MaryRN66

I have to say, I'm a bit nervous about my first fill. I see my surgeon on Wednesday afternoon and I'm hoping he fills it a fair amount as I have been getting hungry lately. I've lost 14 pounds since the surgery 3 weeks ago but am a LONG way from home, baby! LOL! I'm not worried about them injecting the saline into the port, but I am concerned that if it's not enough I'll have to wait another month (I think??) before I can get another fill. What do you long-time bandits have to say?? Thanks, all!

Talked to my doctor and likely scarring of port site and gas pain. Advised I hold off on dairy and lo and behold MUCH better the next day and yesterday when I abstained. Thinking that I might have to work around dairy for a while as I continue to heal. Using a heated pack (old style 'hot Water bottle') at night when I sleep over the left upper quad area works amazingly well too. Thanks for all of the encouragement and support everyone! It helped me to not panic. Mary

Marie, that is incredible and so encouraging to all of us 'newbies' to the world of banding! I am now 9 days post op and still working through the initial discomforts of lap surgery but am already excited and looking forward to my new life without weight holding me back. 40 pounds in 4 months! That is AWESOME!!!!

Kinserj, I am DEFINITELY going to flap my arms and do the chicken Dance! LOL! I was literally laughing at my desk reading your reply but I am willing to do almost anything to help alleviate this discomfort. I called my surgeon - alas he is in surgery most of today so will update once I hear back from him. Thank you all for your replies and encouragement. It makes it easier to deal with and not panic.

I was 'banded' 11/24 - 8 days post op now. My incisional pain is pretty well gone. My tolerance for pain is fairly high but I'm struggling with a pain that is located just under my left rib cage. I'm guessing that this is the lap band placement but it feels like it is pressing against my diaphragm muscle and it hurts when I deep breath in (when the diaphragm expands down into the abdominal cavity). It is also causing me to not be able to sleep more than a few hours at night as this pressure is constant. At first I thought it was the dreaded 'gas pains' and perhaps some of this discomfort is partly due to remaining gas from the lap. However, the discomfort I am experiencing can't be part of my forever life as it's just not tolerable. I am planning on calling my surgeon today but thought I'd ask those who have gone before me - is this NORMAL?? Thanks all.

Awesome!, Ldimples!!! I went back to work today - 1 week post op - and was able to do pretty well except for my dress pants rubbing against my incisions. Did my 30 minutes of treadmill after work and my fitbit logged 10000+ steps for the day. I was hungry today but kept to my program. One day at a time I guess. Really looking forward to getting fill so I am not so hungry. But I think that's at least 5 weeks in the future.

Thank you everyone for your kind replies. Now post-op day 4 and finally things are moving and the pain is lessening. I so appreciate all of your advice. This board has made this lifestyle change so much less scary. HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ALL OF US BANDITS! Mary

Just want to know if this is what others have experienced. the pain is getting better but my tummy looks as if I'm about 6 months pregnant. I am sticking to liquids and really am not hungry at all. In the humble opinion of those that have banded before me, does all of this sound normal? How long until things 'settle down'. Also I have not moved my bowels since the day before surgery even though I've added in Senna-S twice a day. I am passing flatulence but no stool yet. Mary

I just got banded on 11/24 and would like to meet up with others in the same WLS boat. I heard they might have a group at Good Samaritan Hospital but not certain.

I just got banded yesterday (11/24) and was feeling pretty terrific immediately post-op with minimal pain and no n/v. Today different - LOTS of pain and phlegmy feeling remains in my throat due to intubation during surgery. I can't really cough hard because then my belly screams. I know it will dissipate over the next few days but I feel guilty resting again today when I really want to go for a long walk. But I am nervous that if I'm having this much pain I might cause a slippage or aggravate the surgical incision sites by walking today. Any advice?

Same! I had my banding on 11/24 (yesterday) and felt just a small amount of discomfort all day and night. THEN this morning happened and the pain was in full stride! I was hungry yesterday after surgery and ate. Today I have NO appetite but the pain may be a contributing factor. I know the surgeon gave me Dexamethasone during surgery to help with post-op pain and n/v. This is likely what caused me to be hungry yesterday (Dex is a steroid) and what kept the pain at bay. I haven't had the gas pains but am taking Gas-X to prevent. I am drinking my Water allotment. If I'm really not hungry do I need to eat this first week???

As a "Newbie" going to get banded on 11/25, my mantra is: "LET GO OR BE DRAGGED"! I've got SCARS from hanging on to this life long relationship with food so am I ready to let that all go? YOU BETCHA!

Deez, how many days did it take you to get up and moving? Did you have outpatient procedure (I am supposed to go home a few hours post-surgery) or were you required to stay overnight? Thanks! Mary

Can you tell me where to find more information about the support groups at Good Samaritan Hospital? I am getting banded on 11/25 and am scared but EXCITED. Really feel like I'd do better with support especially since I'm not planning on telling many (most) people about my surgical tool. Thanks! Mary

I'm also a ready-to-go bandit! My surgery is 11/25/14. I am 5'2" and 207#. I'm 48 y/o female and ready to end my addiction to sugar, fast food and gulping volumes of food without thinking! I am a self-pay because I am not interested in jumping through HMO rings of fire and wait and wait and wait - that's MY life ticking by, folks! As a RN, I did a lot of research on lap banding and feel it is the absolute right choice for me. My goal is to lose about 80# and I think that's fairly reasonable. Never been big on the exercise but that is what also contributed to a BMI of 41. Diabetes, heart disease, stroke, etc. all run in my immediate family and is in my immediate future if I don't make a change and this is the change I elect. I am getting more excited by the minute and hope to share my journey on this forum with all of you. Surgery is never easy but letting my life fly by without me isn't a cake walk either! I am READY!

Lap surgeries involve filling your abdomen with gas so that the surgeon can visualize everything and perform the surgery. Once you are closed up, the gas tends to stay for about 3-7 days and usually causes pain in the right shoulder and scapula area (your back 'wing' bone). Usually the more you move around, the quicker the gas is supposed to dissipate and, with it, the pain. Not ever having had lap surgery before, it will be interesting to find out the truth to all I've been taught as a nurse, as a patient! Heating pad sounds like a good idea though and I'll be getting one for myself as my surgery is scheduled for 11/25 - yes, two days before Thanksgiving and I'm having all of my kids and their friends over for the holiday! LOL! Talk about being HOPEFUL!! Mary