Sandy

Hey Krissyjean, i don't know of any doctor's in the San Diego area, but if you don't mind coming into Orange County, my doctor is Dr. Nguyen. He's great. He's with UCI. Here's his info UC Irvine Healthcare - BARIATRIC SURGERY SERVICES

LOL!!! Can you tell we both love dogs!

Hi everyone! I'm Sandy and I'm Patty's twin sister. I told Patty to log on and soon enough she'd find friends and she has!! Thanks everyone for introducing yourself. I had my surgery Mar '07 and so far I've lost 80 lbs. I had my surgery with Dr. Nguyen at UCI. We have support groups at UCI every 3rd Tuesday of the month. The address is: 200 S. Manchester Ave, Classroom B-Room 845, Orange, CA 92868. Feel free to join us. :bolt: And congratulations to everyone for taking that step into lapband world. It's the best thing I've ever done! I wish everyone much success.

Can't wait to meet you!!

No, Dr. Nguyen thinks it might have happened when I was still healing. There's really no reason why it happened. I'll tell you more in detail when I see you at the meeting. Some of us from lapbandtalk.com are getting together, are you joining us? We're getting together in Huntington Beach. http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f26/cali-bandsters-unite-8430/ This link will tell you more about the meeting in Huntington Beach.

Hi there! well, I think Dr. Nguyen is great! I've had some major set backs though, not his fault at all. I got banded on 3/12/07. First my port was tilted and he had to go in and move it. Then a few weeks later that new port started to get infected. So now I have no port and just the band around. I haven't been able to get a fill yet. I get my new port at the beginning of Sept. But so far I've lost 41 lbs. Good luck!!! Are you going to the meetings at UCI? Maybe I'll meet you there. Our next one is on the 21st.

Yes, it was awesome meeting everyone! Its nice to put a face to the name. Lili - you'll have to keep us posted on Raymond and Mike. Good luck you guys!! Can't wait to see you guys next time.

Thanks! and yes, it does make me see the other side. Thanks for the encouragement. I needed that! Why are you a pre-bander? Did the band not work for you?

Jana, So sorry to hear you are going through this. I got banded on 3/12 and when I went in for my first fill they figured out that my port was tilted and they couldn't do the fill. They said to wait 6 weeks and we'll try again. If they can't do the fill on 6/21 then they'll have to surgically go in a tilt it back. I feel your pain. I've only lost 31 lbs so far. I've only lost 5 lbs in the last month. I walk on the treadmill every day, but the weight isn't coming off. I really need a fill. I'm feeling a little depressed too. I've never heard of the tubing gettin kinked, but I feel for you. I hope everything turns out okay on Monday. Keep us posted. I'll be thinking of you.

Hi all! I need to get back in the game. I've been feeling kind of depressed since I went to the doctor 3 weeks ago and he couldn't do my fill because the port had tilted. I go back on 6/21 and hopefully he can do it then or he has to go in surgically to fix it. Not looking forward to that! I've only lost a few lbs in the 3 weeks. My total loss is 31 since March 12 (surgery date). We bought a treadmill and I've been doing that every day but the weight just isn't coming off. I really need a fill, I haven't even had 1 yet! Oh well, at least I'm not gaining weight. Keep up the good work everyone!

Hi all, I went in to get an un-fill. My dr tried 4 times to give me my fill. He couldn't get to it. He sent me to get x-rays and then we saw that it was tilted pretty good, not flipped though. He tried to get to it again, but he couldn't. He's asked that I try and lose more weight and hopefully there will be less fatty tissue around it for him to get to it. If next time I go in he can't get to it, then he'll have to go in surgically and tilt it back. I'm hoping I can lose enough weight in 6 weeks when I see him again.

Hi everyone! Thanks for all the support. I'm hoping that in 6 weeks the doctor will be able to do my 1st fill. He wants me to lose 15 lbs before I see him. How am I going to do that?!! Maybe by me losing more weight he'll be able to feel the port better and will be able to do the fill then. He tried 4 times to do the fill and kept hitting the side. The doctor said he'll try again in 6 weeks and if the port hasn't adjusted better with my weight loss then he'll have to go in and surgically move it back in place. Let's hope I can lose enough weight in 6 weeks!! I'll keep walking and doing crunches.

I went in for my 1st fill yesterday! NOT! Apparently my port has tilted. The doctor asked me to try and lose more weight and hopefully in 6 weeks he can feel it better and do a fill. If that doesn't work then he has to go back in and reposition it. Has this happened to anyone ? What's the surgery like? Am I going to have to take more time off from work?

Hey Kitty! Welcome to Lapband! I had Dr. Nguyen at UCI as well. I'm going in tomorrow for my first fill. I'm really excited about it. I hope to meet you at the UCI support groups and of course at the June get together as well! Good luck on your surgery and keep us posted! Send me an e-mail if you want to talk some more.

Hi all! I've been reading everyone's quotes. I was gone for a week or so and wow! I missed a lot! Just trying to catch up. Let's see... I get my first fill on Tuesday. It was originally scheduled for May 22nd, but I just didn't feel like I could wait any longer. I talked to my doctor and we are doing it on Tuesday!! Yippee! Hey all you May birthdays - Happy Birthday! My birthday is on the 17th! I turn 40 this year. Having the band put in was kind of like a birthday present to myself. A new beginning to life shall we say? Congratulations to all of us for doing so well! Keep up the good work everyone!!

Mike - that's great news!!! I'm so excited for you! You'll have to keep us updated. Congratulations!

Hey sugarbear, Thanks for letting me know what to expect. I'm kind of nervous about getting a fill, but on the other hand, I'm looking forward to it. Thanks describing the procedure.

Perry - I think you will absolutly benefit from lapband. I just had mine done on 3/12/07. I've lost a total of 23 lbs. One thing you need to know is that with lapband the weight comes off slower, but it's healthier than with Gastric Bypass. If you are willing to work at it and lose the weight slowly you will love having it. I haven't gone in yet to get my first fill yet, but in the meantime I am walking and just have to watch what I eat. I am solid foods now and can eat just about anything, but I try my best to watch it and the key is exercise. E-mail me if you want to talk some more. Best of luck to you and keep us posted on your progress!

Tammy - Let us know how your fill goes. I go in next month for mine so I'm curious to find out what the process is like. Keep up the good work! Yippee! Losing 3 lbs is awesome!!!

Laureli - you are too funny! But I agree! Why would we leave? It's taken way too long to train them and now they think that by us losing weight we're going to leave? Seriously? HA! BTW - good luck on getting approved. Let us know when you do!

Hi Cara! Welcome to band land. You'll have to tell us how your surgery goes. I'm sure it will be just fine. Hmmm.... why haven't you met your doctor? That's odd? So glad you got approved! Yippee!!!! As for you hubby saying you're going to leave him when you get skinny... mine is saying the same thing. It must be an insecure thing. I keep telling my husband that I'm not leaving unless he's planning on having an affair and then not only will I leave him but I'll make his life hell. hee, hee

TammyJ - I was wondering what the differences were. That's good to know. My dr doesn't want me to get a fill until May which would put me at about 10 weeks out from the surgery date on 3/12. So far I'm still losing weight and I haven't put any on. Thank God for that! What a bummer that you had to waste your time going yesterday. I would be so mad! Oh well, keep us posted when you actually get the fill. I'll be curious to see how much saline he puts in and if you get any restriction.

TammyJ - that's great. Let us know how your fill went. I had my band put in on 3/12 and I don't get my fill until May 22nd. I have the VG band which holds up to 11 cc's of saline. Which one do you have?

Hey Bobbi! you and I were banded on the same day! I didn't want to belive exercise was the key, but after walking 1.5 miles on Sat and Sun, I actually lost another pound! And I've been trying to use the stairs more often too. Every little bit helps. Before we know it we'll be looking good!

Good for you Mary! You'll see that once you see the pounds drop off you'll want to actually WANT to work out. Strange, but its true. Good luck and keep us posted on your progress!