Zoe

Hey Caramel, don't get too used to this rapid weight loss. You are probably losing a lot of water right now.

In Wisconsin.

Congrats on the 10 lbs., Tony, but what a way to lose it. I hope you're feeling better. Not everyone can take Vicodin; I'm a fan, but a friend of mine passed out and was very nauseated and dizzy after taking one pill. Are you able to keep liquids down now? Hope so. I'll add my voice to the chorus saying that things get better. They do, really. We're all here to tell about it.

Thanks for the news, Jenna. I'm glad you have some extra time with Jeter, even if no one can be sure how long. You're doing everything you can to make him comfortable. Who knows -- miracles can happen. My Lola had a long remission from her cancer, and I was grateful for any extra days. I know you will be too. Sounds like you're doing awfully well with the smoking, considering everything. Please give that gorgeous dog an extra treat and massage from all of us at LBT.

Christina, I hope you hear good news tomorrow! Lots of bandsters have had incredibly frustrating experiences with their insurance companies. Take that gorgeous Boxer for an extra walk tonight to work off some nervous energy -- and please let us know what you hear from the insurer. . . Penni needs to pee!

Amen, DeLarla. I hope I can come to Vegas. I'm not much of a gambler, but I bet it'll be a blast. I can't help with arrangements but I won't pester anyone either. PS: My back has been wacked out for the last two weeks so I haven't been able to pack up the clothes I promised you; hope to be able to move again in another week or so.

Hi ChunkyChicago. I'm in Chicago too. Here's my off-the-cuff answer: 1. What should i look for with financing, my credit isnt the greatest and i know I cannot afford to pay up front, anyone have any advice? >Some doctors offer their own financing through agencies. Most don't accept credit cards, unfortunately. A few of us have used home-equity loans, but that's not an option if you're a renter. So ask your surgeon's office if there are payment plans. 2. Can anyone recommend a good dr. in Chicago for followups? >I go to Dr. Santiago Horgan. He's good. He's also expensive if you aren't one of his patients. If you decide to use a Mexican surgeon, don't even buy a plane ticket until you line up after-care. Ask the doc if he/she can recommend someone local for follow-up. Then call the suggested person(s) and make sure you can get care, and that you know what the prices and policies are. 3. any general lap-band advice for someone so young, poor and obese? >Read all you can and don't get discouraged. That includes everything from before-and-after photos to stories from people who regretted getting the band to testimonials and complaints about specific doctors to (most important) descriptions of how the band works and how you will have to work with the band. 4. Has anyone had any serious problems with Mexican doctors? >Check out the "Doctors" forum below. Good luck! There are a lot of us Chicago bandsters. Not enough to take on the Texan posse, maybe, but we are mighty.

Hi Jeffy -- We Yanks have different medical coverage problems, so I'm glad Chantal and Sacha posted here. Greg, thanks for mentioning Iamcanadian25 too. Let us know what you find out. Good luck!

Sounds good to me -- civility without censorship. Well done.

Hi Norma -- Check out the food forum below. There are a lot of suggestions there.

That's been my experience. I'm barely past the six-month mark. I could gulp a lot of water before my second fill, but now that I'm pretty restricted, I can't. And I have to be careful not to take a big drink before lying down. Tip: I always carry a 32-oz. plastic water bottle with a built-in straw so that I can sip all day.

I hereby vow not to read any more threads, new or old, on the subject of moderators, false identities, rumors, threats, etc. I too like and admire people on both sides of the divide, although I haven't met a single one of you in person! For the record, I have received a few PMs but not a single one threatened me or anyone else. I don't know or care about Bigchix; to be honest, I don't even remember what the posts much less the current pointed fingers were about. I'm cranky and tired and I'm walking away from this mess, but not from LBT or anyone here. Hatfields and McCoys, Yorks and Lancasters -- it never ends well. See you on another thread sometime, I hope.

Wonderful post, Jack. Thank you.

Laura, your Pug is just too cute! If you are ever in Chicago in May, you must go to the annual Pug Party -- it started as a Pug Crawl from bar to bar but got so big over the years that the organizer has to rent a huge space. See www.pugparty.com. There's a big annual Pug event in LA too -- anything in the NY/NJ area? Chili, I couldn't find your dogs; couldn't get past the opening Dogster page. Thanks for the photos, everyone. Please note that Jenna (princess n thep) has had horrible news about her beautiful rescued greyhound and will probably put him down on Wednesday: see http://lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=5432&page=5&pp=15 and scroll down. Send kind thoughts and prayers their way.

Oh, Jenna, you are going through one of the hardest things on earth. I know, because I had to put my beloved old Labrador down after multiple illnesses, including lymphosarcoma (which was in remission). Take care of yourself and give yourself all the time you need to grieve. No one could possibly begrudge you an entire carton of cigarettes at a time like this. Jeter is a beautiful dog and I am sorry he is so sick.

Nancy, if you save the e-mailed JPEGs to your hard drive you can upload them. Let's see your new pup!

Eve, believe me when I say that just about all of us here have failed, if that's even the right word, at just about every diet on the planet. Oh, sure, we lost weight for a while, but then put it back on -- and then some. I think that's why we sought a radical alternative. Take a look at the before and after photos. Behind each of us, there's a history of other weightloss attempts. Some of us (well, me anyway) are not at our goal weight yet, but we're making it, thanks to the band. If you're having serious second thoughts, no problem; the band isn't for everyone. But it is a great tool for a lot of us who never thought we could really lose weight and keep it off. Good luck!

Darcy, hope you're OK. You are doing so well with your weight loss.

He does have a great reputation, and lots of people here have been banded by him. He was very careful with my first fill, for which I'm grateful. And his associate Dr. Baptista was good, too. No complaints here.

Hi Eve -- Someone started an interesting thread here a couple of months ago called "Would you do it again?" Try looking in the archives around Oct. - Nov. 2004. Most of us said "Yes, in a heartbeat!" There were a few dissenters, too. You're doing the right thing by getting more information.

I'm one of the hippies -- the port's near my left hipbone. I never feel it 'cause I'm still well-padded there.

Hi Canadian -- I'm with Kelly, I couldn't sleep for a couple of days before the surgery, I was so excited. The anesthesia was a big relief! I hope you can distract yourself, but don't worry if your brain keeps returning to the band; that's normal. Just think, tomorrow you'll be a bandster! Congratulations and good luck.

I will come if I can; classes start the following Monday. I love NYC, especially Greenwich Village, Little Italy, and any live theater I can find (no Andrew Lloyd Weber, thanks). New Jersey sounds like a reasonable alternative. Anyone keen to stay in Manhattan would still be free to do so, but the rest of us could save a few bucks in NJ.

Donali's suggestion sounds good to me. And I still think that anyone should be allowed to delete his/her own posts without interference. Alex B., thank you so much for starting and maintaining this site. You have created a lifeline for a lot of people. Sorry it's been such a pain lately. And thanks to all moderators for performing a truly thankless job; I wouldn't want your responsibility.

I don't know; contact your insurer for details. Good luck.