POST-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A

I'm two days post op. Can I have chicken broth?

hi all, its now exactly 1 week since my op and hey im 9lbs lighter. i do however have a problem, staight after surgery i experienced severe pain in my left shoulder, this eased of after half an hour, i have had bouts of shoulder pain over the last week but nothing like today, its agony, i am getting a sharp nerve like pain in my shoulder which extends down my back and accross my neck. it is worse when i breathe in. has anyone else experienced this problem and how did you cure it, after surgery i was told it was caused by trapped air in my abdomen which eventually works its way up, if this is the case why is it so bad today a week after the op. anyhow if anyones got any …

I was banded on te 27th with pretty much no gas pain at all, but directly after surgery, I started to feel a stonge pain under my left side of my rib cage. I can't figure out if it is gas pain or not, because I don't feel it unless I take a deep breath or cough. It almost feels like it is brused. It seems like where my liver is, could it be that is was brused during surgery? Has anyone else felt this type of soreness in this spot after surgery?

Anyone else ever deal with their port area bleeding? The scar that is? I am 10 days post op and the darn thing wont stop bleeding. ALL DAY long!I emailed my dr and he said keep an eye on it and im good as long as it doesn't turn red or i dont get a fever.. Anyone else experience bleeding??

Posted in general ? and food and nutrition.. Hi - Was banded in October - all has been okay. Today at costco I sampled Macadaian encrusted mahi mahi...and it was HOT. I w/out thinking swallowed the whole thing. I felt a bit stuck but nothing that time didn't help. About an hour later I ate a small Peanut Butter cup...slimed it up. An hour later a Protein shake - couldn't finish it. Two hours later, I was hungry and ate a Fiber One bar...it was feeling VERY uncomfortable about 20 minutes after eating it. I have been sliming now for a couple of hours...did I just irritate it? Someone please tell me what is going on. I am freaking out!!! TIA

Had my surgery on Apr 1! Hurray. And am recovering well. Except that I was concerned about two bumps that were appearing almost opposite of each other right at the bottom of my rib cage. I figured one was my port and the other a mystery...which was concerning me because it hurts when I press on it. Wish I would have asked my dr. or a nurse where my port was located right after surgery but I was dazed. Hindsight is 20-20 :laugh: During my post op visit today, the dr. told me that the bump on the right (which I thought was my port) was simply a large bruise & scar tissue. It would disappear quickly...I was really surprised because it's the redder of my incisio…

I have a welt near one of my scars. I had my surgery on Jan. 20 - anyone know why I would get a welt near my scar now?:thumbup:

I'm suppose to still be on a liquid diet but cannot tolerate the taste of slim fast. I have been eating watered down oatmeal and skim milk mashed potatoes (Liquid practically). Does anyone think this is to soon?

hello this is all new to me, can anyone please tell me how long after they had there band put on did they start eating solid food again. I have had my band in for 8days now and i am starving my stomach is so angry with me that i feel ill. The optiefast and liquid diet is driving me nuts. I have no restristion of feel full feeling at all. has anyone got any sugestions for me.

I'm in the planning stages...I've been approved and got my release from my regular doc, now I'm just waiting for surgery on 4/24....I was thinking of buying a nice summery kind of dress so nothing rubs against the incisions but I'm concerned about the over the head motion...and since my dad is the one taking care of me after I REALLY don't want him helping me undress lol. I heard button-down shirts but I don't have any...and what kind of pants? I guess everything will be loose after the liquid diet but I doubt you can wear a belt... OMG i just don't KNOW!!!! lol HELP!!!

Just curious how many of you felt sick after your surgery. If you did how long did it take to go away. Food is replusive to me now. I'm barely getting any of my liquids in. Any advice? I've also go the gas pain in my stomach, but the sick feeling (like the flu) is the worst. Thanks, Andrea

Had my 1 week f/u this am and all is well and healing great! Better yet- I lost 13 lbs so total of 29lbs YIPPEE!!!!! I'm so stoked it isnt even funny- Thanks for all the support!!!!!:thumbup:

I am on day 3 after being banded and everything is going great except my back pain. That was my first complaint coming out of surgery and still my complaint today. The pain is right in the middle of my back, as if it needs to pop/be adjusted. Prior to being banded I had back pain from time to time and saw a chiropractor. Is anyone else having back pain? Could it be the same pain from before and just irritated from surgery? I won't be able to see my chiropractor for some time because of the way he twists my body for the adjustments. But my back pain is so bad I am in tears. Does anyone have some suggestions? I have tried my heating pad, styrofoam back support, my …

Was banded yesterday in Dallas finally.. And after everything wore off, I feel great today.. Congrats to me..lol

Hi everyone, I'm back again with another question. I had my 2nd fill almost a month ago and the last 2 days ,I've had very little restriction. I can even eat chicken and have it not feel like I'm having a heart attack. Has this happened to anyone else ? Is it normal for it to go away that quickly (restriction anyways),that didn't happen really after my first fill,I just stopped losing weight for a couple of weeks and then went to have my second fill. My doctor will not do another fill until 6 weeks past the last fill and the requirement would be that I hadn't lost any weight 2 weeks prior. Can anyone shed some light,I'm always worried it seems. Thank you!

Hello, I was banded this past Tuesday and while I'm feeling generally ok I did develop some lower back pain today. Did any of you experience this? If so do I need to see my doctor?

I'm struggling with head hunger. It is usually late at night or at work where the goodies are in my direct line of vision. I can't move my work area and it is the only place they can put the goodies. Usually I don't have a problem but in times of stress it gets tough. Besides leaving the area for awhile, what do you do to mentally get though a tough time? Do you have a mantra? Do you have a mental picture of how you want to look after the weight is gone? I'm interested in learning how people deal with this and hopefully pull from your strength.

Hi everyone, Diane here from England, hope everybody is fit and well. I have another dilema, Sunday its my treat day and I have a little extra to eat and a nice bottle of wine with my dinner, for dinner this week I had Liver, gravy and veg, yum yum, really nice and went down a treat, as I had some left over I decided to have it for my tea when I returned home from work the next day, now on a Sunday im grazing all day with different types of food, come Monday im as good as gold and back on plan, so I dont eat much during the day, came back from work and got my liver ready, the first mouthfull got stuck, the band must have been so tight that I had to go and bring it up (so…

I am 22 and weigh 250....... I am wondering if I will need a tummy tuck after I have hit my goal. Anyone around my age...did your skin bounce back? Also, I plan to have kids in about 5 years so I am definetly waiting until I loose it to have it done!

The biggest trick to NOT getting stuck is size of food..I have learned that pea size is just right for meats expecially..I have dealt with getting stuck so much and was to where I didn't want to eat..And the trick is to eat nothing bigger than a pea or a bean sized bite..Hope this helps..I guess we all gotta learn our own ways but thought this might be of some help..Also, remember what we/you/me swallow has to go through the hole the size of a straw..:glare:

Hi, I am really new and have a few questions on diet, can anyone help me? Its only been 9 days since my lapband operation.

This is just a post to vent. :thumbup: I realize I don't have restriction yet - actually I don't even know if I need it. (eggs got stuck this morning because I ate too fast) But I'm still NOT losing weight. :sad: I follow a good, healthy diet (no white bread or sugar). I have actually raised my caloric intake to 1,200 because I keep reading threads where people were talking about "starvtion mode". What can I do to get this $#&@*! scale to move? I have called the doctor numerous times. They always say it just takes time. How long??? I'm scheduled for my first fill the end of this month - but not really sure if I'm going to get it. I'm not overly hungry right …

Okay so I'm not really hungry, but ever since I was put in my recovery room I have had these crazy cravings for anything and everything! Obviously I haven't indulged my cravings, but I was wondering if anyone else experienced this!

Hi guys. I got banded on Friday...so it's been about 3 days. I started off slow..drinking broth and having an occassional popsicle. Yesterday, I started to feel a little more hungry so I introduced Ensure shakes and last night had some egg drop Soup. Today...I've been even hungrier...I've had two Ensure shakes and a little more of the egg drop soup with some hot sour soup as well. I just ate about 30 minutes ago, and I'm already hungry again!!! Should I just stick with the Ensure....or should I go ahead and start with some pureed black bean soup or something? I don't want to overdue it...I've had no problems with anything I've eaten so far....but I thought I'd see wh…

i'm just full of threads today...lol...has anyone changed their goal weight...i set my goal at 160....right now i'm at 180 size 12...i have days where i'm like this is enuff...but lately my frame of mind has been...let ur body take u to where it wants to go...if it takes me to 150 and i'm healthy so b it...i just want to keep going and going...but i do want to stay healthy...and then of course theres that plateau...i could hit anyday now...so far i've been hiding from it...u can run but u cant hide...lol:tongue::sad:

I was banded on the 31st , was on clears for 48 hours and now Protein shakes and fulls ( sweet potato Soup, yogurt), and i cant say that i have felt any real resistance with the band, is this normal?...does the real 'banding' feeling only come when solids are introduced? new jersey

Those who have been following my band drama and going for a second opinion on Tuesday and finding out some things from him that I was not told by my current doctor (like my band has slipped a little and there is conflicting info about what model I actually have). You can read my post titled "UPDATE:...." Anyway, before I jump ship and change doctors (my current doctor had only done 22 bands before me but lives very close to my home, the other doctor is experienced but is an hour away) - I need to know what to ask about this new doctor. Here are some questions I will ask: 1) How many bandings has he done 2) What is the band complication rate 3) What percentage of ba…

do u think there is something about losing weight with the band that takes off more inches...then say if u lost the same amount of weight on jenny craig...weight watchers...etc....etc...i took b4 pictures in the hospital...but i did not take my measurements...which i totally regret not doing...

Hi Guys , post op 1 week ( 2 weeks from first band which had complications and fixed a week later ) . I seem to be having problems I think with dehydration , skin on face dry , my eyes sore , headaches last couple of days , Ive stuck to my liquid diet to the letter and in my opinion I am constantly drinking plenty Water , I walk around with a bottle of mineral water all day constantly sipping throughout the day. Anyway last couple of days Ive been run down , and all the symptoms of dehydration , yesterday I drank a rehydration drink mix I got from Pharmacy and it helped last night , today though as the day progresses I feel headache and a little nauseau setting in aga…

:glare: I had my first fill yesterday and told me to go on the "straw diet" for two days. Well, while at work today they didn't have anything to eat that could go through a straw. So what I did was chew banana with a little Water in my mouth to make it more mushy. I have terrible pain in the middle of my stomach with painful back ache. My stomach is growling and the same time I feel full. Is there something that I can do at home to get rid of this pain? I saw somewhere to try drinking something warm, but I already tried that and it didn't work. Please help!!!!

Do you hear a clicking noise when you get a fill? My first fill I heard a clicking noise that sounded much like a computer mouse when you click. My second fill I heard nothing. Do you hear anything when you get a fill?

I had my surgery on 3/12, so tomorrow I will be 4 weeks post op. This morning I had a little pain in my stomach and it hurt to walk. It felt like a pulled muscle. Tonight that pain has gotten worse. When I took my son to the grocery store with me, he threw a fit where I was required to pick him up (he weighs about 30 lbs.). Now it hurts when I walk and my stomach feels like a gigantic pulled muscle. Make sense? Did I just pull a muscle or did I do something wrong like eat too much? Thanks!

I was banded 01-05-09 and i am down only 30 lbs. I know that is a BIG accomplishment but i feel like i should have lost more. My doctor is very encouraging and is always telling me not to dwell too much on numbers right now because i am loosing inches. And i am, im down almost 2 pant sizes and 2 shirt sizes. I guess im just impatient to reach my goal, i dont know. Does anyone have any tips or have you guhys ever felt like that????....any good, filling foods that yall love? any kinda of help would be great!! :scared2:

Good morning everyone, I was banded 4-28-08 and I was just wondering...has anyone besides myself gotten tired of chewing? My jaws are tired and I think I'm even feeling a slight headache from the constant chewing. If anyone out there is experiencing the same thing, what are you doing for comfort?

i was very open with my co-workers about my surgery. im a nurse and figured why lie? they aren't dumb and i consider most of them friends. and for the most part they've all been very supportive. i,ve lost 25 pounds in the 5 weeks since my surgery. i just had my 1st fill last friday so being that i've had little to no restriction i feel pretty proud of myself. needless to say i've got that one co-worker who has only nasty things to say. (to be honest she's kind of the office bitch and very thin) . everyone has complimented me on my weight loss besides her. on more than one occasion i she made comments to me that my weight loss really isn't a big since i cheated to los…

My surgery was this past Monday and it seems like the past few days I've felt pretty good all day long but in the evening I start to not feel so well. Did anyone else experience this? Also, could I be drinking too much in one sitting? I have been drinking an 8 oz glass of skim milk with protein powder and can almost finish it. I was wondering if that might be too much.

I'm allowed to have yogurt in addition to the liquids. At my checkup today the doc said I could also have eggs and vegetables that have been cooked really, really well. I was just banded on Saturday. This morning I tried to eat some yogurt, but a bite of it got stuck. I guess it was too big of a bite. I'm a little swollen since I just had surgery. Now I know what I want to avoid in the future. It hurt! I slimed and I had to vomit up the little bit of yogurt before I got any relief. Ugh. I am definitely not looking forward to any more episodes like that.

I'm feeling a little frustrated today. Now that I finally got to 195 (35 down), I'm having a tough time getting below that number. AND I committed to getting at least 6 more off by May 5th, which seems like a still-attainable goal. . IF the loss would stop stalling. Yesterday, I had a Slim Fast for Breakfast, Soup for lunch, and about 2/3 of a Smart Ones dinner for dinner -- and I worked out with a personal trainer for an hour (tough workout too). But this morning, the scale hadn't moved at all. . in fact, it was at 195.6. So frustrating! Just wanted to vent -- I figured you guys would understand. Catherine

I was banded 9 months ago and have lost 55lbs!! I have went from a size 20 to a size 14!!:glare: However, for the last 3 weeks or so, I have not lost a single pound. I go for a fill in 3 weeks.....which seems SO far away:thumbdown: I only need to lose 6 more pounds and I will be in ONEderland for the first time in FOREVER!! I also leave for a family trip to Disney World in 4 weeks.....my goal was to be under 200lbs by then....im so close....just STUCK!! I have a membership to your local YMCA. I go 5 days a week. I do the treadmill every morning for 45 - 55 minutes.... i jog the first 1/2 mile or so, then fast walk another 2 miles for a total of 2 - 3 miles. …

Hi, I have been experiencing pain under the left side bottom rib, maybe lil more toward center. It comes and goes, no ryme or reason, but is sharp. Sometime it even stays around for awhile. I went to liquids yesterday to see if i can get it to help, still waiting. Anyone else experience this pain??

So now im 4 weeks after being banded and NOW im getting the should pain!! whats the deal?? anyone know what is causing it? Im also having some pain when i going #2 . I have some pressure down there often and it can get pretty bad. Any adivce / info would be great! ~~jessica:confused:

Just 10 days post-op and I'm messing up by overeating. I have to stop this. I was put on mushy foods on the third day after surgery, and I was allowed to introduce more solid foods into my diet during the first week. From what I've read on here, that's not very common, but that's what my book I got from the doctor told me to do. I followed the pre-op diet to the letter. I had no trouble at all following those strict guidelines for two weeks--even when it was all liquids the entire week before surgery. The problem came about 3 days ago. The swelling is apparently gone, and I have absolutely no restriction. On top of that, it's time for my period and I'm starving! …

My band is 11ccs and I got 3ccs on my first fill. I think he gave me a big fill because I told him that I ate an entire 12 inch sub. I'm taking Lyrica so sometimes the hunger gets the best of me.

For those who have been following my drama here is a re-cap of my situation. Sept. 2008: surgery - I WAS MY SURGEON'S 23RD BAND PATIENT. Nov. 2008: First fill of 2cc Jan. 2009: Upper GI February 2009: Second fill of 1cc Problems start here: reflux, heartburn, pain when eating. Feb. 2009: Went to see doctor about above problems. He said just eat Protein, throw the rest of the food away and take Vitamins. Ordered an endoscopy. March 9, 2009: Had endoscopy. Gastro doctor said band had slipped up or doctor had intentionally placed it high. Said I had a hiatal hernia. March 19, 2009: Had the second upper GI ordered by doctor. March 19, 2009: When he saw t…

Hi All! My surgery date is June 19th. My mom said something interesting to me the other day. She is 1 of 3 people who know about my decision to have the Lap Band. She said that I should expect people who have always been nice to me, to treat me differently because they will become jealous of my success and perhaps I'll become thinner than they are. Of course this won't be the case for everyone but some probably. I was wondering if anyone who has lost a lot of weight has experienced something like this?? Thanks!

Hey guys Its been a few months since i have been banded I have lost 25 lbs in the 2 months since I have been banded but I have fallen a tad bit off the band wagon :bananalama: Im pretty sure that the TOM cravings were the culprit:blush: BUT~! I am going to saddle back up the horse and keep going WHO IS WITH ME!!!! If you have fallen off the wagon and want to get back on... introduce yourself and we will keep each other accountable! Lets do the thing!!!:cheers2::thumbup:

good morning; i was banded on oct 6th 2008 by Dr. Paya in west hills, ca...i started out my journey at 296 pounds....yesterday was my 6th month post-op anniversary...i am down to 181.4 pounds...i do have a lap band...i am NOT a bypass patient...i understand these results are not typical....i was told by my surgeon it would probably take me 16 months to lose 100 pounds...i do follow the program to a t....and exercise a lot!!!!!!!!!!!! i have spoke to a few people that are saying its not good to have lost this much weight so fast....my suregeon knows how much weight i've lost and doesnt see a problem with my #'s...i was wondering if there is anyone else thats banded and h…

Hi all, I have another question. Do you notice that some days your band is really tight ,where it seems everything seems many things have a hard time going down and then (for example) the next day ,the same foods that you had a hard time getting down before ,are fine? Is that typical ?

Parrotheadcathy brought this up on another post and I thought it was very interesting and something I have never even thought about! Can you eat better when its hot out and do things get stuck more when its cold out?

Last Monday I was in the dr's office getting 2 cc's removed on their reccomendation because I was taking one bite and unable to finish eating until 20-30 minutes later...I was also pbing frequently This Monday... I swear I am up 10 lbs. I look and feel horrible- I can see it in my face and thighs and and feel sluggish and bloated. I am able to eat waaaaay more than I should and am getting hungry an hour or two later. I am also having a hard time staying away from things I shouldn't be eating because I was so deprived of them for months with my last fill. I don't know what else to do besides electric shock therapy!!! Should I call the doctor and beg for some fi…