POST-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A

Hi Everyone, I will be banded in mid Oct...and I'm self pay... The "global price" includes all services/surgery/hospital stay/etc. This includes 3 nights in the hospital if I want/need it. There is no refund if I stay less than the 3 nights. So the question is...did any of you leave same day or next day from surgery and wish you had stayed longer in the hospital? I don't sleep well in the hospital (who does?), but I like the idea of having IV meds handy just in case as well as the nursing staff for the extra assistance/care. Thanks for the advice!

My band date is 9/17. I'm super excited, and looking forward to losing a lot of weight over the next 2 years. I am not, however, looking forward to saggy this and that. I'd like to avoid surgery (except maybe a boob job, which I was planning regardless of band) again, so I'd like suggestions on specific lotions, creams, excercises, etc...that successful bandsters have used to stave off flappy body parts! Thanks so much guys!

I have had a sore throat for a few weeks & my band has been really tight. I have had a fever w/it as well so I know its not reflux or allergies. Has anyone else experienced this, or is this my imagination?

I know there are different threads on this....but can someone tell me about their 1st fill exspereience? Did you eat before? After? Does it hurt?

I was banded on 7/20, and have almost lost 50 pounds (including 2 week liquid diet) I went on a trip to Boston this weekend and walked around all day. It was the first time in a long time I wasn't worried about how I looked, about not being able to walk too far, or feel uncomfortable. I had the BEST day. I'm sooo happy I was banded!! I have about 100 pounds left, but my life is already transformed:)

I am trying to figure out how to make the ticker automatically post each time I do. I am looking for something like a signature to insert the code. Does anyone know how to point me in the right direction?

My 11 month Bandiversary is coming up on the 23rd, and I just wanted to share how great of a ride this has been so far! Some of the many good things: This past weekend, for the first time ever, I participated in a 5K race (Race for The Cure) and ran it, instead of walked! This is HUGE for me, since at this time last year, I was physically unable to run due to a co-morbidity called "compartmental syndrome." I recently noticed that my legs no longer touch when I walk! I fit in regular sized clothing and am finally able to shop in normal stores again! As a result, shopping has become fun again, and I actually enjoy shopping with my friends (since now I don't have…

I had surgery on 09/01. The liquid stage of my diet went fine I was drinking about 3-4 Protein shakes a day or some Soup. I lost about 5 lbs in a week. I started my mushy diet yesterday and I am so full I can barely get in 600 cal a day. I have stopped losing now and I don't understand, is it b/c I started adding solid foods or b/c I'm not eating enough calories? Between all the Water my doctor warned me I needed to drink and the mushies I am full all the time, and I don't even have a fill yet. What am I going to do once I get the fill? I can barely eat anything now. Have any of you experienced this, and is it going to get any better? [/url]

This may be a stupid question but . . . why wouldn't a band being placed around your stomach cause restriction even without any Fluid????? I have 3 cc's and have NO RESTRICTION so I know it is possible to have a band and no restriction :tongue2: but it doesn't make sense to me?????? Anyone know the answer?

Hi everyone...quick question...I am having quite significant port pain. The surgeon told me this is from the port being attached to abdominal muscles. It only hurts when I walk which I am sure is because I have such an extra amount of weight in my belly that is pulling it down (law of gravity). Does anyone have any suggestions or have gone through this that can tell me how long this lasts? Thanks:smile2:

Hello, I was wondering for the people that were out on STD, did you have to extend your time to return back to work because you were 100%? If so , did you get any lag from your doctor ?

Hi there. I was banded exactly two weeks ago tomorrow. I was on three Protein shakes and two small meals a day (2 cups salad and 4 ounces meat) for two weeks before, then liquids for two weeks after. I just got my pureed and soft foods diet on Friday, so I am new at eating real food. I have had salmon and about three teaspoons of mashed potato, Soup, and I had a few grilled shrimp for lunch today with a little baked potato. All of those are on my list, and I used very small bites, my knife more than I ever have, and felt fine. I am wondering about the people that say they have no restriction. How do they know? When I ate my salmon, I ate only about 4 ounces. I…

How long after surgery before you can take them? My surgeon says 6 months!

Hi- Tomorrow is the day I am supposed to start transitioning to soft food. I'm a little afraid of choking or getting the "soft food" stuck in my stomach. :cursing: My stomach is tiny, tiny. I can only take a few sips before I have to wait a while. Are there any foods you think I should try first?

Hi I am using a local bariatric nutritionist (got sleeved in Mexico) and am going to have the blood tests she recommended before I go see her. I was curious if the doctors order the same things tested. Here are the tests she recommended: 1. CMP 2. CBC 3. Serum Ferritin 4. B12/Folic Acid - Specimen must be protected from light 5. Magnesium (RBC) 6. B1 Plasma - Freeze specimen 7. 25 Hydroxy/Vitamin D 8. B6 9. Serum Retinol (vitamin A) - Protect specimen from light 10. Serum Copper (not a standard lab, but I would check) 11. Pre-albumin

I was banded June 5th. I lost 18 pounds on the pre diet and none since. I am still hungry. I have 5 1/2 cc's in an 11 cc band. I just want to know there are others out there who are in the same boat. I have tried to diet, but I'm hungry. I'm starting to get frusterated. I want to lose weight so bad!!!!

It's not even Halloween yet, but I've started eating candy. Say whattt??? I've read about this problem here on the boards -It goes down better than real food...and of course -it tastes like...candy. So, here I am up to no good as I was before the band. I try so hard to eat nutritiously, but the old feelings of boredom and unhappiness are still with me. And, it doesn't help my cause any at all when it is difficult for me to tolerate real food. I've been overeating a bit at Nighttime meal times ( always my big meal reward for making it through another day ...I teach high school, God help me). The food doesn't look like it is too much, but when I stop, I realize that I sh…

Got banded on 9/8/9. Still having lots and lots of bloating. Makes it real hard to want to eat or drink. Dr says to walk and take gasx. Still not much relief. Any ideas or clues out there pls.

Anyone had surgery during TOM. Wouldn't you know it, my surgery date falls smack dab in the middle of my period. Hopefully, it will not be too heavy at the time. Geeze! What did you wear? Were you able to keep a tampon in ? Or a pad on? As if I wasn't freaked out by the idea of going under enough, now this! Have a good day all, got to get ready for work now! Jodi:blush:

I'm 18 days post-op and still on liquids (full). I lost 12 pounds in 12 days post-op, and then hit a wall. I figured it was a hormonal thing and it would pass and I'd get back on the WL train. Well it should have passed by now, been 6 days, but weight is not budging. I'm getting in my protein, vits, fluids and about 600 cal. a day on liquids. So I have to ask: WHEN does this weight start coming off? I figure the 12 pounds was likely just retained fluids from after surgery, etc. I'm starting to feel I could do this without surgery; what's the answer? I'm not even on mushy foods yet.:biggrin2:

Have anyone experienced a lack of interest in eatting? I am at week 5 post op and really don't have a desire to eat. I would be happy to live off homemade protein shakes. I am still sticking with soups. I have experimented a little with fish, eggs, etc but don't like the feeling of food being lodged in my chest. Any suggestions? Anyone with similar feelings? Is this healthy? Thanks, Deanna:confused: (though this is a nice turn around from pre-surgery days):001_cool:

I had the realize band 2/25/09. I lost 20 lbs in the first 2 weeks. After 7 months I now weigh 5 lbs more than I did when I was banded. I have 6 cc's and had to beg for my last fill. I left the office frustrated and have given up. I am finally ready to go to battle for another fill. Why does it have to be this hard. My surgeon doesn't like to fill. DUH! I called this morning to schedule a fill but they had to ask the nurse first and then call me back. See even the office staff is trained to halt the progress of fills. Anyone else overcome this problem and finally lose the weight?

i was wondering if anyone else has had to have thier band removed? i had mine put in on june 26 2009 and had to have it removed on aug 28 2009 due to complications my stomach actually turned over. has anyone had this happen i'm considering to have the band redone i really had great success with it in the short 2 months

i need to know if this is normal or have you experienced it. i will be calling the docs office tomorrow as well. i had a pineapple juice for b-fast because i have a sensation in my throat and had a very lite lunch. i have not eaten anything since. its now after 10 and im just now hungry but of course i dont want to eat so late. so question is do you think its normal? i know we are supposed to eat less but this seems like starving to me. im not hungry though. like i said im calling the doc to ask as well but just wanted to ask ya'll too. thx in advance

I was banded 3 1/2 weeks ago and lost 12 lbs pre-op and 10 more in the first 2 weeks after surgery. Once I started mushies, I stopped loosing. I am eating about 1000 calories a day, 50-60 grams of protein, and walking everyday. I know I don't have restriction yet since I haven't had my first fill, but I'm still eating way fewer calories. How can I get my weight loss started again? I don't want to fail at the band after all the money and pain I've put into it already.

i'm 5 weeks post op as of today (: anybody else 5 weeks or 6 weeks post op? how are you all doing? i'll start off with me, eh, could be A WHOLE LOT BETTER! im schedualed for a fill on the 16th but i dont think im ready for it yet, not with my stupid nausea, that doesnt seem to go away and im taking my nausea pills, that alone makes me frustrated, other than feeling nauseated, i feel fine. hope i dont have that for the rest of my life, but for some people they have nausea for a few months right? my dr said try eating a pickle, he had a patient that went home one night ate a pickle and felt great! is it cause of the vineger? and the nausea is the only thing thats making…

Hi everyone I made this post in introductions that should be here.I lost almost 20lbs on 2week post-op diet but gained about 6 back after starting soft diet. My first fill is this week 9-17 maybe this will get things going. Thanks Steve

I tried to search the forums, but nothing came up. Does anyone have any good excuses for the scars, other than it's a lap band? It would be easier if they weren't so fresh and pink. I've been hiding this from the world. I've been wearing one piece bathing suits which I never even did when I was really overweight. Maybe someone is going to see me naked this weekend who has also seen me naked before the surgery...I think he will have questions and I'd rather not tell him. :laugh: Gal bladder maybe? I don't know. I think 24 is too young for that. Any suggestions?

Hi everyone,I am new to this so bear with me please. I was banded on September 9th,I feel great,surgery was only 1 hour and I was home the next day.Aside from being a little sore,I really do feel good.BUTTTTTTT why do I feel so hungry? Is this normal? I'm still on liquids till the 23rd.Any explanations?:tongue2:

I started 3 days ago.. Now about a week ago I started where I wasn't really hungry in the morning.. I read that when you first wake up your band is tighter.. I never had this so Im wondering if its due to my cycle?! Also I keep getting this weird pain in my left side.. it even kinda hurts there when I burp.. This is new as well. Anyone experiance this? Question 2.. I went from "liquid in liquid out" thing. .. and about a week after surgery I stopped that and just stopped going all together. Im only going MAYBE twice a week. And I used ot be pretty regular.. once a day and always in the morning. And when I do go.. boy oh boy.. ouch. Anyone experiance this or know any r…

I should get honest about my Protein intake. It is no good. I am 12 days out and lucky if I can gag down 30 grams. I just can't take in protein and drink all this Fluid. Fifteen grams of protein fills me up for hours (half my average shake). So then I drink more when I can and I am filled up again. Of course while all this protein BS is going on I am not drinking Water. Just messing around with trying to get 70 grams is taking up my whole day. I am still struggling with hydration. I am putting out about 30 cc to 40 cc an hour which is good but I wake up shakey and my mouth is dry. My husband curled up to me this morning and was like "What is wrong you are shaking" And I…

:sad:Hi everyone, I was banded on Sept lst and am down 9 lbs. Yesterday was my first post op appointment and my Dr. said I could eat just about anything that I can tolerate. So I had a small salad for lunch with about 2 oz of chicken and vinegar and oil dressing and for dinner I had some shrimp cocktail. Everything went down with no problem. But this morning I gained l lb. I am so darn depressed. Is this normal after coming off of the liquid stage? I wont get my first fill until Oct l6. Any suggestions?

Hi all. Am doing well overall, but have a question to those farther along with this. I am on soft foods now. From day to day, I go from eating with no problem, to having a feeling like a few bites is too many. Even with the same foods! Yesterday some string cheese went down wonderfully; today, it felt stuck and I felt like I was going to slime. Scrambled eggs (even a hard boiled one as a mid afternoon snack) went down easily earlier in the week, but not this morning. It is so weird. Is this normal? Is it something I am doing or not doing? Makes me wonder, day to day, what to plan for food.

I'm 2 weeks post-op and just curious how long did you guys wait to have a drink? I'm sure its too soon just curious?

I have been banded since July 28th. I got my first fill on Sept. 2nd. Well, I still do not have much restriction, but watching closely what I eat. Okay, so today I was eating 1/2 of a chicken breast. I thought I was chewwing good and eating slowly-since I have been practicing this since before the surgery. But what happened was I felt a bad pain and could feel the chicken going through the band into my stomach. I felt like I couldn't even breathe and finally took a couple sips of water, thinking that it might have been dry, but it didn't really help. Has anybody else felt this???

I just got banded on 9/9/9 an I am at home. I took a pill yesterday (cut it in half) and now I have this feeling like something is stuck in my chest. It feels kinda like Water went down the wrong pipe. Its high in my chest just above the the staple line. Is this were I would feel it if I had something stuck? Is this normal? I can still drink water and broth just fine it stays down. Just have this tight feeling like something is stuck in my chest after I drink anything. Please Help?

I'm curious if anyone regrets this surgery? I can't say I regret getting the band (as my life hasn't been miserable with it). I just think that the sleeve might have been a better choice for me. Thanks much!

Okay, so I was just banded this past Tuesday 9/8/09. Im doing pretty good as far as the pain and healing goes .. still a little sore but Im feeling better as each day passes. But Im having a hard time eating due to the fact that I have little to no appetite. Im also finding it hard to sip constantly throughout the day to get all of the liquids I need. Im suppose to take in 64 oz each day and I can barely finish a 20 oz bottle of Water. Has anyone else had or is having this problem?? Im worried that Im already out on a bad start because Im not eating or drinking enough. Is this normal? .. Im able to get down my Multivitamin and Calcium but as far as the right amo…

Why are we not supposed to drink with meals? Is it because the Water will make us too full and we won't get all the food we need? OR Is it because the water washes the food through and we will eat MORE than we need? I ask because my doctor told me to drink with my meals (AND only for a few weeks) because I am dehydrated and cannot tolerate water unless I am eating...I know crazy...just my spams problem... So, which is it?????????? We will eat more, or we will not eat enough.............

Im am so sad as today after a floroscopy my doctor has determined that the port that he installed in June with no fill is flipped. know I have to go back under tghe knife for a revision surgery. He said the hooks that hold it in place are upside down. Has this happend to you and what had to happen to you to fix it? How long before you went back to work? Im bummed. On a good note, I have lost 65 pounds to date and the funny thing is that since i have no restriction, its been all on my own that i have been loosing.... :laugh:

Is everyone excerising?? I am so bad can not get motivated. Used to walk everyday, (and that was before surgery) but hurt leg, now I do nothing!!! Any suggestions on getting me started. Thanks

I love my massages and go every 2 weeks or so for my massage...sometimes more often:eek: How long do I have to wait before going to get a massage after surgery? I was thinking 4-6 weeks...any thoughts? I have a very stressfu job and LIVE for my massages!! Thanks

I need some advice. I am almost 2 months post-op and am eating a regular diet now. Whatever I eat seems to settle right in the base of my throat. I only eat a little and it feels like the food is right at the bottom of my throat. If I eat a little too much, same thing. After around 30 minutes it passes, but it's really uncomfortable. Whats up? I'm taking the prilosec every day.

I woke up in the middle of the night last night with a splitting headache and unable to swallow for a few minutes. I took some children's motrin which made me very sick to my stomach and I camped out in front of the toilet for most of the night. I never did throw up, but the whole thing freaked me out. This morning I woke up and I can't eat or drink anything because it all tastes so bad to me. I called the dr this morning but I only got the answering service, who said they would give him the message. Has anyone else experienced this?

I just ate 1/2 a chicken!!! Albeit, very slowly, they consisted of a drumstick, thigh, breast and wing! Sigh! Can too much overeating cause slippage? (I never vomit!) Odd, cause I feel I CAN eat this much, if done slowly. I just want to know the effects of not eating less. Thanks!

I had my surgery just over six weeks ago and this past week I have noticed that if I drink skim milk straight or have certain kinds of gluten (namely thin pizza crust or whole wheat crackers), I get severe severe stomach pains. The milk also causes me instantaneous nausea. I have managed not to vomit from it, but until it passes, its unpleasant to say the least. The gas pains are horrendous and severe from gluten stuff. I was neither lactose nor terribly gluten intolerant prior to surgery. Anyone else notice this? Can I expect it to be this way from here forward or is it something that could improve with time? The lactose intolerance seems to only be milk, not cheese, p…

Any suggestions where to get a cute suit? We leave for Florida for 2 weeks in about 5 weeks. Do I buy a suit at the size I wear now? A size smaller? Any suggestions on where to get one? I am about 198# and I am 5' 6"

Just wondering....was anyones surgery postponed due to a bad cold or flu?

hey everyone! I was banded on 9/8/09 and my dr. wants me to be on liquids for two weeks. So far I've just been having water, crystal light, optifast shakes, and broth here and there. Is anyone eating actual soups or anything? What else is part of your full liquid phase?? Any help/suggestions is appreciated!!!

I just had my two week post-up the other day, and I completely forgot to ask them when I can start exercising. When did you start? I am thinking that it would be okay for me to start, but I am still feeling very fatigued and my belly feels sore when I don't get enough rest. THANKS!