thea

Greetings All I think this is my first post in many years. I was curious about "slimband", emailed and then got the calls, but it feels like I'm getting a hard sell over the phone so I'm not impressed. So I approached my Dr. and she was on top of things immediately, she has already sent in the paper work and she said I'll hear from the clinic soon. If you could see Her face, it was like she was relieved for me, that i had made this decision. I live in Alberta Canada and the clinic would be in Edmonton. If I've waited this long I don't mind waiting a bit longer. I'm in no rush, over the years I've made a few bad decisions so I'm ok with taking it slow. In the meantime, I was wondering, how many different kinds of lapband devices are out there? Brand name or otherwise. and how does one find the one that seems to have the least amount of issues connected with it's life span?

Guess I'm on the Fence. So many other health issues that I need to deal with. I know I'm an emotional eater so I think that regardless, some days are better than others, I just need to stay focused. I'm diabetic as well, T2 w/ meds. With all the posts I've read of folks falling off the wagon regardless of being banded I have to stop and question myself. Is this the right path for me? Or do I just need more time with a counsellor about my emotional bagage. The band isn't a cure all, this i know, but it is a physical reminder that you can't go and eat whatever and get away with it. Likewise, being diabetic, I can either follow my diet and eat what my body can handle or eat whatever and hurt myself instead. I have a stepsister that had her stomache decreased a few years ago, she still ate as she liked and only in the last year has she even bothered trying to follow something suitable for her surgical needs. She has lost weight and I congrat her, but I've seen Her pics and she looks dead. skin eyes her body shape... she looks seriously unhealthy. I apollogize to everyone, but getting the scales out and weighting the pros and cons of just trying harder or having a band... I'm really on the fence. Possibly one reason? I would not want my family knowing I got the band. they would be all over me about the cost, what was i thinking and why didn't you just try harder and say "No". All my best to everyone Who choose this path, You are very brave. Stay strong and believe in Yourself. thank you thea2

Hello everyone, thank you for posting your beginning hopes, dreams and successes and then for some, your disappointments. I am not banded but have thought seriously about it. I've only just talked to my family Dr. yesterday. I am one of those who did something and then decided to fix it. I had a huge lower belly tattoo - hip to hip and belly button to hairline, several hours and many $$$ invested, it was ok but I wasn't inlove, it looked like a black blob in cetrtain photos. A couple years later I found a Dr. who does lazer removal. DAM !!!and double DAM!!! I thought the tattooing hurt, lazering was 4 times worse. But in the end I'm glad that I was able to fix my issue too - many sessions and $$$ and pain later. I know this has nothing to do with lapbands but it has everything to do with choices, if your lap band isn't working for you and it's putting your health at risk?, then find a Dr. who will remove it. I'm diabetic and have my blood work done every 3 months (10 vials) the full gamit, and in the last year my Dr. is blown away at how healthy I am on the inside tho I'm 100lbs overweight. Maybe?...and this is only Maybe?..we as a North American culture should stop trying to live up to the fashion media markets and maybe, just maybe look within and see if our inner health is doing fine, I'm not talking about mental health, I'm talking about blood work, a full physical, find out how healthy we are in the inside. If your insides are within the so-called healthy brackets?....then maybe we should be happy with that and move on and learn to love our outer shells even if we never become runway models. This has been something I've come to consider as a new relastionship with myself and much self-reflection, what makes me tick, why do I respond the way I do with food and life. I apollogize if I steped on anyones toes or came across as self important or what ever words that might suit. Far from it, I'm just thankful there are choices with lapbands, where as bypass and that sleeve thing are not reversable. Thank you again for your honest postings. I wish you all good health and happiness in what ever happens. As for myself I will keep trying I think the old fashioned way :shades_smile: Something to be said about a wonderful "proper portion sized" prime rib dinner. thank you again thea

Hello Pami Thanks for the info, I'll keep that inmind as well. thea

Hello everyon Thank You everyone for both voicing their fears and confidences in their own experinces of getting banded, where ever it was done, and especially driving the point home about aftercare, having that set up before you go thru with the procedure. 1) what does Dr. Ortiz (mexico) require from the patient (me) medical records? for this procedure to happen?. 2) why are so few Dr.'s trained in this feild this far out west?. SK, AB. BC? 3) how do I approach my Dr. about banding? especially when I have a Dr's name for posibble referral? I guess in my situation I want to keep it private, tell no one family or friends, unless it was/is serious. Also, for the cost? to me it doesn't matter, what does matter is my long term health and how soon I want this to happen and how to get it started. Since I live in Alberta, waiting might either be on my side or against me. BC could be handy because of a certain family member who had a bypass 12 yrs ago,(it didn't work that well for her), she and I have talked and she's supportive. Or go all out and go to Ontario... You have all given me much to consider. I will talk on Friday with my diabetic team and then a new young female Dr in my town's office on Monday. I've been watching on TLC "Big Medicine" that father/son Dr. team that does many bands and bypasses "LAP" style. I can see what its all about and feel sure of the procedure. All I need to do is decide. Nuts ...if I'm willing to get tattooed and be coloured for life then getting "banded" is also just as life changing. thank you thea

Hello everyone I'm from Alberta(jasper). I've been thinking about lap banding for a couple years. I'm 46 on wed, and diabetic(meds for now), and have tried a few fad diets for diabetics to loose the weight. They are all so unrealistic for long term lifestyle living. I'm pretending for now that I already had the surgery and I'm portion controling like hell (gained weight instead). Friends say its muscle because I'm weight training, others say maybe thyroid(will find out on fri), Simply put, I'm tired of spinning my wheels and having my whole world revolve around food portions and meals and times and what I can and can't have and.... nuts.......I'm just tired of it all. I've been heavy all my life, I may not weight as much as some but being 240lbs is hard enough to live with, it gets in the way of many things, you name it , the weight is in the way. Also I've been reading the posts about "Mexico"?, why would anyone go down there with all the scares in the media?, no disrespect here, but that scares me regardless of cost. I would need more info from people who have actually been there and experinced it. But to wait up to 3 years? in Alberta...that frustrates me even more and aggravates the diabetes. For the sake of curiousity has anyone gone to BC for this surgery? and if so whats the price and does Alberta health care help out? And how was your experince? Where was it done and who were the Dr.'s? thank you everyone thea

thank you shortgal for the direction. thea

Hello everyone, I too am thinking about it. But first have to talk to my other Doctor. As some one else here said, it seems like something is broken within too and I don't know when I've had enough. I only weight 235?. 239?, but it gets in the way of my exersize and daily living. I walk everywhere and according to my diabetic team they see my blood work (a1c from 1 yr ago - 9.6 to now 7.4) and wonder why I can't lose with such good numbers, I blame it on mind hunger. That is something I'm working on. Simply said I'm tired of feeling tired and ill from both the wrong foods and the medications. Actually I feel great if I haven't eaten for a few hours, but as soon as i do, I feel ill even when it's the proper food,,, crazy:sad:. I'll be comming here alot and reading more. in the meantime does anyone come from alberta?, do you know where / who seems to be the best Doctor out here? or should I consider outside the province? Thanks Thea