Doddie63

happy at last: Try D. R. Woodhead in Delta for a $400.00 consult fee and $85 per fill that is still better than the costs to fly to Mexico. However, I don't know if Dr. Woodhead will do fills for Mexican patients but you can try.

sunshine. congratulations on getting the band. I note a few underlying misconceptions. You have gained 4 lbs back - what are you eating? You must still be on mushies and your choices may be too hight in calories. You probably won't find much difference in your first fill (depending on what your fill doctor/nurse gives you). Normally it will take you about three fills to start feeling constriction. May I be so bold as to remind you that the band is not anything but a tool for you to use. It will not make you lose weight if you continue to eat unhealthy high caloric food. You must work at losing weight. My fill is 5.5 ccs in a 10 cc band and I have restriction to the point I can't eat any more than 3 oz hard protein and 3-6 oz of veggies/fruit. Unfortunately, doughnuts, chips, etc. go down to easy to I have to stay away from them. So, as you are just starting off, start off right by selecting exactly what your doctors tells you and chewing the living daylight out of it. Exercise and you will soon see progress. Good luck

Andi10: Dr. Woodhead is a very nice young doctor. Go armed with your questions and he will take the time to explain them to you. I did not have my band with him, but I do go to him for fills. Even though I am not his surgical patient, he still wants to see me every few months. And if i haven't invited you to the Lions Gate monthly meeting, we sure hope you will come out and meet us. You can get a variety of answers and thoughts from us.

Hi 2bslimsherri: Thank you very much for your support. I was put under with a very light anethestic. I have had no pain and picked up my life where I left it. I still have a good restriction at 5.5ccs (can't eat more than 1 cup of food which includes 3 oz hard protein). I too hope the port remains as is. I hope it is the end also, but my journey is one step at a time solving any problem on the way. I get overwhelmed when I think of what could go wrong so try to focus on today. How are you doing? Is your port sewn down? Your chart indicates you are doing extremely well, What fill amount do you have?

Well said Canada girl, you said it better than I could say it. Your clinic could also be considered as there is no flight time involved.:smile2:

clg. Are you sure Dr. Woodhead's list is long? Most I know is that from consult to surgery is a couple of months. As for Dr. Leung, he should be under the P&S list in the yellow pages or you can go to his website and get the phone number and address. You can't use the bandsters portion of the website but you can ask questions. If you decide to go out of Province, give considerable consideration to your aftercare. You may wait a few months from a Vanc. doctor but the aftercare can be expensive. IE: I just travelled to Toronto to have my port position corrected and travel costs plus hotel came to just under $1,000.00. If you go to Calgary for instance, you will have flight costs there and back plus accommodation. You will need at least three fills and probably more as well as defills, plus the unexpected like my flipped port. So factor in the wait time for surgery and aftercare and you may see the wait is worth it. Hope this information helps you

Good luck Buffie, I hope your problems are solved. You have done so well to date and soon you will be able to continue your journey. Letus know how you make out.

Hi Peaches: Yes, I flew to Toronto on the 4th, on the 5th Dr. Yau and I discussed what I would like - to have the port sewn or moved. I chose neither. I just wanted the port turned to make a fill easier as I am just about at my sweet spot at 5.5 ccs. By having the port sewn, it creates different challenges. The sewn port can cause the tubing to wear and break where a free floating port does not do that. However, the free floating port (my words) can twist. I took the chance on the free floating port and hopefully the port won't twist again. I am feeling great. A bit bruised and stitches yet to come out but no pain and I can feel the port down a bit from the old placing. I sure hope this works for me but if it doesn't, I will then have the port sewn down. Thanks for asking really appreciate your support.

Hi Anita. Know exactly what you are saying about your impatience. I think we go thru this. Even now I get impatient with the slow weight loss although I know this is the best way for me. You are full of excitement and anticipation. Now you have made the decision, you want to get on with it. Wonderful attitude to have. See you at the next meeting.

Hi: glad you are seeking out a support group but I hope you remember that gastric bypass patients have different issues. I went to a gastric bypass support group and I found I really didn't have the same issues. Their weight loss is fantastic whereas mine was slow and steady and still is. I found myself wishing I would lose weight faster and it was getting me down. Silly me but I did feel that way and finally dropped out. I now go to a meeting for gastric band patients. I hope you can find a group that has the band

Hi: TLBC does has their own website that has been upgraded to include TLBC bandsters. They have also included a Q&A section that they actively answer. This is how I got the appointment to have my port corrected. I flew into Toronto on Wed and back home on Friday. the website is not actively used. I think because the TLBC has so many local support group meetings. Long distance patients for some reason chose not to use the site.

Hi Anita: Best thing to do about your questions is ask Dr. Woodhead. I go to him for fills and the procedures in my mind are important decisions but not as important as the after care. He is excellent providing aftercare. Although I did not have my surgery with him, he still wants to see me every few months or so. I like his interest in me and I feel safe and secure as I go forward in my journey. The sleeve is relatively new and if you join the CanadianLapBanders on Yahoo, there are some intereting comments made about the sleeve. This site is also a good place to research the sleeve. Personally I like the band. Have you been invited to the Vancouver support meetings? If you are interested contact Canadagirl33@hotmail.com. She started and organized our support meetings and will put you on her list for notification when and where the meetings will be held.

Hi: You and just about every other bandster has had second, third, fourth, fifth thoughts. Fears of not eating favorite foods, fears of the unknown. This is a major lifestyle change you are making and no one can help you but yourself to make this decision. All I can say is, I went through all the doubts, fears, excitement, etc and one year later I am wishing I had done it sooner.

I wrote the TLBC support site for TLBC bandsters and wrote a question about the problems my doctor was having giving me a fill. My question was read and put to Dr. Yau and he said he would fix the problem. So I am on my way tomorrow.

Hi Buffie. Good luck on the 13th. Sorry I will miss you by a few days. I will have my port fixed on the 5th. I would have like to have met you.

Daryl is excellent in reponding to questions. And the other day I called to confirm my corrective surgery and received a call back quickly. There is no questions, there are some communication problems in some areas. Appears return calls/messages are selective according to the eimployee.

I would suggest buying a pillcutter that crushes the pills. the crushed pill will go thru the pouch directly to the stomach protecting the pouch from becoming irritated. The other thing to check on is which pills can be cut or crushed. Go to the pharmacist and ask them if there is an alternatre liquid or chewable pill. I was told when I had my surgery not to swallow pills whole for at least six weeks because the doctor did not want the medication to be sitting in the pouch for any length of time.

Hi: This site seems to be very popular with Lower Mainland bandsters or potential bandsters. I have just been contacted by a lady that lives in Langly. Canadagirl your little group seems to be growing.

Born and raised in Yorkton, Sask. but now live in BC. Been banded 1 years plus. Love the band and know I could not live without it.

Mandi I send my sympathy and support. We all grieve differently. Some laugh at funerals, some cry, some show little or no emotion. Grieving is very personal and you shouldn't feel guilty.

Hope Dr. Woodhead starts his own website soon. When I got my last fill, it was mentioned he was going to. I go to him for fills

Canadagirl your efforts to get a support group meeting seem to be paying off. Congratualtions. Anita, I live in North Vancouver also,surehopeyou come out in June.

Well done Jbrod. You have a real handle on your pre op. You are losing weight not only from eating less but from all the exercise you are doing. Congratualtions and keep on fighting the good fight. When you get the band, I expect to see you in the onederland very shortly.

Hi: I at our meeting last night we had another lady that is going to go today for a consult with Dr. Woodhead and she indicated the wait is not to long. We have another lady who comes down from Pemberton so if you can make it once it awhile it would be nice. But, if you would like to correspond with me for support I would love to do that. I am corresponding by e mail with a lady in Texas and another in Halifax. Feel free to contact me any time. I will send you a private message with my personal e mail.

Thanks Kate. Support does not mean condoning mistakes, support is telling a person like it is. To make them face the problem. How many times I and others have gone to a weight loss program, weighed in and laughing gone for a hamburger after. How many of us kept the weight off. Laughing to me is an indication of embarassment knowing eating the food was not a good thing. I apologized for offending in the way I stated my comments, I do not apologizing for trying to encourage by not condoning poor eating habits.