike and rode 6 miles this morning! Have a good day. And Welcome New comers. Troy if you don't want to go out of the US click onto the NewHope Bariatrics banner and see if one of there locations is possible.

Hi everybody, It's so excited to read up on all of you. Tar I'm sorry that you had to fly to Denver for your surgery. Dr V and NewHope Bariatrics prices are a lot less than what you quoted for this area. Plus all fills for the first year are included. Well I live in Wesley Chapel. I've had the band now for 2 years and 3 months. I've gone from a size 24/26 to a 10/12. It hasn't always been easy, but if I had to do it again I'd do it in a heartbeat. I do not know of any meetings in the Triangle area, sorry. There is a very large support group that meets the second Saturday of the month in Charlotte. About 6 of us started the group almost 3 years ago and it has grown! We meet at Southeast Bariatrics on Randolph Rd near Presby hosp. It doesn't matter who you band Dr is or was all are invited. A lot of the group post on the NC section of band2gether.net I post both places. Have a great day and Happy New Year!

Hi, I haven't seen this thread before. At least I don't think I have. I love the escalator man! WOW what a gift from God! I have had the band for over 2 years now and it hasn't been easy at times. In the very beging I had a leak in the band and had to have the whole surgery done over again. But through it all I give him the Glory. This is his gift to me and to you. We all need to remember that. Welcome to all you new and soon to be bandsters. This is a wonderful journey. Remember to take pictures monthly so you can see for yourself how your doing. A Christian woman told me when I found out that I was going to have the surgery, to be sure to ask the Lord to let me see the real me when I look in the mirror. We all know how Satan has such a strong hold on us and our bodies. There have been days when I ask him and it's like I see 2 differen't bodies. So keep that in mind as you go on your journey. He is even with you in the mirror and if we ask he will show us what he sees. God Bless and Merry Christmas.

I am a huge believer in support groups. Here and in person. We go through so many stages that it is nice to speak with others and get through the tough times. I had my band for 4 months when we discovered a leak in it. This is VERY rear, Nothing for you to worry about. The reason why I am sharing it is because it made me become more of an advocate for the band I think than if I hadn't had my problem. I had to have the band replace. My Dr said that he thinks it happened when the band was put in. I am the only patient that this had ever happened to with him to this day. I'm his lucky star I guess! So I know first hand the complications that are so very rare but can happen. And I also know the benefits that this tool has for not only me but many others. I would love to talk to you if you'd like anytime, just PM me. I now work for NewHope Bariatrics. I am Patient Relationship Associate. I speak with people all day about the band. I don't usually share my leak story because I don't want to scare people away. But I can honestly tell you that if I had to do it again, I would do it again in a heart beat! Have a great day and again, feel free to PM me and I'll give you my #.

Hi Welcome, You are making the best decision I ever did. I had the band 26 months ago. I've gone from a 24/26 to a 10/12. It is so hard to believe! I have spend many hours on this forum and band2gether.net and have learned a lot about the band and the head. Every step you go through is a process. I felt the same way you do about the RNY. My husband and family felt the same way yours did. I don't want to lose this so I'm going to post and then continue.

Hi everybody, Hope everyone is doing better. Diane I'm glad your feeling better. Just a quick check in. Take care

Hi I believe that Dr, Voellinger in Charlotte is now filling MX bandsters. It's not 5 hours away so you may want to consider looking into him. Since he is my Dr let me know if you'd his address and phone #, I'd be more than happy to help you.