LAP-BAND Surgery Forums

What is the best source of clear liquid protien? I'm thinking about what to have on hand immediately after surgery. Also the most nutritious for healing (liquids and soft)? Patti

Tonight marks one week since band removal and Day 2 of mushies. I realize I'm still really swollen, but I have the best and most comfortable restriction ever. If there was only a way for medical science to clone the exact structure of my stomach like it is this very minute, life would be sweet! I have that same tight, full sensation in my upper belly, but nothing uncomfortable, no feeling of a PB coming on, nothing choking me, no slime. Just beautiful, glorious restriction that should last for ever and ever and ever and ever. It's so peaceful and pleasing that I just had to share, because tomorrow the swelling will have gone down some and my ghost band will eventual…

I can't believe I went from whining to being scared sh**less in less than a week! I met with Dr. Weatherille of Park Nicollet last Thursday and he set my surgery for 11:20 AM tomorrow! I am really impressed with him - he's got decades of experience as a surgeon, and ten years of laparoscopic procedures experience and over three years with the Lap-Band. I think it was best that it all happened so fast because I haven't had much time to think about it. I've only had to endure the pre-op liquid diet for 5 days and managed to survive Christmas dinner without food. I'm amazed at how effective it is, though - I have already lost ten pounds since last Friday. The only …

I had my first fill on 12-27 and have felt a lot of restriction. I am tracking my calories and have had around 1000 calories a day, mostly protien but when I got on the scale this morning I have actually gained a couple of lbs. :confused: How can this happen? I am drinking at least 2 liters of water a day and I'm not even constipated. What gives??

Hello, I am probably asking a dumb question, but I have been sick with a cough and want to know if I can do any harm to my port or band with all the coughing? The only place I have pain is the port area, but it is also sore everywhere else on my stomach area. I did start wearing my abdominal binder to hopefully help with support for the caughing. Thanks. Schel

Dr. said he doesn't think my band has slipped--it is probably too tight and that is causing the reflux. Then he told me the problem is not my fault as I have done so well with the band. I can't imagine why I was afraid to see him--I somehow thought is WAS my fault. I am scheduled for an upper GI on 1/11 and will ask for an endoscopy to diagnose and ulcer. Can't believe I am too tight since my last fill was only too 1.75:cry --I'm beginning to think I may never lose those last 20lbs.

Then "End of 2005 weight loss challenge" is over. Here are the results! Hopeful: -12 banded_for_life: -14 mousecrazy: -7 LSasha: -24 cissy: -8 Tricia K: -14 Tess L: -14 CCBSTX: -14.5 Rockin' Robyn: -20 Daisybelle: -14 Bostonfatgirl: -12 Anwyn: -14.5 That's a total loss of 168 lbs! Many participants were also able to maintain during the holidays - a MAJOR accomplishment. Great job everyone!

He said he doesn't think my band has slipped--it is probably too tight and that is causing the reflux. Then he told me the problem is not my fault as I have done so well with the band. I can't imagine why I was afraid to see him--I somehow thought is WAS my fault. I am scheduled for an upper GI on 1/11 and will ask for an endoscopy to diagnose and ulcer. Can't believe I am too tight since my last fill was only too 1.75:cry --I'm beginning to think I may never lose those last 20lbs.

I'm not banded yet, but when you lose weight, do your feet shrink? My feet have gotten so wide that I literally can't find any shoes that fit. I will have to go to a specialty store to get them made, but I can't affford it. I am ashamed to say that I usually own one pair of shoes at a time and wear them until they fall apart or stink so bad I have to toss them. Right now I buy cheapies at payless but have to get them 1-2 sizes too big which makes me trip often.

Had my lap band last Wednesday and feel like hell !!! I have actually passed out twice and went to the emergency room.ER doc did blood work and x-rays and found nothing wrong. I am hypoglycemic and I think I am not getting enough food to raise my blood sugar levels but when I talk to the surgeoens office they treat me like I am just wanting to pig out! I have severe pain in my abdomen and upper back. I feel very sick and have dark circles under my eyes and look like a cancer patient! I was told I would be walking 30 minutes a day by now. I almost didnt qualify for the procedure as I only weigh 210 and have a BMI of 36. I am having many regrets about the procedure now. Any…

Hi, I'm new here & slightly computer illiterate & am trying my best to figure this thing out. At last I finally figured out how to do a new thread !!! So I'm getting there. As far as the band goes, I've had a consult & labs & got my insurance's OK but no surgery date set yet. A bit apprehensive. Just scared it won't work, mostly. Or something go wrong like slip or erosion. How frequently do these things really happen? I have read the complications thread but still curious if really happens a lot. What are PB's? Also, when I had my tubes tied laproscopically I was pumped up with so much gas that I couldn't wear any regular clothes (even my "fa…

I now have the $$ to put down the deposit and have my band done. I am using Dr. de la Garza in Monterray. My dh can't come because we have 3 little kids and I don't have anyone who can watch them. I'm so sad! :cry I'm also getting scared. I've had surgery before, so that is ok. I am more worried about not being able to eat and eat when I feel bored, down in the dumps, anxious, etc. I have started exercising to relieve my stress and am trying to do deep breathing exercises. My question is: have any of you who have lost a lot of weight have a problem seeing yourself differently? When I was in high school (I am 40 now) I dieted and lost about 35 pounds when I w…

Three weeks out add I started passing blood in my urine. I never have been a big Water drinker.I was not getting enough in and I have a kidney infection.I am taking antibiotics and I started drinking more water, cranberry juice and fruit 20.I lost five more pounds because of the water. I will get the water in from now on.Im diabetic and do not want to have kidney problems .I like my kidneys and want to keep them. DRINK< DRINK AND DRINK SOME MORE

Hi, I'm a newbie here, and have question please. I got my band 12/27. Today is postop day #8, and for the past 3 days I have had pain all over my left side and left abdomen, from my ribcage down to where my appendix is. It's constant, but if I move gets very sharp and stabbing. The port site is just starting to hurt too. I initially had pain for the first 2 1/2 days, then it went away totally. I was painfree a couple of days, and now this started. I thought it was gas. I have used a lot of gas-x. I have used a glycerin suppository 2 days ago. I used a dulcolax suppository today. I now don't believe it's gas because I have passed plenty today, and the pain hasn't cha…

I was banded 12 days ago, and have been active since that first night. I have walked, gone to church, shopping, etc., and even hosted a previously-scheduled NY Eve party for my church class. I thought by being active from the "get go" I would really help myself recuperate well. Well, 12 days post op and I am now back to the couch for hours at a time, trying to find a position that doesn't hurt. My incisions are great,; and the pain is like sharp "catches" . Is this normal? No temp, no swelling, etc...just back to really uncomfortable again. Maybe just feeling the new hardware in there? Anyone else experience this?

I having been reading for a while but am a new poster here. I have a dilemma and would like for ya'll to tell me what you think if it were you.I am 3 months into a 6 month supervised weight loss program. I have Cigna HMO ins. I have had my nutrition consult and almost finished with my psych eval per my ins requirements. The other night I applied for Capital One Healthcare funding for my surgery and was approved. The catch is the funding is good for 90 days only (I didn't know that when I applied). Now wouldn't you know that happened 92 days before my six month program is complete and can be submitted to my ins co. I called Capital One to see if the 90 days could b…

Hubby is taking me on his next business trip. I'm pretty excited. One I've never flown and two I've never been anywhere near the west coast. We are going to be in San Fransico and I'll pretty much have all day to myself as he will be in meetings and confrences. Whats the must see things? What should I not miss. I'll be going jan 9th. I'm most nervous about leaving the kids for that long....pathetic I know. Also wondering about band tightening when flying...seems I've read some folks have trouble with this. I'm planning to ask for a fill at my next nutritional appointment in a couple weeks, wondering if I should get it done before or after the trip. (I have 0 fill right…

Hi all, Newbie here. I am considering the Lap Band and I'm also a vegetarian. SO my protien sources will have to be different etc. I'm also concerned about not being able to eat the veggies due to Fiber, etc. What CAN'T you eat now that you could before? ALso, I think it would be great to give pre and post op food recommendations for vegetarians listed so we can shop and have the liquid and the mushie foods ready.

It's been so long since I've visited LBT that many people won't know (or care) that I was gone. . . but I've been thinking about everyone, and when I had a dream last night about meeting a lot of you from your before-and-after pictures, I knew I had to stop by again! I had a total abdominal hysterectomy in October, and wasn't posting much even before the surgery because I was in pain and doped up. Now, three months later, I'm pretty well recovered from the operation, although I had a lot of nasty, mostly unrelated, back/nerve pain over the past several months. And I was being a very bad bandster indeed. Not only was I unable to exercise since I couldn't really move for …

Hello! My name is Denika Menis, and I live in Hiddenite, North Carolina. I am 32 years old, and I was banded on July 26, 2005. Dr. Bauman in Concord did my surgery. He is wonderful! I have lost around 50 pounds, give or take a few. I am so happy to have found this wonderful place! (I THINK that I attached my picture. I'm not sure!) Denika DenikaMenis.bmp

hey! it's been 9 months since i was operated and got banned and NOW i am finally loosing some weight! tadaaaaaa! pehehehe! i've lost about 5 kilos in like 2 weeks!! Gosshhh is that normall??!!! i'm scared it's too good to be true!! how much in general do you guys loose??? i have noticed everyone here counts in pounds - is that an americal thing:rambo ?? thanks!

My whole reason for getting banded was to see a huge chunk of my excess weight come off ... and stay off. This is my third holiday season since being banded, and the first since I've not been actively attempting to actually lose weight. And a miracle happened. I didn't gain weight!! The holidays were every bit as enjoyable as ever; I indulged and partook and engaged in whatever came my way, but in the moderate way the band has taught me. The very idea that the holidays are no longer a time of constant self-denial is just incredible. My idea of long-term success is to get through the end of each year without adding poundage, and now it looks as though that may really …

Well, I found a doctor who is sympathetic to my cause - my wife's doctor! So, I've had a couple visits with her, and got the results of my blood tests - I'm now diabetic. She has me on meds, and I have to check my blood twice a day. She also told me I need to start doing cardio. Don't worry about weights or anything like that, she wants me to strengthen my heart (could it be - shes getting me ready for surgery?! I also told her about my back injury from the military, the difficulty I have exercising, and even moving around, and that I have a disability rating from them as well. She wrote all this down in my charts! she doesn't just smile and nod, she actually listens…

and it was awful (still is.) This was the worst surgery yet, and for some reason I always end up with a high fever and bronchial problems. The surgery took around 2 hours late Tuesday night, and we got home from Ventura last night. Dr. Billy removed my band in the emergency room, and other than being so physically ill, I'm 100% relieved that Billy took it out. I'm glad it's out of me, I'm thankful Billy was my surgeon, and I'm really worried after all the other stories I heard while staying in the hospital. The nurses were somewhat "fascinated" with me since several are obese and have been considering weight loss surgery. However, they were telling me of so many…

Please tell me I am not the only one to over pack my pouch during the holidays. I had surgery in July...was doing fine lost 33 lbs....made it through Thanksgiving but one week before Christmas I couldn't stop eating Cookies and fudge...I hope I haven't hurt my band...had some uncomfortable feelings for about 36 hours but it went away...will go in to Dr. next week for a fluoro... I believe I was doing so well I got careless....thats not good....any comments would be appreciated...

What is the average fill that everyone has let me know

I started my 2 week pre op diet today, so far so good. Does anyone have a pre op diet plan that helped them. Reading the information my doctor gave me it basically is the atkins diet. I just want to make sure I do everything right. Any information would be appreciated:)

I have a surgery date of feb 20. My MD told me to start drinking from a medicine cup to get use to sipping liquids. I can't imagine myself taking an hour to have a meal- I usually eat fast, hardly chew, and gulp. Did it take a long time for banders to learn how to eat again?? How do you know when to stop eating- do you get full immediately? Right now, I can eat for ever without really feeling full.

I will have the LB surgery next week. It seems to me that the more you stay on top of having a good fill - the less you will "suffer" having to "diet". This is where I have always failed in the past - having to stop eating on my own. The reason I want the band is so that I will not be able to eat past what I really need. Someone said that her doctor told her - Well don't eat the 2nd cup of food - when she said she felt she was overeating. Isn't the purpose of the band to keep us from being able to eat the "2nd cup" or whatever it is? Dieting in the conventional sense (feeling deprived) seems like a waste of the band - as it is supposed to be used.

I am not sure what is going on with my body and my band. I have 6ccs of saline in a VG band. I eat right, exercise and work 40 hours a week. I don't drink with my meals, wait atleast a half hour afterwords. I have some restriction, but not enough. I keep gaining weight, not alot, but too much in my opinion. My period has stopped. I had one like clock work since September of 2004. Now nothing. I took a home pregenancy test negative. (My period should have started around December 1st.) No cramping or anything out of the ordinary, I am puzzled. I know when I was a senior in hs I had to be put on provera (hormone replacement) to regulate my cycles. The doc said I didn't produ…

Go to NYtimes.com and read the Jan. 3, 2006 article by Elisabeth Rosenthal - "Europeans Find Extra Optionss for Staying Slim" - It's very interesting and talks a lot about the US surgeons and why they think the way they do. Also quoted in this article is Minnesota's very own Dr. Sayeed Ikramuddin (surgeon) from the Univ. of Mn Hospital - Chief of of bariatric surgery is quoted in this article. Read it! Patti

The day is rapidly approching... i am getting banded on monday jan 9th 2006. I have been waiting for over 7 months for this day- i can't believe its finally here...ok enough babbling now lets get down to the nitty gritty! 1. How long did it take people to "recover" from the surgery- and by that i mean from the time you wake up until the first day u actually feel somewhat better and are able to go out and do things...maybe get back to work (depending on ur job)...or run some errands? Im not talking like back to ur old self again- but somewhere in between... i know it varries from person to person but i'd like to hear some stories so i know what maybe to expect. 2. Wha…

I mentioned in another post that I have a problem with the first bite blues every time that I try to eat. Well, since my last fill has kicked in , I am noticing other things that are weird about my level of restriction. I have the worst trouble eating at night. At lunch, I am wide open, and I can eat ALOT :rolleyes . But for some reason by dinnertime, my band locks down. It doesn't matter what I eat, or how well I chew it, or how big the bite is. I am going to slime and it usuallycomes up (not the food, just the mucus). I don't know about breakfast, frankly I've never been a morning eater (protein shake at 7:30, coffee at 8:30). I thought most people were looser …

Okay, I go in for a fill on Wednesday, and I have to endure that horrific moment when I step on the scale and admit to the person weighing me that I overdid it during the holidays! It's like waiting for a root canal. I know this is a process and that perhaps I won't be the first one on the scale to have ever gained but I'm still in agony. Please tell me I'm not alone. And remind me that the scale needs to start moving the other direction!!! I was just banded on November 4th, so to see a gain this early in the game is killing me. I have no restriction at all, but thanks to replys on my earlier post I know that will change soon.

Ok so I will start my journey of 2006 still unbanded, but in heavy pursuit!! Here is the amazing thing, I didn't gain during the holiday's, instead I actually lost 5 pounds. Whahoo! I am starting my workout routine today, and am going to try to eat as much as possible like a bandster till I get approved. Drink, drink, drink that water. I know my insurance now (Aetna PPO) requires 3-6 months of doctor supervised diet. I worked with my doctor last month on the letter of medical necessity. I wonder if there is a way for me to write all my diets on my own for the past , hmmm forever and get the doc to sign it?? Naw she probably won't but hey it's a thought. I am going to have…

Hello. I just found the site and am so excited. I have been to other sites but they service all WLS patients, and sometimes it wasn't always supportive. I was banded on December 1, 2005 and am now among the land of the lost. I have lost 14 pounds, that will never come back on my body! I look forward to meeting you and Happy New Year to everyone.

I had my first fill today. I forgot to ask how much he put in.But he said I did not need much and I did not. I had 1/2 cup of potatoe soup juice and a 1/2 cup of sugarfree koolaide tonight and im tight.I am just getting over a kidney infection and I hope I can get liquids down tommorrow.My sugar is 100 and I am worried about taking my 10 units of insulin so I just took my pill. :phanvan

Or am I simply one of the truely odd outliers with a probable metabolic disorder?

Hey Molly! We have the same birthday! Hope you are having a good one! Happy :banana :banana Birthday! :banana :banana

I am getting ready to head out for fill #3. I have needed this one for a while, but was a bad girl to wait so that I could enjoy my holidays (meaning holiday foods). The holidays are gone so it's time to get back on track with the band. My weight loss has been slowing down to about 5lbs a month so it's time. Hopefully I've lost enough weight that they don't have to dig for my port.

I wanted to know if anyone has gotten financing through that e-financing that someone posted in another thread? and if they were any good and if they new if they worked with people who dont have the best credit? My other question is when going the Self Pay route, what did you do first, I mean after you choose which Doctor you want to use did you go and secure your loan first or did you attend your first Dr consult and then apply for your loan? I am new at this and I wasnt sure how to proceed now that I have decided that I want the surgery and will need to take a loan to pay for the surgery. Thanks!

CNN.com had a write up on the pros & cons of RNY vs the band this morning: http://www.cnn.com/2006/HEALTH/conditions/01/02/obesity.surgery.ap/index.html

I haven't posted here in weeks because I've been alternately ill and trying to get set up for the surgery. I don't know why I'm actually surprised, but I've been denied surgery because ... get this "you're depressed." Duh! Ya think? The surgeon I met with, well, it's part of his process to send you for psychological testing before surgery. I *knew* how to beat the test, but didn't know if that would be a good thing to do and so I was honest -- all the way around. I took the testing last week, then saw the therapist directly after. She was concerned, so I had to go back today and she told me I'm too depressed and have too many issues, and, as a result, sh…

How long do you stay on liquids following a fill? I have a fill 3 days before Christmas. I would like to be able to consume at least a little normal food on the big day :-)

I was wondering if you struggled to lose weight, pre-band, do you still struggle post-band? I'm not banded yet and do not, as a rule, lose weight fast when I'm being 100% good on a diet. If any of you were like that before the band, do you lose at a slow pace after the band as well? I know everyone loses at their own rate. My sister, when she follows a diet well, can lose quite quickly. I'm not one of the fortunate ones that loses fast. I'm just curious..... Thanks

I am so disappointed in myself. I was banded May 30 of 2005. I have not lost any weight in months. Not because my band is not working, it is because I am not working for my band. I dont exercise, eat right or anything else I am supposed to do. I have never even been to one of my support meetings throught the hospital I had my surgery! Well thats all going to change. As of the 1st, I am going to eat right and focus on me. Gonna start 2006 the RIGHT way. Thanks for listening to me vent.

HI EVERYONE ITS ME AGAIN HERE IS ANOTHER QUESTION FOR YOU ALL .DOES ANY ONE KNOW A DR. THAT TAKES INSURANCE FOR THE SURGERY?? THANKS FOR READING THIS LISA:Bunny

What are the symptoms of a slipped band please respond?????

Mine is to get off my but walk and become a lot more active.Work the band and by next year be at 135lbs.

Can anyone explain what's up with me? I'm calling my surgeon in a few hours. The poor guy was up till 3:00 a.m. doing my surgery and was constantly in surgery the entire time I was there. I don't want to call him at 6:00 a.m. unless it's an emergency. I always get flu-like symptoms after major surgery that start from having the tube down my throat. I always wake up from anesthesia crying because I can't catch my breath since my chest hurts. I had my band removed 4 days ago. Today I'm getting up and down with minimal pain, and I was even able to sleep on my side last night, but I can't get rid of the fever. I'm fine as long as I take the liquid Vicodin (has Tyle…