fat2nrml

I had my surgery done by Dr. O almost a year ago and I highly recommend going there!! I'm so glad I had my surgery there and would do it again in a heartbeat. I'm not a fast loser like alot of people on the forum, but I lost 43lbs. so far total and have about 30 more to go. I got my third fill last month and except for a couple days, my restricitons been awesome. You won't be disappointed! Best wishes, Darlene

So glad to hear that everything went OK... that must have been a night mare! You never had ANY kind of surgery before? You're so lucky, hope this all works out for you!! Best wishes, Darlene

2% milk is lower in fat than whole milk, just as 1% is lower than 2% and skim milk lower.... you see where this is going? :yes: Tell hubby, the lower the better. Darlene P.S. I use skim myself...

You're not alone Dianna! My band goes from being tight to loose to tight again in a matter of days. I'm afraid to get on the scale too because I let the scale determine my mood. I know I shouldn't do that, but I do. I also notice the clothes getting looser more than the pounds coming off.... I thought that was odd??? Not that I don't love it, but I want to see the scale move DOWN! Good luck with your restriction... I'm with you, I pray it stays with me!! Best wishes, Darlene

Hi Stormy, I have a 4cc band and I got my third fill last month and am at 3.4cc's now. I had excellent restriction for a couple weeks and now it comes and goes. [You know how fickle the band can be!!] I know what you mean about your rings, I couldn't wear mine for the longest time and now they're a little loose. I think that's water weight mostly, cause in the summer my fingers swell and my rings get tight. My fingers are usually swollen a little in the AM. You can email Dr. Acosta if you have questions, dracosta@obesitycontrolcenter.com Hope that helps! Best wishes, Darlene

I was banded a year ago and went to the OCC alone. Hubby had to stay home with our daughter. You're shuttled everywhere you need to go, the only time you'd be alone is if you go off shopping or something by yourself. [i wouldn't do that, I'm sure there would be another bandster to go with.] You'll be fine, I understand that you're afraid, but you really don't have to be. The only time you'll actually be alone is your hotel stay and if you're staying at the Lucerna, they are AWESOME! The hotel is beautiful and much of the staff speak english very well. Pack light and my best advice would be to take a suitcase with wheels. I took tea bags and boullion cubes with me to make in the hotel room. I can guarentee that you'll be posting on here after your surgery....' I don't know what I was so afraid of!!!' Best wishes, Darlene

:lb24: :lb10: :lb16: !!!!!!!!!!!!

If you go to the section on the board called 'Fill doctors and fill trips to TJ' and go to the pinned topic 'How to increase your chances of a good fill' that'll explain that part of your question. :yes: I've only gotten my fills at the OCC so I can't comment on Fill Centers. I'm not sure if they do their fills blind or with fluro. With fluro, the doc's at the OCC make you drink barium and watch it go through your band. That's how they decide how many cc's to put in your band. If your card says 10cc's then I THINK you have the bigger band [there are 2 sizes that I know of 10 and 4 cc.] If you're unsure you can email or call the OCC and they'll tell you for sure. Hope that helped... best wishes, Darlene

You can email Dr. Acosta directly....dracosta@obesitycontrolcenter.com I emailed him after my last fill to tell him how great it was and he wrote back. I'm sure he'll answer any questions you may have. Hope that helps... Darlene

Thanks Lisa.... I didn't know they could do the bypass surgery laproscopically. I thought they had to open you up for that. You learn something new everyday, huh? :good3:

What's proximal bypass Pammie? I've never heard of it...

I understand too, I had my fill on Feb. 19 and had excellent restriction till today. Now I feel like I did before I got that 3rd fill. I had hope cause this fill was lasting longer than the other 2 but now I'm back to struggling again. I lost a couple pounds but now it's stopped again. :lb20:

I have stayed at both the Lucerna and the Marriott and the beds were firm at both. They may have rooms with softer beds, maybe email them and ask. Hope that helped... Darlene

I was reading up on 'metallic tastes' and read that people who are dieting go into something called ketosis when their bodies are burning fat. They can get a metallic taste and\or bad breath during this time. [Hubby's at work, so no one to ask about the breath thing... hehehehe.] I'm not saying that this is what I'm going through, but I thought it was interesting. Thanks Ramona, I had blood work not too long ago and doc didn't say anything about my iron. I have been taking a daily multi vitamin for over a year now [i forgot that I started taking it BEFORE I was banded.] I just brushed my teeth and it made no difference, I can still taste the metal. Oh well, if it stays I'll talk to doc. Thanks again!! Darlene

I had my third fill on 2-19 and I'm thrilled with my restriction. I noticed a few days ago that I have a metal taste in my mouth. I am taking a daily multi vitamin, but have been taking them for months. Has anyone else had this problem? Thank you in advance!! Darlene

Awesome!!! Good luck and best wishes with your boobs and tummy!! Darlene

I figure that I want to weigh about 135 or 140. It says my happy weight is 144 so that's pretty close! I've weighed 140 before [for a VERY short time] and I was pretty comfortable there. Only this time I'd like a tummy tuck & boob job with it!

Petnanny, I truely know how you feel, I was there just a week ago. I felt I had wasted my time and money, but I got my third fill and it was my charm. Everyone's different, you're not going to lose the same or need the same restriction. I understand what you mean about the money too, my situation is pretty bad right now. I feel that my health is top priority, I HAVE to lose this weight or it could cost me my life. I'm glad I went to the OCC for my fills, I never had a problem with the Doc's there. Who did your fill [at the OCC?] Please don't give up, you're just not at your 'sweet spot' yet. Take it from me, you'll KNOW when you get there. Take care and know that you're not alone!! :lb4: :yes:

I also think you need a fill. I went to the OCC on the 19th and had a fill and am at 3.4cc in my 4cc band. I have FINALLY found out what restriction is!! I was so worried that I had wasted my time and money and I blamed myself for not having will power. Let's face it, if I had will power, I wouldn't have needed the band!! I'm hoping that this stays with me for at least a couple months so I can lose this last 30lbs. Don't get discouraged, get fills until you feel restriction. I'm glad I didn't give up!!

I wouldn't go anywhere in TJ by yourself. That's just my opinion.... better safe than sorry! I was there on the 19th and 20th and my daughter and I just stayed at the hotel. I felt safe there and during my shuttles. Ramona and Hubby went to Revolution Ave. and invited us along, but Mikayla was afraid from all the drug crime and all so we stayed behind.

Interesting Ramona!! I go to the dentist next month and he still doesn't know I'm banded.... not sure if I'll tell him or not. I don't know how he'll react and don't want to hear any negativity. Hope you don't need a root cannal.... never had one but haven't heard anything good about them. Good luck and hope your tooth feels better! Darlene

Hey Ramona!!! Of course, I already know about your news with your band, I was there! Like Jazzy said, maybe now that the stress is behind you, you got the WORD from the 'horses mouth', you'll relax and your weight will start to come off easier. Everything they said makes sense, everyone IS different and no one has the same body-make-up or metabolizum[?] It was very nice meeting you and your Hubby, it's nice to finally put faces to people you've 'known' for a year! Mikayla had a good time, she's a little backwards at first, but she opened up. It was ALL about the Volkswagens though.... what a kid!! I loved getting to see Dr. O, that man is awesome! Dr. Acosta was wonderful too, that was my first meeting with him. [Dr. Romero did my first fill & Dr. So did the second.] He listen to me, talked to me and asked more than once if I had any questions. Mikayla got to watch my fill and was a little freaked about the needle, but thought it was pretty cool. Hopefully we can get together this summer,... it would be cool if we could have a bandsters get-together here in Pa.!!

What happened with the night guy??? Like I said though.... it may have just been my expereince, you could stay there and it may be fine. Don't count on the pool though! The hot tubs were nice and the room was nice..... didn't care for the food though. I didn't want people going to the Marriott because they have a 'heated' pool and the Lucerna doesn't, that's the main reason I went.

I usually stay at the Lucerna, but the Marriott has a "heated" pool and my daughter lives to swim so we stayed there. First off, they lied, the pool IS NOT heated, it was freezing! The only thing that saved me from Mikayla having an outright fit was they had 2 hot tubs [not a pool, but she's only been a hot tub one other time.] 2nd, they had no record of a reservation for me and didn't seem to know who the hell Dr. Ortiz was! I had to call the OCC [they made me do it, they wouldn't!] and about 1\2 an hour later we had a room. Mikayla and I went into the hotel's restaraunte while they were hashing out our room woes and they came in the middle of our dinner for me to sign for our room. I had explained that I'd stop back at the desk AFTER we ate..... The Lucerna has more employees that speak english, they were few and far between at the Marriott. The food was pretty Blah, I liked the Lucerna's food better. This, of course, was my experience and I'm sure that others have stayed there and all was well. [i must say though, the room was very nice and clean.] 3rd, the shower was cold for about 5 minutes, then the water got a little warmer. The shower head barely spit out a trickle. In my opinion, if you're staying in TJ, the Lucerna's better. =D> Darlene

Awesome Ramona!! I don't even bother buying clothes, it just disgusts me. I wear shorts and mens Tshirts all the time. [i only wear pants if it's like below zero.] I bought an outfit for hubbies Xmas party and was very uncomfortable. [i'm not a fru-fru girl anyways, dressing up was never my thing....] I'm ALL for comfort, from my bra's to my gramma undies! LOL! Hopfully this fill coming up will do the trick. I KNOW what's causing my weight loss to halt.... feeding my fat face too much and too often!! I'm hoping to find my sweet spot and get the rest of this weight off for good! =D> I wrote Rene yesterday about switching to the Marriott and have'nt heard back from him yet. Hopfully it's not too late to change from the Lucerna. I'm still hoping to take Mikayla with me, Priceline won't let me purchase a ticket for her because she's under 18. [i should have bought it a few weeks ago, but didn't have the money right then.] I checked out the Marriott and it looks really nice.... Mikayla would love the heated pool... that kid's like a fish!! Can't wait to meet you Mona, keep your fingers crossed for Mikayla! :-h Darlene