Doddie63

Probably from the surgery, you became dehydrated. Just keep sipping on the water. Sometimes if you sip on some tea or other clear fluid it might help. Also, the chicken broth is usually salty, if that is the case, dilute it and drink more of it. You can also suck on ice that too will help. If you post on the CanadianLapbanders, someone will give you ideas that I am not aware of. Doddie

Anne Elliott How are you doing today? Are the fluids a bit better to get down? Doddie

Hi Iwood: I have marked your Jan. 17 date on my calender I will be thinking of you. Keep in touch.

Oh forgot. The CanadianLapBanders.com is run by Nancy of the TLBC. You may want to join that as most TLBC patients subscribe along with Dr. Cobourne(sp?) patients. Doddie

No Anne Elliott: You are on Clear liquids for a few days. You hopefully were given a chart to follow. Clear fluid, for a few days then full fluids then soft mushies, then taking your time and experiementing with full food. I can't stress enough that you err on the side of caution to allow your band to heal. Even if you feel like eating, please don't break Dr. Yau's instructions. If you have any doubt whatsoever, call the head nurse on the 1-800 number and ask you questions. They are very good at responding. These questions are asked many times over but they treat you like they have never been asked before. Keep in touch. Doddie

No problem Canadagirl. I so want these support meetings to succeed as they are very important. Everyone needs human contact. The e mail is great, doctor visits are great, but to actually talk to someone going thru the same experiences can't be explained. Hope everyone makes it. Doddie

You have told it much better than me although our message was the same. All you have to tell you boss is you have a "medical procedure and need time off" However to lie is not good as all lies are eventually discovered. Better to stay silent and give only the information the law requires. Doddie

Anne Elliott: thinking about you as you are today recovering from your surgery. Well come to bandland. The wonderful world of a normal life. Doddie

BC BANDSTERS: NEXT MEETING AT THE LIONS GATE HOSPITAL. The meeting room has been changed due to the expansion construction. The meeting on January 16th and February 20th will now be in the 5th floor boardroom. To get there take an elevator (by the 13th street entrance) up to the 5th floor. Turn right off the elevator. The meeting room is straight ahead with the door to the left. Hope to see you all there Doddie

NEXT MEETING AT THE LIONS GATE HOSITAL. THE MEETING ROOM HAS CHANGED. Here is the note emailed to me from CanadaGirl Due to the expansion of the hospital, we have had tomove a couple of your meetings to another room. Please advise your group the meetings on January 16th and February 20th will now be in the 5th floor boardroom. To get there take an elevator (by the 13th street entrance) up the the 5th floor. Turn right off the elevator. The meeting room is straight ahead with the door just to the left. Canada girl is posting on other sites but as I didn't see it on this one I am copying her directions. Hope to see you all Doddie,.

Telling or not tell that is the question most of us face. Whatever reason we choose, it is the right one. However just like telling one person your secret, it is no longer a secret, the same holds true to lying. Eventually you will be caught. Then your boss may think you are untrustworthy as if you would like for this reason what about what you do in his business place. I was a cashier at one time and came in short at the end of the day. I was mortified and said I would make it up. My boss said if you would put money in for being short, what would you do if you were over? So he accepted the loss and I always balanced after that. So if my advice means anything, tell the truth or keep silent. Doddie

It makes no difference if you have 200 lbs to loose or 50 lbs, the calories all count the same. It is true a larger body expends more calories per hour of exercise but not that much. So the only way to loose is to make sure that the calories taken in are less than the calories being used. Many people that are exercise gurus suffer joint issues that will affect them for the rest of their lives. They take on a fitness regime that not many could follow even if they wanted to. And yes they loose the weight but at what cost. So Donna D. what your pet dogs for the cardio, cut back on the intake and the weight will come off. Don't be impatient, you have the rest of your life. doddie.

Hi Donna On another site I told you I am loosing very slowly. Just to point out that there is a gentleman (TLBC patient) who had the band put on and never exercises. He is now at goal after loosing (I think) over 100 lbs. He has a spinal issue (can't spell the medical term) so he went into small meals with skim milk custard and jello between meals. So you can loose weight without exercising. Exercising is great for the well being, but not totally necessary in loosing weight. If you dislike exercise there is no way in "h..l" that you will do it consistantly so I would suggest you look at other ways. Hope this helps. Doddie.

Well done Donna D. 2.5 is a great loss. Really, you can loose without exercise, just a lot slower. If you note, one hour of exercise (depends on what you do) is around 278 calories. What exercise does is improve the internal organs such as heart, blood pressure etc. Calculate how many colories you consume as opposed to what you do. On Fit Day, for instance, just doing the washing uses calories. To exists (if you were bedridden) you need approx. 800 calories. My point being, consume less food if you find you don't exercise consistantly but more frequently. Do a diabetic diet. Tiny meals all day long. Hope these hints may help a bit. And good luck in the boot camp. Wish I could be there. Doddie

PS Donna D. The TLBC now has a psychologist on staff. Is it possible he takes appointments. Maybe he could help? Doddie

Hi Donna: Don't worry about the five pounds if you can. That will just exasperate your depression about the weight not coming off. What you have to do is focus on the new year not what was last year. Take a deep breath and charge forward. I am absolutely sure that Jill will find a spot for you. She cares and will find a way to help you. She certainly has helped me. I am now on her phone list and she has been very supportive. I only lost 2 lbs again last month. Jill sent me a protein drink that I find absolutely delicious. Now when I go to exercise, I drink the protein drink and I no longer am having low sugar. So all I can say is my dear, look ahead to the wonderful future and not behind at something you can't change. Happy New Year and good loosing. Doddie

Hi: That would be terrific news. I called them earlier this year and I was told bluntly that it was a proceedure not going to be done and fills would not be done as they had to open an operating room and have surgical staff available. I told them this was rediculous as any nurse or doctor can do a fill. I was rudely told that I didn't know what I was talking about. I was told that the BC College would not allow bands but things may have changed. Can't wait to find out. doddie

Happy New Year and my wish is that everyone becomes a hug loser. Doddie

Thanks. Like your way of looking at the loss. I am consitantly averaging .85 lbs per week. I keep a loose fill mainly because I tend to gulp my food no matter how hard I try. So I am satisfied with the looser fill as my band is not under so much pressure I cause irritation to the stomach. I take the attitude this is not a race. I just want to loose weight a keep it off and I have the rest of my life to do it. Happy New Year and and great weight loss to you. Doddie

Gingerbug: Sorry forgot to mention. They take your complete medical history. ON my band I have "gastric band", hypo thryroidism, high blood pressure, diabetes. I was also given a wallet card. The Canadian Medica Alert are in the medical field and very discreet. You have to have passwords, etc. Just tell them a gastric band, they don't ask for more information. Doddie

gingerbug: If you are Canadian, just do a search for medic alert bracelets. You can buy the basic for around $35 and that is the end of it or because I have other health issues, I purchase a year subscription. So if my meds change, they send me a new wallet card, also if I am unable to speak, they have all my medical information including my doctors. I know the web in the US have some very attactive bracelets as well. I don't find it difficult to wear one. Just like a ring, you get used to it. Doddie

Hi: It surprises me even more that the government continues to support gastric bypass but won't acknowledge the gastric band. Doctors should have the option of deciding which is best for their patients not what the government wants to fund. I understand that Dr. Leung is training another doctor to take over. Hopefully this is true. As for Dr. W. he is young and very sensitive to a person's eating disorders. He is very unjudgmental. I go and see him every two months whether I need a fill or not (I pay him as I was not his original patient). He is very helpful in helping me decide what I should do next. The last visit, he suggested I not get a fill and I went away very happy. Paying him or weightwatchers, I would rather pay him. Doddie

Ang1982 Congratulations, wise decision. I have marked Jan. 23rd on my calendar and will be cheering for you as you begin your journey. Doddie

soozan. What you should do is point out to that silly sister of yours that "yes it is easy to loose weight" but it is equally easy to put it back on. The band is a tool that prevents you from overeating. Most obese people do not know when they are full, as well as they eat emotionally. The band helps you to keep these problems in check. My sister also pulled the pout trick on me. Refusing to speak to me etc. When I held my ground, she was the first to backdown. Most of it is sill resentment that you may be doing something that will give you a normal life. I suspect your sister is comfortable with "fat" you and doesn't want to find you (in her mind) equal or better than her. So chin up, suck it it and do what is best for YOU. To hell with your sisters opinion. Yours is the only one that counts. Yours in support Doddie

Hi: For out of province patients, this is one of the most difficult aspect of getting a band. That is finding a fill nurse/doctor. Lissie like you my GP reneged AFTER I had the surgery. The fill is a procedure and the College may want to prevent any law suits. My real suspicion is the band is outside the medical coverage and are trying to preven the spread of private clinics. Don't know just my suspicious mind. Doddie