OxnardCaGirl

You are only human! Don't be so hard on yourself. The diet is to stick to lean meats and veggies and plenty of water. This will bring the greatest weight loss. But we are all human and we all cheat. The weight will come off during the first year, but it is up to us to keep it off by changing the way we eat as a permanent lifestyle. Nobody is perfect. If you fall, just get up again and remember why you are doing this. Try to focus on the goal. I wish you the best!!! We can do this!!!!

You Rock LaTonya! You exercise a whole lot, so you are probably gaining muscle and that is even better because although muscle weighs more than fat, Muscle burns fat at a faster rate!!! Therefore, in the near future, the pounds will begin to melt off!! Great Job! I will definitely follow your progress. Thanks for giving me your band surgery date. I didn't see it on your profile page. I'm very happy you are succeeding! I hope to be there with you soon! OxnardGirl

You are an Inspiration to all of us! Keep up the great work!!

When did you get banded? From what I have been reading on here, the average profile has shown just under 10lbs a month. However, everybody is different. I think we need to think about how long it took to put it on.

I'm very happy for you! I am new to this site because I have been thinking about getting lap band done. I am 5'6 and 242lbs and 36 yrs old and been heavy most of my life. I am so very ready for a change. If you dont mind, I would like to ask you if you would do it again? What was the most frightening situation you went through? I am just thinking of doing it. My insurance will not cover. I have Kaiser. I am very very interested but self pay means I will have to finance it. I believe it is worth it but I want to hear more results. Thank you for your time, Liz thanks2d1@yahoo.com 805-512-3922 God bless you!

To clarify, I said it was a "horrible article about him, and not that he is a horrible doctor" if you have used that doctor and you are alive and happy, then that is great!! I am happy for you and your girlfriend! But for someone who is even thinking of using him should have the right to research and find out what really happened and why there would be such an article about him (common sense). Everyone definitely should do their research before choosing any doctor. For safety and peace with making the best decision. Good job and good luck with your continuous weight loss!

I just called today to schedule a meeting with this company. I then went online and typed in "Julius Gee lap band" in search engine and found a horrible article about him and the cover up of a patient's death during her lap band procedure. Go online and type it yourself. If not, here is the story.... Lap Band Company Accused of Cover Up Paula Rojeski died September 8 following a lap band procedure that was performed at a surgical center in West Hills, California By Scott Weber | Thursday, Jan 19, 2012 | Updated 8:32 AM PDT View Comments (0) | Email | Print advertisement A new lawsuit against weight-loss surgery centers connected with the 1-800-GET-THIN ad campaign alleges that executives tried to cover up mistakes that led to the death of a Lap Band patient, according to documents filed Tuesday. More: Lawsuit Documents Paula Rojeski died Sept. 8 following a lap band procedure that was performed at a surgical center in West Hills, California, according to the lawsuit filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court. During the procedure, a machine that was supposed to provide Rojeski with oxygen was turned off, leaving her to breathe room air for nearly 30 minutes. In addition, Dr. Deming Chau, an anesthesiologist treating Rojeski, believed that a blood pressure cuff hooked up to Rojeski was malfunctioning when it indicated she was in distress, reads the lawsuit. The surgeon, Dr. Julius Gee, stopped the surgery several times and asked Chau if everything was alright because Rojeski began "bucking" on the operating table and alarms on the monitors continued to go off. The suit also states that an IV came loose during surgery resulting in anesthesia and IV fluids draining on to the ground. Gee completed the procedure and left the operating room but was called back by Chau, who indicated something was wrong. Gee said Rojeski didn't have a pulse an asked someone to call 911. During the call, the lawsuit states that medical staff failed to provide "critical information" to the 911 dispatcher, including that Rojeski had been down with no pulse for more than 15 minutes. She was transported to West Hills Hospital, where she was pronounced dead. Lawyers for the weight-loss business did not immediately respond to a request for comment. After Rojeski's death, Michael Omidi, who runs the business with his brother Julian, instructed others to remove all defective equipment before the coroner's office arrived, according to the lawsuit. Omidi instructed Chau to "falsify" Rojeski's anesthesia record and remove the 15-minute gap before he told anyone she had stopped breathing and didn't have a pulse, the suit reads. Further, the lawsuit alleges the company fraudulently billed patient's insurance companies and performed medically unnecessary surgical procedures including biopsies, hernia repairs, hysterectomies, and gallbladder removal. To cut costs, the lawsuit claims surgery centers required staff to "recycle" surgical equipment and did not stock proper equipment to deal with life threatening situations. In addition, customers who attended "free" seminars later noticed bills to their insurance companies for "medical visits," according to the lawsuit. The coroner's office has not yet determined the cause of Rojeski's death, Ed Winter, Los Angeles County's assistant chief coroner, told the Los Angeles Times. The lawsuit seeks damages from eight people and 13 companies which are controlled by the Omidis. Five Southern California patients have died since 2009 following lap-band procedures at clinics affiliated with 1-800-Get-Thin. But the company cites a state report, saying that it has a significantly smaller fatality rate than hospitals that also do the surgery. Follow NBCLA for the latest LA news, events and entertainment: Twitter: @NBCLA // Facebook: NBCLA Posted Wednesday, Jan 18, 2012 - 6:06 PM PDT

You have to read the news story... type in "Julius Gee lap band' in yahoo and read this story... Lap Band Company Accused of Cover Up Paula Rojeski died September 8 following a lap band procedure that was performed at a surgical center in West Hills, California By Scott Weber | Thursday, Jan 19, 2012 | Updated 8:32 AM PDT View Comments (0) | Email | Print advertisement A new lawsuit against weight-loss surgery centers connected with the 1-800-GET-THIN ad campaign alleges that executives tried to cover up mistakes that led to the death of a Lap Band patient, according to documents filed Tuesday. More: Lawsuit Documents Paula Rojeski died Sept. 8 following a lap band procedure that was performed at a surgical center in West Hills, California, according to the lawsuit filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court. During the procedure, a machine that was supposed to provide Rojeski with oxygen was turned off, leaving her to breathe room air for nearly 30 minutes. In addition, Dr. Deming Chau, an anesthesiologist treating Rojeski, believed that a blood pressure cuff hooked up to Rojeski was malfunctioning when it indicated she was in distress, reads the lawsuit. The surgeon, Dr. Julius Gee, stopped the surgery several times and asked Chau if everything was alright because Rojeski began "bucking" on the operating table and alarms on the monitors continued to go off. Photos and Videos Top News Photos: Los Angeles LOOK PHOTOS Top News Photos: Los AngelesMore Photos and Videos The suit also states that an IV came loose during surgery resulting in anesthesia and IV fluids draining on to the ground. Gee completed the procedure and left the operating room but was called back by Chau, who indicated something was wrong. Gee said Rojeski didn't have a pulse an asked someone to call 911. During the call, the lawsuit states that medical staff failed to provide "critical information" to the 911 dispatcher, including that Rojeski had been down with no pulse for more than 15 minutes. She was transported to West Hills Hospital, where she was pronounced dead. Lawyers for the weight-loss business did not immediately respond to a request for comment. After Rojeski's death, Michael Omidi, who runs the business with his brother Julian, instructed others to remove all defective equipment before the coroner's office arrived, according to the lawsuit. Omidi instructed Chau to "falsify" Rojeski's anesthesia record and remove the 15-minute gap before he told anyone she had stopped breathing and didn't have a pulse, the suit reads. Further, the lawsuit alleges the company fraudulently billed patient's insurance companies and performed medically unnecessary surgical procedures including biopsies, hernia repairs, hysterectomies, and gallbladder removal. To cut costs, the lawsuit claims surgery centers required staff to "recycle" surgical equipment and did not stock proper equipment to deal with life threatening situations. In addition, customers who attended "free" seminars later noticed bills to their insurance companies for "medical visits," according to the lawsuit. The coroner's office has not yet determined the cause of Rojeski's death, Ed Winter, Los Angeles County's assistant chief coroner, told the Los Angeles Times. The lawsuit seeks damages from eight people and 13 companies which are controlled by the Omidis. Five Southern California patients have died since 2009 following lap-band procedures at clinics affiliated with 1-800-Get-Thin. But the company cites a state report, saying that it has a significantly smaller fatality rate than hospitals that also do the surgery. Follow NBCLA for the latest LA news, events and entertainment: Twitter: @NBCLA // Facebook: NBCLA Posted Wednesday, Jan 18, 2012 - 6:06 PM PDT