Paula Bee

Yay for you! :lb16: :lb13:

We cannot wait with you! Ack! Did that come out right? :scratch_one-s_head: LOL Welcome to our group

Thank you both for your encouragement. It means a lot to me. With gratitude...

You know, I guess part of my disappointment is because I know that Dr. Romero is more aggressive about fills than Dr. Acosta. I almost called the clinic late that afternoon to see if he would double check.. but I didn't. It is expensive and exhausting for me to make the trip, (I am on disibility, and short on funds and energy,) and I don't want to make it again any sooner than need be. You know, the fills are such an emotional part of the whole process. You get your surgery, and nothing happens while your stomach is healing, then you get your first fill, all excited and full of anticipation, and it is supposed to be the first real physical awareness of your new change in your diet and life. What a let-down when your fill isn't enough and you have to wait for another month or two and still feel like you did before surgery. In my world, that is several months of additional knee pain, high blood pressure, sleep apnea, and other things that will be improved when I begin to lose weight with the fills. Okay, I am anticipating the worse.. but my personal experience has been expect the worse and be surprised if it doesn't happen. Not the way I want it to be, just the way it has worked out. Sorry, I am just worried and scared and broke and still in jet lag.. Thank you for letting me vent.

Hey, Doolittle... You really did make me feel better.. (I got 1.1cc and cried over it for two nights.) I still am not happy about it, but you have made me feel like everything will be alright. Now, if I can just afford the flights for the other fills... but that is for another day.

That is how I felt.. only I was to the 2nd hook. I will be sooo happy when I get to the smallest one. Congratulations!!!

This poem describes my life since age fifteen. Thank you.

Nobody brought this up, but the surgery itself is so non-invasive and physically traumatic that I don't think your hubby needs to go except to settle his own nerves. Lots of women go by themselves and have a great time. Also, flying takes a LOT of time considering the time you have to arrive to check in and go through security, layovers, etc. It may be just as long as the car ride. Just some thoughts to share.

Whatever scale you have, keep it OUT of the bathroom and use only on a hard floor. The humidity in the bathroom will ruin the scale and through the settings off. All of this is in the directions, which I only read because I needed to figure out how to change the battery in mine. Mine is now in the breakfast area, on a low book shelf. It is very accurate.

I agree with everything said so far. You are in Southern California... there would no question for me. Dr. Ortiz would be my only choice. Lapband seems to be the best choice for you, in my opinion. Good luck with your choice.

I was worried, too, and when I weighed, I weighed 4 pounds LESS than my home scale. (I have the glass weight watcher's scale.) Just depends on your scale.

I think I may try the St. Petersville fill center before I go back to TJ. I still am not happy about the 1.1 fill, but I will give it a few weeks. Not only that, but my husband thought they would be more agressive based on what Dr. Ortiz himself told us during the surgery. He is NOT pleased about the $500+ and the round trip flights that end up being nearly 11 hours each way counting airport time and security time. The first trip to St. Pete might be just as expensive as the trip and fill in TJ, but every other trip would be somewhat cheaper and half the time. (I think.. I am not sure how far St. Pete is from Jacksonville.) We would probably stay the night there to make sure that the fill was not too tight, but it sounds like a reasonable idea. I am soooooooo tired from this round trip, two day overnight turn-around..just sore and weary. Still thinking on it.. will for a while..

Hot Dog!... oops.. bad expression of happiness.. How about Yippee instead? You are great and a wonderful example. I cannot wait to get back to 199! My next goal will be to fit into regular size panty hose! Again, Congratulations, and keep at it!

None of the 4 of us in our fill group were given ANY kind of directions ahead of time. I used the directions I read here, but several never had any instructions. I wondered what was up when we didn't

Nutso? Have you all been talking behind my back?

We didn't have Dr. Romero.. it was his alternating week in surgery. When I come for my second fill, I will be sure He is on the fill rotation.

I am feeling the same way, and I only got 1.1.. it just scares and upsets me.. all the what ifs...

Today Nikki, Amber, Sue, and I had fills at OCC. It was the first for everyone but Sue. Nikki and Amber got 1.2cc apiece, but when we did my fill, I could only do 1.1. I am not going to say that I am not concerned, because I am. Now I have all these worries about whether I will have enough restriction, etc. Not to mention, it is exhausting to fly from Florida to TJ every six weeks for fills. I saw the barium stop flowing at 1.2, and know that there is nothing I can do about it, but I am just feeling sort of sad and let down. Guess we will see how I am doing in a week. He did say that my esophagus was stretched, and the barium was backing into the esophagus. He said to eat slower and it would shrink back down...... still...... :lb12: I think I am just worn out from being on planes and in airports for 8 hours+. Think I will go to nap and maybe will wake up feeling better about it all.

Fortunately, pick-ups and fill times are the Center's responsibility. I bet they swirl us all together with a cherry on top!

Congrats, Kimmie! You are looking great!

Nobody remembers? Michelle, did you post the first fill instructions?

Happy, Happy, Joy, Joy.. Happy, Happy, Joy! Congratulations on a MILESTONE in your journey. I cannot wait until I join you there. You have done GREAT!

I'd love that, too! Maybe someday.

Proud of you, girl! You are good to go! woo woo! :lb24:

Wow! How did we miss you! Two of us are arriving around 10:45 for our first fills. When do you get there and what time is your fill?