LBHAR101688

I was banded on 3-24 by Dr. Ortiz in TJ Mexico. I had my first fill on Saturday. I was just wondering if there is anyone else close by banded. Maybe we could get together for coffee, and talk about our journey with the band.

I would love to meet with you and welcome to Whidbey Island, one of the prettiest spots in Washington. Just let me know when you are available. I am pretty much free after 3:30 in the afternoons and on most Saturdays. Thanks Bobbi

When you are able to get out and about that would be great. I just knew there where other people here on island that where banded. I would like to be able to talk to someone who could understand what I am going through. Man you have lost a lot of weight. Mine is coming off very slowly. Well all for now and hope you are feeling better soon. Thanks Bobbi

As Erv has said the band is just a tool. You will need to learn to eat all over agian. Chewing you food until it is mushy in your mouth, not drinking while eating, and not having any distraction for the 20 - 30 minutes during your meal time. I know very well about the test before surgery. It took me over a year to have all the test. For sleep apnea (which I didn't think I had), I had to go back three times before I even got my CPAP machine. Then a year of therapy, blood work up, doing the diets for over a year, then I didn't even get my insurance to cover. I had to self pay. You will do great and make the best decision for yourself.

We are unable to give advice as you would like. This will utimately lay on you sholders. If you are going through therapy this may be a subject that you can explore with your therapist. I am so sorry to here of the trials you have gone through with your life. My children always came first for over 30 years. My last child will graduate from high school this week. I decided that this was going to be my year to start taking care of myself. I have or had all the co-morbidities with my weight (diabetes for over 15 years on insuline, asthma for over 20 years on 4 different med for this on a daily basis, and hypertension, 2 different meds for this.) I had my surgery in March of this years have dropped over 40 pounds and am now off of all meds for now. The doctors wanted to see how things would go for the next two months. I am not saying this to tell you to go have the surgery, just letting you know that some of us this has been a god send. Please continue with your therapy and I will be here almost everyday if you need a friend to talk with. God bless and my prayers are for you and your daughter.

Don't take tylenol with the vicodan, just take tylenol. Like everyone else says the tylenol seemed to help more then the painkillers. Also remember to walk, walk, walk get outside and walk around the block if you can. I found that if I did that I felt so much better. Also a recliner, this helped out too. Best of luck. And yes it does get better as the days go by.:incazzato:

Susan - I was diagnosed with sleep apnea last November. I didn't even know it. I was told I had over 20 event in the night. An event can be from snoring loudly to not breathing. Mine were from not breathing. I have been on a CPAP for sometime now and notice that I do sleep better and am more alert during the day now. I had the lapband surgery in March of this year. Will go in to the doctors in a few months to see if I need the machine anymore. All I know is I have been taken off all my medication, including for my diabetes. I am just telling you this because some symptoms do subside with surgery. Your best bet would be go in and have a sleep study. They can let you know. Of course it could be due to the change in you schedule, even a slight change does take it out of some people. Good luck! Bobbi

Hi new to this banded on 3-24-08. First fill 5-3-08 B - Ham and vegie omlet 1 cup skim milk L- Teryaki chicken 2 1/2 oz 1 cup green beans with almonds D - 3 oz steak 1/4 cup potatoe salad 1/2 cup cucumber and tomatoe salad Just not real hungry right now.

Sam - As Sue said it will get easier. I found if I got up and walked that helped me out a lot. I am now walking 3 miles a day and I really need it. The energry level will increase in time. I was banded on 3-24 of this year and am almost 7 weeks out. I feel so much better now and I move faster then I have in the last 30 years. Let your friends know when you get home. You just might be surprised they may be of help. You will be just fine. Remember why you did this and what you are trying to achieve for yourself. Good luck to you.

I went through counseling for a year before I got banded, this helped me realize I used food as a numbing agent to all the problems in my life. She has since helped me through some of the issues, while some are still there, but not as bad. I was banded March 24 of this year and will go in for my first fill today (excited!). All I can say from my experience is the band has help in taking the physical hunger away, but does not take the mental hunger away. This comes from within ourselves, however we find the means. My has been sewing, puzzles, and yes even watching TV. I use my DVR so I can just race through all the commercials. (Thats why I got it.) I really planned a lot before the band. I have also found that my energy level has shot way up there. I am almost 6 weeks out from the band and am now walking 3 miles a day and have introduced some cardio exercises into my life. I was up to 303 and now down to 257 as of today. We just need to find the things that bring us joy and happiness and that can no longer be food. I wish you great luck in you journey.

Congrats on your decision to have the lap band. I was banded on 3-24 and every day feels so much better. You wil have a good support system with everyone going in to have the lap band. Just remember to loose the weight you need to, start now if you have too. The weight loss wil help the doctors to put the lap band around the tummy. They need to be able to lift it off the liver. You probably already know this, but the weight loss starts inside. Your organs start to loose the fat first.

I have raised all my children (30 years), put all on hold to take care of each of them. They are now on their own journeys. (Married, children, college) My husband and I have decided it is now my turn. I have been working on this for a little over a year now. I will be banded on the 24th of this month down in Mexico by Dr. Ortiz. Money was a small problem getting banded up here in the Pacific Northwest too expensive. I have been going through therapy, and a lot of other testing to make sure I am ready. I have diabetes, high blood pressure and asthma. This surgery is to make me healthy. I am ready to open a new chapter in my life. Very excited!!

I have gone to a few of the informational seminars up here and they all said they do not do fills. That kind of discouraged me, plus the 18,000 to 25,000 for the surgery (self pay). I have been on this journey for a little over a year now, went to my first serminar last January. I thought I would never be able to do this. But I did not give up, I went on the internet and found the clinics in Mexico and then thought of the fills and where I could go. Just a lot of investigating. Also my personal Dr insisted on me getting some therapy, and some other test to make sure I could handle all this. I do have sleep apnea which I found out about a few days ago. Therapist says she is confident in my decision. Am just really looking forward to the life change.

I have done some inquiries and found this clinic is ran by two nurses that they themselves got banded in Mexico and no one would do their fills, so they decided to open this small clinic specifically for patients that have been banded.

I will be banded by Dr Ortiz at the end of this month I am from Oak Harbor on Whidbey Island

I plan on going to a small clinic in Arlington for my fills. I will talk to the doctors down there and see if I can call if I have questions or concerns. I still need to call the clinic (Arlington)and see if I can set up a time to see them after the surgery for a check up or whatever else I need to do. I have lot of questions in a small note book. Plan on taking it with me when I go so I don't forget anything.