NinnyEd

Has anyone heard from Dolittle??? I am anxious to hear how he is doing!

> Good luck tomorrow! Let me/us know how everything goes!!!

I got the flu just 5 weeks after being banded. Luckily my PCP has always been very supportive of me being banded and she immediately gave me a script for and anti-nausea medication - and gave me a few extra to keep around, just in case. I have only needed them once since then... Last month everyone around here had the flu, the FIRST moment I felt queasy I took the meds and never barfed, even once... I get my flu shot every year, but it is no guarantee that you won't get ANY flu... bummer! I hope you are feeling better now!

Hi Shelli! The answer to whether or not I would get my band again is a HUGE YES!!! Sure, I have had my band for over a year and have not lost as much as some... But that is ok - I know that the weight is gone for good. As for now, follow whatever pre-op diet the doctor recommends... Do not get into the "one last big meal" mentality, as some do, that will not accomplish a thing. What I did to get use to smaller portions (which I hardly notice anymoreuntil someone says something like "Gee you hardly ate a thing, does it taste ok?") is I started using a smaller plate when I ate. Or, and I still do this, when I would go out to eat, I would order my meal, and immediately ask for a "to-go" box and put at least half of the meal in there and eat the rest. I have discovered the joy of leftovers for lunch the next day! I have not been a perfect bandster. Sometimes I still eat sweets... But the band keeps me honest, I do not eat TOO much - it reminds me to stop when I forget and am naughty. The band is a tool and works great when you do as your doctor and nutiritionist advise. The diet afterwards differs with every doctor. But once you are on solid food it is basically normal food (of course you want to make wise food choices, lower fat and sugar, enough protein, etc.). Another thing to remember is to EXERCISE... Don't be scared, Shelli, you will do great! >

I have found that I do not steadily loose weight... I will go a couple of weeks and not loose an ounce... and then all of a sudden loose 7 pounds in a week... the maybe 1 pound the next, then none for a couple of weeks... Kind of like a roller coaster on a weird downhill slope.. My advice is to make sure you are drinking enough water, stay away from "soft calories" (dressings, high calorie drinks, really soft foods), get enough protein and last, but not least exercise!! Exercise, even just walking 30 minutes will help get your matabolism up and burn calories. Find something that you like to do and DO IT... Join a gym, just walk around your neighborhood, buy an exercise video, take an exercise class (I am a BIG fan of water aerobics - great when you have knee or ankle issues and the toning is WONDERFUL!), even just go and do a few laps of your local mall... whatever, just do something each day! Don't fret.. Just keep telling yourself that, even if you go a month without loosing an ounce, that you are STILL going in the correct direction! Good Luck!! >

I am looking to share a ride with someone on or about December 4 or 5.... Anyone looking to get a fill around then?

You are not wasting your money at all. Every pound that you loose will be worth it. The band is a tool and when used properly is a wonderful aid in permenant weight loss. Yes, there are ways you can "eat around the band" if you so choose. I love my band... I am not perfect and have been known to eat the wrong foods... but when I do, I have this wonderful little band inside of me that prevents me from eating 6 Baby Ruth bars - limiting me to just a few bites and I am happy. If I had been a totally good girl the past year, I could be pretty close to my goal weight... But I am happy with the nearly 70 pounds I have lost so far... Without the band I am sure I would have gained weight the past year. Another benefit... Because of this band, I no longer have high blood pressuer (yeah - no more meds!), my blood colesterol is normal now, and my sleep apnea is non-exhistant (NO MORE DARTH VADER SOUNDING, ALIEN-LOOKING MASK AT NIGHT!!!). And this is just at half way to my goal weight! Bottom line... If you follow your doctors orders on diet, try not to cheat, and get your fills when you need them the band DOES work. Good luck to you!

Take a deeeeeep breath, Donna... Relax, you are doing SO well... 37 pounds in 5 months is great!!! Just be sure you are exercising, eating enough protein and drinking enough water... I understand where you are completely though! I am at 6.4 cc's in a 10 cc band and still do not think I have enough restriction. Give it a little time, I have heard of fills not "taking" for two weeks... Fills are a fine science, 2.5 cc's may not be enough, but 2.7 might be too much... It is weird, but that is how it works. If we are both in the same boat in a month, we can ride back up for another fill! If you need to talk, you have my number! >

It is better to just do it than wait. I had my surgery at the end of October of last year. The holidays were just fine for me. I was the only person I knew who LOST weight during the holidays! I could have *A* cookie at a party, or just ONE piece of fudge and was perfectly fine with it. I did not feel "cheated" at all! Good luck!

Hi Judy! Yeah, there will be a bit of saggy skin - it is just a fact of life. But I would take the saggy skin and having normal blood pressure, no more apnea machine and normal blood colesterol over fat and no flabby skin! I too have issues with my joints. My knees and ankles are really bad. I have found that doing water aerobics is a wonderful way to exercise!! You should look at your local health club or YMCA to see if they are offered! It has really helped the saggy skin on my upper arms and upper thighs! Good luck and congratulations on the weight loss!! You are doing great!

I was able to talk to both Dr. Ortiz and Dr. Martinez when I had my surgery last year and was impressed by both of them. There is no reason to be nervous AT ALL!! He has trained extensively beneath one of the world's most skilled doctors (Dr. Ortiz) in this surgery and has assisted Dr. O with MANY MANY surgeries. That does not count the many, many bands I am sure he has placed alone. I would have no qualms at all if I was told that Dr. Martinez would be doing my surgery! Good luck!!

Yes he is!!! I had my fill Friday and am VERY happy with Dr. Vitello!! He gave me a good (1.4cc's) fill and I now have decent restriction!

I am not sure what part of Michigan you are in, but if you are in Southern MI, is Chicago too far for you? There is a Dr. Vitello there that does excellent fills under flouro.

Take a deep breath and calm down... This is perfectly natural when you have a large weight loss. About 2 or 3 months after I was banded I started loosing tons of hair. I freaked out too, since I had already lost quite a bit of hair after my hysterectomy a couple of hears ago. It lasted for a while and now I am growing new hair in again. I did not go bald or anything, but my hair did thin - I was the one that mainly noticed it. You have to remember that you are being good and eating enough protein NOW... but your hair lags a bit, so this is probably from around surgery time when you maybe did not get enough. Just keep up the protein intake and it will slow down soon. I try and get at least 6 ounces of protein a day.