Windus

My doctor was Dr. Sergio Verbooten in Cancun. I don't know about your insurance, you would need to check with your insurance company. Make sure you google the doctors name and make sure there are not a lot of complaints.

My doctor put me on meloxicam (generic called mobic) after I blew out my arthritic knee trying to do the Couch to 5K program - bad mistake! But then I "gained" 12 lbs in 4 days! :drool::wub::eek::cursing::smile: Talk about having a heart attack on the scale. I was going nuts until I talked with my band doctor and she asked if I was taking any prescriptions and told me that was what was doing it. Needless to say those pills went directly into the trash - I worked way too hard to lose those 12 lbs - I would rather have a sore knee than such a huge gain showing on my scale! Thankfully now after 3 days off of them 9 lbs has disappeared as quickly as they appeared but I won't be happy again until my scale is below where it was before I took the first pill!! Anyone else had a prescription drug cause them to gain weight?

I went to Dr. Verbooten at Galenia Hospital in Cancun. Everything was arranged through International Patient Facilitators. The surgery was $5900. I spent just under $7000 total with airfare and hotel and, of course, shopping as I went several days early and had a vacation prior to the surgery. I spent a day out on a catamaran, another out on a reef snorkeling and another swimming with dolphins, seals and manatees. It was totally awesome. I go to Weight Loss Surgical Center in Kansas City for fills. I paid $1000 for unlimited fills with fluoroscopy for 6 months. I can go in every two weeks if I want to for fills and unfills if needed. So all total with trip to MX, vacation and fills for 6 months around $8000

I have had 3 fills so far and it has always been one stick. With the fluoro they can see exactly where it is so there is no reason for more than one. I would be scared with multiple pokes that they miss the port and poke a hole in the tubing. The day I had my surgery (in Mexico) there were two people there having their port tubing replaced after doctors in the US had damaged them while doing blind fills. My surgeon was very adamant that I only have filles with fluoro and I wholeheartedly agree.

No clue, mine is only concerned with portion size - no calorie counting at all.

I was self pay also. However I went to Mexico and paid a whole lot less and got a vacation to boot! Would do it again in a nanosecond. :tt2:

Tonight I had the most awesome meatball sandwich! Baked the meatballs on a broiler pan so the grease fell to the bottom. Then toasted a "thin" whole wheat bun, put on a few meatballs, some mozzarella and Parmesan cheese and it was great! Tasted like a subway meatball sandwich but a lot less calories!

I can't stand the heat either - I usually don't go out to do my 3 miles until after 11 pm. Otherwise I just cannot stand it!

Tonight is night #2 for C25K - I was a good girl and rested for a day like it says to do. I felt like I was slacking off as I had gotten used to my 3 mile walk every night!

For 8 whole minutes! I started the Couch to 5k program last night and the first week is run for 1 minute and then walk for 90 seconds then run again for 8 repetitions. Now most people would not be real impressed with 8 minutes but I think those on here will know what a big deal that can be. I probably have not run for 8 minutes total in the last 10 years. I am not sure I will be able to do this whole program due to severe arthritis in my right knee but with the help of my Flex Products and a knee brace I am going to give it one hell of a shot!

Which is exactly why she said what she said. She can see you are having success and is jealous and wanted to take a jab at you! Personally I would have said - From what I can see I will be seeing success much faster than you are!

I am right there with you. If people want to turn this into a diet and a part time job I say let them go right ahead. Whatever works for them is up to them and fine by me. That is their journey and this is mine. I chose to turn it into a lifestyle for the rest of my life and intend to have a few pieces of cake, a few french fries and whatever else I want along the way. Today I had half a small sleeve of McDonalds fries and they were yummy! I did not eat them all because I got full and they got cold as I ate them slowly and chewed them to smithereens. Now the old me would have eaten the entire extra large size along with a Big Mac! I am not crying over it, guilty, feeling like a failure or any of the other multitude of emotions that I see posted by people on these threads when they think they "cheated". Maybe it might take me a little longer if I don't count every morsel but that is ok - this is about a lifetime - not a number on a scale. I don't need to add any unnecessary stress to my life. My choice is everything in moderation but no obsessing over anything. Been there, done that and had to get banded due to all that great "dieting" I have done over the years - no thank you!

Thanks everyone! I can definitely feel the running today but am going to follow the C25K instructions and do the one day on one day off routine. I do plan to continue to do my 45 mins of toning exercises in the pool every night as I am bond and determined to do everything I can to fight a good fight against saggy skin and bat wings! I would love to hear how others are doing with C25K - maybe we should keep this thread going to post our successes - and any "failures" though I don't like that word!

Where do you buy this Syntrax nectar? I LOVE fuzzy navels so I want to try it. Also where on the Whey Protein Bullets?

I think the florouscopy is best for many reasons. One big one is I have never been poked with the needle more than once as they can see exactly where the port is. Along with that I don't have to worry about them missing the port and poking a hole in the tubing. The day I had my surgery the people before and after me were both there getting repairs after fill doctors in the US damaged their tubing doing blind fills. My surgeon told me probably 10 times that day - no blind fills! Plus it is way cool to watch live on the screen when you swallow the barium and see it go down and hit your band and you can see for yourself how much restriction you are getting.

I am not a breakfast person, never have been. It takes me at least 3 hours before I want to eat anything when I wake up. However my Dr said to drink a protein shake shortly after I get up to kick start the metabolism for the day. I have to say that since doing this I have been losing weight very steadily and it has helped a lot with getting stuck on the first meal of the day as I was experiencing. Of course getting another fill may have had something to do with that as well!

IMO that is way too low calories. Your body goes into starvation mode if you don't get enough calories and starts cannibalizing your muscle mass and holding onto the fat. You need the muscle to fuel your metabolism. Personally I think no carbs is not healthy for you either and really, I would not want to live in a world where I could not have a hot slice of freshly baked wheat bread once in awhile.

I craved cashews! It was really bad for about a month after surgery. I still do a couple of times a month and instead of making a big issue I just go to QuikTrip and buy one of those 99 cent sleeves of them and enjoy them. After you are on real foods there is nothing wrong with a little treat now and then!

On this one I tell. The reason being is there are a lot of men out there who are "chubby chasers" and you need to know right up front if the person you are going to date is one. You don't want to waste your time on someone who is going to be trying to sabotage you. I have a online dating ad and I put it right on there - "recently had weight loss surgery so if you are only looking for BBWs please move on as I won't be one for much longer!"

There are more than 2 sizes of lapbands. Mine only holds 4ccs. I am at 2.3 in it right now and may be at restriction - I have not decided yet lol.

You are the only one who can change your attitude and your attitude will define how successful you are. If you want to be successful then do it - call your doctor today, go and get a fill ASAP. Tonight, put on your tennis shoes and go for a walk. Exercise is great for boosting your morale. You get to choose if you are going to change your life - what choice do you make?

My question would be why you would consider marrying someone who would try to control you in such a way. A man who tries to cut you off from any support is often a man that will become physically abusive. Since he is already being emotionally abusive that is a very short leap to physical abuse. Personally I would be running in the other direction, fast!

No, but that is a question I would be asking.

I went to Mexico too and had a great experience. I went to Cancun and went several days early so that I could have a great vacation. I have no complaints about the surgery there and the hospital room was like a 5 Star hotel. I too got my box and documentation along with serial # of my Allergan band and have registered it with them and gotten the WLS card with no issues. My fill doctor has twice complimented the placement of both my band and port and even asked for the contact info for my Mexican doctor to pass on to patients who cannot afford to pay for it in the US

I felt the same way and even started this same thread a few weeks ago. Everyone told me when I got to sufficient restriction with my band that I would no longer be able to drink while I ate. I thought they were nuts but have found they were absolutely correct. Now if I take a drink while eating or without waiting after I eat I immediately get either a very heavy pain in my chest or immediately it comes back up. I don't have to watch the clock to know when I can drink again. I don't really know how to explain it but I can feel a "weight" lift after the food has moved sufficiently.