Doddie63

Hi: To each his own, but to me the TLBC is the best clinic around. I researched Montreal, Mexico, States and putting all the pieces together, I came up with the TLBC. As for the previous comments about "knockoffs" I believe the use of the word implies "cheap immitations" where the bands in Canada are all approved and meet certain needs. Just like there are medications that are similar, genetic ones are just as good as the originals but "knockoffs" can be inferior. Such is the case of a BC lady who used internet drugs and just recently died from their use. Doddie

Jack: Wot's happen. Am I reading the figures right? You are up. Anything we can do to help????? or are you just having a bad hair day. doddie

Welcome aboard Mr. Yoda. Get your own computer or laptop. They are like cars, everyone wants it at the same time. Doddie

Thanks Atrotoes and Mandi your pictures are great. Someday for me sigh.........! Doddie

Hi Argon: Thought you would like to know (probably too late) but Vancouver is advertising for entry level 800 new technicians for the computer world. Probably because there is no place to live unless you are a very high income earner. Us pensioners are starting to feel the pinch of high real estate. Think you made the right decision on heading east. Lovely place to live we visited the east coast a few years back and loved every minute. How are you making out in your new apartment. Doddie

Chester-girl. You may have read my post where I told my sister and the extreme reaction I got. The only advice I can give you is "if they ask be up front and tell them". If they don't ask, carry on as if life is normal. If people see you are loosing weight they will just think you are on another diet which you are. Why do they have to know you have the wonderful band as a tool. Doddie

Welcome to the PBs as I have been told. I have had two episodes of what you described and I hope I never experience it again. I have been chew, chew and chewing everything to smitherines. I haven't had a fill yet and am looking forward to it but in the meantime, I tell myself I am practising changing my eating habits for the big moment. Never want to feel that PB again. Doddie

Hi: It must have been a shock to be diagnosed with diabetes after you lost a lot of weight, but thin and overweight people have diabetes. As your doc. said you are probably predisposed to come down with it. I have Diabetes Type II have had for a number of years. If you want to keep the meds down the best way is exercise and diet. The more exerecise you have the easier it is to control your diabetes. Thirty minutes a day is the best. Doddie

Alex and Dave as I said to Dave best wishes to you both and in my mind, you are both doing the right thing. When you post diet gets to you a bit, just think of all the good things to come.Doddie

Yodda: You made my day. I love you. I was told that if I dared to drink a caffeine diet pepsi, I would burst my band. The anology was "shake up a pop and watch it explode". I have been terrified but I do miss my diet pepsi. I thought if I opened one and left it to sit for awhile, maybe I would be OK but was to afraid to even try that. Now I will try it in moderation of course. Thankyou. PS: I accept the comment about the back problem. I can believe that as Dr. Joffe is an extremely overworked surgeon.

Try ordering an appetizer only with one small glass of wine. As the rest of the group will be ordering meals, you shouldn't be looked upon critically by the staff.

Hi: I found a list of adjustment doctors put out by Dr. Cobourn's office. For Vancouver it is Romona Ramov, 1080 Howe St., #505, Vancouver V6Z2T1 e mail paulschol@hotmail.com. I have e mailed and am waiting for a reply. Does anyone use this person????

Hi Andrew: I telephone Blue Cross and they told me and resounding "NO". If you are successful let me know. I will be in your cheering section. Doddie

Susansilver don't worry about it. If you don't have a blender the magic bullet will work fine. It may not do everything, but it is only for a few weeks until you are back on solids. As for the blender idea, I think it is terrific and I am going to try it. Doddie

Without a doubt. An ounce of prevention is better than an pound of cure. For some reason, the vast body of medical people, insurers, and politicians, etc. can't get it thru their thick skulls that morbid obesity is more than overeating. It is a disease. For some reason they recognize anorexia but not the other end of the spectrum. I went private for my band and I will be paying for it for a long time, but I think often of the souls out there that can't afford the surgery. I would be more than willing to pay more taxes if the authorities would put the band on their list of coverage so medical services could help us. But they won't because overweight people in their minds are responsible for their weight problems. Sad Doddie

Good for you susansilver. Like all of us, you will go thru ups and downs, but you are and will not be alone. I found that before the band, I felt I was the only overweight person in the world. Recently the newspapers have been downright mean in their articles about obesity. Words like eat less and exercise more will solve their weight problems. Tax the hell out of them and make them loose weight. Why would they need medical support when their over eating is their own fault. On and on they go to the point I was becoming very depressed when I accidently heard about the band. The rest is history. I found a whole new world of people with similar issues to me and they are more than willing to help when I get down. Agian welcome to our group. Doddie

Susansilver hi: I have total empathy with you on the solace one gets from food but if it wasn't for the band, I probably would not have stopped and got back to counting calories. I see you are to be banded in May and I know without a doubt you will never look back once you have the band.

Hi the comments about falling back to old habits even with the band holds a great deal of truth. I have had some serious stress lately and the last three days have eaten in excess of 2,000 calories by grazing. I am now:mad: back to writing everything down and thinking hard about everything I want to put into my mouth. As said many time by many others, the band is a tool but if a person wants to, can work around it. Doddie

I understand they are in the process of acquiring another associate but like the rest, Dr. Yau is very good at what he does. I had a telephone consult with Dr. Joffe in January and he was very short with me. I suspect he was on his way out then. Someone that knows him said his calender was overloaded as he had the clinic and also did other specialized surgeries. Could it have been burn out who knows, all I know is the tremendous staff remain. Their followup care is second to none. Doddie

Does anyone in British Columbia know where there might be a fill clinic in the Province. I heard there was a fill nurse in Surrey, but I haven't been able to obtain a clinic phone number or address.

Hi: I live in North Vancouver and was banded by the TLBC in Toronto. My family GP authorized all the tests required and forwarded them on for me. The various blood clinics, X ray clinics would not send results to Toronto. I would not leave Canada personally but many have and they have been very satisfied. My reasons for staying in Canada was for the after care. I can not get travel insurance because of high blood pressure and insurers will not cover "any related illnesses". That takes in a lot of territory. My doctor will do my fill for me when it comes time and the TLBC has sent him a DVD on how to do fills. I would still like to know who else does fills in Vancouver in the event my doctor is not available. Doddie

From what I am told it is great to use. I have been getting by with my blender but it is so huge to clean up. Am considering getting a Magic Bullet

Good for you. I wish I could be like you. I keep thinking I have moved on, but every once in awhile, I get a tinge of regret. Regret my sister reacted so mean but then I shrug and try to move forward again. I only had two days of grazing but realized that I am only hurting myself. So..........went to a support meeting of WLS patients and had a good time. I am amazed at how some members of a family try to control the one with a weight problem. Everyone had something to say about that. Doddie

Hi: Emotions are my downfall. I eat for every reason. When I am upset I graze and even with the band, by eating small amounts of food over the day, enormous calories can be consumed. I find the band my conscience but I still have to fight the emotions. Only having contact with other bandsters do I realize I am not alone. By reading all the posts, I not only learn a lot, but it keeps me out of the frig. Doddie

Hi: I paid for the complete proceedure on VISA at the TLBC. They took the initial downpayment of $3,000 then the remainder on the day of surgery. Prior to submitting my VISA, I called VISA and told them what I was going to do so there would be no chance my credit would be refused. No problem with the clinic or VISA. Is it possible, the Dr. C.'s clinic has had payment on the cards cancelled due to a number of reasons such a low credit limits. I know when travelling to other countries, if you don't tell your card company you are out of country, they won't approve large charges. Doddie