mona-camille

So very true! I just wish I had been smart enough previously not to jump on that bandwagon!

TACO BELL? You got to be kidding me? Now that is someone who is looking for a magic pill and isn't realistic at all! Why even bother getting banded? Try not to let it bother you, Apparently, they don't care enough about it.

THat would be the smaller 4 cc one. If it were the larger one, it would say VG.

No, she isn't affiliates with Fill Centers USA, but she was banded in Mexico. She is a regular internal medicine doctor and one day a week she does just fills. Wednesdays only. Ihear about her from someone on the board here and lots of people recommend her. You can go to Manhatten to the NYU, they willl take you on as a fill patient, but the first visit with a fill and fluro is $770 but all fills after that are just $100.00. Is that closer to you maybe?

Actually, I can make one for any of you who want one! Just e-mail me a good clear picture or two or three along with their name, birthday and date of death (ewww I hate saying that) and I will gladly make one for whoever wants one. They are truly beautiful and everyone I made one for so far has loved them. And I love to do it! Makes me feel good to immortalize your precious baby for you.

You answered your own question sweetie. She picked YOU! How can you say no to that? I am quite sure your precious Lucy had a hand in it too. GO GET HER!! What are you waiting for???? ((((((((((((((((((HUGS))))))))))))))))))))) On another note, I know how much pain you are in. When we lost my moms cats a few weeks ago, it was just like losing a human being. He was my baby brudder. It hurts so much. You'll never replace Lucy, thats not even possible. But Lucy can and has sent you another little love. By the way, I make these 'in memory of' type of picture frames for beloved animals that have passed on and if you have some favorite pictures of your precious Lucy you can e-mail me, I can make you one. (They are free). I love to make them for people as a way to remember they beloved pets so let me make you one, ok?

The diet I followed was the Adkins diet. That basically was ALL meat and cheese. Lost 17 pounds pre-op. Depends on when you want to start the diet and who is banding you. The OCC give you 3 choices. 1. 3 protein shakes a day for one week prior to surgery 2. 2 protein shakes a day with a lean cuisine dinner for 2 weeks pror to surgery 3. Adkins induction diet for 3 weeks prior to surgery So, I chose #3

I doubt you'll find anyone here who got banded for cosmetic reasons. We all did it to be healthy and lose weight. Not sure what the high end limit might be, but I started out at a weight of 289 at 5'3" and a BMI of 51 so that is pretty high. If you are higher, just simply give the OCC a call and ask them. They are very very helpful and wonderful caring people.

Glad you are ok and no serious harm has been done.

PETER METER? hahahahahahaha I love it!!! Good luck and get walking. 10,000 should be the minimum for the day, but that means every step throughout the whole day! So keep it on til you go to bed. I'm at 13,000 so far.

Of course you aren't, but I wanted to check on you anyway. Did everything go ok? I hope you are holding up ok. I've been thinking about you and your family a lot and hoping you are all doing ok. (((((((HUGS))))))))))

Yeah, I have used up an awful lot of vacation from work already with all my trips. I just love Tijuana though! I am not sure, but I still might be going back the end of August depending if my friend who is getting banded wants me to go.

I might stay overnight. My mom is coming with me and she LOVES Gettysburg. We figured 3 hours down and 3 hours back wouldn't give us time to see anything. I was thinking that if we stayed overnight, we'd have time to go somewhere. She just loves the battlefields and all the historical stuff. She's really into that. So, if we don't do it next week, then next fill we will! Can yopu recommend a place?

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!! Good for you!!

Oh, I did get the name wrong, kick me!!!! Yes, you might be somewhat close to the Maryland office right? It's near Gettysburg.

I'm at 9236!

WOW, good thought Michelle, on the Dr. Ortiz thing. I don't really think he makes enough money on fills to think that is the reason he wants us to come back. I think he really does genuinly care that we do good. But, yeah, I can see him assuming things are fine because most people don't go back. Makes a lot of sense!! And yeah, I'm not going anywhere near bread again! Hurt too much the first time I tried, and although I love ths stuff, I too am keeping the 'can't have' attitude. Kimmy in MD - Good luck tomorrow, let me know how it goes!!!! I go next wednesday. Hope the first one is a gem for you!!

THats a very good idea.

Susan Brinkley that I heard so much about. For $200.00. I go next wednesday at 11:30. It's a 3 hour drive for me, but much cheaper than Mexico. She too indicated that the VG band required more fills and more often. So, at least I feel sort of validated now. I'd much prefer to go back to Mexico, but just can't afford it anymore. She is near Gettysburg by the PA/MD border for anyone interested. Is it IWANTBANDED or BANDEDFORLIFE, I forget which one, wanted to know what info I could find out. Darlene, right? from central Pa. This might be an option for you too!! If I got your name wrong - I APOLOGIZE!!!! New York University charges $100 a fill, but that is after your initial visit which is $770.00. So, MD is better. Not under fluro, but we'll give it a try and see how it goes. 3 hours isn't so far. I'd prefer fluro, but right now, I just want to get moving with this!!

As I explained in my last post, there is a huge difference between the 4 and 10 cc band. I have the 10 cc VG band. I have been back to Dr. Ortiz for 2 fills now but still only have 5 cc's. That leaves 5 cc's waiting. That amount is already more than what fits into a 4 cc band. I just got my surgery report today and on it is even saying that I have a 15 cc amount, so that leaves me even more to fill up with. Head hunger is one thing, but when your stomach growls so loud the gal in the next room can hear it, then I don't think that is mental. We all just have different bodies and they all react different. And the VG is vastly larger than the regular band. That being said, I just got off the phone with the Doctor in Frederick, Maryland and I have a 3rd fill scheduled next week. She also agreed with what Fill Centers told me, that the VG band needs more fills more often, and she has no problem with me getting one 2 weeks after my previous one. Probably the reason you don't hear this too often, is there are very few of us with the VG band. In fact, I only know of one other and that is my craptastic sister Jena. So, since the vast majority have the regular band, that is what you are going to hear about mostly. I too was told by Dr. Ortiz that one or two fills in a lifetime is the norm if you go back to him to have it done, and I was very encouraged by that, but unfortunately that doesn't hold true for a lot of us. That is one of the reasons it's very frustrating.

You know me by now, I say, GO FOR THE FILL!!!!

Thanks for your concern sweetie, really. I have been to Dr. Ortiz 3 times. I have the VG band which holds 10cc's of saline when most bands are the smaller ones that only hold 44 cc's. After speaking to FillCentersUSA (Which was stared by Dr. Ortiz, by the way) it does make sense that it will take more fills. The problem is, I am NOT losing weight. I am still stuck at the 30 pound loss from back in April/May. If I was losing weight, I wouldn't be so quick to complain. What Dr. Ortiz explained to you is what holds true for most people because most people have the smaller band. When I got my first fill, Dr. Romero did indicate that I will need more fills than normal, but at the time I chose not to believe him because I wanted my fill to work so badly. But, thinking about it, it does make sense. You only need 4cc's to fill your band, I need 10. See, I was banded back in March. I am tired and frustrated with waiting to get moving on this weight loss journey! I know and appreciate your concern for me, but I don't think a call will make any difference. But, I'll put this to the people.................whacha all think? anyone? By the way, I am at 7000 steps today. Anyone else?

Great analogy!!!! I was hoping that my restriction would magically come back, but no. Then I was hoping that my hunger was all in my head, but no again. Stomach is a growling. Going to start those protein shakes again, so I don't gain. THIS IS VERY FRUSTRATING! I wish I could have been able to get the smaller band. The gal at Fill Cetners USA told me I will probably have to get a few more fills before I have good permanent restriction. If that is the case, I am going broke. I am still waiting for NYU to call me back about their $100. fill, I wish they would hurry up!!

Wear dresses! More comfortable that pants with a waistband!! A good book.

Hey there back Craptastic Sister!! My second fill DID do the trick, for a week! Now it's gone. Man this is frustrating. Yes, I do remember you are getting your fills here and there, LOL!! But thats good. Hopefully, you'll get results right away. I just don't want to wait, I am so tired of waiting. Tonight though, I did kind of have a hard time getting a hamburger patty down. Not too bad, but I was kind of hoping that meant restriction was coming back. $200 isn't bad for fluro. I think the NJ facility charges more than any other facility. I wish cost wouldn't matter so much but 3 trips to Mexico really kind of broke the bank so to speak. Hmmmm wonder how long a drive it is to Roswell GA from Pa?