B-52

Don't know your age, or general physical health. I imagine you have been over weight for some time. My point is I would not want to see you drop dead from heart failure, or a stoke due to circulation issues. Over weight people, as myself, have high fat content in their blood (triglycerides, cholesterol) This is the stuff that sticks to the insides of your arteries. Because of being overweight I had it in way of a 70% blockage in one of my heart arteries, requiring a stent. I didn't have a heart attack, but was a walking tine bomb. I'm 59 y/o, and looking forward to running a 5K. I'll get there in due time. Speak with your GP before doing any new exercise programs.

Here is how my Surgeon did it. Banded 1/31. 1st week, 3 days Clear liquids, then 4 days heavier liquids. Able to lift (exercise) and soak after 1 week. 2nd and 3rd week, soft foods (mushies) 4th week, solid foods Filled today, exactly 4 weeks post op. 4cc in a 11cc band. Had me drink Water before I could leave. Liquids again for 24 hrs. Then, 1 cc per month thereafter, if needed. He did emphasize that procedures are vastly different between men and women. So now I feel the post-op is behind me and I am entering a new phase.

Thanks for that info. here it is 24hrs later and I can guzzle down a large glass of Water like it was nothing.

Had my first fill yesterday. 4cc. Dr does not numb the area. But my band is right up to the surface. They needle only goes through a very thin layer of skin.

I was banded 4 weeks ago. I have 3 small incisions, left, center and right, with a larger center incision where the port was inserted. My port is on the right. Everything is well healed, but the incision on the left, is still sore when I rub my finger on it. Don't know what they did on that side, but it seems as though that wound is deep.

I took a full 7 days off. After 4 days I felt like I was ready to return, but I just enjoyed the time off. I did run around doing errands, etc. after 3 days.

Very first thing I notice, is I get hiccups. Then soon it develops into the real thing.

I was banded 1/31, and scheduled for my first fill Tuesday. 3/1. One Month exactly! I don't find it overwhelming at all. As a matter of fact I can't wait!

I wouldn't want a "Loose" band either.

I had the exact problem. When I sipped water, it would go down no problem, then wait a brief second and you can feel the water pass through the band, with pain and sometimes gurgling. Called the Dr.told him I was getting no fluids, and he had me come in, 2 days after surgery. I demonstrated sipping water for him. He inserted a syringe in my port to make sure there was no air in the band. I left his office feeling no better. He told me it was probably post op inflammation. It did slowly get better, and was all gone in a day or 2.

I'm in the same boat as you. I feel fine, as though nothing has happened. I was banded 1/31, will get my first fill 3/1, exactly 4 weeks.

When were you banded?? For abdominal surgeries, they pump the cavity with air to lift the skin and underlying tissues (fat) up away from the organs to have access to work. Post surgery, depending how much air they are able to extract, will cause pain first in the upper abdomen, then under the sternum, ribcage, and eventually it moves up to the shoulders, primarily the left. The only way to relieve this is to get up and walk. as much as possible. My daughter is a Nurse practitioner and she explained this to me. It should only last a couple of days, no longer than a week, typically. If you were banded way before that, then your pain is unrelated to the surgery and maybe orthopedic.

First off, I'm a newbie, been banded since 1/31. When I was on liquids and then mushies. I was freaking out because everything was going down without any effort, as though I did not have the surgery at all! I was still taking shakes, because I was gaining weight. Well what I learned is that, in my case anyway, I was always feeling hungry because mushies and liquids pass right through the band. Duh..... It's only when I began eating solid food did I feel as though anything was working. I started solid foods yesterday. Today, at work we went to a food court and I ordered stir fry chicken with veggies and chinese noodles (Lo-Mein) Forget pasta! No matter how much you chew it is too doughy and goes down like a ball. I've been stuck once or twice before and this felt like it would do the same. But I did eat very little, like one noodle at a time. So I picked at the chicken. Again, found that large bites, no matter how much you chew, will feel like it will get stuck. So I learned to take smaller mouthfuls. After I finished off the chicken, I picked at the veggies. Had no problem with them, other than I wasn't hungry! I would have normally cleaned the plate and look for more, but this time I ate maybe a 3rd of what was there. I was satisfied, and was not hungry all afternoon. So if this is the way it's supposed to go, I can live with that. And I have not had a fill yet (next week) I'm going to lay off the shakes as Meal Replacements. They may be beneficial nutritonaly, on the go, but they do not leave you with the feeling that you ate anything, leaving you hungry.

I have to ask. You have been banded for 2 years and your ticker says you have only lost 18 lbs?

Yes, Call your Dr. ASAP!. Deep leg Thrombosis is a very real and potentially fatal condition. During surgery they put air splints on your lower legs to help prevent this condition. Would not suggest that is the case, but a call to your Dr. would not hurt.

I never understood that theory, since chewing is most important, thereby thoroughly mushing foods larger in size.

I had the same problem. Extreme pain when I swallowed. Even Water. I can take a sip of water, feel it go down, then wait a second and then can feel, with pain, the water passing through the band. I was not eating or drinking anything. I called my Dr., and he had me come in. Had me take a sip of water so I can demonstrate the short delay before the pain. He stuck a syringe in my port, and pulled out anything that might be there. My band was not filled, but he said sometimes there is a little air in the band from the manufacturer. He also said it was probably post-op irritation, swelling, etc. He was right. It did subside more each day. I am now 16 days post-op and it does not even feel like there is anything there. When exercising, I can guzzle down a bottle of water as always. I get my first fill 3/1.

Same for me. I was banded 1/31, and my first fill will be 3/1. Can't wait! Right now I feel the way I did before I had the surgery, with no restriction. I have to struggle to stay on a diet to stop from gaining weight. It's the same for me as dieting before being banded. I'm keeping the weight off by substituting meals with Protein shakes. (pre-op diet)

I'm a 59 y/o male and my surgery, 2 weeks ago, sounds about the same as yours. Only exception, I was able to go home right after the X-rays. My surgeon told me it was to check for leaks. Once he reads those results, I was on my way home. I arrived at the hospital at 7:45 am, surgery was at 11am, on my way home at 6pm. I'm on mushies right now, but I have a hard time finding things to eat. So I still substitute one or two meals with protien shakes. One more week and I can move on to solids.

Yep....been banded since 1/31/11. I used Central Jersey Bariatrics out of Freehold at Centra State Hospital. Won't have my first fill till 3/1.

For me, it was taking my pain meds, drink plenty of liquids, and get up and get moving! I am now 10 days, and It does not even feel like I had surgery at all!

I have reading posts here for only 1 week. I am a active member on a few other sites with different interests. What the OP is stating is no different than what is the case on other message board sites. I can cut and paste her message on a site for classic automobiles and it would fit right in. It's unfortunate, but that is the way message boards are. It's not going to change.

No, I had to do it also. 6 month medically supervised weight loss program, with progress notes. I have Highmark Blue Shield. They have been a very good insurance co. for me. Even have my own case mgr. that calls me every now and then in the evening to see how everything is going.

How many CC's did they inject for your first fill? The way my Dr. explained it to me, he will do it the same way you had yours done today.

I feel about the same as you do. I am 1 week post op. I feel no restriction, or any other after effect from the surgery. My incisions are healed, for the most part (no bandages and cleared for heavy lifting and soaking in the whirlpool ) I feel no different than I did before the surgery, other than the weight loss from pre-surgery and the week I just spent on liquids. I really wanted to cheat, but I put so much into this, that now that it's finally done I don't want to screw it up. Like damage or do harm to the band and stomach area, etc. Went to the Dr. today. Had to laugh, read your post on my Blackberry sitting in the waiting room. What a BUMMER. Hope I get better results. He told me forget the "Mushies", but eat only very soft foods. Pay attention to calories, Protein, etc, etc. Watch your diet. Scheduled me in 3 weeks, 4 weeks from surgery, to "Begin the fills" in his words.