esmlaura

I have my first fill tomorrow and I can't find the paper they gave me with instructions. Does your Dr. tell you not to eat OR drink after midnight before your fill? I really need to know cause I have a two hr drive and would love to have some Water? Thanks, Laura

Hello all, I am getting 2 cc's put in my band tomorrow at my first fill appt. I am having some other physical issues and most likely will have to have a surgery under general anesthesia in the next month. Is it true that everyone who has surgery has to get a complete unfill first? I hate to go to all that work getting a few fills only to have to have them unfilled. My Lap-Band Dr. is 2 hrs away so time/money in driving there is also a factor. Thanks, Laura

I was just banded three weeks ago. I am a little discouraged to read a post below with everyone stating they are tight in the AM and cannot eat at all or only a shake, then totally loose and eat everything and anything at night. Can I hear from some people that have had their bands for a while that have consistent restriction? Or is this true for everyone. I really would love to eat a healthy egg Breakfast. Thanks, Laura

I was banded 7/5 and have similar pain. When I am driving in the car it hurts a little and then when I go to stand from a sitting position it throbs. I hope this goes away also!

I am going for my first fill in 3 weeks. I have never had a stuck feeling. I am wondering where is the feeling? Is it above your breastbone, behind it, or below it. I am trying to visualize where the stomach is and where the top of it is but am unsure. Am I right to assume the full feeling you get after band might be above where your full feeling was before banding? Since the food is being held up higher in your pouch and not your stomach? Thanks, Laura

I am 2 wks out from surgery and on soft foods. I am just concerned because I am not following the "rules" it appears most others are. I am eating way more than 3 times daily. I really have no routine. I am drinking with meals....cause my meals "are" fluids. It just doesn't feel like it is all coming together. I do not feel like I am going to lose any weight? Did you find after your fill that is when you started the 3 meals daily, not drinking with meals, and I guess just more of a routine? My first fill is in 3 wks, 2 cc's in a 10 cc band. I so hope this helps. Thanks, Laura

You are right and it is so great to hear it. I do feel reassured. I guess I just read on here about so many people losing so much weight pre-op and immediately post-op and it makes me anxious. I guess I just need to have more patience. Thanks again.

I get a my first fill in 3 wks and was told today it would be 2 cc in a 10 cc band. She said my next fill after that would also be 2 cc.

If you at these post-op...did you eat them during the pureed stage or wait until soft stage?

I am 10 days post-op and my steri-strips haven't budged. How long did yours stay in place? I have showered every day since surgery, washed the area gently with soap and water. I am dying to see what my skin looks like underneath!

WOW I could have written that! That is my plan also. I am going to try to do this with "as little" restriction as possible. I am so afraid of damaging it by being too tight, vomiting, or stretching my pouch.

For some reason day 5 was the worst for me. It got better from then on and today is day 10 and I FEEL GREAT! My hunger has returned though. I am so sick of shakes. I swear on day 15 when I move to mushies I will never drink one again. I will eat my protein somehow someway.

I plan to find some in the health food section with less additives.

I was banded 7/5 and my gas pains finally subsided 7/12, so 7 days later? For some reason for me day 5 was the worst and I actually kinda panicked. I thought I was doing so much better than WHAM out of the blue I got the L shoulder pain and under L ribcage pain. I also noticed when I laid on my back in bed it was much worse than laying on my side. It will get better soon.

I am 5 days post-op. Everything has been going well until today. Progressively my abdominal pain has been decreasing. Now today I start with really bad left shoulder pain and pain under left rib cage. I was wondering if I could hear others experiences that may have been similar and possibly hear some positive stories that it goes away soon? It hurts : ( And the pain meds do not seem to touch it.

Hello all, I was banded last Thursday. I drank the shakes two weeks prior or surgery and will drink them two weeks after. I do not like them. They do not feel natural to me. There are ingredients in them that you can't pronounce. I plan to follow the principles of the p10 diet eating plan as soon as I can. Just real food, no artificial sweeteners or preservatives. My question for those of you months out....does anyone feel they get all the Protein they need in without the shakes? It seems like even at all my nutritional counseling classes they focused a lot on shakes, shakes, shakes? Also...how long did it take for your steri strips to fall off? Five days out and mine don't look like they are budging? And I still feel like I need to take the pain meds? I tried not yesterday and just felt like someone punched me in the gut. If all I had to do was lay around that would be fine, but I have a house, two kids, and two dogs to take care of. Today I took them this morning and have been productive? Is this normal? Thanks! Laura

Yes it does. That is why i love these boards. you can speak to people who have "been there done that". Cause as your going through it, hearing that it should get better soon makes i a little easier to handle. My shoulder pain is gone today. Thank god.

Yes it does. That is why i love these boards. you can speak to people who have "been there done that". Cause as your going through it, hearing that it should get better soon makes i a little easier to handle. My shoulder pain is gone today. Thank god.

So my surgery was 5 days ago. I was provided the little med cups to pour my drinks into to make sure I drank slow enough. How long do I need to only drink a tablespoon at a time? I have been having Soup and can finish about 3/4 cup in an hour and a half to two hours? Thanks.

Mine was also the 5th. Props to you for going back to work. Man I don't know if I could have today, desk job or not. The abdominal pain I could handle, but this shoulder pain I can't. I don't want to do anything, yet sitting still doesn't help either, all I do is sit and think about it! I rotate my shoulders, get up and walk, take gas-x, nothing helps. I am going to go get a warm pack. I really hope this is better tomorrow.

I had surgery the same day you did. I have had gas pain since, but for some reason today was the worst. It had me a little concerned. Today is the first day my left shoulder hurt, really bad. It felt like I broke it. It also hurt under my left rib cage. Hope it gets better tomorrow!

Don't have much advise but wanted to let you know I feel your pain. I was posting a similar post while you were. My dr. Allows really thin cream of wheat on the liquid stage. I have been mixing it with milk, a scop of unflavored Protein powder, some Splenda, and a "little" melted butter for flavor. I like it much better than the shakes. Again I make it really thin.

Wow as i am one day post op, that was as awesome post. Thanks fir sharing.

I am two hours post op and my nurse just gave me 3 pills...i thought i was too have liquid pain pills? seriously my nurse is driving.me nuts...i asked her if i had any fluid in my band and she had no idea what i was talking about

So i just got wheeled to my room after surgery..i feel great...my nurse comes in and after telling she didnt think i needed surgery..she says "did you know you will have to come back to this hospital even if you have to have something non lap band related..forever?" This hospital is two hrs away...i have one 15 minutes away from my home. what?! This is the first i have heard this?