Robin

Looking for the good and bad of OKC area surgeons. My friend is considering Dr. G. She is nervous and unsure at this time and would like any input from all. I had the surgery but I went to Mexico so I'm not a lot of help for her. robbin58@cox.net if you feel more comfortable than posting. P.S. Lapbandtalk was very encouraging to me while I was researching Mexico. It's been almost 2 years and I'm down 112 pounds with about 30 to go. xoxo

the only thing I would have done differently would have been to exercise as I lost weight. Other than that...go baby go!!!

My fill dr said that with the VG band that we will reach the same place as the smaller one, it's just a bigger band for those of us who had a larger stomach. The first time I said fill er up. He said the average fill is 4 times for this band. He only has one patient with an 8.2 and the rest are below that. So that leaves me hopeful since I am at 6.8 already. I don't think I lost anything last week, which has happened off and on, but I am ready for another 20 to be off.

I am with you all on the fill questions....not sure what to eat when. Mornings I have much greater restrictions, loosens as the day goes along. I too have had the "stuck" thing going on. I decided not to allow myself another fill until I get the 'chew slow and little bits' thing down. I have to learn to respect my band and change my habits, which is so difficult for me. I have always eaten (gobbled) very quickly! I had 5 cc on the first fill and another 1.8 on the second. I have lost 73 since Jan 29th. It's getting close to time for another fill, it's been two weeks since anything was stuck and I decided when I can go a month, I will get another fill. I am down to about one pound loss per week, which I am greatful, but would like to double that. I too can eat about anything, not as much as I used to, but still more than I need.

I am with you on finding the sweet spot...don't know if I'm there or not. I had surgery Jan 29 and have lost 64 pounds. But over the last 7 weeks I've only lost 8 pounds. I think we get impatient because we lose so quickly at first and think yee haw~giddy up! and that's not the way it will be for the remainder of the journey.

lap dancer, you are too funny! Makes me smile just to read your post! This place is such an encouragement to me and I love reading all about the colorado kids, since I moved here from Ft. Collins.

hey marcy, you are having surgery on my birthday...woo hoooo I had surgery on Jan 29th and am down 61 pounds so far. Don't worry about gaining...just concentrate, imo, on making healthier choices. That is a must after surgery. Just like alcoholic, I can't be around the "good stuff", I have to choose to do the right thing. Best wishes girl, best thing I have ever done in my whole life!!!

FurEllie, I am with you!!! I had mine done by Dr. Ortiz on Jan 29th...down 55 so far and I don't have a single complaint. I do think for newbies though, there might not be enough communication as to the minute by minute expectations, especially for the ones that go alone. Outside of that....next to God!!

me too becca....wow, did that hurt~won't go there again. I had my band on Jan 29th with no fill in it then. I had a fill of 5 cc on Mar 15th and have lost 54 pounds so far. I am going back for fill tomorrow. I can now eat alot more, not nearly as much as before surgery but more than I want to eat. MOVE MOVE MOVE...all I can say. I was working at a job where I moved the entire 6 hours a day and I really droppped then, but now I am at home working and it's not nearly as fast! Gotta get to walking after my fill (why start today when you can start tomorrow...haha)

Angie, I feel for you, I was stuck at a 6 pound loss for three weeks but hang in there. I live in Oklahoma now, but I used to live in Fort Collins. Blow the mountains a kiss for me...biggest mistake I 've ever made, leaving the mountains!

Girls hang in there, I promise its going to come off. I would hit spots and stay there for a couple weeks, then I would weigh and 10 to 12 pounds would be off. I did slow way down right before I needed my first fill, actually I gained two pounds, but after the fill....ewww look out baby...it fell off. My dr is really good about filling it tight too so that probably helped me alot. I am needing another fill the middle of May but am going to push it back until June. Tying to walk and stay away from the food until then. My surgery was Jan 29 and have lost 54 pounds so far and moving slow since April 17 when I was at 49 gone. So everyone hang in there...we'll get there!

I used Dr. Ortiz and absolutely loved him and his staff. My surgery was Jan 29, 2007 and I am down 52 pounds. Kind of at a stand still right now, about time for a fill. I already feel like a new person though.

I went to Dr. Ortiz on Jan 29th and am down 52 pounds so far. I went back for one fill so far. I found that going back for my first fill was so worth the money. I got a ticket for 212.00 and the fill was 100.00, the room 80.00 and the ride was some amount but can't remember right at the moment. But you can coordinate with other fill patients and share a room and/or a ride from the airport. The fill dr. here wanted 175.00 for a fill, 475.00 to take me on as a new patient for lab work etc. So I actually spent less going to Mexico for the first fill. Most drs here in America, I believe, do fills by feeling for the port. Dr. Ortiz has a dr that does the fills under xray light, to make sure he doesn't miss the port and to see if you need more or less in your fill. They have you drink while filling so they can see how much restriction is there and then you go eat and come back and be checked for restriction. I swear by them...best decision of my entire life. I have said many times over on many boards, I will never have elective surgery in an American hospital again after the care I received in Mexico. Absolutely awesome!!!