RestlessMonkey

YOU too, NM! :biggrin:

Don't ask the nurse, ask the surgeon! LOL I was a nursing student when I had my surgery. My surgeon told me that "most" of the nurses he operates on take a week off. Nursing can be pretty physical. I adjusted that for my state of physical fitness (or lack there of) and figured that since my "clinical" experiences were just 1 day a week, I'd be good to go in about 10 days. So I had my surgery on Friday, was IN CLASS (lecture) on the next Tuesday, and by the NEXT Tuesday was handling my clinical experience (including still being on liquids) just fine. It depends on you, your state of health, how you perceive and tolerate pain, what type of job you do, etc. 6 weeks is too long though. This is laparoscopic and even people who have a tough time post op usually feel better by 3 weeks. It also depends on your surgeon. For example, if they remove the gas they pump into you to spread your organs out, you feel less pain and therefore recovery more quickly. However...not all remove or even TRY to remove it. How skilled your surgeon is, how long it takes him/her to place the band (how long he is in there moving things around, messing with your innards) makes a difference! That's why I say ask him. If it REALLY takes his patients 6 weeks to recover I truly would find another surgeon! But generally 2 weeks is good, unless you have some issues. And that 2nd week you may be "vacationing" more than recovering! :biggrin:

Lazyloops, give it a little more time. Some people take 2-3 weeks to "feel" a fill. You can get onto a fill see saw! Give it at least 3 weeks from your unfill and see how it's going. How much can you eat? Are you losing? What made you think the 4th fill was too tight. Could you handle liquids? Mushies?

I stand (well, I'm sitting) corrected...I didn't know ins. companies count high cholesterol as a comorbidity! That's great! Then, you're golden!

Heynursemelly...I wasn't addressing you! (and I didn't mean that in a snarky "I'm not talking to you" way, but a nice conciliatory "I didn't mean you" way LOL) and I agree 100% that you can't count on the first fill. I was banded 8/29/2008 and FINALLY found "love" on 5/7/2009. That was 7 fills and 1 unfill. It was worth it but it sure took a LONG time! :biggrin: And I'm one who didn't diet because diets make me crazy (well, crazier) I constantly obsess about what I can eat, when, how much, what if I get hungry, etc. One can only sustain that energy for a limited time then it begins to wear thin. It's a personal choice. The point of the band is the portion control. What we do until then, what we do with it, it's up to us. But some of us really are hungry post op. Some of us really are hungry until the band kicks in and does it's thing. All of my fat wasn't caused by head hunger. Some of it, yes. All of it, no.

Trust me. If you aren't swollen post op, and get a band that fits loosely, and don't have a (mean, IMHO LOL) surgeon who fills you during surgery, then the hunger is NOT head hunger, any more than starving people just need to "get over it". Having said that, good for the people who are swollen, who can't eat, for whom just having the band placed does a lot. But don't presume we're all like you. We aren't. And don't think we can't ever tell the the difference between head hunger and true physiologic hunger. We mammals are geared to eat when our bodies tell us to and it is DAMN hard to ignore that survival directive. The good thing about Bandster hell is that eventually it is ends.

Advice about the insurance, or WLS? There are forums on here (scroll down through the forum titles) that cover insurance and you can read/post there for ins info. As to WLS...that is a HUGE umbrella! Do you have specific questions or concerns we can help with? Do you want to know why we chose this route (assuming we did LOL) Do you want to know what life is like with the band, what the surgery is like, what the pre and post op diets generally cover? Read through here and if you can narrow it down a little we'll help you as best we can! Also attending a surgical seminar (or two) is REALLY helpful; many cover the basics including different types of surgeries, their target population, and general statistical outcomes. :biggrin:

I'm not familiar with Kaiser so I can't address them. But with a BMI of 38 and the comorbidity of sleep apnea, you may qualify (I don't think they count BP if it is controlled with medication, and high cholesterol is considered a risk factor, not a medical disease) The best you can do is talk to your PCP and see what she says. Info can be spun, too, remember...so if you and she feel like it is medically indicated for you, you have a good chance. I am not a doc and at my high weight I didn't need to sell anything. You may want to be ready with what diet exercise programs you've tried, and why they (or you) failed to be a long term solution. That's the big thing; why would you need surgery instead of just doing it "on your own". If you are a volume eater then the lap band was made for you, just FYI. Grazers, snackers, emotional eaters either don't do as well or have to really put out the effort (they can be very successful, but that emotional or head hunger must be dealt with and the band doesn't address it). So pondering all that, if you feel the band is your ticket, then be prepared to tell your PCP why you think so. Good luck!

Seriously, go buy some Papaya Enzyme. Mine is the "NOW" brand formulated with cellulase (for veggie matter) and lipase (to emulsify fat) as well as papain (to digest protein) but I'm sure any brand will work. Papain helps break down dead tissue so it won't erode your living stomach/esophagus. And IT WORKS. It's even used medically to debride (removed dead skin from) wounds in some instances. Don't mean to gross you out, just to tell you it does the trick. If something is stuck like that, chew some papaya enzyme and give it about 5 minutes. It has never failed me and saved me from an hour over a sink trying to vomit, or hours of pain. I LOVE that stuff, I'm tempted to buy stock in it! Have some on hand so that the next time something like this happens you won't have to be in misery for hours!

Great! Conservative but flexible. A great trait in a surgeon! :biggrin:

You know, some of this really puzzles me. If you have a small amount of time (like say over a lunch break) to get in, eat, get gone, then yes I can see the trouble. But if, say, you are meeting friends for a social gathering (lunch or dinner) then honestly, who cares how fast you eat? These things, at least in my experience, are generally filled with laughter and lingering over food etc. No one would even notice if I only ate 1/3 of my meal, except maybe to ask if I didn't like it. To which I could say "I've been talking too much" or whatever! A good friend once said "It's about the company, not about the food" so if you're in that kind of situation, well, don't sweat it! If you ARE eating with people who will watch your every bite and comment on what you're eating, how you're eating it etc, then WHY are you with those people anyway? I mean, unless you're 11 and they are your parents.

Good for you! You feel better physically AND you can be smug about it! :biggrin: LOL If asked I always tell people to TRY to sleep in their beds from the first night. For one thing, you still have anesthesia on board (probably) and that helps. AND...the sooner we ACT normally, the sooner we feel normal. Plus, the stretching helps you internally (gentle stretching, nothing vigorous) AND the pressure if you lie on your side, with a pillow bracing, can actually help if you're still bleeding a little. Most are afraid they won't be able to get up but again, with a pillow bracing (and some help!) getting up is no big deal. So for anyone reading this who hasn't had surgery; try it in your own bed from the start, if you have someone to help you up the next am. Take your pain med, brace your torso. That good night's sleep is priceless. :biggrin: And WTG Slumberdream!

I just remember Doug Henning's hair. THAT was mesmerising.

Good luck! :thumbup: I hope they relent and let you try it! :smile2: I KNOW they can't just sit there, truly, because I'd be spitting pills like a machine gun by now! :eek:

I'm glad you told him! I've read so many different doc's reactions; some do x-ray, some just tell patient's to watch it (sometimes sadly there IS a slip) some don't seem to care. :thumbup: You are LUCKY you! :smile2: enjoy, chew well, and good for you telling him. Now you don't have to worry.

I think that obviously some people can take pills without any problems, just like some of us can eat white bread or dry chicken (or whatever). Whether one wants to try it to see which category he/she is in is personal. I am grateful I was told I could take them without crushing etc, and that I can and do take them that way. If you are one who WANTS to just take them, ask your surgeon if you can try it. If you are afraid to risk it, crush 'em. Simple. Obviously though crushing/melting/halving isn't a "must do" for all of us.

Honestly; unless you've fasted before, you're probably just not used to going without food. You have stored fat that is providing your body with energy; and even people who are not overweight can go a good while without nutrition. I'm not a doc, but I'd say you know yourself best. If you are REALLY bad, go to the ER (like the on call doc said) Otherwise, I'd just wait and drink my Protein shake on schedule. I had 7 days of Clear Liquids, weighed 375, am older and shorter (female) and made it through nursing school during that 7 days when all i had was Water and broth. Not being pissy! LOL Just to let you know it can be done and doesn't do harm. If you are really in bad shape, a Protein Drink won't "fix" you. If your body is just rebelling, well, it will get over it and you can have your shake on schedule, if that makes sense? So I would say (again, not a doc, alright?) either go to the ER if you really feel bad, because sh*t happens and something may be going on. If you think your body (and that little voice that convinces us it's rational to cheat on diets etc LOL) is just fussing, wait till tomorrow. Either way just drinking the shake now won't really help. And what will you do when you've had shakes and want food? Important to let your band heal into place! Hope that helps a little...either go to the ER (and you may very well have an issue that requires attention!) or just hang in there, drink more gatorade, have your shake on schedule. Just my two cents; in the end, you need to do what you think is right for you.

Are you diabetic? What time/date was your surgery?

If you have a cold (caused by a virus) you shouldn't be taking the antibiotics. They only work on bacterial infections. If you have congestion they may very well postpone; too dicey for the anesthesia. Since lap band is elective (ie your immediate life doesn't hang in the balance) it's best if they let you heal. Plus you don't want surgery if you have an infection running around internally.

Hope it feels better! Only other thing I can think is do you have any prescription meds (like for blood pressure) you aren't taking right now? I'm sure the on call doc thought of anything I could, and more. :thumbup:

Just DONT cheat on your post op diet. Follow it exactly like your surgeon tells you to. Eating the wrong food too early can cause a slip or other issues. PLUS you'll be able to eat later! Don't obsess about it! :thumbup:

It's an urban myth (lol) that you won't be able to eat once you have your band. I'm having a grilled cheese for dinner tonight in fact. (I'm just eating 1/2 and didn't use any oil or butter, but the point is I can eat it) Last night I had part of a rib eye steak. Some have a food or two they can't eat, some have more issues, and some don't have any trouble. :thumbup: So hang in there; you'll do great! And you'll enjoy food again; just once you have restriction it will be MUCH smaller portions!

Hey Diana! I didn't do anything but reiterate what you said! Call the doc; good you called the doc! :thumbup:

A good "goal" is 64 oz a day minimum of liquid and you look like you're on track for that. You don't really need to worry right now about not getting enough "nutrient". And it's good you called about your numbness! :thumbup:

It sounds like you're on the road then. That's great! Lap band may or may not be for you but until you check it out, you'll never know. And I hope I didn't insult about the hypochondria; it does take all kinds to make the world go round. I just think for some people the band would be more of a worry than a help. In other words, it isn't psychologically suited to everyone. Thank God we're all different. I, for instance, can't imagine ever having the fortitude to get bypass surgery because the thought of having my stomach cut up, sewn up, but left in place, closed and making gastric juices, gives me the heebie jeebies! :thumbup: Best of luck to you!