LAP-BAND Surgery Forums

I have noticed that some of you have posted about the size of your bands ..... I was not aware that there were different sizes ....... how do you know what size to have placed. I am in the researhing phase of all this. Thanks, Sherri

Does anyone else have hiccups on a regular basis after you have eaten? No matter what I eat, whether it is yogurt, or broth with instant mashed potatoes in it - I get these really bothersome hiccups.

I can think of some "mechanical soft" foods, but could you guys give me your suggestions during this stage?

I leave for Tijuana (sp) on Monday, August 1st. Right now I'm trying to go two days on liquids. I've lasted about 3 hours, and all I wanna do is eat. This sucks. Anyone wanna talk?

Hey, anyone in Bandland -- how about starting a list of mushy foods for people slugging through that phase of post-surgery life? Here are a few pan-ethnic suggestions that may be beyond super-obvious foods likely to be on every doc's recommended list; I use "ethnic" loosely, to describe anything past applesauce and cottage cheese. Please add on suggestions. Note that this is not a prescription; your doctor may not want you to eat some of these foods. When in doubt, ask. Middle East: Hummus, soft fresh feta cheese, baba ganoush. Italian: Polenta, Pasta & plain sauce, garlic/olive oil, pesto, or (gasp! calorie alert!) creamy Alfredo sauce. The pasta should be pretty…

How long does it take to get rid of all the gas.....I take Gasx try to walk.....use heating pad...I haven't had that much pain....just gas the can't seem to get out...Any comments would be appreciated

This interesting piece from Newsweek quotes several well-known band doctors, including Dr. Horgan from Chicago: http://msnbc.msn.com/id/8619190/site/newsweek/

It seems I am at a stand still. I was banded on Feb 4, 2005. I started out at 420 lbs. Before the surgery I lost 10lbs, after surgery I lost another 10 within the 6weeks stage of liquids and mushies. So far I am only 388 and I keep going from 388 to 390. I feel like I should be losing more. I just had my third fill a few weeks ago. The restriction is fine but I feel like maybe I should go on a liquid phase until monday and start fresh. Does anyone have any advice?

I have the hiccups and I guess it isn't good....does anyone ever get the hiccups....

I am feeling very discouraged these days. I had my first fill 3 weeks ago and have only lost 2 pounds. All together 22 pounds. Most foods I can't eat much at all but alot of things like crunchy things gone down with feeling no restriction all. I'm having a problem finding a fill dr. that wont charge me an arm and a leg. I talked to one today and she said $2,000 for the first year of fills! and she asked me how much I paid in Mexico and I told her and she said I could of had it done here for $2,000-$3,000 more then that! I was like great! I feel like I'm never gonna loose this weight. I've waited my whole life to get this done and now I feel like it's not working…

I just had my 1st fill today and was told only clear liquids for a couple of days. Why??? I am hungry.

I got my third fill on July 1. I have a small band (holds 4 ccs), and the dr. filled me to 3cc. On my previous fills, I had no problems, I was on the liquids for a day or two then mushies for a week. I felt restriction. OK. So I haven't lost weight in a year. (I know. I'd been avoiding having a fill) I get this fill on the 1st. I can swallow Water in the office. So I leave. I find myself burping a lot right from the beginning. I start the liquid diet. No real problem at first. I do notice I have to sip and can't take big drinks at all. I am always drinking water and usually manage to drink about 3 big bottles per day on average. I found myself not even bein…

Hey guys! I go in on Monday, August 1, 2005 for my surgery. Everything was a go on my labs and my insurance!!! Woohhhooooo!!! I can't wait to be an official bandster!!!

Help!!! I was banded on June 9 with an Inamed and have had no fills since my surgery. After my swelling went down, what restriction I thought I had went away. I have only lost 1 lb. in the past 4 weeks and I keep going up and down a pound or two. I just called my doctor's office and asked if he would give me a fill at my appointment on Monday. I was asked if it was a "fill appointment". I told them it was my 7 week follow-up. They said that he probably wouldn't give me a fill and that he'll want to assess the situation before he gives me anything. I'm so angry because I had this surgery so I wouldn't have to starve myself or feel hungry all the time. My doctor…

Hi Everyone...I Haven't Posted In A Very Long Time But I Read Everyones Postings...i Just Haven't Needed To Say Anything Until Now...i Was At Work Yesterday At A Little Bbq That My Work Had For Us. As I Sat With Four Other Co-workers We Began The Usual Banter Between Us...we All Get Along Great...except For One Of Them..i Have Always Felt That She Was Very Vulgar And Just Don't Like Her Personality..well As We Were Talking I Has Made A Comment About Having To Work So Hard And Such Long Hours ( I Work 10 Hours)..she Turns Around And Says "well That Becouse You're A Fat Pig" Talk About The Shock Of Your Life...i Was Stunned The Other Three People Just Sat There And Then She…

Tomorrow is the BIG day. Very nervous, excited, freaking out.... anyone backed out the day before or day of?

I have been banded now for 5 days and I am on liquids only for the next 4 weeks. I have noticed that my breath smells and no matter how often i brush my teeth, my mouth just feels 'unclean'.:ermm Has anyone else experienced this, of so how long did it last? I have been told that I can never have gum again as it creates too much gas in the stomach, so that is a no no!

Okay gang, I need some inspiration and I know all of you do as well. LBT is such a great place for support, accountability and fresh new thinking. So what new habit is helping you? Is it a habit to add or avoid? Post it here and let us know how it's working. Are you giving up chocolate for a week? Are you adding in a mile on the treadmill 3 days a week for a month? Are you taking a walk everyday after work? Are you refusing to allow chips into your home for 2 weeks? Anything! What is it and how will it help you?

on the papers that i sent to the doctor i said that i weighed 274 but i weighed myself this morning at 280 because i am a nervous eater. My surgery is on the 29th, what should i do?

Hey everyone, Just wanted to say thanks for all the help for the preop stuff. Can't wait til I get back so you can help me with the postop stuff! Thanks so much for your help. I won't be back on until the third when we get home. Yeah, we are going a few days early and staying a few days late. Can't wait but I am also nervous, but its natural. Everyone is nervous and if they tell you different they are either lieing or are CRAZY! But I would have to say I think my mom is more nervous then I am! Haha, anyway thanks for the help and see you all on the third! Kylie

Hi All! For the people who have already had surgery, can you answer these questions? How long were you out of work? Does the band get weird if you go swimming? Did you have get shaved before surgery? Did they let you leave your underwear and socks on? Did the incisions hurt more than the port? Does anyone know if there's limitations once we're healed? (I mean restriction of movement or extertion). What happens if you fall or bump into something, is that reason to worry for slipage? How sensitive is the band to movement? Has anyone been banded and not have it filled during surgery? How long before the first fill? We were told 10 prior to surgery, off all …

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I am having pain around and to the right of my port incision and there appears to be scar tissue building up around the incision. I am not talking about pain when you touch it.. Its an ache all the time.. Should i be concerned or has anyone else experienced this? I lifted on a box in my shed that was heavier than I expected could i have done something? Should I bother my Dr. with this or just wait till I see him?

My belly button incision had this area - red and raised. I've been trying to wear overalls so that my pants don't hit there. I noticed this white thing (I assumed was a scab. Finally - I just decided to see what was going on, and move the scab aside. Well, the scab turns out to be a stitch that was wadded up. It comes out about a quarter inch. I am worried that this is/will create a fistula. My doctor is out of town. I'm tempted to just cut it off so my skin can heal - but I know I need to ask. What should I do?

Hello all, Just an update since my cry for help on finding Dr. Ortiz and Dr. Martinez cell numbers (thank you all). I was in such pain, I couldn't focus long enough to find them. I had been having problems with PBing since about May. Thought it was because of job changes/shifts and such so I started getting unfills. They would help for a bit, but then I was back to liquids again. Last Friday (the 15th) I started PBing and wouldn't quit. Thought it was because I had worked a bunch of OT and my body had caught a stomach flu. By Sunday night, I got a hold of my fill doctor to take all the saline out. I was still miserable. She had me go in for x-rays, but the techs …

Nothing remarkable about the surgery...it went like clockwork, and I was on my way home by 11:30 or so. :knockedou I agree with others that the gas pain is by far the most uncomfortable...I mean, painful! So, it's Sunday, and I can sit up and type a little, but still very sore, and tired. I'm not too big of a weenie most of the time, so I'm soldiering on. I have had 1/8 c. applesauce, and 1/2 container yogurt. Between, liquid protein drink, about 2 oz at a time, and water. Pain meds, of course. And Gaviscon. The most I have been able to sleep at a time is about 3 hours. All of this sounds about normal, right? I keep telling myself that every day will be better, …

My first fill was 3 weeks ago (4 cc) today I got 2 cc. It breaks down like this First fill 4 cc second 2 cc third 2 cc forth 2 cc fifth thru ? 1 cc Does your Doc do it this way?

Dr. Peter O'Brien in Sioux Falls is now offering the lap-band- here's his info: Peter O'Brien Sioux Valley Clinic-Surgical Associates Sioux Falls 605-328-3840

Hi, I've been a member here for a while, mostly lurking. I finally got my insurance approval and my surgery is going to be on August 9th. I start my 2 week pre-op diet on Tuesday. This is such a great place. I can't wait to meet everyone! -Carrie

Wish me luck....I'm drowning in all the Clear liquids I had to have to day. Hope to sleep tonight and not spend it in the bathroom. I have to leave my house at 5:00 am for the 7:30am surgery. On Saturday I am off the Old Orchard Beach in Maine for a week of resting in front of the beautiful ocean. Will post when I get back. Thank you to all of you. You have made waiting much more bearable and your posts were great to read. Pix were so great! Thanks..... Robyn

Well, as many of you know, I was majorly concerned about continuing to nurse after my band. I nursed up until two hours before surgery. I was told by the doctors that I could nurse immediately following surgery except for the patch they put on me for nausea. So, I ended up bottle feeding Catalyna for 48 hours. I then nursed, but got really nauseous a few hours later. I bottle fed for another day. I kept pumping throughout. I was so worried that I was drying up though. I was only pumping like an ounce out of each breast. Once I started nursing again, I supplemented with 2 bottles a day. I eventually cut it back and I am back to nursing full time. The milk she is…

My doctor put me on soft foods last Thursday. Starting about that Sunday I have had intestinal cramps and have had to run to the bathroom. Since Friday that just past I have had full fledged diareha (how the heck do you spell that). I called the doctor on friday and he said that it was just a virus. My concern is that the pains started only a day or two after being put on soft foods. I asked the doctor if i should go back on liquids and he said no. Am I eating foods that are too spicy? I was on liquids for 6 weeks, could that have something to do with it? Has anyone else experienced anything like this?

Hello Everyone, Hope everyone is doing well. Back from holiday....not one of our more stellar trips but got to see our grandchildren so that makes up for the icky parts. Put on 6 pounds in 5 weeks but I'm not upset about it...considering how many appletinies I drank along with the volume of wine...not to mention the great dinners out...99% of the time, I ate off my hubby's plate...worked well. It was much easier than trying to explain to the staff that nothing was wrong with their food when I had a full plate and said I was done. Going to wait until I get this gain off before I go see my doc for my first fill...don't want him yelling at me...he wanted to do the …

My surgery was at 12:00pm and I was home by 3:45pm. Everything went as planned. A little gas pain the first 4-6 hours, but walking around inside and out quickly made that go away. I took my dog of a few walks Friday, Saturday and today with my wife and daughter and that really helped. So far it was 100% easier than I thought it would be. The pain is minimal. Just mainly around my port area. I am using the exact daily diet my doctor gave me, so I am still on clear liquids. jello, broth, water, popsicles, and powerade are going down fine so far. I have made it a point to be out and I think that has helped make this so easy. I have been to the grocery store, Target…

I was banded on 20th July and everything went great, I was out of hospital the next morning. I am suffering a bit today, lots of pain in my left shoulder whenever I drink which seems to go if I lie down for a while. Did anyone else experience this, if so, how long did it last for? I am also starting to get very bored of this liquid diet. I haven't felt hungry once, but I do need to force down Slim Fast or Soup every few hours in order to keep myself from going dizzy. I have 4 weeks of liquids and I think this is going to be really tough, does anyone have any suggestions as to what I could have instead of Slim Fast or Soup? On the plus side, I have already lost 8 lbs…

Hi. This is my first post, so be gentle. I just got my approval letter from the Ins company Friday, and with our policy, you have to have the sugery done within 30 days of approval, so I am getting very excited. I have been lurking around here for a while, and I've noticed a lot of comments about quiting smoking before surgery. I am a smoker (I know, a dirty, dirty habit) but none of the appointments I've been to have made any mention about it. Is this a typical request, or does it depend on your dr? I know I need to quit, and it is something I am working on, but I don't know if I'll be able to truthfully be called a non-smoker in the next 3 to 4 weeks. I'm just…

Hi all, I am new to this forum and to banding. My name is JoAnna and I am 29 years old and a mother of 2. I was banded on 6/20/05 and have lost 33lbs to date. I was looking at the before and after pics on this site and a question occured to me. For those of you who have lost a lot of weight, did you stick by a strict diet? Do you ever have fast food or sweets? I ask this b/c I have no restriction right now and I am hungry most of the time. I eat only about a half a cup at a sitting, but find that I am hungry again in about 4 hours. My Dr. says he will not do a fill until I either stop losing weight, or 4 months post op, whichever comes first. I am really worried about reg…

I would like to see if any of you have Dr. B's website and any other Doctor's around closer to Arlington/Mansfield/Midlothian area. Any help if appreciated and Thank you in advance.

I would like to know how long it took you guys to go back to work. I may be offered a position tomorrow....but today I feel like "heck" Comments Please!!!!! 4 days post op

Im not sure if I should get a fill. I know that I can eat more ...but sometimes I still have a problem swollowing some foods. Is this common even if you need a fill?

Hey ya'll Maryann called me tdy and i have been approved So 8/10/05 is the DATE!!!! YEAHHHHHH!!! (my sister still has some more weight to loose but it should be the same date)!!!! So i can't wait to join ya'll on the loosing side!!! Kristen

I saw a new GP for the first time yesterday. While she was palpating my belly she noticed a bump and asked me about it. I explained that it was my Lap-Band port. She asked me to tell her about my banding experience, how much I had lost, etc. I did. And then to my amazement she said, "You know, I was extremely skeptical about these surgeries, but I've been converted. They work. I've seen it over and over. You did the right thing." Yippee! Anyway, I thought everyone should know that there's at least one doctor out there (other than the bariatric surgeons) who's come to see that the band is a great tool. If only I had known about her a year ago, maybe my insurance would have…

I was just wondering if anyone elses Dr. doesn't like to tell how much of a fill they give their pateints? My Dr says that an amount of a fill a person has doesn't really matter because everyone is so different in the amount of a fill it takes to give them restriction. I've had 2 fills and still don't know how much is in my band. I would really like to know just for general knowledge... Has anyone else had this happen to them? Whats the big secret anyway its my body and I have the right to know.What do you all think??

Any bandsters out there from SD?

I Have Osf Healthplans Insurance And Part Of The Pre Requisite Is To Go Through An Educational Class....has Anyone Done This ? Can You Tell Me A Little Bit About The Class ? How Long Do You Have To Go To Them, Etc...thanks!!!

I was banded on May 17 of this year. I am down 48 pounds. I got a fill about 3 weeks ago and I have only lost 6 pounds since that visit since I was down 42 pounds then. My problem is that the scale isn't moving at all this week. I walk and/or ride an exercise bike 1 to an hour and a half a day as well as doing weights on my upper and lower body for 50-100 reps. I drink alot of water and I eat very sensibly, or at least I think so. For breakfast I eat 2 eggs scrambled with some fat free cottage cheese in them to keep them from getting dry. At lunch I eat a half of a chicken breast and a 1/2 a cup or so of vegetables or a lean cuisine. At dinner I eat the other half of the …

For once in my life I had the courage to go in to stores where I knew that nothing would fit, but I decided to get a preview lol. I did not find a lot of clothes for school this year, but got enough to tide me over, I WILL be losing a lot of weight throughout the year anyway. For once, I was not embarassed and I was not depressed, my mom and I did not fight over fits or over my horrible attitude. I am the worst person to shop with, mainly because I can not find things that are in style and that fit, and that I can afford. Anyways, I went into American Eagle (no nothing fits me there) and bought a little necklace and key chain with some charms that go on it. Well basically…

Well, guess what I discovered today, I'm petite. I have never, ever have been called petite. I have lost about 10 lbs since my ps and I keep hearing from everyone how little I look, I mean small wise, isn't that fabulous? I love myself today, I fell so good, I can't remember the last time I felt this way. I am 33 years old and have never been happy with the way I look and today, I am overwhelmed with this feeling of pride in myself and confidence. I still have more to lose and I'm still very swollen from surgery and I can't wait for final results. I have called my personal trainer today, to get back on a work out schedule (in a couple of weeks, per Dr's orders). I …

:nervous Well, its 4 days and counting. Wednesday 7/27/05 at 11:30am Im looking for some encouragement!! This past week I have tried so hard to stay on the liquid diet but I have slipped so many times. I then begin to wonder if i can't do it now what will happen afterwards??? In every weight loss program i have tried before it always started out so great then i would end up somehow sabotaging myself and fail. i get so worried that ill screw this up too. and oh how i want this!!!! ive been flipping around yet im still staying focused. not doing it is not an option. but i get crazy about the future. help me someone to get thru this!!!! i have the greatest suppor…

Had my eldest daughters birthday BBQ today with all the family. Paul(Hubby) got a beautiful chocolate mudcake from Michels and expected me not to have some ...YEA RIGHT!!!! I wanted just a little taste test, so he took a pic while I was eating it for me to show all my band friends how bad I am lol I am going to try and attatch the naughty pic below. Please dont flame me too hard I am in the middle - my eldest daughter is on my left and my mum is on the right