POST-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A

In terms of food, comfort, stuff from the pharmacy what were you glad you already had at home? What made life a little easier for you in those first few days? My husband doesn't drive (once a NY'er, always a NY'er...*sigh*), so I'm trying to assemble everything now. Anyway, now that you're on the 'other' side of the proverbial band, what do you guys recommend I have waiting for me at home from the grocery/pharmacy? So far, I have, From the pharm: Gas-x strips Rx filled for painkiller Pill cutter/crusher Kelo-cote From Target/Grocery: Jello pudding (I hate regular clear jello) Applesauce Tea broth Cream Soups (mushroom, chicken, tomato - all without …

I was banded on March 25. Immediatly after surgery I experienced nausea and vomiting due to the band being too tight, even without a fill. A week later, on April 2, my doctor went back in to trim the fat pad and give me a bit more room. Since the 2nd surgery, I have not had nausea or vomiting, but it is taking me a lot longer to bounce back. I am able to get in plenty of liquids, but I have a hard time with eating. I know everyone is different, but it seems that most people who were banded close to me are already feeling great and regaining their appetite. I guess I just want some reassurance that there are varying degrees to normal and that I won't always feel like this.…

Hello everyone, I am 4 days post-banding and still on clear liquids. I am drinking protein shakes and Isopure drinks to get protein. Anybody get pain in the left side (or right) of their neck? Not sure what that is indicating??

I was just wondering if anyone else has experienced this. I already put a call into my Dr and am waiting for a call back but I am very nervous. I vomited last night and this morning when I woke up my stomach my stomach really aches. It is very tender to touch and hurts when I laugh or cough. It feels like I did 500 sit-ups and I did none!

I need some input: Last night I had an attack after eating baked fish and a baked potato. I don't know if I was eating too fast or ate too much. I was banded oct 3, 07. The pain was horrible along with I tried to vomit. Is this normal band behavior? I have had 3 fills so far.

I am confused. I am on clear liquids but I have read that some people suggest protein shakes to curb the hunger since we cannot eat solids now. Are these protein shakes that are clear? I am starting to feel hunger pains today and I drank two sips of low carb Slim Fast and my hunger subsided. This is the only thing that I have that is liquid that has protein in it(20 grams of protein). Does anyone have any suggestions on clear liquids that have protein in them or is drinking one Slim Fast a day O.K.? I think the band is so fragile and don't want to do anything that will interfere with the healing process. Thanks.

Hello, I was banded on April 3rd and I am on a liquid diet. At first I had to sip my water very slowly. Now I feel like I don't have to sip it. However, when I drink the water too fast, I get this tightness in my chest. It feels like indigestion. It is a little pain between my throat and the top part of my stomach and then it subsides when I burp. Does anyone else get this feeling? If this is how it feels when food gets stuck, I am going to make sure I chew my food until it disappears in my mouth!!!

I was banded on April 2 (last wednesday). Everything went smoothly, I spent the night in the hospital and was released Thursday morning. I haven't had too much pain and initially I didn't have much of an appetite so I wasn't eating much. Gradually I was able to increase what I could get in, but the past 3 days I've been feeling really full all day long on almost nothing. Today I woke up and drank a few sips of water and then tried some yogurt and felt like I couldn't get it in then I had a sugar free popsicle and later tried a carnation instant breakfast. Couldn't get much in. Now I'm working on a protein water. I probably won't be able to get in much more today. I…

I was banded on 4/3 and I have been feeling great, hardly any gas pains at all, just basic muscle pain. I woke up, had a protein shake then waited about 45 minutes started drinking my water etc. Had soup for lunch and all of a sudden feel REALLY bloated. i took a longer than normal shower, but kept my back to the water so that my incisions didn't get too wet other than when i cleaned them gently. but wow bloated and uncomfortable, not painful, I did my breathing thing, i walked a bit, but is this something to be concerned with or do you think it's just gas? it's all in my upper abdomen, water and tylonol went down fine no other problems. had a little gas pain in my …

I cannot believe I just did that - ate 5 fries and a bite of fish. I am two weeks post op and was fully intending on drinking a shake. I do have that by my side right now, but I cannot believe what I felt in that moment. It was as though as I had not eaten before!! Has this happened to anyone else? I will stay out of the kitchen that's for sure! Hopefully my DH will be home shortly and he can tend to his own dinner! Nothing got stuck or feels like it did anyway. Boy, do I have a loonnnggg way to go with learning more new habits!! Thanks for listening!:shades_smile:

:smile:I had my lap band surgery on March 31st...I'm two weeks post op right now...you always hear of all the good things after the surgery, well thought I would post some of the "down sides" of surgery, well MINE ANYWAY!..I woke up in HORRIBLE pain!! They couldn't control my pain with what they were giveing me so they changed the pain med to something MUCH stronger, which relieved the pain somewhat, but not all of course...I really wasn't expecting it to be that bad, after talking to alot of my friends that have had it and considering this was my 9th surgery I've had, four of them were back surgeries, so I thought this one couldn't be all that bad, which compared to the…

On my post op paperwork from my Dr. it states I can have chicken salad this week. I am two weeks post op. But I keep reading on this site that chicken has to be pureed and not chopped. I am confused how I would make chicken salad that way. I opened a can of chicken, added mayo and some cranberries. I put them in my chopper and chopped the heck out of them. It was very smooth. Was this ok???

I caught stomach flu from my grand child. Was very very nauseated stomach cramps and threw up , I had very bad heaves as my band would not let me throw up very much. I had pain in my stomach,I was throwing up from my pouch I survived has this ever happen to anyone? My ribs were very sore.:thumbup:

Okay...so I had the Band put in several days ago..still on clear liquids, now I'm wondering if I made the right decision. Let me put this out in front now...I am a "murphy's law" believer in whatever can go wrong will go wrong...I'm now worried about long term issues with the Band...If I take it out will my stomach go back to its original shape? I work in a job that requires much physical labor, how will this affect it? worry worry worry

i'm 11 days post-op and my incisions are still tender how long will this last?

Well I had my first meal today it was a tuna sandwich w/salad it was soooooooooooo good I had no problems with getting it down. I think the hardest thing was not being able to drink with my meal. I am also having so much guilt about eating since I have been on liquids for so long I am scared to death to put on the 17 pounds that have come off. Can I just do shakes in the morning and lunch and stick w/one meal a day?

How many of you out there crush all pills that you take vs. swallowing them? I have found that I can swallow them - no problem, but will that change with my first fill?

This may be a stupid question, but I'm having a really hard time understanding the difference between all of the food stages. I'm not banded yet, so I don't have my instructions from the surgeon. Maybe after I have my pre-op nutrition class I will understand more. I read a lot of posts from people saying they are on Clear liquids but they are allowed to drink protien drinks. A protien drink doesn't sound like a clear liquid to me. Or their on full liquids but are allowed to eat cottage cheese or yogurt, or something like that. Or someone will say they are on liquids for x amount of days. Is that clear or full or both? Can someone explain the difference between: a cle…

I'm about 12 days post op and my head still feels a little foggy. I have a hard time concentrating. Does anyone else experience this? Is it normal?:regular_smile:

I have been handeling mushey foods just fine and I was wondering if I could have scrambled eggs. Is that allowed in the 2-4 weeks-post op diet?

Moved to general discussion thread (realized this isn't quite the right one).

Hello all I just wanted to share this resource I found on Men's Health. You choose what type of smoothie you want on the blender and then press go. When you go to the page it gives you a list of smoothies and the ability to see the nutritional information. food and nutrition, but just in case someone is new and hasn't found it yet, I wanted to include it here as well. Good luck to all!

does anyone else have a 14cc band??? I just got my frist fill of 5cc, wondering if anyone has been losing with just 5cc. i feel scared that i won't lose any weight. any feedback. viv:confused2:

I'm at the end of day 6 post-op and I've been having a good amount of pain right behind my shoulder. While I didn't have much post-op pain which is probably due to the nice lortab elix, I've just started having this pain today. I stopped taking my pain meds on Sunday and hadn't had any pain. I took some Advil and I'm hoping it helps, but is it reasonable to have gas pain this long after surgery? (On a happier note though, I did just spend 40 minutes walking on the treadmill while watching Biggest Loser...I had the pain before I started and I was kinda hoping exercise would help) Thanks you guys,

Hi All, My surgery was on 3/28/08 and I feel so weak. How long before all of you regained your energy? I am consuming about 800 calories a day now of high Protein liquids. Thanks, Lynn Banded on 3/28/08 Portland, Oregon Dr. Jan

i am so disappointed that i could eat two pieces of pizza with no problem. some days i cant eat as much and others i can eat normally. i am going for my third fill on the 15th but why am i able to eat like this? after having two fills you would think that i wouldnt be able to handle that much food. i personally think that ive stretched my stomach. i feel like a failure and i also havent lost any weight in 6 weeks. before i wouldnt even attempt eating some foods now i am testing myself and trying things that i shouldnt. any suggestions on how to rethink things and get back on the right track. andrea

Hello everyone, I was banded on Thursday, April 3rd at 9:30am by Dr. Keith Gersin at CMC-Mercy in Charlotte NC!!!! I went home about Noon and slept like a baby with a dose of Oxycodone. I am sitting here on my computer today, drinking a Protein shake and looking at television. I am happy to report that I am no longer on pain meds as of yesterday and I am still working on getting rid of a cold I caught before surgery. I was fortunate enough to have no gas pain and have been able to eat soft foods with no nauseau or PB's. I look forward to relaxing for the next few days before going back to work. I am also excited about this step in my life that is all about me! Tha…

I'll be banded at the end of this month. I come from an Italian family who loves pasta. How have you pasta loving bandsters been able to handle it when your family is each having a huge plate of pasta and you're eating 3 bites of cottage cheese? Do you still miss it or does your brain just think differently down the road after you're banded?

Hello, I have noted since many of you report being able to get off meds for several chronic diseases since losing weight. I have dealt with depression and been on meds. Has anyone been able to get off depression meds as a result of weight loss?Thanks. Tammygirl

I created my own weight loss spreadsheet with calculations for a trending graph chart. If anyone would like it, I'll send it over to you (no cost, of course). Just reply to the link on my blog and it's all yours. Get my Excel weight loss tracker…for FREE! Lise The Loser’s Weblog Lise

Hi there I'm new to Oregon I live near Klamath Falls. Does anyone know of a GOOD lap band doctor. I need a fill but have had so many problems when I get filled?? thanks Jeanna

I am 6 days post op today. I havent had much of an "appeitite", I have water and a 1/4c vegetable broth, and a 160 cal 35g protein 1 carb 11oz drink that I take 1hr to drink. I feel a tightness in my belly and lots of shoulder pain. I dont have much energy to so much although I have walked around for the pain some. I was noticing my vision seemed a little fuzzy, this is bothering me to the point of tears. My urine is light colored so I know i am getting enough hydration. I think Ill call my doctor. I know I cant be functioning right with just 200c a day, right?

Hi Does anybody know of anyone who does fills for the Lap band in the North West of England? Many thanks Laura

I am 3 days post surgery...I have 2 questions..Is it normal to be able to feel my port, due to it sticking slightly out of my belly and is it normal to have sharp pains centralized exactly where my port is?

I had my lapband surgery in November 2006. I lost seventeen pounds pre-surgery and then another fifteen pounds by January. I had a total of two fills. Things were going okay, but not perfect. I had regained a few pounds over the holidays and was struggling to get back on track. In February 2007, I was diagnosed with uterine cancer. I ended up with a total hysterectomy. Recovery, both physical and emotional was brutal. Several months later I lost my job along with my health insurance. I was unable to continue with visits with my bariatric surgeon. The band has since been "unfilled" and I have re-gained every single pound I lost. I am scared, depressed, and most of all ANGR…

I'm two weeks post op and ten pounds lighter. Only 70 more to go! Does anyone have recommendations for lotions that help improve elasticity to the skin?

Alrighty, does anyone think it would be absolutely horrible to have a little ice cream once in a while? For instance, today, I have only had around 400 calories. It's 7:30 at night and my family is going to have some ice cream. I could have a half cup of ice cream for less than 200 calories. And then not eat anything else today. Of course I know it defeats the whole purpose of the band but that's why I say once in a while. Thoughts anyone?

:thumbup:Is there something that you are doing that keeps your matabolism reved up? Are you all working out as well? Not to say that it is a secret or anything but before I get banded I would like to know from the one's that are already and have had contue'd success what would u say contributes to your success that you have incorporated into your daily lifestyle...

This is my 1st time on the forum and my 2nd post. My desire is "too be normal". I don't want to be a super model. I don't even want to turn heads. I just want to be a healthy person at a healthy weight. I want to be satisfied w/ less food. I want to feel good. But I love food. Are there going to be things I can NEVER eat again for the rest of my life?

Is anyone else tired of hearing people say, "Why am I not losing any weight? I'm only eating 600 calories a day!" Come on people! Listen to your nutritionists. You need to eat to fuel your bodies. If you don't it will start holding on to every pound it's got! It will lower your metabolism and mess up everything. You think it's going to get you to your goal faster, but it's not! :blink:Alright....I'm done blowing off steam.

Hey everyone! I hope someone can answer this question accurately for me. I was banded one month ago. At my 2 week post op i asked the nurse what size of band i had she just looked at the chart and said "you have an AP Standard". I figured that was a 10 cc band. When I got my first fill today I asked the doctor how many cc's he would give me and he said 3 or 4, you have a 14 cc band. I know that Mondays for him are fill days and he sometimes has 15-20 people get fills in one day...do you think he was confusing me with someone else? I mean, my chart says AP Standard...what size is that exactly? I did get 4 cc's in my fill today...thanks for the help!

Good Morning, I recently get a fill on my band (last wednesday). Normally after my fills I am fine I can eat whatever just small portions. Well after this fill I have not been able to eat anything. Well I just ate a pop sicle and it stayed down. But I can not drink Water or tea. I have the larger band which holds 10cc. At my last fill my doctor stated i am at 9 1/4. I am not sure if I should go get some of the Fluid out or am I am finally at the point where I should see some major weight loss. Please help Loveasy

Question for any and all? When we were leaving the hospital the nurse told my mom that I might have some pain under my shoulders as air gets trapped inside the tissues during surgery. Has anyone else had this and how long does it last? Just curious... Thanks! Anamarie

I was up half the night because my nerves wouldn't let me sleep!! The three day liquid diet was coming out all night as well. Now I have a tickle in my throat and a slight cough. Could just be dry mouth and allergies. Should I worry or call my surgeon? Have I turned into a hypochondraic? I have never had surgery before and I am soooooo freaking nervous!!

Sitting here having some tomato basil chicken and it feels so great to actually cut it and chew it. One thing I don't fully understand though and could use some help if there is any. I had my first fill yesterday. At first I was really tight but after about 4 hours I could get some yogurt down. Now today I'm famished. I started back on pureed foods this morning and just ate my first real food for dinner. Why would I be more hungry now that I've had a fill than I was the day before the fill?

I woke up from surgery this very strong pain on the right hand side of my stomach focusing most on the incision furthest to the right. The furthest right hand incision also causes a dimple when I stand. The pain also radiates around to my back. I am still on percicet and hydrocodone. Has anyone else experienced pain like this? Was it considered normal or abnormal?

I need some prices on how much it cost to get a band removed....my mom has a bad port infection that is working its way up to her band...the doc in the CA said he would remove it for 13000$......wayyyyyy out of her budget..she had her band placed in mexico sooo anyone know the price for having it removed in mexico......if u have prices please post...im going around lika mad person calling different docs and searching at the same time!!!

I am 2 weeks post op today and have gone to mushies and this morning I gained a pound. I also can eat more than a cup of food at a time, not much more but I would say a cup and half to two cups. If I don't I am starving. I feel terrible and despressed. I have done all this and gaining weight. Has anyone else found this to happen?:biggrin::cursing::cursing::w00t::cursing:

ok so I dieted pre-op for 9 months on weight watchers and with my dr modifying my excercise. I only lost 13 pounds, they blamed it on a backwards matabolism and PCOS. I had surgery on 4/3 i lose 8 pounds before surgery, and now another 5 pounds! I weigh the same now as I did when I lost 13 pounds on WW in 9 months!!!! I am so psyched! This is the first thing that has ever started out working for me! Everything else was gain a pound when eating more, lose a few, gain a few, my body never leveled out. now I am steadily losing and I am only 5 days out. I didn't expect to lose much of anything for the first 6 weeks due to healing and matabolism issues with low calories…

First off, I am goin to see my doctor tomorrow morning, so I know I need medical attention. I just want some advice/stories because I am worried and sick to my stomach (figuratively) over how bad things could be. Three times this week I've woken up choking on ablack, watery, acidic tasting vomit. I thought it was acid reflux or some kind of nasty from my belly, since there are days I dont eat alot, etc. I have reflux sometimes, I take nexium, I'm really tight, I PB Alot. So I'll admit, I dont work the band as properly as I should, but I've really been riding thi weight loss wave and have thought "hey, im doing ok". So I'm worried now because of this black stuff. Cou…