So I had my first fill done yesterday, and it all went pretty well. I am now have 4cc on board and feel pretty good.

They also do a crude body analysis with one of those Tanita body fat scales which gave me a print out of my lean body mass, fat mass, and non-fat mass. I know they are all crude measurements, but interesting none the less. Gives me some points to work from.

No PBs, sliming or other problems to report. I can feel it in there now, and I am definately feeling fuller than I was before 2:00 yesterday.

What was even better is the Dr. only had to stab me twice. All in all it was alot easier than I thought it was going to be.

Andrew

I cannot wait to get my first fill!!!!!! Unfortunately I couldn't get an appt till Apr.3 so I still have to tuff it out a little longer. I'm trying my best to not let old habits surface but it is taking a whole lot of strength I am soon to run out of.

Dr. Botha in Calgary is doing my fills. He is good except I was a little ticked off. My appt was at 12:30, I was about 10 min early. Waited until about 1:00, then the 12:00 appointment came in for a cirumsicion.

I am like what the F? I was early, they were late and a circ takes way longer than my fill. The receptionist said "well sometimes the fills can take 10min or 2 hours, 2 hours, come on. So I finally got on the table at 1:30.

I picked his brain about the state of banding in Alberta, lets just say I am glad I did not wait.

Oh yah, I did not really have an option for the freezing he just gave it to me, and yes for the record I am a wimp.

I am liking the new restriction I have, although I am sure it is not full by any amount. Still, I am losing well, and now I dont feel hungry so I will work with it as long as I can.

Andrew

Don't worry about how tight you are if your still losing. THats's the main thing. I hate it when I hear that some people lose weight by just having the band in, like a mental thing or something. I am not that lucky. My band has to remind me every day that it's there.:phanvan

I am like what the F? I was early, they were late and a circ takes way longer than my fill. The receptionist said "well sometimes the fills can take 10min or 2 hours, 2 hours, come on. So I finally got on the table at 1:30.

Andrew

Holy Cow 2hrs!!!! I won't be going there anytime soon.

Okay....so yeah, one of my fills did take over 2 hrs (ie. her trying over and over and over)!!! This is before they decided that fluro would be best for me! LOL (although, for the record, I can now have them NOT by fluro!).

But really, mine was a unique circumstance and for her to have said it can take 2 hrs is ABSOBLOODYLUTELY ridiculous!!!

As for the wait time....ya it sucks...but really....that is the norm here in Ontario anyways....I NEVER expect to be taken into a medical appt on time. I just bring a book and mentally prepare myself to wait; if I am on time...it is just a bonus!

Hi Andrew - just curious... what did the doc tell you about wait times in AB? Did he give any specifics?

Hi Andrew - just curious... what did the doc tell you about wait times in AB? Did he give any specifics?

I was picking his brain about that while I was there, adn it does not look good of you are waiting.

He told me that there are 3 surgeons doing them in the province, and they are allowed to do 6, yes SIX per year each. In terms of wait times he said that the waint list is about 3 years right now, and I am presuming that is after you have had your initial consult with the weight management clinic.

Needless to say that I am glad that I did not wait.

Andrew

I was picking his bain about that while I was there, adn it does not look good of you are waiting.

He told me that there are 3 surgeons doing them in the province, and they are allowed to do 6, yes SIX per year each. In terms of wait times he said that the waint list is about 3 years right now, and I am presuming that is after you have had your initial consult with the weight management clinic.

Needless to say that I am glad that I did not wait.

Andrew

Wow, six per year! It should be about the year 2090 when I get a call from them! I'm glad I decided not to wait also!!

I now have 6.0ml in a VG band and still very minimal restriciton. It is encouraging to hear that the fills are working for many of you. As for my fills, they now give me a local anasthetic (sp?) so I dont feel a thing. Before it was pretty miserable with 9 sticks to get it. Not to gross anyone out, but my last fill, he extracted a syringe and a half full of puss from a fluid pocket near my port. They say it is not infectious and is because of a hematoma from the port. After he withdrew the puss, he was able to find the port to do the fill. Thank god, I was numb and didnt feel it!!

Gaffer and JLB - are you sure they are talking about lap band, because here in Ontario it is not covered by OHIP. The rny is covered and that one you have to wait for and the DR's can only do so many per year. Am I to understand that Alberta will eventually cover lap band?

Yes, they definitely are covering it in Alberta. But they do very few a year. I think it's still in the 'experiemental' stages, so hopefully once thats over, they'll up the amount they do a year... hopefully.

Wow that is great. It is not even considered here in Ontario.:cry

Gaffer and JLB - are you sure they are talking about lap band, because here in Ontario it is not covered by OHIP. The rny is covered and that one you have to wait for and the DR's can only do so many per year. Am I to understand that Alberta will eventually cover lap band?

Just because it is not covered in Ontario, does not mean that applies in Alberta. It is also partially covered in New Brunswick (I think). In Canada health care is the domain if the provinces and they decide what to cover.

Alberta does currently cover lapbands, although it is very limited right now. There are 3 surgeons who are each allowed to do 6 per year. I was on that waiting list, but did not want to wait the 3-5 years. Dr. Coburn told me personally that he trained some of the surgeons here in Calgary to do them.

By the way, I am never mistaken.

Andrew

Yes, they definitely are covering it in Alberta. But they do very few a year. I think it's still in the 'experiemental' stages, so hopefully once thats over, they'll up the amount they do a year... hopefully.

I am not too hopeful about it making it out of the "experimental" stages here in Alberta. My fill Dr. is involved with the Weight Management Clinic at the University of Calgary, which is where one has to go into a supervised program prior to being put on the wait list.

From what I gathered it does not sound like there are any plans to increase the number of surgeries in the near future. He was somewhat critical of that, and I cant say I blame him. We are a province that is rolling in money right now, $8 billion in surplus. What would it take to shake off a couple of million for lapbands. In the long run it would save the health system way more money.

Oh oh, I feel like going on a crusade, who's with me. I have really thought about making a big deal out of this and trying to get help for more people. I dont think that I would have a hard time convincing some of my friends in the media to take up a cause like this. But right now it is all about me getting to where I need to be.

Andrew

Gaffer I can't remember what site I was on but there was a petition that you could add your name to asking for exactly that. They want lap bands covered by OHIP as well as the rny. I think the petition was for Ontario only though. I did sign it. I'm with you on the cause, however, I will probably already self paid waayyyy before then!