RestlessMonkey

I you haven't already called your doctor, please call him/her tomorrow!

I'm so sorry; that's one reason I always tell people to START with their insurance! :tongue: Many surgeons have self pay options but if you aren't willing to finance the surgery, I think you may be out of luck until your insurance changes.

The surgeon decides. The Lap Band AP (for advanced platform...the latest version) comes in SMALL (holds 10 cc's) and LARGE (holds 14cc's) and depends on your innards. Some surgeons will let you pick the TYPE of band (realize or Lap band) but if there is a choice of size (old lap bands don't come in sizes, nor does the realize band) they make that call.

Which band did she put in? I have the Lap band APL...(the large one)....

Good luck! I'm sorry about your surgeon; could you maybe get his clinic to send your records? Often surgeons will be more likely to take you on if you have your paperwork...anyway I'll hope someone/something comes through for you!

Most surgeons don't want to take on someone else's patient. That's true anywhere...not just Texas. However since you're in Austin, can't you go back to Mexico for fills? It may not be close but then neither is Amarillo.

NSAIDS (like aspirin) can cause erosion. My doc, however, has said that if I only take them occasionally and am "careful" about it(ample Water, take it when it won't just "sit" in the pouch, etc) that they are ok. SO my advice to you is to check with your banding surgeon. He should be able to give you some tips on how and when to take NSAIDS safely.

You answered your own question. It occurs to me that it was the psych that told you to consider bypass. Why would that be, do you think? So you'd mull it over and be SURE you wanted the band, maybe? Just a thought (not a psychiatrist, but "hip" to their ways LOL) There are (amazes me) a few unfortunate people on here who get rushed through, rubber stamped, and then come to in recovery in HORROR that they have a "THING" in them, etc. Those poor souls should NOT have been banded until they were ready, and they obviously weren't yet!....that's as important as getting the liver ready, your kitchen ready, etc. What's between the ears can make or break the band. So it sounds to me like your docs are just really being thorough, and that's a good thing. I weighed 405 and no one tried to talk me into bypass...but then I'd been mulling the lap band since 2003.

I was told "NO CAFFEINE" and when I asked WHY? I was told "because it is an appetite stimulant to some people". I know that it does not have that effect on me (for some, it's actually an appetite suppresant, doesn't do THAT for me either, darn it! LOL) so I am having my coffee (1 cup) and my iced tea (tons) each day, just fine. Caffeine DOES dilate the blood vessels (one reason they use it in headache remedies) but I don't really understand how that dilatory effect can risk stretching your pouch. In the early days of healing it might be better to avoid caffeine, but once you are a few months post op, well.... I am a firm believer in doing what your doc says, but also believe in "Question Authority". If I were you I'd probably follow his rules until I'd been banded a while, then maybe revisit them. Like I said, I avoided tea and coffee for the first few months. It didn't kill me and may have helped me heal better.

Actually your doc may want you to go have it removed. It's not fun but nothing like what you've already gone through. Good luck! I can't believe that's still there.

Losing weight, age, many factors can cause you to lose your gallbladder. It's no big deal! hair loss...again, it doesn't happen to everyone but when it does, it's no big deal. I lost mine for a while but never needed a wig etc and now it's growing back. (and I didn't have TONS of thick hair to begin with). PB? Some do, some don't. I haven't yet and I'm 6 month's post op. Sounds to me like your husband is reading the negatives and ignoring the positives. Plus he's putting pressure on you to "diet" again. If that worked, more people would be thin. There are several good boods about lap banding that he could read, or if possible, take him with you to a seminar held by your surgeon. The doc, with statistics and "real stories", can set his mind at ease. I'm a FIRM believe in autonomy but when my husband was against it, I had to listen. First, we're a team. If it went south, he'd have "part" of that. Second, he's an RN and has some true horror stories about bypass patients. I told him "bypass is different" but it was the seminar with my surgeon (and my surgeon's many many answers to my husbands questions) that got him on board with it. I think knowledge is the best defense against fear. I just wanted to add, if you're 185 pounds overweight....that your husband may decide not to "support" you in this and get you to cancel. But what will he do when you have developed some of the terrible co-morbidities of obesity? What will he do when you're older and need cardiac surgery? Or if you lose a limb (or an eye) to diabetes? What if your kidneys go, will he tell you he's scared of dialysis? Because obesity IS a disease. We (most of us!) don't CHOOSE to be fat. We don't think "Man I'm only 5'5" and I want to weigh over 400 pounds; won't that be fun?"(that's me by the way, I started out this journey at 405) If we could "fix" it, we would. So I finally figured I could face weight loss surgery now or something scarier and worse on down the road. When I looked at it like that, it was easy to see which one to pick.

Sounds to me like you need to call your doctor fiirst thing tomorrow, or tonight if he has an emergency number. It isn't supposed to hurt like that. When did it start hurting that way?

Just hang in there and follow your doc's instructions. It's hard when you're hungry, but only eat the things he tells you it's ok to eat! (they are all different in their instructions so what's ok for one person may not be ok for you) It will get better. The post op diet is the worst part for many, but it's important so that you heal properly.

We're not docs but most don't mind if we chew Gas X. It's fairly inert and doesn't usually cause reactions etc, it does help break gas up into smaller bubbles so you can pass it more easily!

OK JMS I had to laugh at your hot cocoa comment; for me one is plenty, 2 is too many, so I feel your pain. I hope it resolves very very soon. And seriously a pharmacist can give you something to make you vomit (ipecac for example) but I'm sure you don't want to if you can help it (especially this soon post op!)

I'd toss those pills out (not that that'll help you right now....and you've probablly already done so!) because they obviously won't dissolve to help you any and may be harmful! The problem with killing stuff off that lives inside us is this: We have good bacteria that lives there. Plus, us...our cells etc. You take something that will kill "parasites and other stuff"...it will also kill your good stuff. It's very dangerous. (as an aside that's one reason cancer is hard to treat. What we can do to kill the cancer cells also kills the healthy tissue). I wish I could help you with the vomiting: I'm really not much at it either. Honestly a pharmacist might be able to help you. Good luck! I'm so sorry this happened to you; and why do these things ALWAYS happen when the doc is closed?

What's IN The capsule? Is it something that might be caustic? (for example, you don't want an aspirin hanging around and dissolving) Have you tried warm or hot liquids? If not, give that a shot. AND...it's possible it has dissolved but your stomach is just agitated. I'd give the warm/hot (tea, coffee, Water heated in micro, water with a little lemon) liquid a shot.

If you are following the "rules" by cutting your meat into tiny bites (pencil-eraser sized) and chewing very well (at least 20 times) and not drinking during meals (that can be a double edged sword...washing stuff through or, if something is already at the opening, making you PB) then you are too tight. Have you tried doing just liquids for a day or two, then mushie, then soft, and then trying again with Protein? And when you say meat, do you mean red beef? Remember poultry (chicken, turkey) and fish (tuna, salmon, tilapia) are all Proteins too. Even pork (ham, pork chops, etc)....so try some variety. But chew chew CHEW whatever you select. If it still comes up, get a slight unfill. You are smart to stop this now!

I agree to call your surgeon. You may feel fine but we aren't docs and don't know you or your medical background etc...you're probably ok but it would be up to your surgeon to make that call! And you can be a warning about the dangers of gum! I NEVER swallow my gum and haven't since I was 5 and told by a babysitter that I'd have a gum tree grow in my stomach (I was scared for months! LOL) but know as soon as I started chewing, now that I have the band, i'd swallow it, so I just avoid it. Safest that way.

My post op diet was similar but different...however you're safe to do as your doc orders! The post op diet is for healing more than weight loss (or nutrition, for that matter...) Point is to keep you hydrated and let your band and port sites heal. So if the surgeon, who knows your "innards" (LOL) says you can have full liquids and then soft food, I'd trust him! And LUCKY you!

Rockwell there are also some very good books about banding...you can check on Amazon for titles and of course probably find them locally if you don't want to order and pay shipping etc. I bought a couple and found them very helpful and informative.

Good I thought I'd lost my mind (it does tend to slip away from me now and then and go out on its own!) Anyway regardless I hope Doodle feels better and makes it through bandster hell without any more mishaps! :wink2:

TQuad gave you a good, well thought answer, and I'm with her on this. If you are a volume eater, especially, the band will do wonders for you. You have to decide, though, what's right for you. Just remember that the negatives here are just a small part of the picture...often happy successful bandsters are out living their slimmer healthier lives, rather than posting about how great they are doing....so take this site (pro and con) with a grain of salt, and do what you feel is best for you!

I'm from the school of why suffer if you don't have to. It's not easy just consuming liquids every day but I can't imagine that, for a short time, it will hurt you but call your doc to make sure (because we're all different). The one drawback I can see is if you find it too hard, you may set yourself up for failure post op. You know yourself best. If you think you need the practice (or just want that extra "insurance" for your liver!) and the doc clears you, then good luck!

Who has no sense of humor, me? You're kidding, right? (irony happening here)