Ok since we have some many people join the group I thought it would a good thing to start a little intro thread. Just to introduce yourself and get to know the others....Plus it helps me keep up w/ everyone. I have such a bad memory.

Ok so here goes:

I am Kim - wife to Mike for almost 7 years and mother to Curtis for 3 years. We live in Concord. I actually work for my surgeon now started in March. Before that I was in accounting @ Wachovia.

My weight...well the stats are below and I have been big my whole life. It's Mike and Curtis that made me see I wanted be along to see my kids get grow up. I wanted to be here w/ Mike to help w/ the kid(s). So the band is the best thing that that I have ever done and I would do it over and over and over again.

Ok so that is me in a nut shell....

Hi Lyn,

Is Dr. Bauman in Asheville or is he in Charlotte? I looked in the phone book and couldn't find him.

If you are planning to go to the Mission meeting next week you need to register 828-213-4100 or email Eric cfoejh@msj.org to let them know you are coming. I won't get to this one as I will be in MX getting banded. This time next week it will all be over. Yippee But hopefully will be at the one in October.

Allison

Dr B is in Charlotte

Allison....I had my band done by Dr. Bradshaw (another Dr. B, I guess)

I'll be at the next Asheville support meeting for sure and I'll be thinking of you! Good luck!

Lyn

Dr. Bauman is in Concord, right outside of Charlotte. I am going down there because Dr. Bradshaw and his group won't even meet with me at my current weight! I went to my first info session at Mission and was told I was too fat for weight loss surgery. I was devastated! It has taken me over a year to get back in it and realize that I could find a doctor fairly nearby who would operate on me. I'm "only" 440. I have read about people who are 500 and 600 lbs getting banded so I know there's no way 440 is "too fat". I started doing the research and found that most other surgeons don't have such arbitrary guidelines. I chose Dr. Bauman after reading all the positive comments on him both here and on the OH site. Anyway, it's nice to finally have some Western North Carolinians on here!

BTW, why do you have to register to attend a meeting? I often don't know until the last minute what's going to happen at work so I might make one last minute. Is that not possible? Just wondering because if you absolutely have to register, I'll probably never get to one! Seems kinda silly to me anyway to have to register for a support group, but then again it is Mission! Go figure! Anyway, I've been rambling on long enough. It's great seeing everyone on here and I can't wait to meet you all sometime!

Tonya, here's a thread that might interest you. You may have already seen it, and I'm not sure what your BMI is, but I'm betting it's good reading anyway. Rock on, girl!

http://www.lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=16168

I might give Dr. Bradshaw a call today and see if he will take a patient who has been banded elsewhere. Seeing as this is faily new to Asheville ...he may or may not be open.

Dont forget to register with Eric for the mission thingy. I'll see you next month.

Allison

Hi

My name is Hope. Just starting to look at the Lap band. Having the gastric bypass is a little scarry to me. I live in Charlotte, NC I have been to one seminar at Presbyterian Hospital. I am shopping around for a Surgeon. I have 2 more seminars to go to one at cmc mercy hospital and one at Southeast Bariatric both are in Charlotte.

I am on my journey and I would like to connect with all bansters for support, encourage, critisims. Thanks:nervous

Hello,

There is a wonderful support group of ladies that meet once a month in Charlotte. I live in the Raleigh area, so I don't get out your way. Check out the North Carolina forum and you will hear all about them. I think you would enjoy getting to know them. They always sound like they are having a party. Of course, we would all be glad to help and encourage you along your path. It's good to research and read. Many on the web site can tell you about the various doctors in the areas. Just fill free to post any questions. Make sure you look at the site that tells you about pre-op preparation and your needs. Also there is a wonderful list of post op information, as well. You can also find information on questions you should ask your doctor. These are all found right on lap band support site menu. Read, read, read, then the decision will inevitably be up to you.

My weight has been very slow losing. I had a slight complication after surgery, but nothing major. I am doing well with the band. I have been banded since July and lost 32 pounds, however the holidays are killing me. It's important you feel confident in your doctor and you take the time to investigate. I changed my first doctor and moved on to the one that completed my tests and the surgery. You can ask about doctors on the web site, and many times some one will have known the doctor or can suggest doctors in your area.

Hang in there it's a lot of paper work and tests before you get to that point of surgery. You can do this, I am not one who jumps into these kind of things and I feel this was the best choice and safest for me.

Good Luck

Vickie

Welcome Hope!!!!

Hope you can make it to our Jan meeting...I think it's the 6th at Ruby Tuesday's off Arrowood and 77 at 11:30.

You can ask as many questions as you want. We always have a great time.

(Vickie hope you are doing good. Haven't heard much from you.)

Join us at band2gether.net - we are still crazy and chatty as always.

I live in Cary, NC. I am planning on flying to Dallas to get banded but after reading about fills etc I am thinking that probably I need to get a Dr. in NC.

Any suggestions of doctors and/or about going to Dallas, TX?

Thanks

Hello, I thought I had posted in here when I first joined the board, but I guess not. I currently live in Durham, NC. I am planning on going to CO to get banded hopefully in February. I spoke w/my general doctor yesterday and she basically said that she would not advise going to CO & that she would question any doctor that would do surgery on someone and not handle their aftercare. I have found several options here for aftercare. Everyone is sooo expensive though. I am really thinking of flying back and forth to Denver for fills. I would probably cost me $250 or less to fly there and get the fill. I guess I will just find a doctor here in the event that I need to see someone right away. Now I am more confused than ever. I asked my general doctor if she would be able to tke my stitches out after surgery and she just gave me a strange look & asked why my doctor wasn't doing it. So, now I still need someone to take the stitches out....

If anyone can advise any less expensive doctors within 200 miles of Durham, I would really appreciate it. The rates I have gotten so far have been $500 initial visit & $300 thereafter or $500 initial visit & $1,000 for the whole year. I forgot to even ask if it was under fluro or not.....

Dr Roc Bauman in Concord may be able to help. I dont have his number with me right now, but if you type his name in Google, he comes up. Carolina Weight loss Surgery Center.

I am Luciana (Italian name) and I live in Cary,NC. I have been through almost every exam to be released for surgery and I have been panicking about the post-op. I am 34, 5'2" and about 185- 195 lbs ( varies) and I need to loose about 70 lbs. I feel very miserable being overweight but fear vomiting and choking on food during the post-op. I have read about people gettting food stuck on the band and having horrible feelings. Does that really happen often? If it does, is it really a choking sensation? I fear I am stopping myself from making a wise decision because of people reporting over-reacting episodes.

Did anyone experience depression after the surgery?

Luciana

You can get stuck and there is a whole new method to eating that you will have to adapt. I have gotten sorta stuck a few times by my own fault, not chewing, eating too fast. It does not happen often(4 times since August, wehn I was banded) Not a really choking sensation, more like a bizarre pressure. If its really stuck you can "pb" which is a productive burp which I have not had. thankfully.

Remember, this is a support board, and mostly (99%) of the people who are here are new or have some kind of problem that they need help with.

So you will see a lot of doom and gloom. Espcially from some certain memebers on this board who feel that it is thier god given right to bash the band since they had problems.

There are some helpful threads on here. But most of the NC group are on band2gether.net.

We watch this thread to see if anyone posts. But most of us dont post on this board anymore.

I moved back to Greensboro NC a year ago from Seattle Washington. I enjoy the sunshine and beautiful piedmont landscape, but i miss my lapband support group and clinic in the Northwest. Are there any LapBand support groups in central Carolina?

I am Mom to 4 grown kids (3 boys and a girl), a retired nurse practitioner, and i moved back here after a divorce to help out my aging parents. All four kids were home for the holidays which was wonderful. One of my Christmas presents was Molly the dog, a Bassett- Dashud mix rescued from shelter.

I have had trouble with my weight since moving back to the south....damn that country ham and biscuits!!! :hungry: I've started moving more - walking, biking, kayaking and enjoy being outdoors on nice days. Hope to correspond and or meet with some of you soon.

Linda M

56 y/o

325 - 315 banded 11/06 - reached 268 before move - now 278....