JoanieP

Thanx for the nice words and Beeville is about 60miles north of Corpus Christi and 2 hrs south of San Antonio. I'll be here for you if only in writings. haha! Good luck! Joanie :cool2:)

Wish I lived closer, I would love to be there for you. Years ago, when I was married to my ex, I wanted to try medifast and he said we couldn't afford it. I did it anyway, on my own by pawning my own stuff and I lost 80 lbs. He would never even acknowledge the weight loss. Nothing, no "I'm proud of you" or "lookin' Good" I'll never forget that. Unfortunately I put the weight back on over several years and we divorced. Long story longer, I met the wonderful man I am married to now and he has supported me with the lapband decision, although I was 240 when we married so I know my weigh was never an issue with him. Back to you, sorry...I got carried away, huh? Anyway, sounds like your on the right track. I love my lapband. You don't sound like you're in too bad a shape. I'm only 5 ft tall and weighed 240 lbs when I got mine. Of course I'm still only 5 ft. :frown: Hang in there and I hope you find a buddy close to home! later, Joanie )

:frown:I'm not going to afford it afterall. It looks like a great experience, though. I'll keep it in mind, but I doubt we can swing it. later, Joanie (

Sounds like you've gotten plenty of feedback, so you don't really need anymore, but here it is...Dr. Spiegel did my band may, 12 2006 and I have been very satisfied. He is an excellent surgeon, but like some others have said, he doesn't hold your hand and your pretty much on your own when it's all done. I would recomment him without hesitation. I have recently switched drs. ,because I live in Beeville which is quite a drive, to Dr. Chang in Victoria. I like the personal touch I'm receiving from him. Good Luck to you ! Joanie :thumbup:)

:thumbup: Sounds interesting....I'm gonna ask the hubby as soon as he gets home to see what he thinks. I'll figure out the cost of everything to see if we can swing it. We live in Beeville...5-6hrs from Dallas. I can still get the discount if I sign up today so looks like I saw this in time, huh? Thanx for the info, maybe I see ya there! Joanie )

My dr here in Texas says if you are at least 50 lbs overweight you qualify, so sounds like you do. Best of luck to you, been there! Joanie :thumbup:)

Howdy ya'll...I haven't been on this thread yet, but I guess I qualify...I have already lost 92 lbs. since my surgery 5/12/06, and am looking forward to the last 18 or so to come off soon...I hope, I hope!!!!! I've picked 130 as my goal but will see how I feel when I get there. In my younger, thinner days I used to feel fat at 130, (I am only 5') but after being well over 200 for so many years and keeping my age in mind...I think 110 or 115 might be too low. I wish I had done this 10 yrs. ago and maybe I wouldn't have all the sagging skin. At 54 and being heavy for so many years ( at least 15) my skin just doesn't have the elastisity it used to. :driving: But all in all life is great!!! :incazzato: I'll be back.....Joanie :huggie:)

Thanx and congrats to you for your weight loss as well,and the plastic surgery.....Wish I could afford some of that myself. Looking good!

:confused: Hey ya'll, I just wanted to share my good news...I finally got below 150 lbs. Besides trying real hard to eat right, I've been going to the gym and our pool just opened and I've already gone 2x. Did some laps and walked in the shallow end, and also layed out for some sun. I'm really excited to have the weight dropping again...it seems like forever since I got down to the 150's. Thanx for listening, and I hope ya'll are doing as well. later, Joanie :thumbup:)

Howdy from Texas...I was born and raised in Hicksville, Long Island, NY and saw that there was a lapbandtalk thread for ya'll and just had to join in. I had my lapband done in Houston,Tx. Anyone on this thing from Hicksville? That would be so "small world" huh? Apparently this dr Geiss is pretty popular up there. I wish everyone up there all the best. Later, Joanie )

Have you heard anything back yet about your insurance? I hope so and I wish you all the best on your surgery. Looks like you've already lost some weight....that's fantastic. Later, Joanie )

Sorry I can't help about the dr question, but I wanted to wish you all the best. I'm 2 yrs out now and have lost 90#s and don't remember the last time I felt this good. Worth every penny and worth giving up some of my favorite foods for. How did the seminar go for ya? later, Joanie )

Looks like you're doing great...15#s already and it hasn't even been a month yet. Congrats. I only lost 15 the first month, but felt great. Everyday gets better...Good luck to the 2 of you. It's wonderful to have a partner on your journey! later, Joanie :eek:)

:confused2: I have been having alot of trouble the last few days with just drinks feeling stuck. I decided to do liguids only for the last couple of days to see if whatever is causing the problem will pass, but in the meantime I have this gurgeling in my throat. (some say it's little burps) The last 2 nights I was doing that even at bedtime. I believe I have a stuck b-complex caplet and hope it desolves soon. I've been drinking alot of hot tea and added lemon juice to my iced tea thinking the acid would help. Getting tired of it. I am in the process of switching drs. (one closer to home) so I hope to have an appt soon. If anyone has any suggestions, I'm all ears. Thanx! Joanie

Well, I'm working on getting it together....went walking with a friend this morning and may go to the gym with the hubby when he gets home from work. Gonna walk again in the am. I feel good. Had a good lunch and just am feeling generally good about being back on track. Aren't friends wonderful.

I think it's so cool that you all seem to know each other. Maybe I can squeeze in here and get to know some of you and let you get to know me. I too was banded in May of 2006. The 12th to be exact. I was hoping to have lost 100#'s by my 1 yr mark, but it's been 2 yrs now and I still haven't made it. My fault I know. Old habits die hard. I have lost almost 90 #'s now and feel so much better, and I also am much happier with the way I look. (baggy skin excluded) I'm 54 yrs young now and had been over 200#'s for over 10 yrs. so that was to be expected. I gave some thought to having some tucks here and there, but I really can't afford it so... Well, I guess this is a good start and I look forward to getting to know you guys and hearing from you. Later, Joanie :frown:)

Thanx for the quick reply...I do sleep on my stomach, but this was when I was on my back. I don't even know what posessed me to press on my stomach, but I did and that's when I felt the pain. It is slightly to the left of center, right over where my stomach should be. Just below the rib cage. You may be right about feeling something else because there is less fat there now. haha!

Hi to all! I had my lapband for almost 2 yrs now and doing pretty well with weightloss. Here is my problem...Some nights when I lay down in bed on my back and press on my stomach, about where my band would be, I feel like a hard knot that hurts like a bruise or a like when you break a blood vessel in your hand. It's pretty localized and I only feel it at bedtime so far. My dr. says I'm too compusive about my band and worrying about complications, but I just can't bear the thought of losing it and gaining all my weight back. Has anyone else out there ever experienced a pain like what I decribed? I know I do worry too much, huh? :confused2:

You are probably still experiencing the post lapband pain from them filling you up with air so they can perform the surgery easier. If I had not been told to expect the shoulder and chest pain after surgery, I would have thought I was having a heart attack. I honestly don't think I ever want laproscopic surgery again if that is what it will feal like afterwards. It will pass, although I do still get pain in my left shoulder, from the gas in my stomach I've been told, it is nothing compared to the first week or two after I had my lapband put in. I love it, and my biggest fear is having something go wrong and have to have it removed. I know I would gain back every pound. I wish you all the luck you deserve and hang in there! Joanie :huh2:)

:biggrin: I am so sorry to hear that you have to have your band removed after only a year. I have had mine almost 2 yrs and my biggest fear is having a problem with it and that it would have to be removed. I just know I would gain back all my weight. I do hope that after they remove it your problems go away so that you didn't get it taken out for nothing. Good luck and let us know how it went!!!

30 lbs. in 8 weeks....wow, that's super! Good for you!!! Isn't it great, my life is better in so many ways. I've got about 20-25 lbs more to lose. I'll see what happens as I get down as far as deciding how low I should go, but already I feel soooo much better. Gotta love the band!!!!

Good luck to you! I know you'll do fine. Welcome aboard!!!

I have discovered something about my shoulder pain...it is worse if I eat salad. I guess the lettuce doesn't agree with me, but whatever it is if I don't eat any salads I don't seem to get the shoulder pain. I will get some pain if I get too hungry. I was stupid not long ago and skipped lunch at noon because I didn't really feel hungry and then my husband and I went out and we didn't get to eat until 5pm so needless to say my shoulder and stomach hurt. As long as I don't let myself get too hungry I'm usually ok. I will have a couple of spoonfuls of light yogurt between my meals to tied me over and it seems to keep the shoulder pain away for me. On a positive note, I have found that the chewable GAS-X with Maalox extra strength antigas plus antacid seems to work better than any of the others. For me anyway. I wish you luck and am sorry you are having so much pain....I hope you find something that works for you. It took me almost 2 years to figure mine out. I miss my salads but I don't miss them enough to put up with the pain. Let me know how you do! Joanie )

I hope you are doing well on your first post surgery day. Dr. Speigel did my lapband May 12, 2006. I did the whirlwind thing as well....went to seminar on sat., had consult with him mon. , wed had pre-op and friday morning was getting my lapband. I have never regretted it. I have lost over 80#s so far and have about 20 to lose. Good luck and I am looking forward to hearing about your progress.

In the beginning only my husband, my daughter and 2 of my closest friends knew. Several months later I told my sister, since I can't keep a secret from her especially when she was so impressed with the weight I had lost. Which, by the way, I love to tell people who don't know that I just cut back on what I was eating....no lie, right? haha Now, after almost 2 yrs. I guess almost everyone knows, except my dad cause I didn't need to have him worrying about me. He's 85 yrs. old. ps: a few months after I told my sister, she had a lapband done.