POST-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A

Another question for fellow banders.. I was banded on the 27th and got my cycle on the 29th, well starting yesterday I am having crazy back pain. I am wondering if it can be contributed to my cycle, constipation, or the surgery? Has anyone else had bad back pain after surgery?

i got banded 2 years ago and got my first fill one week ago but it was too tight and i was very ill not keeping even water down i went back and got half out but since then i have sharp pains every so often in my chest also also very sore ears i think this may sound crazy!!!! maybe the 2 are un related but its strange.

Fill #1 4/15- 2.5 Fill #2 6/24- 3.0 Fill #3 9/2- 3.5 Fill #4 10/28-4.0 Fill #5 1/6/09- 4.7 or 4.5? need to check- dr's office has in records but I swear when I was there they took out .2 and would not give me .7!! not like they removed all the fluid to check so who would know. Anyways 4.5 or 4.7 whatever it was, I was suffering on a daily basis with getting stuck more than I should on foods that I had before on same fill level. It's the nature of the band but they alo said it depends on what I have eaten before eating and the consistency and said If I know I'm going out to dinner to stay on liquids all day to make sure band has room. Unfill 3/30/09-4.5 or 4.3? W…

I have been sleeping in a recliner....I am 3 days after surgery and while gas is not an issue....I can't seem to straighten up without severe pain......I can sit on the bed but to actually lay down is BAD.....Are yall having this issue????

I have noticed that gradually over the last month since my last fill I have been having heartburn after eating. I have heard that this could be a sign of my band being too tight. I did have acid reflux before the surgery but since then it has completely gone away. I could even drink orange juice (which I was NEVER able to do) without a problem at all. I am having some pbing and getting food stuck every once in a while but I know its because I am not chewing enough, I am working on that and everything seems to be great. I am losing weight again at a steady pace and things seem good other then this heartburn. My fiance thinks I need an unfill, but I don't want to get one if…

I am 10 months out and have been experiencing pain in my lower right side just underneath abdomen. It's under where my port is but a little more to the side. It almost feels like a cramp, but not low enough. It's not a consistent pain, but I just had my Breakfast and it came back again. On a scale from 1-10 (10 being the highest) it would be about 5. I was wondering if anyone else has experienced this before. I'm not vomiting and have a regular bowel movement.

Hi All :sad: I was just banded on Feb 5th so I feel like I am still in the learning curve but I really to have a silly question. I got my first fill on March 16th and I think they overfilled me because I couldn't keep anything down. The next day they removed 2 cc's so now I have 2 cc's in a Realize band. When I eat too much I feel a lot of pressure right under my breast bone. I am assuming that it is because I ate too much? I was under the impression that if I ate too much it would come right back up? Am I incorrect? I feel like I need more "incentive" to not eat too much. It is uncomfortable but not terribly so. I am thinking that maybe I need another fill? May…

I'm curious to see how many have had a band slip..My Doctor said with these newer bands he's placed 400 or so and has only had 1 slip..But how would I know if I have a band that slipped? What would be symptoms? Or would I need to drink barium to find out? Thanks!

Just got back from the Doctor. Lost 1/2 pound, damn this is frustrating. Anyway, I complained because I have not lost any weight in 12 weeks so he agreed to a 1 cc fill instead of the .5 cc that he normally does. I told him I can eat 1/2 grilled chicken breast, a cup of broccoli and a cup of carrots in one sitting. He says way too much so he agreed (after some pleading) to the 1 cc. Anyway, got the numbing medicine. Then he stuck the needle in for the fill and kept saying he could fill the port but could not hit it. He took the needle out and says "oh, so that explains it, the needle bent". I say "what". He says "it wasn't bent when I put it in, and you do have a…

I've been watching the weight loss progress in the signature of almost every message I read. How did you determine what your goal weight is? I'm guessing some of you are adjusting a couple of times till you get to where you think you should be. Others, like me started with their final end weight as their goal. Before surgery I was aware, but not really thinking about BMI numbers until I discussed the surgery with my family doctor. My BMI at the time was 35. He made me aware that above 30 was considered obese, and that 24 was the top end of what is considered healthy. Based on that I set my goal on here as reaching that 24 figure. That cooresponds to about 183. …

I am 10 days post op and it was my first day back at work. My boss asked me to do something during my lunch break and I had to eat my lunch kinda fast ( 2oz mushie chicken and green beans). I returned home from work and again ate my food fast (2oz mushie chicken). I did not experience any pain or discomfort. I have learned my lesson. I do not want to damage my band. Could doing this cause damage to my band even though I did not feel any discomfort?

just wondering if you are supposed to take it easy after getting some taken out

I'm just starting out on my journey to getting the band. I read this forum daily and I have a question about emotional eating. When it comes to emotional eating, what habits or other things do you use to replace the food? I know I'm a emotional eater and I'm going to try to work on that during my 6 month diet. Any advice would help. Kimberly:huh2:

I had surgery on March 24th. Everything went well from what they say, it was my first surgery so I did not know what to expect. But my mom was diagnosed with ALS aka Lou Gehrigs disease 2 years ago, last month we had to finally hire hospice care. I quit my job to help take care of her full time, she took a turn for the worse a couple weeks ago and passed away on the 13th , 11 days before my surgery. I knew I couldnt cancel but there was so much happening. we held bedside vigil for 3 days and 3 nights before she passed. When she did pass my silblings both older then me did not want to give her a service, i live in oregon , we all did but my dad was buried in calif . so it …

My stomach has been growling really bad all day today but i am not hungry. Is this normal? How long will this last?

Hi Everyone, Just checking in to let you know that i had my first fill and there was no pain. The doctor didn't even numb me. I would whether do this than get a regular shot because I hate getting a shot. I had also lost another 9 lbs which makes a total of 25 lbs lost. Thanks for all the support that I am getting from here and lets all continue to keep going forward. More update soon..

I had surgery on March 16, 2009. All my incisions have practically healed except one. The main band is leaking a funky color but it is not infected. I checked with the doctor and he advised that I use like a Neosporin and it draws all the liquid out and it is perfectly normal. But, it has been almost 5 days and it still has not stopped leaking. Does anyone have any advice? It is greatly appreciated. Thank you.

Hi All, I was banded on March 12, 2009. Physically I am feeling good. I am not hungry and find that I am eating very little...but I am satisfied. However the past few days I have been an emotional wreck. I am not sad, nor do i regret the band, but I am very weapy. Has anyone else experienced this post op? Amy

This has happened so much, I thought I'd ask if it's normal: Sometimes I will take one bite and feel full. I know that can't be normal, because no way could I actually be full after one tiny little bite and there would be no way I could get any nutrition. Believe me, I could win an award for being a slow eater... and I never ever drink with meals and have cut out even drinking 15 minutues before meals. It's very awkward, especially in front of people to take just one bite and that's it. So I try to take a few more bites of my alreday small portion... So, basically as I am eating along I feel like I hvae to burp before I can take another bite- because I am deathly a…

I am not much of a traveller. However, I just returned from a business trip which required flying two short stints (1 hr each) to return home. Ever since, I have fealt like something is stuck in my throat - different than food being stuck deeper in my esophagus. And it hurts!!!!! Has anyone experienced this sensation? and what helped to resolve? I had my band 20 months ago and I have been at my goal weight for 7 months. Any suggestions. I am ready to call my doctor tomorrow and ask for a slight unfill.

I was banded on 3/24/09, I wanted to know has anybody drank Decaf- Coffee so soon is it a good idea?

I was banded March 20th. Ever since the surgery I am having a difficult time consuming my 60oz of water. I am only able to drink 25oz of bottle water a day. I was told to drink 4oz every 30mins. However, I just feel stuffed. I am scared of stretching out my pouch. Should I be worried about liquid stretching my pouch or just solid food? I know this is a stupid question. :thumbup:

Can anyone tell me how long they were off work after the surgery?

Hi there, I'm ashamed to admit that I was banded in 2004 and I'm still struggling. I lost 80 lbs. and then developed severe bulimia which lasted from 2005-2007. I'm in recovery now, but I had the band completely emptied in 2006 and have since gained back the 80 lbs. and then some. Yesterday I finally filled again and I'm a bit nervous. I don't want to bring back the bulimia! I'm much more in control though, and in therapy too. I'm still hopeful that even after 5 years, I can still succeed at this! Thanks to you all for your support! P.S. I posted this somewhere else before I found this support group... my apologies for the duplicate!

I was banded 10/13/09 and the doc was able to access my port for my first two fills. Then, he couldn't find it. He said it wasn't flipped and that there might be scar tissue. Since I am self pay, for him to do the fill under fluoro I would have to pay $450. I was kind of pissed about this, but it was a better option than having him poke around trying to find the thing! So, this past Thursday I went to the hospital and he did the injection under the fluoro. Seems my port is angled a bit AND it moves when he tries to inject it. He said that he is going to TRY to do it in the office next time, we'll see how that goes! He first injected me with 3ccs, but the water was really …

I'll bet you all can probably agree, nobody slaps you on the back, till you have a sunburn and nobody steps on your foot unless you have a foot injury. I've had this slight fear that someone is going to hit me in my port and I will be rushed to the hospital after it tears away from my abdomen muscles.

Anyone try pork rinds?? Just protein and salt, no carbs. Great while on low carb diet prior to band but have not talked to dietitian about this but I sure do miss them...

anyone else having trouble with hair loss?? no one has commented or noticed, but i notice when i brush my hair and take a shower i feel the hair loss is crazy!!! ive been trying to get enough protien, although it is hard at times. anyone else have suggestions or supplements that have helped with hair loss?? any advice is appreciated!

Hello everyone - I am sure you can guess my issue from the title of my thread. Having one heck of a time finding something to "help things go easier" for me. I have tried laxatives, stool softeners in pill form as well as the powder Miralax with no effect. I am looking for advice, options, suggestions, etc. from you all. FYI, my surgery date was January 27, 2009. Thanks much!

OK, so I have been banded just over a year now, and while I lost 50 lbs right away, I really have not lost anything after that. After 5 fills I do have restriction, but here's my question. When I first start eating I am restricted and must eat slowly and chew, chew, chew or I slime. after the first couple bites, the restriction loosens up and I can usually eat a normal sized meal (which admitedly is about 1/3 of what I used to be able to eat). I think maybe I should stop eating before the restriction loosens, but if so I would be eating a couple bites every hour or so (hard to be able to do at work, etc). Anyone else have this problem or notice this? What are y'all …

Well, I had my first fill on Thursday afternoon and 2 days later, I can feel NO DIFFERENCE. I had 1.5 ccs in a 10cc band. I had gone from January 14 to beginning of March with great restriction from just the band and lost 25 pounds. I lost restriction, started eating more and gained back a few pounds. I know that most people get several fills before they get restriction, but I was hoping since I had restriction and lost it, it wouldn't take much to get it back. Here are my questions...once you lose restriction, how many fills does it take to get it back again? Do you usually feel the restriction right after the fill or does it take a while to "kick in"? I've …

I had my lap band on 3/24/09, How long does the gas pain last and how can I get rid of it.

A lot of bad events. One after the other. Started when my husband lost his job. Lost our insurance. So now, I have to pay 731.00 for fills, which I dont have. Right before he lost his job, I was unfilled to 3ccs. Well I had to have an endoscopy. A week later, he lost his job. Ive gained 10lbs. Cause i have no restriction. I went to my doc on Wednesday, he only put a half fill in, no restriction. He said that since I was going through what i was going through there will be no charge for fill. Anyway, I need to go back to him. My sweet spot was 5ccs. Im so depressed and so upset that things are turning out for the worst for me. I have insurance. But I have to pay full price…

Hello everyone I am a new bander. I have been looking through some of the post and I am trying to understand some of the words or abrevations. I am going for my first fill on 4/13 and I would like to know what you guys mean by restrictions? Also I have seen pb or pbed and I do not understand what it stands for. I enjoy reading the post and a lot of them have answered some of my questions; but I need to fully understand what I am reading. Thanks HONEYDIVA33 Banded 2-24-09

Someone on here posted a link for a place to buy discounted Protein bullets and mixes and stuff. I lost it :crying: if someone has it could you please post it again? Thanks

Can someone please tell me if it is possible post banding to take the larger pill cold medicines that are available over the counter such as dayquil liqui caps, mucinex, etc. Are there issues with such larger pills getting stuck. What does one take if these aren't possible? :mad2:

I was bended yesterday. Today very sore and some gas but i am trying to be as active as possible. I have several different directions about what to eat but nothing says how much of what i should eat. What and how much did you eat the first two weeks after?

Hi, I was banded in Jan 2007 and have lost only 5 kg in the 2 years since. I have recently had my 7th band fill and have started to experience reflux and heart burn. I have had trouble keeping foods down at times and can only cope with foods with a soup consistency. Anybody have any suggestions as to what it could be. I would really appreciate the help.

Hello, I had my 1st fill on 03/11 of 1.2cc and since then I've been sooo hungry all the time - I am back to my eating days I had my surgery on 01/09 and have lost 15 lbs with inches but I'm soo afraid that the weight might come back if I continue this way, I know I have restriction since I've had two episodes of chocking and vomiting because I didn't chew good and ate too fast juts last night I had too much to eat and had to fly to the bathroom (so I guess I have restriction, right!) is it possible that I need a 2nd fill? can someone please give me advise!! Thanks...

I was banded on March 23, 5 days ago. From about the 20th of Feb until March 19, I had lost 20 pounds! And in the last week, another 8. I went back to work and people are already noticing in my face and upper body that I am loosing. I am feeling it some, but since I still have lots of swelling in my tummy, my clothes are a little tighter that I would like. I have been cooking for my hubby & son, and doing ok...but last night the hungar pangs started. Since I was making sketti, I took some of the meat chewed it up until I got all of the flaovoring out, then spit it out. It was good, but just for the flavoring!!! That is what I miss is the different flavors...alth…

Need some creative advice here... it's such a bummer to have had these dinner plans for weeks with friends and now after an unpleasant "pb", I am on liquids. I know for sure the new place everyone has been dying to go to does not serve soup- it's a BBQ place. I am not going to spoil everyone's fun and change the place- but how akward for me to make some story up why I can't eat! what to do? what to do? (these are ppl who don't know)

I was told stuff like pineapple, rhubarb, breads and asparugus can stick but what else sticks? They mentioned that some people have problems eating rice, is this the case? I am not on solids yet, but when I do get there i have had this huge craving for california rolls and really hope that i can have them.

I'm totally off my blood pressure medicine and my average daily BP is 117/75. I went to the sleep doctor this week and I am almost cured of sleep apnea. We monitored my oxygen level overnight and while still technically I exhibit minor sleep apnea, it is a considerable improvement over what it was last year. The doctor has no doubt that after another 15-20 I should be back at normal levels. That certainly adds to the motivation.

hi, have a quick question? how much on average did everyone loss in the first 6 weeks -2 months. have family reunion in 2 months, being banded april 20th:thumbup: thanks

I'm exactly 1 month from being banded and since I started mushies I only poop once a week and the last 2 days before it's time to go, I feel like my colon is about to burst. The constipation is awful. What can I do to regulate myself since they say I should be going more often? Need help......:huh2:

Hi, My first post and it's not good. I got my band on 3/13. It's two weeks and I already realize that I wasn't as ready as I thought. I did a lot of research and planning, but I have done most things wrong these past two weeks. My follow-up went well but the doctor didn't ask me much and I didn't volunteer any info. I lost well on the liver shrink, as well as on my own before it; day of surgery I was down about 29lbs . However, I had only lost 9lbs. since my pre-op visit so about 4 weeks. I really lost more I think because I had put some on and lost it again. The first week was full liquid and I was almost OK. At the end of the week I tried some tuna salad and …

I didn't meet with a Nutrisionist before or after my sugery. The office coordinator gave me lots of recepies and reading material. But I didn't find any information on how much I should eat or a schedule to follow. Dr said I could start eating tuna, cottage cheese and beans this weekend, just not sure how much. And do you continue drinking the protein drinks?

I am 6 days post-op and down 20lbs. While I am happy with my loss I am sad. I did not realize how much food occupied my time. Food has soothed so much of my pain for so many years. Now I have nothing to cover things up/ to make things better. I am actually feeling depressed. I am forced to just be with my emotions for the first time in a long time. The crazy thing is....I am not hungry but I want food so bad. I did not expect this to happen to me. This journey will be about more than just getting healthy physically but mentally.

I was one of the lucky ones who had restriction from day one. Over the past couple of weeks, I've noticed I've been able to eat more and more and now I'm almost back to my old habits. I would have gone in sooner, but I was really sick with bronchitis and then TOM appeared. I went in today and I've still lost weight and they were very pleased with my progress. I told them about my lost restriction and she filled me with 1.5 ccs. She numbed the site first with lidocaine and then put the needle in. She tried to draw out fluid to see if there was any residual from before surgery when they tested it. There wasn't anything in it. I had to drink a little water as she fil…

I am not sure what is going on with my band. I had my second fill 3/3 and had amazing restriction at first. Now I find that I either get stuck or I am able to eat a more than I should and I don't get full, which leads to me grazing. In the morning, oatmeal, cream of wheat, mushies are all fine, but other things... stuck. Later in the day, the band tends to loosen up a lot and I can eat whatever. This is very frustrating because I am able to eat when I shouldn't be eating as much. In the evening I feel like I need another fill, but in the morning/early afternoon, I feel like I need a little taken out... Anyone else have this, and if so, what did you do for it??