AprilAnne

Most people say to take a robe to wear when you are out in the halls walking, but with the IV in your arm it was impossible to put the robe on. my solution was to bring a bathing suit wrap--an over sized sarong large enough to wear as a dress. So i looked really CUTE walking down the halls. i got lots of complements. also not as bulky as a robe in your suitcase. Also i would bring a leai-- the flower necklace. WHen my husband was in the hospital i got him one and he wore it all over the hospital. it made people laugh and smile. and in the hospital please do not forget to bring your SENSE OF HUMOR! things will go wrong, you will have forgotten something, your skirt may fall off in teh middle of the hall:wub: but this is the first step in your new life... LAUGH, SMILE. Give praise and ENJOY!

You made me smile :-) I will keep your journey in my prayers. I feel your pain and i too would love to encourage you on this journey! Dont give up an i wont either!

I think i am in the TOP 10 of slow loosers. i was banded 02-13-08 and have had 6 fills. I am at 6.6 cc in my 10 cc band. And in that wonderful six months i have lost SIX pounds-- not 66, not even 16-- SIX! I record my food and exercize. i feel like the worlds biggest FAILURE! i never get that feeling of "FULL". i never have in my life and i still dont now. I have not been on these web sites. But i thought i might today- get encouragement, but HONESTLY all it has done is make me feel like an even bigger failure when i read about people dropping 30-40-or even 81 pounds in six months-- LOL and they are COMPLAINING becuase their weight loss has stalled...:biggrin: oh well-- i think it best i not come back here any more. Good luck to you all!

i have had 6 fills since being banded 02-13-08. I currently have 6.6 cc in the Realize band and i have lost SIX pounds in six months. I record my food and exercize. i am so frustrated i want to cry. no restriction. no weight loss to speak of. Cursed and Frustrated.

I feel your frustration. I was banded 02-13-08 and i have lost 6 pounds. I have had SIX - yes count them SIX- fills. I have 6.6 cc in my 10 cc REALIZE band and i do not feel ANY restriction. I know every one is different but i want to cry and claw out eyes when i read magazine articles about people who dropped 6 dress sizes in 6 months after being banded. I track all my food on the REALIZE site, i keep my calories between 900 and 1100 daily. Take all my suppliments. Exercize-- now not the 3-4 hours daily that has recently been suggested by research into the FAT gene. I am FRUSTRATED and feel CURSED to always be morbidly obese. Even when i preveiously lost 100 pounds - before the band -- i only wnet froma a size 28 to a 18-- maaaybe a 16 on a good non Water retaining day. When i weighed 130 pounds i was still a size 12! I am big boned. Is it my lot in life to be a 18. IS that BAD? that i am morbidly obese at 246 at 5 ft 6... i am begining to feel myself making deals with my mind-- its not sooo bad- you look okay-- who you trying to impress any way? so yes i feel your frustration.... :biggrin:

I am about 95% sure i want to have this done and i am narrowing down my surgeon. I have Federal BCBS and Dr Baker and Dr Gibbs are both preferred providers ( Dr. Wellburn is not ). Has anyone here had any experience with either of them? If anyone in ARKANSAS wants to chat i would like to hear from you on Yahoo ! as starkiss_319. God bless you each and all!! April

i have the newly FDA approved REALIZE band. it is 9 cc. and what is MOST wonderful about it is the ONLINE support you get withteh REALIZE band. Home - REALIZEBand.com You record your food, exercize, measurements, pictures, goals. the site will send your doctor updates on what you are eatting and your weight loss. there is also someone available live 24/7 to talk about the band and any questions you might have. VERY unique support system that i ahve jsut LOVED using to help keep me on track,

i used Dr. Baker for my surgery yesterday and he is AWESOME !!!

Posting again-- has anyone here used Dr Baker in Little Rock?

my insurance did not require those things so i have not had to do them ( Fed BCBS ). Dr. Baker requires you attend a seminar, a support group and listen in on a dietican call. You can complete your forms ONLINE and they answer emails quickly. https://drbaker.patienthub.com/login.asp Would love to shat with you about it!

I was impressed with Dr Baker and my doctor has referred several people to him, all have lost weight with out any health complications. I like his no nonsense approach to it, how he is REALLY focused on HEALTH benefits-- that is what finally sold me. He showed statistics that clsoe to 100% of the people with PMDD are cured of PMDD after the lap band-- hell if i didnt loose a SINGLE POUND and my PMDD was cured THAT alone would be worth EVERY THING!! Come to the support group on 02-14 ill be there would LOVE to chat !!

I went thru the same thing. But i have been VERY VERY impressed with Dr Baker. His seminar is much more focused on HEALTH and WELLNESS. Not a SINGLE "before and after" picture and not a SINGLE mention of cost or how to finance. BUt he focused on how your health would be improved and on what HEALTHY changes you will need to make and if you are NOT willing to make them he doesnt want you as a patient. I too will be at the support group on 02-14 look for the gal with SPIKY RED hair-- im not hard to miss :-) GOOD LUCK and if you want to chat i am starkiss_319 on YAHOO.

i had lipo done of that very area when i had my tummy tuck

I went to Wellburn seminar was impressed but insuarnace wouldnt cover him. my insurance will pay for Dr. Baker and Dr. Gibbs. I have researched both and Dr. Baker seems very well decorated as a surgeon and the nurse was a hoot to talk to, very personable. One thing i have read on this site about Wellburn is that he is SOOOO busy that it can be hard to get in for an unscheduled fill or visit- some said even MONTHS. But every one has said he is a great doctor with a caring manor.

Hello every one. I am considering the Lap-band. I went to a seminar by Dr. Wellburn last week but he is not a preferred provider for Federal BCBS. But i did find out that Dr. Gibbs and Dr. John Baker are preferred providers and Baptist is a Center of Excellence AND that my insurance just started to cover lap bands-- YEAH !!!!:seeya: I had previously lost 100 pounds with out surgery, had a tummy tuck-- Dr. Lehmberg is WONDERFUL!! But when i moved away form my support group the weight crept back up. Support groups are SOOOOO important to any weight loss program. I am like 95% sure i want to have this done, but i am still researching. I feel like i know so much now i could practically do the surgery myself LOL. But what i learned from the Tummy Tuck was that READING about it and LIVING it are two TOTALLY different things. Well i am looking for SUPPORT here, people to chat with about REAL life stuff and how to get thru it without loosing our minds along with ouR BODY FAT. I am on YAHOO all the time as starkiss_319 if you want to chat! April 280 pounds 5 ft 6 and sexy

HI there every one in Arkansas! I am considering a band and hve been to Dr. Wellburns seminar and was impressed. But i found out that Dr. Gibbs and Dr. John Baker are preferred providers for Federal BCBS-- nad SURPRISE Federal BCBS now COVERS lap band surgery !!! OMG !! is it possibel i could have this done and have my insurance actually PAY for it?!?! Looking forward to hearing from all of you!! I am starkiss_319 on Yahoo if anyone wants to chat.

I have been looking at this doctor also. Have you made your decision yet? I am going to a seminar of his on 01-22-08