Lynn B

Hi Bandayed, You are using Dr. Schnieder right? You are going to be so thrilled. I am 6 weeks post op now and have not had a single problem. I go for a fill with Dr. Jones in 1.5 weeks. Sit back and enjoy - the hospital staff is wonderfull and that fist sip of CIB on day two is like heaven. Beware of the clear stuff they make you drink before the floroscopy (it is nasty so get it down quick) the barium is yummy compared to the clear stuff. They have a patient solarium that is a nice place to wheel your IV to and do a little reading. Good luck - update us when you return.

Hi all, I was just prescribed some antibiotics for a UTI and they are huge. I have been crushing them (OK'd by the DR) but I am having trouble finding something to mix the powder into that doesn't make me gag. I have tried Peanut Butter (the best so far but at 2x a day for 7 days thats a lot of extra calories), Jello and apple sauce. The pills are really bitter and I feel ill for about a half hour after getting the stuff down. Any advise would be appreciated!! Thanks,

Awsome - Your bandday will be here before your know it!

Dont crush it!!! Unless you enjoy the most bitter - nasty tasting stuff ever invented. I went to the PCP for a UTI at the end of last week and asked for a pill that was crushable or a liquid. I got the big white horse pill and crushed it. Mixed it with Peanut Butter and that wasn't bad but I have to take these 2x a day for 7 days so that was out just on calories. Next I tried Jello - dont do this - it just sticks to the outside and gets worse. I tried applesauce and one pill contaminated 4oz of applesauce to the point where it was almost not edible. I switch to the pill cutter and I cut them in half and in half again and again until they are small enough to go down but not powdery. I have been doing this for 3 days and have not had any problems yet. Good luck,

Well here is a funny flip to the coin - at my DR's office I kept running into another patient - we were on the same time schedule so we hung out and attended some meetings together. I was getting the band and she lap RNY. I told her the RNY was to drastic for me - I couldn't stand the thought of having my insides cut up and re arranged. She didn't want the band because she got the same feeling about having a foriegn object implanted in her. To each his own - I'm happy - she's happy so everything is good (different) but good. I would not bash anyone elses choice and I would expect the same from them.

Thanks for all the great ideas - remind me to never get sick again - yuck!

Cool, I didn't think of that. Its thick enough and maybe the sweet will counteract the bitter of the pill. Thanks a bunch (I have some instant stuff in the kitchen I can whip up for tomorrow) Yay!

Hi, one of the majority here. Welcome to the site. So what does that average out to like 60-70 women for every man. Now guys be honest - is that every mans dream or every mans nightmare

Cissy - another bandster getting it done!! Your stats are great - keep up the good work!

OK so I am one month post op today - boy how time just goes flitting by. I thought I would post my info just to share - feel free to post your also if you would like <TABLE cellSpacing=0 align=center border=8> <TBODY><TR><TD>Weights and Measures<TD>275<TD>266<TD>-9</TD></TR> <TR><TD>Parts<TD>9/11/05<TD>10/11/05<TD>Difference</TD></TR> <TR><TD>Bust<TD>49<TD>48<TD>-1</TD></TR> <TR><TD>Waist<TD>45<TD>43.5<TD>-1.5</TD></TR> <TR><TD>Hips<TD>56.5<TD>53<TD>-3.5</TD></TR> <TR><TD>Bicep<TD>19/19<TD>18.5/18.5<TD>-1</TD></TR> <TR><TD>Thigh<TD>31.5/31.5<TD>31/30.5<TD>-1.5</TD></TR> <TR><TD>Calf<TD>22/23<TD>21.5/22<TD>-1.5</TD></TR> <TR><TD>Ankle<TD>12/12<TD>12/11.75<TD>-.25</TD></TR> <TR><TD>Wrist<TD>7.5/7.5<TD>7/7<TD>-1</TD></TR> </TABLE>

Hope you wear glasses cause it looks like you could poke an eye out trying to drink from a glass with its own weapon. Thanks for the mystery!

I can see IT in the bathroom mirror if I lift and twist but hubby keeps track of it for me so I don't look often. Shaving BAD .. stubble and ingrowns .. owwww. Dont even get me started about the waxing incident!

Keri - AWESOME - you are kicking butt!

Thank you all for your support. I got the idea to take measurement from people on this site. I also took front/back/side pics but I cant see a big difference in them yet (my hubby does though) My only recomendation when taking pics is to take them in the same spot every time and mark when the camera needs to be. My afters are from a slightly different angle and the camera was closer to me so there is a size difference just between the actual photos - makes it a little harder to compare.

Go to the ER for IV fluids if you must - dont get dehydrated. I wasn't allowed to drink anything for almost a full 24 hours after my surgery (I was on IV fluids), so enough of the swelling had gone down that when I started drinking everything went down fine. Maybe your doctor roughed you up a bit inside and caused some extra swelling (I would hate to think he put a band on you that was to small - do you know what size band you have?). I would push for some help/resolution from the doctor - recovering from surgery is hard enough with out extra problems. Good luck,

Laura - My port location is not hard but it was placed right at my waistband so after a full day of sitting and standing at work (having my pants bump my port on the way up - press against it while I'm sitting - and bump it on the way up) I am pretty sore. I hope that yours resolves itself and you feel better soon.

My expierience was the same as Michaelann's and my doctor gave me the same reasons for doing them at different times. He also said that the trocar placement for the band is not ideal for removing the gallbladder (gallbladder is on the right, stomach on the left). I didn't need to postpone my band date. They got me in for the gallbladder the very next week and had my band done 3 1/2 weeks later. Everything has gone fine. Good luck,

Hi, at the bottom of my siggy there is a link to page that contains all of the most common board terms in use - Look for "Do you want to know what PB means?". Hope this helps,

Just in need of some clarification - are you saying that these doctors are re-using "disposable" Trocars? I guess the easiest way around that is to find out if your surgeon uses (used) disposable trocars instead of stainless steel (which can be autoclaved very effectively). I would probably limit myself to a surgeon that could afford to buy the real tools. JMO. DeLarla - I know that you have had a rough go of it and I hope things get better for you soon.

Laura - don't panic until you talk to the doc. I am 4 weeks out and the port site is still sore, even more near the end of the day from sitting and stretching and just living life. Navel piercing are totally different than your port. I have several "skin" piercing (when the jewelry goes through skin only not cartilage) and was told that eventually in some people the body rejects the foreign object and will slowly push the jewelry out. Your port is sewed to muscle under you skin so it shouldn't react the same as a piercing - this does not mean that you cant reject the port but your not at any higher risk than the rest of us. Good luck at the docs - keep us posted,

step away from the scale before someone gets hurt! are you coming upon that time of the month? I will stall or gain right before and when its over whoosh I drop right back down. I have been a bit of scale junkie lately and have noticed that I can fluctuate up to 5 lbs in a day - don't let it get you down. I saw someone post that 16 oz of Water weighs over 1lb so that water weight (or if you have been drinking a lot during the day) can really get you. Good luck,

Buyers remorse - ROFLMA. I woke up in recovery and thought "Oh no, what I have done" and then fell right back to sleep. I was fine the next time I woke up - so I do think it happens to us all even if it is only a brief moment. I would check on the 0 calorie thing - that is no way to help your body heal. For me day 5 was the turning point and by day 10 I could get out of bed on my own (nothing like being home alone and realizing that you can't sit up or roll over and you are trapped in your waterbed!) This to shall pass and every day gets better than the one before. Good luck,

My doctor recomends no pregnancy for 2 years. I have a 13 and 15 year old and have no plans to ever get preggers again. Hubby had the snip snip and would be very unhappy if I did! But from what I have read the band does not interfere with pregnancy or visa versa.

My port location is also more sore in the evening - probably all the reaching and bending through out the day that does it. I had my 3 week check up last monday and asked the doctor if all the bending and streching (reaching for things) would hurt anything inside and he said that once my incisions are healed (which they are quite nicely) that I should not worry about hurting anything inside with normal physical activity. He did state that because I now have a lump of hard plastic in me that if I lay on it while exercising or lean against it that it is going to hurt - after all it is a lump of hard plastic. So I think this evening soreness is normal and as long as your incisions are healed well you should be fine to. If it eases your mind call the doc and ask him - that's what we pay them the big bucks for. Hope your pain free soon!

2 weeks here but I had to keep his weight off of my stomach - I think someone else mentioned missionary but with him kneeling. My doc recommends 6 weeks but hey I'm only human.