Yoda

Bought it and moved into it 18 months ago. Had problems with our floor (specifically the kitchen floor) from DAY 1...we told them this as it was being built...but they systematically ignored our concerns. So, now...18 mos later...we just had our Tarion (Ontario home builder warranty) one year conciliation inspection (for all the things that are "wrong" and need fixin') (this was 2 weeks ago)...and now the builder guys are here trying to rip up the entire kitchen floor (& subfloor) and put in new (the proper ones this time!!)joists underneath the kitchen floor (ie. from the basement). The were just supposed to do joists today but showed up first thing this morning wanting to rip up the floor...and were mad cause our kitchen hadn't been emptied out. I could go on and on about this fiasco but I can feel my heart rate speeding up....suffice to say that I'm sooooooo not a happy camper and I don't like having all these strange guys around doing bad things to our house! (it's also our first house...so all one big learning curve for us). It is especially frustrating because if they HAD OF LISTENED TO US from the beginning....we wouldn't be where we are now...and it would save the Builder a WHOLE lotta mooooola!!!! grrrrr grrrrr :tired :tired :tired :tired

Lemme just say: I HAAAAAAAATE HOME BUILDERS!!!!!!!!!!!!! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHH Sorry...had to vent. I don't think it helped though.

That's a good attitude, Susan...and THAT is half the battle!

I'm sure Wheezy can help you out on this one.....

I was told just yougurt (no fruit bottoms in it) and cottage cheese...but you will find out for sure at your consult. Also...I didn't mention this because this is the part that varies for each person: for the first of the two week pre-op diet, I was allowed to have chicken (nothing on it...just plain chicken...) and any green veg. To be honest, I think I only had chicken 3 times (I would fry up chicken strips...no oil or anything) that first week and I had no veg....I still stuck mainly to the yougurt that week as well. Some need to do it for 3 weeks; others for 1 week. You'll get the details.

No pat answer....no right/wrong answer...it is competely and literally different for every individual. Some need no fill at all (ever!); and on the other end of the spectrum, some need the full amount that the band takes....the "sweet spot" can be anything along that spectrum....sooooo many variables and all you can do is go through it and do the trial and error thing....no guess work! All part of this fun process!

Thankfully, TLBC doesn't resort to the use of Optifast for their pre-op diet. They'll go over it for you...the length of it and some details differ depending on the individual (ie. how much to lose etc). It generally will consist of a yogurt and cottage cheese diet for 1 to 2 weeks (depending). I did the optifast program a few years ago....and so TRUST ME....doing the yogurt/cottage cheese thing is MUCH better!!! AND, for me, I despise cottage cheese (can't even look at it!) so it was just yogurt for me!!! You'll do fine; it is the toughest part, but if I can do it, anyone can! All I kept telling myself is that I HAD to do it for my own safety...to help make the liver smaller and more manageable so that the surgical procedure would be easier, go well and assist in the recovery. That was the only motivation I needed to stick to it....(plus I lost 20 lbs in 2 weeks!).

Donna: it is up to you whether or not you want to actually book your surgery date on the date of your consult. However, if you do...be prepared, as they will want your downpayment (non-refundable) on the day you book the surgery date. So, heads up!

Six pounds to goal Angel Bear????!!! WOOOOOOW!!! Way to GO!!!!! :clap2: :clap2: All your hard work and determination has paid off! I bet it is so close you can taste it!!! You were at the clinic last week?? Did you go for a fill/defill? I'm going on Thurs with Mr Yoda for his consult; looking forward to seeing everyone!

Yes Loriely, the men are WAAAAAY too spoiled!!!!! (tho I must admit I am more spoiled than Mr Yoda, fer sure!!). We saw "Reign on Me"....it was okay...lil' slow. Last wknd we saw "SHOOTER" with my baby Mark Whalberg!!!!! mmm mmmm goooood!! Oh, the movie was excellent too!!! (seriously, has been a long time since I was on the edge of my seat for an entire movie!). Speaking of concerts...I've seen too many to even count...but I remember the very first one I ever saw (no parents)...I was 13 and it was The Village People!!! LMAO!!!!!

Yup...it's comin' up soon! I will be on Vancouver Island from 18-26 Apr. I'm really looking forward to it BUT I'm also anxious because Mr Yoda isn't coming with me and I'm going to miss him very much!!! I know, it sounds sucky, but what can I say.....tis true! After 77 lbs, I would like to think that my folks will notice a difference but part of me is afraid that they won't!! They say they do in pics that I've sent....but maybe they are just being nice. Once again, though, they are in a no win situation. Part of me wants them to comment positively on it and the other part wants them just to shut up about it and not comment!!! Ya know? (I don't need/want to be reminded of how bad it had gotten!). We are going to TO on 5 Apr to see the musical based on QUEEN'S "We Will Rock You". We got tickets before they even went on sale and so we have front row in the first balcony, center seats.....they will be amazing! Can't wait. Queen rules! (this is why Mr Yoda's TLBC consult is booked for 5 Apr; since we will be there anyways). We are spending the night downtown at the Delta Chelsea....so THAT will be fun too!! (winka winka!). I have a couple of hundred dollars worth of ROOTS certifcates burnin' a hole in my wallet so I'm excited to go to the Roots store by the Eatons Centre (it is waaaaay bigger than the one in the mall where I live). I really like their bags....Mr Yoda thinks I have enough, but when it comes to Roots Bags, no amount is ever enough.....right gals?!! I also LOOOOOVE the LONESTAR restaurant and so we'll for sure hit that as well!! mmmm mmmm ! Loriely: enjoy your trip to Edmonton....it gives you something to look forward to! I believe I change flights in Edmonton on the way there (Calgary on the way back).

I've been on CPAP for about 4 yrs now and I absolutely LOOOOOOVE it. I'm not sure if my sleep apnea will "go away" once I've lost all the weight; the doc told me it may or may not. There are still plenty of people who have apnea who aren't overweight. I hope it goes away because I know it will be better for my health. But if I have to stop using my CPAP, I will miss it like craaaaazy!!!!! I take it with me wherever I go, even if I'm only gone for one night!

Yeah, Cloe you are soooooooooo close....you'll be at the 100 lb mark easily by your bandiversary!!! AND you will virtually be half way to your goal!!!!! YOWZERS!

Completely normal behaviour....!

robgoblin...make sure when you get a bill/invoice that it is completely itemized....that way you can submit it to your private insurer and likely they will cover some of it....ie. perhaps the anesthesia part, or meds used etc.....they probably won't cover the band itself....but some fees may be covered. But, in order to consider it, they will need the bill specifically itemized etc.

Yeah Dame J ...your prospective gym sounds like it is an awesome facility! Remember...it takes 21 days to break a habit or form a new habit....so once you've gone to the gym 21 times....I betcha it will become a habit and you will feeeeel the neeeeeed to go!!!! Yay for you! :clap2:

Hey, I'm all for being helpful but it gets tiresome real quick when people not from Canada come onto the Canadian Thread and post about things that are NOT avail in Canada (ie. types of meds, types of food, types of Protein drinks and now types of gyms etc). By all means, non-Canadian are very welcome here but just keep in mind that this IS the Canadian Thread and not everything American applies to our wonderful country. We are NOT the same. I don't know how many times I had to tell fellow Canadian bandsters to give up the search for the " whatever " because someone came on here (from the US) and told them to go buy this or that or to ensure you have this before the surgery etc. Yeah, I know the problem with the "recent posts" but, I always check first to see what thread I'm in before I respond. Common courtesty and common sense go a long way. I know that some of the longer Canucks that have been here will know what I'm referring to; we went through some issues before with incorrect/misleading info from our US counterparts. This is WHY we are on the Canadian thread.....so that our info is related to OUR special needs etc. I've never once said others aren't welcome (who the hell am I to even suggest that?)...but as I said, some common courtesy goes a long way when you are on a differen't country's thread. I'm not gonna go to the Australia thread and suggest to them they do something or get something that may only be avail in Canada. Ya....sore spot with me. :nervous

That's great and good luck in your journey. I'm glad your doc was supportive but even if he wasn't, you know you CAN do this without his recommendation or approval, right?!

Okay, do we have to wave the Canadian flag EVERY time we post on the Canuck thread???!!!!! :tired

Whether or not to join a gym is a personal decison and will vary with everyone; the key is TO EXERCISE....regardless of whether it is at a gym or not. Some people need the gym, others don't. Some people "want" a gym atmosphere; others don't. You have to do what works for you. Me....I do both....and like both (ie. going to the gym and doing it at home)....for me it is all about variety (so I don't get bored). The advantage of belonging to a gym is you have a lot of variety. If you DO join a gym, I agree with Andrew....try it out first to see if you like the environment before you shell out a lot of $$. Also, if you aren't familiar with the equipment (whether it be carido or weights) and/or if you don't know how to use it....definitely get a trainer for a few sessions to help you out with that and to help you design a program. Just keep trying till you find the correct "exercise prescription" that works for YOU!

I forgot to mention.... For me, exercise is a MUST to lose weight....even with the band. That alone keeps me at it. Part of that is due to the PCOS; without the exercise, the PCOS makes it that much more difficult for me to lose weight (even with the band). I haven't been able to work out in the last 12 days (but this is temporary and will sort itself out by next week) and despite my "good eating" I know I haven't lost weight in the last 2 weeks and I may even had gained 2 lbs. But that is okay...>I expected that, having not worked out....it will go away and things will start slowly dropping again as I re-commence my work outs.

Hiya, Re. the time management issue; it is just a matter of a mindset change. For those of you with kids, I know you "make time" to take your kids to their extracurricular activities etc and likely don't think twice about it. It is just changing your frame of mind so that you make time set aside for you...just as valuable (I know, easier said than done!) as you feel your time is for your spouse, kids, family, work etc (whatever the case may be). For awhile there I was having difficulty "making time" for my exercise after work or in the evening....so I started getting up an hour earlier and doing my exercise first thing in the morning. It was great! Yeah, I HATED the actual "getting" up but once I WAS up and doing it; it was awesome. You just have to get over that initial hurdle of getting out of bed earlier! Eventually, I sorted things out and found other times to get in my workout. But, yes....exercise is VERY important to this journey (in my opinion)....not just physically but for the mental and emotional benefits as well. For sure, don't fall into the mistake of thinking the band will do the work for you (I personally know a couple of banded people who think like that and have lost very minimal weight in the last year)......as everyone has said, it is only a tool; that's it.....you can work with it or against it.....you may have some ups and downs with it but hopefully we can all figure out how to work with it. Good luck...you're all doing great....don't be too hard on yourselves!!!!

Issues can happen anytime.....for whatever reason. Sometimes it may have been avoidable (ie. chew chew chew); other times....there is really no rhyme or reason. Look at Susie (banded for 5 yrs) and she recently had a defill. A banded friend of mine was last filled in Aug 06. Everything was fine; she needed no fills, she had the right restriction and then all of a sudden (seemingly) in Feb (almost 6 months since her last fill) she was so tight she couldn't even sip water....she was painfully tight. She tried to deal with it for a few days; confused as to what was happening. Then, she went to the band doc...they looked under fluro and nothing was wrong...she was just extremely tight all of a sudden (????? - they didn't know why). So, she had a small defill and all was fine. All that to say....pretty much anything can happen anytime. BUT, that is not to say that it is a bad thing or that you should reconsider your band decision; it's just part of the banded life and something you should be aware of and accept going into it. Really, it's a small price to pay. But her experience did teach me to expect the unexpected anytime.

HEY!!! We didn't give no flak!!!!! Advice, yes. Opinions, yes....but no to flak!!! :rolleyes

Happy Bandiversary Mandi!!! Congrats!!! The 170s!!!! WOOOOOT WOOOOOT :clap2: