angelarias

Please post this in other sites. Very realistic. I was banded 5 yrs ago with 2 other friends. I am the only one with a band still in me. No complications-thank god!

:unsure:Dr. Berger in Flagstaff does fills for patients banded abroad. I think the charge is $225 WITH FLUORO. Does anyone know if he is indeed skillful? Only Dr. Ortiz from Mexico and Wendy from Mesa have done my fills and they never have poked or missed the band port. Has Berger does hundreds of fills or has he done thousands of fills? DOES ANYONE KNOW? I don't need to know about his surgical competence-I want to know about his "fill" competence. Can anyone help me on this one? For newbies or long-termers out there, always try to use a fill provider that has done at least a thousand band fills. . You need to ask the person that is ACTUALLY DOING YOUR FILL what his/her individual experience is. I have talked to Berger's nurse and of course she gave him a glowing review. Problem is--I don't know of anyone that has used him for fills. If anyone knows of affordable prices with fluoro in Arizona updated for 2009 please post them. The only one I know of in the reasonable range is Dr. Berger for $225. Cheers, Angel Banded July 2004/Drs. Ortiz/Martinez Tijuana,Mexico 260 starting weight/250 surgery weight/200 plus or minus 5 pounds current weight 50 percent weight loss attained/goal weight 135-140 I have 6cc's in a 9.75cm (4cc) Lap Band. I am hoping to be at goal 135-140 in a year! Thanks for the encouragement all of you have provided me! LONG TERM BANDSTERS WORLD-WIDE, SHARE YOUR BAND SUCCESSES AND YOUR BAND SORROWS!

Dr. Berger in Flagstaff does fills for patients banded abroad. I think the charge is $225 WITH FLUORO. Does anyone know if he is indeeed skillful? Only Dr. Ortiz from Mexico and Wendy from Mesa have done my fills and they never have poked or missed the band port. Has Berger does hundreds of fills or has he done thousands of fills? DOES ANYONE KNOW? I don't need to know about his surgical competence-I want to know about his "fill" competence. Can anyone help me on this one? For newbies or long-termers out there, always try to use a fill provider that has done at least a thousand band fills. I see a lot of talk about FillCentersUSA. You need to ask the person that is DOING YOUR FILL what his/her individual experience is. I have talked to Berger's nurse and of course she gave him a glowing review. Problem is--I don't know of anyone that has used him for fills. His reviews on obesityhelp.com write nothing about his fill skill. Berger is not listed on the AZ subforum and I cannot start a posting thread there. If anyone knows of affordable prices with fluoro in Arizona updated for 2009 please post them. The only one I know of in the reasonable range is Dr. Berger for $225.

i keep a blog of interesting articles about wls, interesting posts, etc. it is on obesityhelp.com search angelarias you may "friend" me here and on obesityhelp.com Hi All: I was banded in July 2004 and will be banded 5 years. I check the board monthly and am so glad there is so much more information available today than there was when I was researching weight loss surgery. I chose to be banded because it was a reversible procedure and I thought in 10 or 20 years, with medical technology as quickly as it is progressing, banding would no longer be done, RNY, DS and VSG would be long gone as viable surgical options and instead replaced with true, safe, non-invasive procedures. My band is just fine (Thank God) but I have never believed that it is a lifetime implant. For example, my dad's pacemaker has already been replaced and my mom's hip replacement from 10 years ago needs to be revised. These are lifetime implants. Hopefully, our bands will last 10-15 years-let us pray! For newbies out there, no matter how good insurance you have, never asssume emergency surgery for you is going to be free or lowcost. For those of us thast have insurance (with a wls exclusion), an emergency medical fund is essential. I have been thrilled when I read about one you being able to save enough for plastics but I have never read anyone mention that they have money set aside just for a wls emergency. IT IS essential. I travel extensively for work and wherever I go, I have the name of the local band surgeon and where to go for a fill. Here are my stats. I am 35 yrs. old, 5'5" and started at 260. I lost 10 pounds on the pre-op liquid diet which took me to 250. I lost another 30 pounds on the 6 week liquid diet which took me to 220. In the next 2 years I lost an additional 40 pounds which took me to 180 in 2006. I am now 200 so i have lost and maintained a 50% weight loss. Was weight loss surgery a good investment? I think so. I like to do a cost per pound analysis. I have currently spent $3500 for fills and $8500 for the surgery. $12000 for 60 pounds or $200 a pound. For those of you bandsters that paid out of pocket divide your pounds lost by your surgery and maintenance visit costs and you'll get a cost per pound. I would love to see posts on this forum from patients 5-10 years out of surgery--what ever surgery type you had. Share with us what the "weight loss real world" is like. More importantly, the questions I'd like to pose to everybody out there. What weight loss surgeries will we be discussing on this forum 10 years from now? Will our bands be still in place? Will the DSers have a modified new DS? Will the RNY still be the gold standard in the U.S. I'm not looking to start a debate about weight loss surgery methods or inspire negativity or drama. Just posing a straight up question to look 10 years into the future. As you can imange 10 years ago, we were discussing phen-fen and had no idea what a RNY or a DS or a VSG or a gastric band was! So 10 years from now guys, what do ya think? Will peple have gastric stimulators, a revised TOGA procedure via endoscopy, biodegradable bands (yes, gastric bands that do their job and break down in the body with no surgery), brain electrodes to lose weight (like recently featured on Oprah), a weight loss pill. I am not a medical person but I love to discuss technology. So chime in everyone. What new wl technolgy will we be discussing 10 years from now on the OH boards? By the way, I am filled to 6cc in a 4cc band and I have little restriction. I do like my band and am not thinking about a revision. I'm happy with my 60 pond weight loss and will try to lose 60 pounds in a year's time. ALL the best, Angel Banded July 2004 Drs. Ortiz/Martinez Tijuana,Mexico band filled 6cc in 4cc (band still in good position but little restriction) cannot get any more fills--band full 260 starting weight 250 surgery weight 200 plus or minus 5 pounds current weight 50 percent weight loss goal weight 135-140 :wub:

i keep a blog of interesting articles about wls, interesting posts, etc. it is on obesityhelp.com search angelarias you may "friend" me here and on obesityhelp.com Hi All: I was banded in July 2004 and will be banded 5 years. I check the board monthly and am so glad there is so much more information available today than there was when I was researching weight loss surgery. I chose to be banded because it was a reversible procedure and I thought in 10 or 20 years, with medical technology as quickly as it is progressing, banding would no longer be done, RNY, DS and VSG would be long gone as viable surgical options and instead replaced with true, safe, non-invasive procedures. My band is just fine (Thank God) but I have never believed that it is a lifetime implant. For example, my dad's pacemaker has already been replaced and my mom's hip replacement from 10 years ago needs to be revised. These are lifetime implants. Hopefully, our bands will last 10-15 years-let us pray! For newbies out there, no matter how good insurance you have, never asssume emergency surgery for you is going to be free or lowcost. For those of us thast have insurance (with a wls exclusion), an emergency medical fund is essential. I have been thrilled when I read about one you being able to save enough for plastics but I have never read anyone mention that they have money set aside just for a wls emergency. IT IS essential. I travel extensively for work and wherever I go, I have the name of the local band surgeon and where to go for a fill. Here are my stats. I am 35 yrs. old, 5'5" and started at 260. I lost 10 pounds on the pre-op liquid diet which took me to 250. I lost another 30 pounds on the 6 week liquid diet which took me to 220. In the next 2 years I lost an additional 40 pounds which took me to 180 in 2006. I am now 200 so i have lost and maintained a 50% weight loss. Was weight loss surgery a good investment? I think so. I like to do a cost per pound analysis. I have currently spent $3500 for fills and $8500 for the surgery. $12000 for 60 pounds or $200 a pound. For those of you bandsters that paid out of pocket divide your pounds lost by your surgery and maintenance visit costs and you'll get a cost per pound. I would love to see posts on this forum from patients 5-10 years out of surgery--what ever surgery type you had. Share with us what the "weight loss real world" is like. More importantly, the questions I'd like to pose to everybody out there. What weight loss surgeries will we be discussing on this forum 10 years from now? Will our bands be still in place? Will the DSers have a modified new DS? Will the RNY still be the gold standard in the U.S. I'm not looking to start a debate about weight loss surgery methods or inspire negativity or drama. Just posing a straight up question to look 10 years into the future. As you can imange 10 years ago, we were discussing phen-fen and had no idea what a RNY or a DS or a VSG or a gastric band was! So 10 years from now guys, what do ya think? Will peple have gastric stimulators, a revised TOGA procedure via endoscopy, biodegradable bands (yes, gastric bands that do their job and break down in the body with no surgery), brain electrodes to lose weight (like recently featured on Oprah), a weight loss pill. I am not a medical person but I love to discuss technology. So chime in everyone. What new wl technolgy will we be discussing 10 years from now on the OH boards? By the way, I am filled to 6cc in a 4cc band and I have little restriction. I do like my band and am not thinking about a revision. I'm happy with my 60 pond weight loss and will try to lose 60 pounds in a year's time. ALL the best, Angel Banded July 2004 Drs. Ortiz/Martinez Tijuana,Mexico band filled 6cc in 4cc (band still in good position but little restriction) cannot get any more fills--band full 260 starting weight 250 surgery weight 200 plus or minus 5 pounds current weight 50 percent weight loss goal weight 135-140

Hi All: I was banded in July 2004 and will be banded 5 years. I check the board monthly and am so glad there is so much more information available today than there was when I was researching weight loss surgery. I chose to be banded because it was a reversible procedure and I thought in 10 or 20 years, with medical technology as quickly as it is progressing, banding would no longer be done, RNY, DS and VSG would be long gone as viable surgical options and instead replaced with true, safe, non-invasive procedures. My band is just fine (Thank God) but I have never believed that it is a lifetime implant. For example, my dad's pacemaker has already been replaced and my mom's hip replacement from 10 years ago needs to be revised. These are lifetime implants. Hopefully, our bands will last 10-15 years-let us pray! For newbies out there, no matter how good insurance you have, never asssume emergency surgery for you is going to be free or lowcost. For those of us thast have insurance (with a wls exclusion), an emergency medical fund is essential. I have been thrilled when I read about one you being able to save enough for plastics but I have never read anyone mention that they have money set aside just for a wls emergency. IT IS essential. I travel extensively for work and wherever I go, I have the name of the local band surgeon and where to go for a fill. Here are my stats. I am 35 yrs. old, 5'5" and started at 260. I lost 10 pounds on the pre-op liquid diet which took me to 250. I lost another 30 pounds on the 6 week liquid diet which took me to 220. In the next 2 years I lost an additional 40 pounds which took me to 180 in 2006. I am now 200 so i have lost and maintained a 50% weight loss. Was weight loss surgery a good investment? I think so. I like to do a cost per pound analysis. I have currently spent $3500 for fills and $8500 for the surgery. $12000 for 60 pounds or $200 a pound. For those of you bandsters that paid out of pocket divide your pounds lost by your surgery and maintenance visit costs and you'll get a cost per pound. I would love to see posts on this forum from patients 5-10 years out of surgery--what ever surgery type you had. Share with us what the "weight loss real world" is like. More importantly, the questions I'd like to pose to everybody out there. What weight loss surgeries will we be discussing on this forum 10 years from now? Will our bands be still in place? Will the DSers have a modified new DS? Will the RNY still be the gold standard in the U.S. I'm not looking to start a debate about weight loss surgery methods or inspire negativity or drama. Just posing a straight up question to look 10 years into the future. As you can imange 10 years ago, we were discussing phen-fen and had no idea what a RNY or a DS or a VSG or a gastric band was! So 10 years from now guys, what do ya think? Will peple have gastric stimulators, a revised TOGA procedure via endoscopy, biodegradable bands (yes, gastric bands that do their job and break down in the body with no surgery), brain electrodes to lose weight (like recently featured on Oprah), a weight loss pill. I am not a medical person but I love to discuss technology. So chime in everyone. What new wl technolgy will we be discu sing 10 years from now on the weight loss surgery board? By the way, I am filled to 6cc in a 4cc band and I have little restriction. I do like my band and am not thinking about a revision. I'm happy with my 60 pond weight loss and will try to lose 60 pounds in a year's time. Athe best, Angel Banded July 2004 Drs. Ortiz/Martinez Tijuana,Mexico band filled 6cc in 4cc (band still in good position but little restriction) cannot get any more fills--band full 260 starting weight 250 surgery weight 200 plus or minus 5 pounds current weight 50 percent weight loss goal weight 135-140

Hi All: I was banded in July 2004 and will be banded 5 years. I check the board monthly and am so glad there is so much more information available today than there was when I was researching weight loss surgery. I chose to be banded because it was a reversible procedure and I thought in 10 or 20 years, with medical technology as quickly as it is progressing, banding would no longer be done, RNY, DS and VSG would be long gone as viable surgical options and instead replaced with true, safe, non-invasive procedures. My band is just fine (Thank God) but I have never believed that it is a lifetime implant. For example, my dad's pacemaker has already been replaced and my mom's hip replacement from 10 years ago needs to be revised. These are lifetime implants. Hopefully, our bands will last 10-15 years-let us pray! For newbies out there, no matter how good insurance you have, never asssume emergency surgery for you is going to be free or lowcost. For those of us thast have insurance (with a wls exclusion), an emergency medical fund is essential. I have been thrilled when I read about one you being able to save enough for plastics but I have never read anyone mention that they have money set aside just for a wls emergency. IT IS essential. I travel extensively for work and wherever I go, I have the name of the local band surgeon and where to go for a fill. Here are my stats. I am 35 yrs. old, 5'5" and started at 260. I lost 10 pounds on the pre-op liquid diet which took me to 250. I lost another 30 pounds on the 6 week liquid diet which took me to 220. In the next 2 years I lost an additional 40 pounds which took me to 180 in 2006. I am now 200 so i have lost and maintained a 50% weight loss. Was weight loss surgery a good investment? I think so. I like to do a cost per pound analysis. I have currently spent $3500 for fills and $8500 for the surgery. $12000 for 60 pounds or $200 a pound. For those of you bandsters that paid out of pocket divide your pounds lost by your surgery and maintenance visit costs and you'll get a cost per pound. I would love to see posts on this forum from patients 5-10 years out of surgery--what ever surgery type you had. Share with us what the "weight loss real world" is like. More importantly, the questions I'd like to pose to everybody out there. What weight loss surgeries will we be discussing on this forum 10 years from now? Will our bands be still in place? Will the DSers have a modified new DS? Will the RNY still be the gold standard in the U.S. I'm not looking to start a debate about weight loss surgery methods or inspire negativity or drama. Just posing a straight up question to look 10 years into the future. As you can imange 10 years ago, we were discussing phen-fen and had no idea what a RNY or a DS or a VSG or a gastric band was! So 10 years from now guys, what do ya think? Will peple have gastric stimulators, a revised TOGA procedure via endoscopy, biodegradable bands (yes, gastric bands that do their job and break down in the body with no surgery), brain electrodes to lose weight (like recently featured on Oprah), a weight loss pill. I am not a medical person but I love to discuss technology. So chime in everyone. What new wl technolgy will we be discus sing 10 years from now on the boards? By the way, I am filled to 6cc in a 4cc band and I have little restriction. I do like my band and am not thinking about a revision. I'm happy with my 60 pond weight loss and will try to lose 60 pounds in a year's time. Athe best, Angel Banded July 2004 Drs. Ortiz/Martinez Tijuana,Mexico band filled 6cc in 4cc (band still in good position but little restriction) cannot get any more fills--band full 260 starting weight 250 surgery weight 200 plus or minus 5 pounds current weight 50 percent weight loss goal weight 135-140

:drool:Hi All: These have been posted before and I think it is a great way to try a great-tasting Protein drink. It has a high protein to weight ratio. That means that the 26g serving size will yield you 23 grams of protein. Other Protein drinks I have tried have a 30g serving sixe and 15 grams of protein. The rest of the 15 g is sweetener or filler or whatever else they put in those protein supplements. YOU CAN ONLY ORDER THESE BY PHONE. THEY ARE LIMITING ONE PER PERSON. IF YOU HAVE NUMEROUS PEOPLE IN YOUR HOUSEHOLD, YOU CAN PUT IN AN ORDER UNDER THEIR NAME AND CREDIT CARD. SYNTRAX'S PHONE NUMBER IS 1-866-333-7403. ASK FOR CUSTOMER SERVICE (THEY CLOSE AT 5P.M. CENTRAL TIME, I THINK) and place your order for 10 samples for $9.99 UPS GROUND shipping. Bodybuilding.com has all the flavors available. Search "Syntrax nectrar" 2.2 pounds 36 servings is around $28 and their grabngo packs are $24 for 21 individually-wrapped servings of one flavor. Bodybuilding.com has a good price on click coffee protein but melting mama is the best one to contact for all the click protein promotions! Question: the max protein the eggface uses in her recipes is quite expensive at GNC. does anyone know a website that carries this protein for a reasonable price? what flavors do you all like of the max protein?i know even if i don't like the protein, i can always make protein ice cream. i am soo sick of sugar free popsicles and crystal light pops. i wish grocery stores carried healthy protein ice cream. I like the herbalife unflavored Protein powder and their shakes. i go through reputable sellers t hrough ebay (always fresh products--great service) because i don't want to go through a local distributor that wants to recruit me into the herbalife organization. Herbalife chai latte ranks up there along with click and my syntrax nectars. i buy the powders?utm_source=BariatricPal&utm_medium=Affiliate&utm_campaign=CommentLink" target="_ad" data-id="1" >unjury once a year. i like all the flavors but i prefer the syntrax. The unjury Soup is okay. If i had to do preop again, i would do unjury for two weeks instead of the expensive and bleh tasting medifast and Optifast for 2 or more weeks. UNJURY HAS SAMPLES--ABOUT TWO BUCKS FOR EACH FLAVOR. you have to check with your doc, of course. for those that are mandated to do the optifast/medifast "hell" you might be able to find affordable products at dietdirect.com--they have a lot of protein-enriched liquids that are less than a buck a serving. when i go on a roadtrip vacation., i like the smartforlife.com. Yup, those are the gimmicky cookie diet folks! Their Cookies are okay and prevent my convenience store snacking that i do mostly on weekends (choc chip is the best IMO) but what i love are the shakes--the powder is premixed in a little bottle. you have to add Water voila! i love their shakes--it's cheaper to go through costco.com and search "smart for life" or through their website. The SMARTFORLIFE.COM company sometimes lower the price of items if you ask. Here are my favorite Syntrax Nectars: fuzzy navel, twisted cheffy, chocolate truffle and capuccino. They mix well in a shaker bottle and not in a magic bullet. As people have mentioned. they have a "foam" bot a not-so-heavy protein taste. i mix them with skim milk, soy milk, filtered water, g4 gatorade, Vitamin water zero, Powerade zero, crystal light, coffee, orange juice (i love the tropicana 50--coupon on tropicana.com--it has 50 perecent less sugar than regular oj). I HOPE EVERYONE GETS TO TRY THE SYNTRAX nectar SAMPLES! Please post where you get your wls samples, what you paid and what you got in the sample pack! Cheers, Angel in Phoenix