POST-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A

I am 5 days post op. and I am having a hard time distinguishing the difference between hunger pains & surgery pain. I was laying in bed last night and my stomach started cramping really bad. I thought it was related to the surgery untill I realized...I was hungry! :confused:My stomach was growling & rumbling.:smile: Has anyone experienced this? I am on mushies now, and eating every hour or so. Any advice?

:cool2: I may just be acting paranoid, but last night I was walking into my living room out of the kitchen and we have a baby-gate up so I stepped over it like I always do and I felt kinda-like a pop and then a tingle?!?! It felt lower than where my port is, but there was like a tingle that shot up (like a nerve) it wasn't really painful, but it freaked me out. Now I'm scared that something is wrong with my port, so I have been obcessively poking around my port-site area to see if I think it has moved or not to the point I'm making myself sore!! I had my first fill last week and everything is fine, I just don't know if what I experienced last night is normal or not?? If …

Hi All, I was banded on July 29 and go for my 1st fill on Wed. I didn't suffer too much gas pain after surgery but about a week ago I started having gas that radiates up to my jaw and into my temple - feels like brain-freeze. I have this all the time - when I wake up, before I eat and after I eat. Has anyone else had this and if so, is it really gas and how can I get it to stop. :smile: This also happens when I bend over.

Hi I haven't posted in awhile but I need you guys help please. I was banded in Nov. 2007, I've lost almost 60lbs, I'm pretty much at goal. Over the last several weeks I'd noticed the band becoming tighter and tighter. I had major surgery 4 weeks ago, so I put the band on the backburner. Today I went in for an unfill and they said the band had slipped!! My doctor wanted to revision surgery tomorrow. I was and am in hysterics. First and foremost, I was self pay and in no way can afford to pay for additional surgery. Now they did say that my insurance "should" cover this emergency surgery. I am still not healed from my surgery on Aug. 1st and it was horrible. My surgeon di…

Hi, I noticed there are times of the day, usually lunch time that I can eat tremendous amounts of food for a person with a lap band and other times of the day, I feel sick on almost nothing. I am not losing weight. Does this happen to others? I'm wondering if I need another fill, but worry since I can almost never eat dinner.

I still have an intense burning pain on my left side on even mild exertion. I don't know if I have strained something, but I can't even bend slightly from the waist on my left side without intense pain. How is everyone else recovering...is this common? I am going for my post op today, but was wondering what the consensus is. Thanks so much for any info- Targa

I was banded on July 31st this year. I went to my post op visit and everything went great. Well, now that it is over a month since being banded, i find that my internal swelling must have went down because i can really eat anything i want and as much of it as i want. I was due to go for my first fill on 9/11, but i had to r/s due to the fact that i will be traveling out of town for the weekend for a wedding. My new apt is for the 17th. Please tell me that this will get much better after my fill. So many people can't eat bread, pasta, meat. Well i can eat all of the above. Good and Bad i guess. Any input would be very appreciated.

Has anyone ever heard of a patient having an allergic reaction to the titanium used in the port?

I know they say there are no dumb questions, but this one really is. However I would appreciate an answer (feel free to snicker if you want LOL) They told me I could have sugar free jello my first week post op when I am to have only clear liquids and broth. Does this mean LIQUID jello, or can I let it set and then chew and swallow? I assumed they meant to just drink it, but now, I am wondering if I jumped to the wrong conclusion. Thanks!

Hey peps..just to start out with, today was my 2 week post op follow up with my surgeon. Everything is going good. I have offically lost 12 pounds and in good condition. The Nurse felt around for a few minutes before she finally felt my port. I have a realize 9cc. She said it is just a little bit harder to find my kind of port because they are alot slimmer than the others. I am going back on the 15 of this month to have my first fill. Can anyone please tell me what to expect with my first fill? Also, I am having these big time cravings for something sweet. I have tried to munch on a sugar free popsicle put that just isn't doing it for me. Is there anything sweet…

I had my surgery on 08/27/08 and am on my full liquid diet portion until Tuesday. I then start my pureed diet for 2 weeks. Can anyone give me any ideas of what else I can eat on my full liquid diet and some ideas for the pureed section. Thanks

My surgery is scheduled for tomorrow morning and I am so incredibly nervous! To lessen the anxiety, I've been going over all the reasons why I elected to have this procedure done: I want to be able to fit into my clothes again(!); I want to be healthy; I want to be able to run without pain in my back and feet from all the excess weight; I want to be more confident; I want to LIVE instead of hiding from the embarassement of being heavy. For these reasons, I am excited and hopeful for my future... But at the same time, I am so scared. I have never had surgery before and I'm worried about what I will feel like after surgery. For those of you who have had surgery, ca…

I'm 6 days post op. My dr. has me on the same pre-op diet of Clear liquids and Protein shakes until 3 weeks post-op. I know there is still alot of swelling to go down and healing to do, but I never feel hungry. Never. I have to remind myself to eat something thoughout the day. Is this typical for the first few weeks? Also, I read alot about the importance of getting a certain number of calories in each day. Some say 600, some 800, some 1000. Are these numbers just important once you get your first fill or do I need to try to reach these goals now? I can't see how to get just 600 calores in on just broth...

I see that almost every dr. recommends a low fat, sugar free diet after banding. Why is this? If the band helps us reduce our portions, why wouldn't we eat a "normal" diet with more of an emphasis on protein? I'm especially curious why it is so strongly emphasized during the first few weeks of surgery. I have seen so may people get irritated b/c of stalled weigh loss due to too few calories, and I wonder why we are not told to eat regular pudding, milk, etc. to keep the calories up to a level that will allow weight loss (1000), plus give us a little more energy to heal. I realize that the first few weeks are for healing, but if they could be for healing and weight los…

OK so come this sunday I will finally get to start my mushy foods. My family is having a cookout for Labor Day and my dad is grilling out hamburgers, hotdogs, ribs, and BBQed chicken. While all of these sound super good, I told him to just grill me a piece of chicken with some Lemon Pepper seasoning on it. I thought I'd puree it in some chicken broth, hopefully it will taste good. I'd really like to have some ribs, but chicken is so much my healthy for you. Any one have any other ideas for the chicken?

OK, I can understand not drinking 1 hour after you have ate, but why are you not suppose to drink 30 minutes before you eat?

Im two and a half months post op now im getting a stomach virus from my daughter. How bad is this for real?

So this is weird...everytime I take a sip of my Water today, I get a really nauseous feeling. I'm 6 days post-op, so I'm taking small sips but even the smallest sip feels like its going to come back up. I can feel it going down and once it gets towards the bottom, there is some pain, I'm guessing right where the pouch is? Any ideas on what is going on? At this rate, I'll never get all my water for the day in!

Hi guys Looking for more advice - thank God for this site. Problem one - first fill was 10 days ago - I don't know if I have restriction or not!!!! I've just ate some bran flakes for Breakfast, and I do feel full, but with other meals, I can eat and eat!!! Am I restricted?? Also, I am terrified of stretching my pouch and am worried I'm eating too much at each meal - although I'm counting about 1200 calories a day. Last night I had a medium sized baked potato with cottage cheese and a little salad - I deliberately didn't eat it all, but I felt I could have gone on! Is this too much? Do I need to make an appointment for another fill???

I find that I can drink things really quickly now. Especially Soup broth. I just drank about 6 oz in about 15 minutes (a coffee mug.) I need to watch and measure and make sure I only take 4 from now on. Am I damaging my pouch? I feel fine! I can't seem to do the same with other drinks, but I don't always remember to take small sips. I never asked the doctor about restriction, but am guessing I have none. I am definitely losing weight and feel good... I just don't want to stretch it out and end up not losing well. Thanks!!!

Hi everyone, I was banded Monday, April 14th and still have intense pain in my left shoulder. Has anyone had gas pains this long? I thought yesterday it was finally going away, but today it was back worse than before. I'm dying and wishing I'd never had this surgery. I'm fine with my band and incisions, it's this shoulder pain that is making my life miserable. It seems to have moved across my shoulder toward my neck. I'm thinking it's not gas, it's something altogether different. I never hurt before surgery, so maybe it's a result of having my arms outstretched during surgery. Pinched nerve or disc is what I'm thinking. Someone please tell me that this will g…

So i had my surgery and i am doing great! I am no longer on the prescription meds and just doing ibprofuen and feeling great not really hungry at all!!!!

Hello, i was banded on 8/27 the location where my port is sore and it feels like something on the inside of the port location is pulling and / or stretching causing pain when i move in certain directions. Has anyone had this issue os is this a normal part of being banded. Thank you

Has anyone ever tried to use Nivea Skin Firming Lotion and Nivea Reshaping treatment to promote skin to form over the new skinnier you? Has it worked?

I'm a 41 year old mother of two banded almost 3 years ago. I had originally lost 47 pounds and have gained 15 back. It's no surprise seeing as I only eat chips, dip and ice cream. Before everyone starts yelling at me, it's because those are the only things I can get down. I know it's ridiculous to eat these things and I've been doing it for close to 2 years now. I absolutely hate this band in me and feel like a prisoner. The only thing that I find positive is thinking what my weight would be if I hadn't gotten this thing. I easily would have been over 300 pounds. So if you take that into consideration, I've lost 75 pounds! Hehehe. Just kidding. I feel like an alien. I fee…

I am 15 days post-op banded 8/18/08 and have been doing great, but I have this weird feeling in my chest that at first I just had when I first woke up in the morning but now for the last 2 days it is constant. It kind of feels like a golf ball is in my throat. It is kinda hard to explain so this is the best I can do to describe it. It really doesn't hurt but feels really weird. I can drink and eat fine. I am on the pureed part of my post op. My concern is that I didn't have this feeling until about a week ago and it is progressing from just having it first thing in morning to all day. I am worried I did something wrong and my band slipped or something. So I am hoping some…

I had my surgery on July 30th. Currently I have lost 20.5lbs had no pre-op diet. What I did have was complications after surgery.. First complication was dehydration and being stuck, which landed me 2 1/2 days in hospital, 2nd complication was a (what dr's believe) diverticulitis attack, landed me in the hospital for 5 days. Now I keep telling myself that I can do this for a few months without a fill. Because I want myself to heal... I am scared of further complications, Not sure what to do:confused:

I was banded on July 31 and will have my first fill on Sept 18th. For the last two weeks I have been eating like there is no tomorrow. I evidently do not have any restriction because I am eating just like I did before I was banded. Is this normal? I did good on the pre and post surgery diets but since I don't have any pain or restriction it's like I can't get enough to eat. I never feel full. Does anyone have any suggestions, I'm scared that something is not right. Will this stop when I get my first fill?:thumbup:

OK, I started my "mushies" stage yesterday. I did good, I'll hand that part to myself. I noticed yesterday and today, I'm getting hungry inbetween my meals. I am only suppose to eat 3 times a day and only 1 to 1 1/2 oz. per meal. My papers say DO NOT SNACK BETWEEN MEALS. Any suggestions as of what I can do between meals to ease the hunger pain. Also, I have noticed that I am not getting that feeling of being full after I have eaten. I'm not sure if this is due to no restriction or very little restriction as of right now. I'm not even sure if the Dr. put anything in my band yet and I wont know until Wednesday morning. My scales aren't moving hardly anymore. I am…

Hello, I had the Lapband on Monday Aug 11. Everything feels good. I had a lot of gas pain and that has been going away. I am having very sharp pains where the port was placed. How bad was this for everyone? Thanks!

It has been 2 weeks since my first fill and I can feel "movement" in my stomach. Every time I eat, it feels like I have a baby moving around in there. Has anyone else ever experienced this before, and if so, should I be concerned?

Hello Everyone, I would appreciate any suggestions or answers you can give me. The truth is I am a singer in China. I am on 6 month contracts and am coming home for 7 weeks in December before I start my next contract. I have decided to get the lap band done while I am home. I was comortable with everything about the surgery until I started reading about the "SOFT SPOT" part of the fill process. I will only have one time to fill before I leave back to China and even that is an exception because it will only be four weeks post op. I want to do whatever it takes to be successful but I am a little discouraged thinking that you really are not restricted until the 2nd o…

Okay i have a large 14cc ap band and well, honestly i haven't had a fill yet but i dont' seem to have any problems eating anything. I can eat up to probably 2 cups but i try to refrain. definitely much less then before the band. I don't seem to have to chew my food well either. Im kind of worried. Ive heard so many horror stories about food stuck etc. even before people get a fill but again i have seriously no issues. I have eaten everything from steak, chicken, lamb and the most taboo thing re-heated food. So im wondering possibly if its because i have such a large band. Maybe thats why im having no issues? Also maybe after i get a fill i will start having issues? A…

I was banded tuesday, and I know I still have bloating and blah blah, but gosh my scale hasn't moved a bit! I was down a pound one day but back up the next. I'm barely able to sip enough juice and broth to stay hydrated, yet I'm not losing, what is going on!

First of all, today is 1 month and I've just got to Celebrate by loss of 20.6 pounds. Yippee! Now to my real question. Friday I went for my first fill. The doctor put in 3cc and then sent me to the waiting room to drink a bottle of Water. It didn't go down. For the first time since being banding, it "came back up". Not pretty, but it is what it is. So they put me back into the room and removed 1cc. Again sent me to the waiting room to drink water and all was well. Is it normal to not be able to "hold" 3cc? Does that mean that I'll never be able to hold more than 2cc? Is this something I should be concerned about?

Hey everyone! Hope you are all doing well. I am having the surgery in a little over a month and have been researching a lot. But, I have toa sk a question to see if anyone has tried this... are there any AGB patients out there that have taken on eating Raw? Working in an alternative wellness center I have really started learning more and more about the Raw food diets out there. We have this amazing clients that uses us as her guinea pigs to try out new recipes. The food is delicious. All it really is, is vegetables pureed and it is heavenly. I couldn't help but think that when I have the surgery that this can be an added addition to my new food options. The food is filled…

I was banded 48 hrs ago and i have a lot of stomach gas and intestinal gas also. I'm on clear liquids and i feel very full. I was wondering if anobody else has this......:thumbdown:

The other day when I was using the restroom, I leaned to wipe and I felt a 'pop' in my stomach - it didn't hurt, just took me by suprise. Has anyone else have this happen and am I ok only being a few days post-op? Melissa

I got banded in July 08... I haven't had a fill yet because I am going abroad on vacation and my surgeons office said they won't do it before I go away... which I am happy with. I feel great and feel like I haven't even had the band in now. I am on solids and can eat anything without difficulty, bread, pasta, steak, pork chops. The only thing I will say is this... I don't eat the steak or *heavy* meats because they seem to sit heavily but not too heavily in my stomach... I choose not to eat them because I don't want that heavy feeling for hours. My question is this.... is this normal to be able to eat absolutely anything without any kind of pain or shoulder gas or any…

I have three questions .... how much water can I drink at one time and will water stretch my pouch if I have two much too fast ... some one on the site posted that their doc told them no nuts ... does this include peanuts ... third .. how does a vegetarian like me manage to get proteins inside me without using shakes. I am sorry i missed out this information earlier ... I am 9 weeks post op and on solid diet stage ... I have lost 30 pounds till date and I still havent got a fill done ..... thanks

I am usually tough about pain, but I have a sharp pain in my left side (near my port) that will not go away. I have been taking the liquid vicodin on and off for the past three days since my surgery. Is this normal? I thought most people stopped using the pain meds after a couple of days?

Hi All, I started eating soilds on thursday.. and I completley forgot about the whole not drinking while i eat... I am scared now.. because i have been doing it for a few days... what could happen?

I have been hitting up my local Safeway for the chicken noodle Soup from their deli. I scoop it very carefully so I can avoid anything chunky. It's mmmmm gooooood! Anyway, I realized today they have these little one ounce sampling cups. So I sampled a little of each soup (the broth of the Italian Wedding Soup, the Tomato bisque and the NW Clam Chowder.) It was a meal! Try it!!!

Has anyone had their port moved or repositioned? If so, what does it entail? Mine is still sticking way out where it is noticeable after 9 weeks - Thanks!

HI EVEVRY ONE I AM NEW TO THIS HAD MY OP ON THE 27/08/09 IN PERTH AND HAVE BEEN FEELING FINE UNTILL YESTERDAY IT FEELS LIKE SOMETHING IS IN MY THROAT CARNT SLEEP BECAUSE OF THE FEELING . HAS ANYONE ELSE HAD THIS PROBLEM:smile:

I'm doing everything right, small bites, chew chew chew, no straws, blah blah blah, but after I eat I burp constantly for at least an hour. Thankfully it's small quiet urps but good grief it's driving me crazy! Gas X doesn't do much for me, is there anything else I can do to help it?

FYI Just found out that if you have had lap band that you recieve 25% a buffet at any Souper Salads. They said something about having a medical card (never heard of that but i'll ask the dr. about it at my post op)

I am wondering if anyone's anesthesiologist had to use a Fiber optic scope to assist in placing the tube down their throat. There is a high liklihood that that I will have to have this done. I had surgery 12 years ago and the anesthesiologist couldn't get the tube placed and they had to wake me up in the OR room and cancel the surgery. I came back a week later and another anesthesiologist was able to place the tube but at that time there was talk about using this fiber optic scope, if she couldn't get it placed. Since I had this incident, the anesthesiologist for my lap band will decide whether or not I need to have it again. I'm a little concerned if I do because…

Hey there. (posted this on the complications area too) Could do with some 'advice' from the long time bandsters here.. or anyone with similar symptoms this long post op. Had a 2ml fill 2 weeks ago..didn't really feel too much so doctor put 4mls last Friday.. feeling some restriction but not too much. Last night after dinner.. (small dinner.. had thrown up lunch.. didn't chew properly and down it went. and back up it came!!.. so PB I guess rather than vomiting.. ).. I started to get pain under my rib cage.. not quite on my port area but literally near the bottom of the rib cage where they meet in the middle.. and only painful when I breathe in. It is more painful w…

Hey there, was just wondering if anyone knows, can you lie on your stomach (obviously once healed) or can you feel the port, just wondering if i'll ever be able to read my book like this in bed again