SuzanneCollins

Thanks to those who gave me constructive criticism. I really hate seeing so many negative replies to people who come here admitting they had a slip in their eating. After all, none of us would be here in the first place if our eating habits were perfect, right? I'm back on my Clear liquids. I know this is all about willpower, I just thought the band would help by relieving some of that hunger. Hopefully, I'll get adjusted to it soon. Oh, and looking at a lap band surgery really helped me motivate myself back onto liquids. Thanks for that suggestion, Basimah. =)

My walk of forum shame... Okay, I was banded 1/21. I returned from the hospital having gained 8 pounds from my surgery date. I stuck with my Clear liquids for a week and had lost all of the 8 pounds, plus 4 more, but I was still in severe pain. I visited my doctor on 1/28 and he decided to remove all of the Fluid from my band due to severe swelling. He said once the swelling had subsided, he would fill the band again. Now, I should note that from the day of surgery on, I never felt any relief from hunger. I felt very hungry all day, every day. Stomach growling loudly, the works. So I get home, and since my band was now empty, I started "experimenting" with solid food. I shouldn't have. I was still supposed to be on a clear liquid diet. Experimenting turned to eating (big surprise there), and I've had no discipline over the weekend whatsoever. I've been able to eat whatever I want without any ill effects. I've gained 3 pounds back and I'm feeling pretty ashamed and disappointed. I thought the band was supposed to relieve hunger pain, and it hasn't for me. Has anyone had a similar lapse or experience? Any advice on feeling better and getting back on track would be appreciated. Also, is there a medical reason why I'm not supposed to have diet soda? My instructions say no carbonated beverages, but does not specify why... Thanks =(

The closer I got to surgery, the more nervous I became. And surgery doen't usually scare me. So I think what you're experiencing is normal. You're not just having a surgery, after all. You're changing the way you think about and eat food...for life. You're also indirectly going to change the way you look and feel, and the way people see you. All for the better, right? For me, it was very important to continually focus on what I really wanted out of this in the long run, because the short term effects are pretty unpleasant. Don't go in thinking it will be easy at first, either, because it probably won't be. I made that mistake. The best thing is to have someone supportive of your surgery decision there with you. Someone to push you forward when you want to turn back. Whether it's this site, a spouse, or a close friend, having someone on your side really helps. Best wishes!

Glad to hear you're feeling better. Did you have to be rehospitalized for dehydration or what?

Is the liquid Motrin a prescription, or can I get it over the counter? The liquid Hydrocodone (Lortab) is giving me nausea which is not helping me feel any better. Thanks to everyone else for your replies...still feeling awful but it's a little bit better today.

Hi there. I was banded Friday morning. The shoulder pain you are feeling is indeed gas pain. It can persist for about a week, sometimes more, and can be quite painful (especially when taking deep breaths). Walking can help but not always. When I had a c-section earlier in the year, the stabbing shoulder pain was the worst part and it went away after about 5 days. I have some pretty bad shoulder pain right now as well. As for burping, I don't know what the norm is, but I have been burping a lot since the surgery...a whole lot...so you definitely CAN burp. I too hear liquids going down, and I think it's because of the empty stomach and the fact that we are taking small, conscious sips. I imagine you will stop noticing it when you are comfortable taking normal sips again and you get back to regular foods. I hope this helps, and I'm glad to hear you're feeling okay because I feel absolutely terrible. This has been so much more painful than I anticipated, given everything I had read prior. Oh, and I came home home from my hospital stay having gained 8 pounds instead of losing it. =( So, you're doing great! Best wishes!

I had my surgery yesterday and felt okay immediately after. Day two and it's excruciating. Can't stop crying and feeling as if this was the biggest mistake ever. Oh, and I've gained 8 pounds despite having eaten nothing in three days. Someone tell me it will get better...I keep wondering if I should go back to the hospital or if this is normal. I never expected to be in so much pain after reading other people's experiences.

I had surgery Friday morning and began coughing several hours later and have been all through the night. I will get in touch with my surgeon, but in the meantime does anyone know what might be causing this? It obviously really hurts to cough right now.

I'm sure it varies greatly from person to person, but my surgeon said the swelling can last several weeks. Take it easy and try regular doses of Advil if your doctor approves. Cold compresses may help as well. How was your pain level the day after surgery? Mine is pretty bad right now--more than I expected given how small my incisions are. Hope it fades quickly...?

Hi Lori, thanks for your reply and congratulations on your weight loss. Something tells me I will not have lost 25 pounds by next Friday...that seems like such an insane amount! I definitely won't be hard on myself if I don't quite meet my goal by 2012; I just want to have a clear target to keep aiming for. I'd love to hear more about how you're doing in the upcoming weeks, since we were banded just seven days apart. Best wishes!

Everyone is different and most people will hit their "sweet spot" about 4-6 adjustments later. While some feel no hunger immediately after surgery, others don't, and some never at all. A few even elect to switch from the lap band to gastric bypass because they never feel satisfied. Rare, but it does happen. I would advise you to keep up the good work and address your hunger with your surgeon. Keep getting your fills and hopefully you'll find a happy medium soon! Best wishes...

Hi there... I know how you feel, as I have been very motivated at times and able to lose weight easily if I put forth the effort. But my problem wasn't losing the weight, it was keeping it off. And after years of losing 50 pounds only to gain 60 back, I really had lost hope and resolved myself to being what I was: fat. I never thought I would have the means to get this surgery, but once I had insurance, I began pursuing it. In fact, I am in the hospital now recovering from my surgery. I'm nervous. I don't know if this will change my life as I hope it will. I just know that dieting didn't work in the long term and I needed something better. I needed a tool that would keep me physically and mentally in check in terms of what and how I eat for life. Yes, we probably could struggle with dieting constantly and keep moderately slim, but who is happy doing that? Not I. I view my Lap Band as a physical behavior modifier, something motivation alone can't offer. So, can you lose the weight on your own? Absolutely. Will you gain it all back? Likely, but certainly not unavoidable. I just know that, in my case, I was never going to be forever thin on my own. If you can relate to those feelings, then I think you should pursue the surgery. And you can always give it another year or two before you decide and see how you're doing. It's a major decision and will require changing your eating habits forever; I am still daunted by it all... Best wishes...

Thank you all for your stories and encouraging words. I think I would have chickened out had not been for this site. Had my surgery this morning and writing this update from the hospital (my insurance, unfortunately, forced me to spend the night). Everything went really well, my belly button incision isn't even visible, and I loved my surgeon (Dr. Enochs in Raleigh). I am very, VERY sore.

Thanks to all for your responses. I didn't have many responses when I left for the hospial and almost told my surgeon to forget going through the belly button before surgery this morning, but I'm so glad I didn't. I can't even see the incision at all! I did have to have a second tiny incision to flip my liver back, but it's very small and would just look like a scratch once healed. All in all, this was much less brutal than I imagined, though I am VERY sore. Thanks again!

Ugh. Thanks. I'm leaving for the hospital in an hour and I'm so nervous... =/