sman342

Side sleeping won't damage the port. Personally, I felt a pulling on the port when I slept on my side because my stomach fat shifts with gravity. You could prop a pillow against your tummy as you sleep so your stomach fat doesn't droop so low, less strain on abdomen.

No. It did not flip. I have an indentation around incision area too. It's because the incision is a scar that is slightly tighter than rest of skin. As a result, the belly skin around it puffs like normal - the scar doesn't, creating an indentation/pucker. I expressed concerns to my doc's PA at 1 week visit and she was unphased by the scenarios I asked that could cause port damage (i.e. car accident). She said she's only seen it once and it is rare. Sleep position won't flip it bc its sutured into the muscle.

Depending on your line of work, you should be able to go back to work July 6 and have the weekend again to rest. As far as Dr appointments, it depends on your practice's protocol. One week after surgery - post-op follow-up with PA One month after that - first fill and nutritionist appointment

My doctor had me discontinue the pill at least 2 months prior to surgery due to risk of blood clots (surgery is a risk factor AND BC pills are a separate factor as well). I was told more than once to WATCH OUT because our fertility increases exponentially as we lose weight. When I saw my Ob/Gyn before surgery, we discussed Mirena. It's an IUD and I just need to schedule for that. Might want to consider that.

I am surrounded by friends and family who I did NOT tell. I think because the banding weigh loss is subtle - you can get away with it. It's a personal decision. As long as you can come up with a good alibi of where you'll be overnight, you are golden. Once you are home, you can manage most activities to avoid being obviously in recovery. Where was I overnight? Went to visit friend out of town, spa, shopping, dinner. Why can't I lift over 10 pounds? Oh, hurt my back. Why can't the kids jump on me? Oh, hurt my stomach exercising. Why can't I meet you for family dinner? (That was the tricky one.) we'll meet you after for coffee.

My doctor didnt even require a pre-op diet. I gained 5 pounds from pre-op appt to surgery date and no one even expressed concern. My dr did say my liver was enlarged after the surgery and that surgery was a good option given the liver condition. So - my point is - some doctors, center of excellence dr.s - don't even require what yours did and all goes fine. Best wishes.

Thank you. This what I needed to hear. Someone without a horror story!

Thanks to all who replied. The big take away is the reminder that this is the healing period not the losing period; restriction comes from fills not the surgery; and real weight loss is 1-2 pounds. I became so scared last night after reading about a poster who had to have band removed because it grew into the stomach, the various people who have been rehospitalized, some poster who had holes in her tube. I panicked about what seems likely to happen, the complications. I just wanted to hear a nice story about reasonable weight loss that positively affected someone without a rehospitalization or horror story.

It's funny bc I don't feel any signs of having had surgery 2 weeks ago and so I failed to see that the healing is on the inside. Thanks for the reminder. I couldn't watch the operation on YouTube until after surgery and it made me want to be gentle on the pouch.

Thank you for sharing as you are right. I didnt take away that the first weeks are not to lose but to heal. Thanks!

Exactly what I needed. Thanks!

30 pounds since April - I think you are having very good results especially w/o a fill! Thanks for your post.

My guess is that the exclusion is "obesity related services" so fills are not likely to be covered. You can get the fill medical code from your DR and find out if insurance covers it. I think my fills will cost $150-200. I havent had one yet but am also a self pay. Insurance has covered my other visits but they weren't directly related to gastric banding (physician physical, psych eval).

I was banded on 6/14/12. I lost 12 in first 10 days. Would you believe I (maybe) lost a pound this week. I am freaking out. I've been preoccupied and cranky. I don't feel restriction. I exercised 4 times this week. I am on soft diet (3 meals 1/2 cup & 2 protein shakes). What is happening? It seems like NOTHING is happening! I need encouragement. Please humor me.

Thanks Shauna. I appreciate the support.

I felt same way when I found that my new insurance didn't cover obesity related surgery. What a blow. I decided to pay for it myself. It's not cheap but neither is an overweight lifestyle either. My friend likened it to a nose job she had - you'll have this investment your whole life. But yet we pay for cars and housing and they have a "shelf life" but are much more expensive....one way to think/justify it!

What kind of hernia? I imagine this repair will compound recovery. However, I was surprised at the difficulty I had breathing after surgery. It hurt! My doc said that a liver retractor is used (that is the incision at 12 o'clcok) and that accounts for the difficulty on inhalation. I am 2 weeks out (surgery 6/14/12) and feeling MUCh better. I can bend over easily without surgical pain. No breathing issues after first week.

You most likely won't NEED that much time off. Take it if you want it. I'd save for something fun like a shopping trip when pounds start droppin' like their hot!!!

About that 16 pounds..... Congrats Ronnievee My 10 day/2 week was 12 pounds. I'm tickled. I haven't lost a pound in 4 days and I just started soft diet and getting what, maybe 800-900 calories? But I am going to tell you what I am telling myself..... The gastric band is not known for the rapid weight loss. The liquid diet is what made me lose 12 pounds in 2 weeks.

Tomorrow will be two weeks out from surgery. I was banded on the day after my 43rd birthday. I was disappointed because Endo - Ethicon (Realize manufacturer) discontinued its' website. I just found this forum today. But here's the rub - does anyone have anything nice to say about the gastric band? One poster said they were getting gastric sleeve w/o thought to GB because soon we'll see lawyers on TV advertising to litigate for lap-band problems. WTF!!! I'm in a bit of a panic.

My nutitionist said that the gummies would not provide me enough of what I need post op. I did find a chewable formulated for band. Here's where I bought them on amazon. I bought my protein powder here too but my hospital pharmacy carried the powder (unjury) $4 cheaper. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003M6RWBO/ref=oh_details_o01_s00_i01

Ronnie - I too thought the surgery was a going to be a slam dunk. I was surprised by incision site pain because I expected i'd be up and at 'em right away. I didn't tell anyone about my surgery, even my kids, so I was able to hide my discomfort. No gas pains either but my jaw killed because of way my head was tilted for intubation - I have small airway. I got banded on 6/14/2012 so I think we'll be seeing alot of each other on the boards.

Everything I have been told is to limit caffeine to 1 cup a day. You may have decaf. I stopped coffee just before my surgery. Went through a 2 day head ache and don't plan on returning to it. I used coffee (with way too much flavored cream) as a way not to eat Breakfast but just ended up eating more later. I am sure someone will post that they had adverse effects; someone else will say none - because it's a unique experience for every band patient.