POST-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A

I had my second fill yesterday. I had absolutely no restriction after the last one 4 weeks ago. I could have gone back in 2 weeks instead of waiting 4 weeks, but life got in the way. I've spent a lot of time in the hospital because my dad was having a lung biopsy and was diagnosed with Stage 4 renal cell carcinoma. I had a bit too much going on to worry about a fill during that time. I was making bad food choices and eating on the run most of the time. Since then, I've been under stress at work with after school meetings that made me have to reschedule my appts over and over. I finally was able to make it to the surgeon yesterday and was scared to get on the scale.…

Yeah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I hit onderland on Friday April 24th. I think this is a date I will remember forever:tt2:

Have a great day!!!!

I have been having an ongoing problem since I had a port revision in October. They did a fill and it was so tight I couldn't eat, or drink anything with out throwing it up. I also had lots of reflux. Lost lots of weight but was feeling so weak and sick. Had them take out 3cc's and gained 9 lbs in 1 month. Had them put back in 2cc's and gained 3 more pounds in a month. Had them put back in .5cc's and started throwing up again...took out .2cc's and am no better. My surgeon gave me a lecture about having fluid put in and removed and saying it isn't good and could stretch out my pouch. So I am worried about what to do. I am once again having refux, and not able to eat much of…

i was banded on feb 24th 2009 and so far was okay until saturday 11th april. food gets stuck occasionally but the pain and stuck feeling generally pass about an hour after eating. this is fine. however, on saturday i ate a packet of dorritos which i shouldnt have. i threw them up almost straight after finishing them. this was at about 7pm at night. not long after that i was in extreme pain. this pain is still here even after almost 2 and a half days. i have not been able to hold down any food or liquids since saturday night. i am exhausted. on the sunday morning i went to the local hospital because i was worried that the band had slipped. they took an x-ray but sa…

Does anyone have some good ideas for the mushies stage? I was banded 4/22 and had my first post-op today. My DR said I can start doing mushies in the next few days, and I want to have something to look forward to!! :ohmy:

Hello fellow bandstandsters. I need the support of some good friends right about now. I recently went to a new dr to get a check up/ fill here in South Jersey because I was gaining weight yet vomiting when I tried to eat so I thought my band had slipped or something( btw he's a excellent dr)He scheduled me to get a floroscope before he would give me a fill since I was a new patient.Well while looking at x-ray he saw a shadow near my esphogus.,so he sent me to a specialist who did a biopsy etc.Thank God it wasn't cancerous,but I do have a hiaterial hernia as well a bacteria in my stomach. So far I'm on nexum until the specialist gets back from vacation.Sooo just wondering…

I had my surgery in October. I was self pay and I thought that the money that I spent would be more than worth it. I never expected that this journey would be easy (OK, deep down I hoped it would, but knew it wouldn't be). I lost 35 pounds and then wasn't feeling much restriction. So, I went for another fill. The doctor couldn't find the port after poking me about 20 times. SO, I got it done under xray (for $450). About a week after the fill I had no restriction. I went back to the doc today to get my free in office fill. He couldn't find the port again, even now that he knows that my port is a little tilted and moves when he injects it. I feel totally hopeless right now.…

Hey - quick question - I am eleven days post-op and still have some abd. swelling - normal?? How long did yours last? Steve

Hi everyone. Having trouble chewing up those nasty calcium citrate wafers--just can't do it, so I bought some "petite" calcium citrate pills which are still HUGE. Any suggestions? Is there another alternative? If they made a "gummy" calcium, I would loooovve it.

I had my first fill on 4/28 and the MD had to take out 1/2 cc so I could actually swallow the water. At that point he felt I had good restriction and I would actually feel full. So I had a total of 3 cc's in this fill and 2 were already in the band. Now my question is yesterday late afternoon I had a stomach ache and I felt like I had a huge gas bubble in the upper part of my back that wouldn't move. Eventually it went away and I also took Pepcid AC. Now this morning I am trying to drink my protein shake and its like its not agreeing with my stomach, it feels like its upsetting my stomach. Could this be just irritation from being filled? I wouldn't think it was too…

Just wondering if anyone has low potassium here? I almost didn't have LB surgery b/c it was too low at 2.7, so they gave me IV potassium 4 hrs b/4 surgery to bring it up. They sent me home on liquid potassium which is horrible, gross and nasty! Too soon to eat bananas and I can tell it's low again. Any suggestions?

Hi. It's too late to call my dr's office. I'm hoping one of you can confirm in the meantime, I'm not dying of a ghastly terminal infection or something. I am feeling a hard bump above and to the right of my largest incision. I was banded 4 days ago. Is this the port? Because as far as I know the port is meant to be on your left side and below the incision. Should I be worried? This is the bit that hurts the most other than the crippling shoulder pain of course!

Looking to speak with people who was banded the same day I was to compare notes and encourage one another.

Hi all i was successfully banded on the 28th.I have had the hiccups since day one on and off i haventeaten anything really as yet, i dont know what to eat lol i have had tomato soup from a can what have you guys been eattingon the liquid part of you diet. i also have like a really empty felling in the pit of my stomach i guess coz i am hungry did any of you have this feeling. Thanks Hayley

Hi Everyone My name is Jen and along with my best friend Jodie have set-up a new company called Lap Band for the Mind. Before we were banded we realised that we needed to work on the mind side of things and resolve the underlying issues of why we were overweight in the first place, hence Lap Band for the Mind was born! You can visit our website at Optifast stage as well as tips & tricks to help you along the way. As you have already been through this, we are looking for people to contribute their own stories about how you prepared for surgery and also any tips & tricks that you used to keep you on the straight and narrow during the Optifast stage (if you did i…

So I had my first post op appt. today. I am down 27lbs in 17 days...... (12lbs prior and 15lbs since surgery on the 20th) I have started on mushies obviously - my question is: I was lectured on the 4oz mushies or solid food at meal time. I have been doing 8oz of carnation or another Protein shake to get my protein in.... Do liquids have to stay in the 4oz range?? It would seem to me that the answer would be "no" but I forgot to ask him. Like Soups, Protein shakes... etc. How the *$ would I get 50-70 grams of protein that way? Some insight would help. I have had NO vomiting, No nausea, nothing.... Check this out: Today I had a 8oz carnation with a banana b…

I had my mental health evaluation today. It was ok. She said she would go over her notes and send the result to my PCM. I answered all the questions honestly. What I want to know is, Can the psychologist stop you from getting the band? They asked me how much I knew about the changes I will have to go through and about the sugery. She asked me about portions, what I can and can't eat. She asked me all kind of stuff. Thank Goodness I found this website because almost everything I learned was from here. I just hope everything goes good. I just have to keep my fingers crossed........ Jennifer

i think this site is GREAT...im soooooooo happy to b a member....i read soooooo many threads and feel sooooooooooo lucky that i have not had any major complications...i did have hair loss...which has stopped...and i can count on 1 hand how many times i've pb'd...i've lost a lot of weight...i've always had perfect restriction after a fill...never too much...never too little...my pain after surgery was minimal...i had it done on a monday ...was back to work that thursday...i sit here and read some threads with my jaw dropped...i've read some threads about complications i've never even heard of....with all that said...i dont know if it has been luck...me...or my surgeon....b…

Hello all! Are you up for a challenge? Lets do it! Lets train for a half marathon. Let me give you a little background........when I weighed 260 (which was before the band, I have since gained 30 lbs and then got the band) I finished an olympic distance triatholon. I know that if I could do that at 260 then I can definitely finish a half marathon. Anyone interested?! I think the one I'm going to do is in OK. city in April. I live in Kansas but the first one here isn't until October and I want to do one before that. Check your area and see when there is one for you. This will be great for weightloss and for keeping us in line with our goals!! Remember that you …

I have been banded for 11 days now, and just had my first round of hiccups. Are hiccups as bad as vomiting? I don't want anything to cause the band to slip. Any thoughts? :smile:

I finally got the call, the insurance approved my surgery and my surgery is set for May 7th. I am so happy, there was no way I was going to change that date, I have been waiting a long time for this. Unfortunatly one of my closest friends is having a wedding on May 8th. My surgery is outpatient and will be the first one of the day 7:30 am Thursday, is it possible to go to the wedding Friday evening? I plan on just attending the ceremony only. I am 42, pretty athletic and strong, I can handle pain very well. Thanks in advance on any advice, I will of course know on Friday if I could go, just trying so find out what you felt like about 36 hours later.

Hello! I had my 1st fill on 4/27. My question is: How long does the soreness around the port area last after fills? It's true what I've read, you don't really feel a whole lot of restriction with your 1st fill. But I'm satisfied with my results :thumbup:

I was banded nine months ago, and lost 52 pounds in the first five months. But since then, I've been pretty much stuck, and I still would like to lose another 50-60 pounds. I'm happy about the fact that I have not gained weight over these four months; it's been really quite effortless to maintain where I am - I think I have gained two pounds, but even that fluctuates. But I'm not really happy with where I am. So for those of you who've gotten off-track, how do you get back on? I probably need a small fill, I know that, but I'm trying to figure out how to recapture the motivation and the dedication I had last summer and fall.

Hey guys, Sitting here at work reading the posts and wondering how you were closed? Did you have staples or stitches or like me have the glue? I liked not having anything that would have to dissolve or be taken out. I have healed really good and the glue is just beginning to peel off. No problems...I was banded on 04-14-09. Just wondering how everyone else was done.....

How many have had Gall Bladder Surgery. Did you have it after/during/before the lapband surgery? Did you have any issues afterwards .. nausea .. dirreaha, etc Reason I am asking. My surgeon wants to remove my gall bladder next week. My wife found a few people had good results afterwards, but alot of people were miserable afterwards. I have some small gall stones, but they don't show to be inflamed. I am having alot of pain though.

Okay, I have been on here before when I was first "stoned". Got my information, read, read, read some more. I thought I was done after they did lithotripsy and a uteroscopy at the same time. Water Water Water. Had a follow up scan 7 months...guess what they're baa-ack!! Can somebody tell me waht is going on with my body? My stone profile shows no risk of developing stones, yet here they are...not just one but multiple stones on both sides. Is this a result of the band? I have no family history of stones, I have cut 10 grams of protein from my minimum, take no calcium supplements. I want to get to the cause not treat the symptom. My right side continually aches, I feel lik…

I am just wondering, have any of you used Curves or known anyone who has? I have always failed misserably with excersize, but now I feel that I have my food intake under control, after 3 months of making a new life style for myself. I believe I am ready to under take a new excersize routine and be sucessful at it! :biggrin: I would love to try Curves, but wonder if you get a good work out from it... Thanks for any advice you all may have!

1st day back to work and I have been feeling dizzy and lightheaded off and on since yesterday. Any suggestion on what I'm doing wrong or is this normal? Banded 4/20/09

Sorry I had posted this in the wrong place!! Re-posted it in the Pre-Surgery section!!

I was banded 4/10/09 and had lost 23 pounds at my 2 week weigh in. I'm in my 3rd week, and have not lost a single ounce according to the scale. I'm not pmsing or retaining water. I eat approx 800 calories a day...why haven't I lost anything this week???? Numerically, that seems impossible!

Just need some input here. Had lapband surgery yesterday and am very sore today, which is to be expected. My upper abdomen feel hard, also. Is this normal, too? Also, I am hungry already. Is it way too soon to start mushies? Whenever I smell food, I want some.

What is the best website to keep up with your food log on a daily basis? Banded on 4/20/09 :laugh:

I had my lapband on April 22nd - 7 days ago. I've been doing ok - but still sore at 2 of the incisions and still not able to sleep comfortably cuz I usually sleep on my side or stomach and move around a bit at night. I'm getting a little concerned, cuz one of the incisions that hurts the most has some black and blue under it and I feel like in that area is a bulge? Does that happen to anyone? I'm having no trouble drinking liquids and having smooth Soup or lite yogurt. I get nervous that the bulge shouldn't be there ... then I calm myself down, saying its probably still some swelling... then I"m worried something moved... HELP!! Can some of the banders with more ex…

Hi all - I have my first fill at 9:15 and I'm freaking out. Not because of the needle, I can handle that. I'm freaking out about going back to all the gas and pain. When I first got my band on 3/31 I was miserable...come to find out I was carrying 3ccs of residual fluid in my 4cc band. Once I had my unfill, it was sweet releif...but then I started getting hungry. I want a fill for the restriction, but I'm so scared to experience what I did before. Any words of wisdom or comfort???

Hello, I am a little over 3 weeks out and Ive noticed a strange sensation in my port area. The best way I can describe it is numb. I have feeling there, but it is significantly less than everywhere else on my stomach. Previously, it was burning and I understood that to be the port settling in. Now though is this strange feeling. Did anyone else experience this, and does it go away or is this permanent? I will be speaking to my doc about it when I see him in two weeks I was just wondering for now. Thanks.

I was banded in December and I've had 3 fills since. A week after surgery they removed all the fluid in my band because I was very nauseated so as of right now I'm still a little behind fill wise according to my Dr. After my last fill, about a month ago, when I eat certain foods (for some reason fries in particular, I KNOW BAD BAD!) I get this awful pain that radiates to my shoulder and I have to stop eating and wait 10-15 minutes before I start to eat again. I'm assuming that this is food getting stuck. I'm about to be off my dad's insurance in a month or so and wondered if I should try to get another fill even with this recent development. I've noticed that I have been …

Here is a bit of history. I was banded on 3/27. I was on liquids for 3 weeks, started solids on 4/17. I was experiencing, what I thought was food getting stuck, until I realized I was getting this feeling after only having a slimfast shake in the AM. I finally figured out that it was acid reflux (flashback to when I was pregnant with my 4th dd). I am still able to eat solid food, just not the 4 oz. at a time. I usually end up eating about 2-3 oz. and then have Snacks (healthy ones) in the late morning and afternoon. I make sure I drink 64 oz. of Water each day. I have not vomited, PB'd or slimed or even been truly stuck. I had an appt. today for my first adjustmen…

Hello... I was banded on 3/12/09. I lost 12 lbs in the pre-op phase and since surgery I've lost another 7 lbs. But I really haven't lost any since I added soft foods back into my diet. My anger and frustration is that I still have not had a fill. I have no restriction whatsoever, looking for food a lot. Like someone else said on another thread, if I had the will power I wouldn't need the band. I'm reading about a lot of other bandsters who had their surgery on or about the same time as me and they've already had one fill. I couldn't get in for a fill 4 weeks post-op because my surgeon was going to be out of town so I was pushed back one week (5 weeks post op), then…

So I thought I would try some potato salad with my lunch yesterday. I had 1/4 cup potato salad, 1/4 cup cottage cheese, 3oz of tuna - I am still in mushies stage. I could not eat it all, but there were no issues. Then about 4pm I started to have a lot of gas and heartburn. At 6 I tried to eat a little something to see if it would calm my stomach - made it worse. I took to bed. I got a fever of about 100.8 which persisted most of the night. As well as an upset stomach all night. This morning my stomach still hurts a bit - its a lot better - but, I do not feel like eating. The fever is gone. And yes, I am calling my Dr. today. The weirdest thing about the whole o…

I was banded on 10/9/08 and am down about 40 pounds. It took me a long time to get up to a restriction that had me losing weight (6cc's), but after a few weeks, that was way too tight and I ended up getting 4cc's taken out because my stomach was swollen over the top of the band. After a week of being unfilled and on liquids, we did an x-ray and I was back to normal. I had 2 more fills over the course of a month, bringing me up to 5.5cc's. That felt too tight and I couldn't keep a lot down, so I got .5cc taken out, bringing me down to 5cc's. Now I can't keep down most solid foods at all. So I switch to liquids and mushies...on those days I am hungry and can sna…

So I have been home a week and a half now and have not had a whole lot of desire for any sexual contact with my wife. This is very disconcerting for both of us since we were a 4 - 5 times a week couple. Now my wife has slightly hurt feelings because she is worried that I think she is too fat for me now... I have assured her that this is not the case, but she is an ACTIONS SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS kinda gal. I love my wife dearly and she is the sexiest woman I have ever been with. We are very computable in this area... VERY. Frankly, it takes some effort to get *Uhm...* Well... READY.... Is this normal post-op (this was my first surgery ever)? Is this normal for b…

My Doctor told me to stick to about 1300 for the first month or two after banding, but I am just not hungry ever and I seen to average about 880. I am getting enough Protein - I supplement with Isopure - but I just can't eat enough. How many calories does your doctor have you on and how many are you actually eating? -BSG

I am not post band (yet!) but I met with the nutritionist yesterday and she was explaining the process. They are not as conservative pre and post op as what I have read here. There is no pre op diet and post op is 2 weeks FULL liquids (no clear liquid stage), and then to mushies. I am leaning towards maybe being more conservative as long as I can stand it and do at least a week or so on Clear Liquids then to full liquids. I really don't want to have anything screw this up for me! Has anyone been more conservative than their dr. recommended with their post op diet?

Hi. I was banded a week ago and my doctor wants me to start on a chewable mulit tomorrow. Anyone have any suggestions as to which brand is one of the better ones? Thanks so much.

I was banded Weds the 22nd and I am concerned that my urine is green and I mean pee green? Has anyone else experienced this. Also my stomach feels like a basketball and I look 9 months pregnant very bloated!!!

Can you drink beer with the lap-band????

Hello All! I am hoping some of can help me with some of the concerns that I am having, and I do realize we are all different and depends on our doctors but any advise will ease my mind. We are going to Disneyworld in 52 days, I had my surgery on April 10th, and will get my first fill on May 4th. What can expect to be able to eat by then? It will be very hard to be at amusement parks and pass up some of the yummy goodies, haha. But I was just wondering how I should handle this. Any advise is appreicated.. :thumbup:

So, tomorrow is 3 weeks post-op and I am just not ever hungry. I can eat, but I pretty much have to force myself to eat. I tried to wait it out yesterday to see when i would be hungry and I started to feel light headed before I was actually hungry - so I ate. I guess this is a blessing, but I have not heard anyone else talk about this. Anyone else experiencing this? -BSG

i'm starving!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! i'm about ready to pull my hair out!!!!!!!!!! i go for my 5th fill 2morrow....my sweet spot was perfect 4 about 3 months...now i'm only staying full for 2 hours...i'm soooooooooooo close to goal....will 2morrow ever get here??????????????