sk27

Hi there - Just wondering if anyone knows if Linda McPhee still does fills out of Regina for patients? And if not, does anyone have any recommendations in Regina for fills? Not sure if Omni takes patients they didn't do the surgery on, how about Weight Loss Forever? Any help would be great, haven't been adjusted in over 2 years, but am now pregnant and feel like I need to losen up, as it's the first time in my life that I'm losing a pile of weight and don't actually WANT to. Thanks in advance.

Hi again everyone! Not sure if many are popping in, doesn't seem it, but thought I'd give it a try. I ended up going and having a bit taken out after my last question of sudden tightness - seem to still be doing ok, although I certainly have been trying to get 'back on track' again in the last couple weeks. However, last night and today I've had another issue I thought I'd check with y'all on. Suddenly last night, my port area started to feel really bruised on the inside. It's not red or swollen or hot, but when I move wrong I really feel it, i even woke up once last night rolling over because it hurt. does anyone know anything about this? Or have had it happened? I think I'm going to kind of see how it is today and tomorrow, and then i might call or msg the maples to see what they say. I REALLY don't want to have to drive to Manitoba just for it, but will if they want me to. Just hoping it was that i moved wrong or something somewhere along the way.... i didn't even get crazy at thanksgiving dinner last night, so I can't blame that! Hope you're all doing well!

First off - huge congrats to Fish - that's so amazing! As for everyone else at a standstill - it's frustrating, I hope you all break the plateu soon! For me - things have been moving along well... that is until summer hit and I became OBSESSED with ice cream LOL I just want to check tho - over the last about 2 weeks - suddenly I seem WAY more restricted then I was, and I haven't had a fill or anything. Has anyone else had this happen? I'm going to try and get in to see the fill nurse in Regina in the next few days, but I can't barely get anything in without getting stuck, and Water comes up all the time because it won't go down. It's out of the blue, and really strange, so I thought I'd see if anyone else has ever had phantom restriction.

Me again! Just wanted to update on the BE.com products I received last week. I have been really impressed with the taste so far. The pre-mixed drinks really are a nice little treat in the afternoon, like having an iced coffee without all the guilt. The Pom-Razz Sangria protein powder is VERY tasty - I quite enjoy it. I haven't tried the other 2 powders I ordered, but I expect that they're going to be quite decent as well. However!! Today in the mail I received a bill from UPS for the brokerage fees on the package. Now, I'm not naive, I expected *something* - however I did NOT expect a bill for another almost $50 bucks! And in reading the breakdown, most of that charge is to UPS directly just for doing the work. So - added onto the already high shipping prices, it was certainly a big chunk to swallow. Next time I order (and yes, there will be a next time, because I quite like them) I will absolutely be shipping them to the little town across the border in North Dakota and driving them over myself. I'll still have to pay the taxes on them, but nothing near what it's costing for a 2nd party brokerage to do it for me.

I got my BE shipment today - yay! I ordered 2 of the variety pack of the premixed drinks, a pack of the Caramel Latte powder, a pack of the Pom Razz Sangria powder and a pack of the unflavoured powder. So far, I had one of the premixed drink, the Mocha Latte flavour, and I have to say I'm somewhat impressed with the taste. It tastes like a diet version of those Starbucks frapacrapasnapacinos you can buy at the store. It does have a wee bit of a protein taste, but really not bad at all compared to some other products I've tried/smelled!! I just poured it over ice and drank it back, it was a nice little treat, although my sweet tooth wishes it had been a tad bit sweeter, but that's just being selfish now isn't it?! Over the next week or two as I try everything, I'll letchas know how they go - pretty excited!!

Hi Leslee! First off, congrats on the 37 pounds down... it's quite a journey we're all on, and 37 pounds is something to be proud of :thumbup: The website for the Protein Bullets is Protein Bullet - The Most Advanced, Best-Tasting Protein Drink Ever Produced! . I received my second order of them already today . I see they're looking for a Canadian distributer, I hope they find one, not that I mind ordering them from the US because it's quick, easy and the shipping has been free, but would be nice to have them available here. (Plus, I'm crossing my fingers that with this last, bigger order I'm not going to receive a FedEx brokerage bill in the mail!!) As for the BE products, I haven't got them yet - fingers crossed for tomorrow! Can't WAIT to try them, but yes, their shipping cost was higher. If I decide to order more from them in the future, I will order them into the town just across the border in North Dakota - they do free shipping within the US and I can drive 15-20 minutes and pick them up without much hassle. Again, would be so nice to have a Canadian distributor for them... maybe I should start importing it all LOL I Was going to mention tho, with the Isopure protein drink - not sure about Winnipeg, but in Regina you can purchase them at London Drugs. I just came back from the city with a bunch, I found them on sale last week - (i think it was a about a dollar off, but better than nothing!) So if you can get to LD - check there, back where they keep their other protein products/drinks. No sense paying for something to come all they way from the states if you can buy it locally! The taste of them isn't too bad, but I do prefer it mixed in with a bit more water. At LD they have the regular ones and also low calorie ones as well. Hope that helps a bit - I will post again as soon as I find out about the BE products!

Yeah - I agree - totally thought cal in vs cal out would be the trick. Although I do remember having it emphasized how important max protein was during my consultation, I kind of blew it off as unimportant. You know, wouldn't want to think the experts have ALL the answers :biggrin: As for one gulp - that's the way my husband has done them, I've found it to be a bit too much for me to do all at once. They are 2.8 oz (82.6ml) so maybe back in my shooter-bar days I could have done it easier lol. My current fave drink is the lemon-lime shot with water and crystal light pink lemonade - add some ice - perfect little summer drink

So for those wondering my experience using the Protein Bullets, I would have to say it made a decent difference for me. I'm coming up on my 1-year anniversary for having the band, and things have been slow overall for me, at least until I realized how key the proper amount of protein has been for me. I was probably slowed down to about 1-3 pounds a month - frustrating - sometimes less, sometimes a bit more. However, in the last 2 weeks since incorporating the P.B into my diet once or twice a day, I've lost 5 pounds. Now, to people that have not had any problems losing the weight quickly, that might not seem like much - to me it seems like leaps and bounds compared to what I'm used to. Could I have used a different protein source and had as much success? Possibly, but at 42g a shot, I certainly feel like they have done what I've needed. Plus, I really like them a lot better than the powder. I usually take my water bottle, add the shot and then add some crystal light and fill it with water, as the texture got pretty old pretty fast! My husband has tried them though, and he has no problems with the texture, so it could be a personal thing. As I mentioned, I ordered more, so I hope to find continued success with them. If, however, I find the results aren't as great as the last 2 weeks have been, I will certainly let you know. Hope that helps if anyone was wondering, or if anyone else was looking for an additional protein source. Oh yeah - also - the shipping from Texas was FREE - so that makes it a bit easier to get them up here! If anyone wants to know my opinions of my product from the bariatriceating.com website, let me know - tracking says they'll be here early this week, and I'd be happy to let people know about taste etc. Hope you're all having a good weekend! k.

Hey mimi! I'll for sure give my full impression on them - but I'm going to wait until Friday, which will be 2 full weeks adding them in. I have ordered more, so I have to say I've got a pretty good feeling about them! (bulletnutrition.com if you're interested) I first read about them somewhere here on the lapbandtalk website, although when I went back to try and find the original thread, I couldn't track it down. The search function seriously could use some work! Also wanted to mention that I've been spending a lot of time reading and checking out products on bariatriceating.com - and was wondering if anyone else had tried anything from there? I did place an order - ok, I'll admit it, I **might** have an online shopping problem But hey, I'll guinea pig and let people know how it goes. I haven't checked any of this stuff with Danielle, because I've really not had any contact with her since the pre-op diet, but if anyone checks the be.com website out and has any contact with her, it'd be interesting to hear her opinion about it! Will check back in at the end of the week and report more on the protein bullets!

Pills pills pills - I HATE taking pills! Anyone else having big problems with them? Even when I cut them down, it's such a headache!! Also - I wanted to share that I ordered a product called Protein Bullets and received them in less than a week from Texas. They say they're developed with the needs of Bariatric patients in mind, so I thought I'd get them and try them out - 42g of protein / shot! I got both the lemon lime and wild berry flavours, and I'm pretty impressed by them. They don't seem to taste too bad, although they have a strange texture, like Jello that hasn't fully set yet. I usually drink some on it's own, then add the rest into some water and drink it down that way. I'm not entirely sure how much of a difference they make yet, but if anyone wants to know if they're helping, I'd be happy to letchas know how they're goin'! I've known for awhile that protein is what makes the biggest different for me to keep losing, but have constantly been struggling to get enough in (and powders are losing their appeal already LOL) so thought I'd try this out. Hope you all are doing well! k.

I wouldn't change having my surgery at Maples for anything, even though it was hours away from home, and even though there's now a closer+cheaper option for me. I had been researching for awhile about having the surgery, and dreaded the though of having to travel out to Ontario, the Maples people gave the people of Manitoba and Saskatchewan a closer, viable option. From consultation to surgery for me was I believe a month. The surgery was the first major procedure I had ever had done, and I think it went really well, other than the gas pain after. Even with that, I wouldn't change a thing! It's taken awhile to get to a point where I feel I have the right restriction, and eating was a learning curve, but I'm so happy to have this tool! As Fish mentioned - protein protein protein is the key. I know this because I find if I'm not eating enough the scale doesn't move - and it happens far too often for my liking. When I up the intake, I see progress. That brings me to a question of my own now - how have you all integrated more protein into less food? I've been faithful with the Beneprotein, but still find myself falling short on protein more often than not. And has anyone tried protein shots? I've just read about them, and am thinking of trying it - 45g in one 3oz shot.... Would love to hear how you guys added more protein in!

Oooh I'm glad she's starting to lose now since her last fill! 60lbs is nothing short of awesome on it's own, but when things start working it's gonna be awesome! As for my husband - he's holding off now on the surgery again - he was always flip-floppy but figured he'd get the consult over and done with when he did. If he flops again and decides to do it, it will absolutely be in Regina - it's just so much more easy for us, 2 hours vs way too man - you know the story! I'm thankful for Maples because I'm happy to have had the surgery over and done with, but maaaan it woulda been nice to have it in Regina! Hope you both continue to do well - keep in touch and let me know how things are going! k. ps - to everyone - how much do taking pills SUCK!?! bah even with the pill cutter, it's horrible!!

I'm at 6.5 as well, but your will power seems much more intact than mine mr 80 lbs! did linda do your fill? did she mention anything about the regina clinic? when I was there she was going for an interview - hope that if she works for them it doesn't change that she does the fills for us because i loooooove her!! But i'm pretty sure she wouldn't leave us in the rough! How's wifey doing?!?

Just wanted to check in with everyone and ask a couple questions I had a fill shortly after Christmas, and while I feel it's certainly more restricting, I'm not sure if it's where it should be or if it should be more. I've had a couple incidents of really slight vomiting, which is new for me. That reason alone makes me feel like I shouldn't fill any more, yet it seems to me I'm STILL eating a lot more than I thought I would. I have found it hard to re-learn how to eat every since surgery, ie - slowing down, smaller bites, chewing more. In December I decided to have a custom hypnosis session made up that I listen to a few times a week at bedtime, and it has helped a LOT with these problems. It's still a battle, but I truly believe it has helped somewhat. Does any have any other tips for these problems? Hope you're all doing well and have recovered now from the holidays! k.

"Fish" - Have you guys been back to Linda again for fills? I was contemplating trying to get up there to see her in the next couple weeks before Christmas, but because we're going to Texas for Christmas, I think I'll wait and pop up to see her in the new year for another fill. (I don't want to get filled right before we leave incase I need adjusting if it's too full or something) I really did enjoy going to her the time I did, though - she's AWESOME!! I think I'm almost where I need to be for fills (currently at 6) but think I can go a bit tighter yet as I can still put quite a bit of food away. Still working on chewing better and taking smaller bites, but even when I ace that, I can get a lot down.

That is some AWESOME news!! It's great on a lot of levels, and I'll admit it, I'm pretty pumped that Saskatchewan is getting this service when it's really not that wide spread - go go Saskatchewan! If you happen to hear any more info , please keep sharing it Joel - it's nice to have someone that knows what's going on out there! k.

Big huge congrats Fish - I'm so happy for you! Being able to see such a huge sign of how well you're doing is incentive enough to keep on doing what you're doing! Hope you guys have continued success now, over Christmas, and of course, in the new year!! k.

That's FANTASTIC! I wish they would have been opened in April when I had mine done, I would have gone to them in a heartbeat instead of Winnipeg. I've been completely happy with Maples, just for the fact of how much easier it would be to travel to and from Regina. That being said, I think it's fabulous that the option is now there for others. Last I had heard, the nurse in Regina that does the fills said she was pretty sure it wasn't going to happen at the Omni Centre because the government wouldn't give them clearance even though they were trained and capable of doing the surgery. My husband is planning on surgery in the new year, and we were going to go back to Winnipeg for his, but this is a far, far better option for us! I'm going to study their website - any idea what they're looking at as the cost?

Fish - good to see a msg from you! Glad to hear things are going decent - hope it's the trucking thing playing scale-games with you How is wifey doing? I hope well - tell her I said "hi!" maybe we'll run into each other again at London Drugs - I still think it's hilarious that happened :thumbup: Take care! k.

Diva - thanks for the link to the website with all the recipes! I have been obsessing over recipes all day today, and it's awesome to have a site that has done the obsessing for me!! Thanks!

Wow! CONGRATS Tammar!! That's got to be an awesome feeling!! I'm pretty jealous, but the good kind of jealous On a side note: I just did the Biggest Loser Yoga, and Bob from BL literally kicked my ace all the way around the house. A few times I thought I was going to either collapse or break something, but he kept telling me I could do it - and I did! So if anyone is yoga-inclined and looking to have someone make them feel like they're temporarily being hit by a bus - go for this one! k.

Well - I made my 5 hour drive there, put in my time waiting (which I didn't mind) and finally got in to see the nurse only to find out that I didn't need a fill. I'm a bit skeptical, but since my last one I've lost 14 pounds - which is GREAT, however I had almost a week where I was sick and not eating and I know that I dropped a lot at that time. So - back in the car for the 5 hour trip back. If I keep losing, I'll phone and tell them that before I drive all the way out. I suppose I shouldn't focus on the negative (10 hours of wasted time ) and instead should focus on the fact that if I didn't need a fill, I must be doing good, but it's hard to think that way. I feel like I'm eating more still then what I thought I would be able to after my consultations and after everything I've read, so I guess I'll just have to wait and see how it goes over the next few weeks. Moonbeam - your story made me squirm - that really sucks it was a rough one

I'm in for 12:30 tomorrow, will leave by 6am to make the drive - NOT looking forward to it! I was thinking of asking about their thoughts on switching to the nurse in Regina that does fills - I believe she charges $100 a pop, but between gas and the time it takes to drive into Winnipeg for it, I don't think I'd be losing much. I'm just not sure how they would feel if I turn myself over to someone else for fills. Hell, who knows if I'll even see one of the doctors. Let me know if you decide to use the nurse in Regina, would love to hear how it goes, and it would be SO nice to have a closer option to get a fill done if needed (or even un-done if I ever happen to get too much) *Edit* do you (or anyone else from SK) know if it's true that we have to have a prescription from the doctor before a nurse will perform an adjustment? Something about it putting the nurse at legal risk to do it without a prescription from the doctor? Anyone? anyone?