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Susan, I will ask the committee, I am thinking possibly not because we have to have all the meals etc determined for the hotel. I understand you will still be on liquids or mushies. I can say by the end of the month you should be up to the bash unless you react really badly to surgery. I will try and get the last date you can register for the bash and post it here.

I eat better I eat less and I move more... it is the truth totally the truth. I tell some people and don't tell others and there is no rhyme or reason to it. I get some good reactions, I get some bad reactions. I love my business partners reaction his statement is I put my money where my mouth is literally. And if more people were willing to do this we would live in a better world. People will talk but when it comes to stepping up a ton of people just can't do it. Who knows my best friends, my family and that is basically it. There are a few others but not a ton. My bandster life people know obiviously since I meet with them once a month or so.

Don't cry for me.. it is just something I got through. Truthfully I think I had a faulty band, when I was banded all over North America there was a series of slips and disconnects etc etc. I did exactly what the docs told me and I still had every problem you could have. I want to stress I am a rarity not a common thing... I was banded Jan 7 2022 I disconnect and my port flipped March 7 2002 (first fill) at the same time this was happening to a ton of other people including a few other Joffe and Yau patients and it had never happened to any of the surgeons before. Tubing disconnect was an undocumented complication when I was banded. then Sept 9 I was diagnosed with a slip (total de-fill) then Jan 2 2003, diagnosed with another slip right after I filled with a small fill) Jan 7 2003 the band was re-positioned March 2003 (height of the sars crisis) slipped again total defill again) December 2003, Port flip was fixed during plastic surgery May 2004 band slip while I was defilled and after over a year of being peachy keen, this time the band came out for 6 months conventional wisdom at the time they don't do this anymore. October 2004 a new band went back in Now important to know.. I had a 4 cc band, never was filled over 1.5 cc's because at 1.5 cc's I could barely get through a bottle of Water. I didn't vomit a lot, maybe once a month or so. I lost the majority of my weight de-filled because I had perfect restriction with the 4cc band with no fill and I didn't realize that until I was de-filled and couldn't be re-filled. I had the Quest for the perfect fill.. and mine was constricted by travelling for work and only have certain days to fill etc etc. I lost my weight over 18 months, and I did work out and eat properly didn't touch a ton of different food until my band slipped the last time never drank pop didn't want to risk problems etc. I think that filling too tight and too fast and keeping it that way has a ton of issues, living on liquids, including soft calories like ice cream etc it is not living. I want to be able to eat a small amount of anything sushi, beef, pork, turkey anything and be full and live my life just eating lighter than most people. The band is a head game and the sooner people realize wrapping your head around all the good and really around the bad, the sooner the start working on issues and overcome them daily. I still have food issues after five years but I had a lot of time to think and read and work on them too. Keep in mind everyone is different I knew there was something wrong because things were happening that never happened before. You have to have a fluro to diagnose a slip there is no other way. With that said every time I slipped it was the same symptoms. Acid reflux, sudden vomiting (I would have a sip of water and vomit) vomiting foods I ate the night before, suddenly I could eat two bites or I could eat a ton of food and there was no predicting if it was going to be a lot or nothing. I knew there was a problem and talked to my doc about it. Now on a slip they go in and fix it right away the band doesn't come out for 6 months usually. Good luck remember I am a rarity, but because I am I have an amazing relationship with my surgeon. I am so glad Patrick Yau is my surgeon because he knows how to fix things.. really knows how to fix them. I do think it was a faulty band because people who were banded around the same time with the same band had the same issues. This are some people with surgeons who at the time had done 1000's of bands. I don't think it was my surgeon, I think with a less experienced doc I would have been in trouble and not done nearly as well.

Yea Colleen looking forward to meeting you... it will be awesome

I choose banding after about three months of research what won me over was the less invasive like most people totally reversible band easy to fix if it breaks if you need to change to another form of weight loss you can with relative ease. comfort with the surgeons experience with the procedure (I think I was patient 60 or so for Yau) the fact that I can still eat everything with the RNY I might have dumping etc. the results of the band and the RNY tend to be very similar over the long term

Having had 4 slips and not filled fast or slow I can honestly say, slips aren't so much fun... you get over them and get on with your life they are a challenge. I think there are so many people who expect to only eat a certain amount, and to find the sweet spot... I don't think there is a perfect amount to eat.. or a sweet spot I think it is a myth. I think eating a reasonable amount, and fills change daily, weekly monthy... I think there are people who fill too fast, vomit too much, eat too many soft calories etc etc... I think there are people who do everything wrong and when they have a complication I am not surprised. I think there are also people who do it all right.. and still have issues and those are the ones I feel for.

If I knew then what I know now... I would have stayed on liquids much longer than the post op diet said (when I was banded 5 years ago the post op was 3 days clear, 1 week full and then whatever) I would have joined a gym and got a personal trainer from the beginning.. i was pretty focused on eating right but I am a slacker generally when it comes to working out.. so I need someone like a personal trainer to kick me in the butt. I wouldn't have travelled as much for work right after post op I would have given my body more time to recover. I would have started facing my food issues so much sooner... why I eat, what I eat, when I eat, where I eat, what I eat and how I eat... and been honest... why did I eat so much to get so fat I would have found my core group of friends so much faster people who are in the same head space as I am and in similar stages of banding.. who I relate to and enjoy the company of. I am sure there is so much more but that is what comes to mind.

I was great with the decision right up until I was walking into the operating room and thought I had lost my mind, but I kept walking and I have never regreted it and would do it all over again.

I haven't joined a gym at 5 years out I am debating it... I think it is the same as anyone if you will use it join the gym, if you won't use it don't waste your money. As someone else mentioned the key is exercise... we all need to move whether that is walking or on a treadmill at home or the gym, doesn't matter. Getting movement as a consistent effort in your life is really important.

Hi there, Dr. Barry Simon wants to do an amazing talk for us this year at the bash so he has asked me to pose this question to all of you and he will incorporate the answers into his talk. Please forward your answers to the following email address - canadianbandsterbash @ rogers. com (please take out the spaces) What is the single, most difficult psychological or behavioral challenge of living with a band? Thanks so much for your participation in making this a great event!! take care

I would make sure I am confy with the clinic and the surgeons I choose first and foremost I would ask how many bands have they done? what types of bands they use (yes this does matter different body types work better with different bands) how many complications they have seen (ask for a percentage the more bands someone has done the more complications they have seen) What type of complications have they seen (disconnects, slips, erosions etc) If you have a complications what is the procedure? Who pays? If the band fails or you have an issue/reaction to the band what happens to you? (there have been some reactions to the materials of the bands themselves very very rare but happens) so what else can that surgeon do for you do they offer other types of WLS or only the band. (I can think of one person I know who had an allergic reaction had the band out her surgeon only did banding he refunded 1/3 of her money and said he would help her with other alternatives and she never heard from him again) What type of pre-op diet do they have you do What is your post-op routine? What is their post op support for patients (do they offer seminars, counselling, online support groups, dieticians, nutritionists, fitness etc etc) Are any of their staff banded? I find this helps in having people who understand where you are and when you have an issue they get it. What is their typical fill routine? (does the nurse ask how you are doing, what you are doing etc?) Again remember this relationship isn't just one surgery it is a lifetime relationship. You will need fills, defills, support etc. I am 5 years + out and I was at my surgeons office yesterday for a small de-fill, I am not there often but I still get them.

I travelled a lot while I was losing so I was eating out every meal and living in hotels. So I did about an hour of cardio and free weights, swimming etc 3-6 times per week. Now I walk, do yoga, and I am looking into joining a gym.. I am so not a joiner, and I hate the idea of gyms, but I feel I need some more heavy duty cardio in my life again, I am feeling just a little like a sloth lately.

Donna, I have been at goal since about 18 months out. Dr Joffe and Yau are my surgeons and they are both great. I can't say enough good things about TLBC and the way they have treated me. Here is my take on banding... lets face it anyone can lose weight we have all done it before, where we run into issues is maintaining the loss long term... the band is amazing for maintenance. It allows me to maintain with almost no effort. I move I watch what I eat in the sense that I would live off of sugar if I could and I make sensible choices and eat healthier than that. I was one of a few that has had complications, several of them, in fact. I do not hide that, and even with all my complications I lost about 150 lbs in 18 months and maintained that goal. I credit one of the reasons that I could do that and stay positive with my surgeon Dr Yau, he is amazing, he cares and on top of that he is a great surgeon who is always striving to be better. I do not have a tummy but I did have a tummy tuck because of loose skin and feeling like I had a gut so I have a flat tummy and perky boobs what more could a girl ask for... other than some skinny thighs (yes plastic surgery can be a bit of an obsession) I would do this all over again in a heartbeat and pay all this money again. It is worth it.

You can register right up into May, as long as your registration form and payment gets there prior to all the specific bash stuff being put together, the committee is happy. Basically they need the payment and the registration form we have some stuff that gets put together for each person and that has to be arranged based on numbers etc. If you live in the west end and the hotel and bash are too much just come to the bash part and skip the hotel. I am sure you will be able to change for dinner etc in someones room, if you need to you can use mine.

OMG... what would have made it better five years ago, lots of things. The clinic TLBC now has would have made it better, the seminars, fill nurses, dietician, nutritionists and all the other programs they offer would have made it better. Not waiting 9 hours at Scarborough Grace to get a fill would have made it better. But after 5 years I have decided that what the clinic offers will never make you a success, only you can do that. You either meet your personal goals or you don't and no amount of Drs visits and pretty clinics or great staff members will get you there only you will.

Upcoming 3rd Annual Canadian Bandster Bash... <hr style="color: rgb(209, 209, 225);" size="1"> <!-- / icon and title --><!-- message --> The time to register for the 3rd Annual Canadian Bandster Bash & Wellness Conference is now!!! 2 months left till the great weekend we have planned – May 25th to 27th, 2007 at the Meadowvale Delta Hotel and Resort. We have confirmed all of our speakers and will be posting our final agenda in the next couple of days. Be sure and check out our website at www.canadianbandsterbash.com for all of the exciting speakers and social events we have lined up….. Hope to see you all at our great weekend event!! We have people who join us from all over the world, I have been to the bash and it is fantastic for information and great to meet people going through what you are going through. Take Care Heather Bash Committee

Upcoming 3rd Annual Canadian Bandster Bash... The time to register for the 3rd Annual Canadian Bandster Bash & Wellness Conference is now!!! 2 months left till the great weekend we have planned – May 25th to 27th, 2007 at the Meadowvale Delta Hotel and Resort. We have confirmed all of our speakers and will be posting our final agenda in the next couple of days. Be sure and check out our website at www.canadianbandsterbash.com for all of the exciting speakers and social events we have lined up….. Hope to see you all at our great weekend event!! We have people who join us from all over the world, I have been to the bash and it is fantastic for information and great to meet people going through what you are going through. Take Care Heather Bash Committee

Upcoming 3rd Annual Canadian Bandster Bash... The time to register for the 3rd Annual Canadian Bandster Bash & Wellness Conference is now!!! 2 months left till the great weekend we have planned – May 25th to 27th, 2007 at the Meadowvale Delta Hotel and Resort. We have confirmed all of our speakers and will be posting our final agenda in the next couple of days. Be sure and check out our website at www.canadianbandsterbash.com for all of the exciting speakers and social events we have lined up….. Hope to see you all at our great weekend event!! We have people who join us from all over the world, I have been to the bash and it is fantastic for information and great to meet people going through what you are going through. Take Care Heather Bash Committee

I have heard of Dr Tin, but I do not know anyone banded by him. I wouldn't be concerned about the wait time it is about the same everywhere. I honestly would ask about the number of bands he has installed, complications he has dealt with, if there is a complication who pays etc. Surgeons have to get experience somewhere and sometime, I know Dr Tin has be around for a while just haven't heard of anyone banded by him and I have been banded for five years. I agree with Yoda, experience does count Good luck.

I am going it sounds fantastic if you look at the website, they have some great speakers including plastic surgeons who sit and speak to patients. I went to the first one and it was amazing

I had an appointment with Dr Yau today and on his behalf he asked me to post this for all Joffe/Yau/TLBC patients. TLBC will be issuing an offical statement tomorrow or Wednesday at the latest, it is in the final stages of being approved. As Kathy P. mentioned last week Dr Yau wanted me to confirm for all TLBC patients whether you were done in the clinic or prior to the clinic's existance as a Yau or Joffe patient you will continue to be seen by TLBC for any and all follow up including fills and complications. There will be no change in your care please continue to book fills etc in the same manner. Remember you are TLBC patients, not Dr Yau or Joffe patients in regards to your banding. Dr Yau and or additional surgeons (in the future) will be available if you need to consult them on anything. Dr Joffe is still practicing medicine outside of banding and if you were/are a patient of his for other medical conditions he can still be reached in the normal way. Whether he continues to see banded patients for other issues (ie general surgery etc) is entirely up to Dr Joffe and he may choose to see you or not. Dr Yau felt that Dr Joffe still strongly supports banding as a preferred form of weight loss surgery, and has no idea if he will be performing bandings in the future outside of the clinic or country. I did not ask if Joffe was leaving for health reasons as I have read on another site since I didn't think it was information I should be privy too and I did not want to put Dr Yau in a position where he was uncomfortable. So I do not know if he is suffering from back issues or not. If you are concerned at all Dr Yau asks that you call the clinic and address your concerns with them. Dr Yau also mentioned the same as Kathy had earlier that they are in the process of having some exciting things happen at TLBC including webcasts, seminars, podcasts and additional surgeons. Be confident that Kathy P has kept us very well up to date in the information that can be realeased and on track. Thank you Kathy. Heather

I know there are PS's who just don't bother with OHIP for the most part. I know mine told me he didn't bother with it because it was too much paperwork and appeals to go through with and he was fully booked all the time with non OHIP procedures. I know people who have had OHIP procedures and love the results.. I love my PS I paid for, I don't think the funding matters. I think being comfy with your choice of PS is more important, be comfy look at pictures and make sure they have worked on WLS patients or even taken the specialty course that are being offered to PS's now on how to deal with skin that has sustained massive weight loss.

I would not be surprised if Joffe decided to retire, when I was banded 5 years ago he was already in his 50's so he is not a young man and he has kids, and family and a complete golf obsession. I know the clinic staff haven't been told why he is leaving or at least nothing they can say since three of them are friends of mine and have been for a while. I have an appt booked with Yau on Monday and I know I will be asking him about my aftercare since I was banded before TLBC was a blink in anyones eye and Joffe once upon a time was my primary surgeon and in the past I have had serious complications so my follow up care in the future is a huge concern of mine. I hope his health is great and he just decided that we are too high maintenance for him he runs what is basically two practices that are both full time jobs. He still does general surgery and is an emerg oncall surgeon for Scarborough Grace along with his banding practice. I know banding patients take huge amounts of time (less now that he isn't doing fills anymore) and our follow up goes on forever, at 5 years out I am still getting the occasional fill and de-fill so multiply that by the 2000+ patients they have banded and that is a ton of work for both the surgeons. But people should keep in mind that their contracts if they are TLBC are not with Joffe or Yau but with TLBC. And as long as TLBC exists they should be ok with fills, de-fills and any possible complications.

I don't think there is a difference, having met several PS's over the years they are all perfectionists. They don't care where they do the surgery they just want it to look right. Sometimes it is a little frustrating when they are evaluating your body pre and post op with some of the comments they make and don't think about. I have a friend who had a panni with a non plastic surgeon just two general surgeons did it, they were thinking of doing more panni's and simple things like that and she was their first one and her scar looks pretty good. A little thicker than mine but if I had hers I wouldn't be unhappy. My key is like your PS, make sure they have experience in dealing with patients who have lost a lot of weight since our skin reacts very differntly and you want someone who is familar with the band.

I think we have a slightly different brain chemistry, and that allows us to derive something different than the general population from food, which leads to addiction in some cases. I strongly believe that we really need to deal with our food issues or long term we will fall into the same pit that made us morbidly obese just with something else. Whether it is food again or booze or sex or whatever. I think one of the best things I did was sit down and think about why I eat, when I eat, where I eat, what I eat, how I eat and who I eat with. Sometimes it is easier than others.