skyeblu79

Hi Brandy, I was initially going to go to MX, but I read about my surgeon (Dr. Kirshenbaum) on here. I had to fly from NC to Denver, CO, but in the end it was worth it. He's in your price range. I just weighed my options and had I not found him I'm pretty sure I would have gone to MX. Dr. K's website is Lap Band Surgery in Denver Colorado | Lap Band Surgeon in Denver | Gastric Band Surgery Denver | Bariatric Surgery and there is a huge thread in the Doctor's room. Good luck w/your decision.

Your experience sounds very close to mine. My initial fill doc always had an excuse for everything. The first time I went he said I had a seroma and to come back in 2 weeks. When I came back he tried locating the port w/an ultrasound. He kept jabbing me, no numbing or anything. Once I felt this horrible pain, I told him and he said he knew he didn't hit any organs or anything. I told me that I couldn't take that pain and to just stop. I told him something didn't feel right and the next thing I know he poked me again. That was it, I told him I was through. I called and let them know I wasn't coming back. I think a lot of his problem was inexperience. Most of the docs around here aren't that experienced w/the lap band. This set up back some time, but I finally found a good person to do my fills. The downside is I drive 6 hours instead of 20 minutes. Hopefully my next (3rd) trip will be it. I wish you luck. Numbing really does help. My initial aftercare doc didn't want to numb b/c he said it would be an extra prick, which I agreed with. The doc I go to now used a numbing agent, not a needle and you feel nothing. It is a completely different experience.

My 2 fills were both done under fluro. I went to a local doc here that used an ultrasound, not fluro. He could never find the part. He kept making excuses and I decided not to go back to him. After my initial experience, I will only use fluro.

I don't know what it was about TGIF this weekend. I PB over the chicken potstickers or was it a shrimp. I think I just didn't chew it well b/c after that I was able to eat fine. The papaya extract pills didn't help that time.

Hi Karen, I am still going to GA for fills. I am planning on going back the 1st weekend in November. LOL, I thought the Denver, NC was ironic too!! Your right, it probably isn't a coincidence. I called Fillcentersusa about the Denver, NC location and really couldn't give me much info. And from what I remember the amount for the fluro could cover my hotel and gas. Have you already been or will this be your first fill? I am so comfortable going to the doc in GA I am kind of scared to try someone new. Let me know how your experience was/or will be. This will be my 3rd fill, if this one doesn't do the trick I may have to go to Denver (NC). I had to do an upper GI to go to my first aftercare doc. I only had to pay my copay though. Do you have any insurance that will cover it? That is a huge amount to pay.

I'll try the Cran-grape next...I really like Cran-apple, but I don't think they have that one in diet.

This weekend I bought some of the Diet Oceanspray Cranberry juice. I tried it right after surgery, but forgot all about it. I drink a lot of Water and powdered drink mixes, but I want juice sometimes. Here is the link for it..... Full Line of Foodservice Products and Packaging And there is also a 50 calorie Cosmo recipe Ocean Spray Foodservice recipes If anyone knows any other good low sugar or low calorie juices, please post them.

I only eat some poultry and some seafood. I was doing this pre-band since 12/04. When I do buy meat, I usually zip lock bag it and freeze it in servings. Sometimes I cook enough for more than one meal or lunch. Sometimes I bring leftovers for coworkers to try or someone will come over. It's easy sometimes just to do a single turkey burger on the George Foreman grill. I am loving Beans more than ever now. I usually season them w/smoked turkey, onions, or add cheese...I like them kind of sweet, so I will add some splenda or zsweet. I need to try tofu. I keep buying it and letting it go old before I try to use it.

I have a Weight Watchers WW60X scale that I bought from Amazon. Here is the link... [ame=http://www.amazon.com/Weight-Watchers-WW60X-Tracking-Scale/dp/B0000AHSAA/ref=sr_1_3/002-3676832-9588020?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1191675512&sr=8-3]Amazon.com: Weight Watchers WW60X Weight Tracking Scale: Home & Garden[/ame] I love this scale. I find that it's very accurate compared to my dr's scale. I bought this scale pre-surgery mainly b/c of it's 380 lb limit..

I feel you. I don't count either. I just try not to go over 5 grams of sugar per serving.

1. I have social anxiety disorder... 2. Fear of heights in open areas...(example: I tried doing a ropes course and it didn't go very well. I love roller coasters, ok w/planes. I just don't like not having anything over me. 3. Hypocondria (sickness and pain, not really death) 4. Rodents (unless they are in a cage or pets) 5. Snakes (unless they are in a cage or pets) 6. Black Ants (in large amounts make me break out in hives)

The light n' healthy sounds good. It just has a little more sugar than I am trying to have. It sounds good for my occasional want for OJ though. I guess I am the sole diet Oceanspray liker in here, lol...I am probably just used to that diet taste cause I can't taste it. I don't drink anything w/sugar and use splenda probably 85% of the time. It's sweetened w/Splenda, so that's probably why I like it. The light is really good, but tha's probably b/c it has 5 times more sugar.

It's actually different than the light. The light has around 10-12 grams of sugar I think and the regular has approx 28 grams. This has only 2 grams per serving. I'll look out for the OJ. If you think of the brand let me know......

Congrats!!!

I am a Survivor watcher too...So far I have only seen the first episode. I will watch episode 2 today.

I have found that I really like rutabaggas....I do turnips sometimes too...I cook them either plain or somethings w/smoked turkey and it reminds me of potatoes......

I usually get mine at the Dollar Tree or Walgreen's. There they are $1 for a pack of 8 I think. They don't have "Kool-aid." They have sf Hawaiian Punch red, grape Hawaiian Punch, Wylers Lemonade, Wyler's Pink Lemonade, Wyler's Rasberry Lemonade, and Wyler's Peach tea. For some of them you can get the size that make around 2 quarts. These are the most inexpensive I have found. When I am in a rush, I will get some at Walmart or Superwalmart and they are around $2 I think. The walmart brand are $1.88.

I will be buying some pineapple juice tomorrow. Papaya tablets work for me sometimes. I would have never thought about pineapple juice though b/c drinking usually makes it worse.

Hi, if you go in the lap band support room there is a thread called Supersize bandsters. Good luck w/your decision.

I had no complications @ all. I'm sure you will have a great surgery.

I don't have a rule...I was watching Dr. Ian on Tyra recently and his advice is don't eat w/in 1 1/2 hours of going to bed. They even tested a girl over a period of time and she didn't gain any weight changing her eating to 1 1/2 hours before bed.

I have a Hamilton Beach blender that I got from Target. It's great for everything and can even make smoothies. It's great and crushes ice really good.

Your experience sounds sort of like mine. I had my surgery in CO and I live in NC. I found a doc here before surgery to do my fills. He could never locate my port. He didn't numb or anything. The first time he said it was due to my seroma and then the next time he really didn't know what to say. Finally a fillcenter came close enough for me to drive too. I drive 6 hours which is far for me, but I have turned them into minivacations. They use fluro and get it in no time. I would have suggested to try another doc, but you already have. I hate you are going through this. I know how it feels when you want a fill. It took me over 5 months to get my first fill. It sounds like this new doc is trying to make some extra cash. I don't understand why he'd suggest doing the sleeve now when you were just banded. What does he mean by carving off extra fat?? And just to make sure they used fluro and still couldn't get it. Are there any other docs nearby? Or have you considered a fillcenter location? Oh, and you are doing really great to have had no fill...Good luck w/this!!!

Great. Thanks!!

I was disappointed it came down to the Donoto's, but I thought Dick deserved it more than Danielle. I was glad Danielle didn't get it...... Well about 9-10 month before the next show......