argon

Wow, it's like, even after repeating her question, people still 'go elsewhere' with their posts. Not that the emailing Don Mills thing isn't a good idea, but in Canada we DO have bands done other than Inamed/Allergan, so lots of fill Dr. would fill other kinds. (I say this assuming that what US people have said about Inamed bands being the only ones approved for use there so far is true) Yes, maybe they won't fill MX patients, and it would be good to ask, but asking Inamed isn't going to give you all the info you want. If you wanted to know the recommended Dr's who do all kinds of bands, you'd have to contact all the various companies that make them.

Oh Mookie... do a search for sliming (on this board), you'll find 5 million explanations. I haven't had quite what Baby said... it doesn't POUR out, and it doesn't come up on its own. I have to kind of burp, and sometimes what comes up is a thick clear slime. I believe it is the stomachs way of unsticking something.

Nah, that sounds totally normal. You don't WANT to have problems to know it's working! Goofball! It's 3 weeks til your fill... just hold out. Are you going to Miss. for it, or getting it there? Besides, I'd want my port as healed as possible before I have some creep 'palpitating' it. How's it feeling, can YOU push on it comfortably? How many time have you heard us saying that the first 6 weeks are about healing, not losing? DON'T worry about it! You'll start losing soon. You wanna heal now. You don't have to have a fill to start losing, it happens sometimes too. You're still not going to be able to eat as much, fill-less, as you could have prior to banding. I couldn't at least. It was way more than now, but less than before, so.... I lost before my first fill. Not much though. Just get healed! (I'm just bein' tough on you cause I know you can take it )

and really, I'm just saying this for my own benefit. Maybe someday, when I'm kidnapped, they'll be able to find this post, and know they're looking for someone wearing size 16 Old Navy jeans.

Today was horrible and good all wrapped in one. First, I can't find the jeans I want to wear. I bought 2 pairs of the EXACT same ones, a couple months ago, in an 18 and a 16. The 18's are too big, and the 16's aren't as big. I wore the 16's on monday. I wanted to wear them again today. I couldn't find them, and was a little baffled... read more later: My 'friend' is supposed to call me if she doesn't want a ride. She didn't, and I waited... then got to work, and she was there. Then right away, this guy goes around and gives people tablets who didn't have them already (wacom tablet=lets you draw 'digitally' on a pad with a special pen, and it shows up on the screen)... I'd say 75% of the people at work who have them (including me) are using their own personal HOME ones, just because there were no more floating around, and we need them. I don't think I should have to use my own personal stuff for work. We have a suggestion box, so I quickly scribbled a "I don't think we should have to use our OWN tablets.", and threw it in. (I'm sure I could have said "hey, I want one of those!", but there were only like 5 of them, and people who didn't have one at all.) Then I got a new keyboard at work. I was happy, because when we moved, I lost my old one, and the replacement's spacebar 'stuck' alll the time. I got a new one.. started using it, and it's like ALL the freakin' keys stick! Half of the letters I type don't register, because I have to type so hard, and hold it so long, that... I just don't. So.... was mad about that. Thennn... at lunch, one of the secretary's commented to another how skinny I was getting. Embarassing, but ok, nice enough. I finish all my work, almost 3 days early - good. Not that they don't just throw other stuff at me when that happens, but that's ok. Then my 'BOSS' boss walks by, does a double take, and comes back. He says "I was looking at some pictures from last picture when you first got here... you must have lost 25-30 lbs! Is that right?" I said "Last summer? Yeah that's about right." He said "Wow, everyone gains like 40lbs when they start here, what are you doing?" I said nothing special, just eating better and exercising. He congratulated me and that was that. It was ok... he was quiet about it. Around the end of the day, Loudmouth herself (but meaning well) comes over to talk to me. Asks what I do, how I'm doing it, what she should do and eat. Everyone around me is paying attention. One guy pipes in "Fish and vegetables!" I told her I just eat better, less, and exercise. No special diet. She can still have chocolate... if she likes Pasta so much, try having the whole wheat stuff at least. Then she asks how much I've lost. Already red, I say that I don't really want to share. She hassles and hassles and says "Is it that much?" I said yeah, and to come closer. I said "PLEASE don't tell people this, I just don't want everyone to know.... 99lbs so far. 55 since you've known me." "HOLY F@$&!!!" she says, very loudly. Anyways... it was just very uncomfortable. After work, heading to the gym again, because I don't want to go tomorrow, my 'friend' asks me why I didn't tell Loudmouth. Kind of stunned, I say "YOU and DAN are the ONLY ones here who know, and I want to keep it that way. I don't want people to judge me." She said "I'm sure they wouldn't, but I see what you mean." (Uhh.. ok.) What I'm thinking is WTF!? You act like its a surprise that I don't want people to know, so have YOU been telling people. GEEEEEZ. Of course I didn't say that, cause I'm gutless too. But I'm a little scared. When I told her, I told her that I was only telling her because I had to, and that was because I was staying with her at the time, and needed an explanation as to why this Dr. was calling and leaving messages for me... from Ontario. Then later I went to Canadian Tire, and exchanged something that I shouldn't have been able to (because it was more than a year old, and I didn't have the receipt anymore). They, themselves decided it was only 2 months old and gave me a new one. I was very happy, I called my dad and told him how clever I was. Back to the jeans. I finally get home and decided to find those jeans. I tear the place apart. They are NOT in my apartment. Where are my freakin jeans!? And not even the big ones!!! Since monday, I haven't been able to find this bottle of pills. Once again, tore the place apart, still nothing. I think some freak is stealing my pills, and dirty jeans. My ONE hope, is that somehow, I left them in the changing room at the gym. But I've been there twice since monday, and no ones says "Hey, did you lose some pants?". Would someone at a ladies gym steal a pair of 'tattered' looking size 16 jeans? I'm thinking not. People leave their shoes there, lockers unlocked, full of stuff... .why my jeans?! I'm a little freaked out. Tomorrow I'm rigging my door to see if someone's coming in here when I'm not home. Serious.

ooooooh, I know. It was my old yucky drivers license picture!!! Nope, never, anymore. Everyone's got 'em. *whoopeedeedoo*, right?! I'm some kind of critic?! Really, I just got sick of it. And I thought my front teeth gum line might be receding a little.

Good luck!!! If you feel like you need a little belly protection on the plane, you can just get one of those little pillows, and yeah, use the hotel one if you need that! Talk to ya on the other side!!

Laura, I have no idea. They say you should get supplemental when you're going out of country for any reason (like vacation), so I'm sure it wouldn't hurt.

Good luck, Tres!!

(I took my liquid codeine the very first night, cause I thought I needed to be knocked out. I haven't use it once since. There was no pain that was anything that couldn't be shook off. (and REALLY, the only problem was feeling like I'd had the crap kicked out of my belly.. not a 'problem', but the only bother)

Sorry Maria, that you had to experience that!! Wheezy: not really. Sometimes I can, sometimes I can't! So annoying!

No, it's not (a Protein water) I had the Stacker too...it wasn't great, but not bad. I'd rather have it than a thick protein drink! I should have tried adding crystal light. The lemonade one I got was very sour! I don't know if my Walmart has them. I found the one I got at a Shoppers' in Calgary. Honestly, the only protein I had after right after surgery was after the Clear liquids phase (a few days), and it came in the form on cottage cheese and milk!

Mookie, 20lbs on Optifast is impressive! Especially cause you're a 'lightweight'!!

Hey Cloe, I was surprised by that.. 161lbs?! She's a freakin' giant though. She's probably the equivalent of me being 120lbs!

Oh yeah, if any one is able to watch Jay Leno tonight, this guy that kinda works for us is going to be on... he's a comedian, and named Buddy Bolton. ALSO, for some reason, they are supposed to be showing a little bit of this pilot we did called "CLOE"!!! It's about a foul mouthed (REALLY) sea monster from Brooklyn, and her little friend Timmy. Let me know if you see it, I'm gonna watch too!

Oh you guys... I knew I could count on ya! Yasmina: actually, it didn't really. I've had worse. You're a freak. What made you ask that? (and how did you know?!)(I had that about 6 years ago) Cloe actually noticed the 'dent' where it used to be.. did she tell?! Do you guys talk about me?! So, I went to the gym today. Ahhhh.. I hate it. I went to bed last night at 11, but didn't fall asleep until 2:30am. It was rough. I can manage 5 hours sleep, but i HATE the not being able to fall asleep. Oh yeah, the gym... GUESS WHAT!!!!??? I RAN! I haven't run, by choice since probably 1996. I also switched my workout, so that I do my weights/abs first, and then the treadmill. I felt comfortable... no one was around to see me.. so I started running for 2 minutes.... walked for 1, ran for 1 more... then walked the rest. It's huge for me. The gym lady wanted to switch my routine, but I asked if it could wait til NEXT wednesday, when I'll be down 100lbs, and have my measurements and body fat taken that day too! (I didn't tell her about the 100lbs, but I'm dying to).

Thanks guys... I'll do it next week

You musn't (?) have crossed your fingers. Only 0.2lbs ... no goal made this month.

Ahhhh.. no. I thought when she said "post-op" she meant for the rest of your life, after surgery. But if she meant during the post-op diet, that would make more sense... because that stuff is clear... ahhh... yes, I get it now. I do have some unflavoured "Unjury" Protein powder.. I don't know if it would be clear dissolved in juice or whatever, cause I only had it in milk. They say you can put it in warm liquids like Soup or coffee.. but I've yet to try that. Anyways, yeah, ISOPURE sounds good... I just wish there was a GNC near me. Are they pre-mixed drinks? Do they TASTE like Gatorade? How pricey is pricey?

Interesting... thank you guys! I'm gonna switch it up and start hitting the treadmill AFTER everything else. I don't do it for very long anyways, so it would be best because of that, for sure.

Just so you know, there are quite a few different surgeons in Toronto and area, and I checked this out to be certain, but neither Dr. Cobourn or Mumford were trained by any Mexican Dr's... but lapband surgeons from Florida and Australia (as well as by Allergan/Inamed, the company who manufactures the bands they use).

thanks Astro. :nervous

Mookie! Get rid of that disclaimer! 20lbs lost is 20lbs lost, no matter what. If we were going like that... I wouldn't reeeeally be at 99lbs. I take what I can get! (and so should you, who cares how you got it... Optifast is more hard than anything else!)

wowee Yoda... I hope you get better soon! So, you're actually vomitting, with acid an all?! Astrotoes: I don't think they'd be more aggressive with fills just because you're flying to TO from the Maritimes. My first fill was as much as everyone gets, my last fill was the typical amount also, but ended up being a bit too much. I'd already begged Dr. Beausoleil (i'm sure you know, the moncton lapband guy) to help me out, so I couldn't go to him. That lady wasn't doing fills/defills yet, so I couldn't even go to Halifax (area) for that. It was rough. You don't want to be too tight. You'll kinda know what you need, or what seems like too much... I think. Yoda, you're not trying to eat solids, are you? I hope not!! You know you're getting rid of the tightness, take it easy on yourself until you do... you don't want them to take the whole fill out if they figure you're too irritated.

Woo Woo Maria!! Cross your fingers for me for tomorrow morning!