lisacaron

Congratulations on your weight loss and thanks for sharing. I wish you all the best in your upcoming surgeries!

Hope you're doing better. All the advice given sounds right on the money. Give your surgeon a call and let them know what's going on with you. Worst case scenario could be that you have caught a tummy virus

Sounds like you have an awful lot going on my friend. Let me just say that your worries are justified. In having this surgery you are making a change to your life. One that you are requesting. Unlike the Cancer you have had to endure (I applaud you for being a survivor and wanting to make this change to better your health and your life.) this is not something that is happening to you without your permission. You are asking to have this surgery. You are going through all the steps necessary to have this surgery. It is going to be YOU who must commit to this life style change, and it's not really something you can schedule into your day it IS your day. From the day of the surgery and every day after it is what your life must be about it takes that kind of commitment. Are you able to reschedule the Disney trip? If not you may really want to consider rescheduling the surgery date and enjoy the trip with the family. I know you say that it will never happen because of all that you have going on, but is that really true? If you want this, then you will make the time when it's right for you. When you can take the time to prepare for it and heal from it and begin to live it every day. You can go on the pre-op diet starting now and try to lose some weight so your clothes feel better on you, and then enjoy your vacation with your family. Come back and then make the time for YOU. Not for the husband and the kids, they are important. I know I have them, (five of them!) plus the older sick parents and in-laws that need to be taken care of in and out of hospitals as well as the full time 12 hour a day job. This surgery is something you are doing for YOU. So take some time think about it again, and if you can try not to jam it into the schedule. Rather carve out some time that is just for YOU. Where the focus is all about you, your surgery and your life. Your family will love you all the more for it. Best of luck in your journey!

Sorry you are having some issues, they don't sound like a lot of fun. I haven't had any of those issues with my band so far and it sounds like it just might help you out to have the band placed. Some advice, since you are having these other issues maybe you can work your way around your insurance company to help you pay for the surgery….? You're not a failure, and all those other diets and methods weren't failures either they were stepping stones on your journey. They taught you much, and have brought you to where you are today. Best of luck for the future!

The best advice is to really speak with your surgeon and be honest with him/her. Putting off surgery for a week or even a month is better than risking your life. You have waited this long, so be honest with yourself and your surgeon and see what he thinks is best. Either way please try to follow the rules that are given to you. They do so for a reason. Everyone has a different BMI and co-morbidities that might dictate the amount of liver fat we need to lose prior to surgery. Some of us need a longer pre-op diet than others, and that is not a bad thing. During surgery your liver is lifted up and if it is coated in fat, it makes it slippery and heavier and makes the surgery that much more dangerous. So take care of yourself and follow the Dr.'s instructions to a healthier and you. Best of luck.

You are in the pre-op phase so you could incorporate cereal and vegetables with no harm as you have not yet been banded. Once you are banded you will want to stay with liquid only and not add anything solid until the doctor advises. Best of luck with your surgery.

Oddly enough one day at the hospital I saw a pamphlet for a surgical ring that is placed in a similar place to the band, and the ring is designed for people with sever GERD and acid reflux. Here is some of the material I pulled offline. Magnetic Sphincter Augmentation for GERD In this procedure, rather than using the body's own tissue to create a stronger gastroesophageal sphincter, a ring of miniature metal beads is inserted around the sphincter to add extra pressure. A surgeon needs to make only a small laparoscopic incision. He or she then wraps a series of magnetic beads, in the shape of a bracelet, around the bottom of the esophagus. The device, known as the LINX Reflux Management System, is sized to fit each patient. Once it is in place, magnetic attraction keeps the beads together and helps it to keep the gastroesophageal sphincter closed. The valve can still open while swallowing food or belching. Because the procedure is so minimally invasive, it is considered outpatient surgery, and most people can return to a normal diet the following day. I wonder if your Dr. is thinking the band might work the same way for you? Still I think you made a very wise decision to cancel and get more information. Best wishes to you! http://www.fda.gov/MedicalDevices/ProductsandMedicalProcedures/DeviceApprovalsandClearances/Recently-ApprovedDevices/ucm300790.htm

You're not eating anything solid right now, so you're going to be running to the bathroom a bit more. I know right after surgery that was happening for me. Be careful not to dehydrate, and once you start on some solid foods you will feel much better.

Right Back at ya! Not trying to rush my life away but I’m ready to file this week.

Ah Vent away you are amoung friends here!

Also try some ice on the site and try sipping some decaf tea no milk or creamer. That sometimes helps. Another good way to get fluid in is in the form of ice pops they help a bit with internal swelling as well. Feel better!

There are so many things you can eat even on the mushy phase of the diet. Just blend them up or mash them up till they are soft. If you have to add a bit of sauce to things to mush them up, but be careful how much you use. I love Turkey chilli mushed up in the blender. It has a great taste and it's not a bad consistancy. Try not to stress out your band by eating solid foods until your ready. That is why you have that feeling in your chest. You are probably still swollen inside from surgery and solid food is not ready to pass through the opening in the band just yet. It is possible to also be eating too much if the food is not passing through the band it's just sitting there above it and causing you to feel uncomfortable. Look for some recipies online for the mushys, and good luck you will make it through sooner then you know it.

The plication of the stomach is similar to the gastric sleeve surgery only it is done without staples and it is done without removal of any portion of the stomach. The stomach is instead folded in on itself and then stitched in place. The purpose is to make the stomach smaller so that food that is passed through the band and into the stomach is there for a shorter period of time before moving onward to the intestine, and so that the stomach portion is filled up with that much less and hunger is there for reduced. It also helps to stimulate certain hormones in the digestive system similar to that of the gastric sleeve again without the removal of the stomach or the staple line. This is in the investigation phase right not and has not become the standard for operations as yet. They are still collecting data on patients. I hope this helps. I have been banded with stomach plication, and while I still need fills in my band the increased digestion I have with the plication is why I chose to add it to my surgery.

Very sad that so called professionals act so UN professionally toward their patients. There are some Dr.'s that I think forgot that they are there to HELP other's and not make them feel badly. Do no harm isn't that part of the oath that they take? His words are tantamount to bullying and it's wrong plain and simple. You are a strong person, and I'm glad that you were able to take his comments in stride and not let it derail you from your weight loss efforts.

Yes I have not in the port area but the incision right under that had that issue. For me it was closed up and pretty well healed causing an infection to brew up in that pocket. I caught it right away because the area was tender and hot to the touch. I covered it with triple antibiotic cream and it burst and started to drain. It took a few days for it to clear but nothing else had to be done to it. The wound closed up and everything was good. Keep an eye on the area and how you are feeling and how the area around the port. If it starts to feel warm or hot give the Doc a call.

I just had my second fill today, and I do feel some restriction with it. I did not feel that with my first fill. Though this time I forgot to ask how much they put in the band, but it feels good so far. I'd like to know if anyone out there has an answer to your question as well. The PA I spoke to today told me there are some people that come in and don't need anything put in the band at all and then there are some that have up to 9CC's in the band before they reach that "green zone". I'd like to know what other's experiences are.

All of you ladies look great! More importantly I hope you are all feeling great!

Right before my surgery I was thinking about 101 things at once. I'm glad that everything worked out and you were given the go ahead. Sometimes the littlest things can cause our white blood count to rise. A bruise a cut or a scrape or even a little cold. Don't worry. The Dr. cleared you and soon we will see you on the banded side! Take care of yourself and wish you the best with the surgery.

Only on the first fill they took out all the primer Fluid and then put that back plus a fill and the second fill they just added more fluid. Good point on the tattoo. I can understand everything shifting after weight loss might have to rethink that idea

The lapband made by Allergan comes in sizes: APS 0-10 CC and APL 0-14CC There are several ports that can be placed with these bands the typical port is the standard profile port (14.7mm). The REALIZE band by Johnson & Johnson is a wider band at (23 mm) with fill levels of 9CC or REALIZE band C at 11CC but the band itself is one size fits all. Depending on the Surgeon you have and the product/s they use, it is determined at the time of surgery the size of the band you will need to work best with your anatomy. Good luck in your journey.

I find it funny that they have to poke and push so much to find the port when I can feel my port just fine. Maybe it's different when you're lying down? They should just put a tattoo in that spot when they do the surgery so that they know just where to put the needle for fills and withdrawls. Just a little beauty mark so they can find the port site without all the poking and pushing

Hi Brittany, I have just had my second fill today. I am on liquids for the next two days and then on to mushy and then finally back to regular meals. I don't feel badly about it. I actually look at it as a fresh start. Gives my band a chance to settle in after the filling and my stomach a chance to accept the change. I think it also helps my metabolism get a kick start in the right direction. For me it's kind of like resetting the gauge on the gas tank after a fill up. See how far you can get on this tank of gas. Maybe this will be the one that takes me where I want to go, and maybe I might have to stop for another fill along the way before I get there. Try not to look at it as a restriction or a punishment. It's just a way to help you find that perfect balance you need to help your band work the best for you. Make sure you are eating enough Protein in your diet. Have something every other hour or so and you won't feel sluggish and weak. Also remember to hydrate, that can also make you feel sluggish if you are dehydrated. Soon you'll be back on regular foods, and your tummy will thank you for the chance to get used to the band change.

That's great! I worry about not being able to fit in my skin! I don't mind the clothes, I have a lot of various sizes of things over the years of Yo-yo dieting and I'm grateful for that. Now I just buy things I can tailor or are adjustable. I don't want to spend any significant amount on new clothes until I am closer to my goal weight and I still have a lot to lose. I have a few friends who have lost weight, and some of them in extreme ways and their faces have just sunk I and they are so wrinkly. My husband says it's because they are lacking in nutrition and he's probably right. That was why I chose the lap band vs. the other surgeries I don't want to look like a prune Enjoy that back to school shopping and pick up a few items for Mom too!! You all deserve it!

You can do it!! You will be amazed at how much weight you will lose in just the pre-op diet phase if you work through it. What worked for me was eating something/drinking something every other hour so I was never "hungry". I would start at 9 then have something again at 11 then at 1;3;5;7;9:00. You can have Protein shakes, Greek yogurt (Chobani with fruit is high in protein, low in sugar and the most protein for the calories) sugar free pudding made with fat free milk. No sugar ice pops, fudge pops (those are great for after surgery also!) Healthy Choice Soups are great as well low sodium. Sometimes I would also add a small salad at dinner if I really needed something extra. If you keep your hunger at bay and don't go too long between you will find it's not so bad and you get into a routine that will really help you after surgery as well. Best of luck!

PT is right you are not out of control. If I read your post right you just had surgery? If that's true then you need some time to heal, and you might even find a bit of a weight gain from all the fluids and swelling from surgery. Everybody and every person's experience is different. My husband and I were banded in the same week, we have gone through all the phases together. Today at our Dr. visit I needed a fill and he did not. I lost weight and this month he maintained. Everyone has their own rate of healing and weight loss. The key is to find what works for you, and work it. Don't feel discouraged and try not to beat yourself up, just be honest with yourself and you will soon find those pounds melting away and your health getting better every day. Best of luck to you.