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Does anyone have the email address for Jodi (the new nutritionist) at tlbc/slimband?

Hi Lesslee. Thanks. Have you had many issues with the slimband team. Are you feeling supported by them? Trying to avoid any hassles along the way. This is stressful enough.

What is a Slimband patient?

Hi Anna: Are we cut off or do they want us to pay for fills and defills? My understanding is that we no longer receive free lifetime support which sucks but I do believe they will see you provided you pay them. I have an appointment with Dr Yau this month and I will address this issue with him to see what we can do (not holding my breath on this one). I know thre are a couple of threads on this issue and some members were looking at a legal solution. Search TLBC on this website and they will pop up. As for me, I had the gall to challenge Slimband on this on their website and now I'm completely cut off and can't even post. No loss for me because I think their website sucks but....

I think the consensus is that the lap band does work whether it is put in at Slimband, SWLC , CIBO or any other clinic as long as you work with it. And as long as they have the proper aftercare. I say one should go with wherever one feels the most comfortable. 4 more days and I will be banded at SWLC!

I was banded with Slimband and I only have very good things to say about the dr and the staff. They have follow up care and nurses right across canada and you never have to pay for any adjustments or support. Dr. Yau is the pioneer of banding in canada so he is the most qualified surgeon. I am very happy with my choice and they are amazing.

I had my band done through slimband, and it has been a pretty good experience. I'm from alberta, so i get my fills done in calgary- slimband calls and does some follow-up and then i call the fill clinic and set up a time that works for me. Dr.Cyriac did my surgery and he did a pretty good job.

Oh, I have so many questions. Is anyone else from Canada? Alberta, specifically? I am really thinking that lap band surgery is probably the way to go for me, as I have lost weight many times before, only to gain it back plus 30 lbs. I am desperate. I'm looking into Slimband. Anyone had that? In Toronto? I looked into Mexico, but that sounded scary as all get out, so that's out. Cheap, though. Slimband costs $16000 (although they have a special right now where you get $1000 back for travel expenses). Is that about the normal price for all of the ones in Canada and the US?

My name is Stephanie, My reason for posting this is to share my story with you in hopes that you will take the next step and get the Slimband procedure. I feel very passionate about Slimband as it has changed my life in ways I had never expected. My story will shed some light onto how it all began. I was banded in April of 2010 and I am happy to report that just over two years later, I am down 127 lbs, and feel better than I have in 20 years. I made the decision to have the Slimband procedure when I finally became sick of being sick and tired. I have 3 young boys and I was not being the kind of Mom I had always envisioned I would be. I was out a dinner one night and saw a friend of a friend eat a very small portion of food (1/2 of a hamburger and a few fries) and push her plate away. After asking her if she didn't like her food, she simply replied, "no, I'm just full". A 10 minute discussion later revealed that she had lost 90 lbs. with Slimband and had kept it off for almost 3 years at that point. I was on my 2nd diet that year-- Herbal Magic as a New Year’s Resolution (over $1700 invested- 36 lbs. lost and 47 gained) and was on U Weight Loss at the time (had almost $2000 invested and a pile of pills that I couldn't bear to take any longer--27 lbs lost and constantly starving). And, there I was stuffing my face with nachos (having been on smoothies and shakes for 4 months) and decided that Slimband could be the thing that ended my endless yo-yoing with different diets. Within two months, I had several phone calls with Niki, a consultant at Slimband and a former patient who had lost over 80 lbs. herself. I spent several days discussing the procedure with my husband who eventually came in person to meet Niki and speak about the procedure. While he was not happy about the $16,000 expense, I decided to cash in my RRSP savings. At the time it seemed silly to be saving for a retirement that I may never get to see being in the obese category at 275 lbs. I was sick of weighing food, taking supplements, drinking smoothies, going for weekly weigh ins, wasted gym memberships and double digit dress sizes while shopping in the limited "PLUS size" sections of clothing stores. I just wanted to have a built in appetite suppressant and it seemed Slimband would be just that. I came to the offices with my payment and was booked in for surgery 2 weeks later! I did a 4 day pre-op diet to reduce the fat around my liver and prepared some meals for me for my post- surgery times--pureed Soups and stews. I arrived at the serene offices/surgery clinic at Slimband, was weighed, had a comforting chat with my surgeon Dr. Patrick Yao and was led into the surgery suite. After a 45 minute procedure, and 1/2 hour recovery, I was on the way home to begin my new life. I had some slight discomfort at the site where the port was implanted, but other than that, I was pain free and did not need the prescription pain medications that I filled pre surgery. I enjoyed my chicken broth the next day as I sat at the Thanksgiving dinner table not missing eating but happy that I was well enough to be sitting with my family. I was back into the regular swing of daily life with 3 young boys within 3 days. After the manditory clear fluids for two days and then gradually moving from pureed foods to mashed to small diced food, I was eating regular meals with my family within a month. Just as the girl at the restaurant, I was full after 1/4 of what I was previously eating. I enjoyed the online Slimband community and the support staff were extremely patient with my many questions when it came to eating/drinking nutritional requirements. I had a binder that lead me easily through each and every day with regard to what/how to eat and then I followed the Protein first, veg second and then, if there's room eat your carbs rule, no drinking with meals and chew your food well and slow down. How simple! Pair that with 2 Snacks, like apples with almonds or cheese with veggie sticks, and I rarely found myself thinking about food, I simply wasn't hungry until meal times. I didn't weigh, measure, or count a single calorie! I was down 40 lbs. within 3 months. It slowed to 2-3 pounds a week, but slow and steady has gotten me to where I am now. I have had a few fills and de-fills (saline injections into a port which loosens/tightens the band around the upper portion of my stomach). I am at my "sweet spot" now, which means I can eat a small plate of food and feel full just before I finish it. I am not hungry between meals and really force myself to have those two snacks. I'm down from a size 22 to a size 8 (which I haven't been since high school), I work out daily 3X a week, I run with my oldest son for his cross country practises and my home based business is flourishing with my new found energy and focus. I am no longer out of breath at the top of a flight of stairs and, most importantly, I am modelling healthy food portions and choices to my 3 precious boys. My father-in-law recently had the surgery at 65 years of age and since April 2012, he has lost over 50 pounds, has been taken off his high blood pressure medication, no longer has high cholesterol, no longer needs the costco size Ibuprofen tablets he took daily for his sore knees and is playing the best golf of the last 30 years of his life. There is no coincidence that this procedure has literally saved both of our lives, Slimband works, end of story, it does exactly what it promised to do, help you eat less so you can live more! I can assure you that this is the last time you will struggle with your weight. It is unfortunate that you don't hear all of the success stories about Slimband, just those who have encountered difficulties. I have come to realize though, that this is because most of these people have gotten their lives back on track and are too happy and busy sit down and post about it. I just had to share my story because it has changed my life and I can only hope I will help to change someone else’s for the better too!

I had a consultation with SWLC and Slimband and decided on SWLC. I was not impressed at all with the staff at Slimband (it is the name of the weight loss centre, not the name of a lap band). I will be banded by Dr. Cobourn on Oct.19th. I know several people who have been banded by him and they are very happy with the aftercare.

I had my surgery done this summer in Vancouver with SWLC. Overall, it has been a good experience so far. I would recommend them to anyone. I looked in to Slimband as well, but found that SWLC has a better after care record which is key. Best wishes on your journey...

Thanks for the sympathy Spartan. It's very disheartening as I did do a lot of research when I ended up choosing Slimband. It was the aftercare that I was most interested in and I still am. I just hope I'm overreacting a little and things will improve in the next couple of days. Pickles123, I'm hoping for confirmation of my surgeon by Monday. Fingers cross cause my surgery is a week from today (Friday)! Thanks for the support! I'll keep you all posted on the outcome. :biggrin:)

I'm going to be banded at Slimband on Thursday. right now i'm not nervous but come wednesday i bet i'll be up all night. i have to spend the night since i've got a CPAC machine so i won't be in until the afternoon - plenty of time to get very nervous

To Regret...I am sorry for your experience with Slimband. I however have had a good experience so far. I had my surgery in June 2010 and it was the few months left of surgery with an empty band. My band was empty after my surgery and I didn't need a fill for 3 months and even then it was only 2cc's and I didn't need another one for 3 more months. Some people are sensitive and I am sure that if I had the surgery in August 2010 or after where they fill your band to the "ideal" sweet spot I wouldn't have been able to eat or drink anything either as I could barely eat or drink with just the band on my stomach. Have you had any success with a refund? Ohaw

Okay, so I spoke with Niki and all my questions have been put to rest. I've been told that 'Tara' the girl I spoke to at the first stage of the process no longer works at Slimband. Thank goodness! It certainly doesn't help their image any to have people like that on the other end! But it also confirms my suspicions that the Slimband team keeps their eyes on the prize and watch these forums for any problems with current and potential clients. So keep that in mind when you're posting! I've also been made aware of a few internal changes happing with Slimband in terms of their information packages and the schedule for receiving this information. Apparently, I will receive one binder by FedEx before surgery and one binder with post-op info after surgery. That's great news!! Finally, Niki also said she would do her best to make sure Dr Yau is there for me on Friday. That being said, I'm not sure how that can be guaranteed but I'm taking her word for it and I'm confident in her so I think it will be fine. One thing I'd also like to add is that Niki is a fountain of information. And like most consultant she prefers to express herself over the phone. And she's great at it! As soon as I spoke to her I had all the answers I needed and I felt pretty relieved. She comes across as a VERY warm person and even did so under the pressure of my big mouth so kudos to her for that. I guess this is a lesson for me in patience. I'm super excited about my surgery on Friday and can't wait to meet the team. Wangpangtang, I would recommend you do go with Slimband but only if it works for you. Do your own research (as it appears you are right now) and I'm sure you'll find the best solution for you. That being said, you're almost always going to find someone who isn't happy with the clinic you're considering. Don't let that stop you from considering them because perhaps that person just didn't have a Niki. And perhaps that person doesn't post the good stuff as well as the bad, like me. Most people don't. Good luck with your journey! And I hope things work out. Feel free to PM me if you'd like more updates on my progress.

I too had the Slimband and almost died. i was convinced by a sales consultant Belina Patini and some sweet talking English guy. Belina claimed to have had the Slimband as well. Which i found hard to believe, because at the time, i looked better than she did. I understand the Owner of Slimband, Michael Scott Smith. Closed shop and fled to California, following multiple threats from clients and business partners. and even the government.

I am also someone who has had nothing but issues with this band (Slimband), which I paid over $25,000 for (I was financed thru them) the band which I had placed at a private clinic in Toronto in 2013. I didn’t/do not live in Toronto, so I had to fly up there & back, stay at a hotel. Factoring in the medications I was instructed to take post-op, along with the necessary OTC medications (stool softeners, gravel, etc), I am probably out around $30,000. Most important to me though, is not the money (that pisses me off) but it’s the day-to-day impact this goddamn thing is having. My quality of life has be adversely affected. Most recently, I have a distended upper abdominal area; chronic constipation (I drink over 64 ounces of water daily); nausea, vomiting and have looked into filing a lawsuit without success (firms I contacted weren’t interested). I am unable to be spontaneous in eating, because I never know/can’t predict when I will get what my husband has come to refer to as “backed up”. When I get “backed up”, I typically have been constipated, and then have a painful bowel movement, quickly followed by a swollen & tender upper abdominal area, nausea, dry heaves, then vomiting (bike usually as I’ve not eaten in the 12 hours prior to these attacks). The doctor who preformed my surgery was reprimanded by the College of Physicians & Surgeons in Ontario, & lost his license for 3 whole months (big deal) & has since relocated to practice in another area of Ontario the last I heard. During my surgery, he also did something that I wasn’t aware he would do/would ‘need’ to be done. He did something so I wouldn’t experience any heartburn or GERD...when I woke from surgery to find that out, I started to feel like I had made a mistake. See, I never, NEVER had any issue with acid reflux/heartburn...ever. I also woke from surgery with a pain in my shoulder & bruises on my body that I am unsure how they would have gotten there (upper arm, outer thigh). Other than the 1-week follow-up phone call, the clinic never did follow through on their promise of aftercare service & check-ins. I had called because I was concerned when I had my first ‘attack’ approximately 2 years after the band was installed, only to get a voicemail to leave a message, which never was returned & the symptoms abated. Then to make matters worse, if that is even possible, the clinic closed its doors a few years back, meaning I have been & am unable to have my band adjusted, which were always defills for me. These were another area of problematic treatment. Each time I went (only twice because there was a large period of time that Halifax didn’t have anyone doing this), I had requested a defill because I was vomiting after drinking water. When the ‘nurse’ wasn’t able to access my port...well, she said she wasn’t sure if she accessed it or not, my doubts and regrets were reinforced. I remember telling her the last time I was in, that I wanted it removed. She encouraged me to give it time, especially since we had just ‘defilled’. I remember that last time I went, it hurt when she inserted the strings & it felt as if it ‘hit’ something hard in my body (hard to explain, but a very weird sensation & it felt substantially different than the first time I had a defill). I seen that when she removed the syringe, it looked as if it were filled with blood, watered down blood, but not clear fluid. She reassured me that it was ‘probably just some scar tissue’ that had developed around the port site and that was why it looked like blood was in the syringe. A few weeks after this interaction, when I attempted to book another defill, and to look into removal, I found out the clinic was closed. No advanced notice to its customers - I was still paying them via the financing they provided - paying for a service I was no longer able to receive. So here I am, 6 years later. I have lost weight, not as much as they said I would, but I attribute that to the fact that I can’t eat so many things, and when I do eat (rarely ever hungry), I am terrified of having an attack. It has negatively affected my work life, my personal life and, since I am waiting on a long list for bariatric surgery to remove this goddamn thing, my life for the foreseeable future. I really wish there were a class action lawsuit happening. My sister had the same procedure, and has had a similar journey, minus the ‘attacks’. I had done research prior to having Slimband installed and didn’t find much long term information. After having the procedure, and joining their on-line community, I realized that any negative comments/stories were removed/deleted/erased, as the clinic had control over the site. If anyone hears about a class action lawsuit, please contact me because I would be interested. I live in Nova Scotia, Canada. My e-mail is kemaclean@ yahoo.ca As a almost 54 year old woman, I can honestly say there are very, very few things in my life that I regret - and my life has not been an easy one - Slimband is the only regret I have...and it is a huge one.

I am definitely interested in a lawsuit against Slimband. I have lost thousands of dollars in pay due to having to take unpaid sick leave (in fact, I am lucky to even still be employed). Also, I'm told that almost everyone will need to eventually have to have it removed (mine hasn't been yet). My personal e-mail is jenannecoulter@yahoo.ca if you would like to connect with me. Jennifer, Ottawa

Does anybody know if a class action law suit was ever filed against Slimband or the Doctor. I had my surgery done in November 2013 lost some weight by straving myself and waiting for my fills to finally hit my " Sweet Spot " that never happened. I quit straving myself and the weight I lost came back, band is useless, I never felt full. I just found this site out of looking in despair and many years of depression. So fed up of this useless thing inside of me and the problems it has created. If anybody knows anything any input would be appreciate. Thanks

So glad you found a Dr that will remove the Slimband . Sorry you will have another cost to endure though . Hopefully one of the others will be covered by OHIP. Good luck . Let us know how it goes

I would contact your General Doctor and asked to be referred to a internal surgeon and have it removed. I had to have mine removed and it has caused me massive damage to my esophagus and upper stomach. I had issues with cancer in my esophagus three years ago and the surgeon felt definetly it had to due to the lapband and the negligence of the Dr. Lau's insertion of it. Please go and talk to your local MD asap so that you are treated for the pain and regurtiation immediately! Its very serious. There was a W5 series where two lapband patients suffered from this and both died because they left it too long. I have spoken to the woman that won the Small Claims against Slimband but because they filed bankruptcy she hasn't been able to collect. I am thinking about filing against Dr. LAu personally but she also told be about a law firm in Vancouver that is doing a class action suit that are suing the company that makes the slim band. She has told me she will provide me with the law firm. As soon as I have info I will post info.

So to make a very long story short, I paid 16,000 dollars to the SLIMMBAND CLINIC IN TORONTO, TO INSERT BY LAPOROROCOPY AND GENERAL ANESTHETIC A DEVICE WHICH WAS TO CONTROL MY APPETITE AND HELP ME TO LOSE AND MAINTAIN MY WEIGHT, FOR MY HEALTH. I was blind sighted, I should have done my homework, this very clinic and doctor had jumped ship on hundreds of other innocent unsuspecting, patients. I went through the courts and won the case against the clinic, big deal they shut their doors one week prior to my court date. My only hope is to tell anyone who even thinks about this way of life in the Toronto area be certain it is not the same owner, nor the same doctor that took my money and left me with a nonfunctioning piece of silicone band in my abdomen. Three surgeries later and many heart aches and physical discomfort I had the monster removed.DO NOT BE FOOLED THEY HIRE SKINNY PEOPLE WHO TELL YOU THEY HAD THE SAME SURGERY. I HAVE ASLO BEEN IN CONTACT WITH PATIENTS THAT ENDED UP WITH SEVERE INFECTIONS AND MANY COMPLICATIONS.

Heyyy guys! My surgery went so well. The band is out!! I am now back home recovery and let hope it heal faster. The nurse told me to be top finding class action for slimband. Apparently lot slimband patient had came to Dr. Deniss Hong for removal. He really such a nice gentleman. However, Please let me know how can i help for to find a lawyer in GTA. I can research and find out. Melissa, i am so down a nice lunch after covid end! Let roast all day about slimband lol.

You said that you were in the airport and on your way home....just wondering how long was your flight and were you in much pain? I go into slimband on May 6th and spend the night as I am travelling alone. I will return home May 7th and will be flying alone. Just wondering what the experience is like.

As a former patient of Dr. Yau's, I am in in the same place as you are. We should try to gather as many former patients as possible & all merge on The Slimbands office. Get the media there. If they won't deal with us individually, maybe a large group would have more impact. The bad publicity may deter some people from considering going to them. What do you think? Is anyone wanting to join me. I don't know what else to do. Send me your feedback.