kamicola

All I know is about the 4cc band.... you don't get filled until about 6 weeks, as your stoma and stitches need that time to heal properly. Which doctor are you going to? I have been pretty informed by my patient facilitator throughout my whole process so far, won't be banded until 5/27/08, but so looking forward to it. We have a local fill center 15-20 minutes from our home that we are planning on using and have heard really great things about them!

I have not been banded yet, but will be with my husband and both parents at the end of May by Dr. Kuri... I am so convinced that he is the doctor for me... I have met many who have been to him for their surgery and I think he would be an excellent choice... it sounds as if there are several very good surgeons in Mexico... I know Hospital Angeles has a very good reputation! I am happy with my choice, just choose the one that is highly recommended (you have a few choices) and also the one that offers the best deal and is most convenient for you of the best doctors. Kammi in Everett, WA

I haven't been banded yet... I am in my 30s.... I have met a lot of banded people and believe it or not, it often is not how old you are that ends you up with sagging skin or not... depends on your genes and how your body is built.... I have slightly hanging skin since I was a teenager so I know I will most likely need to deal with it... depends though... I really don't know the outcome.... and I know those in their 60s that had this surgery and were quite large and did not have a lot of sagging skin... at least not enough to justify a TT.... anyhow.. hope this helps. Kammi in Everett, WA

I also will be a self-pay.... my insurance won't budge, so I won't either in my decision to get banded on 5/27/08 in Mexico with Dr. Kuri.... $7500 and then I have a fill clinic 20 minutes from my home and they are $150 for the first fill (free unfills) and $125 for fills after that.... $300 for a fluroscope if I need it. No regrets.... my parents and my husband are getting it done at the same time... my parents are paying for it and I will make monthly payments back to them for my husband and I. Good luck! Kammi in Everett, WA

I think a good chewable multi-vitamin is best anyhow... the liquid ones can also irritate the stomach more so.... Kammi in Everett, WA soon to be banded 5/27/08

Got it!... Just one question though.... when I go back to Ticker page how do I get the ones I configured? Right now they are just reduced at the bottom of my page...

I am trying this ticker thingy.... I'll see if it works... Kammi

You might want to think about things seriously.... and make your comittment now... if you cheated a little when it was easy, I hope you don't choose that when it is more difficult.. I am not ridiculing, but be careful with yourself and this life changing surgery. Kammi in Everett, WA soon to be banded 5/27/08 Dr. Kuri - Mexico

My understanding is that it depends on your BMI... if you are over like a 47 or 48 then you need to do the liver shrinking diet.... if you are lower than that, it could actually be the wrong thing to do the LSD.... did your doctor tell you that you needed to shrink your liver? 1-2 weeks is all you need of the LSD if your BMI is high.... if you need the specific diet, I can email you the one recommended from my doctor... however it is not a recommendation from me, just passing on what I will be doing prior to surgery. Send me a private message if you would like me to send you the diet... Kammi in Everett, WA soon to be banded 5/27/08 Dr. Kuri - Mexico

I actually use Xylitol... it's a sugar alcohol, but tastes exactly like sugar and has the same granulated effect... dissolves great too and you can you it same as sugar in baking... I am a health nut, hate eating chemicals like splenda and know that regular sugar is one of the worse things in the world you can put in your body... Do a search on Xylitol on Google and you will find out all the great things about it... it is a natural sugar alcohol derived from various sources and has little effect on your blood sugar... it is also being put in gum and candy now because it is so good for your teeth! It also is good for children to consume since it helps keep them free and clear of ear infections..... tons of great stuff on it... try it, you will love it! Kammi in Everett, WA soon to be banded 5/27/08 Dr. Kuri - Mexico

Sufina, This place I am finding (in the whole two days that I have been on it) will be great support.... my skinny friends don't want to sit around and talk about this stuff with me... they are supportive and will listen, but it is not their life and they can't quite connect.... all of us can.... no matter how overweight we are when we are starting this journey or how fat we have all been at our heaviest.... we have feelings and experiences around our weight and only those that have been though it, can understand. I am still learning how to manuver through this site, but plan on being a part of for my own support and offering it to others as well... I can't promise consistency or every dayness.... but I will be here when I can. Thank you all for helping us all through this! Kammi in Everett, WA soon to be banded 5/27/08 Dr. Kuri - Mexico

I will be banded on May 27, 2008 by Dr. Kuri in Mexico. My husband and both of my parents will be banded at the same time. My starting weight is 335 and my BMI is 52. I am looking forward to being reborn! I have had the surgery scheduled for about a month, so I have spent a lot of time learning about what my life will be like and am starting to more seriously put some of the behaviors in place that I will need for the rest of my life to be successful. I am hopeful that with my hard work and the help of the band, I will be much healthier than I am now and can do so many things that I have never been able to do. I have a 5 year old daughter who deserves to have a happy and healthy mom... I deserve that too! Kammi in Everett, WA soon to be banded 5/27/08 335

That's funny.... my parents knew what was happening.... but back in 1996 the world was stunned by situations like this.... now it is so common... I tell people now and most have a story to share about someone else they know who met that way as well. I didn't like bars... so that was the next best thing I suppose! Kammi in Everett, WA soon to be banded 5/27/08 Dr. Kuri

Thanks, got it, now I am really up and running! Kammi

Hi everyone, My name is Kammi and I am in Everett, WA, just south of Seattle. I will be banded on May 27, 2008 by Dr. Kuri in Mexico, I am so excited! I have had a lifelong battle with my weight since about 3 years old. I could never do all the things my friends could, was always embarrassed in swim suits (and I loved to swim!), dealt with rude remarks and being shunned at times, never finding clothes that fit right, not having a boyfriend until after college, blah blah blah. However, in March of 1996 I met my now husband Tom. He is wonderful, even though I complain, he is really great! We actually met on AOL in a chat room for Portland, OR as he lived down there and I lived up here. We met in person a few days later and 28 days after that he proposed. We were engaged for a year and a half and were married the following August. Had a beautiful wedding, although I was so FAT in my dress! He thought I was beautiful anyhow. We tried to get pregnant for many years with no avail. In January 2002, our New Years Resolution was to eat right and work on our weight, as it is with so many people. We went on the low carb, high Protein diet and our blood sugars dropped in like two days. We lost 10 pounds like in the first week. Within a month, as a complete SHOCK, I was pregnant! I had a literall perfect pregnancy, no morning sickness, no complications, didn't have to take insulin, only remained on my low dose of medication and on November 16, 2002 my daughter Rylynn was born perfect! I had continued to lose weight during my pregnancy due to the fact that I watched everything that went in my mouth, never had sugar, no caffeine, etc... THEN.... after I was done breast feeding, only a month.... I went bizzerk! I had to have chocolate and everything under the sun that I went without for almost a year! The weight starting coming back of course and I couldn't get back on track with the high protein low carb kick. I regained the 55 pounds I had lost plus another 10 pounds! Now after 5ish years of continuing to be at that weight and feeling pretty lousy physically, I started to think about weight loss surgery to assist in my Quest for losing weight to be healthy for my daughter and for myself! I want to have another child and I am about to turn 37, so I knew now was the time to have it done, make a life long committment for now possibly two children and myself and my family... so I hope before I am 40 I will have another baby, I know now that it's possible. I am a natural health nut and have done so much reading and research on nutrition, but just couldn't apply it to myself consistently. Recently, I have been doing some spiritual growing (not religious) and know this is my path to go down and I will be successful! My husband and parents who also have significant weight issues as well are going down this path with me and we are all being banded at the end of May. I look forward to my journey and future good health and exciting life because of it!

Yeah.... you will have to tell me how it went! By the way, how do I keep track of all the posts I am doing, I am new to this board and having a hard time keeping track of where I responded .... HELP! Kammi in Everett, WA

Hey May 28 is my birthday! Kammi in Everett, WA soon to be banded 5/27/08

Hi, I am scheduled with Dr. Kuri on May 27 with my husband and my parents are scheduled for May 29.... I am new to this board, how do you find answers to your posts without going back through and searching for the posts that you responded to? HELP!!!! Kammi in Everett, WA

Where are you going in Mexico, I am going to Dr. Kuri and will be banded with my husband on 5/27/08, just before you! Kammi in Everett, WA

Where are you going in Mexico?

oh got it! Good luck to you my dear! Kammi

Where at in WA are you... I am in Everett. Kammi in Everett,WA soon to be banded 5/27/08 Dr. Kuri

I am not banded yet either. We (my husband, parents and I) started out at a seminar at the NWWLS (as we live in Everett) for really our initial information. We continued to do research and decided to go to Dr. Kuri in Mexico as he had more experience for longer and it was a third of the price. I do know that people I have talked to that had it done there were happy, but I just could not spend that price for all four of us (we are all being banded at the end of May). We are happy with our decision to go to Dr. Kuri, his philosophy matches ours more closely that US doctors.... if insurance would have covered it, as I am assuming yours does, we may have gone to NWWLS. Good luck to you... if you need any additional information let me know! If you live in the area and want to keep in touch for support, I would love that too! Kammi in Everett, WA soon to be banded 5/27/08

I don't know if the facility where you are having it done has free fills or not, but that might be an addition that you might not be expecting... if you are getting it done out of the country like me, I have to take that into consideration in addition to the $7500 for the surgery itself. Just thought I would pose that situation to you, but I am sure you thought of it already. Kammi in Everett, WA soon to be banded 5/27/08

We have an Everett support group that we started last night... you probably already belong to one, but we will be meeting on the first and third Thursdays of the month... let me know by personal email if you would like to be on the mailing list. Kammi in Everett, kamicola@yahoo.com