the best me

Everyone looks so great! I show friends and family this thread and they get the idea about my WLS...very helpful. You all are one good lookin' bunch! ALL of you! Jammin Jamie, you daughter is absolutely beautiful!!! And so are you! I will miss the peepee dancer...it was very distinctive and made me think of you as busy, busy, busy, Jammin Jamie. But it's good to see your face! Congrats everyone! and Well Done!

Jonathan, sweet and funny. I like you here. I'll google Haiku, it's been a long time since English class...Yes, we want to see you Vinesqueen!!! I like you here, too!

I have been wondering this for months!!! Not to hijack, but could someone tell me quickly, what in the world is a BLOG?

Thanks Marie, I did. My insurance plan excludes Lap Band. Gastric Bypass is my only option if I go through them. No thank you. So I'm self-pay, and that leads me to MX. My Follow-up/Band surgeon/Fill doctor is about a 2 hr drive away, said to call about 2 weeks before needing my first fill and bring my X-ray and OR papers from Kuri, he will want them. Fills are $200, plus another 250-300 if you want/need flouro. Will be prepared to pay if needed. It's all lined up! I can't believe it. Thank you. And no phenteramine, I'll pitch the RX when I dig it out of my purse. I have some left over from last visit, won't take it anymore, for sure! It's very jittery...thank you!

Okay, can't wait to see your picture now, since you apparently look so young and your hair is pink, or purple, or the color of the day. No picture of you is very intriguing! I'm sure we won't be dissappointed. I'll bet you are beautiful, because you sure seem so in writing! I hope your special day is happy and fun.

hey there, welcome...give everyone a little more time and you will get plenty of respnses. I do not have a band yet, but I know if you search around here you will find lots of info. This is the best place for support, you should not be out there alone. Come on in!

I cleaned up my profile, noone knows my last name or phone number so you can't find me in the phone book, I took out my zip code, and I'm lucky enough to have one of those user names that has 35 million other things come up before me, in fact, I don't have the patience to find me when I googled lap band and my user name. I am not a particularly private person, but something about my profile coming up on google makes me feel funny. I'm glad mine is buried so deep it's not likely to invite weirdos, other than you all-ha! Kidding Hey, what's the possibility of those who wish to being able to change their user name to something more anonymous? Or, could they log in under a new user name and somehow let the other go, what, dormant? Or link them somehow...dunno, just a thought. I wonder what Alex's opinion is of the Google Spider...who caught the wording of the poll, it's a little biased, don't you think? "I don't mind...this is the only way people will find out about LBT" OR " I care more about my privacy than all you other schmos out there...your'e on your own!" I thought that was funny. You wear your heart on your sleeve! I found LBT by Google. I vote "I don't mind".

Okay, what's a steal banding? Do you mean steel? That's news to me. I know there are several different types of bands around besides the Inamed, but, please explain! It's so good that you have a Band Dr nearby, just make sure he's a trusted one with plenty of experience. Do your homework! I pay attention to little signals like that. Some might say Life talks to you. I prefer to believe it's God, but I always question my own interference in the messages, ya know? Am I only hearing what I want to hear? Like when your'e car shopping, and decide to look at Honda Accords. Never really noticed them before, but now that your looking, wow! they're everywhere! I am getting positive signs in favor of the Band, too. Follow the path until it says stop or turn, see where it leads... Glad you feel better. Take care and come back as your search leads you! Hey! When are you getting married?!

Way to go Makena2...glad to see your'e making it through. You will find the seminar very informative! Good luck to you! OH...my sister-in-law's sister-in-law (think about that...my brother's wife's brother's wife) is seeing Dr. Benavides very soon, if she hasn't already had the surgery. I intend to get in touch with her and will post anything I find about that Doctor for your info.

I'll chime in about the mourning the loss of the preband ways of eating. Reading the boards, I have realized this could very well be a reality for me, when my time comes. No more just popping food in my mouth and gulping it down...THAT will be a big change for me. And I have read about banded people getting frustrated on occasion about not being able to take that last bite, etc. Of course, the benefits outweigh the frustration, but it is a reality for some. I think this might ring true for me because that depressed feeling is how I felt when I quit another bad habit, smoking. Everything was fine, my husband, my job, we were beginning to plan our family (hence, the quitting smoking) but I remember driving to work and feeling very BLUE, like I didn't really know what was wrong, like I had lost my best friend, or...I just really didn't know. I felt like there was something wrong, something bad happened and I couldn't remember what it was, an argument with a friend? There was almost an anxiety associated with it. Then I realized, I HAD lost my best friend, the cigarette. Well, that explained my Blue Mood, which helped alot, but it took weeks for it to go away. If this is you with food, you are not alone. I hope all this helps. Everybody is so nice to pitch in and hand out advice and experiences. Take what helps you, and if it doesn't, maybe it will help someone else. Good luck to you and keep us posted!

ndnroper, how's your search? just checking in on you.

If it makes you feel any better, think about this from his perspective. He runs across an unsuspecting woman in the pharmacy and chimes in uninvited, proud of himself for being a distinguished Lap Band surgeon. Three hours later he is still talking with this crazy woman who is sobbing and taking up his very expensive time...you know he's regretting not keeping his trap shut when he first came asross you there...later that night he's telling his wife, "why didn't I just mind my own business?" because, girl, you had to have him back-pedaling and working hard that day being a Doctor, not just a pharmacy customer. Way to corner him! I tend to be the type to let things go. What comes around goes around, or as I like to say..."he's the one who has to live with himself" and move on. Spend your energy healing. I'm sorry for all of this. I wish I could do something but if listening here and chiming in with some occasional feedback is help to you, I'm happy for it. And I know everyone else here is. You give so much, it's the least we can do.

Hey Patti, there are lots of good docs in your area (I used to live in Carrollton!) Just give these guys a second and they'll start speaking up...I think you posted an intro? If I remember, anyway, just what is your BMI? Have you considered Mexico, sometimes the docs there will do "Low BMI" patients unlike the US. Not sure about the cutoff numbers, just know I qualify. Anyone else? Welcome and good luck!

Wow! I can't believe it. I know there are others but this is so exciting! I live near Charlotte...My fill Dr is in Winston Salem. There are two bariatric surgery places nearby, one in Charlotte at Presbyterian Hospital and another in Concord at Carolina Weight Loss Surgery.com I think is the web site. Dr. Roc Bauman. There is a Dr Ponce in Dalton GA who seems to have a good reputation here. As you notice, I have not been banded yet and will be traveling to Mexico to do so. But, I have learned alot along the way and will be glad to tell you anything I know...just post here! Glad to have you AWilliams, and take a minute to post an introduction in the introduction thread, that way everyone can say hello and we know a little more about who we are talking to...cuts down on paranoia...happens alot here. (warm smile) I am now officailly subscribed to this thread and will get an e-mail if you or anyone else posts...so I'll be looking for you!

Awww...three Florida Bandsters finding support on LBT. Imagine that! Estella, Tara, and Staci. Isn't LBT the Best!! I'm lovin this.

Today is Wed and your surgery date...way to go! Prayers today for you...update us upon you return. Congratulations!

hi everyone! This site is so helpful! I want to thank everyone for talking here. It really helps me to research the band and all related questions. My name is Kathy and I live in NC, just outside of Charlotte. I am considering banding in Mexico (insurance doesn't pay for bands, only gastric bypass, which I don't want to do). So off I will go, hopefully in March 2005, to see Dr. Kuri. I have 2 young children, ages 5 and (almost) 2. My husband is supportive but very nervous about 1) me be-bopping off to TJ for major surgery and 2)incurring a bit of temporary debt until I can go back to work and pay this off. But he feels like this is a good solution for my struggle with weight loss. As he says, "just quit eating so much" but he knows it's more than that. I have been exercising faithfully for a full year and have lost and kept off 20 lbs, but I haven't lost anything since October. My goal is another 80-95 lbs. I currently weigh 220, but would like to see 145-160. BMI is 36.6 and I am 5'5". My percentage of body fat, according to the gym machine, is 43.6%. Yuck! I will be 40 this year (May 2005) which is what made me look into all this. I am weary of struggling and depriving myself and I don't want my 40's to be a decade of discouragement. Seems too much to hope for, but maybe with the band I can succeed. Here are some things I have learned by lurking... lurking-reading everything but not writing or contributing in any other way PBing-yuck but I have a perfect understanding of that DH-could be "Darling Husband" but probably means "D*&%" Husband avatar-whatever, I can't figure out how to do that but I think I have a smiley face, no pic tickers-no clue but I'll keep clicking NSV-what? it's something good though. patient facilitators-to trust or not to trust? Oh, there is so much to learn! Again, thank you everyone for all of your posts. They are really helpful and I hope to be able to contribute when the time comes. And...all you who have posted before and after pics...thank you-you have given me hope!

Hey Becky in CA, sorry for the confusion. Makena2 above is a newbie and she hijacked my introduction thread, so I replied back and told her what to do...so it pops up like a new thread but it's just me, a newbie too but she's even MORE newbie than me! Hope I did that right, or should I have just PM'd her? Hey, thanks for the DH/dh clarification...I'd better capitalize from now on...the meaning really changes, huh? Don't want trouble on the homefront, he already comments about my computer time..."I'll make you a deal. I won't complain about you being on the computer if you'll make sure you keep your cell phone on so I can call you." Deal. Ha!

This is such an awesome site. So, who started it? when? How do you get into posts that are achived from the beginning? What I mean is, I tried to find the first post ever written on LBT and it won't go back that far...page 9 of the General discussion only goes back to Jan 2005, I think? Just interested in the history of LBT...thanks!

There ya go, click on your telephone/scale/bells and you will see approval! Isn't this FUN!

Hey there! Nice to have you here! Okay, I looked up your profile and this is the only post you have ever made, so I know none of the other folks have "met" you...so do this...Go to the Introduction forum (where you found me) and start a new thread and introduce yourself to everyone, tell them everything you just told me, etc. There are many many Texans here and they can help you more than me on local Dr's and who is your area. All you have to do is sit back and watch, the Texans will appear miraculously on your thread and say Howdy, etc. and so will everyone else. That will get you started. Then, go to Lap Band Talk Forum and scroll all the way down to Texas and start reading. Wanna know more? Go to the top of the page and click "Search" and type in a topic ie:Mexican doctors and just see all that comes up...you could really spend hours researching lots of stuff...it's all in here, anything you want to know. Then, go to the website for your insurance company and give them your plan number, this should give you your benefits info, and type in the IDT? or CDT? code for Lap Band surgery which is 43843. You will then know whether or not your insurance covers it, and what the eligibility requirements are (BMI, co-morbidities list, etc.) If you are questionable, your insurance may not cover it, but a Mexican doctor will do it if your BMI is 35 or higher. But check with the Dr. Once you decide whether or not you need to look into Mx, well, that's a whole new ball game and we'll go there later. So, start there and don't lose me...I'll be looking out for your posts and will pitch in when I have something to offer! As you know, I'm not banded yet but getting close. I will tell you anything you want to know! Let's start with these things and take it from there...dinner's burning! Gotta run. Keep in touch!

Cool, okay Donali wrote a comment and I got it (thank you!) and my rep went up to 14 and now, instead of "Even", I am "Somewhat Positive". This is so crazy fun.

Wow, nice to have you here, Scotty. With as many Obese people as there are in this world, it's amazing how lonely one can feel...I know I feel lonely alot. It's a very private pain that everyone here understands. You have come to the right place for support. I'll let the pro-bandsters answer your practical question...just wanted to say Welcome and best wishes for a successful surgery on Friday...

Now I have 13 reputation points and my reputation on this post is Even...wha??? Does that mean I have an even number of agrees and disagrees? Hey! Who diasagrees with me! I am so intrigued, I can't wait to find out what's up so I can start ignoring it. Ha! Hey Kyleigh, did you get what I wrote in your comment?

Okay, I am imagining Alex B. in a dark office somewhere with papers stacked around him sitting at the computer wringing his hands and laughing maniacally at our posts, wondering when we will figure this out. Hahahahahaha!!!!!!!!!!!!! Isn't this creepy fun?!