MeFirstFinally

Count me in.

Robbie, certified couch potato

:couch2:

I have searched and searched other websites, forums,etc. and connot find an answer to this question. HOW LONG AFTER LAP BAND REMOVAL CAN YOU EAT NORMALLY AGAIN???

I got my band in 2006 and was successful with it for the first few years. Then I started having problems...a lot of induced vomiting because nothing much would go down and would always get stuck. I suffered with this for a long time. I went through fills and unfills, etc. But several weeks ago, I got to where I could not eat anything and then could not even digest liquids, even Water. I went to my doctor and he removed all of the Fluid from my band. Still nothing would go down. I ended up going to the ER and was admitted and the next day they did emergency surgery to remove my band. Doctor said it had eroded.

It has now been 7 days since my removal surgery and I am still finding it difficult to eat even soft foods (pudding, Soup, etc). I can do clear liquids fine, but am still feeling that "stuck" feeling and have vomited 3 or 4 times.

Perhaps I am impatient, but I was under the impression that after a few days of healing, I could begin eating soft foods again and then gradually move on to regular foods. I know my stomach is still probably swollen from the surgery, but I am frustrated (you would be too if you hadn't eaten anything in over 12 days). I see my doctor in 2 days, but can anyone else shed some light for me.

If you had your band removed, what was your experience, recovery time, days it took to eat again, etc.

Any input would be greatly appreciated. I am not interested at this time in the sleeve or any other type of weight loss surgery, so I would appreciate it if your comments were on subject.

Thank u so much !!!

I am sorry for all of the trouble you have had; there is a forum on this site called lap band complications which has a subforum on lap band removal. Just keep scrolling down and you will see it. Take care of yourself.

Robbie

Hi guys im pre-op and i just quit smoking so i can get approved in 3 months for lap band. will smoking marijuana interfere with my approval? theyr giving me a nicotine test before surgery but pot wont show up in the test will it? and yes i understand its not healthy but i quit ciggs so one step at a time!

Congratulations on quitting smoking; that is a rough one. If you continue to smoke pot, be sure to tell your doctor as it will affect your anesthesia. I don't know if pot will show up in a nicotine test, but if your doctor didn't want you to smoke legal cigarettes, I cannot imagine he/she would want you to smoke an illegal drug. Maybe you can cut back on the pot. Best of luck with your surgery.

Robbie

I have finally gotten a schedule date, December 12, 2011 for my required orientation class. Part of me wants to get started sooner, but I have a habit of magical thinking. I know, in my head, that the band will only assist me in taking off the weight and keeping it off, that I need to plan on at least a year of hard work, counting calories and exercising. BUT, there is still this part of me that thinks I will have the surgery and BLAMO, the weight will fall off in six weeks. I have done enough weight loss research to know that isn't going to happen, but it sure would be nice.

Robbie

Thanks to all. I think the car is completely dead; I don't know how I will afford a new one. I waver between terror and joy about the referral, which is normal, I just didn't expect to start so quickly. I guess I have been saving up since I normally hide my emotions under food. I will let you all know when I get my first meeting with the coordinator.

I have to figure out some non food rewards and some goals. I am an obsessive list maker.

:Banane37:

Robbie

It has been a very interesting day. My car stopped dead in the middle of an intersection in a rain storm on the way to work. Not one person stopped to check on me. Got the car towed to my office, spent a couple of hours getting another tow to the garage and renting a car. The new compliance officer at work gives a whole new meaning to nit picking paranoid micromanager and he isn't even my boss. I had to leave at 3 to get to the first visit with my new doctor, which is normally plenty of time, except I got caught in a slow moving river of minivans; it took me ahalf hour to go less than a mile. Didn't realize school started yesterday. I was late for my appointment; I hate being late. According to my late father, if you were on time you were fifteen minutes late and I took it to heart. Then the doctor finally came in and talked about everything under the sun and pressured me to start insulin which isn't going to happen and then at the last minute, in a kind of afterthought as she was typing up the visit notes, she says "I JUST SENT YOUR REFERRAL FOR THE BARIATRIC PROGRAM TO THE COORDINATOR." :bananapowerslide: WooHoo, I am on my way. I had been thinking all day (because it was so stressful) that I would get dinner at the Chick Fil A just down the block from the Dr. office, but I decided against it...a kind of NSV from me to me.

This post is way too long, but I had to tell someone and for the moment LBT is my support system. Thanks for listening.

Robbie

Maybe writing this down will make it stop burning in my memory. I stopped to buy dinner for my family at a pizza place near our house and after I paid for it and started to leave the counter guy started making snorting noises like a pig!! Instead of decking the guy and demanding my money back, I drove home in tears and then called to complain. To add insult to injury, first the manager claimed that something like that would never happen in his restaurant and then he said that he knew the guy I was talking about and he was a really nice guy (and his definition of a d8888bag would be what?), so I just told that neither I nor anyone from my extended family (about 50) would ever eat there again and happy loss of customers.

Not sure if I feel better, but will see.

Robbie

Good for you. I hope to be right behind you. If you were not nervous I would be worried.

Robbie

Bummer. I guess it is off to the xray for me. I have had this new insurance for just over six weeks and I have had 3 blood tests, a pelvic ultrasound (external and internal ). I hope they don't cancel me for excessive use before I get my band. I wonder if I can drink enough, Water of course, to be considered an aerobic exercise.:Banane34: Thanks to all.

Robbie

Three at once--Yikes. How did you manage? I really think this is not a fracture, since it is intermittent (sp?) and I can walk on it without pain most of the time. A pinched nerve maybe? I will just keep monitoring it and being careful on the treadmill.

Thanks to all who responded

Robbie

Hi all,

I've been combing the forum for the past few days as I do my research on WLS. I really like the idea of a gastric band vs something more physically altering and dramatic like bypass or sleeve surgery. I was recently diagnosed with subclinical hyperthyroidism (possibly postpartum thyroiditis), and despite an overactive thyroid, I've gained a ton of weight since giving birth. I've read this can happen because of the hormones increasing your appetite.

That said, I've been overweight my entire life, this is just the heaviest I've ever been non-pregnant, with a BMI of 38. I had gestational diabetes and now have very mild insulin resistance and it's scared the crap out of me. I've never been able to lose weight, even dieting and exercising, the lowest I've ever been is 200 lbs at 5'9 and that was when I was 18 and eating very little and exercising very hard every day.

I'm thinking/hoping the band would be the tool and motivation I'd need to stick to a low calorie lifestyle and becoming more active.

My insurance will not cover this procedure for any reason, so I'm on my own for payment. I'm looking into local facilities as well as surgeons in Mexico. This forum has already been a huge help and I'm looking forward to being a participant as I move forward with my journey!

Welcome aboard

Robbie

Here's what I have ready so far (even though my surgery date hasn't been set yet...freakin' insurance, lol). Don't go by me, I'm not known to pack light. But I figured I'd throw some ideas out.

BASIC STUFF:

Toothbrush

Travel size toothpaste

Face cleanser

Face moisturizer

Chapstick

Undies

Bra or not (depends on how it will feel pushing up against me)

Jammies (light top and loose bottoms)

Slippers

Short robe

Elastic to pull my hair back

Deoderant

Going home clothes (t-shirt and loose bottoms)

HOPING I'LL BE UP TO A SHOWER:

Travel size shower gel

Travel size Shampoo and conditioner

Travel size body powder

Shower fluffy/sponge thing

I'm pondering bringing my laptop or my kindle. I'm a techy geek, but I think maybe I'll unplug myself that day (other than my iPhone of course)

Don't forget small pillow to cushion the seat belt on the drive home.

Robbie

Don't forget to document your rashes with pictures and doctor visits. It could help persuade insurance to pay for TT as a medical necessity when the time comes.

Robbie

"The problem is other than two friends who support my decision to have the surgery no one else knows…I won’t even tell my brother (normal one) and sister in law who live with me as honestly they are not supportive at all of any health issues I have (I could talk for days about what they didn’t do but the best example of how they act is ever day during chemo I worked but left early to come home and have a nape at around 4 pm every night they woke me up at 7:30pm so I could make/serve/clean up dinner for my disabled brother and take care of my dog…when I was craping my brains out (wonder if I can say that here?) and food tasted like I was licking a metal pole I had to get up and cook so they are not going to help when I have this little surgery. I wish my mom was alive so I could talk to her about it.

I know it’s all in my head. I know if I call and cancel the surgery the minute I put the phone down I will regret my actions and will beat myself up for the next year about chickening out , I have a history of making snap decisions and regretting them once I do…"

It is not all in your head. The brother and sil living with you need to do their share or get out. Are they at least helping to pay the bills? Sorry, I have a moochy sister and bil and reading your post made me angry. You need to put yourself first in this instance. Check with your physician's office and see if there is a support group you can join. As a caregiver myself, I know what it is like to feel totally trapped. Please feel free to PM me if you like.

Robbie

Thanks for the reply. This is not a shin splint. I remember shin splints from my one and only venture into step aerobics. At the time, I worked in a three story building with no elevators; it was agony going up and down stairs with shin splints. This is more like electric shot, not all the time, just every now and then. I hope it is not the beginning of neuropathy.

Thanks again

Robbie

Rozie,

I love your baby ticker!!!

I don't know what state you are in, but in Ohio, the licensing board for physicians is accessible to the public. You can see when they got their license and where they went to medical school and if there are any public actions against them, lawsuits, license suspensions, etc. It is one way to check on the doctor.

Good luck

Robbie

Hello,

Congratulations on the beginning of your journey. I have Kaiser Permanente in Ohio and was told by their bariatric coordinator that they would cover RNY, sleeve and band. I have the PCP visit on August 24, so I will learn more then. I am 5 ft tall with a BMI of 37.1, but I also have three of their 4 hot button co-morbidities, diabetes, high cholesterol and high blood pressure. I probably have number 4, sleep apnea, as well but have never been tested. She seemed pretty confident that it was a slam dunk. PCOS is a pre-diabetic condition and you are already on a diabetic medication. Have you been tested for apnea? With you BMI I don't know why they wouldn't cover it. Except that prevention is just not the way our health care/insurance system works.

I wish you the best of luck. I be cheering for you.

Robbie :party:

Congratulations. Have you called your doctors yet? Is hubby over the moon? I read another thread about someone who just got her band is now pregnant. Maybe I need to stay off this board, lol, I am happy with my cats.

Robbie

:Banane14:

Not banded yet and I expect I will be really nervous when my time comes, but here is my two cents anyway. Instead of thinking about NOT eating, think about NOT being fat, NOT being unhealthy, NOT being uncomfortable in your own skin.

Robbie

Thanks for all the input. Finally had my appointment with the nurse midwife. Lots of blood tests and I noticed the blood looked a little orange rather than dark red. I am anemic. So I go to the appointment and expect to hear the usual soothing medical doubletalk that doesn't actually say anything. Apparently they don't teach that in midwife school. The first thing out of her mouth is,"With a woman your age and these symptoms, my first thought is endometrial cancer." Picking my jaw up off the floor, we schedule an ultrasound to check the thickness of my uterine lining (it should be under 4 mm). So more tests on August 17.

Robbie (moving on):scared:

I agree with this, the heart rate advice but also the diminishing returns thing. I simply dont understand how people can believe that they burn mega calories on an elliptical when you're not actually lifting and moving your body weight, its pretty much exactly the same as an exercise bike. It gets very easy very quickly and you have to push it on the highest levels to raise your heartrate. I'd never buy one for home, you can get way way more out of a good treadmill. I even do walking lunges and side squats and mountain climbers and handwalking on my treadmill - complete body workout!

Handwalking...as in upside down and vertical OMG and I still cannot let go of the rails. Were you athletic even when you were heavy or did you just totally change your mindset? I used to have an elliptical, but I never felt comfortable on it and then it went to live with my sister. She didn't like it either and sold it at a yard sale. I love my NordicTrak treadmill, even with my balance issues.

Robbie

Not banded yet, but according to this calculation, I have 4 of my 16 pound cat, Gravity, to lose. She is a big girl; I call her my cast Iron cat. lol. She is completely black and I swear she can increase her weight at will (like every time I have to pick her up to move her out of the way).

I have been thinking about a way to keep track of my weight loss that will add some additional meaning. I know I made my screen name, MeFirstFinally, but I still fee selfish. I am thinking about donating a pound of food to the food bank for every one I lose or food to the animal shelter. Any other ideas.

Robbie

I have lost 95 and only have 90 more to go !!!!!! I am over the half way mark .... I am super excited. I love my band "roberta". Best decision I ever made !

My name is Roberta, too . I will be cheering for you and my namesake. I am not banded yet, but I have been thinking about names. Keep up the good work.

Robbie

Hello...I'm new here and new to this lap band world! I was banded just a few days ago- 7-19-11 so I'm still recovering and still on liquids. I'm getting pretty bored already with the liquid diet BUT I"m looking forward to a new life!!!

I am a very very proud army wife and my husband is currently on his 4th deployment away from us!! He is going to be very shocked when he gets home 10 months from now and sees my progress!!! He does know that I got the surgery done but I don't plan on sending him any pictures of my progress just so I can surprise him!! Well off to walk some of this bloated feeling off! Still in pain when I get up and down and i"m sure hoping that subsides soon!!!

Thanks for having me!

Adding my thank you for your service as well as your husband's. I know you don't want to send him pictures of yourself, but how about increasing his anticipation by sending him an occassional (sp?) picture of a piece of clothing which is now too big for you? Just a thought.

Robbie :camera: