Dody

For whatever that means??? I'm not sure. I have some wonderful friends both online and off. I may live in Idaho right now but the state holds no interest for me. My heart isn't there and never will be. I'm pretty much a private person who choses her friends carefully,and apparently once or twice I've made bad choices. One of those choices were not my two best friends on here I can assure you. I have unwittingly taken peoples parts in the past when it truly wasn't necessary for me to intervene and I have learned a lot from it...it doesn't happen anymore. Sometimes something just hits you upside the head and you know you've made a huge mistake in thinking someone was a friend, and other times you know the connection is very real. Like I said I have loads of friends from my church group and on some great ones on LBT, but still trying to figure out what Ah I See Now means!! Do you care to explain?

I was required to spend the night because Medicare requires it, but I wanted to go home. I had my surgery, woke up in recovery feeling really sore, but OK. I was on liquid pain medication in the hospital for a few hrs. and then Tylenol. I was up and around in a matter of hours. If I didn't know I had the band and didn't have the scars I wouldn't believe it. I have absolutely no gas, and have had none in the 4 week period since my surgery, so I can't ever relate when people talk about the gas pain. I slept in my own bed when I got home, but I'm a back sleeper so it didn't bother me. I've had a wonderful recovery so far with no problems whatsoever, and I give thanks to the marvelous surgeon who did my surgery most of all, Dr. Willie Melvin at Vanderbilt. He is awesome.

You are far and above one of the ones I want to meet the most....ahhhhhh it doesn't have a thing to do with you living in Tony's homestate either . You just have such a great personality and love for God, that who in their right mind wouldn't want to meet you. Perhaps some day. For now we always have the computer to keep in touch.

1. Who would want to kidnap us? 2. We are the life of the party because we are crying on the inside and laughing on the outside. Just my take on things....

I keep in close touch with bandsters here that were all banded by Dr. Melvin, and I also have a Church group at home where I have great friends and support, and least of all, but not to be forgotten where would I be without my best buddies on this forum 3 Loves and Ceparano who keep me on the straight and narrow for the most part. Along with having race horses, I don't have much time for anything else. Like I said this forum is a great place for info, and I'm one of those people that so far has had absolutely no problems. Strange as it may seem there are people on here I wouldn't ever care to meet in person, and then there are those I would love to meet.

Thanks Sam for all your help :mad:

Just lining up some places in case of an emergency. I'm not coming home until after Christmas, and don't do the support meetings thing, so it's doubtful we will ever meet. I get all my support I need right here at LBT and through telephone consults with my nutritionist in Nashville who will be contacting me by phone every mo. You know I wasn't banded by either doc in Idaho, so why on earth would I go to their support group?:mad:

I knew she was no longer associated with the fill center, but apparently is doing fills on her own. I'll make sure I stay far away from there :mad: Sam if you would PM me some of those bandsters that are carpooling I would be grateful to you. I won't be home for awhile but just might want to join them....especially since I know it's done under fluoro. Keep in touch.

I was banded on July 19 in Tennessee at Vanderbilt. I had a very speedy recovery with no complications. I know where my port is and I run my hands over it every day, but it doesn't hurt in the least. I just know it is there.. I wish I could help you. Have you perhaps been exercising or maybe stretched somehow and the port is simply reacting. I don't get a lot of exercise except for walking, but I think you could probably pull on the port and make it sore if you lifted something heavy or something like that. I sure hope you find a solution.

I did find the number on the internet Linda, and I did call, but was unimpressed to say the least. The nurse practitioner there, Cynthia, no longer has any affiliation with Fill Centers USA. They tell me it is her choice. I asked about fluoro and they said no, and I was no longer interested. On another note, a friend of mine at St. Luke's tells me that this Cynthia is trying to become affiliated with them so she will have the use of a fluoro machine. I think I may have latched onto something as I've found a radiologist that does do fills and does use fluoro of course, so calling around has been beneficial. If there are any dr's. in the area I would love to have their names....only ones I know are the two that do surgery in Boise. There are some dr's. in Idaho Falls and Blackfoot who also do the surgery, but they only fill their own patients, although there is a radiologist also in Blackfoot who does fills under fluoro. If you think of who the dr. is that does fills in Boise or surrounding area, please get back to me and thanks for all the info. I had trouble believing this Cynthia charges $300.00 for the fill and it isn't even under fluoro. I don't want a fill that way...that's hit or miss and I'm not going to take that chance. I don't know how many fills it takes as my first is next week, but I'm going to ask my dr. and perhaps see if my 3 or 4 fills will be enough. I just wanted someone in an emergency.....again if you or P'Nut think of this other dr's. name that does fills please let me know.

Does anyone have a phone number for the fill center in Eagle, Idaho? I would greatly appreciate it if you could give it to me. I can't seem to get it from information, and I have a number of questions I need to ask them before I even think about leaving Tennessee. Thanks for your help. Has anyone used a Fill Center USA, and what was their experience; cost, etc. Would you recommend it to anyone? Do they use fluoro for their fills?

I had knee surgery the week before my banding, and I flew through the banding with absolutely no complications. I have had open heart surgery and many other surgeries so I wasn't the best candidate possible and being 64 didn't help. I have not had one single problem to date, so please put your faith in God. You will be fine and one step closer to a happier and healthier you. Good luck.

If you were self-pay what did it matter if you had your surgery at a Center Of Excellence or not? If the doctor didn't accept Medicare why couldn't you have had the surgery anywhere? I had my surgery done at Vanderbilt which is a Center Of Excellence and they do accept Medicare. My surgery cost me $300.00 and includes 6 mo. of follow-up. I would say you have been ripped off. This isn't right this dr. not contacting you after doing your surgery. So much for a Center Of Excellence in his case. Sorry you are going through this. It looks like you will have to find someone closer to you and pay for your fills, but I would definitely want my money back from this guy. Sue him.

I was only banded on July 18, but had much the same feelings as you beforehand. I thought I would never be able to have a soda pop again, only to find I can treat myself to one or two a day. My body tolerates them well, I stay with caffeine free, and I get no gas. No two people are alike. The only reason for staying away from soda pop is because it normally causes gas. This is something you need to find out on your own. I was pleasantly surprised to find I had no ill effect. I still occasionally stop and get a fish sandwich, or where I am in Tennessee I can go to Krystals (which serves a lot in minature) and enjoy a couple small chicken Krystals with no problem. I can eat Wendy's chili and Taco Bell's refried Beans with absolutely no problems whatsoever. I have lost over 20 lbs. in a mo. and I can not excercise because of knee problems and recent knee surgery....so it depends on the body and making good choices if you go to a fast food place. Don't think you have to give up everything because you don't. I merely cut way down on what I eat, and it's easy with the band to do so, and I'm losing just fine considering the lack of excercise. I haven't really had to say goodbye to anything, except of course for greasy hamburgers I never cared for anyway. Hamburgers that are lean are great done on the grill and I enjoy them even without a bun, even though I have no trouble with bread. I also haven't had a fill yet, so a lot might change when I do. I am so grateful I got the band. Saying goodbye to fast food places was easy because I now have a great new friend I named "Faith". I have faith the band will work for me, and I have faith it will work for you if you give it a chance. I have a Protein shake for Breakfast (just not a breakfast person), a Protein Bar usually for lunch and enjoy dinner the most. I find I eat a lot less than before and have no trouble with any food whatsoever. Have faith that the band will work for you too. You may have to give up greasy foods, but after all isn't that why you are getting the band? You will see the weight coming off and you will be so thrilled you made this decision. Good luck to you on your journey.

My surgeon informed me that many, many of his patients still drink diet sodas and have never kicked the habit. He says the only reason they tell you not to drink carbonated beverages is because of the "gas" it can cause and this varies in people. I gave it a try and drank a diet root beer with no repercussions at all...no gas...no nothing. If the only problem is the gas then it is no problem for me. He says that in no way does a carbonated beverage damage or hinder the band in any way.......so if you need that diet soda and want to give it a try go for it. I've had no problem.

A prayer goes out for Ryan, and most of all for his beloved family. What a loss they must be feeling. I remember when Ryan posted about losing his precious pet and how badly he felt. I feel the same sadness upon reading of his loss. He will be sorely missed on the forum. May God be with him and his family. I firmly believe God doesn't make mistakes and that he took Ryan when he did to spare him any long-term suffering. It didn't sound at all good with him also having a cancerous kidney.

I'm not sure how you would go about having it changed, but I would start with asking my surgeon. It is smaller width wise and length wise and especially weight wise. I already have one and it is just a tiny little box. Good luck to you.

A prayer goes out for Ryan, and most of all for his beloved family. What a loss they must be feeling. I remember when Ryan posted about losing his precious pet and how badly he felt. I feel the same sadness upon reading of his loss. He will be sorely missed on the forum. May God be with him and his family

I was on a week of Carnation Instant Breakfast before my surgery and got kind of sick (that's putting it mildly) of the same thing day after day. Now that I'm about 4 weeks out I alternate Carnation Instant Breakfast, with ice, a tiny bit of chocolate syrup and blend it in the Magic Bullet...tastes like a chocolate milkshake and is yummy. On alternate days I drink Isopure in the mixed fruit or grape (and because I find it a little too sweet I to dilute it in water). It's a nice variation and I'm not really a breakfast or lunch peson so it works quite well. Blending the Isopure was a nice treat with ice in the Magic Bullet also (not sure how I lived without that little device). Those are the two main ways I've found to get protein. Good Luck to you. I had to order my Isopure on line from TheSupplementStore as I couldn't find it locally, but I love the taste of it. Hope this helps.

This looks exactly like a huge spot I had on my lawn last yr. I have some pretty horrible neighbors on one side of me and I know (because I had it tested) that round-up had been dumped on my yard. They also thrown a variety of junk over the fence, including dirty diapers. That is part of the reason I love staying at my daughters is the fact that I have such ugly neighbors. They are young and I'm certainly not, but they evidently don't like me for some reason....I even paid to put the fence up between my yard and theirs because they didn't want to pay. They have also poisoned and killed 2 cats over the past 5 years (my cats). Try and think of anyone that might do something cruel like this, and yes it is very cruel, but honestly that is what it looks like.

I've never heard of such a thing. I carried my handbag and laptop on board with me. When did these changes take place? I fly Delta and have never encountered them.

Congrats on your surgery. I told you in an earlier thread not to worry that everything would be fine, and it sounds like it is. God Bless and keep up the good work. It should be clear sailing from now on. Sounds like everything went great with your surgery.

I have a low profile port but a 10 cc Vanguard belt. I can feel the port...it is very tiny and feels like a little box. I don't think it will ever present any problems. I would definitely want the smaller port. I saw it as compared with the bigger port and there is a world of difference in both size and weight.

I'm looking forward to getting my first fill. Nothing could compare to the injection I got in my knee yesterday. Spray on stuff stunk big time and did nothing for the excruciating pain of the needle into an already sore area from surgery. My fill should be a piece of cake with my surgeon knowing exactly where he placed my port and so experienced with fills. I'll take a fill anyday compared to what I just went through.