argon

I'll call this my 1 yr photo.... ditched my usual tank top, cause it just looks horrid now:

Hi Leslie, He started the paperwork for the lapband in Alberta? I guess you'll find out in a couple weeks how long of a wait you'll be in for? Yikes... I would hate THAT wait. 8 weeks was difficult! Let us know when you find out! Good luck with whatever you decide... whether it's to wait to be covered in AB, go to BC or ON, or even Mexico! :welldoneclap: Mandi

Thank you guys! It's exciting... geesh... the 1-anythings are crazy... but SEVENTY'S?! I just blew my own mind! haha I shouldn't push it... I'm not THAT far out of the 180's to be getting all cocky. I will definitely stay off the scale as long as possible now. I don't want to see the inevitable fluctuation upwards. Dame - I answered you in your other thread. :welldoneclap: Goldie - you should start a new thread and ask this 'out there', cause I'm sure lots of people are sick of listening to me, so don't read this at all! haha But I am 99.9% sure there are no band surgeons in Ottawa. You'd likely have to go to Toronto. Is that so bad though? I went from SK to Toronto... you're lucky!

I've been going since I was 7 months out of surgery. I try for 3 times a week. I was good for that up until maybe 2 months ago... then I started slacking. I still go at least a couple times a week :| I hate exercising... really. But, same here... I do feel good after. Even during. It's just getting there that's the struggle. If I had to do it at home, I probably wouldn't. For the first couple months, I bought a punch pass which was 12 visits, which lasted me a month. The trainers there set me up with my own program, showed me how to do each exercise, and set me on my way. I hesitated to buy a LONG membership, but I did buy a 3 month one. It's a commitment, but not AS scary as paying for a full year. If you can buy less than a years membership, or single months, or punch passes, try that first. Definitely get yourself into a habit though. Specific days and times. For me it was M,W,F, directly there right after work. If I went home after work, I know I wouldn't want to leave again! Day One - arms and chest, Day Two - legs, and Day Three - shoulders and back... every one of those days I do abs. Uggg...abs. 99% of the time, I'll do maybe 20 minutes on the treadmill, before or after. I definitely think you should exercise. After just a few weeks, my legs felt hard... my arms felt hard... even my stomach felt harder. That is, what was below the fat and skin felt nice! I don't think it's helped me lose any faster (although I think it has helped with the crazy inches I've lost!), but I think I am all the better off for doing it, and in the end, things will look alot better than had I continued to do nothing but walk to and from my car each day. (believe me, I still mostly do that, but at least I add the gym into there too!) Good luck, let us know what you decide! That gym sounds great!

179.8 - woooo!

becca77 - you know it Donna - yes... first defill or issue really, so far. Everything WAS smooth... but as you see, little problems can happen any time. It was avoidable. Just be more smart than me! (i assume if you read back, you know about being sick, then nauseous, and then puking) Being sick caused the puking, not the band... me puking caused the problem with the band (too tight) Hopefully I'm making sense. Just don't want you to worry. Learn all you can from us, and hopefully do even better with what you get out of it! Good luck!

Thanks Doddie. Not wonderful enough, I'm afraid. For someone who's never worn a sleeveless anything in public, it kills me to not be able to in the near future. Anyways... I think I will call tomorrow my 1 yr anniversary (52 weeks plus a day). I didn't like todays scale read-out. (since it was same as it was Feb. 14 (d-day)) Tomorrow's the day, I can feel it, I'm in for one of my freak-ish 3 pound drops into the 170's!! WOO! It's Dan and my 4 yr anniversary today. Awwww.... yeah, yeah, I know... lame. We went out for lunch since we both planned to hit the gym after work. Good lunch... I had quiche. Went to the gym. I would have skipped it, but I wanted to be officially weighed on their scale, and have my measurements and body fat taken, according to their crazy system. Last time I did it there was Oct 27/06. Here we go: Oct - 210lbs NOW - 184.5 body fat - 34.1 ------- 27.8 Chest - 47" -------------41 Waist - 41.25"----------34.5 Belly - 48.25" ----------43 Hips - 42" --------------39 Thigh - 23" -------------22.5 Arm - 14.25" -----------13 SOoooo... pretty good. They measure all weird... places I don't... so, I don't really count their measurements... I do my own! Still cool.

I got sick one day, almost 2 months ago.. I threw up, and gagged almost all day. I was stupid and didn't have any type of anti-nausea medication (believe me, I do now). I ended up so irritated, a few days later, I got a complete defill, because I could only drink... and slowly. I was empty for 2 weeks (gained 8lbs) and just got a small fill a few weeks ago (I was at 1.5, now at 1.2)... the scale hasn't moved in weeks. Needless to say, this has set me back a couple of months... I probably wont see any scale movement until I get back up to the fill level I was at prior to the defill. It's a pain in the ass. Avoid puking, if for no other reason than you might need a defill, and you'll set yourself back too!! (they checked for slippage also... it was a-ok!)

My arms have potential... too bad the flab isn't moving'. I don't think I could go sleeveless even if they were nice and tight. Stretch marks there, too. Lapband update.doc

oh faith... one second earlier and I would have beat you!

I found these in another post, and I think almost all of them would be good. Hope they help! Questions about surgery About the surgery What is the exact name of the surgery and how is it done? Write down the name if you don't think you will remember it. Why do you need the surgery? Will you be able to go home the same day of the surgery (outpatient surgery)? If so, will you need to have someone take you home after the surgery? Does the surgery require an overnight stay in the hospital (inpatient surgery)? If so, how long will you be in the hospital? What will you need to do to prepare for the surgery? What are the risks and benefits? How often is this surgery successful? What does a successful outcome mean? What can you do to improve the likelihood of success (such as changing your diet or beginning certain exercises)? What is the risk of death or disability? What is the next step if the surgery fails? What is the likelihood that your problem will return after surgery? What kind of anesthesia will be used (local, regional, or general)? How long will the procedure take? What is the cost of the surgery? Is it likely to be covered by medical insurance? About your surgeon What is the surgeon's experience with this procedure? How many procedures has he or she done per year? What is his or her success rate? Does the surgeon have board certification in this area? Will another doctor be assisting your surgeon? Will the surgeon be using a new instrument or piece of equipment during the procedure? Has the surgeon been fully trained in the use of the instrument or equipment? Who will be giving the anesthesia? Discuss the anesthesia options with your surgeon ahead of time. Will anyone be in the operating room other than the doctors and nurses needed to perform the surgery (such as a person involved in training the surgeon on a new piece of equipment)? About your recovery What should you expect during the recovery period? What is normal? What kinds of self-care could you be doing to help your recovery? Will your activities be limited during the recovery period? If so, which activities and for how long? What help might you need while you recover? What symptoms should you call your doctor about? Partnering with your doctor Tell your doctor your preferences for treatment. Are there other options you would like to consider other than surgery? Discuss your biggest concerns about the surgery. Tell your doctor the results you expect to get from the surgery. What outcome would you consider to be a success? What would you consider a failure?

ok, I can't speak for metamucil, because I don't use it. I can see how it thickens ALOT... but... I don't know that it would block anything, especially drank with tons of Water. I agree, that because we are (or are supposed to be) focusing on eating Protein first, there's not always much room for fibrous stuff. That said, I use Benefiber, which is a fiber supplement that is non thickening, tasteless and clear... add it to water or whatever you want. It's fine. Try it, love it. Your bowels will too! *I am Canadian, and speak of Canadian products, so trust that you will be able to find this item anywhere you look!*

(so, tomorrow is 52 weeks since surgery.... my surgery was on March 29, which is thursday. If the scale isn't favorable tomorrow, I have one more day to try!!!)

It's a 2007 Mazda CX-9 .... and I will get it.... hmmm.... just as soon as my ship comes in.

(hehe, oops, no, sorry Doddie... not my car, but ONE day it will be!) thanks!

wait, here's a better one! Who's that snappy dresser?!

just did something a little silly and test drove my new (to be) car.... 'cept mine will be white. I needed pictures to VISUALIZE the day it's mine!

but if I ever need labia reduction or hymen restoration... he's my man!

I've heard of 'em before.... 1) I guess so! 2) It's probably a case of "I had sex before marriage, and if my new husband/family/religious people find out, I'm soooo dead!" .. I don't think the gal would be fooling herself, but the next guy... I guess. Groooosssss.... I don't even want to think about this stuff. UGGGG! Why would you want something reattached so some guy can go and rip it apart again... *GAG*

Welcome, Delphine!! You're doing great so far!

It actually might, though... according to the website, people who've been banded elsewhere, seeking aftercare with Cobourn/Mumford will only be accepted if they have Inamed/Allergen bands, because thats what they use and are trained with/for. So... if they won't do fills on other bands, maaaaybe the fill dr's they've trained, won't either? Who knows, its prob. up to the fill dr's if they want to venture into other bands... its not like the ports are really different.. right?

I would love to go... but I highly doubt it will happen. Up 'til how soon before can we still register?

Hi Donna, I can't think of anyone I've seen here banded by him. How much is it with Dr. Tin? How many surgeries has he done? How long has he been doing them? Are you paying for the consult? (and no, 4-8 weeks seems reasonable, and typical)

Never heard of him... but if you search elsewhere on the board, I'm sure there's plenty of Americans who've seen him.

I just turn it off sometimes, especially when I post in this thread... just cause it takes up less room, and I don't need to see it myself. Nope Cloe, it's wed.