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Things seem much better today (Monday) than they have before. Today is one week since surgery, and I can finally drink an 8 ounce Carnation instant breakfast in under an hour. I'm still not well enough to return to work, maybe in a couple of days.

I'm about a week out, and still feel awful. I haven't been hungry since the operation, and force myself to drink for my own health. I am averaging about 1.5 carnation Protein enhanced 8 ounce drinks a day. Trying to bring that up to 2. Did anyone else lose appetite, and have difficulty downing the Protein Drinks in sufficient number?

When I woke up I was groggy and in pain. Sometimes it happens. For me, everything else has failed, my hope is this will work. There is no choice but to go forward and hope for the best.

I was and continue to be terrified of general anesthesia, at the same time, that is how this procedure is done. I don't feel qualified to tell the doctor how to do his work. The nice part was once I got to the operating room, the lights went out, than came back on almost instantly. When they came on, I was certainly hurting.

I started taking all my meds whole, except prenate vitamin and calcium which are chewable, two days after surgery. They've always gone down.

When I google, the following turns up at a Medicare site: Certain bariatric surgery procedures for treatment of co-morbidities associated with morbid obesity are considered reasonable and necessary under the Social Security Act (Section1862(a)(1)(A)) if the following conditions are satisfied: 1. The Medicare beneficiary: Has a body-mass index (BMI) > 35, Has at least one co-morbidity related to obesity (such as diabetes or hypertension), and Has been previously unsuccessful with medical treatment for obesity. 2. The Procedure is performed in an approved facility listed at Bariatric Surgery on the CMS website.

My post op guide says to wait 6 weeks before resuming rigorous exercise. It does suggest walking. Did you get any post-op instructions?

The hospital bed mattress was awful. It was the same mattress used for any patient, it wasn't one designed for those who are obese. It caused me such back pain, that despite being in pain, at times I sat in a chair and slept sitting. I'd suggest you inquire about patient comfort, and consider an extra comfortable mattress for your obese patients.

I think a post in this thread is very correct. Many of us who are very obese, have stretched stomachs. This makes it almost impossible to feel full, without consuming a lot of stuff. Either we are always hungry, denying ourselves food, or we overeat and our diet fails. When I was banded, and woke up, after being placed in my room I tried to drink just 3 sips of bottled Water. I felt as if I was more stuffed than after any holiday dinner of my life. The feeling of fullness lasted for quite some time, and I realized my large stomach, stretched for whatever reason would have prevented me from losing significant amounts of weight. I'm still starting, having just been banded, but I do not have the appetite prior to the banding. It is much easier to feel full. This makes it much easier to eat less and feel good about it. My fear was of having a small stomach, and being hungry, essentially having a void that could not be filled. So far with the band, it has become a very easy to fill void. I wish there was a measurement of stomach to body weight and potential to weight loss to help people realize if they can loose weight. I think if they had more science down, and could demonstrate the advantage of banding or other weight loss surgery, more people would consider it. Whatever you decide, ultimately, it is your life, and your life experience. God bless you and good luck making your decision.

I was in the hospital a bit over a day longer than expected due to a complication from the surgery. I think with surgery its always an individual experience. My recovery has been rougher than I anticipated, but is within reason in my opinion.

I had nausea for a few days after surgery, and didn't want to drink much. Fortunately for most of that time I was on an IV feed. My banding is recent, and is slowly subsiding. When I first tried, I could manage 3 small sips before feeling bloated to the point of being very ill. After coming home, on the 2nd night, I either didn't count sips, or took larger sips of some vegetable juice, and wound up in pain and vomiting. Drinking small in small quantity often seems to help, that and pain medicine. I still have occasional general nausea, and it will get worse if too much is consumed too quickly. It is amazing how quickly I feel filled after drinking almost nothing. Everyone will have their own unique experience. I wouldn't let the experience of a single individual, turn me away from this very helpful surgery.

I recently was banded. Its too early to tell if my band will lead to magnificent weight loss or not, though there are some things I'd do differently. My plan was to be off for one week. I had some minor complications, and had an extra day in the hospital. Instead of an overnight, it turned into two nights and the better part of the 3rd day. Being home now for about a week, there is no way I'm up to working full time next week. I'm going to have to be out sick for at least a few days. My caution to you wouldn't be to expect a two week non-work period, but rather to anticipate that it is possible you won't be able to or want to work for up to two weeks. Each surgery has its own life, ups and downs, making it difficult to predict how things will turn out. My suggestion is try to prepare as long as you can reasonably have off after surgery, in case you need extra time. My pain is slowly subsiding, but too slow for my taste. Not fast enough for the allotted time I took off from work.

I've recently been banded, and am very fat. Medical and lifestyle issues were my motivations. I never felt motivated by a number on the scale. I do not know how many CC my band will hold, I have no goal weight. I have no idea how many CC my doctor should put in for my first fill. Instead I want my medical complications from obesity to subside, and to have being fat be less of a lifestyle obstacle for me. The lap band is intended to be of help to me in seeking this relief. So many here seem very focused on numbers, on targets and deadlines. Is it OK on this forum to not be worried about exact numbers, or not to have a goal weight?