mom2twins

I have to eat at night or else I wake up after i start gettin ghungry with a horribel pain. the only time i really hurt is when I get hungry adn my sotmach starts to growl

here is a trick to try. when I was a nursing assistant they told us that if you are feeling like throwing up place a cool damp cloth on the back of your neck and breath through your nose. the cool cloth helps calm the nerve endings and when you breath through your nose you can't throw up. I have tried this with my kids and it does seem to help a lot. however it you have something stuck or eat way to much these won't help.

i get muscle twinges under my port. it is almost like being pregnant again but with the movement in a different place. however my port is directly under my waist line. my doctor said this was normal and that your muscles just have to adjust to having it there. mine didn't start hurting until after my first fill and then it does bug me at night and when I sit for a long time. you'll get used to it.

I just had my second fill two weeks ago. It seems like the first week after a fill I am restricted, but by the end of the second week it is almost like I never had the fill. i didn't loose anything the third month of having my band. I got a fill almost two weeks ago and it was really tight the first four days. after that I have been able to eat like i did before the fill, it was the same way with my first fill also. the receptionist told me I was only allowed 6 fills a year with my insurance company so I am worried aobut getting it adjusted again so soon because I dont' want to use them all up and be stuck with a loose band next summer waiting for the calendar to change to get the next fill. just know that you are not alone.

In the begining it is not about not eating it is about healing. as long as you are not hurting after you eat don't worry about it. with the liquid and mushie stages it goes throught the band really easily so you can eat more of that type of stuff but once you move into the soft stages you will feel the difference. When I was on the mushies I felt like I wasn't eating enough because it all went through so easily. keep your spirits up and don't worry about how much for right now, like I said if you are eating enough and not hurting you are doing good. The first time you eat enough that you are hurting for about two hours afterward then you will know when it is too much

I felt the same way at first. The week before I was banded I started looking at it a different way. I wrote out what the doctor suggested for the first 14 days and just shopped for that time period. After that I stopped thinking about what I shouldn't eat and started concentrating on what I was allowed to eat at the stage that I was at. That seems to help me focus on the stage I was at and not get overwhelmed by the whole concept of everything. I had my first fill and had to go back to liquids for a few days. I had put that stage so far behind me that I had to look back at the food list from the surgeon. Just take a deep breath and go one week/ or stage at a time.

I just wanted to say think you to all the others who have posted after they were banded. I read this forum daily while trying to make the decision to have the band or not. I did not get a lot of information from my surgeon, and most of what I have learned has come from this web site of books recommended by the people on here. I did wonderful because I took the advise of the some of the posters that made good suggestions and it made a big difference in my recovery and the lady who had hers done right before me on the same day. Please don't stop helping others like you have helped me.

Once again, Thank You to Everyone and the people who started this web site.

I take the sugar free/ low fat in to consideration, but I look at the whole food label. If the low fat or sugar free has more sodium and carbs then I pick the regular one. I have also noticed that on some of the sugar free and low fat items the protien is cut somtimes by almost half. I go for the overall protien and sodium levels more than the sugar and fat.

I also feel that all of the artifical crap in our food is why more and more people are having trouble with weight and becoming diabetic. Our bodies weren't made for all the chemicals that they use to make food tast like the real thing. just my opnion.

Like everyone has said "every one has a different experience" with their band. I did wonderful and am three weeks post-op. I'm not sure how much of a fill I will get in three weeks. My big thing is that I am not eating as much as I know I probably could. I am so scared of eating too much that I stop very quickly after I start eating. I have however been eating a little more every few days. I will agree that if you don't have a doctor close by for the "unforeseen emergency" it could be a problem. You also said that leaving and coming back was not a problem, however if you are in pain or have something that could affect your health, that is a long plane trip to begin with even if you are healthy. It is your choice when and where you have it done, but why not just have the doctor in Hong do the procedure from the beginning? There are several people who go out of the country to get their band put in place and do follow up with centers here in the states. Just a few things to think about. Have you read the complications section of this site? It did open my eyes to a lot of things I never even thought about before I had the band put in, however I was glad to know what "could go wrong if". Good Luck with your decision.

I am thre weeks post op. I did really good and had very little pain. However I did take my pain meds for three days just to make sure I didn't have any pain. I did walk as much as possible when I woke up and that seemed to help alot. I didn't walk fast or far but I did move. My first walk was only two yards down the street and it took me about an hour. Good luck to you!!

Well, I might let another man pay for the surgery, the insurance company. Lord know we pay them enough over the years and if we can find a way to get them to fork over a little of it go for it. I plan on at least trying once I get under the 'overweight' limit.

Thanks for the input Doc, glad you guys are watching our for us.

With the lack of periods with pcos you can have what they call break through bleeding. It is like the period from hell and makes up for all the missed ones at one time. I even ended up in the ER once because the break through was so bad they thought at first I was having a miscarriage until the counted and my hubby had been deployed to long for it to be that. Can we still take Midol? that was my only saving grace when I did get that time.

My surgeon does do a cath, I don't think they let you keep you panties, but do let them know when you get there or call the day before it never hurts to ask. All they can do is say no and tell you how to keep sanitary during the procedure even with the extra visitor. They don't want any other fluids to deal with either but you have to let them know.

Hammer, first let me say you have done a great job. This web site is a great source for support and information. When my doc first told me I needed the band I went into shock, I had never heard about the band before. My hubby found this web site for me and I became totally engrossed with this site. I sometimes even just sit and read the chat room to pick up info where I can. I haven't found a local suport group and have no real friends here yet (just moved a few months ago from out of state) so this site has been my only source of support. I feel totally comfortable with getting the band next week because I know that no matter what my question or situation the people here will be honest and helpful. Don't give up hope on your band or yourself. You have come to far to let it all go.

If you don't have a fever your chances are good that they will go ahead on Tues. Use your inhalers to help break up the stuff that has settled in your chest and keep you fingers crossed. I am scheduled for Tuesday morning also. We'll have to keep up with each other once we get back to the computers. Good Luck,

Go to the search tab on the forums and put in 'Shopping list' it will bring up a few different threads and then you can find the one you are looking for. I did that a few days ago and read throught them to make my list of supplies before I go in. Good luck,

You will get different stories from several people. If you have talked to the insurance company and know what they expect than the rest is just satisifing the doctors requirements. I would expect that with your BMI and co morbids you should be approved (in my opinion) but it is also not for the doctors office to determine if the insurance company will approve or not. As long as they send the paperwork in then the insurance company will do their part, and you go from there.

the band should have no affect on Water unless it is too tight. Water should go right through after your healing period at first when you just sip all day long. I am thinking of it like I did after I had my kids, I just carried a bottle of water in my bag all the time.

I'm not sure about the sippy cup thing, they say not to use a straw because of the extra air that gets into your stomach. I have 2 days left until I am banded. I have not been told anything specific from my doctor, but from what i have read and gathered from this board the most important things are the Water and Protein. AT least 64 oz of water a day and 60 grams of protein. If I worry about getting thsoe two numbers in then the rest should go ok. The 4 rules from the doctor about life after the band is 1) protein first 2) only three meals a day, no snacking 3) drink 64 ounces of water every day 4) 30 to 45 minutes of exercise everyday. Every doctor has different rules, and every body is different. AS others have posted before you will have to find what works for your body and then stick to that. Just keep reading and researching and you will find what is best for you.

With JJ, Earle, and Josephine you are just to resourceful for me. I'm not sure if I'll stick with the Pita thing or not but will probably come up with something. Hey I call my twin girls Bubba and Jethro since w ehave moved to Texas, so I'm sure that I can find something good. Maybe Bertha, because only guys go and call Ralph, and since I don't plan on ever throwing up again in my life it might be the only time I will call Bertha again.

I had a hard enough time telling my hubby about the band. I have told my kids and his mom, but none of my family. I don't think they would understand and I really don't need the negitive crap that they would send my way. It has been hard telling my kids not to talk about this to any of my family, but since they are all out of twon from where we live that has made it easier. There are several people on this forum that have similiar stories so don't feel that you have to tell them. I do however feel that the people who live in the same house that you live in do need to know so that they can be helpful for you. It would also be very hard to hide this from people in the same house. Outside of that it is up to you who you trust enough to let in on such a personal issue. Good luck to you,

I have named my purse Gurtrude because she is always with me where ever I go. I guess if I picked a name for my band it will be PITA (pain in the a**). I had a dog that I gave this name to years ago, but it might fit again. Plus when I get done I can just say 'my pita is full'. I love the conversations we come up with on this site. I have four days left to get my PITA.

Welcome to the site, don't get to worked up about the approval process, if the deny it at first then you will appeal. If the doctor has the packet put together well then they might approve it first time. Mine was approved within a few hours of being recieved. Now i am just waiting for next week to have the band. Good luck to you!

I had a little girl send an intivation home with my daughter that had a suggest gift list on the invitation. Needless to say she just got a card. I have protested the whole birthday party out do each other thing for the last 9 years. We have a family birthday thing where we go out to dinner, and then (when we had one in town) we would go to the book store and let the girls pick out a nice book. It was fun for them to have the waiters sing to them and then getting to pick out a really good book was enough to make my kids happy. If parents keep setting the bar higher the kids will never grow up to be happy with what they have.

Congrats!! I am a few days behind you (next week). I am getting nervous as well, but did find a pair of shoes that have great soles and just slip on so I won't have to work to put them on (unless my feet swell) to go walking.

Later,