canadagirl33

Morning Bert I had my surgery done at NWWLS in Everett and they have a fill nurses that travel to Bellingham twice a month to do fills for patients. As a general rule they only do fills for people banded at NWWLS and don't take on new clients, altho I do know of a couple that were banded in Toronto that have arranged thru their Ont surgeon and NWWLS to have fills done in WA state. When I go for a fill they are very accomodating....if I feel that my restriction has loosened off more than I think it should, or faster and I'm worried about a leak, they will happily pull all the Fluid out to check the fill level. However a person should be cautious about doing this because it can really irritate the stomach and cause swelling (especially if you are at a tight fill level). Fills levels are all tracked in their computer system as well as the little pocket card I carry.... The girls will fill it in for me with todays weight at weigh-in, my current BMI, current fill level and todays fill. If for any reason I needed my band checked or wanted a fill using floroscopy I would have to go to the office in Everett for that, haven't bothered with that yet because I have had no problems that have warranted it so far. If you want to look at their web page just go to Adjustable Gastric LAP-BAND Surgery And LAP-BAND Surgeons There is an 800# there that you could call and enquire about possibly arranging fills. The girls at the desk are all super nice and will be happy to talk to you and answer questions. Patricia 11/16/06 306/204/175 I think !!!

Hi Everyone !! :eek: I just wanted to bump this thread back up to the top so that it will remind people that the meeting is in a couple of days. The weather is supposed to improve greatly (we're having rain downpours mixed with periods of major snowing today!!!) so I'll be there for sure !!! In fact I have made myself an appt in Bellingham for a fill in the afternoon so I'll be on the road early...would rather sleep in but I *know* I need a fill badly and can't put it off any longer !!! So I will be back in Vancouver at a good time and will be looking forward to seeing you all there !!! Don't forget the place change (see Doddie's above post).... See ya all soon !!! Patricia

Does your surgeon/clinic insist you use Protein drinks?? My surgeon doesn't see the need for them and to be honest I would agree....we're not going to suffer a protein deficiency in a couple of weeks and by the time you get onto mushy food you can get all the protein you need with food. I never bought a single Protein Drink and I lost almost 20lbs in the first month... I'm now a year past surgery and am down over 100lbs. I certainly didn't suffer any ill effects from 2 weeks of liquids and low protein intake. Good luck !!! Patricia 11/16/06 306/204/175ish 5'11

Boy am I glad to see someone finally make a post about this stuff !!! I often read the message boards (this and others) before my surgery and wondered if I would need the stuff that people swore they couldn't live without. I bought and stocked very little in the house pre-op, thinking that my hubby could always shop if the need arose. Was I ever glad I didn't go overboard with the shopping !!!! I had a heating pad at home already and I did use it a bit the first few days....I found that it helped the pain in my shoulder caused by the gas from surgery. Other than that I sipped some Slim-Fast drinks, had some soups, puddings, Jello and popsicles. The clinic I went to doesnt advocate using Protein drinks so I never bought (or got stuck with left-over ) any protein mixes. I did fall in love with my Magic Bullet, but any blender would work and I would not go out and buy a 'Bullet' specifically.... I think most people go into this surgery thinking the post-op meal plan is going to be a *huge* change, and it is to some degree...but it's no different than if you went to your reg Dr tomorrow and he told you that you needed to do a liquid diet for a couple of weeks. My best suggestion would be to keep on top of the pain management, sip as many liquids as you need and be sure to keep well hydrated. Patricia 11/16/06 306/204/175 I think !!!!

Hi Everyone I'm Patricia, 42 years old and have been with my honey for just over 20 years....no wedding bells tho :eek: We don't have kids but we have fur-babies !!! We breed and raise purebred Labrador Retrievers.... We live in snowy British Columbia, Canada...and altho I could do without shoveling snow, the dogs are loving it !!!! I had my surgery in November/06 and have lost 102lbs but have been pretty much at a standstill for the last almost 2 months. Time for a fill !!!!! Hope everyone is having a fabulous new year !!!! Patricia

hair loss isn't caused by the band...it's caused by weight loss. And it is usually worse if you lose weight quickly.... bypass people usually have more noticable hair loss than bandsters. Some people swear by Protein intake, some buy and use fancy shampoos...the truth of the matter is (IMHO of course) regardless of what you do, you may or may not have some hair loss. It usually starts about 4 months or -40lbs out and within a month or 2 starts to regrow. Thats the good news.....its *not* usually long lasting and it will most definitely regrow. All the best, Patricia (had a very minimal amount of hair loss and did nothing special about it...) 11/16/06 306/204/175ish

That sounds pretty hokey to me.... The whole point of the band is to get fills and have restriction to help you lose weight. I had my first fill at about 280lbs with no problems whatsoever. 6 fills and 100+lbs lost and I have never had a problem with finding my port or getting fills. I would suggest laying on your back and poking around yourself looking for your port. You should be able to feel it quite easily. Once you've found it, still flat on your back, lift your feet straight up off the floor (its like doing a mini ab crunch) When your abs tighten you should be able to feel your port pop right up !!! This brings it closer to the surface and makes it easier to access. My clinic has us do this for every fill and every person I have ever had do a fill (4 different nurses) have all hit it first try !!! Good luck and all the best !!! Patricia 11/16/06 306/204/175 I think !!

Hi Roberta The meeting starts anytime between 6.30 and 7pm. I drive down from Pemberton (just north of Whistler) and depending on the drive and road conditions I usually arrive sometime between 6 and 6.30.....I hate being late and would rather sit and have a coffee and relax. Thanks for posting the changes for me Doddie I have been so crazy busy with both jobs, my mom and my mom-in-law still here after the holidays that I just didn't have time yet... Anyone that has any questions about the meeting, or input on what topics you might like to cover at the meeting, please feel free to post here (I promise I'll be back to read it!!!) or email me privately at canadagirl33@hotmail.com So unless we have a major snowstorm I'll hopefully see you all on the 16th !!! Patricia 11/16/06 306/204/175 I think

//You need to call your doctor for their specific instructions. It seems that post op instructions are as different as each doctor, so you should find out what you doctor wants you to be doing instead of making it up based on what the rest of us went through.// I agree fully with this comment. Everyone above said that you *need* Protein shakes...that you *have to* have them....well I'll tell ya something....my surgeon doesn't believe in having us drink Protein Shakes !!! And before any of you think he's some Dr. that doesn't know what he's doing let me just tell you that he is one of the more successful and respected surgeons in the Pacific/Northwest. Not to mention that his plan worked great for me....I had *no* hunger the first month and lost just over 20lbs. Anyhoo....you need liquids, I was allowed anything that was thinner than the "consistancy of paint". But all Dr's think differently and you need to follow the directions of your own Dr.....so call his office and don't hang up that phone until you have a clear diet plan outlined that you understand completely and can follow. Good luck !!! Patricia 11/16/06 306/204/175ish<!-- google_ad_section_end -->

I'm a year past surgery and don't really remember much about the afte stuff...but I do know that I never drank a single Protein shake so don't sweat that too much. No one is going to have malnutrition problems in the course of a week or 2. What you *do* need to be well aware of is getting in lots of fluids. Drink plenty of Water and juices, milk and sugar free puddings made with milk (if dairy is in your allowable post-op diet), sip warm teas and broth....but be sure to get lots of Fluid. Good luck to you and congrats on your banding !!! Patricia 11/16/06 306/204/175ish

I was banded 13 months ago and have lost just over 100lbs. I had a fear of PB'ing and spoke to my surgeon about it before surgery and he told me that it would be completely up to me and how/what I ate that might make me PB. I made the choice to choose wisely and eat carefully and am happy to report that I have never thrown up. Patricia 11/16/06 306/204/175ish

My surgery was in a day surgical center and it was great. I live 6 hours (minimum) away from the clinic so my hubby and I rented a hotel room close to the clinic so we could stay the first night. I went into the clinic at 10am, my surgery was at 11am and I was back in my hotel room by 3pm. Slept comfortably off and on, went outside for a couple of short walks a few times and my surgeon called us at the hotel that evening to check on me... We drove to the clinic the next morning just so they see that I was up and about and feeling pretty good and then we drove home. Personally I was glad when I knew it was a day procedure...I wasn't looking forward to being in a hospital overnight, theyre noisy, they smell and they have yucky food !!! Patricia 11/16/06 306/205/175ish I think !!!

I am at work and just browsing the site (dont tell the boss !!!! :huggie:) and when I saw a comment I wanted to toss in my 2 cents.... You said //She says she has never had the problem of food getting stuck or PB.// Well I have had my band for over a year and I have never PB'd either. This was actually 1 of my fears before surgery and I spoke to my surgeon about it...he told me that it was *completely* up to me if I got food stuck or not. He said if I am aware of what I eat, how I eat and how much, I didn't need to throw up. Now don't get me wrong...I eat everything I want. And yes, I have good restriction (3.25CC's in a 4CC band) I avoid bread, Pasta and rice but could probably eat it if I wanted.... I can eat all meats, all salads, all fruit and veggies with no problems. Eat slowly and be aware of what your tummy is telling you and you'll be fine !!!! Good luck on your journey !!!! Patricia 11/16/06 306/205/175ish I think... Surgery/Today/Goal

Hi there :huggie: Just reading this thread and thought I would throw in my 2 cents.... I see that your Dr. wants you on Protein shakes but I was wondering how long you were supposed to do them for. All Dr's are different and mine actually recommends not drinking them at all...he feels it's too easy to get used to them and once you are healed the idea of the band is *NOT* to drink any calories. I was on liquids for 2 weeks after surgery and then 2 weeks of mushies and didn't do a single Protein shake. I got some protein from the liquids (milk, puddings made with milk, etc) and none of us are going to become sick from a lack of protein rich foods in a short time period. Another thing you may want to be aware of... Your body can only process a certain amount of protein in 1 dose (usually between 20 and 25 grams per serving). Anything over that isn't doing you any good...in fact excess protein going thru our systems can cause stress on the kidneys...thats where its 'processed' and they don't like being over-loaded. Maybe something to talk to your Dr about and be aware of.... All the best to you all !!!! Patricia 11/16/06 306/205/175 I think....

Hi Val Welcome to the boards and congrats on your Band date !!! I don't actually live in Vancouver, but a little farther north in snowy Whistler. There are definitely more than a few of us in the Van area tho.... We have a monthly get-together/support meeting on the 3rd wednesday of every month at Lions Gate Hospital in North Vancouver. We are skipping December's meeting because it is too close to Christmas but we will be getting together again on January 16th. We are a small group and range from a couple of years post-op to pre-op....so you are most welcome to join us !!! If you would like to mail me privately, feel free.... canadagirl33@hotmail.com Good luck with your journey !!! Patricia 11/16/06 306/205/175ish

I eat salad regularly. In fact my fist meal of 'real' food after surgery (week 5, after 2 weeks of liquid and 2 weeks of mushies) was chicken and ceasar salad. I'm now a year past surgery, have had multi-fills (am at 3.25cc in a 4cc band) and eat salad 3 or 4 times a week. Just another example on how everyone is different regardless of restriction. My advice would be to try it, slowly, and see if it works....if it does, great, if not, scratch it off your list Patricia 11/16/06 306/205/175 I think

Well I don't have diabetes but I do have a band...thank goodness !!!! My mom has heart disease, diabetes, osteoarthritis, has had a stroke and is morbidly obese...I know exactly what my future looked like and that is why I took the steps I did. Everyone is different and we all have to make our own choices and decide what we can live with... As someone else said, the band is only a tool, it's not a cure-all or quick fix. But if you are willing to make some lifestyle changes *and* realize that getting the band means those changes will have to last for the rest of your life, I would tell you to go for it !!! On another note....the clinic where I had my surgery done in WA state is very lucky to have a fill nurse there who is very educated on banding and has had her band for almost 10 years. As much as she knows about bands, her *specialty* is diabetes and she has written and published books on both topics. You can look her up in Amazon or Google her if you are interested in her band or diabetes books...her name is Dr. Jessie H. Ahroni. All the best in your decision !!! Patricia 11/16/06 - band date 306/206/175ish I think Surgery/today/goal

Hi Ang Congrats on your decision to get banded !!! It's a huge step in taking control of our health and lives. I'm glad that you like Dr. Woodhead, it is most defintely a bonus if you like your surgeon.... I'll tell you my personal reasons for choosing to go to NWWLS instead of Dr. Woodhead.... I went and saw my family Dr for a referral to Dr. Woodhead the first week of August/06. @ days later my family Dr recieved by fax the request for some blood work and a questionaire I was supposed to fill in and fax back. I had the lab work done that day and quite anxiously filled out the paperwork and faxed it back the next morning. And then I waited....and waited....and waited. Finally the first week of Sept I called his office, to be told quite abruptly and rudely by his receptionist that I would hear from them when they got to my paperwork. Don't worry, I cut her some slack, everyone has a bad day now and then So I waited and waited and waited some more and during this wait I kept on researching. I found out during this time that Dr. Woodhead had done less than 100 band surgeries and in fact I believe the # at that time was between 20 and 30 procedures. That made me a little leary, only because I had *never* had surgery in my life and I wanted someone with a *ton* of experience !!! So anyhow...I waited until Oct. 10/06 before I fianlly hear back from his office again !!! 2 months for even a phone call to set up a consult !!! So she gave me an appt..... for Feb 2/07 !!! So from the first contact my Dr made with his office it was going to be 6 months before I could even get into his office !!! So I booked the appt and asked her (the cranky receptionist...it was another bad day I guess) if when I saw him I would actually set up my surgery appt and if she had any idea how long it would take from that appt to surgery. She informed me that she didn't know but it could be as long as 2 years !!!! (Have you figured out yet that I'm the impatient sort??? hehehe) So at this point I started seriously thinking about it.... I had already thought about surgery for over a year and knew I wanted it.... I had already managed to save the $15k that I thought I was going to need.... I knew I wanted a surgeon with lots of experience, good aftercare and prompt service when I needed it.... And this is nothing against Dr. Woodhead personally because I have never met him....but I honestly didn't think, judging by how I had been dealt with so far, I was going to recieve those things so I started looking elsewhere. I would be curious to hear how long it took you to get in for your consult appt....and if you know yet how long you will wait for surgery. I honestly don't know if the info I was given when I asked his receptionist was correct or not. Did you ask Dr. Woodhead how many surgeries he has done to date? Again, I'm just curious because at our support group in North Van things like this come up and I don't actually have correct info to tell anyone !!! Again, please don't take this post as anything against Dr. W....I know Doddie personally and I know that she's very happy with him....and I'm really glad that he is in the lower mainland doing banding and helping people....it just wasn't the right fit for me personally is all. Looking forward to hearing from you !!! Patricia 11/16/06 306/206/175 (I think) Btw.... I contacted NWWLS on Oct. 16/06, had my surgeon/psych/Jessie appts 2 weeks later on Oct. 30th and booked my surgery that day for Nov. 16th. So I was exactly 1 month from the first phone call to the operating table....with a surgeon who has done over 3000 lap surgeries (he actually teaches lap procedures) and placed 1000 bands.

Reading some replies on this thread have me completely confused... I guess it's gotta also depend on how tight you can handle having things fit. There are some posters on here that are fairly close to the same weight as I am, but inches shorter, which should technically mean they are bigger around, but they are wearing the same (or smaller) sizes tham me !!! I don't get it !!! When I was banded I weighed 306 and wore a 26/28 pants and a 4/5X. I have now lost 100lbs and wear a 16 pants and a X/1X shirt....and I'm 5'11" !!! Patricia 11/16/06 306/206/Around 180

I never noticed this board before today and I think it is great to see all the people that have lost 100+lbs. I know that before my surgery I looked for motivational posts like this to make me feel like it was do-able and the right thing for me.... I am thrilled to announce that I am just over 1 year past surgery and have hit the -100 club !!!!:whoo: Another 25 or 30 and I'll be at goal....who'da thunk???:bounce: Patricia 11/16/06 - Band date. 306/206/Hmmmm Surgery/Today/Goal

~Has coffee in hand and is taking it easy...~ Maybe I should have added to my post that when you live near your clinic it makes all the difference in the world. TLBC offering a lifetime of care included in the $16k surgery fee is wonderful if you can get to TLBC for your care. How about us on the West Coast that would have to pay for a plane ticket every time we wanted to see our surgeon?? And yes, I am aware that they offer a CD so you can hopefully have your family Dr. do your fills....however there are a lot of Dr's that are not interested in learning to do this, or simply do not have the time. So a lifetime of free aftercare in Ontario would have done me no good at all. Case in point...there is a woman on this board that had her surgery at TLBC in February (I believe) and now has to pay a local Dr. in Vancouver $200 for a visit and a fill. As for being self-pay shortening your waiting time...that also works in Ontario but our provincial medical system is different here. We don't have private clinics like you do. The surgeons that do banding have to do it in hospitals and have to apply for and wait for OR time. The gov't here does *not* cover banding in any way, shape or form so we are all self-pay....and my wait time would have been 2 years. All the best, Patricia BTW...NWWLS aftercare is as follows.... All support meetings (minimum 2 a month, lots of guest speakers coving topics ranging from PS to eating disorders), all telephone support or telephone conferences with your surgeon are free for life. All office visits, fill appts, visits with surgeons, flouroscopies, support meetings, etc, etc, etc are free for the first year... After the first year you pay $125 and you have a 2 week grace period after every fill. So if you get a fill and need a de-fill within 2 weeks, it's free....or if you get a fill and don't feel it's enough and want more, you can get more at no charge within 2 weeks. Pretty fair I thought... If, during the lifetime of your band you need to have surgery to replace or repair it, be it with the port, tubing or band itself, that is covered free of charge.

BTW.... I take offence to... //You can get it for $16K in Canada even in BC with better aftercare than what they are offering// I would be hard pressed to find anyone in Canada that will offer better aftercare than NWWLS....they may offer *equal* care, but not better. Patricia

Hi people I just saw this thread and wanted to reply !!! Tara, I had my surgery done in WA state by NWWLS. I could have stayed in BC to have it done but the wait was going to be approximately 2 years and I'm an impatient sort :rolleyes There are 3 surgeons in BC that do the surgery... Dr. Leung in Surrey Dr. Woodhead in Delta Dr. Amson in Victoria (altho he primarily does RNY/bypass) I can honestly say that the care I recieved at NWWLS was amazing and I would recommend them to anyone. When I need to make an appt they do everything they can to schedule me in because they know its a long trip for me. (I live 100 miles north of Vancouver). I have now had my band for a year and have lost 100lbs. If you have any questions about my journey with them feel free to email me privately or post here (canadagirl33@hotmail.com) As for the support meeting in North Vancouver....we met up a couple of nites ago for our monthly meeting and it was decided that we would skip the December meeting because it was just too close to Christmas. So the next scheduled meeting will be on Jan. 16th/08 (the 3rd wednesday of every month) Hopefully some of you will join us !!! Patricia 11/16/06 306/206/Hmmm Surgery/today/goal

My 2 cents... Tara...if you choose to have your banding done by NWWLS I can personally tell you that you have chosen an excellent surgeon and support staff. They did my surgery just over a year ago and I have nothihng but completely positive things to say about all of them. As far as the 'quote' from the Bioentrics/Inamed site....I would personally read that as a disclaimer. Go to any website that makes a device like the band (artificial heart, fake knee or hip joint) and I'm betting you'll find close to the same statement. They have to put it in the site so that when you recieve a defective band...because let's face it, every company that mass produces an item makes the odd 'lemon'...their butt is covered. For the original post....surgery is scary, and this is most definitely surgery. As easy and quick as it is, some have problems and take longer to heal. That said, mine was very quick and uneventful... And after a year if my surgeon told me tomorrow that I would have to have it replaced every 5 years I would book my appointment for replacement surgery without hesitation. Good luck in whatever you choose !!! Patricia 11/16/06 - Band date 306/206/undecided Surgery/today/goal

I started with a BMI of 42.7 and am now 28.7.....*only* overweight instead of MO !!! I've just celebrated my 1 year anniversary and have lost exactly 100 lbs....another 20-30lbs to go until I hit goal !!! :clap2: Patricia 11/16/06 306/206/undecided still