I have contacted this doctor in TJ and he only charges $7500 for the surgery and has 12 years and 2500 bands under his belt, but I still would like to hear from someone who has been to him.

Sunshine..I guess as long as you lose weight and not gain any your ok. What doctor G has repeatedly told me is to do exercise to speed up my metabolism but boy its hard! So no trip to Vegas soon?

Gracie44 where are you from? Doctor Gonzalez is proctoring a doctor in Phoenix and they said they will probably set up a fill center there.

Lose, lose, lose!!!

CRISTENE

I had my surgery on Sept. 11. I don't feel ready for excersize beyond walking. I've been working on some walking. It seems like I feel a little better each day.

If they set up a fill center in PHX would Dr G do fills there? I'm only about 4 to 4 & 1/2 hours from PHX. WOW that would be so great.

I'm not sure he would be doing fills but I know he is teaching a doctor there about surgery and fills.

CHRISTENE

All my fills are free with Dr. Gonzales. Was hoping he'd open a fill center in PHX. I plan on going to Dr. G for my fills. I drive to tuscon and pick up a plane. It stops in PHX then on to San Diego where Laura will pick me up. So I will continue with this plan I guess.

Hey Everyone...:eek:

I don't know what my problem is, but I have gotten so ridiculously emotional the last couple of days! I'll be banded in 10 days, I am so excited, I'm happy, I feel prepared, I couldn't be more informed, I'm not having second thoughts, it's not that time of the month, and I cannot stop crying!! I don't know if I've got anxiety over this, if I'm having Last Meal Syndrome (could be part of it, starting liquid diet in 2 days) or what, but I feel like I'm just coming apart. Supposed to go to a party tonight, just a little get together with my brothers and my cousins, we're all really close, and I told them I have to work, which I don't. I just cant pull myself together long enough to hang out with family all night and I don't want to explain this to anyone yet. The only one of the group who knows is one of my brothers, and while he is completely supportive, he's a guy and doesn't get that girls can cry with no good reason at all!

Did anyone else turn into a basket case before banding??? I can't figure out if I'm sad about saying goodbye to food, about saying goodbye to the old me, if I'm afraid of a new me or what, but this is exhausting!!!!!!

Jill:faint:

Ive been having issues with family about my choice and my decision. Its been hard I got very little support because most everyone freaks out when you tell them you're getting surgery to lose weight. It will be a tough move, in my case my sister and this forum have been my salvation. For me all you mentioned has been equally hard, visualizing myself a few sizes smaller is as exciting as it is scary, just as the trip to Mexico. Goodbye to food is something I actually look forward to. I love food but I also hate it for being my Achilles heel, my worst weakness. I know the lap band will help me conquer a few of my demons and that picks me up. Many of us are in this together, cheer up cause you're not alone!

Maddy

My kids are the worst (upset over the surgery). My daughter keeps telling me about a friend who had the lapband and had a major stroke. She has the mind of a 5 yr old.After some questioning it turns out that the friend has a weak heart. Dr. G's cardiologist does an EKG. Just to make sure he also did a treadmill stress test.

Even after the surgery my daughter (who is overweight) said that all I had to do was join weight watchers, she said she did and lost 40 pounds. Then admitted that she gained the 40 pounds back. YIKES!

<p>I have been banded for eight days now. I can't hardly wait until I fill normal. I have been having pain still and I thought that it would be over by now. Although when I look at the scales it makes the pain bearable. </p> <p>I am real lucky because my family give me lots of support. I did have a really good friend who told me basically if you eat less and exercise you don't need the surgery s you can save the money. she has never had a weight problem and just didn't understand. I hope your family members come around. Good Luck</p>

Blue-eyed

Hope you are feeling better. The tears are most likely about loss and letting go of who you know yourself to be. Also if the extra fat was used for protection (in sexual abuse during childhood) then it can be about letting go of that armor of protection and getting thin 'exposed'. You probably need to talk to a therapist.

We get a great book from Dr. G on the emotional side of the surgery.

Thanks Sunshine...

I'm feeling better than I was the other day. Thankfully I don't have scary childhood traumas that I've been shielding myself from, just "fat issues" which I'm excited to get rid of, but I suppose it's just the unknown aspect of this whole thing...when will I feel better about myself, will I still be me but just healthier...

Meditation has helped a lot in the last couple of days, need to remember to load my meditation CDs onto my mp3 player to take to mexico in case I need them!!!!

I think tears are normal at this point. You are about to take on a life changing opportunity and as great as the results will be, the "getting there" part can kinda suck especially in the beginning.

It's hard, you are about to give up a good friend. food. There is no easy way to deal with that. Some have an easier time of it than others. But make no mistake, there are hard parts to this and you have clearly done your research and you know that. In some ways getting banded is like buying a really cool car and knowing you are going to be run over by that same car. But! It's the method to make you thin and healthy in the end.

You know what? The first month I was banded I saw people naming their bands and I thought that was just weird. Plain old bizarre. But I finally named my own band the first time I discovered sliming. My band's name is "Spawn of Satan" and there are days it fits.

But I can't imagine life without Spawn of Satan, as hard as it was in the beginning I'd do it all over again. To be able to walk into a room and not be the fat girl? Words can't express how that feels. To be able to be normal sized? Priceless. To buy clothes in regular stores? It's FUN! Shopping is back to being fun. Food is something I can take it or leave it. It does not control my life anymore.

Sure, there are days I hate my band. But 99% of the time I love it because it gave me my life back. Yours will too. The tears are normal, you are fine. You are feeling exactly what you are supposed to be feeling, a mix of bloody everything.

Congrats to you for making a great decision!

Also, my therapist told me that I'd have an easy time with the emotional part because I use to be normal sized (125pds) and my identity is still there. I've carried this fat around for 5 years.

I need to name my lap band. Have yet to experience slimming or PBing but sure have experienced the left side pain from eating.

Nice words Bubblebutt, very well put.

Thanks for sharing that.

Thanks Bubble, well put indeed.

Started my pre-op diet yesterday and it seems like all I can think about is food. Stuff that doesnt even sound that good but I'm obsessing over anyway, WTF is that about?!!!!! I just keep coming back here to LBT every time I start thinking about what I wish I was eating, and everyone here reminds me that I CAN do this!!

I'm from Phoenix. Do you have more info on the fill that may be available here from patients of Dr. Gonzalez? Who is Dr. Gonzalez proctoring?

Gracie