kimberly6671

Penni - I too am so very, very sorry for what you are experiencing and hope everything turns out okay. I am a patient of Dr. Billy's out of his Tahoe office and would very much appreciate it if you would have your way with him and then cut him loose so he can come up here and band me! I'm telling you, they don't come much better looking than him....is he single? I know he has children, just wondering....

Carmen - What an awesome post! I needed that. I'll be banded soon and was having a case of the pre-surgery jitters. Thanks for your honesty.

Hi Dody - Welcome. Can I ask....if you are 5 foot 9 and weigh 157, wow, that sounds pretty thin...why are you being banded? Just curious.

Hi Cindy - Wow, I can't believe a doctor told you that! May I ask who it was? All the literature states, and I was told by Dr. Billy who is doing my surgery soon, that the band is designed to POTENTIALLY stay in forever. If you will read the posts here and do some research, you'll find that lots of people have been on the journey relatively problem-free, but other people, for whatever reasons, have had some issues. The problem is, in short, the band has been in use since the 90's in other countries, but only FDA approved here since 2001, so there just aren't many long-term statistics available and it is somewhat a leap of faith in that sense. I mean, I absolutely love my Doctor, Dr. Billy in Ventura and trust in his abilities, but I've also read that you could do everything right and still have issues. You SHOULD BE very perplexed by the information you are being given because it is just not so. The Inamed site is helpful. Yes, you would think that after being banded for some time we would (and do!) learn great habits, but the fact is, and all the literature states this, that upon band removal, the stomach returns to its natural state - and therein lies the good and the bad. With that comes the pre-band appetite, but the fact that it is adjustable, removable, reversible is precisely why this option is really the best weight loss surgery alternative around. I've been doing LOTS of reading, researching and praying about this decision because I know that I am prepared for the positives - who isn't?! But the bottom line is I have to decide - and you for yourself - whether I am prepared for the problems that can happen. This is just my two cents. Big decision. On the one hand, I want to jump in feet first tomorrow, but I too want this to be long term, forever, and THERE ARE NO GUARANTEES.....Sorry for going on so long, but I had to respond to your doctor telling you it will only last like two years and it should be removed after achieving your weight goal. So not true! Good luck - Kim

I love that show! It makes me cry watching how successful they were....except the one gal who didn't really lose that much. She wasn't smiling and happy like the rest. I was so pulling for Suzy but loved all three finalists. They look absolutely phenomenal and many of them weighed more than me when they started. Makes me want to jump on my treadmill!

Alex, thanks so much for your thoughts. It's a different perspective that I hadn't thought about - it being like anything else we would need to have implanted. Question - I see you have been banded for two years - have you had any issues? Maybe I'm just having pre-surgery jitters...some days I feel absolutely confident in my decision, my doctor who I really, really love, and the excitement of the opportunity. Other days....well, it's a great deal of money and the fear just creeps in that this is just a temporary fix. I've HAD the temporary fix...if I didn't need something more permanent, I wouldn't do this. But I appreciate your feedback and any more info you can give! Maybe I'm just reaching out for some assurance....Thank you!

Hi, I'm Kim and I've been here reading a posting for a little while...will be banded on 12-16-05 and after reading the posts about the slips and erosions, I must admit I'm scared and having second thoughts. I want to be in this for the long haul...I am self-pay and do not have an endless supply of money for all the tests or for further surgery should some of these things go wrong. Is there anyone that's had the band long-term without any problems? What are the statistics from the other countries that have been placing the band for 10-plus years? What happens 10 years down the road? Surely there must be more information available. I know the techniques are understandably better now than 10 years ago, but it disturbs me to read that so many people are having problems one, two and three years in. Is it that we're so desperate for help that we're willing to pay 15,000 dollars for something that might not last more than a few years? I tried to obtain some information from Australia where I was under the impression that they've been doing this for a long time and to no avail. Please, please help me with this dilemma. I need to have my gallbladder out anyway and my thinking was that I might as well put it in at the same time. I'm scared and need some advice!

HI - I'm new here. Shooting for being banded on 12-2-05 and am from north of Sacramento, California. There is a lot of helpful information here but there seems to be this coded language that I can't figure out!! So, please tell me, what is PBing? How does it happen and what do you do when it does happen?

Mine was 275 and coded it such that I probably will be reimbursed some, if not all, by insurance. Check around, maybe there are some who offer different rates. How lucky you are to have a DH who can help!

Sorry - I should mention that Kathi Lorenz was the psychologist that Dr. Billy recommended in Roseville! Funny how initially I was brushing off the whole idea of seeing her as just a hoop to jump through prior to surgery and seriously, the whole way driving home I was like Wow! That was life changing. I completely underestimated the role of that consultation. Her comments just clicked with me about "escaping" with food and I now know that this is a two-pronged (at least!) approach for me.....the band will help me stop binging physically, but her tools for the emotional component will help to finally DEAL with WHY I want to eat so much. For whomever and whatever this is worth - make the most out of this extremely valuable avenue. Kim

I live in Yuba City which is 45 miles north of Sacramento, but I work in Sacramento almost every day. I just had my appointment with Kathi Lorenz in Roseville yesterday and she is just amazing, more helpful than I imagined. I went in thinking, oh, just a few questions and get it over with, but I was so moved by our discussion that I plan to see her again after surgery. She will be having groups after the first of the year. I will be having surgery December 2 with Dr. Helmuth Billy in Truckee. He also has an office in Ventura. I had sorta-kinda decided on him preliminarily and during my research I spoke with Don at Inamed in San Diego and he had said his wife was banded the week before by Dr. Billy, so that just kind of solidified it for me. I see that you are about 10 days post-op....how are you doing? Can you tell me about your first week? I'm nervous! Any advice would be very much appreciated and please feel free to message any time. Kim

Somehow I knew it was not a good thing!! Thank you so much.