Thats All Folks

I didn't know it at the time, however since then I've learned that 67% of all blood clots occur after abdominal surgery- like tummy tucks and c-sections. The fact I was on the birth control pill and I was inactive after the surgery just added to the risk. I'm actually doing very well now. My coumiden (blood thinner) levels are good (I'll have to be on them for the next 6 months) and I've lost 15 pounds of the Water weight in a week (still about 20 to go but it's a start) and I'm happily back to my normal life

Everything you're feeling it's very normal. I thought I'd have a full blown anxiety attack more than once at the beginning. In fact, I was even in Xanax for a couple months to better cope. The best advice I can give you is to focus on one minute at a time. Don't start dwelling on tomorrow or even an hour from now. Focus on right this moment and the positives in it. Before you know it, you'll be banded and you'll on your way. Best wishes!

I actually have, they all kinda shrug and just say it's my body trying to adjust to the lower body mass. I will definitely follow up on it, though.

I just Googled that and it does very much sound like it. But, I don't fit into any of the risk factors for it. But that is exactly what mine does- my systolic drops about 10 and my dystolic drops A LOT when I go from sitting to standing. When I was in the hospital recently, I actually passed out cold the first time I tried to walk after 5 days of being immobilized in the bed (scared the crap out of a nurse and hurt my knee, too). Granted my hemoglobin was also low but I suspect my blood pressure bottoming out played a part in it too.

Your stomach has been manipulated, moved, wounded, and sutured. Your doctor gave you a strict post op diet to give your stomach time to heal. By cheating, you are putting yourself at very real risk very serious complications. Get back on your post op diet. You say you don't know if you can go through with this- I hate to tell you this but now you don't have a choice. You have to be smart, follow your doctor's orders, and give your stomach time heal. Your only choice in the matter right now is to either do the right thing and follow your post op diet or continue to cheat and risk hurting yourself badly. Hang in there. We all survived it and so will you.

It seems to me you have issues going on and you need one doctor address them. Right now you've got your band doctor worrying about your band and your GI doc worrying about the bowel issues, but still no one is giving you solid answers what's wrong. So your band is ok- but then why do you have reflux and heartburn? Was your band too tight? It bothers me greatly your band doc isn't concerned about this because if you have reflux you're at high risk for band erosion. The fact you have esophageal ulcers is a warning you're already heading in that direction. You then go from diarrhea to constipation and a lot of other pain. And your GI doc is writing it off as IBS? Even with a fever? Again, you have some serious warning signs of bigger things going on and IBS definitely isn't the cause. I understand the last thing you want to is gain weight but right now that should be your last concern. You need to get to the bottom of all these troubling symptoms and treat the cause not the random symptoms. Best wishes.

Congratulations! Very inspirational story!

We all want it sooner than later, but the reality is for most people it's a slow gradual process. You have to accept the fact the average is 1-2 pounds per week and consider it a success when you lose at all. It's a marathon not a sprint.

holy cow, who the hell would do that??

I hate to tell you this, but 10 pounds in a month is good. The average weight loss rate for people with the Lap Band is 1-2 pounds a week, You've already exceeded that average. The weight isn't going to just drop off, that's simply not the way it works. It's best you have realistic expectations so you don't set yourself up for failure. Best wishes.

You need to address this immediately. What you're experiencing is not normal. Even if you don't have a slip, heartburn can lead band erosion, so either way you need to get to the cause of the problem and address it immediately. Don't wait another second- get into your doctor asap.

There's actually a lot of options. Melts, chewables, liquids, and capsules. Just have a look in the vitamin section of your local pharmacy, grocery store, or health food store.

Your doctor should've given you a detailed post op diet to follow. Have a look at that and see what he allows and disallows so soon after surgery. It's the only way to be safe.

Do you count your calories? Keep in mind the band isn't what causes you to lose weight it just controls your hunger. Weight loss boils down to simple math- when you burn more calories than you consume you lose weight. When you eat more than you burn, you gain. I'd strongly consider tracking your calories and measuring your portions. Best wishes

Yes, it means you'll have to be supervised by and report to your doctor while doing a 6 month diet. He'll tell you which diet to follow, too.

It is possible to have restriction without any fills. In fact, there's a number of people on these forums that have never had a fill and are still in the Green Zone. However, it's very likely a lot of what you're feeling is both gas and swelling. Remember, your stomach has been manipulated and sutured. It's very swollen and it often can take weeks for it to totally subside. I would enjoy the satiety while it's here but be mentally prepared in case you one day (soon) wake up starving hungry because the swelling has finally gone down. Best wishes

Low sodium is the same as low electrolytes. Your main concern should be what is causing this because it's not common. Have all your organ functions been tested? Are you vomiting or having diarrhea regularly? It's also (though rarely) caused by poor nutrition. Your only real options to increase sodium is table salt or medication prescribed by your doctor. There are foods naturally higher in sodium too, like pickles and anchovies If I were in your shoes, I'd press to find the cause of the problem. Best wishes.

I know it's frustrating, but trust me, it's so much better to ease into the Green Zone than to blow past it into the Red Zone. Then you are miserable trying to "back into" the Green Zone usually going back and forth repeatedly. Plus, don't get hung up on the amount of the fill or the amount in your band. Those numbers are totally irrelevant. All that matters is how you feel and the closer you get to the Green Zone even a very tiny fill can make a world of difference. Hang in there, it's good your doctor is being cautious. You'll be glad in the long run.

In order to do the surgery laproscopically, they must pump air into the abdomen to expand it to make it easier to see and move within in it. Because of this, it's very common to have some bloating/gas/left shoulder pain for awhile after surgery. The secret to relieve this pain is walking. The gas is pumped into your abdominal cavity not your digestive track so OTC gas remedies won't help it. They never come in contact with it. The best you can do is walk as much as possible to help your body reabsorb it faster. Some people also find a heating pad helps relieve the discomfort, too.

Normally I don't, but when I'm sick or recovering from surgery I completely lose my appetite. When that happens, I regress back to protein shakes temporarily just to be sure I get the necessary vitamins and protein until my appetite comes back.

The complication risk is based more on your overall health than it is of your age. Someone who is 60 can be in far better overall health than someone 30, hence the 60 year old would have a lessened risk. I would talk to your doctor and wherever possible, remove any risks within your power, like smoking. Best wishes.

As you lose weight your stomach also shrinks. It's possible it's shrank enough to make the band feel loser and you might need a fill.

I would start counting calories. It's the only way to be sure you're not eating too much. I know you may not think your eating habits have changed, but if you gained weight you had to have increased your calories. The band itself actually has nothing to do with weight loss, it's just a ring around your stomach to control your hunger. So, for your weight to have increased you must have inadvertently increased your calories, too. Counting calories will be a sure fire way to get you back on track. Being as you're hungry all the time, I'd definitely go back to have a little Fluid added back in. Best wishes.