Yoda

Julie,.....absolutely, people must investigate ALL options...including out of country. (I have always advocated that and have never stated otherwise). You are fortunate in that you had someone able to do your fills (Dr. D). But, too often, I hear people come on here (Canadian thread and the other threads) complaining about how they can't find a doctor to do their fills because they had their surgery in Mexico. Well...sorry...but if someone decides to have their surgery in Mexico BEFORE lining up post-operative care....that is just plain and simple CRAZY!!!! Why ANYONE would do the surgery and pay big bucks without having the proper post-operative care lined up is beyond me. So, you're absolutely correct....do your research and that includes your post-op care and having something lined up (ie. if you don't plan on going back to Mexico...or wherever...for your fills). I agree with what you said about healthcare....but it is a personal decision and for me (& I suspect a lot of others) the reason Mexico was never considered as a viable option is simply because of the "what if" factor. What if something goes wrong? Either during or...more importantly...after...when you are back home.....? If there is a major complication, I wanted the peace of mind knowing that I could just go to my surgeon here (who did the surgery) or if I had to go to emerg the peace of mind knowing that my surgeon could easily talk to the emerg dep't on the phone (ie. like Dr. Coborun did for Mandi when she was at emerg in New Brunswick....she wouldn't have had that option if she had the surgery in Mexico). I never said anything negative about the quality of the surgery in Mexico....my only concerns were for my aftercare and the "what if" factor and that was enough for me to not consider it. Everyone is different. But regardless of the choice, I do think it is ridiculous if someone goes out of country before having after-care lined up....I have no sympathy for those people.....

yes, sorry to hear about your Grandmother, Mandi. It's always tough, no matter the circumstances.

Yup....what DameJ said!

Hey Dame J and Doddie.....yes, the fill will help and then you should notice weight loss for sure. BUT ...remember....it might not happen until you hit the sweet spot (proper restriction for YOU); it might take 2 or 3 or more fills.....I just don't want you to think that it will magically work after your first fill as that is often not the case!!! But until then, just keep up the good work!

welcome back yasmina!! Yes...can't wait to hear the details!

I just thought of another example. There is a "guys only" thread ....same thing. Yeah, I've gone and read a few posts (I was curious at first!! LOL) and I know some women have posted but for the most part, the women don't post (though I'm sure they read!!!!) because they know it doesn't really apply to them. For instance I know Gaffer participates on that thread and he likely gets a lot of different type of support from that testosteroney group than from us...and....all the more power to him and the others. But, it still isn't "exclusionary" ; this is an online forum afterall and it is literally IMPOSSIBLE to have it literally exclusionary. There are so many examples I could be here forever....like the thread for people with BMI over 50.....I could go...but why bother? I don't want to intrude on their issues but I will certainly look if I feel like it and post if I feel like it and I'm sure they will be fine with it. Threads for turtles (slow users) etc....same thing. Dodie....I hope you re-think your thinking and see that perhaps you over-reacted....I don't know why THIS specific thread upset your balance and you think of as exclusion when you obvsiously seem okay with every other "exclusionary" thread out there (of which there are dozens and dozens). I don't know how I can explain it any better. And if you still feel the way you do.....that is your choice to react that way.

WHooooooooooaaaaaa....Dodie....you are taking this waayyyyyyy to personally. It is not and was not an exclusionary thread and that is not what Argon meant by saying "you are in"...she was telling her that she was indeed, an old timer (ie. from last spring/summer). This thread is EXACTLY like half the threads out there.....you newbies even started a thread (I think it was Gaffer...I could be wrong; I didn't go check) for those of you who were getting close to being banded. It is the SAME thing. I knew what that particular thread was so I knew I didn't feel the need to go on it except for once or twice to wish y'all good luck. This is what a forum is.....people with similarities and likes flock together to common threads.....you either participate or you don't; it is your choice. For instance I will participate in the Apr 06 thread but not the May06 thread. Just like I will post my weight on the thread entitled: april 06 running weight loss totals. I wouldn't expect you for instance to post your weight there. This is the exact same thing. It has already been well explained. You can chose to read/write....whatever you like.....the point was to bring the oldtimers together to one spot isntead of checking and re-checking several threads. Relax. Check out the rest of the site and you'll see what I mean. Maybe this is your first time participating in online forums so perhaps you aren't aware of how it works? But either way...it is your decision which threads you participate in. I've had a rough day at work so sorry if I sound harsh...but you gotta stop being so defensive....there is NOTHING wrong here....it is the way the forum works...and as was already said, this is not exclusionary....you can particiapte or not in any thread your lil' heart desires....but obviously if you go to something like the April 06 thread we will think you are a weirdo!!!!!

Tks everyone!

I saw that today too Dame J and I also read the comments on the G&M....yup....EXACTLY why I keep it to myself. The comments were very insensitive.

I feel your pain Cloe. The company of BELL is an evil, sneaky, insiduous empire and all their employees are nothing more than SOBs who are lower than the dirt under the belly of a newt. I won't even get into the issues I've had with Bell...it raises my blood pressure too much to even just think about it; making my veins turn purple and my head wanting to explode. I HATE BELL too.

Dodie, Argon is correct..this isn't an "exclusion" thread...omigawd, as if the mods would be upset!!! Have you BEEN to some of the other threads??!!! :paranoid Seriously though, this is no different than soooo many of the other threads....such as I belong to the "April 06 Bandsters" thread....same thing!!!! WHEEZY: my thoughts are a definitive nooooooo to being "too tight" to lose the weight. Of course, what constitutes "too tight" differs with everyone, I'm sure. But, my feeling is that if you are too tight to eat or too tight to enjoy your food/drink or too tight to have whatever you want without serious issues (in moderation, of course) than that is NOT good. Your body can't sustain that (nor can your mental health) over a period of time.....The TLBC docs also very adamantly espouse this line of thinking as well. So, all that to say, if you feel you are "tight" enough, don't go for another fill...investigate other causes etc and talk to your docs. As far as the fickle thing......oh yeah, baby. I know I have very good restriction and yet last night (first time this happened) I was able to eat almost 3/4 of my HUGE bowl of Pasta that I got a East Side Marios (normally I take 3/4 home).....boy was I a happy camper!!!! LOL. But, I know that is rare and was just (for whatever reason!) an abnormality!!! Here is another example of fickleness....a friend who is banded (she doesn't come to this site) was last filled in Aug....well, a couple of weeks ago she was all of a sudden sooooooo tight she couldn't eat at ALL.....she was in serious trouble ...couldn't even drink anything.....nothing would stay down. So, she went for a fluro looksie and she was now sooooo freakin' tight (and this after 7 months!!!) pretty much nothing was going down...so they removed some and she is now fine. Who knows why/how that happens......the docs couldn't give a satisfactory explanation either. But kinda freaky that you can be great with your restriction for so long and then WHAM!!!! So, I'm prepared now if that ever happens to me.....at least I have the knowledge now that it CAN happen!!! Ooooops, there I went, a ramblin' again!!!! I'll stop now...besides...if I don't leave now I'll be late for work!!! :nervous

Happy Birthday to my fellow Leprachaun!! Have a good one!!!

Yeah, I remember coming to the Canuck thread a year ago and there were maybe 2 whole posts on it!! I'd check every once in a while and there would be nothing new. Then, around 9 months ago or so, there were 3 or 4 of us who would "chat" on here and then ever so slowly, but surely, more and more Canucks would join us. Really, this particular site has come a loooooooooong way.....thanks to all those who have come out of the woodwork and made their way over here! (a good thing!). Long gone are the days when there were no threads or posts to get "caught up on", even after a week!!!! Ahhhhh, how far we've come in that time, eh, Canuck oldtimers?!!! :girl_hug:

4-3: JenRN - 263/257/223/150 - 40 total 4-3: jenn28 - 282/265/229/165 - 53 total 4-3: Picardy3 - 298/300/257.5/150 - 42.5 total 4-3: tipper - 300/290/259/165 - 41 total 4-4: Sugar1 - 311/289/231/150 - 80 total 4-4: DeltaDawn - 358/202/179 - 156 total 4-4: Dak – 255/251/205/150 – 50 total 4-4: Angels - 264/255/235/? - 29 total 4-4: Harpseal Al - 327/295/220 - 34 total 4-5: Boo - 208/203/165/132 - 43 total 4-5: siestaqh - 180+/177/117/110 - 63 total--NO MORE BAND :-( 4-6: Disneynut - 290/287/260/125 - 27 total 4-7: Guysis - 234/170/134 - 64 total 4-10: JulieNYC - 358/216/180 - 142 total 4-11: Vickie1177 - 320/297/267/137 - 53 total 4-11: tellymelly - 240/235/143.5/140 - 96.5total 4-11: Fel0816 - 307/284/265/to get under 200 - 42 total 4-11: dsrjrr - 231/230/210/130 - 21 total 4:11: truckinmama - 262/234/160 - 28 total 4-13: Nursekathy2u - 358/356/335/175 - 23 total 4-13: NJgirl - 248/230/206/140 - 42 total 4-13: Miper70 - 217.5/187/145 - 30 total 4-17: Amourette - 22.5 total 4-17: Jeepergurrl - 242/192/140 - 50 total 4-17: MelAnne - 245/207/150 - 38 total 4-18: KAYBEE-284/198/180 -86 total 4-18: Danaclark2 - 270/260.5/245/150 - 25 total 4-20: TrustUfirst - 210/205/177/135 - 32 total 4-20: Omamoon - 220/211.5/179/130 - 41 total 4-20: KimInMD - 288/288/228/156 - 60 total 4-21: Yoda - 273/257/199/150 - 74 total 4-21: kristielynn - 310/302/237/150 - 73 total 4-22: alisonb - 286/270/176 - 16 total 4-24: Eficka - 125/117/98/69 - 27 kgs/59.4 lbs total 4-24: Ceparano- 255/270.5/201/170 - 69.5 total 4-24: Kat - 289/281/203/165 - 86 total 4-24: hlj25950 - 262/257/206/160 - 56 total 4-25: momof2boys - 270/266/237/145 - 33 total 4-26: Bostongurl - 264/244/184/150 - 80 total 4-27: tinaj - 226/221/210/150 - 15 total 4-27: lookingout - 185/178/165/101 - 20 total 4-27: flowergoddesstn - 214/204/190/130 - 24 total 4-27: Dimples0323 - 284/284/241/145 - 43 total 4-28: Susan4794 - 283/229/150 - 54 total 4-28: bluehill - 333/228/150 - 105 total 4-28: Irish Girl - 225/214/150/135 - 75 total 4-29: Momofsixkids - 238/188/140 - 50 total <!-- / message --><!-- sig --> <!-- / message --><!-- sig -->

200 - 1 = 199 FINALLY.....ONEderland!!!!!!! When I started this process I hoped but was never "sure" I'd get there...but here I am! Though I am happy about it.....oddly I am also a little sad (not sure why). Even though my goal seems that much more achievable now, it also (for some odd, unexplainable reason) seems much further away than ever before. Mr Yoda says it is just my PMS rearing its ugly head....lets hope!!! :nervous Anyways....I'm in Onederland now...though I would prefer more of a buffer zone away from the dreaded 200....but I'll work on that!

That's great....congrats with your decision and journey! I'd just like to say that at TLBC, I had my consultation with both the coord AND the surgeon (ie. one after the other). So I don't want folks to think they don't have a consult with the surgeon at TLBC. I also want to point out that TLBC also uses Inamed. They have use of all the various bands, including Inamed. They pick the best suited to YOUR body. I just don't want folks to think TLBC doesn't use Inamed when they do. As far as Optifast....I agree, it is either a negative or a positive. Personally, I went thru the entire optifast program a few yrs ago and I was more than happy to NOT use optifast for this surgery and my yogurt/cottage cheese diet was highly effective. Obviously, the effectiveness depends directly on the individual's compliance.

uh.....well, big surprise there. That is the standard response. They don't investigate. I hope you weren't expecting anything other than what you got.

Hang in there Doriana. I don't know if this will help but I think most people (who were junk food eaters before) have had this problem and so I do think it is "normal" and a necessary evil stage to some extent. Of course I can only speak from MY experience and I will tell you that I have been where you describe about 3 or 4 different "serious" times since being banded. The "phases" are shorter and shorter each time. The last one was over Xmas and I gained about 6 lbs but it all came off fairly quicky (& and then some) once I got "back on track". It does keep you honest for sure....as you said, it is not a cure all and you still need to "mentally behave". We'll all have slips. But the beauty of the band is....though you can "eat around it" you can also cooperate with it. So, don't beat yourself up....just re-focus and march forth. And be prepared for this to happen again. Don't fret too much about the bad spurts....overall it is still working for me (despite the junk spurts) and it will still work for you to. :myscared:

That is so very awesome Green!!! YAY for you! Be proud!! (wow...size 14 pants!!!!!)

Glad to here ur band is okay Loriely and you made it to and from TO okay in the nasty weather! Good luck with the gallbladder issue. GREAT that Dr J said he'd do it! Yes, it should be covered by OHIP.

That is good news....in the long run. But, personally, I wouldn't have lined up to be one of his first few hundred patients!! But....it is a personal thing...and that is just me. Logically, I know these surgeons have to start somewhere and start on someone....but it wouldn't be me!

Congrats on your success Green. ummmmmm.....but....ahhhhh...the clinic must know what your starting weight was...n'est pas?

No regrets. Best Part: it's working and I see light at the end of the tunnel; more importantly: permanent light. Worst Part: I still (even after almost a year) get really PISSED (& sometimes super sad) that I can't eat more than I can. But that feeling is less and less all the time; I don't think it will ever go away but will get to the point where it won't bug me as much. Still no regrets though.

Oh...and thank you "Miss Encyclopedia" Mandi!!! :rolleyes :biggrin1:

Loriey: Dr J. did my first fill by fluro and Dr. Y did the second one. Since you aren't going for a fill but just for a "looksie" I'm not sure if one of them will be there or not; I hope so. BE CAREFUL driving tomorrow ....is is supposed to be wicked bad. We are getting stomped right now....nooo visibility, tons of snow and squalls and tonight and tomorrow is a continued storm warning with more snow, freezing rain, ice pellets and more snow again......so just be VERY careful. Hopefully it will be okay along the 401 & into TO; maybe it is just us up here (Barrie area) that is getting it. Good luck and feel better. I hope it isn't the band.