TheProfessor

When did you have your surgery?@@windysample

@@bel1995 Yes, I had the same repair done while I was getting banded. A had a massive double hiatus hernia that has caused me brutal heartburn for a year... i never knew. Over a year now of being banded and my heartburn has completely disappeared. Yay! Do NOT rush solids... stay on clear fluids/full fluids... whatever you were told. Contact your surgeon asap and get the staff to email you the post-op instructions as it is vital that you don't do things out of order. You are healing right now, so you want to limit the peristalsis (contractions) of your lower esophagus as much as possible. As soon as solid hits the band, you will automatically begin those contractions to push it through. This is great once you have healed enough to reach that stage, but right now it's a no-no. No matter how small those vegetable or chicken chunks may seem, you do NOT want to put your surgical site through contractions as it is still healing. Best thing - get in touch with your surgical team and get your hands on another copy of your post-surgical diet. Yay for you!

@@bel1995 So?! How did it go? Sorry I didn't respond before now - ! By now you are on the other side - - welcome to a whole new chapter in your life. Be good to yourself over the next few days as you do the hard work of recovering from the surgery and getting rid of that gas. Yes, this too shall pass - ! Be careful with your incision sites. As for Water, keep drinking constantly in tiny sips. sip, sip, sip.... and be sure to have someone by your side to help you get to and from the toilet, help you with your meds.. whatever you need, Gas-X did the trick for me - dissolvable strips. Very helpful indeed...! Also, pillows. Tons and tons of pillows in my bed. I slept almost sitting up the first couple of nights and that helped was e the discomfort. Walking is great advice (I simply couldn't but I know it worked for others!) so if you can, do. Welcome to the rest of your life... it all starts now. So excited for you! ((HUG))

@@bel1995 Hmmmm.... if you get the sense your specialist is 'dodgy' it could well be a strong and correct instinct. Maybe see if there are other options out there. When I first considered weight loss surgery I contacted and had a consult with an Agency in Toronto. High pressure sales tactics led me to actually book a surgery date and pay a deposit. In the weeks that followed, something wasn't sitting well with me about this place. I started doing intensive research on the web looking for evidence to support my gut suspicions that this was a sketch organization, and WHAMMO did I ever find the info I was looking for. Long story short, I ended up jumping ship and going with a private medical clinic with a stellar reputation, superb surgeons and a terrific track record of lap-band success. Making the tough decision to abandon a poor provider for a good one was the greatest act of self care I think I've ever committed. No regrets!

@@bel1995 I was never given a goal weight. I chose for myself what felt right. I remember setting goals in increments for myself, as having 100 pounds to lose seemed an insurmountable amount go weight, and I was happy my surgeon didn't give me that goal or I might have been discouraged.

Wow - now THAT is seriously inspirational!!!!

@@bel1995 - I am SO COMPLETELY EXCITED for you! You are almost there... stick with the pre-op diet and take it one Protein shake at a time! Keep us posted - we love to support each other on this site!

I agree with JustWatchMe - your tastes may change. Pita, French stick, crusty rolls (all the things that aided in my weight gain of 100 excess pounds) are all no-nos for me now. After several "close call" sticking episodes (mouth watering, that "FEELING" of "oooooh no...." with bread products I simply avoided them. Now I have no desire for them. My tastes have changed. Hummus, baba ghanoush, etc for me all goes with veggies now. I'm better for it! I felt a little sad and mourned the loss of breads and pizza (not a big deal for me, but occasionally it was yummy...) but the pay off was worth giving these up. 70 pounds down, and I am absolutely overjoyed with how I feel. Hopefully your tastes will adjust, too, you will begin to see the results of your sacrifice! Hang in there!

Hi Emily! @@EmilyMikulec I'm doing great, thanks for asking. :-) I am so happy with my band. I took a discipline hiatus over Christmas and enjoyed wine again and just a wee bit too much brie. I stalled my weight loss, but now that I've been banded for over a year I know exactly how to break out of a stall. How are you doing? You love your band, too? Yay us!

Yes girl! I also gave birth without drugs and the gas pain won hands down. From here it gets better and better! Get some rest and get ready for the next phase...

It will pass. That's all I can say. Hang in there. Misery loves company, so let me reassure you and tell you that I broke down and bawled, if that makes you feel any better. Get up and swing your arms, move around - walk. The sooner you are on your feet and active, the faster the gas will dissipate.

@@windysample Okay then - you might wish to update your profile (once you are feeling better, of course!) to reflect the correct surgery date. Congratulations on your surgery. What a brave and brilliant way to ring in a new year. Yup, the gas pain SUCKS. Trust in the process - it will indeed pass. Its pretty nuts, isn't it? Gas-Ex helped me a little bit... that and just the passage of time. A couple of days and it will be resolved. Hang in there!

You list your surgical date as March 2014, so it doesn't sound like surgery-related gas (which I had - and oh my goodness yes, it was brutal, but then it 'passed' (ha!) after 48 hours. Are you on any kind of meds, ie; Tylenol 3's, that cause constipation and gas retention? If it persists it sounds like a call to your physician may be in order.... Hoping you feel better very soon.

Like you, before I had WLS I had acid reflux and dizziness. My surgeon was terrific and when he got in there to place the band, he also repaired a double hiatus hernia that was causing me the heartburn and dizziness. My issues resolved instantly. I cannot tell you how much better I feel since having the surgery. Knee problems are gone, my lower back issue has resolved and my acid reflux is no more. Like you say, if you are feeling this sick now, your surgery will be a blessed relief! I'm sure you do the work on researching how your eating habits will need to change in order to make sure you are not defeating the band... it takes some work but it's such a joy to see the results! Worth it. So worth it!

Hi @@Tesa11! I had the exact same fear as you - the idea of having a 'stuck' episode was absolutely terrifying. No one could seem to explain it. As a one-year banded person who has had her share of these now, let me put your worried mind at ease! A bit of food will go down that hasn't been chewed well enough, is too large or perhaps too 'dry' (like leftover chicken from the fridge, for example). For me, a 'stuck' episode begins by me getting an "oooohhh no..... here we go' as I feel the food travel down my esophagus. If it's a 'mild' or minor episode, it will feel like a bit of uncomfortable pressure (never pain) behind my breastbone. I stop eating (nothing can get by) and just wait patiently for it to pass. You will not be able to drink anything either, as the blockage has formed a little dam between the opening to your stomach at the base of your esophagus at the banded site. I usually take a break, stare off into space (my husband knows this look by now!) and just wait for the blockage to pass through the band. A mild episode will resolve with little fuss. The food just needs a wee bit of time to work it's way through. When it does, I get instant relief (the pressure disappears) and I get a "Phewf! Dodged a bullet there!" kind of feeling. I then SLOW DOWN and take more care with the next few bites of my meal! A more major episode will not resolve on its own and results in my having to 'vomit' up piece of food that is blocking the band. In my whole year since being banded, I have only had three of these episodes, TWO of which were COMPLETELY my fault. I knew better! The other one I was betrayed by a creamy tiramisu. This resulted in an utterly tragic waste of a delicious (yet tiny) dessert. ANYWAY. For me, a serious stuck episode will begin like a mild one, but then the feeling of pressure behind my ribcage will increase to the point where it feels like I have a pool ball stuck there. Throughout the ordeal, I can breathe perfectly! It is NOT the same as choking. With a serious episode, I feel my mouth start to fill with saliva and slime. That's the signal for me to leave the table and continue the party in the nearest washroom. I can expect to be gone for the next 15-30 minutes. The 'sliming' is common to us Bandsters and is comprised of thick, tasteless saliva and mucous. This you will produce in copious amounts and get rid of in the toilet or sink. Then your body will take care of the offending food by whoopsing it up. It is like vomiting, only without the nausea. You will feel the contractions and then up will come the blessed piece of food. Ah, gross but instant, joyful relief. :-) If you are like me, you will curse yourself for taking that big a bite /that piece of bread /that lovely forkful of whatever and swear you will never do it again. The rest of my meal will be shot, the contractions taking away my hunger and leaving me with no desire to eat for hours. I tell you all this not to scare you, but to reassure you that stuck episodes will pass and are not a big deal. As a new bandster, you will be learning how to eat again - slowly, mindfully, small bites, chew, chew, chew... you are human and therefore may mess up a few times, but it is not the end of the world. You are learning a new skill! Hope this was not too graphic for you, but rather informative and weirdly reassuring!

Yes the horror stories are scary, aren't they? I've learned that being banded is a lifestyle change that has to be accepted by both the body AND the mind. I have adjusted very well to 'band-eating' - nothing carbonated, no bread, tiny amounts of Pasta, small bites, eating slowly... these changes are what has led to my success (so far!). Seems a lot of the horror stories (not all) come from those who fought their band or refused to give up the bd habits that made them obese in the first place. @@bel1995 Have faith that the band will work it's magic for you the way it has worked for me, provided you have an excellent surgeon and you follow-up the placement of the band with the changes your body deserves! Eating less, eating better, moving more... Please keep us posted about your surgery and experience - we have all been where you are! As someone one year in and 3/4 of the way to my goal weight (having dropped from a size 22 last Christmas to a size 14 this Christmas!), I can only hope that you will be as in love with your band as I am with mine! Wishing you the best!

@@jiggyiggy120 I was banded just under a year ago, and I am feeling absolutely AMAZING. I had a brilliant surgeon who had done over 5,000 band procedures. He did an incredible job. He believes in it, and I believe in it. To date I am down almost 70 pounds, and I have never felt better. I've gone from a size 22 to a size 14. I can buy normal clothes again and I feel full of energy and gorgeous! My knees and back are pain-free after years of agony. I am running up stairs without so much of a wheeze! Woo woo! I have had zero complications from the lap-band. I don't even know it's there. No worries to report. Nothing but success. Yes, the post-surgical gas pain sucked (48 hours). It took a while for the weight-loss to begin, as the band needs to be filled gradually to the 'green zone'... like everyone else, it took a while. And now? I have to try and remember to eat and the weight is melting off. The hunger monster is gone. What a blessed relief to no longer be obsessed with food! I am in love with my lap-band. I feel blessed that I chose this particular bariatric procedure. It has been effortless for me. I have watched my diet carefully - high Protein and high fibre, low carbs and no sugar, white or wheat. I can feel my ribs. I look 15 years younger. I have a sex-life again. Hooray! Best thing I have ever done for myself. I've given myself the gift of life with the band. I feel 15 years younger and I am so much healthier. 30 more pounds to go. Best. Decision. Ever. I'm going to see if I can add a couple of before and after pics to my profile. Check them out!

@bgtribble We have almost the identical stats. I am also 5' 6" and my heaviest weight was 259 pounds. As an adult I had always maintained a healthy weight for my female frame - about 145 - and was a lifeguard, canoe trip instructor, avid backpacker... never a 'small' person but fairly 'trim' and definitely healthy. I got married and had a baby and then the weight started to creep up on me... 10 pounds heavier, 20 pounds heavier... and over the past 15 years, I ballooned up to 259. Now that I'm back in 100's again I feel I have regained my 'old' Self. I'm not at goal weight yet, however I am feeling SO much better even at this interim stage of the process 65 pounds down! Like dear Bandista above (she is a guru - listen to her!) I also love food and cooking, and am able to still enjoy beautiful food and meals out... but in smaller portions. The best thing is having the background of satiety constantly there. The "Hunger Monster" that derailed my weight loss attempts in the past is no longer there. Now I have a can of tuna & mayo or a small piece of tender steak or 5 Tbsps of egg salad and that's it. Give me three slices of roast duck, a few spears of asparagus and no starch (potatoes, rice and breads are out for me) and BOOM. I'm sated. No desire for anything more. Happy for you, jiggyjiggy120 - you are about to embark on getting control back and feeling better. It's a tremendous thing!

@@jiggyiggy120 Hey - we have almost the same Bandiversary! I was banded December 18th 2014 - 11 months ago. I am down 65 pounds and I feel TREMENDOUS! Like you, my insurance didn't cover it, so I self-paid. I'll tell you something - it was the BEST investment in myself I could have ever imagined! My knee pain is GONE. My ruptured discs in my L4 and L5 due to obesity - HEALED. I can run up stairs! I can sit cross-legged! I can walk for miles and not get tired! I can wear a freakin' size 14! I can buy new clothes at a 'regular' store and feel amazing doing so! WOO! I'm with you, sister. I have had nothing but great results from my band. Slow and steady wins the race. My weight loss has been consistent and gradual... and I've worked hard at it but the band has made it possible. I'm SO EXCITED for you!!!!

Update: Still in love and am now firmly in "ONE-derland"! I've been 194! for awhile now, and the process to get there has been heavenly and fun. Yesterday I bought a pair of Size 14 skinny jeans that look and feel amazing. At this time last year (pre-surgery) I was a Size 22. Someone on FB commented on my new profile pic (which shows off cheekbones (I have cheekbones??!) and my newly more-slender Self - "What on earth..?? The fountain of youth has found you. You are radiant"! Getting banded is the best decision I have ever made for myself.

@@DoneItForMe What's really funny is that I was 199.4 when I had that magical moment, so a freakin' grain of rice or glass of water could have put me back up over 200. Adding an elastic in my hair or putting on socks could have done it, too! I spent mot of my day naked re-weighing myself just to be sure! lol!

The band fills don't 'hurt' so much as they feel gross. My first one I didn't feel. My 2nd onwards (I'm at 7 so far in the 10 months since I've had my band...) feels... blech. Like someone has a needle stuck in a rubber thing under your skin. BLECH! But so great and quick and worth it - those itty bitty fills make all the difference as you creep slowly and beautifully towards the green zone. Then? Goodbye weight!

@@2babutterfly Well thanks, but it may hearten you to know that I completely BLEW IT yesterday. Gah! I had an old friend visiting me from British Columbia, and we got into the wine (yes wine - for those who know me on the forum I have been living a "Wine Free Life" since July!) We got into the wine... and then another bottle, and then it was all downhill from there - - cheese and hummus and crackers and pancetta and ... OMG it was all so nom-nommy.... and I ate SO MUCH. I was;t hungry in the slightest but it was all so fun and social and the wine made me forget myself. My punishment for this slip - I'm so unused to eating large quantities of food that I had my first food sticking episode in months, and it was the nastiest I've ever had. I could NOT get the food unstuck and was miserable and in pain and upchucking slime (sorry for the overshare) for a full hour. My eyes were red, my nose was running and I went to bed exhausted. I learned my lesson. Won't be over-eating again any time soon....!

I know I would have been devastated and furious beyond belief if a family member had intervened and 'reported' my surgeon. A grown woman is entitled to make her own mistakes (if this is, in fact a mistake at all). Believe me, as a professor of ethics, I can see your dilemma. You care about your family member and have learned about something potentially unethical. To blow the whistle, or not? Ask yourself this: Who will benefit and who will suffer as a result of your whistle-blowing? Everything said here on this thread is legitimate in some way. Remember, we are all bariatric surgery vets and are on the other side. You may notice that many people came to the defence of your family member and are passionate about protecting her right to move forward with her surgery. This is because we ourselves know the enormity of that commitment and the agony/anxiety leading up to surgery day. If the surgeon is licensed and legit, and your family member is of sound mind, no intervention is required, methinks! (And to answer your question, that she is down 20 pounds prior to surgery is normal. The majority of bariatric patients are put on a liquid (or severely restricted diet) prior to their surgery in order to shrink the liver. I've lost 64 pounds with my WLS, and am 195 (woo!) and still considered 'obese'. Whether 380 pounds or 180 pounds, obesity is considered an individual issue for every person. Each person has their own co-morbidities that accompany their being overweight. Your family member is no different and this was likely factored in to the surgeon's decision to allow her to qualify for insurance coverage by playing with the numbers on the scale. Just my 2 cents.