Doddie63

well said Angi. The band is for life. who says the American border will be forever open to us Canadians. It is getting more difficult to cross since the American government has been shifting more and more to isolationist policies. Not faulting the US, they have the right to protect their borders but I have to think of my future. Doddie

uk angel. Don't get down on yourself. We all have the ups and downs. As I said above after the novelty wears off, we forget the band is a tool to help us and we start eating around it. I am a slow looser also, 0.85 lbs per week. The first thing you have to do is figure out why you are back to old habits. Then make a conscious effort to get back on track. Try the old "just for today I will walk", or "just for today I will measure my food and track what I eat". Do this and soon you will be back on the straight and narrow. Good luck. Doddie

Cure if you are lurking, please don't be so sensitive to boors. You need the support and what you have to offer others is huge. People who make snide remarks could very well be fraudsters who are not fat. They love to intrude on website and be hurtful. There are also people out there that so dislike themselves they have to hurt others that are showing success. My attitude is to feel very very sad for them that they feel they have to buly others. So stand up to bullies and keep on posting for and to give support. Doddie

Hi Bert 99. Did you see the article in the Vancouver Sun this morning. No wonder BCers have trouble getting the message across we need help. Some self rightgeous individual wrote an article how she lost weight and has kept it off for the last five years. She has been successful so can't see why the authorities are mollycoddling people with weight disabilities. The article is long and vicious with no understanding of how others struggle. If you have the ability to respond to her I wish you would. I can't keep my rage in check long enough to tell her what I think of hier prious holier than thou attitude. Doddie

Tammy, I forgot to say that protein turns to energy and muscle whereas salads such as lettuce, and other veggies turn to sugar and carbs which makes you hungry. Protein is the nutrient that satisfies the most. Doddie

Tammy: You are experiencing what I think we all do. Once the novelty of the band wears off, we start to revert back to making poor choices. You don't have to be hungry. Just don't choose peanuts a good protein but high in calories. You should be eating protein every 4 hours. So pick a protein drink or have a cracker with some low fat cheese, yogurt with frozen berries. You know the choices you should be making and the nurse was correct to remind you. We all need checking up once in awhile. Also, measure for awhile. your total meal should never be more than 6 -8 ounces. 3 oz of protein and veggies the rest. Not soft foods but foods you have to chew, chew, chew so the thought of eating more turns you off. Good luck Doddie

Hi Atthiner: So sorry you have to see and arrange for your father's future care. Everyone's scales are different. I have a digital upstairs and the one downstairs is exactly 10 lbs lighter and my doctor is 10 lbs heavier and my surgeons is 5 lbs. So I use my scale as he official one as I love to weigh daily but Saturday is my "official" day. You have enough on your plate without worrying about weighing in. Just practice your good habits acquired over time, follow the instructions on eating. Focus on those things until you get home again. You may be pleasantly surprised. Keep posting and we will try to give you the support you need. Doddie

Hi: Angi thanks for telling it like it is. Washington State sounds wonderful and I do know two individuals that go down there. However, if you have any type of health issues such as HB pressure, medical travel insurance will not cover you. You buy the coverage but they will only pay out on physical injuries. So you could find your self in a foreign country and be bankrupted if you take ill. Also, what if you get stuck and are in severe pain. What then. Who do you call? Getting stuck happens frequently and sometimes if you have a loose fill, you can puke it out but sometimes you have to have an emergency defill. Then what? Don't forget the band and its care is for life. It may be exciting to go to Mexico or wherever, but reality will soon set in. Good luck in your decision. We have tried to point out all the downside but yes, you are the one that has to make the final decision and I wish you well. Please come to the LGH for support meetings. You will be welcome. Doddie

:thumbup:There are Canadians that go south but there are Americans that come north to the TLBC. So I guess it is preference. Personally I would want to be in my own country because of our health care system if anything went wrong. I have heard that private medical insurance is not to keen to pay up for patients that have "pre existing condition". Well anyoneoverweight usually has high blood pressure at least. That covers every possible illness you could get such as heart attack, stroke, which does occur in surgery. So personally I recommend Canadians stay in Canada and American can come here. They would be covered by our medical system as well even though not a resident.

If the old logins and old passwords no longer work. and If you can't log on then you have to contact the tlbc for approval. You send by email your name, date you were banded by Dr. Yau and your suggested password to Hanna Biernadt hbiernadt@groupatf.com. I did and received a reply to my email within 24 hours. I have been able to log on since. It is a great site. Sure hope they keep it currant. Doddie

You are on you way. Finances are a problem and TLBC has a financing scheme you can check on their website. However, most recommend a loan from your bank because financing interest can be expensive. I personally was so desparate I cashed in my RRSP but again, I have never regretted my decision.. Doddie

Hi: I am in BC and was banded a year ago. The band is the best decision I have ever made BUT research carefully which clinic you go to. After care is such a big issue with long distance patients. There is a link called TLBC patients and you can get a lot of information from them. Also, two of the most popular clincis Dr. Coburn whose support system for fills is very good across Canada. The TLBC has Dr. Yau who was one of two surgeons who introduced the band to Canada. He has banded over 1600 patients and is in the process of setting up fill stations across Canada (a weakness of his clinic). However, if I had to chose again I would still go to TLBC. Some questions to research: Surgeon and how many surgeries has he/she done. Any issues. As far as a know, there have been no deaths attributed to the band. After care such as a fill nurse in the local area or can you afford to fly back and forth. After care costs. TLBC is free others charge Some sites: TLBC website giving information on the band as well as Dr. Coburn's site. You can get most of your medical information from those two websites. Also, I understand the charges are $18,000 now.:tongue2: Keep asking questions of the various bandsters because, you will go thru a gauntlet of questions and fears. Hope this starts you on the way to making a decision. Good Luck Doddie

HI: We are having news article one after the other about obeseity and the failure of the medical profession. A study by an obesity clinic found that 1 our of 5 doctors felt repulsed when they had to treat an obese person. That they deliberately skipped examining them and used the old phrase "loose weight". The obesity clinic said that psychological, genetics played a huge part and that the medical profession had better start examining how the treat us. Relatives I can handle, but I can't get over my feelings of unworthiness when being examined by a specialist. Not one of them recommended a gastric band to me. And by examine, I mean a stethoscope was used. All said loose weight exercise more. Thankyou pay the bill on your way out please. With the band, my BP have been reduced, the diabetic pills have been reduced and yet not one specialist was interested in what I had to say. Just the usual loose weight, eat less. Good by. I wonder why I ever go to them. Doddie

Well written NJ Gal. I have been married 36 years and as time goes by, the small slights don't seem to matter as much anymore. We have morphed into best friends. We have our disagreements true, but I can't remember every going to bed angry. We both found a way to ease the tension either by apologies, or being extra helpful, whatever. Again well written NJ. Doddie

Where is Isabella the person who started this thread? I haven't seen any posting from her. Donna D. you have made a great decision. Have you signed up for the TLBC website. The Q&A sections from Dr. Yau is awesome. One question he states the most serious form of abuse to the band is putting too much food into it at one time. It can cause erosion which is very serious. He also stated that protein creates muscles where veggies create sugars. As a diabetic this was a revelation. So now more protein and vitamin supplements to take care of the rest. I will still have the small amount of veggies but now I won't worry about health issues. I love the site. Doddie

Did and absolutely love it. You should post this on the TLBC links so others that follow those links will investigate. Doddie

Well done all of you. Ladybugred. You in my opinion did the right thing by insisting on only a light fill to start with. Once you know how your body and your band can work together (ie how you eat food-large chunks or small) you then can go further in your fill requirements. I did that I certainly don't regret it because it has taken me a year to train my self to not slip back into old chewing habits. Even now, I ate a sausage last night and it would not go past my band. I had to PB and am on liquids today because my stomach is sore. I only have 5 ccs in after three fills. So follow you instincts and try not to get caught up in the emotions to speed things along. Doddie.

Contact your clinic. They may know of someone. Doddie

Katrinalud: I am from North Vancouver, BC and was banded at the TLBC. The SWLC Dr. Cobourn I believe and TLBC clinics are both great. The TLBC has just announced today major support for locals and long distance patients BUT there is still the problem of getting a fill. There is a fill nurse in Washington State and Dr. Woodhead does fills but he charges $400 for the consult and $75.00 thereafter. It still is cheaper than flying to Toronto. However, have you consulted Dr. Woodhead or Dr. Leung here in Vancouver. They both do the band privately and offer free fills as well. Contact me privately, and I will give any information you may ask me (if I know the answer), Also, we have a bandsters meeting once a month at the Lions Gate Hospital if you would like to come and ask questions. The most commone one: Would I do it again. You bet my life I would no questions asked. Doddie

I can't do anything about your home life except you try Ann Landers thought for the day "Would I be better off with him or without him". Make your decision and get on with your life. I don't have kids but I do know that kids have energy and they also sense when things aren't right. There are probably acting up. Can you send them to a relative for a few days to give you time to think and get better. As for you fills, if you are shovelling things into your mouth then you don't have much restriction. How much do you have in. If you have the band almost 100% filled then you have a band that is probably leaking. If not you are better off with a loose fill. If you are eating emotionally, you would proably end up PBing frequently if you had more restriction and could cause band erosion or slippage etc. In the meantime, go for a walk when you feel like eating. Doddie

Hi: Yes, I am one of those few. There are 4 of us. Pat comes from Squamish so I really have no excuse for attending, as I live 5 minutes away from the Lions Gate Hospital where the meetings are. I really look forwart to them. The internet is a great place for support, but would never replace the face to face meetings and the fun we have all round. Sometimes the talk is serious other times we joke about the stigma attached to the band by the medical people and others. There is an article in the Vancouver Sun this morning about the major bias against the obese by the medical profession. I hope some doctors read it. It is an eye opener. For instance. 4 of 5 doctors admitted they do not like examining an obese person. Most admit to thinking their patients are lazy slobs and will not look further for complaints from the patient. So the psychological support I get from the others is so important. So to ramble, Donna but yes we are trying to expand our little group, but can't get any interest. Doddie

Hi Katrinaulud: Dr. R. Woodhead in Delta/Ladner. I go to him for my fills. He is young but I really like him. He is obese like you and so knows how we feel. Also, last November he went over to France and took additional training in the French Midband. I have this band and find it very comfortable. He also was trained by Dr. Yau, my surgeon. If you used him, he will be doing your fills and you won't have to go out of Province. You could at least have a chat with him. If you go for a formal consult, I think he charges but you could ask him simple questions or his assistant. She is not bad to talk too if she isn't rushed. Doddie

Hi Donna. 21 years ago you did what you thought was correct, you couldn't be expected to think of everything. One thing about hindsight, it always seem to indicate we could have done better. For instance, I did not ensure my doctor would do fills, he said he would but he reneged. Seems there is an insurance issue. I thought I too had done everything right but ....... Doddie

Hi Donna: A bad surgeon can have either a good or bad bedside manner. I never thought to do it, but one can go to the College and check out a doctor's background first. But a good bedside manner does not a good doctor make. Sorry we can agree to disagree on this one. Doddie

No question Dr. Cobourn and Dr. Yau are superior in our estimations. Probably why they are so successful in private business. But sincerely my advice is don't make the personality of the doctor your deciding factor. Look at their performance record in surgery, look at the after care offered by their clinics. The second most important research is to make sure there is availability of a fill nurse or doctor sponsored by the respective clinic near you. If you can't get a fill or defill quickly what is the point in using the clinic. For instance in my case, flying from BC to Toronto can not be considered a free fill. These days, more and more clinics are opening to do obesity surgury and individuals now have more choices than I did. I will say I have no regrets. My hardships have just strengthened my beliefs that what I did was the right thing. TLBC offers me support via the telephone and I use the web. They referred me to a surgeon out here that normally did not do fills for patients other than his own. But due to his connection with Dr. Yau he took me in. Now I am content. Good luck what ever your decision is. Doddie