TLC223

Thank you all for your help! Woo Hoo, BIGGER tax refund!:thumbup:

I hope someone can help me with this. I am a self pay lap bander. I would really love to use the surgery as a deduction on my income taxes, but since it was elective I don't know if it would be a legitimate deduction. Any thoughts? Thanks!

I have free fills for life at Journeylite in Houston. Each fill and unfill is done with the flouroscope, and everyone there is amazing!:laugh:

Hi Lisa, Dr. Ata Ahmad did my surgery through Journeylite. I really liked him and his staff. The folks at Journeylite are amazing-very friendly. Most who work there are banded and can answer my questions based on experience. Dr. Collier is another surgeon who also operates out of Journeylite. I haven't met him, but I have heard great things about him. Good Luck!

:thumbup:One of my favorite meals is cottage cheese mixed with a very chunky salsa. Delicious!

My port definitely detached and is down in my pelvic area. How weird is that! None of the nurses or surgeons had ever seen it happen.

Hi Everyone! I got my third fill a week ago and finally felt major restriction. I have had a few bad days where I felt too tight and haven't been able to keep anything solid down. I've been fine with liquids. I started having coffee in the mornings to loosen the band and that seemed to really help. Well, today has been a bad day and this morning's coffee didn't help. I have thrown up several times and am feeling pretty nauseous from trying to drink milk right now. To make matters worse, my port, which is always easy to find, seems to have come undone and slipped all the way down to the bottom of my abdomen. Is that possible? I'm not in pain, and it seems if it had somehow disconnected from the muscle that it would hurt. Anyone have any thoughts or experience with this?

I feel the same way!! I am very anxious to hear what others have to say.

Hi Everyone! I sure could use some advice. I was banded August 6th. I have very little restriction, and while I eat way less than I used to, I still find it difficult to only eat when I am hungry or stop when I should. When I finally find my sweet spot, my hope is that I physically won't be able to do that. Any one else with this problem? Any advice or words of wisdom? Thanks!

So many of you said that you aren't supposed to drink if you get stuck. Yikes-that is what I have been doing and I get relief relatively quickly. Why are you not supposed to drink:confused:?

Hi Paula! Congratulations on your surgery, and I hope you are feeling well. I was banded on August 6th, and my first day of teacher inservice was the 14th. I felt fine; I just had kids come up and help with the pushing and lifting.(1/2 workday) I was on full liquids then, so I wasn't feeling weak and tired from having Clear Liquids only, actually pretty lively with some real, though liquid, food in me. I kept a huge mug of Water with me constantly so that I wouldn't get dehydrated. Good Luck!

Hi Sandra! How did your surgery go? Dr. Ahmad is also my doctor, so I would love to hear from you. Terri