mrsto

Never mind......just realized that you asked if he filled the BAND at surgery. Duh! I'm not thinking straight today. I'm feeling very overwhelmed by it all.

Thank you :-) I'm just having a day of it. In reading these forums & all the issues, I can't help but wonder if this is just the beginning of many issues to come. I SO want to be one of the people who have had a pretty smooth ride, and don't want continual trips to the operating room to fix, correct, etc. I'm just.....a little nervous.

I guess because I know several people who had their gallbladders taken out; all of who had zero issues afterward. My feeling was that it was no more serious than a tonsillectomy. And it seemed to be a no big deal to the surgeon, but surgeons in general tend to be cowboys. Between the lap band and plication, I just hope nothing is completely stressed inside. My intention NEVER was to fix one issue, while creating others. If the cholecystectomy is what's causing this, and it's temporary, then I'm okay with it. But if this is the tip of the iceberg with ongoing band issues, I'm done. I want to lose weight, but I won't sell the rest of my health to do so.

Not sure.....what is a fill? I had lap band with plication, my gallbladder removed, and a hiatal hernia repair. I think he did something to help with GERD as well, but that may have been part of the hernia repair.

I'm 18 days out and having severe heartburn and reflux. Today I thought I might be having a heart attack, but chewed some Tums & felt a little better. Still some chest pain, but not as severe. I'm a little confused by this, because he was supposed to fix the reflux issue when repairing the hernia, etc. Though I'm taking the Pepcid twice a day, I still get a bad sore throat after eating (from reflux), and today was slammed with heartburn......something I've never had. Has anyone had this issue? I called my doctor's office & they want me to come in tomorrow morning. The nurse told me that it's not normal with the procedure I had, and the doctor wants to see me. Now I'm nervous. I just hope this isn't a precursor to another surgery, because I'm telling you.....if it is, I'm getting the WHOLE thing reversed. I'm not up for this sh-t. I'm just.....not. Needless to say, not having a very good day

Speaking of bras, has anyone had issues with regular bras after surgery? They seems to sit on the upper part of where either the band is, or where they did the hernia repair. I can't quite tell WHY I want to rip the thing off my body, but sometimes it's REALLY bothersome. I hope it's temporary from surgery, because lets face it.......my hippie days are SO over - LOL! Yes.....I'm dating myself

YES - we both can do it!! I think a big part of my issue yesterday, was not planning my food well. Letting too much time pass without eating something that will keep my blood sugar stable, is a setup for a binge. My binge last night was an extra cup of low fat cottage cheese. If this was "pre-band", that scenario would have been more like 1200 calories in one sitting

Nioxin is a great product! I haven't lost any hair (yet), but a few years back I started shedding, and Nioxin saved me. As a matter of fact, thank you Marci....for mentioning it. I think I'll switch back to it now, to hopefully avoid any loss since being banded. Famous1 - you might also want to pick up a product called Biosil. You can get it at a health food store. It's different from Biotin, but between the two, you should see a difference. Here is a link. It comes in capsules or liquid drops. http://www.gnc.com/p...oductId=4022428

Did you try a sporting goods store near where you live? That's where I bought mine.

I would call your doctor. I read this same thing on another post, it to me, it doesn't sound normal.

Missy - thanks for the link. Excellent info!

I understand your fear.....SO sorry you're going through this. Please keep us updated.

Wow, my doc didn't want to see me for a few weeks. I went the Friday after the surgery, but that was just a post-op class. At the 4 week mark I'll see the nurse. They certainly all do it differently!

Yesterday, my food day wasn't planned very well. I had to be at a client most of the day, and figured a Protein shake would cover me until dinner. By the time I got home I was famished! I ended up having close to 1200 calories for the day, which felt like a lot. Only being 18 days out, I like to keep the intake between 800-1000. But I had to REMIND myself that 1200 calories is still a weight loss number. I just didn't like the out of control feeling I had when eating. Like nothing was going to fill me up. Thank God for the plication!

I like the idea of smaller fills more often, until reaching "the zone". I'd much rather move slowly toward that place, then have too much, be miserable, and have to have an un-fill. I used to dive in head first with everything. Over time (and age) I've learned to take smaller steps. It saves a lot of pain and misery along the way! LOL

Yeah, I'm with ya. I'm on smooth/soft mushy foods, and I don't feel that "stop" quite so quickly. I think if it wasn't for the plication, I'd be struggling worse than I am. Monday I can bump up to the next level, which allows white fish, shellfish, chicken and ground turkey/beef & sliced deli meats. Once that type of Protein is in the mix, I'll be MUCH better off! Then, on 4/25, I can add toasted bread, corn tortillas, quinoa & couscous. I think at the 4 week mark, there will be enough dense protein rich food to keep me satiated (happy).

Would LOVE to get a fill three weeks out, but I know that won't happen. My first post-op appointment doesn't happen for one month after surgery, and I'm sure they won't do it then. I'll probably have to schedule it for another time. I think I'll call their office today & find out how it works. I'm guessing the answer will be that it depends on how quickly I heal from surgery.

Thanks everyone. I figured 4-6 weeks, but I'm hoping for 4

GREAT idea to do the interim pictures! The changes are clear, and it's great for motivation. You're definitely shrinking

I'm guessing that every doctor is a little different, but what is the average amount of weeks after surgery, before the first fill? Right now I'm not aware of much restriction, and it's annoying. I guess I'm in bandster hell - LOL.

I agree with Lose100, it's flirting with disaster. Your friend is still practicing her disease, and a big part of WLS is to retrain our habits away from sick behavior. YES......I think chewing food & spitting it out is sick behavior. I'm not saying that I haven't had some of my OWN sick behaviors, but after going through the ordeal of WLS, I would hope that the goal is to find other healthier ways to deal with the compulsion. NOT easy!!

My suggestion is to ask your doctor how much out of pocket it would be to add plication to a new band. Since plication is still investigational, it seems doctors aren't charging a tremendous amount to do it. I know "tremendous" is different for everyone, but it may be a better option over removing 3/4 of your stomach permanently. Plication makes your stomach the same size as the sleeve, without any permanent revisions. My biggest concern and fear on the sleeve, is the possibility of leakage from the staples. There are so many, and if they do leak, the hospital stay can be 4-6 weeks. VERY dangerous. If you are seriously considering that procedure, do your homework, and leave no stone unturned. There are many who have had great success, but as with all of these procedures, it's best to go in knowing all the pros & cons.

Did your doctor repair a hiatal hernia while you were under? That's pretty common, and can cause additional pain. FYI - I could barely breathe when I woke up from surgery. And it lasted for several days. It got better and better, but it was rougher than I expected. You are so fresh out of the gate.....give yourself TIME. It will get better. If you have prescription pain meds from your doctor, don't be afraid to use them. As for the drinking.....drink tiny sips often. Little by little you will get the fluids in. Just be diligent about consistency. It's a re-training, which I'm also struggling with a bit. I'm 17 days out, and it's been a bit of a roller coaster ride. But it's WAAAY better than even a week ago.

OY!!

Maybe some day your "friend" will come forth & discuss her feelings. But I agree with all of the above.......keep moving forward, and focus on the positive and ALL the people in your world that are supportive. I'm guessing there are more of them, then ones that snub you because of your choice to have WLS. I've been pretty open with my friends on my surgery. I have one friend that I don't talk with often, but we've been friends since high school (40 years). On the next phone call to catch up, I don't think I will tell her. She tends to be pretty harsh when it comes to various things; things people struggle with. I'm afraid that she will have the "why couldn't you get your sh-t together without going to extremes" attitude. Well, I don't want to hear it! I have PLENTY of support from my immediate friends and family, and knowing who she is, I will avoid this little tidbit of info.