Dena

Nothing to do with Dr. Speigel but......Dr. Spivak did my band 9/16/05, my husbands 1/25/06........my last fill was 1/25 and my husbands was 5/3/06. We have UHC (through SBC/AT&T) and knock on wood have had no problems......Dr. S did our fills at the Surgericenter and all we paid was our $20 copay. Best of luck to everyone fighting this mess, reading all your posts makes me realize how lucky we had it. From my consult to OR table was about 3 weeks, DH had his consult on a Friday, on Monday had his UGI and on Wed. got his band........made my head spin!

The recipe came from Wheetsin....page 1 of this thread. I'm wondering if I did something wrong, because it was not good......let me know how yours turns out!!!

I'm with Wheetsin........just because it comes in your size, DOES NOT mean you look good in it!!!!!!

Well we all kinda had the same thought on the pie........watermelon should not be made into a pie. It was rubbery and not a lot of flavor. I'm glad I brought the remaining watermelon with me!!!!

Well I made the pie and brought it to work today, will let you know what the reaction is!

Well Paula about the only time I get them is when I'm eating something "bad"...........maybe I should quit being bad!!!!

I'm almost 9 months out and still get gas pain in my left shoulder......Dr. doesn't know whats causing, but doesn't seem alarmed. I really only notice it when I eat something bad (like Sunday night I had a piece of cheesecake and then had pain). Rotating my arm over and over helps, rubbing it helps and walking also helps.........gas x doesn't do a thing for me!

For me taking gas x does not help the shoulder pain at all! About the only thing that helps is rubbing it, its like the pain is under my collar bone.

I don't drink much of anything at all. You could add everything I drink all week and if it came to 80 ozs I'd be surprised. I know this is not healthy for me at all. I have tried everything under the sun that I can think of, but nothing works. I just don't get thirsty. I know this is hard on all parts of my body. I normally go to the bathroom when I get up in the morning and when I get home from work.....unless I have a cup of coffee, then I'll go around lunch time. As far as BM's, well if I could go once a week I'd have a party, but usually its once every couple of weeks. I am on daily medication for that, and I know that drinking more water will help. Oh did I mention that I can't get enough salt? You'd think with the salt that I add to my food, I'd be extemely thirsty all the time. I have another dr's appt next month for some more tests, and I'm really trying to make myself drink more water, or more anything!!!!

I used Dr. Spivak in Houston and he also had a hard copy of the letter for my pcp to sign.........but I'm with 3loves.......write it yourself and then go to his office and wait/pester if you have to until he has time between patients and have him sign it!!!!

I live in Dayton and my husband works all over the area (Vidor & Beaumont included) and we had neither one heard about this. I feel so bad for her parents, family and friends. It is so tragic when someone so young with so much life to live dies, it makes my heart ache. Re: the band, I feel it probably had nothing to do with her death. I will not ever worry (unless medically proven) about my band. Lets face it, nearly everything we do in life has a potential risk for killing us either directly or indirectly!

I'm going to make the watermelon pie tonight to bring to work tomorrow, but I'm not going to tell anyone what it is til after they've tried it! Will let everyone know the outcome.

Congrats Barbara!!!!! I know everything will be fine and you will have many many more years with those grandkids! Dena Dayton, TX

I'm almost 9 months out of surgery and I've had 5 fills.......I still get the pain in my left shoulder, which makes me cranky.... It's funny, I only get it when I've eaten something that I shouldn't.....like last night, I ate cheesecake and had shoulder pain (you'd think I'd learn). I don't know what causes it, and I have mentioned it to my doctor....he was not concerned.....but I don't think it has anything to do with fills, my last fill was 1/25/06.

I can not eat or drink anything before 11am......but from then til around 6pm I can eat....I'm not good about dieting so to speak, but I eat when I can and only eat til I'm full. If I make a poor decision/food choice I make sure I exercise that night (I'm not the best at the exercise thing either). Last night I had chicken spagetthi and cheesecake (I usually have dessert on Sunday night with my family) and today I had a bean chalupa and a beef taco and small amout of spanish rice......but I ate it all......so when I get home I will either walk on the treadmill, or if its not too late I will swim a few laps. I had my surgery 9/16/05 and am down 56 lbs.......I think that it should be coming off quicker, but if I would eat better and exercise more, it probably would!!!!!!

I am so totally not the person to ask. I have a lot of restriction in the morning and in the evening.......about the only time I can eat anything of substance is from 11 am to 3 pm. I can not even drink water or coffee before 10 or so. Today I had a kids meal from Luby's.......baked fish, mashed potatoes and cornbread dressing......I was able to eat all of that (I didn't eat the roll or jello that comes with it), but I will not be able to eat anything for dinner. Sometimes if I don't have any protein at lunch I will drink a protein shake, but I can not eat the bars.

I would love to come, however that is Memorial Day weekend and I've promised my grandmother I would come to Arkansas for a visit. I'm sure everyone will have a wonderful time. Have a drink or two for me!!!!

I was banded Sept 16, 2005, as of Sunday morning I've lost 35lbs. I've had 5 fills (3.5cc's now). What really bites is my husband had surgery Jan. 25, 2006 and as of right now he's lost 24lbs. I know what I need to be doing (ie, drinking water and excersing regularly and making better choices of food)........ I feel like the first 30+ lbs came off with little help from me, so I'm determined to loose 30lbs (will put me under 200) by June 18th (leave for vacation)....... I pray that by me working with the band that it WILL happen!

I just had my 4th fill (3.5cc) and I'm having trouble eating peroid. I can barely drink anything in the morning, much less drink something thick. I can eat a couple of bites several times a day. I've got a bad cold right now, so after I'm well, I will see if I need to have some taken out. I was at 3cc until last Wed. (since Wed I have lost 5lbs). My husband was banded 1/25 and 7 days later he's lost 15 lbs........I hate him 4 1/2 months for me and I've only lost 30 total.

Hey TX, hope everything is going good since your surgery!

Its a tradition, my mother, my sister and myself go every year.......out brite and early. I'm not much of a shopper, but that is my favorite day of the year. My husband went one year and he swears he'll never do it again. One year I watched a women (probably in her 50's) punch a man in the face over a bike!!! It was kinda funny, he was in shock/stunned and she left being escorted by the police and didn't end up with the bike!!!! People are crazy, but its fun!!!!!!

I'm behind a desk most of the time (accounting), had surgery on Friday and went back to work on Monday.

I told everyone that I was having the band (I work in a really small office and my boss is also my neighbor). They have all been very supportive, but I almost wish now that I hadn't told anyone, because I always feel like I'm under a microscope, even my kids and husband watch me closely at times.

I was banded 9/16/05 1st fill 10/18 1.3cc 2nd fill 10/24 1.8cc 3rd fill 11/1 2.2cc 4th fill 11/15 3.0cc I started filling a small amount of restriction after my 3rd (I couldn't eat bread), but now after my 4th just a couple of bites and I'm done! I literally had 4 pieces of general chicken yesterday for lunch (I should have quit at 3) and didn't eat anything else til today at lunch. As far as weight loss, well I've been trying really hard not to get discouraged, but I've only lost 7.5 lbs since my surgery........but I know with this fill, I'm on my way!!!! Good luck

I had my surgery on Friday 9/16/05 and was back to work on Monday 9/19/05, I'm an accountant and sit on my behind most of the time, but I felt fine and have had no problems. The following weekend hurricane Rita came through and I was helping husband pack up and move stuff around. But I would be careful with the lifting.