kingbird

Hi Hopee; Yes, I was banded at the CVC in September 2008. It is hard to believe that it has been over two years already! I lost 60 pounds during my first year and have stayed at that weight (+/- 1 or 2 pounds) since then. I must admit that I am not very good at making all the necessary healthy eating choices and exercising as much as I should, but the band is still there to regulate my food intake so that I don't overdo it too much! As I'm sure you have heard from several people already, the band is only a tool to help you on your weight loss journey - the journey to your goal weight requires a lot of work and support along the way. I would highly recommend that you join the CVC support group and attend their monthly meetings. Although I have missed the past two meetings I am hoping to attend the upcoming meeting at the clinic on November 17th. If you are available you should try to attend - you will be able to get lots of pointers about how to cope with the post-surgery period and what to expect in the next few months. All in all, I would say that I have been very happy with my association with the CVC and don't regret opting for the surgery at all. Hope to see you on the 17th. Regards, Kingbird

Welcome to the world of the bandsters! What part of Canada are you from? Have you decided on where you are going to get your surgery done? Keep us posted.:thumbup:

Hi Tinakins; Sorry for the delay in answering your questions but I haven't been on the board for a few days. The Credit Valley Clinic holds clinics every Wednesday to do check-ups and fills. They said that if you can't make it on a Wednesday they can try and schedule you into the doctor's regular office hours if there is space available. The clinic has a relatively new Patient Coordinator and I think she is still learning the ropes. I have had quick response to any questions that I have asked via email. I have enquired whether they are planning on setting up patient aftercare information/support sessions and I was told that they were going to. I have not received any information saying that they have done this yet. I am going to enquire about this with the nurse when I am in for my second fill on December 3rd. Hope this helps.

I came across a link on one of TESS415's earlier posts and thought that I would post it again for members that haven't seen it. It gives an excellent description of how the lapband works and how the fills should be done. It sure gave me a lot of good information!:rolleyes2: http://www.lapbandcentral.com/local/files/documentlibrary/AP%20ART%20OF%20ADJUSTMENT%20Guide.pdf

I had my first fill on November 5th and I must say it was an adventure that I don't want to repeat too often! The fill doctor at the clinic (not my original surgeon) had a lot of trouble finding the port as well. After six quite painful misses he brought in a colleague who was able to get it on the first shot. After all of the palpating of my port area and all of the needles my tummy was quite sore for a couple of days. The doctors made note of the location of the successful fill location on my chart so I am hoping that it will be a one shot deal next fill!

$15,000 at Credit Valley Clinic in Mississauga.

Hello Fellow Bandsters I got my band on September 15th and am currently on "mushies". My first fill is scheduled for October 29th. My weight loss has slowed down during the past week so I am hoping to kick it up again after getting the fill. I don't feel like I have any restriction at the moment so it will be interesting to see what effect the fill has.

Hi Brownskin: I got my band three weeks ago, after considering it for quite a while. The lapband procedure is not a "walk in the park" - it is still fairly major surgery and you will have a recovery period of about six weeks (modified diet, no heavy lifting, etc.) Personally, I took a week off work after surgery and have now been back on the job for two weeks. The decision to go ahead with the procedure should not be taken lightly - it will mean that you have to make permanent changes to your lifestyle after you are banded. If you hope to reach your weight loss goals, the lapband is only a tool to help you get there. You still have to work hard at an exercise program and stick to your diet in order to be successful. Would I do it again? In a heartbeat! I have never felt so positive about myself and I truly feel that I finally have some control over my future. The health benefits that I am going to realize from dropping the excess weight are going to make a big difference in my life. I hope this helps you come to a decision! Best of luck. Kingbird

It sounds like you have had a bad experience in the past. Care to share with us?

My surgeon says that he is not really concerned about the amount of weight loss during the first five or six weeks. The most important thing about sticking to the diet regimen is to allow the stomach to heal properly and let your system get used to the band. The real weight loss should start happening after your first fill, which in my case is five to six weeks after surgery ( I am scheduled for my first fill on October 29th)

Hey Electricbear: That's not quite true - you have all of us bandsters on the board to support you!:tt2: Have you been banded yet? How's it going? Kingbird