DanaKat

Just wanted opinions of how often is too much? For example, once a day? Once a week? I got a fill on Tuesday and have had a couple of episodes of sliming since so I think I need smaller bites for myself personally.

Gas X strips have become my best friend since surgery for sure!

I am 2.5 months post op, I've lost about 40 lbs and lots of inches. Overall it is the single best decision I have made for my health.

The issue I have has now occurred 7 times. Out of nowhere I am awakened or simply feel it coming on when I am awake. It starts as a dull pain on the left side near the port area. Just that area not the port at all. The pain intensifies over a 30 minute time period and I get cold sweats and feel like I'm having what I would think a heart attack feels like. I'm nauseated, out of breathe and just cry because it hurts so much. My lower back aches and so I figured it had to be gas after the second time.

So I make myself jog in place or walk circles around my house (it always happens at night) and my hubby will do chopsticks across my back if I ask. I always feel wiped out when it's over. I asked my doc about it and he asked what I was eating...so now I really watch what I ate because (laugh if you must) the first 2 times I had had Beans. So no more Beans but it keeps happening and it's just 30 minutes of hell. I mainly want to know if anyone has had similar thing happen to them. By the way - it just happened so I decided to ask. Thanks

My meds did not come with any documentation and I only heard from the pharmacy one time. When they called and explained briefly the creams, approximate delivery date and of course the cost of meds.

The gurgles drive me nuts!

I realize in the beginning after surgery we are all gassy. My husband (God love him) now says I fart louder than anyone he's ever heard and he wants to know if this is the new normal in our house. I have 2 friends who have the band and one said yes and the other says no. My hubby doesn't care if this is forever because at 45 he still giggles at farts. I'm almost month post-op. Thanks for any input regarding one's output (his joke he wanted included with the question)

Same place but Dr. Smith also with True Results

Ok thanks. It doesn't bother me I was just curious.

A slight indentation where the port incision is? If so does it eventually heal flat? Hope this makes sense.

I agree with justwatchme! Call the dr. It's a long weekend. I had my first fill two days ago. Yesterday around the port area it felt like I had done too any crunches. Today that's gone and no pain or discomfort at all. Good luck!

Do you think it's just because of the injection? Just curious, I have my first fill next Tuesday and not sure what to expect, although I realize everyone is different.

I'm not sure if this was answered already, but where are you from? Doesn't FMLA protect you against getting laid off? Or, maybe it wouldn't even be worth the fight anyway. :-(

I'm in Dallas/Fort Worth area. I didn't take FMLA because I wasn't out of the office very long.

How awful! Love the use of his terrible pun there. I'm sorry! I will probably be fired from my job soon as well...

I really hope you don't lose your job also. Hang in there!

Wow,, just wow...I can't believe he said that after your surgery. I bet something better is in the cards for you. Look at it as an opportunity for a great change. You will be changing inside and out as it is...here's to the new you!!!

He is a jerk plain and simple. I KNOW something has got to be better than that place. I'm feeling better, a lil' more confident (I'm 15 days post op) and ready for a change. Thanks for the nice words! I appreciate it!

Luckily my supervisor was nice and extended my insurance thru the end of September. After that I will jump on my hubby's policy. They promised to give a good recommendation to my next potential employer. I found out today that they flat out fired 2 others there so I guess I was lucky!

I was told a long time ago that every good employee has been fired/laid off at one time or other in their life. It is very hard to know that despite your own good work ethics, etc that some pig of a boss has the right to just up and let you go at a will. But unfortunately that is exactly what they can do. I worked for a company for 13 years and along comes a new supervisor that decided he wanted his 'own' team and so just 'eliminated my position.' How convenient. He could not fire me because I had received "exceeds" in all 13 years of job performance evaluations. At the age of 60 I knew finding a new job would be hard. So, I looked at all of this differently and decided that losing my job and taking early retirement was actually a blessing in disguise. The stress and very long hours and never ending travel was definitely not providing quality of life. So now, 1 year after the layoff, I am a new and happier person! I know you may not be able to follow my same path due to age and financial status, but you can take this time (while on unemployment comp) to evaluate your own quality of life and let your own job dismissal be more of an opportunity to look for something better for you. Guess you could call it looking for the silver lining in something that otherwise would be a negative experience. As another poster mentioned, internally thank that pig of a boss for opening your horizons and to enable you to look for something better!

I plan too! Thanks for all the well wishes from all of you. I'm over the shock and anger and plan to have a nice holiday week and hit the pavement next week.

I get my first fill next Tuesday and I'm hoping that doesn't slow my job hunting down.

I would never take a pill if I didn't know exactly what it was. And I think it might even be illegal for a pharmacy to give you a bottle of pills without more description of the contents.[/QUOT

I quit taking them and I thought it was illegal as well. A mutual friends father is a pharmacist local where I am and he's told me to hold them for the next time I see him so he'll check it for me. Happy to do so!

I did ask about other positions and he said they had nowhere to move me. I have filed for unemployment - actually that was the first thing I did when I got home. The owner who laid me off knew the exact surgery I had because my supervisor told him. I did not want her to but she did anyways. My supervisor was visibly upset with it all but I have a feeling she did not stick up for me. Texas is a right to work state and they can layoff or fire anyone they chose. I was angry yesterday but not so much today. It wasn't a healthy environment and the morale was getting worse. The owner should be thinking about trimming the fat around his massive stomach honestly

I agree with that logic! I've lost enough now to feel more confident that I used to so I think making another major change in my life just might be exactly what I did right now. I have severance luckily but I just wasn't expecting that to happen.

Unbelievable! This happened yesterday - The owner comments what a rough surgery and asks how I'm feeling acting like he gives a crap. Come to find out while I was recovering they realize the new software going live in 2 weeks will do all of my job. I was shocked then he says "yea we gotta trim the fat around here".

Guess me and my new self will find a better place to work. Sorry had to rant.

Dallas/Fort Worth

While You Were sleeping So I'm sorry to be too graphic here but remember, someone filled your body cavity full of gas, they pumped fluids, medications, antibiotics and anesthesia into your body. They punched 5 holes in your abdomen, moved all your inner body parts around, shoved a tube down your throat, took an electric scalpel and burned away excess fat and tissue wrapped around your upper stomach, then wrapped a plastic strap around your stomach just below the lower esophogeal sphincter, stitched it in place with 5-6 sutures bringing your lower stomach up and over the band and then snaked a tube out of your body and then sewed another plastic piece to the muscle tissue on your rib cage. Now, thinking about all that has been done to your body, you're doing quite well aren't you?

Best summary yet! Thanks I'm 3 weeks out and was feeling like the OP was.

Good evening all,

I was banded 8/12/14 and prior to my surgery I attended a nutrition class hosted by my surgeons office. I was told I would get 5 prescriptions delivered to my house prior to the surgery. I received a nausea cream, painful scar therapy cream, 2 bottles of scar therapy gel, adjustment cream and metabolic supplements.

The mail order pharmacy called and told me to write down instructions for each prescription which I did. Although they only said the supplements would jump start my metabolism for the weight loss. I have been taking these for a week and the side effects kinda stink to be polite. My pill bottle has no name, ingredients, manufacturer, or capsule identifier which normal pharmacies like CVS have to describe the pill color etc on the label. The capsules are green and white with nothing on them so I can check on WebMD etc.

I asked the Physicians Asst last week when I went and showed him the pills and bottle. He said oh they are fine. Has anyone else taken anything like this per their surgeon? I live in DFW.

For the record...I'm now 8 days out and not a peep. I can, however, feel the band (I think) when I lay on my side in bed. I would definitely check with the physician.

I saw my doc yesterday and everything is fine. He has patients who have observed the same as myself and he just said we are in tune with our bands. Nothing wrong with my band and I finally got progressed to the next diet phase which includes real food finally!

Hi Keith,

I hadn't had the bad pains in my shoulder area like others until recently. It's odd how this gas moves around the body!

I'm glad you wrote because I looked at my bio because I was thinking have I lost that much weight? Anyways, I had a huge blunder. My start weight was off 10 lbs - and otherwise I would not have known. But so far what I have lost is due to the pre-op diet and I suppose the post-op now too.

I am having a hard time hitting my Protein and drinking enough fluids. I think I am bored silly with my choices and tired of liquids but what other choice is there. You aren't nosy - my coworkers are

I wish you much success too!

It is amazing that after 7 days I actually feel good. Last night was the first night that I have slept the entire night comfortably!

I am a notorious side sleeper and have been able to sleep on the opposite port side for a little bit but I woke this morning on the port side (with a pillow mind you) and the pain was so very minimal. My first day back to work was yesterday and I must admit I was miserable with sitting upright all day, walking the stairs continually and getting "the look" all day because my office can't keep to themselves and stay out of my business. I came home yesterday tired, cranky, nauseated and hurting from gas pains. My hubby did some karate chops up and down my back for about 20 minutes (I highly recommend this to help move that gas) and I think that contributed to my wondersleep. I just wanted all the new bandsters out there to know that it will get better and the pain will subside.