twiggysmiff

I've not been itchy, but I have to say that I read the subject and thought it said, "Is anybody BITCHY?" I was about to reply, "Yes, but that has nothing to do with the band!" LOL

In response to the REAL topic...have you tried taking a little benedryl to see if that helps the itch? If it is an allergy to something, that may help the reaction.

Have you been testing for metabolic disorders like thyroid, etc? I've heard that stress can cause you to have cortisol build up and that causes weight gain. There is also some disorder caused by a tumor on the pituitary gland. What theories does your doctor have???

I'm a 4th grade teacher in a local elementary school.

Start soft and introduce one new food at a time. That way you know what food causes the problem, should you have one! Good luck!

Congrats on your weight loss!

I lost a lot of weight my first two weeks post-op and since those two weeks I lose 1-3 lbs a week. I have not scheduled my first fill, and I do not plan on scheduling one until I stop losing weight. I can eat more than I thought I would be able to eat, but that is still about 1/4 of what I used to eat! So all is good. If I eat too much I feel SUPER full and have a little pain. So I really try to portion everything out so that I do not overdo.

Now I just need to get on the exercise band wagon! I am going this weekend to buy a treadmill so I can just get moving! I know exercise is part of successful weight loss.

I hope you all have a great weekend!

I need to get on the exercise bandwagon too. I've been waiting for some of the soreness to go away from the surgery. I wanted to start walking around the block as an ease into the exercise thing, but I live in KY and you may have seen the news reports about that major ice/snow storm that hit this week. I've been snowed in all week and no one can go anywhere. It would be life threatening to walk the block now...fall on ice, get hit by falling ice from the trees/houses, car skidding up on the sidewalk...too risky for me. Now we're set for another snow storm on Monday-Wednesday. I'll never get out of the house again!!!

I'm glad you got yourself unfilled, for both of your sake's. Question though...why did you go to a doctor 4 hours away? Is that the only one available in the area or just the best one with most experience?

Heather....did you go to your doctor or ER? I keep waiting for an update...I hope that you are OK!

Thanks. :thumbup: I'm definitely working in that direction. I'm down to only a few sips while I eat right now. I guess my body has to get used to producing enough saliva for my food now. :scared: It is getting easier every day and I know I'll get there!!!

FOR ME, I cannot take the stuck feeling. I get anxiety ridden and start to panic....and in MY OPINION, this is what they want. They want a level of UNCOMFORTABILITY so that you walk away from eating. Most people are ok with this, I am not.

PLEASE...be more forceful with your NP and doctor. You are not supposed to feel stuck all the time like this. I felt this way for 2 days following my surgery and it gave me horrible panic attacks because I thought that I was choking. It finally went away. I may be new, but I know this is not an OK feeling to have. If they can't fix it, this WOULD be a medical issue and something that would cause them to remove the band. Have they done a test to make sure your band is placed correctly? This part of your whole story has me the most upset. No one should expect you to feel this way every day and every time that you eat!!!!! Remember...your doctors work for YOU!

My doctor said stop 5 minutes before I eat and 20-30 minutes after eating and I do find that hard. I'm still learning and I do find myself taking tiny sips of Water as I eat still. Its a LOT less than I used to and I'm weaning myself away from it.

Well, I'm thrilled. I just got on the scale and I've lost 13 pounds since my surgery on 1/14. I'm now at 269....do you know how long it has been since I have seen the 260's range??!!??! My highest was 294 before I began my pre-op diet. 25 pounds!! Woo-Hoo! Now, I'm not under any illusions because I know that this weight loss will slow down, but I'm enjoying this while it lasts. I do wonder though...how long until the post op swelling goes down enough to know how much, if any restriction, is the band and not the swelling. The doctor said my band is really snug and I'm feeling restriction, but I don't know if it is the band or just the swelling or a little of both. I'm only eating a fraction of what I used to. Any thoughts?

OK...here's a practical question...where do you spit it, if you spit it out? I mean, either you swallow, you stop and it makes a mess you have to clean up before you can sleep, or you get out of bed and run to the bathroom to spit it out......

Well..it's been 7 months since my surgery and I have lost NO POUNDS! Nothing, nada. I was banded on june 30th, 2008 in Buffalo, ny. Now, let me say this before I start, I do NOT excercise, or very little anyway. Go ahead and judge me if you want, but I lack energy all the time. I have trouble sleeping (not related to lapband) and am drained all the time.

Now that I have said that, I should still be losing. I am filled almost 6 cc's on a 10 cc band. I can barely get stuff down and PB all the time. I am eating 30% of what I used to eat..so why am I not losing SOMETHING?

Here is what NOBODY tells you before you have th surgery and I feel a little lied to. Haven't we all been told that we will eat normally but just "feel full faster"?? Well, that's what I was told over and over and over again. THAT's A LIE! You DON"T feel full...you feel like something is stuck in your chest and that's how you lose weight! You're supposed to walk away from the table with the "stuck" feeling and work through it for the next couple hours until you can eat again. My last visit for a fill, the NP actually told that to me. It all made sense b/c I either drink a tbsp of liquid to get it "unstuck" or it ends up coming up on it's own, and then I can eat. If I wait until I'm "full" i can eat way too much.

If I could go back and reverse this I would b/c that's not what I signed up for. That stuck feeling makes me feel anxious and like I can't breathe...

Anyone else understand this?

And please, no haters...thanks

I'm only two weeks in, but the doctor said I would probably feel some restriction because my 10 cc band is "quite snug". I am only eating about 1/3 of what I normally would and I don't feel something stuck in my throat. I really do feel "full". I'm still learning to stop eating when I'm not hungry anymore and I will feel "stuffed" afterward, but the feeling is no different to me than pre-band when I gorged on huge amounts of food. The only difference is that I feel this after eating some veggie Soup. Have you talked to your doctor about this feeling? Something sounds wrong somewhere if you constantly feel like you are choking. Maybe someone else on here has had a similar experience and can help.

I am a teacher and I told all of my coworkers about it. I have been very open about the situation and I have gotten a TON of support. My school even sent me flowers the day after surgery! My principal had gastric bypass 4 years ago and has been open with her journey as well, so it really paved the way for me to do it as well. I am always a pretty open person though and it really is a personal decision on who to tell and who not to. There is no right or wrong way to do it. It's just what you feel comfortable with.

I'm so sorry that you are feeling this way. I am brand new to this process, so I don't yet have much to offer in the way of advice. All I can say is to talk to your doctor, maybe get a fill and listen to the more seasoned posters on this board. I think you knew what they were going to say before they said it, so I really think you don't want to give up. You just wanted some cheerleading. Well, rah rah rah!!! Keep it up and I wish you the best of luck!!!

Hi-congrats on your surgery. Since you just had the surgery Jan 16 not even two weeks yet--are you not suppose to be on just clear liquids for 3 weeks then after first appointment gradually start soft foods? I had lap band surgery Nov. 12th 2008 and this is how my surgeon did it. That may be why you are having so much discomfort--check with your doctor. Good luck to you!

Every doctor is different. I had my surgery on Jan 14 and my doctor only required 2 days of clear liquids, then 3-4 days of full liquids. A week after surgery, I was allowed to add mashed potatoes, scrambled eggs, etc. Now, I'm able to eat Pasta, bread, rice, tuna, fish......I can only eat about a cup of food right now which is amazing to me. I have to learn to stop when I'm not hungry instead of waiting for my old signal of full (stuffed). It's definitely a learning curve.

I got banded on January 14th. I lost 20 lbs in my pre op diet 2 weeks before surgery. I lost 8 lbs in the 9 days following surgery, but since then, I have stalled.

I'm not eating anything but Clear Liquids and sugar free carnation instant breakfast 3 times a day (as instructed by my dr).

I haven't gained any weight, but i haven't lost any in 4 days. Which i now find unusual. Is this normal? Does it change after a fill? Kind of frustrating that it was dropping soooo fast and now nothing.

My dr is expecting me to lose 15-20 lbs in the next 4 weeks.... and I have no idea how to get there.

Any help/insight would be appreciated. I can't use my eliptical yet to help things along because it makes my tummy jiggle and that hurts where my stitches are. I was hoping to sneak in a bunch of exercise before the 6 week wait period was over. That is clearly not happening yet.

I was also banded on Jan 14 and my weight loss has stalled as well. I lost 12 pounds after surgery, then gained 2 of it back and the scale has been going up and down those 2 pounds for the last 3 days. I thought it was because my doctor has allowed me to move on to SOME solid foods (I can eat cooked veggies and fresh fruits now and tuna, Pasta, rice, etc) I thought that since I wasn't on the liquid diet and my calories had increased, I was not losing anymore. Perhaps it is normal to stop for a while while your body adjusts. My doctor did not tell me to lose weight during this time. He said he expected some just through the nature of going through surgery and the diet, but not to focus on that because this is a time for healing. After I start getting fills, I will then focus on weight loss.

Good luck to you!

I asked my doctor about this and he said that it should be fine if we vomit with a stomach bug. He said usually these bugs are quick and you wouldn't be throwing up long enough to damage the band. Of course, he said there is always a risk when you vomit and if we ever have any doubt, to call him. Honestly, if we get a stomach bug, we probably shouldn't worry because we can't do anything about the stomach bug. Just be aware of any feelings you have from the band that are unusual and call the doctor.

Out of curiosity, how much time goes by between when you swallow and when you feel the food getting stuck? I'm just beginning solid foods and was wondering how long I need to worry before I know I'm safe. :confused:

not true.

insurance qualifications vary - there is no set template. also a BMI over 30 puts you in the obese category - if 50lbs is all you have to lose to get to a normal weight, so what. because there are dr's that would like to prevent an obese person from getting MO or SMO, does not make him/her unethical in the least. he/she is trying to stop the bleeding before it gets worse in my opinion.

Thanks for clarifying. When I was researching the band, the information that I found always talked about the 100 lb overweight, BMI over 35 with comorbidities and over 40 without. I didn't know that different insurances had different requirements since mine followed this exact guideline. (Of course, I just realized in MY OP that I said "less than 35 or 40" instead of "greater than 35 or 40"...whoops). I do agree that insurances should do something before it gets this bad. However, for the original post of this thread, I'm still not sure his/her heart is into it and I'm not sure of their committment level...

:thumbdown: I am starting to get totally confused. I had surgery 1/14/09 and was given a packet of information regarding post-op diet. I also had to attended two seminars and one long meeting with a dietitian concerning post-op diet. All of the info I recieved has me already on soft food, but I keep reading people being on a full liquid diet for almost a month. I have followed my doctors plan to the "T", but now am wondering if the info he gave me was the best. I saw him on Monday and he told me that by the weekend I would be able to eat almost anything I wanted but don't. To eat healthy and small portions and to chew my food really really well. He said that I wouldn't have any restrictions, because he didn't place any Fluid in my band due to swelling. I have my first fill on 2/16. I have the realize band, which I think is 10cc, does any of that make a difference on why I was not put on liquids for a month?? I just want to make the best decisions even if they are counterdicting to me doctor. Any advice would be appreciated!!

I would suggest that you follow YOUR doctor's advice and not pay attention to anything else. You will find that there are about as many diet plans on here as there are doctors. Yes, it can be confusing, but you should trust that your doctor knows what he/she is doing. Look at their success record. If they have a lot of successful outcomes, they must know what they are doing. My doctor also has allowed solid foods MUCH faster than some people on here, but they have a failure and complication rate of less than 1 percent. They MUST be doing something right!

IWBS

I don't have an answer for you but I've been wondering th same kind of thing. I've got one thing left, waiting for recommendation ltr from my pcp, so I haven't wanted to call the insurance company till they get my packet from the surgeon. My surgeon's office sai I have a $350.00 deductable and $1,000 max out of pocket. I've been wondering if that means my surgery will cost $1,350 cheap compared to self pay but still a lot at one time.

I had to pay $300 for a program fee to the bariatric center for nutrition, phsyc and program support. That was not detailed as medical bills usually are the reciept just says $300 to Norton Health Care I've also been wondering about submitting that to insurance to see if it can be applied to my max out of pocket.

I'll be watching your thread to see responses....thank for asking

I had to pay a $500 program fee and was told by my doctor's office that it couldn't be applied to the out of pocket because it wasn't a medical fee. It was for online support, support groups, nutrition counseling, etc.

Hey guys, I am posting this in Post Op since I have already had the surgery.

When I went to the original seminar they said that any co payments that you were responsible for would be due at the time of surgery.

My max out of pocket expence is 1500 (down from 3000 last year). So, I figured this would be my final cost since my insurance covers 80%.

Well, when my surgeon sent my prior bill it was only $400.00. So, I am wondering...Is this all I am going to pay, or is someone going to bill me. If there is more to come, when should I expect it, and who will it come from??? Insurance, Surgeon, hospital???

My insurance is BC in California...

Thanks guys!

I had to pay $1500 total out of pocket costs and it was all due before I had the surgery because it was considered elective. I had to get a medical loan to pay for it. I would imagine that you will get bills from the hospital and anesthesiologist in addition to the doctor bill.

I thought it will do all the work actually but thanks .. sorry for the stupid questions but my doctor is so popular down here he does like 4 a day so he didn't have time to give me details YA .. he just gave me the plan .. 4 weeks liquids .. 4 weeks kinda solid .. my question is when do I get the fill ? He told me in 2 months but I think thats too long .. I just need to drop 40lb ..

I thought you had to be at least 100 pounds overweight to even qualify for the band. You say you already lost 10 and only need to lose 40, so that would only be 50. What was your BMI? Comorbidities? Your BMI needs to be less than 35 if you have medical conditions, less than 40 if you don't. I find it horrible that your doctor did not advise you, but on the other hand, as an adult with access to a computer, you really would have been better off if you had spent hours on the computer researching the band and life after the band. The fact that he didn't have time to give you the details doesn't excuse YOU from the responsibility of researching for yourself. I'm not trying to be rude or mean, but I'm being blunt. The band is only a tool and you still have to work to succeed. It's not a "magic wand" that will instantly work.

I was on liquids for a week but then I just couldn't handle it anymore and started eating real food .. Im just 198LB and lost 10 pounds since the surgery .. am I harming my self by eating when i'm not suppose to ? because I thought since I'm not that obese I could eat until my next fill :thumbup: .. because I know if the thing doesn't get tighten I would never lose weight .. please help

Always follow your doctor's diet plan after surgery. Some doctors allow you to begin eating this early, but some do not. Your doctor has these in place for a reason and you chose your doctor because you trusted yourself to his/her care. You need to call your doctor and let them know that you've been eating so that he/she can advise you. You don't want to mess up your stitches and end up with a slip 6 months down the road because you didn't heal properly.