RestlessMonkey

Gas pains are worse if the surgeon can't or won't remove the gas before "closing you up", or can't remove ENOUGH gas. I was quite large and had no problems. Not to be contentious! I'm sure your husband is suffering if he has gas pains because those suckers hurt! I've had gas trapped when I've eaten certain things, but nada post op. The shoulder pain isn't gas...so Gas-x etc won't help it, either....it's from the diaphragm, having it pinched or jostled or just plain discommoded. It's bad, but does go away. Good for you two getting healthy together!

I think you might have hit on something. What attracted me to the band in the first place was "being normal but eating less"...however I've seen a HUGE amount of "diet mentality" here. You MUST do this you MUST do that. Life isn't so absolute, is it? Diets never did work for me, I have to remember not to "go on" one. Thanks for posting this!

It's probably referred pain from your diaphragm. Exercise helps. It also helped me to have someone give my neck and shoulders a quick massage to loosen the tight muscle up there. Rather than heat, ice may help too. It will go away over time as your insides heal! If it doesn't get better by Monday call your doc. The odds of it being an injury from surgery are slim; it CAN happen, but not likely, especially for such a quick surgery as the lap band. And they'd have to really be rough with you (unless you have a pre-existing condition) to dislocate your shoulder. You are limp and they move you into place, so it would be HARD to injure you that way; they'd have to work at it.

It's sad that you are in such an environment! My doc is really pretty balanced and at my 400+ start weight never batted an eye when I chose the band over RNY. I'm so sorry you don't have that kind of support! But 3 years down the road, we bandsters have figures that compete with RNY and other bypass patients, and it is becoming more frequent for RNY patients, several years post op, to get "revision" surgery and get the band. Why? It is adjustable, that's why! It's always good to question yourself, but don't DOUBT yourself! The band has a much much higher rate of success than "dieting", I guess because it isn't dieting. You'll do great at it! :biggrin:

My doctor said most people have no problem with pills. You just need to coordinate with your surgeon and psych doctor. You should be fine. I know some "extended release" pills need to be switched to regular because once you have restriction you kind of have built in extended release, and so on.... your surgeon and doc are better sources of info for your situation!

I don't really understand why the comments they made caused you to "second guess" your decision. They were just saying what scares them about the band. You said what scares you about RNY. ? To me, one of the plusses OF the band is that you can have adjustments throughout your life, as needed. With RNY, you're stuck. Sorry you're upset and by all means talk to your surgeon if you have doubts.

From my research (several books etc) and what my doc tells me, aggressive fills can cause a multitude of problems including esophageal spasms. Some do fill quickly but many prefer to take it more slowly. While some people say it's just to get more money from us (and I'm sure that's true with some doctors), I think most just want us to be very successful. My doctor includes all fills for 1 year for self-pay patients and he takes his time with them, too. I was told before I even GOT the band that it would/could take 4 or more fills and up to 6 months before I really felt restriction. Honestly if you want fast, get bypass. The band is slower, but then it is adjustable. Three years out you can get a fill if you need it. It's a trade off.

Recovery is VERY individual, of course, but I felt good pretty much immediately. The day of the surgery I felt fine! Day 2, I took my prescription pain meds twice, but otherwise, liquid (or pill) tylenol did fine for me for the first 3 days or so. I could drive, I think, at 24 or 48 hours. It depends on the doc; you just need time for anesthesia to clear your system, and you do NOT drive when taking prescription pain meds. I moved around good from the start...a little slow at first, but that passed quickly. A pillow to help brace the surgical sites really helped brace me when standing up or sitting down... Post op eat/drink whatever YOUR surgeon tells you. All post op diets seem to be just a little different so do what your doc finds works best for his/her patient base. I was allowed only clear liquids (water, broth, oh, and water LOL) for the first week. Not even any protein shakes! Hopefully your doc will be a little more lenient!

I think you should share right away...if not with the preop psych, then with one you go to "on the side". I think it's brave to admit those feelings; you need to get some help to deal with them. Once they are under control (and you aren't alone, you know....there is help out there!) then you'd be more likely to be successful with the band! Please talk to someone about those feelings; if not a therapist, then your primary doctor, or a religious leader, if that fits your lifestyle and outlook.

Hey Emilie! How ARE you? I think Dr. C fills pretty slowly...at least he does for me. So I vote go for it! Congrats on your loss, by the way!

Flowers, I was thin for a long time. Honestly, I didn't say I wasn 't treated DIFFERENTLY, I said no one was rude now that I'm "fat". I'm 53 now and treated differently from how I was treated when I was 20, also, but people are generally friendly, outgoing, and just plain nice. At least, in my little world they are! :wink: Seriously no one but one, one time, has ever been nasty or rude to me about my weight. That doesn't mean I think it doesn't happen, because I know it does. About attraction, though, I am short, blond, curly hair, short (but curvy) legs, large "girls". Even when thin, I had those attributes. There were men who liked Long, straight hair, long legs, taller women, etc. I never wasted my time resenting that....people don't have that much control over INITIAL attraction.

I suggest you check with your surgeon for specific medical questions like this....I know flying isn't any problem. Your surgeon would be the "go to" guy for this info, however!

At the hospital prior to discharge they should've told you when you could shower. It depends on your incision sites and what type of dressing is on them. For me, it was 24 hours post op. Don't you have steri strips or something covering your incisions? To feel comfortable while they are braced with, say, a pillow, is common, but you should be able to move around etc without them popping open!

Yes. When I am losing weight I get cold more easily.

I just wanted to add...DONT FEEL STUPID! Goodness we need to "test" our bands some. If you don't, how will you know what you can and cannot eat? I agree that we aren't really "supposed" to eat candy, but you are human. You are over 6 months' post op. That you tried it isn't a bad thing!

I slept on my stomach from the 2nd night post op. Honestlly I did. I know that as we heal from surgery we can develop adhesions and I REALLY didn't want that. I slept in bed on my side (with a pillow to help prop me) night 1, and on my stomach from night 2 on. No pain at all. I did take pain med before bed on night 2, but otherwise, nothing. It was the right choice for me apparently!

My doc was very clear that most of his patients required 4 (or more) fills before feeling restriction, so I expected to not feel any, and I don't. I have had 2 fills so far, 3 cc's, and nada. If you're in doubt, ask your doc....

They probably really think they ARE helping. Until they've "walked in your shoes" they can't know how UN helpful they are really being! Just stand firm. I'd say "I appreciate your concern but I've thought long and hard about this and feel it's the best course for me. It would be great if you could support me in this". or something like that.... Hang in there!

I think they are a waste of money! Use portion control and divide out your own... my surgeon says NO Snacks anyway! I know they aren't all that strict, but he is.

My doc says 15 min before, during, and 15 min after eating. Each doc is different. What I've never heard is what Jachut does...eat and drink together if you want. That's a big no no, as far as I know.

I think maybe some therapy might help you put it all in perspective. Personally I think people often get back what they put out there. I'm HUGE and honest-to-god can only tell you ONE time in my adult life when someone was openly rude to me because of my weight. I'm 53. That's a LOT of interactions where people have been nice, gracious, even friendly. I guess I don't have the "us and them" mentality. I have an "all of us" outlook....everyone has issues they cope with. So I can't identify with your anger and rage but do have my own things I've had to grapple with. A therapist can really help you get over it, or plot a revolution.

I don't know your doctor or situation but can tell you many surgeons have really tight schedules. Depending on how late you arrived it's possible someone was waiting for him elsewhere. If you ALWAYS felt used, maybe he wasn't the right choice for you. If not, probably if you'd been on time (depending on how late you were) you would've gotten the service you expect. AND if you didn't want a fill, why didn't you speak up? I agree 2 weeks is early but not all surgeons/docs feel that way. If they'd tried to do a fill on me at 2 weeks I'd have said "Uh. what?" Sorry you're unhappy, no one deserves poor treatment. But if they treated you like this before surgery I'm shocked you didn't switch surgeons.

I think you need the help of a therapist. Kudos to you for admitting you turn to liquor. Get help NOW! That's not uncommon (one of the things a good psych eval is supposed to catch) and something that you can "fix" before it gets to be a huge problem! Your surgeon should be able to help you find a good therapist if you don't know of one. A good one can help you work miracles.

I'm exercising. HOWEVER I have absolutely NO restriction (3 cc in a 14 cc band) and can (and do) eat like I did pre-band. I'd feel bad about it but, hey, the reason I GOT the band was because on "diets" (like WW, which has a great program) I'd get hungry. I STILL get hungry, and I will until I have restriction and that wonderful little "pouch". I am not dieting because that doesn't work for me. If I COULD diet (and stick w/it) I wouldn't have ever had the surgery. So...I guess what I'm saying is I DO exercise now. I TRY not to snack but I get truly hungry (yes, after 11 months of behavioral therapy, I know the emotional stuff from the true physiological stuff)...I figure once I have restriction things will click into place. That's what my doc tells me, anyway!

Just wanted to tell you, by all means do your preop 10 days if you want to, but what you gain in the hospital is just from the gas and fluids they pump into you, and it comes back off within a week. It's important that you follow, to the letter, what your surgeon tells you to do. BUT that other 5 days are your choice entirely. Personally I wouldn't voluntarily drink only liquids 5 days before Christmsas unless I HAD to, but then something got me to 400 pounds LOL Here's a ticker tutorial, also.... http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f5/ticker-tutorial-pictures-41782/