POST-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A

I was wondering how many of you had this filter put in before surgery? I am having surgery 7/28 and yesterday my surgeon offered me the option of having the filter. Apparently they insist you get it if your bmi is over 50 or you are over 50 years old or you have a history of blood clots. I am 46 years old, bmi 43 and no history of blood clots so I reused the filter but now am worried about it and wondering if I made a mistake. They will put the cuffs on my legs to help with circulation and will prescribe lovenex for 10 days after surgery.

I got the 9cc Realize Band on May 19th. After the first week of liquids, I had a normal appetite and all food went down fine (without even chewing). This was not at all what I expected. Then June 29th I got a 5cc fill and I still feel about the same, but I feel a mild constriction every once in a while. But then the food slips on through and I can eat more. I don't feel full after small amounts of food like I thought I would. I don't have to chew a lot either. Its almost as if nothing was done and I'm not losing any weight. Discouraging. Is this normal for this time frame? Do I just need to be tighter? My next fill isn't until July 31st.

I went to the docs on Tuesday. Lets rewind at my 1 week post op visit they told me at my 4 week post op visit I would be getting my 1st adjustment. So Tuesday the doctor took a whole 3 minutes to ask me how I was and then said "so at your next appt you'll get your 1st adjustment" and I was like "WHAT!" Long story short he went and chit chatted with the Nuse Practitioner and then she came in and gave me my fill! Thank goodness bc I totally didn't drive 40 minutes to tell my doctor in 3 minutse that I was feeling good! Anyway for anyone concerned it was SOOO MUCH EASIER THAN GETTING YOUR BLOOD DRAWN! It was so painless. It took a total of maybe 30 seconds for it to go in …

I had surgery nine days ago and I am having awful chest pains that feel like a sharp stab. From what I've read these are gas pains, but everyone keeps saying their gas pains are relieved the first few days after surgery. I discussed this with my Dr. and he ordered a chest xray, which was clear. He called in a prescription for meds. to help with gas. Gas X helps a little but I can still feel a constant stab. Has anybody else had gas pain this far out from surgery?:thumbup:

Okay, I was banded on 7-15-09 and I already suffer from chronic constipation. I know that this surgery can cause constipation and my surgeons advice is MOM. Well, I tried this and it made me vomit. Not going there again. I've seen some people say that they use benefiber and it helps. Did any of you suffer prior to surgery with this condition? Just wondering, today is the first day I've been able to "go" since the Saturday before surgery and even that was laxative induced. Thanks for the help. Sorry for the gross specifics:eek:

Well I made it, my first year is over now and it is time to recommitt myself to the new year. I've been hovering around 150 lbs off total for the last 2 months and yesterday I started my 30 day slim down program. I have another 50 lbs to lose in the next 6 month so it is on! Time to push it! Thank you so much for all the support I have had from you all in the last 14 months. You have made the journey more fun. :thumbup:

Only us plus-size folks can understand the excitement around my shopping trip today. I need a dress for an upcoming event and dreaded shopping for one. I tried on several 1X dresses that felt just a little too loose so I figured...what the heck. I ventured into the "normal size" section of Macys never imagining that one would actually fit me. So I was completely shocked that an XL fit and looked good on me. I can't wait until I'm out of the plus-size section for good! :thumbup:

Hey guys. Im going to Myrtle beach on the 27th and it will be the first day that I can start normal foods. What should I order at restaurants and what snacks should I bring along for the ride? All suggestions welcomed. My first trip to the ocean!!Yay!!:scared2:

I'm so hungry, I could eat anything....except for protein shakes, yogurt, Crystal Light or broth. Yuck! I'm sick of those things. What I want is yummy food!! I actually took a lick of ketchup....and pretended I was eating a corny dog. I also look a lick of gravy. Anybody have any ideas on stuff I could eat? I'm only 3 days post op! :blushing:

I had my surgery July 10. I've been doing okay, but last night, I had a really rough time. I had a sharp pain on my right side, underneath my right breast. I thought maybe it was just gas pain. Then, my right hand kept going numb all night long, but I wasn't laying on it or anything to cause it to go numb. I've lost quite a bit of weight fast and I'm really worried this may be a sign that my heart is having trouble. Did anyone have this? Does anyone know what I should do?

Can you tell me what foods seem to stay longer? I just had my second fill. I can feel a little restriction, but not much. I feel the food go through slowly, but nothing is staying in my pouch. Thank you!!!!!

I have my Orientation next week and am curious as to how much weight they will require me to loose. How about you?

What can I have that will fill me up...the hunger pains are not comfortable :thumbup:...Any suggestions out there? I have been on liquids for 2 weeks and I am totally miserable!

does anyone know of doctors, clinics, nurses or anywhere near Barrie On. Canada where I can get fills? Is it easy enough for my family doctor to do? Thanks.

I've been on plateau for about a month now. Going up & down between 203-200. I think I'm at a "set-point" and my body doesn't want to go past it. Any ideas how to break it? I've been exercising an hour a day. I think if I lower my calories really low like do protein shakes only for a day or two, I think it'll go back up immediately after going back to food.

Hi, new here! I was banded on June 16th. I have lost 24 lbs. so far, but I got my 1st fill two wks. ago and I haven't lost any weight since my fill. I have an appointment to see my dr. this coming Fri, but I just wanted to see if this has happened to anybody else. thanks!

He is at Riverside Surgical Center in Sebastian Florida. I have scheduled my husband and I for our first fill with him on July 13, 2009 after being banded in Mexico on May 28, 2009. We have no insurance and must pay for everything for both of out of our own pockets, so we are going to try to get our fill in his office without Fluro. It cost about $200.00 extra... each!! to do it under flouo at the hospital. Just wondering if anyone has had him do their fill in his office? Was he successful? Am I crazy to not pay the extra for fluro?

I did try way to many of these things and I found that the best one was from GNC 100% whey Protein powder. I use it with skim milk as it really does not taste the same or mix the same with Water. Oh and they mix really frothy if you do it in a blender or I use my majic bullet which takes like 2 seconds to mix. I also purchased an emersion hand held blender for the food blending. Great tools make my life easier. This comes in various flavors and the best is chocolate and then the banana Cream. vanilla is good because you can add flavored extracts to it, adds a different flavor without calories. Right now GNC has it on sale for like $10.99 a bag and they last a whi…

I CAN STILL CAN STILL EAT ANYTHING, NOT AT SWEET SPOT AS OF YET ANYONE WITH SAME PROBLEM?:thumbup:

For those of you in Facebook, I have created a very simple "flair" that says Onederland and then under 200 lbs. Its in red with a yellow background. Flair is easy to make, but if you want mine, look me up Bill McCall - Columbus, Ohio

Anyone had problems with high protein diet & abnormal kidney blood test results?

Hi all, I was banded on saturday June 6, by dr Christan De Bruyne at the Emirates hospital in Dubai. I had to stay overnight in the hospital. I was sore and in pain . I was descharged from the hospital next day, but I wasn't ready yet, because I was very weak. I could't get alot of liquids in my stomach, so next morning I had to go back to the hospital to have some fluids through IV. know I am at home, and feeling much better :grouphug: and allready lost 9lb so far........

OK, I'm getting used to the small bites, slow eating and chew chew chew but I'm not great at it yet. So sometimes I do have to go and throw things back up. Usually I can tell I need to by the fact that the burping after I eat is 'thick' and doesn't really happen but the feeling is there. So, my issue is, when I do have to go throw up I never throw up the food, it's always just the slime. AFter that, everything is ok. I learned the hard way about snacking on turkey pepperoni, and after about 3 heaves I actually got some of the, um, mush back up but that's the only time it's been anything besides slime...is that really a problem with what/how I'm eating or am I just we…

I have been sleeping on my back since the surgery and on an incline of pillows since my surgery last Tuesday. Last night, I woke up and my behind was NUMB from being in that position so long, so I got comfortable, took the pillows away, and slept on my side the way I like. So now two of my incisions are kind of oozing. They had been bleeding a little because there are some tiny spots of blood on my nightgown, but now they are just oozing clear stuff. Not much is coming out at all, but I don't want to make it worse! What can I do to make this stop??? Sorry for the grossness of this post!

I am happy to say that my log in name is true!! I got my band yesterday. It went so well, I couldnt have asked for it to be any better. I had surgery at 7:30am , was up walking the halls by 10:30 and homein my own bed by 2pm. Today I am a bit sore but most of the pain is in the shoulders from gas. Also my throat hurts because of the tube during surgery. After 8 days of clear liquid diet, the pureed lentil soup I just had for dinner was amazing!!! Glad to see so many others are having great surgery stories this week too. We are all strong and will do great!!!:thumbup:

:thumbup: Has anyone missed their period after being banded and were always regular, and with that being said not pregnant? I am down 44pounds and have had a period since being banded but this month I have not, and my pregnancy test was negative. So has anyone else gone through this or know why this could happen? I am making a doctors appointment but was curious as to see what others had gone through... Thanks in advance Annie

I had my surgery two days ago, July 20, by Dr Robert Shin. I have five very small incisions which are sore but tolerable, a little nausea and still feeling sort of wiped out. I am having a real hard time getting miniumum of 60 gms of protein in on this full liquid diet week. I am drinking protein drinks and adding some protein to cream of chicken soup. Any other suggestions?

I LOST 12LBS PRE-OP I WAS ON LIQUIDS FOR 8 DAYS (JULY 2nd TO JULY 10th) AND LOST 15 LBS IN THOSE 8 DAYS I HAVE BEEN ON MUSHY SINCE THEN AND TILL NOW AND I HAVE BEEN STARVING AND I FEEL I CAN EAT MORE THAN I AM SUPPOSED TO, AND TO MAKE MATTERS WORSE I THINK I GAINED 5 LBS SINCE I STARTED MUSHIES.. ANYONE ONE ELSE HAVE THIS HAPPEN??:thumbup:

Hello all , Im new to the forum. I was banded on 7-20-09 by Dr. Geroge Fielding in NYU I am a 29 yo male . This is the first time I ever underwent any type of surgery and it was kinda what I expected. I am taken back by the amount of pain that I have. I have two incisions. One s on my belly button where I assume the port and forceps were used for and another hole up in middle of my chest. The belly button is vereey very sore and the one mid chest is smaller just about an inch by an inch bandage covers it completly. I was told I had a hietal hernia and it was repaired while i was under. I have a tremdounous amount of gas pain and discomfort and lots of noise…

I was banded in February and was just curious how my other February friends were doing?

So I go in for the surgery on Monday. My scale at home says 278. The weigh-in at the hospital is 278. I have the surgery. Come home on Tuesday. Weigh in. At 282.5! Today it's 281. It's a new scale, so it could be messed up, but it did agree with the results on Monday. How could I have gained 4 lbs. at the hospital? Surely the drip wasn't 4 lbs worth! I'm not upset by this, just amused. Anybody BTDT?

I've mentioned here before that my current goal is a somewhat Arbitrary one based on how I felt when I last weighed that. I have a real chance of making that goal soon. To get to a normal BMI of 24.9 I would have to lose another 10-12 pounds. So I've done more reading about BMI and it does say that it is an estimate and to consider other factors. One factor was for males a waist line of over 40" is risky. I'm 36" High blood pressure - Mine's now normal High Sugar, HDL, LDL levels are also factors. I'm finally normal in all of those. I think when I reach the goal, I am going to leave it there, and make sure I don't go above. That will especially be hard this win…

No, it's not a new radio station. I finally broke the 200 barrier after hovering between 203 and 200 for about month. I switched up my exercise. I think that helped plus I also did mostly liquids yesterday because of a bad stuck/PB episode the day before. Now, if I can only maintain it this weekend!!! This journey has been alot slower than I thought it would be but, hopefully, it means I will keep it off this time.

Hi everyone. I was banded a year ago in Richmond, VA and have lost nothing (I lost an initial 50 pounds through diet and exercise pre-surgery). The lack of weight loss is totally my fault and I own it. However, I am now in a situation where I would like to have the band removed. I have left my job (teacher) and am returning to school full time to pursue a doctorate. I am looking at the possibility of being without health insurance. I am TERRIFIED that something is going to go wrong with the band and I am not going to have money to fix it. Does anyone know what options are for removal? Can I just go to the surgeon and say "I want it out"??? I am trying to make the…

I got banded on 7/10 and yesterday was the first time I had been able to sleep in the bed. I took a nap yesterday and then last night as well. Both times, I had to get back up because I got so sick and just knew I was going to throw up. Is this normal? How long will it last? I went to bed with my husband at 9pm and had to get back up and didn't go back to bed until midnight. I slept a little better then but still felt sick when I got up this morning. I don't know if it matters, but I had the hiatal hernia surgery also. Oh I hate being sick at my stomach! :thumbup::thumbup:

Hey All, I am so nervous...I go for my first fill tomorrow!!! Can you guys and gals tell me what to expect after the fill as far as dietary restrictions and all....I want to make sure I am prepared. Wish me luck...I am so nervous I could throw up lol

I think I have a large 14cc band (my doctor doesn't remember) Great doc huh. Anyways, does anyone have this size band and at what point were they restricted. I have 6cc and feel no restriction yet.

HI--- I have been having a bit of trouble sleeping since my surgery (a week ago) and was wondering if anyone else is having this problem..... First night home slept, was beat from driving and surgery got home around 10. Second night home I actually saw the sun rise, got to sleep around 6 slept 4 hours. Third night home tired but could NOT get to sleep fell asleep around 2 (took benaeryl & another pill) slept till noon was realllllll groggy. Fourth night 3 am up at 930 this is the first night I felt that I slept 'normal'. Last night again up till past 3 almost 4 layed in the bed now getting up at 10...NOW let me state I have NEVER had a problem sleeping!! I can …

I have suffered headache and migrain all my life and am a little worried about the posibility of exposing myself to crippling pain if i cant get the fluids in. I drink 3-4 Litres a day to try and keep hydrated. I'm a little confused about Fluid intake. Is it only in the first few weeks that you can only take small sips, but after that you can drink much more??? is everyone different in here with the amounts they can drink. Has anyone else had any of these kinds of problems pre and post op? food Water and sleep always catch me out. thanks in adv.

HELP!!! So upset! I was banded March 30,2006. My biggest fill was 7.0 cc and I went from 295 to 216 within the first 18 months. I went to my surgeon regularly, and was very pleased with my results. I went to my Dr. in August of 2007 and did not get a fill- stayed at 7 cc, and then went back in December 2007. During my xray the surgeon discovered that my bad was slanted... he de-filled me and put me on a two week liquid diet. I went back, and they could only fill me to 3 cc. January of 2008, I lost my job and my health insurance....I have since gone up to 269 lbs.. and I throw up/vomit several times a day and rarely eat. But for some reason I cannot lose the weight, eve…

So two nights ago, I was feeling pretty stoked because I managed to drink all my protein early - by 4pm. I was trying to get it in early so I wouldn't feel so bloated and rushed at night trying to get it all eaten. That night for dinner I had some pureed potato and corn soup, with no protein. The next morning, about 20 minutes after I woke up, my eyesight went blurry (especially my left eye) & I had a sudden flushed feeling, along with dizziness. It was really intense. I really couldn't see and it came on fast & strong. It got worse by the minute. I managed to call Monica at Dr. Aceves office before my sight went totally blurry and quickly made a protein sh…

What is your typical exercise routine? How often? How strenuous? How soon after surgery can you start? Questions Questions Questions? Thanks for your help

just curious thats all :thumbup: you can even put how much you lost in 4 months too

Ok soooo this might be tmi but i need help! I had my band surg monday and all went smooth came home that night and till last night hadnt had a bowel movement. WELL all that changed. i started with violent gas and diarrhea last night and it is still going on. You would think i was blowing the porclien up! It is very painfull and you can hear my guts rumbling 10 feet away! I have been using gas strips but havent helped this prob. any advise??????? :confused: i am a hairdresser and a massage therapist and today was my first day back. well needless to say i RAN to the bathroom 2 times for 10 min each during one haircut and i just pray no one was walking by the d…

Does anyone know how many calories I should be eating? what is approproate 3 meals or 6 small ones?

Hey all--Just to update you all, I was sleeved on June 23rd in Costa Rica. The surgery went well and I have lost 23 1/2 pounds already. I just realized the other day that I didn't receive any post op paperwork or x-rays or anything like that. Well, I received paperwork, but not on the operation itself. Am I the only one that didn't receive that? Should I e-mail my surgeon and ask for stuff? I really should have all of that sort of thing to discuss with my PCP. I have an appointment with my PCP tomorrow, though. AAAAHHHH!!

I have a major case of sweet tooth going on right now. I know that I'm not suppose to have sweets anymore, but I am really wanting something. What do you all do when your sweet tooth starts acting up?

So this Thursday will make 4 weeks post op and I am still have severe bouts of diarrhea and some pain around my largest incision. I will spare you the details but will let you know that the diaherra IT IS NOT NORMAL and yes I have talked to my surgeon - he has been absolutely no help. In fact, I would like to speak to the so called Bariatric Center of Excellence this staff belongs to because they have been nothing but subpar. For instance, today when I called they said they had no record of me ever being in thier office - NICE!!! Anyway, will not rant about that. I am learning that at this point I can still only tolerate liquids and nothing else. Luckily my appeti…

Just got banded yesterday, the 20th. Also had hiatal hernia repair. I'm feeling constipated; my practice told me to use liquid Colace. Liquid colace must be taken with juice or milk, say the instructions. But it's taking me forever to sip it down. The practice also told me I should drink two protein shakes a day, but to mix them with milk to dethicken them. So now I've had half a shake with milk and the idea that I should have three more glasses of it before bed seems totally impossible! Any advice?

After reading several threads/posts, it appears that many receive their first fill during the surgery while others receive it 6 weeks later. I wanted to know if the individuals that receive the fills during surgery heal at the same rate? Again, just curious and wondering if it worth discussing with the surgeon. Thanks in advance for your replies and patience.