LAP-BAND Surgery Forums

I am leaving tomorrow to go to TJ, Mexico to have my surgery and all of a sudden I am a nervous wreck. Any thoughts, comments? I would love to find Texas/Mexic lapbanders. Thanks!

Hi everyone: Just wanted to let you know that I attended the "Making the Journey Together 2005" event which was held in Troy, Michigan yesterday, June 4th, 2005, at the Embassy Suites Troy. It was sponsored by ObesityHelp.com; with speakers in all bariatric surgery areas such as Dietitian, Psychologist, Plastic Surgeon, Bariatric Medicine, Bariatric Surgeons, Motivational Patient Speakers, Authors, Counselors/Therapists, and so much more!!! What an AWESOME event!!! Motivational, Inspiring, Informative...and loads of information, tips, vendors, ideas, etc.; and even prizes! I would HIGHLY recommend this event to ANYONE interested in keeping up with news in the …

I got whistled at tody! How weird of NSV is that!- A mom of four size 10 on top and 12/14 on bottom- with four kids got whistled at by someone not my husband!!!! SO WEIRD!!!! OK- it really made up for dh who said my but looks like it has pany lines without the panties (by all the cellulite). I could of killed him if he hadn't just agreed that I could spend some of our money on PS if I want! ****note this is because we have/are discussing the option of plastic surgery for my nine- yes nine and almost ten on the other side bat wings!!!!- His idea- It started whem it became my son's new favorite game- to knock them around and see them jiggle

Hey just curious if anyone here has had Dr. Wagner?

Yes, I mean those girls...the boobies. After losing 100+ lbs, they seem to be getting droopier and droppier. I've gone from DD's to D's that just kind hang around. I was talking yesterday to a girl that does massage therapy and she said never go without a bra, even when you sleep wear a sports bra or one of those camis with a built in bra..just something with support. Ok..so now that most of the damage is done, and the only thing that I think would help me is a lift or something, do you think it would help to wear a sports bra to sleep in or anything...or is it too little too late?

Hello- I will be a full fledged bandster on 6/15!! I'm wondering if anyone else had surgery in Chicago at MIBC? How was your experience? Anything you'd like to share--so far they have been great especially Ryan(insurance goddess) she helped me get my appeal for Aetna to cover it!! Yahoo..

I frequent that board because I sell clothes(Mostly kids) on ebay for "extra money"--ha --extra money--what's that??? Anyhoo, today someone asked about lapbanding, and a whole bunch of people piped up both pro and con--of course alot of it was totally anecdotal--exaggerated "facts" about risks and outcomes..... A gal posted that both she and her DH had the band and she gave very good advice..... And three of the posters recommended this site. I PM'd the OP about LBT, too. Interesting....what a small internet world we have.....some same posters on that board as on this board......

Hello All- I'm nervous and excited about getting my band from Dr. Horgan in Chicago. I do have to follow the clear liquids for 10 days before and am feeling a little anxious about getting super hungry- but I also need to lose 6 lbs. before the surgery- so I'm ready. Any advice? I love this site! Keri:paranoid

I have been banded for 3 days and I need some food ideas. Also can I mix a banana in the blender with my Protein shake or strawberries or anything. I've eaten Jello, chicken broth and sugar free popsicles. Can I eat anything else? Thanks and God Bless, Beverly

Well, I sure screwed up. I did a ton of research on the procedure but neglected to research a local aftercare facility or doctor. Had the surgery done in Mexico on Thursday and now have a slight problem with my incision that needs looking after. Does anyone know of a Michigan doctor that will perform aftercare if you've had the surgery done in Mexico, preferrably in Grand Rapids or Holland? Thanks Chris

I went to the store to get what people told me were must haves for my surgery. As far as I can tell, those items are only Gas X and liquid Tylenol. BUT I could only find chewable gas x and pill form tylenol. Any suggestions? ANy other must haves? THANKS!

How often does a pb happen sounds awful don't want to spend all my time regurgitating food gross

Okay! I hope someone can tell me what this feeling was. Today I was cooking chicken for the family and of course, when I cook, I pick. I have to taste it before I feed it to the kids, right? Anyway, I guess I wasn't paying attention to the chewing. I got this severe pain in my chest, I took a sip of my husbands Pepsi thinking it would make me burp and the feeling would go away, well the pain got worse and lasted about 4-5 minutes, then I burped two or three times and it went away. During those 4-5 minutes, I thought I was having a heart attack, the pain was from my chest into my throat, I felt like I couldn't breath, I broke out in a sweat, it was terrifying.

im doing a photo shoot today for a photographer on morbidly obesity, yes im going nude, and NO i have never done this before although i drew naked people, its for a museum/exhibit piece and our photos will have displayed a couple of lines that we put on a questionairre about how we feel about our bodies... My body is temporary like all things in life...not really nervous just excited...Plus, once i get the band i want this to be a reminder that even though I may have been bigger i should have respect and love myself regardless...ok...leaving now...ttyl!

When food gets stuck what does it feel like???? and what is acceptable considered and adequate chewing and how long should you eat for at a meal also does everyone out there not drink before during and after a meal we have a lot of june bandsters and any advice to these questions would be appreciated. thanks

seatbelt extender!!

Im in need of some serious help. Im on day 2 of clear liquid before surgery diet. Im craving anything right now, its like im imagining a double cheese burger this is horrible. I keep telling myself i can do this i can do this.......but i feel so empty. I eat a sugerfree juice popsicle everytime i get the craving to go in the fridge... Does anyone know of anything with substance thats a clear liquid? Funny huh... Can i eat watermelon plain on a clear liquid diet? Watermelon is kinda like a clear liquid. This is like a drug addiction and i need my fix...sniff sniff....i hope this gets better...i just keep thinking new clothes...new life....thinner body.....movie thea…

Did anyone have a problem with constipation after being banded. I am 4 days banded and since I have been on liquids I think that might have something to do with it. Does / did anyone else have this problem and what did you do to help it along? Thanks.

Hello, I am 5 days pre-op. I am feeling well. I am just not sure if I am drinking enough. I am supposed to be on 3 meals of protein shakes, about 4 oz per meal. And clear liquids in between. I am trying with the clears, and not doing too well with the shakes. They taste worse now than before surgery. :rolleyes . I have been able to do about 6-8 oz of shakes and maybe 10 oz clear liquids in between. I hope this is enough. They say I have to do shakes and clears for 3 weeks after surgery. Is this the normal? Need some advice, Thanks!!! :nervous

Hey everyone! I need some advice on food.... I'm a college student living in downtown Chicago with 2 roommates.... all of us are super busy between working & full time design school and never ever have time to cook. We eat & restaurants and occassionally fast food joints... ... EVERY DAY. This habit is working against my band. Does anyone have advice on good food ideas for people w/lapbands who cant/dont have the time to cook?? Any ideas on quick carryouts that aren't too damaging?

Well yay for me! I DID IT! I dunno what all you people were talkin about that it was easy as pie. Granted the surgery didnt take long at all but i was miserable all day after surgery yesterday. I went in at 530am....had the surgery at 730 and all i can remember from there was waking up at 10am in recovery. Then they took me to my room and i fell asleep from all the meds i was on. I slept on and off til like 7pm...then i was finally awake....watched some tv and then went back to bed. Nurses came in like 4 times from then on til 7am and i had just gotten to sleep for a good and was having a good dream and the dang radiologist came in and got me for my upper GI. YUCK YUC…

I had my 1st fill last Wednesday. I really didnt notice any difference until yesterday. Now I feel restriction!! Not too much, actually, feels pretty good to be restricted. Patty

Does anyone indeed do tae bo and if so, have you experienced any complications after doing so?!? Is it safe. Please let me know. Thanks!

Hello All! It's just a matter of time until I am banded. I'm just getting my finances in order. Anyway, I have a question about recovery. After the surgery, how long did it take you to get on your feet? Was there a lot of pain? Thanks! Pamela.

I am so frustrated that I have tears in my eyes. I have been going thru the very comprehensibe lap band program at U-Mass in Worcester. Just before my appt with the surgeon (finally at the end of my pre-surgical journey) the office calls me and asked why din't I go have a sleep apnea study done. No one scheduled it for me. They goofed and now because of that I had to see a pulmonologis who did clear me of needing one. Now after taking a month and a half to do that I probably won't get my band until the end of July or beginning of August, depending on when my insurance approveal is received. UGH!!!!! I have a wedding in California in October that I so wanted to have …

I hope that someone else can relate to this. I don't know why I always seem to sabotage myself. I am on the verge of tears. I have to admit that I binged last night and again tonight for dinner. I did great the rest of the day and then couldn't seem to stop eating in the evening. It was like no matter what I put in my mouth, I couldn't get full. Of course, I was eating a mile a minute...couldn't have had something to do with it, ya think. I knew what I was doing but almost felt possessed. Afterwards, with my stomach hurting, I wanted to go and throw up so badly.(I have done that perhaps three days previously in my life) but wouldn't let myself. I want to try …

Greetings, New Yorkers! My name is Julie and I just celebrated my one-year bandiversary! Yipeee! I had my surgery in Cooperstown, New York at Bassett Health Care. They have a 3 year-old bariatric program and do both the bypass and the band. I am SOOOO glad I chose the band. I am incredibly happy with my results. I have lost 125lbs since starting the program, and am down 160lbs from my highest ever weight. My BMI (which started at 43) is now 26, and I'm down from a size 26/28 to a size 12/14. I have attached (I hope) a before/after picture to this message. I am 43 years old and am 5'8". I love my band. I can't even begin to talk about all the major, positive …

:cry I asked my husband last night if he was proud of me for loosing 35 pounds! He had the audacity to tell me no! He said he was happy for me to have lost some weight but that I did not accomplish this "own my own"! He said if I had dieted or exercised with out getting banded that he would be proud of me. That really hurt espcially since he is aware that for the last 7 years I have been unable to loose more than 15 pounds by dieting and exercising. Am I crazy for thinking my husband should be proud of me? Has anyone else ever had this kind of reaction from their spouse?

:cry My band Doc called after getting the results and I have 1 stone that has to be removed. It is 13mm big or over a inch 1/2. I could just cry I do not want another surgery. Anyway they put me down for the 26th of this month he does not want my gall bladder to get inflamed or infection to set in so that my band will be safe when he does go in. Will update as I get ready preop appt is for the 23rd hopefully they are scrambling to get me in.. Cannot say anything for the PCP office they still have not called. But boy oh boy when they do :angry Thank you all for your support through this ordeal of my pain. At least im not a Hypocondriac:)

When you have the lap band do they insert a catheter into your bladder no one ever mentioned it but I think they would have to what if you went you would contaminate everything.

I am leaving in 15 mins & silly nervous. Can barely type I am so excited & a little frightened. Could I ask each of you to PLEASE say a little prayer for me? I believe in it so very much! Thank you all for your support & Ims They are very thoughtful & encouraging. Especially from those of you I barely know. truely touching. I am taking photos as soon as my Mom comes & I'll post them soon along with a post-op shot of the battel wounds. Love you all- my Mom is here!! Holy cow!!! Talk with you all soon!!! Thank you!!!

Thursday I went in at 7am ( so I could sit around for a couple of hours with my hiney sticking out ) by 10am I was banded. I didn't throw-up or anything! I'm very excited. I was sore for a couple of days and took my pain med but now I'm solo and I'm doing very well, I'm not really having any pain. I am feeling a little bit dizzy and not really with it. What's with that? And it's really odd to feel full, but still feel hungry... I'm back at work today, so wish me well....They have free hamburgers and hot dogs in the break room....Too bad I didn't bring the blender Ohh...I forgot to tell you, they let me go home the same day...I was sleeping in my own bed by 10pm tha…

Tonia was kind enough to compile the Banding 101 thread from Spotlight and organize it into FAQ format on a website. Visit http://hometown.aol.com/texasrosey/ to answer some of your questions!

Hi All, I was bending down to reach something the other day, and I had this really uncomfortable pain across my chest getting up, and it made me wonder - Is it possible, since the catheter that connects the band to the port is of fixed length, that one could actually get the catheter caught around something by flexing the wrong way (like Yoga, or bending down to tie one's shoes), or, in the alternative, what's to keep it from pulling inside, when you do something like a back stretch? Is this just thinking too much? I mean, how do you know that one day you don't twist the wrong way, and it suddenly loops around an organ, tightens around it like a noose, and all of…

Does anyone notice if they are getting more headaches since their surgery? I don't know if its my body going through withdrawl...from not having so much fat/calories/carbohydrates....Or if I am just not sleeping enough....or what the hell is going on...But it seems like every other day for the last week i have had a headache. And the only thing I can take now is that nasty liquid tylenol!!! I would rather swallow a sword!!!! I use to be prone to migraines and what would trigger my migraines is a)not sleeping enough not eatting enough.....The headaches im getting now are not by any means migraines, but dull constant aches.......makes one quite miserable. Okay...any…

Hi All, Wanted to give an update, I had my fill done on May 20th, and that weekend I did Clear liquids, PB'd a couple of times on liquids, and then started on soft foods, well I had one PB after another, so I did another couple of days of liquids, then soft and again PB'ing. I then called my Doctor and I asked if I needed a unfill, they said I could, but what has probably happened is my stomach has become swollen and the band is real tight, I could come in and have some taken out, however once the swelling goes down it will be time for another fill, so they said to try just my protien drinks, and liquids for about 5 days, and then start out again. Well it has been 3 day…

Well, my one year bandiversary date came and went on 5/27th. I am 85 lbs lighter (from surgery) and about 110-115 from my heaviest in 2001. I have gone from about a size 30 (at my heaviest) to a 6-8 in jeans and life is really wonderful. Some things I have discovered about myself, once I found myself again.... 1-You have to love yourself regardless of your size. WLS will NOT cure your low self esteem issues. I was lucky to have dealt with this before I ever was banded. 2-Any food issues you may have before WLS will still be there until you resolve them. In other words WLS won't cure this. You STILL have to work on it yourself! 3-Unfortunately, the chocolate demon, i…

Ok- I am now 2 weeks post -op :laugh, but how come I am still experiencing alot of belching even when I drink Water? I try to drink really slow- I eat yogurt-etc and it sounds like I'm a human perculator- is this normal and what advice can you give me. I am in the mushy stage- now lost 16 pds and counting. Sherri

Im nervous as can be. Tomorrow is the day. A lot of people have given me wonderful information and have given me ideas on what to expect....i kinda got really nervous today because i had to make sure my Will and Living Will were in order JUST IN CASE. I wanted to make sure that if something did happen to me that everything was in place. What a nerve wrecking thing to imagine. I am spending the entire day with my daughter today just enjoying her company and tellin her how much i love her...although she is only 11 mos and has no clue what im saying. My surgery is at 7:30am and i have to be at the hospital at 530am. Scary!!! I pray all goes well and hopefully it will. I wi…

Wow, I need some major hugs today. I am feeling very discourged with the initnal pre-op paper work. One day they need "this" and the next day they need "that". I am so jazzed to have this sugery....RIGHT NOW!! I really hope the process speeds up a bit. I am getting depressed. Margo

Just wanted to stop by and tell everyone hello. I have been reading your posts for quite sometime. I was banded on May 31st. Just a few days into but I have been doing remarkably well. Thanks for all your great posts, ideas, and suggestions! They were very helpfull in making my final decision.

I was banded on May 23, since then I feel I have this constant pain on the left side of my chest, Is this common, it hurts like hell?

I'm 7 days post-op and on 5 days post op the dietician said I could start full liquids. I was having hunger pangs so she put me on full liquids. Anything I wanted to eat, blended and strained and thin enough to go thru straw. Not heard on this board but is everyone straining their foods? I know the purpose is so food doesn't get stuck. Are their any foods not tolerated by some? I find I can only hold 3-4oz. at a full liquid meal. Is this the same for others? In the hospital I had a dry heave (nausea spell) they said it was normal. Just mentioning this for others who are doing research on band.

I just thought that I would pass this along! It's Tabatchnick's Rock Island Seafood Chowder. I found it in the frozen section near the frozen boca burgers, etc. Each box has two servings - One Serving = Calories 80 Total Fat 1.5 g Carbs 8 g Sugars 2 g Protein 7 g Of course, I ate both servings - but my dinner only had 160 delicious calories. Please feel free to share your great food finds!

i was feeling fine all day today and now once again i feel horrible...i have been on liquids all day i had some eggdrop soup for dinner an d i feel like i did last night after the chicken... i am going crazy... does anyone have any reason why i might be feeling this way at night... i always though the band could be tighter in the morning!

Went today for pre-op testing wasn't bad just blood work a lot of questions seen anesthesia and got a chest x-ray gained weight though from last time its so pathetic hope they don't notice nothing I can do now so scared surgery next thursday pray for me so scared I know theres a lot of june bandsters good luck to you all we are going to succeed we have to.

Where do you get fills in or near Colorado if your surgery was done in Mexico? Thanks! CAC

And I'm starving today..... :ermm

Well even though my back is out (12 days now) the Doctors say its all muscle related & even though I am on major pain killers, they say I should go ahead with the surgery & not Postpone. Thank you all for your support over the months & I thank you in advance for all the future support that I will need;0) I have chickened out about the lower port idea & will go with the standard " Where ever you want it Doc - position " Scared / nervous /Happy /excited /Is this the right thing to do /am I picking what is best / will I succeed /will I be happy / will I be happy if I don't /am I happy now-yes-kinda-sorta-sometimes / Will I be ok (alive) / will I have comp…

The Gladiator @ Smoothie King has 45 grams of protein, and your choice of 2 flavors.. What combo flavors do you like best? I've been drinking the Papaya/Banana. Looking to try another combo today.