POST-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A

I had my band done 2/28. My incisions are healing well. They had steri-strips on them the doc took off, but now some of the stiches that were inside have started to poke through? Has that happened to anyone else? I called the nurse on friday when it was just one & she said just to watch it. Now I have a stich coming out of almost every incision, even my port site? I think I may call the nurse again today? Did this happen to you?

I am two weeks postop for lap band surgery. I have intense pain above the largest incision. Excruciating when I sneeze, cough, even walking is difficult. I'm calling my surgeon in the am - I am not a whimp at all when it comes to pain. No fever or redness around incisions. Any ideas - similar experiences here? I have had not problems holding down liquids and soft food. Thanks for your thoughts.

I was banded November 07 and am still in search of the "sweet spot", Have resigned myself to the fact it is all a process and restriction will occur soon (am at 9cc my band holds 13cc) ANYWAY--I am now loosing my hair at what seems to be a ridiculous rate. This is new!!! I was told in my group that hairloss is the result of inadequate protien intake so I am sure to get at least 50 grams per day. Is there anything else I can do???--It is strange--I can bear walking around obese but the idea of thin stringy hair just kills me!!!!

I am now 4 days post band but still feel awful. Everything that I go to eat makes me want to throw up so I think it may be because I am not eating enough. How dows everyone else feel, is it just me?

Is anyone dealing with fibromyalgia as well as trying to not overeat? It seems when I am hurting with my fibromyalgia I want to eat comfort (i.e. fats and sugar) foods. For that short time the pleasure over rules the pain. Then I feel frustrated and angry afterwards. However, I still have the drive to go back to that comfort food. Does anyone else have that problem?

Hello , I was just wondering what everyone else eats during this part of the stage. I havn't talked to a doctor since the op so I 've been reading to see what I could eat. If anyone could give some suggestions I would appreciate it very much.:smile2:

I had a fill Friday. How do I tell the difference between the full feeling I'm suppose to get and the stuck feeling I am getting????? I am having to drink fluids very slowly or else they feel like their coming back up my throat. And I just had some solid food and it "stuck" so bad I had a little back up of phlem and a burping episode before that. I know....sorry that is gross! I don't feel "full"...I just feel "stuck" and it hurts. I don't know whether to tell my Dr. to take some out or not....I really really want the restriction!

I'm one day post op and it seems that I can't drink anything without gulping air with it. Can I mess up my band by swallowing too much air with my sips. I didn't realize how much I gulped, any tricks?? I'm really bloated and everything I try and drink only makes it wose... HELP

Did your surgeon do anything for your feet during the surgery? I was wondering if they would have me wear my night splint or tape my foot??

I was banded on Nov. 26th and I have had nothing but problems. From infections to a broken rib etc.... I went to Tallgrass Bariatric Surgery in Topeka Ks and I was wondering if anyone else on here had been there and had problems??? This has been the worst thing I have ever been thru in my life!! I have been in the hospital 2xs. My band has been completely swollen shut and has not healed since my surgery. I haven't had any real food for 3 months. I have lost over 50 lbs. which is great but its not the way I imagend it. I have been starving at some points I can't even drink Water and thats when I have been put into the hospital for dehydration. I have been gainin…

I was banded on 3/4. Pain is pretty much gone, but I have this weird feeling like something is jabbing me under the rib when I sit down. The only way to get comfortable is to lie down. Was wondering if anybody else has experienced this or anything similar? :tongue:

I had an upper GI & barium swallow but I forgot to ask if its ok to take Milk of Magnesia?:smile2: I really need some. :huh2: Can anyone tell me? THANKS :tongue2:

Hi again, is being bloated normal? I look 6 months pregnant!

Anyone has almost a protruding port site? I hope the port is not messed up. I had a lot of violent vomiting for about 3 days post op. Banded on 2/28

Ok, I have four children, I have been preganate 3 times (one set of twins) so I know what it feels like to have babies moving inside me.....I have been feeling that just after my banding on 3/5/08. I am thinking it's just the gases that they filled my stomach up with but has anyone else felt this? And I'm talking elbows and flips, not just flutters.

My doctor want me to be aware of the possible risks associated with this surgery. Does anyone know if anyone has ever died or had a blood clot or bad reaction or major infection from this surgery....I'm sooooo scared but I want this sooo bad...Help me put my mind at ease!!! Is this considered major or minor surgery?

I had lost 8 pounds since my surgery! Best part was this: I told him how I was going through major withdrawal from my diet coke. He laughed and said that I could have it if I poured it in a glass and let the fizz diminish, then sip on it. I could have seriously kissed him! So, today I opened a cold can of diet coke and poured it in a glass-no ice-and after it stopped fizzing I have sipped on it all morning. It was Heaven! He also said I would get a fill in one month, I can't wait!

My back problems developed and worsened over time until I finally couldn't work any more starting in 2002. I have Spinal Spondylosis and severe Degenerative Arthritis in my Lumbar, Thoracic and Cervical spine. The pain became so intense that it even interfered with walking. Because of everything I've gone through and my lack of exercise, I have piled on at least 150 lbs. since then. My questions are; (1) Will I still be able to take my narcotic pain killers if I have surgery? (2) I will be very limited in the amount and type of exercise I will be capable of performing. Can I still achieve successful weight loss? Thank You.

Is it ok to suck on them? My throat is so sore and I just want something to suck on...any thoughts? Is it naughty? Is it ok? Please advise...

Hey everyone, I posted a question at the link below concerning fed bc/bs insurance copays. I wanted to mention it here as well so that folks who have already had their surgery and finished up the insurance process would see it, as they might not be as inclined as pre-op folks to look at the insurance forum. By basic question is has anyone ever heard of a facility billing the band itself as an implant? This has caused my copay to go from $40 to almost $2,000!!!! For more details, please see my post at the link below. Any input is appreciated. http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f8/fed-birth-control-bs-co-pays-54536/#post747682

Almost everytime I eat and drink strange noises come out of my throat. I think it's my throat. I have to chew everything up to a fine mush in order not to feel like throwing up. But noises still come out. Maybe my band is too tight. What do you think?

I am 4 days post op (3 spent in the hospital). Did anyone else have severe and uncontrollable pain, wretching and nausea? Right now this is the biggest mistake of my life. I have had many surgeries and medical problems and nothing has compared to the pain of this procedure. :confused2:

Will I be able to take my daily medications right after my surgery. Should I check with my pharmacy to see if they come in liquid form?

I just got back from my doctors visit since i have not been in 10 months....i went to get another fill and they took xrays since its been awhile....my doctor said everything looks beautiful but one thing....my port...it has flipped on its side...i am not in any pain except for occasionally but i never thought that it had flipped.....i am scheduled for surgery on March 21st to have it restitched or possibly have it replaced...the doc won't know until he goes in...i am nervous to have this done although my initial surgery was really not that bad but i am still nervous...has anyone had to have revisional surgery or port replacement surgery????:biggrin:

I'm 4 days post op and still *need* my meds.. I'm sure if I didn't have a 9 wk old I could tough it out and be miserable.. but I can't do that. In order to hold him and not about pass out I need my meds but I'm almost out.. maybe enough to get me through today. My question is.. did anyone run out of pain meds or did you take something else for pain? When you ran out of meds what did you use instead? I'm afraid to swallow a pill.

So I have read about so many people being tight in the morning that they do not eat. Does that mean you will have problems drinking water?

I went to the Dr. yesterday for my 2 week check ups ince surgery. He said I would get a fill in one more month, yea!! I asked him how many cc's my band held and he said I had a VG band and it would hold about 10cc. I didn't know there were different types of bands. Anyone know about this particular band and if you have one, your experience with it? Thanks!

Does anyone know what causes the port to flip? I thought they stitched it on really good. I don't understand how this could happen...:confused2:

So I'm a week and a day post-op, and I'm on a pureed food diet for the next 3 days. I have had pureed chicken twice, up to about a cup at a time, and I dont feel satisfied. they say that i should be feeling full around 1/2 cup. idk, anybody expierience this too?

Does anyone know if there is any restriction on how much liquid you can drink. I came back to work today and have been drinking herbal tea but I am wonderign whether I am OK to just drink it as I used to or whether I should be sipping it. I am 7 days post band but I would hate to stretch my pouch with tea!!!

OK, I am 2 weeks post op and I am dying for a diet coke!!!! That is ALL I ever drank before. Water and flavored water makes me nauseous, I don't like tea. I am seriously ready to cry. What would happen if I just slowly sipped on a diet coke? Anybody else had one????

I am on my second week of liquid phase. I found myself last night taking a bite of regular food as I still have to cook for my family. I am scared that I have messed up my band but it was really soft food. What will this do to my band. I am determined I am not going to do that again. I am going to stay with the program but I am hungry now. The first week I did not have a problem but now it is hell.

Okay, gotta question,.....can we take meds without crushing them up? I am 4 weeks post op and can eat anything, but was wondering if I really need to crush my meds since they are little pills anyway...Does anyone know the answer to this? I hate the taste of the meds, its just horrible.

I've gone through two cans of unjury so far in my one month band anniversary today!!! How much longer are we drinking this stuff? Do I need to just breakdown and buy more? Thanks! Erika-PA one month down - minus 27 pounds!

I am 8 days post op and following my liquids only to the tee. I am also hungry. I am having 70-80 in protein a day (as per dr). I got on the scale yesterday, 1 week post op, and I have only lost 1/2 pound. I lost 25 pounds in 2 months prior to surgery with diet and exercise so I thought that with the band the weight would "fall" off. My husband says it is because I had to stay extra with a IV and that I am retaining h20 plus I wasn't apple to exercise like I was prior to surgery. I am hungry and confused. Today I get to walk 1/4 mile for the first time since surgery, Maybe that will help.:biggrin: __________________

Hi I am a little over two months out of surgery and am having trouble with constipation. I never had any problems before surgery. Can anyone share what they do for these symptoms. I do not think we can take fiber because it expands in the pouch right? Any help would be appreciated. April:mellow::confused2::biggrin:

i had my fill one week ago and didnt feel to much restiction but today it was good. i still ate a little to much though. i went to exercise tonight and i was so tight i thought i was going to explode. i will try tomorrow to even eat less and maybe i wont be so uncomfortable. nothing is getting stuck at this point. i kind of wish things would get stuck because in the beginning it was like that and i was more cautious of how fast i ate and how much. now ive slipped on both things. andrea

I am just 3 weeks banded and lost 18 pounds at first then nothing for 2 weeks, I eat less than 600 calories a day and have been wallking 1 hour on my treadmill for the last 4 days I am so discouraged I can't even tell is this normal? I only get hungry 3 times a day and a little food is all I need to fill up? Please help me:frown:

Hi all. I was banded 2/26 and have been on a liquid diet since (soup, yougurt, juice etc). This morning when I got up I felt light headed and have felt that way all day. Today is my first day back in work (office job-not strenuous) but my brain is a bit muddled and I feel faint when I stand quickly or bend over? Do i need more Protein or would it be something else? Help!

I was banded this morning just curious if anyone else's throat swelled up when you ate and how long that lasted. It's pretty uncomfortable. Also how long did the gas last for everyone? I tried to get up and walk but my incisions are too sore for that. Hope it goes away on it's own. Thanks! :confused2:

Is anyone else having burning pain close to their belly button? I only havr it when I sit straight up..and then it becomes to much after a couple of minutes. I've called the doctor and they said it will eventually go away, but I can't work if I can't sit up. Help!

HI all!! I will be banded on March 7th and have been tryin to prep myself best as I can thru reading this site! LOVE IT! I have a question tho.. whats the link between the shoulder pain and the lapband?? and I have heard so many things from slight pain to UNBEARABLE! YIKES! whats up with that?? ~Destynee~:thumbup:

My surgeon, stiched part of the stomach tissue over the band to further help keep it in place. This is part of his normal routine in the procedure. However, he did tell me that not all surgeons do it for it is not a "required" part of the procedure. Did anyone elses surgeon perform that technique?

im 6 days post op... :eek: and im starting to feel the bruising go down but... i cant get no sleep on my bak i generally sleep on my side in the fetal postion and i cant sleep unless im in the same postion every night so lat nite i just did it wasnt uncomfy but i could feel were the port is (like presure not hurting just its there feeling) is this bad?? any body also sleep on there side also??? :cool2::frown: scared ive stuffed the stiches in side holding the band or something :confused2:

Hey all, I lost 12 pounds before the band on the medifast liquid diet that my doctor put me on 2 weeks before surgery but since I was banded 1 week ago I have not lost anything. According to physicsdiet.com (what I use to track my weight loss) I am still eating a deficient of 1200 calories a day....so why am I not seeing anything :biggrin: Did anyone else have this problem?

How do you do this!!! Even with no fill I cannot eat anything other that soft foods!

OK so I was banded on Thursday the 28th. Th first 2 days I was home were not that bad, then today has been horrible. I can keep down some water but thats about all. I can't eat anything, I've been taking gas-x and that seems to help some. I've been having hot and cold spells. I'll be freezing one minuet and roasting the next. and I'm lightheaded. All I want to do is sleep. If I hadn't just had suregry I would think I'm getting sick. Any suggestions?

I had my surgery on 02/01/08 and my doctor does not put any saline in the band during intial banding surgery. Since my pain has gone away, I don't feel any differant than before surgery. I am very discouraged. I am dieting because I know that I need to. But if I fell off the wagon, I think I could clean out the shoney's buffet with no problem. I lost 25lbs really quick, but haven't lost much of any over the past two weeks. I go back to the doctor on March 17 and hopefully he will do a fill. Could this be my problem - just ready for a fill? Please tell me yes!! I have been so excited about this surgery for so long, I am going to be devastated if it doesn't work for…

Help! I started the mushy diet today and I am still not feeling any restriction. I am worried something is wrong. I ate some pudding and some mashed potatoes for lunch and it went down very smoothly! Is this normal? I keep waiting to feel a lump in my chest, but nothing happens. Can you help? I am a self pay and if something goes wrong I don't have another $10,000 to do it again.

WHAT DOES BANDSTER HELL MEAN????:confused2: