Hanbe

Heather my problem is I have a hectic schedule and before I have always been able to call and the receptionist booked my fill appt while I was on the line. I left a message for the fill booking line and I was in a meeting with the gentleman called me back and therefore left a message telling me that I couldnt get a fill for Friday (today) and to call back and leave another message with a better time and date available. I did and they called back and left a message with the time that was closest to what I requested and I had to call back and confirm. So it took me 3 calls and 5 messages between myself and this hotline VM service to book me a fill! Thats very bad business. And when I paid $16K I expected to be treated as a respected client. Yes I have met with Jodi, a couple times and did find her helpful but I think since she hasn't been banded that she doesn't fully understand what I'm going through and that was another connection I had with Jill. I also don't like the fact that I have met with Jodi a couple times and when I'm sitting in the waiting room she will walk by and not even raise her head to say hello. That shows me that we have no connection and that she doesnt care enough to even say hi. I have never felt a connection with Kathy, I had her for my consultant and I didn't find her to be helpful. The only person that I feel support from is Nancy and that is why I have continued to have my fills at TLBC well that and the fact that I have paided for my post op care. So sorry Heather I know you are trying very hard to convert me to be a TLBC/Slimband supporter but I feel they are just changing everyday into a less productive and supportive atmosphere. At the end of the day I miss the bootcamps, the friendliness of the clinic, and most of all Jill and her support. Have a great day everyone! The GTA is suppose to be getting hit with some snow and freezing rain this afternoon so please be careful getting home and enjoy your weekend! I'm going snow tubing with my niece and nephew tomorrow! Hope I don't break my behind!!! haha!

Ok so now we have a Slimband fill and defill booking line at TLBC/Slimband? I called this morning to get an appointment for today or Monday morning for a fill and now you get transfered to a voicemail that I have to leave a message and someone will call me back to book an appointment? This place is just getting worse and worse! I find it so cold and unfriendly when I go there, I haven't heard anything good about their new "Supercharge programs" or whatever they are called. And the fact that I can't simply call and book an appt for a fill or defill is just another factor that is making things frustrating and disppointing! I need to really find Jill and get some positive reinforment! I feeling very off track right now!

I can't make it to the seminar on Sat so if anyone does attend I would love to hear the feedback! I maybe would be able to make time for the next one if they are helpful! Heather I just saw your response in regards to my comment about drinking diet coke....I appreciate you telling me about the stretching of my pouch I was not aware of this. So thanks! I was very under educated about things like this when I was banded, I had my consultation with Kathy and I think it lasted 10 minutes and I found her unfriendly and uninformative and the only reason I went ahead with the procedure was because I wanted to be banded so badly and I had a friend that had referred me to TLBC and had lost over 100 pounds. You said to have a chat with Dr. Yau and he would chastise me on the no no's of drinking diet coke but I really have no interest in speaking with Dr.Yau considering he spoke approx 10 words to me in total just minutes before my surgery. I found him rude and trying to rush out of the room. I think he got my $16K and thats all that matters to him! Now I know Heather you are good friends with Kathy and a big supporter of TLBC and Dr.Yau so I want you to know this was not intended to start a battle with you I'm just venting my frustrations or I guess my disappointment with TLBC and Dr.Yau. We don't need to argue our differences of opinion and I respect your feelings and your loyalty. I did speak with a expert on lapband at CIBO and she told me to try gateroide instead of soda pop is a good solution. I have also just went to drinking water with flavors and that has helped.

Thanks so much Canadiangirl! I wish you all the best in your journey too!! Keep up the great work! I'm hoping to have my last 40 pounds off by April and will be able to share with everyone that I have hit my goal! Finally after so many years of trying. Talk soon!!

When I was in my bootcamp I had been told by several different bandsters that they would have a diet soda. Now I do drink caffiene free and again I think one of the things is that I put it in a glass with ice and let the fiz die down. And I don't have more then one in a day. Sorry hope I haven't created a misconception!

Hope everyone is keeping warm today!! I wanted to mention something, I was at the TLBC getting a fill this week and a lady in the waiting room had recently been banded and she was really concerned that she would not longer be able to drink diet coke. I know others have said they have a hard time getting diet coke down but I have not and I'm so glad because its like a real treat for me! If you are exeperiencing difficulty getting diet coke down try putting it in a glass with some ice and let it sit for 10 mins or so and I have found that I can drink my pop! I think simple pleasures are what get us through and this is a simple pleasure for me so hopefully for those that enjoy the diet coke maybe this will help!!!

Congratulations to those on these last threads that have made the decision to go forward with the lapband. I was banded a year ago Dec and I have lost as of this morning.....196 pounds!!! I couldnt have done it without the band! I was banded at TLBC and paid $16,000, and as you have seen in my past posts I have attributed a lot of my success to Jill with her help at TLBC while she was employeed there. Nancy is another great help! I would suggest to find a personal trainer to help you also. The lapband is a great tool but you still have to do the work. Its not magic.....and its not always fun! But it works!! I would also research a bit too....I spoke to a lady at my gym who had a Dr. in Mexico do her lapband this past Sept and she has lost 60 some pounds and she paid $7200. She said the clinic was unbelievable! Very clean, staff was wonderful! Thats a big difference in price even adding in a flight there. TLBC has worked for me but just check it out and if you can get it for half the price???? Let me know if you want me to get the clinics info for you, I will see her tomorrow morning at the gym. Canadiangirl I totally agree with you.....we need a Dear Doddie! lol! And I had that same thing where Nancy did a defill of half a cc and I hit my "sweet spot" where I found I had just the right amount of restriction. And I think everyone that is on this site is a winner because you have made a decision to do something for yourself! For those who are struggling just keep at it and it will come! And use the site to help you through! We are in this together! Have a great day everyone!!

Marivan I completely agree! But I did call Jill also today and she has told me she is not going to be doing any "Bootcamps" at this time. It has really left a bad taste in my mouth about TLBC! It also brings me back to something that has worried me since the change over to Slimband and that is when I paid my $16,000 and had my surgery in my contract it states that I have a lifetime of post op care of fill and defills. I was worried that Slimband would not honor this but I have spoken to my lawyer and he said that when he reviewed my contract that he felt confident they would honor this. But when you see stuff like this it makes me worried. However I doubt they would want the bad publicly that it would cause to renege on our contracts.

Thank-you Lisa for the clarification. Lisa what would be very helpful is finding out where and what the different bootcamps TLBC/Slimband is conducting. I have been on the slimband website and I can't find anything. I think maybe I should clarify also I was not going to approach Jill for a support group of TLBC, what I throughly appreciated and really benefited from was Jill's background as chef and nutritionist. She really helped me with my menu planning and food choices. She helped me with living with the band. And I found being part of a group that met once a week really gave me the accountability to know I was weighing in and that I had support of my peers to exeperience my success and my pitfalls. I'm still going to pursue the idea of seeing if Jill is interested in doing counceling for obesity, menu planning, and nutritional expertise. So if anyone is interested please let me know. Make it a great day everyone!!

Claire I just read your message and I agree completely with you! Jill is the reason I have lost 164 pounds! I was banded last year at the begining of Dec. 2007 and She had a series of Bootcamps starting last year in January which had anywhere from 10-20 people come each week and they were great! Jill taught me so much about nutrition, exercise, attitude and the fact that she is banded also was so great! She knew what I was going through. I could call her at the client if I was having problems and she would always offer excellent advice. I feel she was the only one that provided any follow up for me. I met Dr.Yau on the day of my surgery and he said maybe 10 words to me and that is the extent of my relationship with Dr.Yau. If I had not had Jill I don't think I would have had the success I've achieved. And I think she made the $16K worthwhile. Not the care from Dr.Yau! I was so upset when I heard in Decemeber that Jill had left TLBC. I want to get in contact with her, I think I have a number for her home that I'm going to try. I'm going to see if she would be interested in doing a Nutritional seminar or something similar to the Bootcamps. Please contact me if you would be interested in doing one of these seminars? I lost 38 pounds in my first 6 week Bootcamp and another 25 at my 2nd one! It was what made me work and motivate! My email address is: Hanbemarketing@gmail.com and if I can get enough people interested Jill hopefully will put something together. I will keep everyone up to date on what's happening! I really can't say enough as to how much something like this will bring to you in your weightloss journey!!