NINNYED

Hello! Are there ANY Eastern Iowa/Western Illinois bandsters out there??? Am I the ONLY one around here?? I have been looking EVERYWHERE to see if there was anyone in this area who has a band... Even the Receptionist at the local Bariatric center (they do RNY ONLY) acted like I was nuts to have this done and that NO ONE does that surgery.... Which may be true in this area but I know that are MANY of these procedures done in the US everyday. Anyway, anyone out there??? :faint:

I have heard that "Aunt Flo" will cause changes in the tightness of the band because of Water retention, etc..... Could that be part of your problem?

Hi JudyAnn!! I live in Bettendorf and was banded October of 2006 by Dr. Ortiz in Tijuana!! :clap2:

Good luck on your surgery this week, Diane!! When you feel up to it, please let us know how you are!! It will be a piece of cake... The anticipation BEFORE surgery is far worse than the surgery itself! Happy banding!!:clap2:

Yeah, I checked into it... Trinity in Moline will be doing it too. I was VERY disappointed... The doctors are VERY inexperienced and gave me a lot of incorrect information over the phone when I talked to them. Bummer, it would be nice to be able to get a fill here locally instead of going to Chicago or Tijuana! How is everyone doing? I get my fill by Dr. Vitello in Chicago tonight!! YEAH!!! Keep your fingers crossed that this time I reach my sweet spot! :whoo:

Hi Iowa Bandsters! I have been so busy with work lately that I have become "out of the loop" here!! WOW!! I am SOOOOO glad that there are a few more of us in these parts... I was getting lonely!! I cannot believe what hoops you have to go through to get banded here in the States. Since my insurance refused to pay even a penny, I was banded by Dr. Ortiz in Tijuana and it was a wonderful experience. I did my research, choose my surgeon, talked to him on the phone. Did more research. Went to TJ, had all of my pre-op tests and was banded the next day. No psych exams (yeah, I KNOW why I am fat, I EAT TOO STINKIN' MUCH!) No sleep studies (I KNOW I SNORE AND HAVE APNEA - which, after loosing 61 pounds is now GONE as is my nasty machine!!). I just did it.... Good luck all of you who are going to be banded soon, it is really a simple surgery, I was walking 10 - 20 minutes after coming back from the OR.... and back to work 6 days later. I need a fill right now, but still can only eat about half of what I could before!! HUGS to all!:clap2:

Hi Sparkette! I was considering Dr. Vitello also. My main concern that kept me from going to him is that when I called Inamed (the people who make our bands) and asked they said that he has not taken the proctored training with them. Only doctors who have had that training can place the bands, but it does not prevent (by Inamed) doctors not certified by Inamed from doing fills. I guess my thinking is that I paid a lot of cash to have this band placed, no one is going to touch it who has not been properly trained in the placement and filling of it! Just my opinion... Let me know how it goes!

I am looking for alternative to going down to TJ for fills... Has anyone had any experience, good or bad, with the FillCenter in Farmington, MO?? I heard that they use Flouro for the fills, and I like that. I will NOT get a blind fill!

Depending on what you are allowed to eat.. The mushy chicken salad kits are good too. There is also the pre-made Protein shake option in a can. Have a nice trip!

I have gone back to TJ for two fills... I am still looking for someone locally to do fills at a reasonable price. There is a clinic in Peoria (maybe 2 hours from where you are) that I contacted yesterday to see if they would take me for fills, have not heard back yet. If I do not find some one in the next month or so, I will probaby head back down to TJ for another fill....

Mine seem to have nothing to do with eating... I usually get them between meals....

Blech!! I get the hiccups ALL of the time since my second fill last month... I do not drink from a straw either... I HATE the hiccups!:faint:

Dr. Glascock charges nearly $700 for your first fill with them.. That is WAY too much for my budget!

Have you recently started to exercise more?? I find that sometimes after a really hard workout, I will have some pain around my port incision.... If it keeps bothering you, it cannot hurt to speak to your doctor...

I forgot to tell you my motivation.... My biggest one is being 241 pounds... The lowest weight I have been in 15 years! I will NEVER allow myself to be 282 EVER again.... Everytime that scale ticks down another pound I tell myself that it is another pound that I will NEVER see again... Sometimes I feel like I am in AA/NA and taking it one minute/day at a time. Little successes add up to big successes! Our bands are not "cures" to being overweght, but tools that assist us in loosing the weight and living healthly lives again! It is not easy, by any means, but you can and will do it!

Hi Mary! I find that eating a dinner full of protein really helps curb the urge to snack later on... Most dinners all I end up eating is the protein part and not the rest. I have always been a huge evening snacker... Once in a while I will treat myself though, but I always limit the amount... Also, when the urge strikes, try drinking a glass of water, that might help... Along with just not keeping the bad stuff in the house... Good Luck! :clap2:

It has been over 5 months since my surgery and not even a small feeling of a PB or even a slime.... I keep worrying that there is something wrong because I have not PB'd as of yet. Hopefully I will just quietly loose weight and never have to experience it. I have not ever really gotten the golf ball feeling either, I have been uncomfortable a couple of times, but that is all... <knocking on wood>:clap2:

Hi!! I live in Bettendorf (Quad-Cities). Where is Johnston?? I USED to live in Phoenix and Prescott Valley! Sure do miss the beautiful weather in the Fall and Winter.... The Spring and Summer... not so much! Hahahaha :clap2:

I am SOOOO glad this is over for you!!! An endo would not be fun at all! I hope they do your fill soon and you can be on your way again! BTW.... Baby carrots are good cooked... hahahahahah Lynn

Try some papya enzymes (available at any health food store)... I had my surgery in October and the first week on solid foods I decided that I would have just ONE baby carrot... I thought I chewed well enough but noooooooooo.... That was not a pleasant experience so early on.... I had already purchased the enzymes in case of emergency and took them then.... within an hour my painful chest was gone.... It cannot hurt to try and see if they break down some of that carrot to get it past your band... Good luck!

I would definately pay for the band.... IMHO it is far healthier with fewer complications!

You will not regret choosing Dr. Ortiz.... I absolutly fell in love with his clinic when I had my band placed 7 weeks ago. They are all wonderful and Dr. Ortiz' mom, Mrs. Ortiz is a complete trip... great sense of humor!!! You will be in VERY good hands, both at the clinic and at the hotel (Alonso, a bellhop at the Lucerna will help you go anywhere you need to go, he is great). Good luck!!!:clap2:

I had several reasons... the biggest is that I needed to loose weight to get my health back... Rerouting my "innereds" and having life-long malabsorbsion (sp?) did not sound healthy to me! The recovery is a lot quicker with the lap-band, the procedure is less risky at my size, my insurance would not pay for either and the lap-band in Tijuana was far more affordable, I like the fact that if on the outside chance something goes wrong it can be removed and my plumbing would return to basically the same as before surgery, no dumping, and if I am at a nice dinner and my husband orders a piece of cheesecake I can have a small bite and not risk getting sick! I love my band, I consider this one of the smartest decisions I have ever made! I am 7 weeks post-op, feel great and have lost 31 pounds!!:clap2:

Kidney stones are horrible... I know how you feel - I have had a total of 18 of them since my daughter was born in 1989. I really feel for you... The urologist will be able to find out if there are anymore left in youir kidneys and help you prevent further attacks. I bled after each attack too, my doctor said it was because the edges of the stones are sharp and can cause some bleeding as they make their way out - if they are small enough to do so alone. I will keep you in my prayers!!

Yes, there is a light at the end of the tunnell! I am a fellow "cyster" and had my band placed by Dr. Ortiz 6 weeks ago. There IS a light at the end of the tunnell... As of this morning I have lost 28 pounds. I love my band!! My weight loss as been as much or more than other people who had their bands placed about the same time as I did. It is too early to tell if the PCOS symptoms have "died" down but I know the weight loss is making me feel a lot better! Good Luck!