POST-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A

I just looked on my BCBS online account and it says that the bill for my surgery was $26,075! I thought it was like $12,000. I stayed 1 night in the hospital yes but geez. No wonder self payers go to Mexico! P.S. Had my first follow-up and got to start Protein shakes today...YIPEEE It felt so good to get something with some Vitamins in it. Monday I can eat wet tuna, cottage cheese, string cheese, yogurt and decaf unsweet tea ----> all sugar and/or fat free of course. :drool: A lady that had surgery the same day I did already lost 22 lbs! Amazing this band is. :teeth_smile:

Besides the Obvious!! What is the difference in a 10 cc and 5 cc band?. Until today ( 3 weeks post op) i thought i had a 5cc band but i learned I have a 10 cc band. At surgery he inserted 4cc, today at my first fill, I swear he said he put in 3 more. Youd think id listen, but my FOUR children were with me (mom is in chicago, who else will take all 4?) So asap we left. I feel good and drank a cup of water b4 leaving. SO is this normal for a 10cc band and again what is the difference?

Am I the only one? I cant tell if it is mental or not, but my tummy is even rumbling.....Am I really hungry? Amanda

My surgery is scheduled for April 1st. The doctor might have to push back the surgery due to a family emergency by a week or two. I am scheduled to have pre-surgical testing at the hospital on Wed. What happens during this testing. What tests do they do? Do they weigh you etc. Since my surgery might get pushed back do I need to reschedule this testing as well to make it closer to the actual surgery date? Still waiting to hear back from the doctor about the surgery date. Thanks for all you help.

I have been burping A LOT. Is this normal? For instance, drinking Water...sipping...slowly...and I burp every 2 minutes. What is going on with me? :wub:

Hello everyone. I was bannded on Feb. 26, 2008. I recieved my first fill of 6cc. I was wondering how much should I be able to eat? I had a 6" veggie sub from subway with really no problems. I wasn't full (like I thought i'd be) nor was I hungry. If I had wanted to eat more it would'nt have been a problem. Should I speak with the DR. and see about getting "juiced up" to 8cc. Could someone please share their experiences and eating amounts. I try to eat at home as much as possible, but due to my employment it means alot of lunch and dinner meetings. Also what is your experience with BEER. I know it depends on what type of beer is consumed but does anyone have a problem dri…

Hi guys and gals... so, today is Day Five after being banded. I feel great - tiny bit of shoulder pain and indigestion, but other than that, I'm good. I've been using the ketone strips to see if I'm burning fat and I've never seen the colour so dark - I am fully in ketosis and burning like crazy. I've actually gotten used to my routine of Water, electrolyte drink, Soup broth, a tea, and a crystal light at the end of the day. I wake up the next morning and I'm consistently down 0.5 - 1.0 pounds every day. I haven't been hungry, or if those are hunger pangs, I'm calling them healing pains, and ignoring them. I haven't been lethargic, I haven't felt dizzy, and I hav…

:mellow:HELLO ALL IN POST-OP! I AM A BIT CONCERNED ABOUT ALL THE I GUESS YOU COULD SAY COMPLICATIONS. I HAVE READ ALOT OF POSITIVE THINGS TOO ENOUGH TO BALANCE IT ALL OUT BUT I AM STILL CONCERNED. IT SEEMS ALOT OF PEOPLE HAVE HAD ALOT OF VOMITING AND PROBLEMS EATING. SOME EVEN SAYING THEY CAN'T EVEN KEEP DOWN WATER OR ANY LIQUIDS LET ALONE MUSHIES OR SOLIDS. ALOT OF PAIN TOO. ALOT OF PEOPLE SEEM TO ALSO HAVE ALOT OF ISSUES AND PAIN AFTER FILLS. I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR MORE POSITIVE STORIES FROM PEOPLE WHO ARE DOING GREAT AND HAPPY W/NO OR LITTLE ISSUES. WOULD ALSO LOVE TO HEAR SOME STORIES RECENT STORIES OF PEOPLE WHO ARE 3-4 OR MORE YEARS OUT AND HOW THEY ARE DOING. THANK Y…

I am 4 days post-op and had no problems until today. I have felt like I have a lot of air in my stomach since the operation. I've been taking in liquids - protein shakes, juice, etc. in moderation. 7 to 8 hours ago I had a yogurt smoothie and 1/2 hour later started to PB. I have had nausea and have been vomiting up clear substance (sliming). The only way to find relief is to stand up straight. If I sit and recline at all it starts all over again. I'm going to call my doctor as soon as possible -- but has anyone had this experience? The smoothie or no food has come up.

Please help Just got banded 3/19. I was given Lortab consistently while in hospital and sent home about 24 hrs after surg. They checked the band on video x-ray before I left and it was fine. I had a BM before leaving the hospital. They gave me Lortab Elixir which I took up to last night as needed and then I switched over to liquid Tylenol. I have only taken the Tylenol once (about 4 AM today) and haven't had anything for pain since. I continued to have a LOT of gas pains after leaving the hospital but this seems to have been significantly relieved since yesterday. I have been following the clear liquid instructions they gave me. On my first day home I drank 2 liters of …

I had my lap band surgery on February 20, 2008. For the six months leading up to the surgery, while getting all of the insurance requirements out of the way, I had lost 36 pounds basically starving myself. Since the surgery, I am down only 8 pounds and feel pretty depressed. I even gained a few pounds back last week leading up to my first fill of only 2 cc's which I had this past Friday. The doctor said my band was empty from surgery. I was wondering when I should feel some restriction and appetite suppression. I had liquids for the first couple of days after the fill and am now back to eating normally. My next appointment for a fill follow-up is in a couple of wee…

I am nearly 6 weeks post op and all of my incisions are healing nicely. My largest incision (where the port is) has had a little dry skin around it where the scabs finally came off. This weekend, I had one tiny piece of "dry skin" sticking out so I tried to just pull it off. When I pulled it, a string came from below the surface of my skin. I am so panicked. I am scared I pulled something loose or something. I just left it alone and alot of the string that came out has now gone back in, but I still have a tiny bit sticking out that looks like dry skin again. Has this happened to anyone else????

Hi there! I got banded last Wednesday, i'm officially a bandster! WOO! First 2-3 days were TOUGH. I didn't react well to anesthesia or the liquid hydrocodone right after surgery. Woke up with lots of pain in chest, confusion, nurses all buzzing in my ear, etc. I think anesthesia gives that chaotic, confused sense when you first come out of it. Had to drink the contrast RIGHT AWAY after waking and was forced to sit up, (MORE PAIN) so they could x-ray and see the band's placement. Then 2 days of sore throat, no appetite yet hunger pains, soreness, sleepy, etc. By day 3 i was feeling more human, by yesterday I had appetite back BIG time, feeling pretty good! No longer asking…

Hey Everyone, this is my first time to post anything but really need some advice. I have been VERY sick since 3/7 and had the flu, strep throat and bronchitis. Well to make a long storey short I have been throwing up ALOT and can not keep anything down at all due to the coughing. I had such a bad cough that I would cough till I threw up. Well after 2 trips the ER, the cough has finally stopped for the most part. Well went to see Dr. Speigel today and he told me that he would take my fill out and order a Braium Swallow to be on the safe side. I of course started crying. I am soooo afriad that I have really messed something up. Has anyone had something close to this happen…

I recently pulled my back and vicodin is the only medication that seems to help. Do you think taking one dose at night will hurt my band?

:tongue_smilie:Hello everyone. I had my first fill on 3/5/08. No issues..I even have some restriction then on Monday evening I started to feel very sick to my stomach. It is kinda like a roller coaster one second I am fine the next I am sick to my stomach. I spoke to my nurse and she stated that if I am drinking and eating without any issues she does not feel that it is an issue with my band. I just don't know and I hate this feeling. Any suggestions would be great!

I am over a month post op, so this really isn't a surgery question. But I have been nauseous for the last 2 days. No throwing up, just constant nausea. I haven't eaten anything weird and don't think it's food poisoning or I'd be throwing up. Could this have anything to do with the band? Is nausea a symptom of a band problem? I've been constantly sipping on blackberry cider to help curb the nausea, but it's going on my third day and I still feel bad!

Well it has been 3 weeks since my surgery..and for the first time I cheated. :wub: I am very upset with myself. I went to chilis with my husband and ordered the honey chipotle chicken crispers. It comes with fries and corn. I didnt eat any of the corn. It took me all day to eat 3 crispers and a few frys, and I am so pissed at myself. I drank so much tea yesterday too....so I felt miserable. I felt stuffed. I dont know if I was stuffed from the food or all the tea I had. Right now I am supposed to be drinking 2 cups of slim fast and eating a cup of food. Well yesterday I just ate. I didnt do any of the slim fast. Does anyone know how easy it is for your band to slip??? I a…

I have been told that you can not drink alcohol after the surgery ?? I have gone on a cruise about every 6 months for the past 3 years. and it is the highlight of my year, we go with three other couples and we eat and drink a lot. I am concerned that I will not be able to join in on the fun, but I will be thin and look good.

I just got banded on thursday 3/20 and when I eat my yogurt or any thing else for that matter I feel a little bit light headed, is this normal? I am getting worried and it feels like someone is sitting on my chest its kind of hard to breathe. Am I OK??? :crying:

Okay, so I was just banded yesterday, and just got home from the hospital this afternoon. I am still very bloated and the incisions are a little painful. I'm trying to eat my pudding and I can't tell if the pains that I'm having are from like gas bubbles, that I'm already full, or if there is just pain from the surgery?!? Anyway for me to know the difference?

I was banded 2-25-08 all has been progressing nicely until the last few days. I got this "virus" that is going around and have been "hacking" up a lung literally, the regular doctor says rest, liquids, formula 44 for cough and congestion, I have hacked so much that my chest is sore, back is sore and now I feel SUPER tight, liquids only tight, did I do damage to my band or just irritate my stomach/band from all the violent coughing and hacking, I love my band I don't want to lose it! Thanks

Hi Guys I have been reading on this site for a while and this is my first post. I was banded 3-19-2008 by Dr. Gonzalez in TJ. I had a great experience and am recovering well. My concern is that Dr. Gonzalez wants me to return to him in 15 days for my first fill. I have never heard of anybody getting a fill so soon. I hate to question the Dr. but has anybody ever heard of such a thing? Thank you all in advance for any opinion.

Prior to surgery my family and I would eat out about 10 times a week. I know this is AWFUL!!! At any rate, my life evolved around fast food, resturants, etc. I am amazed that since this surgery I have not once wanted food from a take out, fast food type of place. I really thought this would be something I would have to contend with. Has anyone else experienced this?

I was banded on 27Feb08 and my first fill is on 28Mar08 and I am hungry! I try not to eat alot but I fail most of the time and the pain I have afterward is not worth it. I know that I will hurt later but I still eat. Anyone that have some helpful hints please let me know.:wub::scared2::frown:

Shortness of breath --------------------------------------------------------------------------- I posted this in the General Lapband forum, but now I think I should have put it in this one......... I had my 3rd fill on Feb 29th. (6.5 in a 11cc band) Not too long after that I started noticing I have shortness of breath on and off throughout the day. I have very, very little restriction, so I've never thrown up or slimed or had much trouble eating. The shortness of breath is worrying me...... However - I've had a lot of stress (much more than normal), and I'm wondering if that is what is causing my problem. I plan on calling my surgeon's office, but was wonderi…

I was just banded on the 20th and two days later I feel like my stomach is trying to rip at times certain ways I move around what I belive to be the port site. Is this normal. They had to do more to me because of scar tissue already inmy stomach from back surgery and I had an extra incision as well. I just hear how so many are feeling good by now and wondering if I am just a wiss or if this is normal pain or something I should be worried about? :thumbdown:

Just got back yesterday from Mexico had my Lab Band on the 19th. I am feeling good alot of gas. I am having a hard time with food all around me I keep telling my self it is all worth it!

How many days post op were you on drugs? I am 3 days post op. My body tells me exactly when it been 8 hours, and I have to have them. Ouch this still hurts. I just don't want to get addicted.

Okay, one more question - weighed 305 at time of surgery and according to my scale at home I am now 289 - I've gotten on there like a dozen times so are my eyes deceiving me or did I really lose 16lbs in 5 days? And is this normal? Tee:thumbup:

I am really trying to figure out this whole liquid diet thing. On Tuesday and Wednesday of this week I really felt like my old self. As a result, I am ready to eat solid food. I know, I can't. However, with each doctor perscribing different things, what is the right thing? I was just on the recipe site as this is the first year I am not hosting Easter for my family due to this surgery. (I didn't want to have to cook the "big meal") I offered to bring a soup. LOL! At any rate, I see lots of soup dating way back and I am wondering what happened to those bandsters who made up soup recipes that pureed veggies, etc. in the "liquid stage". I am fearful if I …

I was banded on 2/13 and I am still in a lot of pain (abdominal.) I have started to get depressed because I am in pain everyday and it never seems to get better. I am going to call my doctors office on Monday, but I thought I would see if anyone else has had pain this long after surgery? I am just worried that something may be wrong. Might the pain be from the incisions healing? Any thoughts would be helpful. Thanks.

I'd like to pose a question to the post weight loss banders: Once you've lost a great amount of weight (to where its very noticeable), do you notice how people treat you differently? How you feel in public? How you feel with your husband/wife (sorry if this is too personal) or how you feel dating? At work? with Family? friends? I am getting banded on March 18, 2008. and was just wondering. Also I watch a lady on some talk show that had GB, and after a TT (tummy tuck) and LBL (lower body lift) she looked great. But was Angry at men and other people for treating her better now that she was smaller. She didn't date or socialize much because she felt betrayed. …

Could you please tell me when you got out of the hospital? If it was the day of surgery, what time in the evening were you released? Also, how were you feeling the next day, and when were you ok to drive? My surgery just got scheduled for less than 2 weeks from now, and so my husband and mom probably don't have enough notice to get time off from work. I'm trying to make a plan in my head of how I'm going to work out getting to and from the hospital, particularly because I live an hour away.

Okay, its post op day 5 and still no poops! I know its only liquid in = liquid out, but should I be worrying? I have been passing gas like a champ, just no poop. Some advice would be helpful! Tee:mad:

Hey ya'll, I feel like I'm bombarding with questions, just trying to make sure my experiene is normal. 5 days post op now and moving around much better. Should I be able to feel my port? I know where the port incision is, but have been pressing around there - probably more than I should and haven't felt any port yet. Is that normal, or is it just still swelling, etc? tee

Can you EVER drink soda or beer again? I LOVE a soda every once in a while, and a couple coronas on the weekend.....am I giving this up for good? Can anyone drink beer at all?

I am having my band done next Wed. My mom had this done about 2 years ago and said the shake she had to drink made her sick all the time. She could not stand the taste of any of them. What was your favorite?

I am 1/5yrs post op. The problem I have is after a fill (2-4-weeks) I have to be unfilled because I am vomiting everything up. 2 weeks ago had .5cc's removed from the band. This Wednesday had another .5cc's removed from the band. Still could not keep anything down. Had an EGD (Endoscopy study) yesterday. The band is still in a good position. My pouch was full of sludge? THere was nothing stuck in the band. The doctor cleaned the pouch, unfilled the band all the way and told my husband (I was still knocked out). Maybe I am just going to be someone that the band will not work for. I have lost 50 lbs in the last 1.5 years and I do not want to get rid of the lap band. HAS A…

So i was filled yesterday and have had my band since this past novemeber. i have been vomiting after eating one bite of food(chewed really well). ive went back on liquids and didnt know how long before i try solids again. anyone else go through this. im talking projectial vomiting after 1 or 2 bites.

i cant eat or sleep i keep coughing up large amounts of foam and saliva its driving me crazy.

So help me out here. The day of surgery I weighed 225. Day after surgery 227. Today I weight 230! I've been following my liquid diet to a t... and we're talking clear broth, tomato soup, slimfast shakes, crystal light, tea. Maybe...just maybe 800 calories a day. What's going on!!! Please advise! :thumbup:

Just wondering how much your first fill was. Mine was 5mls which I think is the same as 5cc

I just had the lapband done on tuesday. I'm doubting if it was a good idea. First off I have hardly any support from my family. No one wanted me to get it, and now they wave food around in my face. I'm having a hard time with this and to have a lack of support is making it that much more difficult. To top things off I am starving. These soups and scrambled eggs aren't doing anything to quench my hunger. How did you all get through this process?:shades_smile:

Hello Everyone, I was banded on 3/10. I spent over a week in the hospital afterwards with post surgical obstruction whatever the heck that is. Had to have another surgery to loosen the band while I was in the hospital. Anyways I'm doing better now. Each day gets a little easier. The good thing is I lost 17 lbs the week I was in the hospital and 8 so far this week. I can only have liquids. I tried yogurt, slim fast, pudding, cream of wheat and they all came right back up. I'm already familiar with PBing I guess, and it's not a nice feeling at all for me. Is anyone else strugling to take in all the fluids or is it just me beacuse I'm so tight. I keep my bottle of Water an…

Hello Fellow Bansters: How much were ya'll able to eat before you got your first fill? How long did the full feeling last? How was your hunger level? I am still on the full liquids portion of this diet (for one more day then, I go to pureed food and such) but I will admit, I will occasionally have a small portion of something that I am not supposed to have. It won't be anything dramatic like ice cream or hamburgers or steak or solid food or anything..but stuff that I can tolerate that is not truly on the liquids list. How is everyone doing? I hope everyone is doing well.

Well here I am, just banded on Wendsday. Tomorrow morning my family and I leave for a 14 hour car trip. My mother passed away in December and due to circumstances we had to wait until now for a memorial service. I am very stressed and nervous. First of all, as I'm sure you all know, there is no better excuse to eat garbage than when on the road. Now combine that with emotional eating and I'm in trouble. Let's also throw on top of it the Easter bbq my family is having while we are in town. I'm already feeling very hungry and worry about how I'll do with this liquid thing during all of this. I could really use some words of support as I deal with this. Thanks

My sister and I were banded the same day (Wed) and she hurts a lot too, in fact she says that this lap band surgery is much worse than her total hip was as far as pain goes, but I hear a lot of people say they were "just uncomfortable" or that their pain was mild to moderate. Well the two of us are living one hour at a time in pretty bad pain. I would say the gas pain up in my shoulders is about equal to the pain coming from the diaphram and access port areas. I also had a hiatal hernia repaired at the same time but I do not know how much of a role that might be playing pain wise. We have been up walking around about once every 90 minutes or less, and we have no trouble d…

Hi all... We as a family are going out to Soak City in San Diego for Spring Break. I'm kinda freaking out because I am not sure if it is safe to get in the Water yet... I remember the doc saying that I could after 2 weeks post-op and my sister remembers him saying after 4 weeks post-op!!!.... Kinda confused? The doc's office won't answer and I seriously need some answers. All of your help would be greatly appreciated. THanks.

Ugh.....I'm one day post op....and nothing, I mean nothing sounds good. I did manage to get down one Protein shake yesterday, but it took all day. This morning, a glass of Water and a cup of herbal tea....but seriously, I just can't stand the thought of anything...... Is that normal?