Doddie63

Hi Everyone: Thanks. I have had another 1 cc put in my band and now stand at 5 ccs. I find this a comfortable fill at the same time, I can't eat more than the recommended 1 cup. Not PBg so much any more but do when I forget to chew. The weight should start coming down now hopefully. Hope you all are meeting your goals. Doddie

Hi: don't panic about flipped ports. When ports were anchored the doctors found a lot of ports were becoming disloged from the tubes causing numerous problems such as serious infections. Take an object and move it back and forth quickly and it will soon break. That was what was happening to anchored ports. The new proceedure is to leave the port free but place it in a pocket allowing it to move freely with the tubing. Sometimes the port will twist to the side or flip. Mine is twisted to the side with difficulty a fill can still be done. If it flipps, it is apparently an easy proceedure to be done with a local and the port is put right side up. Flipping is not too common from my research but does occur. For me, I seem to be comfortable with 5 ccs so don't see the need for more surgery at this time. No big deal. Doddie

Sorry about the fill. My fill is tipped on its side. Yours may be too. It is very difficult to do a fill with a tipped port. It took my doc over 30 minutes of trying but no pain as the port is just under the skin. Doddie

I flew back to TO and saw Dr. Yau about my port being on its side. He explained the reason he no longer anchors the port. His example was: Take a port with the tubing and move it back and forth and it will soon break. That is why the new proceedure is to place the port directly under the skin in a pouch without anchoring it prevents the tube from detaching from the port leading to infections. My doc has a terrible time getting the needle into the port but he eventually does. It is not painful as he is just peircing the skin. I can make an appointment to have the port put right side up if I like? I am pretty close to my sweet spot now so can't see going thru more surgery if it isn't necessary. Doddie

If you have a small fill you may be swallowing too soon and the food is still in large pieces. If you are loosing weight that is great, but I would also look at the way you are chewing. As it is the old habits we have to change. Doddie.

Hi peaches: I can't eat port, beef or chicken either. I can eat a small amount but not the required 3 ozs. I also PB today as I tried chicken again. You would think I would learn. Doddie

Mine is on it's side and my doc takes around 20 minutes to complete the fill as he has to dig aroung. Doddie

HI; Some husbands feel threatened when their loved one starts to loose weight. They feel very secure with the "plump" us, then when we start to loose and develope a figure, they feel er may have other attention. This they can't handle. Also, it is a form of emotional abuse to not compliment or pay attention to a weight loss. Sort of like a power trip. Whatever, try not to let is matter. Give yourself a hug, use us as your source of encouragement and leave DH hangups to him. Doddie

Hi: We all want to loose weight quickly, but relax. The band is your tool make it work for you. Focus on one bad habit at at time, focus on the prescribed diet and exercise and you will be surprised how the weight will come . Slowly (1-2 lbs per week). Don't be impatient because you may become depressed and go into a slump of binging/grazing. It took you a lifetime to put the weight on and it will take more than a few weeks to take it off. Doddie

Hi I had the drip put in but they also put a mask over my face and I fought like hell but someone was awlfully strong and I went under in seconds. As for the pre op diet, mine was two weeks. Some on the web told me not to worry about quantity so I trucked in tons of cottage cheese (hate yogurt) and every mouthfull I told myself "for the love of me" and I prepared my husband's meals. Just keep remembering why you are on this diet and time will fly. It is for your own safety that the liver be smaller so hang in there. Doddie.

Hi Lferlad. Yes, I can feel the food moving from the pouch to the stomach but can also "feel" the food when it sticks. Even then as I writher in pain, I smile because I know I have not chewed my food and the band is letting me have it. Like you I am amused by the finicky band and I am loving every moment as I watch the scales go down. Slowly but surely, my bad habits are improving so a bit of "fluffing", "burping" "gurgling" is soooooooooooooo worth it. I was also banded in February so I guess we are "solemates". Doddie

Vancouver should welcome you with open arms. Lots of jobs available, housing may be a problem. Job market is hot. Doddie

LMAO Jim. Love it. No point being upset what will be will be and a sense of humour certainly helps. Doddie

Whenever I hear someone praise the "private health insurance" over "public health insurance" I cringe then get angry. When are people going to wake up that private insurance companies are not in the business of paying out only taking in money. They are in the business only for their stockholders period. Human compassion does not enter the equation. If you are healthy they want your money everyone else go without coverage. Public Health insurance is great but needs to improve in the type of coverage they will or not cover. If they can't cover then they must allow people to go to private without penalty. Doddie

I too have gas and rumbling. Think it is from the carbs that produce gas. I find the gas particularly embarrassing when I am out. I find that if I pretend nothing has occurrec and stare at the poor joe beside me, I can avoid comments! More oft than not though, I am polite and say excuse me and run like h... to the B/R. LOL

I would stay in Canada and go to Dr. Colbourn mainly because of the fills. The TLBC is a great clinic and Dr. Yau is the leading surgeon, but they don't have much in the way of "fill" support outside the province of Ont. I pen pal with someone in Nova Scotia who was banded by TLBC and can't find a fill nurse and is hoping her doctor will do it. Not all medical doctors will do a fill even though the TLBC does have a DVD for the doctor to learn how to do it. Doctors/nurses that specialize in doing fills usually support only one clinic and as someone has posted two fill doctors in your area that support Dr. Colboun, I would go to him. I live in BC and after much effort found a doctor that would do my fills.

Yes I have gas and it is very perplexing. think it is the carbs but whatever it is, it can be a bit embarassing. However, I try the old trick of pretending it wasn't me, turn around and star at some poor joe next too me. LOL

Your are right peaches. I am also signed onto that site. I use FitDay only because of the "records". I can click on "record for nutrition" and I get red printing if I am short and black if I am OK. I like both sites and would recommend both depending on the preferences of the individual user. Doddie

<p>Thanks everyone for your support on my brothers death. I have been coping and no weigh gain although my weight is very slow in coming off. I am averaging about 3 lbs or less a month but the big giant step I have made is I am not PBing as much any more. About once in the last two weeks because I didn't chew properly. I am now thinking about another 1 or 2 ccs to give me more restriction. I am at 4 ccs now.</p> <p>I do know that my progress has been helped by FitDay and tracking is not such a burden with this program. It is amazing what our eye estimates to be one cup and what a real one cup measured is. Doddie</p>

Congratulations Bandiva. The magic 100s. Wow!!!! Doddie

Hi: I found Benefibre worked fine, but I have had better success with Bran Buds soaked in skim milk. LOL, I ate the 1/3 cup of bran buds and everything was fine until the buds started to swell in my pouch. Ouch! Now I soak 1/4 cup of bran buds until they are soft then I eat it. I have had good BMs since then. Also, it is not necessary to have a BM everyday with the small amount we are eating. Nature will takes it course in any event. Just bran helps make it easier. Doddie

Hi Donna D. Go to FitDay - Free Weight Loss and Diet Journal. Jill uses recommended it to me. Also, I was advised to go to NutritionData.com NutritionData's Nutrition Facts Calorie Counter and use the calories burned calculator. I found for my weight and sedentary lifestyle I will maintain my weight if I eat 2,315 calories a day and that I need 96g of protein. WOW I am only eating 1200 a day so now I know why I am still loosing weight. Doddie

Thanks everyone for your support and sympathy. How are you doing loriely, lisa and Donna. Lisa, have you tried filling in Fitday. When you put in your daily food intake, you can click on 'reports' and you will find if you are getting proper nutrition. I use it daily and it has helped me tremendously. Doddie

Yes, stress will cause sliming even with a few ccs. I don't know the scientific angle but do know stress has a lot to do with how your band allows food to pass thru. A footnote, my brother died one hour ago and I am surfing the net to keep out of the frig. I have known for three years this was coming but even knowing, the shock is still great. Don't make any fill decisions when under stress. I must follow my own advice. Glad your family is on the mend. That is great news. Doddie

Well done and he exercise is the key. To exercise is my problem and all the hints and tips to get off my butt doesn't seem to work but must keep trying. Again good work. Doddie