PRE-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A

Hey there everyone. I'm dated to have my surgery 12/5. I've been on the 2 week pre-op diet and have lost 12lbs thus far, and still have a few days ta work on that. I'm 6' 5" @ 431lbs so that makes me at a BMI of 54 I think? My Dr. tells me not too worry about it, that I will be fine, losing the weight that I have -- but I am still worried. Is there such a thing as not losing enough on the pre-op diet? I'm so nervous about this operation (never been operated on before) but so excited to get this weight off!!!

Hi, I have just started my preop Optifast. The optifast doesn't taste too bad but I have had a headache since I started!! It has only been two days, but it has been a L O N G two days. I do hope it goes away soon! Someone assure me it will ... pleeeease! tracy

I woke up this morning with a stabbing pain in my left side it feels like a really bad side ache......like you would get sometimes as a kid. It is on my port side and midway between my port and breast. It is more towards my back though. It hurt really bad when I woke up it is not that bad now, but it is still there.....has anyone else had this? I am seeing my surgeon tomorrow to have him check it out. I was just curious if anyone else had had this happen to them.

I would like to start getting more Protein into my daily diet by using Protein powder. Can anyone recommend one that is good and affordable?

I was banded on Nov 6th. My tummy is still puffy and swollen. Especially after I eat, my tummy if bigger and fatter and sticks out more than before the surgery. Does anyone else have this problem? How long before your stomach is back to normal?:rolleyes

Hi everyone. I'm hoping to be banded the end of December. My doctor wants me to to Optifast the 2 weeks prior to surgery. Have any of you done Optifast? Is it tolerable? Thanks for your feedback!!

i go on dec the 13th of dec to talk to the surgeon to see if i can have the lapban sugery and i was wondering what are some important questions i need to ask i have a few like how many have they performed and what is the death rate and about being put under (that is what scares me the most ) i know there is more to ask but i am writting them down in a notebook to take with me so if you could help that would be great and thank you in advance :faint:

im still smoking , anyone else still smoking? i know its not good for my health, getting healthy with the band and killing myself with cigarettes...... Cigarettes are the food i cant eat........:cry

I went to my local WLS support group through our Bariatric Center here last night. One of the ladies who I got to know over the last few months went for her surgery on Nov 1st along with her good friend they did it together. They were having bypass though. She came through her surgery fine. But 6 days out she started vomitting and passing black stools and so her husband of 47 years called the office and they told him that she must not be following the diet and he corrected them and said no she is. The 7th day after surgery, she continued to get worse, could not keep anything down and was having even more black tarry stools. He called again only to be told to watch…

Hey everyone....I am so excited....I just got my surgery date (January 4th!!! I wouild have loved to be done sooner, but the center is so bad at paperwork! I'm just greatful I know whenit is and can start my journey! I have my PATs at 7 am and it's a 2 hour ride to get there....should be fun. They have me going 3 weeks early for the testing is case they have a cancellation i the meantime they will move up the surgery date. I'm not holding my breath! Well good luck everyone....I had to share!!! Donna:clap2::clap2::clap2:

My Surgery is December 4th... I 'm scared, nervous and excited is this normal? Any last minute helpful information out there?:omg: Thanks

Hello.... I was wondering...that's the problem if you ask me I met my surgeon yesterday...and he heard a heart murmur.... He asked me if anyone has ever found it and if I have ever had an EKG done for it.... I am flipping out....NO not one single doctor has found it and obviously no EKG ever! Has anyone else had this problem.....I can't help but be worried. I told my mother and she was calm about it...she said it runs in the family that her father had one, she has one and my brother has one... ok where have I been living...I did not know about this... then again none of them have any weight problems only me! HELP!!!:help::help::help:

Hey guys, I was banded on July 31st and have currently lost around 22 pounds to date...slow and steady. That is the problem, I am losing my focus and eating the things that I know that I shouldn't. Can anyone help me with suggestions of what has worked for them? And exercise, don't even get me started on that! LOL Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated! Sharon:help:

Hi. I'm having the surgery on 11/19 and I was told that I can't drink anything with caffeine afterwards. Is this correct? If so, does anyone know why? Also, is the amount of liquid swallowed at any one time restricted? Like what about an 8 oz. glass of water or a protein shake? Thanks, Caryn

Yesterday i had my second fill. I drank the bottle of Water with no problems and had Soup for dinner, no problem there either. This mroning had some tea and that was fine, but had trouble when i tried to have my Cereal at Breakfast and my chickpea salad at lunch. I spit up a bit but it felt like it was getting stuck. Is this normal the day after a fill? didn't have this problem on my first one...just wanna make sure everything's ok and i don't need a defill. thanks!:help:

Considering the way it started, my first fill has not turned out too bad, 16 hours later. However, how it began is a cautionary tale of those of us with gastric lap bands and vertigo problems. When my doctor began what should be a brief 5-minute procedure to fill my band for the first time yesterday, disaster struck. While lying down on my back I was repositioned to have my abdomen jacked up by throwing my head back. When I was first on my back I explained that I have a bad inner ear; I get dizzy and nauseous when I look up. Usually I can control it for five minutes before I start getting dizzy. However when I was put in a position with my head thrown back, I began gettin…

Hi Guys! long story short on me, im new here, im 5'5 243-5ish.... so according to the lapband website, my BMI is a 40, which means technically i would qualify. Im curious if thats the only test the doctors do, or if they test muscle mass? I am really interested in getting the surgery done, but i (read: my Jewish/Italian mother) am very concerned about a couple things, and i want to make sure that its the best course for me to take. (As my mother put it, she would rather spend the 12K on a tummy tuck and a breast lift AFTER i lose the weight on me, ratehr then on a surgery...never mind you in 22 years that hasnt worked.) While i am really interested, i could really u…

Any of you guys that are vets at this...I have noticed that trying to lay/sleep on my right side is WAY more painful than the left, especially in the port area. I am 9 days post-op. Any ideas??? I'm tired of sleeping on my back!

When I was out of surgery, I looked at my tummy and I had 4 incisions going straight across and I thought there was supposed to be 5. This is embarrassing but I have large breasts that "hang" when not in a bra. When I lifted one breast, I found the 5th incision. On top that, when I'm sitting down, my breast not only covers that one that is all the way underneath it but it also sits on the port incision. Being that this is only 2 days out from surgery, I cringe at the thought of putting a bra on, but maybe I should keep one on at all times to try to keep them above the incisions? Or will this not matter. Thanks!

Got the news I was approved today. Yeah!!!! Now the scariest part to me is the thought of trying to change my life long eating habits permanently. I've honestly been scared to death these last few days as I've been eating - yeserday was eatng a plate of spagetti, and I realize that after surgery, there is no way I could eat a whole plate of spaghetti. I couldn't even eat 1/4 of what I was eating. So of course there is this urge to eat everything I can now, before I start my preop diet because I think I'll never be able to have it again (I know that's not true, but that doesn't keep my mind from telling me that). Don't get me wrong - I want to not eat that big plate of s…

I have made it half way to my goal. 81 gone, 81 to go. I have been waiting for the scale to move that last pound. I guess threatening it with a large hammer worked:):)

I went to my consultation Sept 17. Everything was going great. Doc said It could be done rather quickly because I am self pay.My PCP and Surgeon sent me for sleep study.BOOM I have sleep apnea. Glad to find out ahead of time ,but added 8 weeks on to the wait. All my clearances are done.I have been on my CPAP 2-3 weeks.(6 weeks are required by my doc prior to surgery.).What kind of time frame did any of you have from final clearances to surgery date? I was really hoping for somewhere between December 21-January 2. Dou you think this is possible ? ( I drive school bus, so that is my vacation.)

I was wondering where everyone has had their port placed... I was banded 2 weeks ago and mine is about an inch under my belly button... It is quite uncomfortable with jeans on..

Weight Loss Tickers <p>on saturday i had to go to the emergency room and have an antibiotic injection because i have redness around my infection which started spreading throughout the day. i am on antibiotics right now but had to go into the doctors today and they had to take out my stiches (ouch) then numb me with a needle in the wound (ouch) and stuff me with gause. this is so i can drain the infection out. she told me that i have to come back everyday this week and if it doesnt get better i will have to have the port taken out then put in at a different time. that scares me because if i have to keep on getting cut open am i going to keep on getting these in…

Egor and I are both waiting for insurance to let us get banded. Meanwhile, I'd like advice and opinions. Should we have surgery together, a few days or weeks apart, or a month or more apart? We have different general doctors, so they may not recommend the same doctor to do our bands.:think

Did I read on a post in this forum about a book about Head Hunger? If so, could someone send me the title and author? Thanks...

I know what causes slips, but what causes band erosion. Donna

After being banded, can we eat popcorn??? I realize not in your post op foods, I mean in general after banded for life, can we eat popcorn?:whoo:

I am really wanting to get this surgery done. But here are my concerns, lack of will power, I have read on here that a person has to go with out eating prior to the surgery, I haven't missed a meal in 20 years . Then after surgery you don't eat again for a certain amount of time. Are you hungry? I thought I better ask now cause I am concerned that I will do this and die of starvation:embarassed::help:

Has anyone else had problems with constipation after surgery? I am 15 days post op and have only had 2 bms that needed help with enema's etc. I am still on a full liquid diet for another 6 days. I have stopped drinking milk, yogurt, and am trying to avoid anything with carrot juice or cooked carrots in it because they are constipating. Do you think it is the Protein supplement? I am going to try some prune juice this afternoon, but do you know of anything else I could do? I hope when I can eat some food this may resolve itsself because I can eat veggies then. Does anyone have any suggestions?:help:

I have ahd my band for 1 1/2 years and have no problem with it till know. My last fill was 3 months ago. This is when I started for lack of a better term puking up crap all night. I cough and have this puking thing going on every night (only at night). What is it and what can I do.:help:

Hey all! I'm 2 1/2 weeks post-op and on my regular 3 meal a day with 1 snack diet. No mushies or liquids anymore (Yay!). For the first 2 weeks, I felt very full after eating and think I lost about 6 pounds. Now, my appetite is just as heavy as it was pre-surgery, and I'm having a lot of trouble being able to stick to the diet because I get so hungry. I still eat healthy and am adding more protein and less carbs to my meals (I used to be a carb addict!), but I can't seem to get full after I'm done eating my meal. My doctor says "eat until you're full", but If I were to do that, I'd be eating way too much in my opinion. I'm not drinking while eating, and I wait 30-4…

Had my surgery on 11/21...my port site is very sore....when standing, I feel some heaviness on that side and discomfort....how long till this pain passes...I am trying to not use the pain meds...I seem to need to hold that area as I move about...no redness...everything looks like it is healing...besides walking around the house and I am not doing alot...other areas not painful...just wondering when the pain eases....thanks!

Hey there, I'm 1.5 weeks post op and am a bit confused. The more I read the more I think everyone else has been given different diet directions than me. My doctor was really specific but I will add that I wasn't told to do a pre op diet. My rules are, Clear liquids for 2 weeks, thicker liquids for 2 weeks, mushies for 2 weeks and then onto solids at week 6. This from what I've read is a lot later than most of you. I'm very confused, should I stick to what my doctor has said or accelarate? Any suggestions would be great. Thanks! :help:

I was banded on November 12th. The diet I'm on is allowing about 400 calories a day, mainly liquids (a little liquid yogurt, or watery oatmeal is allowed once a day). I was not eating huge quantities of food beforehand, but wasn't hungry all the time. My stomach growls almost constantly, and hurts, I'm so hungry. I don't want to be this hungry all the time for the rest of my life. Any suggestions? Does this get any better? Kristine Texas Banded on 11/12/2007 by Dr. Miguel Zapata, Monterrey, MX

I was banded on the 14th and as each day passes I get more and more hungry. Is this normal and what are some suggestions to fight this. When are you supposed to start to feel full and not want to eat.

:sick I havent gotten my date for surgery yet, hoping for November or December. I thought I'd try the protein drinks and get used to them. I bought the 100% whey protein drink from gnc berry mix. It taste good but after drinking it, i guess 20 min later my stomach started cramping and i felt kind of sick. Is this normal? Hoping to get insurance approval soon. This weight is driving me nuts. Thanks Felicia

I have been approved by my insurance company. My surgery is scheduled on 12-12. I am getting extremely nervous to the point of wanting to call it off. I dont want to really, but I'm scared. Scared of being on an operating table, scared of not losing weight after and scared of being in pain. Did anyone else feel this way and what did you do to get rid of the feeling. Also, anyone have any suggestions on good high protein shakes? How many protein shakes do you drink a day? I know I am required to get 80-90g of protein per day, is it mostly in the form of shakes?

I'm just getting started with getting the band.I've got my appointment to see the Doc on Dec.18th.My question is does anyone have a list of where to buy protein shakes or can recommend some good tasting ones? I think I am more scared about the liquid diet part of the Band then anything.My family is very supportive with my decision.I hope someone out there can clue me in on things to drink. Thanks:help:

I was banded on the 14th and am 5 days out and have had some different feelings today. I have a lot of sorness and numness on my left side, more than normal. I do not have any pain anywhere else. I have some nausea today and had not had any since right after surgery. I feel really cold but not a fever. I have a headache and have not any since today. I have had some upset stomach and very loose stool. I was wondering what this is and if anyone has had something similar. I called the doctor and he does not seem concerned yet, but I feel so different and do not know if this is a normal part of my body recovering.

I am so pumped! I decided not to focus on the numbers so I have not been weighing except when I go to the doctor. But I was struggling with wanting to "graze" and decided I needed a boost so I went to the Wellness Center and weighed before my workout this morning. I can't believe I have actually lost 50 lbs. And it feels wonderful to know that the next 50 is to follow! This is absolutely the best thing I have ever done for myself!:bounce:

I'm not getting banded until January. But, I just had a stomach virus which brought up the question what if I had already been banded? There was alot of vommiting involved (sorry for TMI) and it really scared me to think about what happens with the band in place. Would it dislodge the band? Cause choking? Has anyone had experience with this? Honestly, I can't remember the last time I was sick like this, so I don't expect it to be a frequent issue, just curious and trying to answer all the questions pre-surgery. Thanks, Stephanie

I have had two fills, and I am at about 2.5cc in my band. Just wondering how many of you received how many fills and when did you feel that it was actually working and restricting the amount you eat. I am still eating quite normal with these two fills. I have a 10cc band and have a lot to go, but just wondering when does it get to where I can eat 1/2 cup of food only? I want to continue losing weight and I'm stuck at 20 lbs.

So i've been banded for almost 2 months and feel like i've gotten nowhere. I'm 5lbs heavier then i was pre op and possibly more since initially having my surgery. I was doing well and then fell off the wagon once i got to solids. having binge weekends and trying to be good during the week. I've just got back into the gym slowly but surely, and yet the scale barely moves. i flutter between a few pounds and it's frustrating. I've had one fill and i'm going for my second this week. I looked at my weight calendar and i way 10lbs more then i did a year ago(sad but true). i've been eating better but i don't know what i'm doing wrong....it's frustrating and especially with the…

I know it is bad for me but I need to know if it can hurt the band? I read another post that smoking can cause ulcerations around the band. I've been having really bad acid reflux and I wanted to see if it was smoking related. Please advise.

I was just banded on the 24th of October and have been following my diet. My problem is that when I weighed myself today (sixteen days later) my scales only say that I lost ten pounds!!!!! I am able to fit clothing that are two sizes smaller.Has anyone else had this experience? It is so disappointing. Also, even though I only eat the foods and portions that I am supposed to eat I am not getting full. HELP!:help:

Wow, I finally see what everybody was posting about. I was carefully eating my lunch, chicken salad, and the phone rang. Forgetting to chew, I swallowed a little too much and wham:eek:. I got the phone answered, but had to hang up right away. Kinda felt like I tried to swallow a grapefruit...LOL How many of you started sweating when this happened to you. I looked like I had been on a long walk in the sun. Sweating, nose running, eyes watering:cry:cry:cry I really hope to never go thru that again. The phone can wait from now on......Dave

i had my doubts last week but i cant believe that i actually went through with it. the first day i felt great i didnt have to take any pain medications. i didnt get any sleep in the hospital though because my roomate had alot of care needed and i couldnt sleep. the next day the doctor came in and said that my surgery went perfect but i have a fatty liver and if i dont lose weight in ten years i will have a liver like an alcoholic . i went home tuesday night after eating some chicken salad. i went home with oxycodin but it gave me shortness of breathe so i couldnt take it so i am now not taking anything for pain but i am doing ok considering. i have no problems with gas bu…

Hello, I was banded two days ago, the pain is manageable but I am having this weird uncomfortable feeling in my throat and diaphram. It is alot of pressure, maybe my vitamins didn't go down but I took them 11 hours ago. I am also starving on this liquid diet!:help:

My surgery was just less than a week ago. All is well, and no pain or discomfort at this point, but my abdomen is seriously distended. I look like I'm about 8 months pregnant. If I had to guess, I'd say this is Fluid, but I wonder if anyone else had this experience, and how long it took to go away. Did you have to do anything to get rid of the swelling? Kristine Texas