1jmk

Hi there, I'm linterested in finding other lap banders who also live in Calgary (Alberta, Canada) who might want to meet for coffee, every so often, for friendship and support. If you're interested in getting together, from time to time, I'd love to hear from you. - Janet.

Hi Cathy, I don't know if this is worth mentioning or not, but I had something similar happen to me just a short time ago. I started feeling full/bloated on a small amount of food, which led to a continued feeling of being even more full/bloated and very uncomfortable shortly afterward. For me, it had to do with getting use to solid food again, as well as dealing with gas from my new solid food choices. The fullness and bloating eventually left, but when I let myself get too hunger, the gas and bloating comes back with a vengence. Hope this helps. - Janet.

I believe if a person has a BMI over 40 that getting the lap band isn't a problem. Anyone that has a BMI over 35, but not over 40 can still get a lap band, provided they have other major health problems, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, etc. I've also known several people who have had low BMI's, but due to their potentially life threatening conditions, they received a lap band as it was important that they lose their excess weight. Most of these people, in my experience, are self-pay clients, as they don't qualify for coverage under their medical plans given the current guidelines for reimbursement. I'm not sure, but I think the above BMI recommendations have more to do with patient diagnosis and treatment, as well as who qualifies for coverage under medical insurance. - 1jmk

Hi Sandy, I'm also on an antidepressant which comes in capsule form. Each day, I just pull apart the capsules and wash their contents down with water. According to my doctor, he says this is fine to do. Also, my pharmacist confirmed that doing it this way is quite fine. My antidepressant is also time released, but according to both my doctor and pharmacist, this is also O.K. Hope this helps. - 1jmk

Way to go, Jann!! You really put yourself first and took care of business! That's so awesome that you thought it through and then decided not to just react. I'm so proud of you. Congrats! Signed, A fellow (Calgary) bandster, just a day behind you, but following in your footsteps! - Janet. =D>

Dr. Ortiz, Would you mind commenting on the healing aspects related to where the port is implanted and what to expect in the way of healing in that area (i.e. swelling, pain, etc.). My lap band was implanted on June 10, 2008, and I suspect the pain in the my left side has a lot to do with gas and with the tenderness resulting from my trying to feel for the location of the port (there's a little too much swelling there right now to locate it). Anyway, any help you can be right now would be greatly appreciated. - Janet King.

Way to go for venting!! That is SO important!! What you're doing right now is hard and we all need to let it out, if nothing else but to save our sanities!! I'm SO proud of you for making it this far. Please remember to just be really gentle with yourself. You've taken the first steps in an all important journey, and you're getting through it, as best as you can. Here are some suggestions I remember reading before I had my lap-band implant: - chew, chew, chew gum until you can't chew anymore. - don't forget to breathe! Breathe in and breathe out. This is so important! Breathing takes away stress and allows the body to relax naturally. - recognize that what you may be feeling is "mental hunger." Mental hunger keeps telling you that you need something RIGHT NOW. Physical hunger comes on gradually and gives you a chance to satisfy it before it goes away on its own. - remember that there are something like five to eight times a day that we are VERY SUSCEPTABLE to reacting to our impulses. If you can get through these times (they usually only last for a couple of minutes, each), then, you should pat yourself on the back for making it one step closer to your goal. - when you're in the middle of a mental craving, just keep telling yourself that your mind is lying to you as your body already has all the fuel it needs to make it through the day, - and finally, remember that your body is changing and it needs your help to heal. It is very susceptible right now to damage, and it needs your help to make it the rest of the way. Hope this helps. Janet.

I SO know what you mean! I've also had the problem of slamming it back too fast. I've been working at trying to sip it, but I think that's an art form unto itself! It certainly doesn't come naturally to me, so every sip I take has had to be a conscious one. I, too, had a time of it getting rid of using straws. I'm finally off the straw bit, but it took a little determination and lots of mild hardship. Hope you're able to master the sipping bit. I still hold to the belief that if I try hard enough, that I'll eventually succeed (or I'll burp myself silly trying)!! LOL!! Talk care. - Janet

Hi Lori, I've watched several different videos of lap band surgeries over the past few weeks and my question is for Dr. Ortiz. With all the experience you've had over the years doing lap band surgeries, do you prefer to stitch the band into place to prevent possible (future) slippage or have you found another way to combat this potential problem. Signed, Just wondering before my June 10th surgery with you, Janet K.

You might want to contact Dr. Miranda. She really helped me when I was going through a rough patch.

I love your Canadian Bandster label (or whatever they call it). Where did you get it? I'd love to add it to mine. Signed, About to be banded and proud to be Canadian! (Calgarian, Albertan!) - Janet (1jmk)

I was just re-reading my posts and realized I forgot to mention who would be doing my fills. I already have an appointment for July 25th with Dr. DesCoteaux. Hope this helps. - Janet

Thanks for the insight. I'm finding there is more and more stuff that I'm learning from people who have just been, or will be banded. I'm so happy to hear that you're in the last week of the Pre-op diet. That's gotta be hard. It sounds like you've really well, though. Hang in there! Thanks for the advice. - Janet (1jmk)

Thanks for this. I've been sticking to Option #2, but with the weightloss - I'd hoped for so much more! Anyway, thanks so much for taking the time to write. I really need to hear these things as the literature isn't saying much. Thanks again. - Janet (1jmk)

This is just SO helpful. Thank you so much for all your help. This makes alot of sense. Thanks again. - Janet.

Thanks so much for writing back! I'm so happy to hear from a fellow Calgarian! My surgery is scheduled with Dr. Ortiz for June 10th. Which surgeon are you with? Are you excited to be going down? I'm SO glad you wrote back! I've been looking for other people from Calgary for awhile now. Thanks for the advice. I'll try laying off the Diet Coke and see what happens. Thanks again! - Janet (1jmk)

Thanks so much for writing back! I'm so happy to hear from a fellow Calgarian! My surgery is scheduled with Dr. Ortiz for June 10th. Which surgeon are you with? Are you excited to be going down? I'm SO glad you wrote back! I've been looking for other people from Calgary for awhile now. Thanks for the advice. I'll try laying off the Diet Coke and see what happens. Thanks again! - Janet (1jmk)

Hi there, I just weighed myself (after being on the pre-op diet for four days) and it looks like I'm going up, rather than going down. Oh yah, I only gained a half a half a pound, but I'm wondering if anyone has any suggestions (or explanations) as to why this is happening. I'm a little concerned because if my body is holding on to this little amount of food, what will happen when I get banded and can eat next to nothing. Also, I've been drinking a lot of Diet Coke lately. Would the caffeine I've been drinking also amount to the weight gain? HELP! (

Sorry, Denise, I'm still not sure what I'm doing on this website. I reforwarded my message to Jann, where it belongs! I have your email address and I'll be sending you a message next. Talk to you later. - Janet (1jmk)

I SO know what you must be going through. If you're like me, I eat when I'm nervous or if I'm worried, upset (or even happy). Just be really gentle with yourself right now. This is going to be a big change in your life and it can be really stressful. Just know there are people out there who know something of what you're going through and we're with you all the way. Hang in there. My thoughts are with you! - Janet (1jmk) P.S. Hope to see you there on the 11th. My surgery is on the 10th and I will still be there until the 12th. I will be staying at the Lucerna (apparently it has a nice swimming pool). Good Luck!

Hi Jann, Thanks for writing back. I'm glad to see you'll be down in Mexico when I am,that I'm not the only one traveling alone. I'll be at the clinic on the afternoon of the 9th. My surgery is on the 10th and I'll be staying at the Lucerna. Hope I'll get a chance to meet up with you before you go home. - Janet (1jmk)

Hello Calgary, I'm so glad you wrote back! May 29th is just SO exciting! Are you having the surgery up here or are you planning to fly down to Mexico? Either way, I really wish you the best and hope everything goes well, wherever you go. How is your pre-op diet plan going? Are you hungry at all and if so -- what are you doing to get through it? Write back when you get the chance. Take care and I'll be thinking of you on the 29th!!!!@ - Janet (1jmk)

Thanks for replying to my post. I'm so happy to hear you'll be going through the same thing on the 10th! That's truly exciting! I wish you the very best of luck with it and I really hope it works out for you. I don't start my pre-op diet until 12 days before my surgery (I think that's about May 30th). I'm nervous about that because I know how to gain weight REALLY WELL, and I'm not so sure how to NOT gain weight and stay the same (the clinic I'm going to sent me all kinds of horror stories about the "evils" of gaining weight before starting on my pre-op diet). In the interim, I've decided to make friends with my scale (somehow) and then not look at the screen (I can be in denial) when I'm suppose to (or some such thing)!?!! lol lol Anyway, take care and I'll talk to you later. Good luck with the pre-op diet! - Janet (1jmk)

Hi Denise, Thanks for answering my post! I'm so excited to hear you'll be going down on the 9th as well. It sounds like our flights get in about the same time. My flight gets into San Diego at about 11:50 AM (from San Francisco). I'm glad to see you're thinking about staying at the Lucerna. The swimming pool looks really nice and from the sounds of some of the reviews I read on line -- it sounds like it's a nice place to stay. I'm SO glad to hear there's someone else going to be having it done on the same day. I plan on travelling alone to Mexico, and although I'm a big girl (48 and holding), I'm still a little apprehensive about going through surgery outside my own country, alone. Are you going to be travelling alone or will you have someone with you on the 9th? Write back when you get the chance. - Janet (1jmk)

Thanks for replying to my post! I can SO relate to what you must be going through. Up here in Calgary, Alberta (Canada), there's only four doctor's who do fills, but from what I understand -- most of the main centres have lap band clinics/doctors who know what to do if anything happens or goes wrong. I'm not sure what Dallas has to offer, but maybe there's somewhere you could go within driving distance if something happens. Maybe someone else knows of somewhere/someone you could contact before you leave so you know more for when you get back. At any rate, take care and I hope to see you down there. - Janet