POST-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A

Hello All, First off this question has been asked a thousand times so I apologise for posting it again, I had my fill (0.5ml) 3rd October I only have really small fills because I tend to feel restriction quite quickly. I had not noticed a massive amount of difference after I had my fill. But in the last few days my band is definitely tighter. Also I have lost my appetite I am eating because my tummy grumbles not because I actually want to. I am enjoying light food like fruit at the moment. Any way any comments or referrals to previous threads would be appreciated. Best wishes KiKi XX

Hey there - I was banded on Aug 20th and since being back on solid foods I can't say that I have been a stellar student. Before that I was the perfect patient, but once I got back to solids I found I was easily able to eat more and more. My dh works out of town so half of the time I am on my own. The other 1/2 I've been eating what the rest of the family does (my dh is a wonderful cook and often has supper ready by the time I get home from work as he is on days off when he is home). I didn't even realize that I was eating way too much. Then I remembered the cup to cup & 1/2 rule and saw it on one of the forums and it reiterated what I had forgotten... that we are…

hello all, well i was banded aug 27 and had very little pain afterwards :biggrin: but 4 days ago i moved furniture and boxes in our office and ever since then i've had terrible pain in my left side, into my back and into the front of my chest, that increases in pain everytime i inhale.:tongue2: i did call the surgeon and he said that is normal port pain from surgery( scar tissue building up etc..) but im scared and nervous as i have not had restriction for the last month ( i am do for my first fill oct 25) and have been able to eat most anything and have actually gain 4#s since surgery:blush: has anyone had an experience like this? need advice have i really screwed thi…

I was banded Sept 30th. I am now 18 days post op and "supposed" to be on a pureed diet. I have lost 10 pounds so far but 7 of them were the first week after being banded. Today I had some sweet and sour chicken and fried rice for lunch (mooched from co-workers Chinese take out) and 4 Fig Newtons. I'm hungry, I am gagging on Jello, and I am afraid I am going to fail or damage my band as I am supposed to still be on purees until 6 weeks post op. Also, I saw my regular PCP Wednesday because of pain in the area of my left kidney. After testing my urine for various things (all negative) she thinks its muscular related since it started after surgery. While it is not constant…

I was banded last Thursday. I was told to drink Protein shakes which I can't stand anymore. I am having 300 to 500 calories at most every day since my surgery and I am so hungry I could literally eat the keyboard!! Even if I wanted to eat, I am not sure I could. I feel like there is something stuck at the bottom of my throat. It's not painful but I have thought it to be the restriction, but I have not had a fill yet. Is this just the "bandster hell" I have seen others refer to? I have researched to find out how you're supposed to feel and eat the first couple of weeks after surgery but I haven't seen anything on this forum. Could someone share there e…

:sad:It has been 6 weeks since my surgery and I am still getting daily and frequent headaches and have not slept through the night. I use Excedrin Migraine which usually works and if not then I use a prescribed Migraine medication. The worst part is that the headaches are waking me up at night. Anyone else have that problem? I haven't had a complete nights sleep since the surgery! If I take a prescribed sleeping pill I still wake up at 2-3 in the am and can't get back to sleep!! I did use the prescribed pain killer when I came home from the hospital but I have been out of that for at least 3 weeks.

:confused:Ok so last night i threw up(something got stuck..didnt make it passed the band and came back up) since then my stomache especially port side hurts also my back 2..now did i pull something or did i hurt my band im not sure...i can eat and drink fine just feel uncomfortable like cramps or something...i have an appointment friday to see my doctor for a fill so im sure he will check my band out...anyone have this before?? I wonder if when i puked i strained my insides:confused:

i have a scar about 3 inches but where the laproscopic instruments were inserted, there are 4 bumps.... kinda like pimples... do these diminish in time or do they stay??... thanks!

I was banded on July 30th and I initially lost 15 pounds but I have lost any since then. As a matter of fact I've gained back 5 of those pounds. I had my 4th adjustment last week and still nothing. I read on this site a lot about the things that people say that they can't eat and about how they have to take tiny bites and chew, chew, chew. That has never been the case with me. I can eat as much as any "normal person" and no matter how large the bites or what the food is it goes down perfectly fine. Last night I had a piece of roast beef and some new potatoes. I barely even chewed that meat and I had no problem. I guess my question is why is this not working for me?…

Hi everyone.... I have been seeing here and there that you have to get unfilled if you get stomach flu...etc. If you are vomiting. I have taken this for YEARS to PREVENT getting those seasonal bugs that float through the workplace...no colds and no flu. It's like I have a protective forcefield around me...everyone is dropping like flies getting sick and I am not. It strengthens your immune system. ACIDOPHILUS 4 X 6 BILLION 60 CAPS - NOW FOODS - Code 2920 You can get it at most major grocery stores (has to be refrigerated) and it's rather cheap too. I follow the dosing instruction on the bottle but when I get in to flu season and people are getting sick around m…

:blushing: I was banned on 9/15/08, I had to stay an extra day because I tore my stitches but all in all everything went well. I did get a little depressed at first but that seemed to work itself out OK. I go in on the 28th for my first 6 week checkup and my first fill. I've lost 45 lbs, 20 before the surgery and 25 after the surgery which I think is good, I'm just now starting to fill hungry again but mostly at night, so I'm sure a fill is needed at this point. So that's what been going on and one thing else, I've noticed a couple times I've felt dizzy is that normal?? Hugs Bobbie:rolleyes2::thumbs_up::smile2::sad_smile::rolleyes2:

Hello, I was banded on 10/13 everything seems to be going good except no BM... Today is day 6. Should I be worried? Is there something I can take? I have lost 10lbs since 10/13 I guess it was all water. My doctor doesn't require any kind of pre-op diet. So yep, I'm sure there's a lot in there! :smile2: Has anyone else experienced this?

Is there anyone out there that likes to eat sushi? I love sushi and I am wondering if there is anyone that has been banded that still eats sushi. Since you eat a whole piece at a time, I do not see how it would be possible since you have to eat small bites:cry_smile: Just wondering if I will ever be able to eat this again! I have been reading alot on this site and noticed that there are several fellow bandsters that travel far away from home to have this surgery. About how long do you have to wait after surgery before you can travel? About how long are you bloated/swollen after surgery? Looking forward to hearing your answers:wink: My surgery date is November 4…

Hello All- I have been banded since 09/15/08- The first few weeks were great- I thought I was doing wonderful- Then about a week and a half ago I started getting these really terrible gas pains in my chest- I am constantly burping (sorry) but it really brings no relief- I started taking maalox and drinking chamomile tea, which did help the gas pains but now over a week and a half later I still do not feel right. I am not at all hungry- When I try to eat, i can just get in a very few bites and it feels like its stuck in the back of my throat. Even liquid feels like it sits in the back of my throat before actually going down- My surgeon sent me to a Gastro and now I have…

I am 4 days post op...Wow! I can't believe how quickly it all went My dr. required 2 weeks carnation diet pre op and 2 weeks post op. First of all, I am sick of carnation, second I am so hungry. I had chicken broth and Jello today in addition to my 2 carnation shakes and as I sit here my stomach is growling. I feel some restriction and have been sipping Water to help with the hunger but so far it hasn't worked. I thought lapband would make that nagging hunger away. Does anyone know how long that hunger sicks around? Does the hunger go away when you get to the puree stage? I have 10 days left until I can eat puree and I can't wait. Also the gas is ho…

My Dr told me after surgery that he had given me the "large" band because that was sort of standard for him when it comes to men, but I am several weeks out post-op and have had three fills totaling 6 cc's and I can eat a baby portion, medium portion, or elephant dinner and I am usually not full at all. I can drink a glass of water, or soda (go easy on me) and nothing gets backed up, I mean, nothing seems to slow down or meet any restriction at all. Shouldn't I ask for another fill ASAP? TIA

Hi I m in my 8th day post op... doing great except today my port incision was oozing some yellowish material , no pain , no fever or extra reddness around ... any idea ????????

im gunna cry. i got my surgery on aug.14 of 2008. ive only lost 20 lbs. yes i know why. because i cant drag my fat ass to the gym. only to mcdonalds(where i ate 2 quater pounders-and yes after that i got an adjustment but im still able to eat 2 slices of pizza) i know everyone is looking at the screen like "what the hell is wrong with you" and before i got the surgery and i would hear people saying how they eat this and they eat that i thought they were crazy because you have so much time to prepare for this surgery. but thats not the case. im one of those people now. i dont know what to do. im 19 yrs old so im always out with my friends which is why i eat out ev…

:cursing::rolleyes2::cursing::thumbdown: I'm still in a pissy mood after my nutritionist visit last Wed. She and her nurse were very rude to me (I had to bring my autistic 2 year old because my sitter was in the ER with her dying sister-how inconsiderate of her, right?) and when I told her I'd eaten a small amount of potatoes with chicken broth (because I was freaking starving...I also had 2 soft scrambled eggs the first week and thank god...finally stopped the hunger), she snapped at me. While I know these things weren't on my diet the first week out, I did NOT know how incredibly hungry I would be and how sick of liquids I would become. She also was rude when I told her…

Today's surgery is over! I've been home for about 5 hours, sleeping most of the time. I do have gas pain in my shoulders that is not fun. But the GREAT news is that the other weird symptoms I've been having for months are gone. They were evidently caused by the huge hiatal hernia I had. Dr. Owens did a stupendous job. The five incisions all appear to be minor, and they really don't even hurt. I'm a little drowsy still from the Vicodin but other than that it's going very well. Everyone at Rancho Specialty Hospital was very nice, helpful, and attentive. My goodness, if I ever had to have surgery again (hopefully not) I'd want to have a team just like them. I'm on Clea…

Ok, here's the deal......I've been constipated before, where I have the urge to go but can't but this is different. I don't even feel like I need to have a bm, but I haven't been in over a week and then it was only because I took MOM. It's truly aggravating because I used to go regularly before my surgery on 9-22-08. This can't be normal or even healthy but I don't want to resort to MOM every time I need to go. Do y'all think it is just from reduced calories...I'm eating around 800 calories a day right now. Does it ever get straightened out to where I'll begin going normally? How often do y'all go? Sorry about the delicate nature of this topic, but I figured who better to…

Hey ... Thanks for reading my issue lol I was banded Sept 30th, I done ok the first week and into the second. But today is 3weeks post op, and I think I'm eating too much. I'm really trying to use 'will power' (Lord help me there) and I think I'm too hungry. Is that normal? I have my first fill next tuesday, so I'm really hoping that I can get this thing under control. The week after my surg, I stepped on the scales and it showed me down a fair amount then lately it's showing me gaining. I am having my husband hide the scale as we just bought it and I'm already obsessing over it. Is it normal to gain something before your first fill? Is it normal to not feel any type o…

This may be dealt with here, but there are SO MANY topics, I just thought I'd ask. How many have or had issues with your brain and eyes catching up with your weight loss? In other words, what was your experience with body image? Granted, I know my skin won't look great, and I can be okay with that now as it's more important to be healthy, but after being fat for so long, I wonder how my brain will handle a large weight loss. How did y'all do with that, and was it hard? Easy? Did you see what others saw? I can't help but wonder what that will be like.

This is a question that has recently come to mind.. My kids are 8 and 11 and have never seen me thin. They don't recognize me in pictures before kids at all, and just before I started this journey they had made little comments about my weight. My kids are very intuned to my feeling and emotions, and I to theirs.. They often surprise me with things they say and questions they ask. They know when I need a hug as much as I know when they need one so I am a little concerned as to how they will deal with this.. The last time I was in the hospital I had broken my leg and when I came home our lives were put on hold for 6 months. I couldn't go anywhere with them that I had to wal…

I HAVENET POSTED IN A WHILE BUT I REALLY NEED EVERY1S HELP I WAS BANDED ON AUG 27TH AND HAVE DONE REALLY WELL SINCE HAVEING SURGERY HAVE LOST A TOTAL OF 35 LBS WHICH IM VERY PLEASED WITH BUT THIS WEEKEND WE HAD A GATHERING AND LOTS OF YUMMY FOOD 3 DAYS OF EATTING THINGS I SHOULD NOT HAVE NOT ALOT BUT ENOUGH WELL I GAINED A TOTAL OF 5 LBS AND CANT SEEM TO GET BACK INTO THE RIGHT FRAME OF MIND IM STILL IN SPLURGE MODE NOT ALOT OF BAD FOODS JUST ENOUGH. HOW DO I GET BACK TO THE FRAME OF MINE I WAS IN BEFORE THE WEEKEND? ANY SUGGESTIONS WOULD BE NICE I REALLY NEED A KICK IN MY A@@ RIGHT NOW THANKS:thumbdown:

I was banded on Oct 13 and everything is going good except that the sticky tape residue left over from the surgery is driving me CRAZY. I have taken a shower everday and tried scrubbing with soap, a buff pad and an exfoliator. What is the trick? My sterri (sp?) strips are fine but the sticky tape stuff wont come off.

So this is my third day post op, or maybe my fouth...but last night i could not sleep because of this MAJOR migraine headache. It is still with me today, it seems to go away with water, and come back with protein shake. My eyes won't stop watering, so then my nose is running, which equals a stuffed head plus headache. I took a perk. to help with the headache pain, but OOOHHHH NNNNNOOOOOOO that just seemed to make me tired...plus major pain. Is this dehydration? I am drinking when i am awake, i try everyhour on the hour, but this head ache is soo not worth this. any advice??

I have read many posts about the gas pains after surgery. How bad is it really? To tell the truth it makes me a bit nervous.:biggrin:

Hi Everyone! Just had to share my great news....today I hit the 50 pounds lost mark...as a matter of fact, it's actually 52.1! I am so excited and really find it hard to believe. I've been overweight most of my life and the most I've ever lost was 40 pounds at Weight Watchers when I was in my 20's. When I hit that mark, I just stopped following the program and continued to gain weight back plus some extra. Now, I can't believe that at the age of 45, I could lose 52.1 lbs in 3 1/2 months. I am so totally happy with my Band and I thank God for it's availability to us and for all the support I've gotten from my family and the people here on this website. As I've said be…

Hello all, I was told that some places (maybe Stratx) will do the tummy tuck for all the bariatric patients compliments of our insuance. I couldnt believe what i was hearing from her but apparently she has done her homework. I had my surgery on Oct. 1st, so i have ways to think about that. I just wanted to let everybody know so that they can inquire if interested.:tongue2:

Can anyone tell me where i can find a support group to attend for post lapbant patients? Im in Miami Florida.

I am in a quandry. The nutritionist just called and wanted to know why I did not call her for my post-op appt. To be honest, the answer was three-fold. First of all, when I went to the doctor 2 weeks post-op he told me to do pretty much the opposite of what the nutritionist told me as far as what I am allowed to eat. I guess I should say they disagree on the texture of the food. She says I should be on soft food at present. He wants me on regular food. Both agree it should be protein first, veggies and a little fruit. I am having no problems and the doc wants me on what he called real, regular food as soon as I can tolerate it. The second reason is I can't keep m…

Hey All, I got my band 9-29-08 and since that time I lost 19pounds. Now that the Doctor has me on mushies. I have gained a few pounds. I also feel hungry...I am not scheduled to have my first fill until 11-20-08. Has anyone had this problem??????:Dancing_biggrin:

Has anyone else had really bad breath post-op? I'm one week out and I wake up with what can only be described as skunk breathe and I notice my mouth tasting bad off and on through the day.

:thumbup:hi anyone gotten that new band relize band?i wonder if its better?anyone whos gotten plz let me know thanks

:sad:I was banded 06-11-08 and only lost 15lbs I am so ashamed that I have not been online in a couple of months I must admit I do not excerise or eat the right foods I did not have any restriction until 10-14-08 when I had my 3rd fill I have a 10cc band and I am about 7 1/2 cc full now and boy I know restriction now I can't eat what I want now I have to eat smart beacause not much is going to get in I have also been dealing with depression which I working hard on I have not been working since my surgery so I will be back to work and back in a routine next week where I will be a lot more active I hope this will help me but I just feel like a loser because I am not losing …

I'm always vomiting! After eating 3 spoonfuls of my meal, I always feel there's something stuck then I feel the need to puke so I puke. My doctor said it's very dangerous because the band might move. But I always make sure to eat slowly but the feeling always comes as a surprise. After vomiting, I try to eat again since I feel I haven't eaten at all and I might not get enough nutrients and sometimes I don't puke after. What should I do? Thanks in advance. BTW, I'm 20 years old. :confused:I got banded this May and I have only lost 20lbs.

I was banded on 10/15/08. Everything went smoothly no complications I received a 10 cc band. the Dr. told my husband that my stomach was small after the surgery was completed. When I spoke to him he said everything went great and that the surgery was very easy. Now this is the third day from the surgery and I have no real appetite. I am forcing myself to eat, diet shakes with added whey protein are the easiet. I am also eating cottage cheese and I am going to start baby food in the morning. How did everyone else do right after surgery. I really have no appetite at all. This is a strange sensation for me. LOL Even when I am sick I could always eat. LOL I still …

I am 11 days post op and on mushies. I know that I am in Bandster Hell because of the hunger however, while I was on liquid I lost 9 punds. Since I have been on mushies I have gained 2 pounds back. I am eating the stuff I am suppose to eat, however, I am hungry about every 2 hours. There were no guidelines given to me about this time, but I am starving and scared. I don't want to gain but my head is starting to hurt trying to not eat. How often should I eat during Bandster Hell???:tongue2:

I was banded 10 days ago. I have 5 scars and the one that is by itself is where my port is. It is really swollen and still not looking completely closed to me. They are all bumpy and red and itch to no end. The port incision is the only one that hurts. I am trying to keep my stips on that one for as long as possible because it doedn't look as closed as the others. But they are barely hanging on, and two have already came off. Do they look normal to the rest of you? Sorry if I am just being obsessive. Karen

Hey everyone, I tried searching for a thread on post surgery driving restriction but didn't find one that looked appropriate :tongue2: My doctor has me on 14 day driving restriction and hanging out has home is making me craaaazy. I get the healing process, but 2 weeks is loooong. Anyway, if anyone wants a texting buddy, let me know!

I am an attorney, and I really cannot afford to be out of the office too long. My surgery is October 29th and my plan is to be back at work the following Monday. I mainly sit at a desk unless I am in court. Is this too soon? Will I be able to do this? People are looking at me like I am nuts when I say when I am returning.....So I just wanted to get some opinions - how much pain will I be in?

I created a spread sheet for people who were banded in June. Its kind of a way to keep tabs on how your doing along with others that have been banded close to same time as you were. I posted this in the June 2008 forum but see alot of new people that have been banded in June so thought I would post here as well. If you would like to be added just PM me with your: 1. Height 2. Goal Weight 3. pre-surgery weight 4. post-surgery weight 5. pre-surgery waist measurements 6. post-surgery waist measurements You can always find the updated chart here.

For anyone interested in the New whey Protein bullets, I was emailed a GNC coupon that is good through tomorrow. It is a pdf file. http://library.gnc.com/coupons/RBD/G...BD_COUPONS.pdf That is the address to pull it up. The bullets are the 42g (make sure if you are buying the correct ones because they make some that are on 20g or so). The price is 2.09 each or 24.99 for a case of 12. That is better than the price I paid for them with my GNC gold card on bonus days. It is also cheaper than I found it online. I found that during my clear liquid phase this was the easiest way to get my protein in for the day. Each one is only 3 oz of liquid and contains 42g of protein…

Here are the REAL issues you're going to love!!!: 1. Clothes I don't have any that fit. Seven months ago, "my clothes don't fit" would have meant they were hugging me in all the wrong spots. Now I mean all my clothes are too big. My mom calls me "parachute pants" and it does not hurt my feelings. I have to spend hours upon hours shopping for new clothes in the mall. Since, now, I feel better about myself, I have to spend an additional half hour at the nail salon and hour at the hair dresser. How great! 2. Reinforcement I can't go anywhere these days without running into someone I know and them commenting on my appearance. "Wow! You look so much different!"... "How d…

I had my surgery on October 1st and I am ready to at least walk on the treadmill or the elliptical. I also have the richard simmons tapes. I think that the walk tapes are really good! I dont want to hurt anything inside or push too soon. does anybody know when it a good time. I haven't had any complications with the surgery so I think that I am good to work out. What do you all think?

Hello everybody, I've asked my doctor's office and the nutritionist for a sample week long menu of what real lap band patients are eating. Amazingly, nobody has this. They told me to look at WW or South Beach. Of course, I know what a band patient can eat is not the same. Could you please send me, either on here, or by PM, or PM me and I will send you my email, a sample of what you eat for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks, if any? I will put together in a word document and send to anybody who wants it. As a relatively newbie to the band, this would help me a lot. If you want to include the recipe of what you eat, that's fine too. Thank you!!! :biggrin:

I am almost six weeks post op and just this past week something unusual has started happening. I have never thrown up until this past week and it is not food.........it's sudggy type spit and mucus. No food!! What is that? I am keeping all of my food down. I have these griggling type noises in my throat as well like the spit is just sitting there building up and then towards the end of the day.........i vomit it all up and it's just foamy type spit! Has anyone ever experienced this? Please help!!:smile:

Has anyone lost a great deal of weight and not had problems with saggy skin? I am 31, 5' 6", weight 230 lbs, and I am really worried about saggy skin after losing weight from the band. My surgery is Nov. 18th. I'm wondering if I should ask my doctor to restrict me only enough where I can average about a pound a week of weight loss. I have seen many people lose weight and then they have to have cosmetic surgery to remove the excess skin. I'm just wondering how many success stories are out there where skin has not sagged after weight loss, so please share out if you have one...AND please also share if you have had trouble with saggy skin after weight loss...I would lik…

Woo HOO.. Congrats to the Tampa Bay Rays :biggrin: Off to the world series they go.. I was so nervous for them I almost got the nervous munchies, but I caught myself... ha ha.. During the world series I think I am going to have to go to an island far way with no T.V. and no food.. HA HA Wish me luck everyone ha ha I don't want any World Series weight gain :thumbup: