RestlessMonkey

The only other thing...are you maybe eating later? When was your last fill? Because; if you got a fill recently and have dinner within a few hours of bed time (or have a snack) that may be a big part of your problem. Just guessing here! Hopefully the liquids will help you calm things back down!

Yes. You've agitated your stomach, band (or rather the area where the band is) and esophagus. I was told after a bad PB to go to liquids for 24-48 hours, then mushies, then solids (much like after a fill). Try that. If you don't feel better, of course, seek medical attention. But you've probably agitated it then re-insulted it so you need to take time to calm things back down. Switch to Liquid Protein (shakes, whatever) and hang in there for a day or two. You should start to feel it loosen up and improve pretty quickly. OF COURSE....if you feel worse or can't keep liquids down, call your doc!

WATER! Are you getting at least 64 oz of the pure stuff in? Seriously it is vital. Especially since many get liquid from food but as bandsters progress, we don't eat much food, so that 64 oz of water becomes even more vital. It is easy to be dehydrated and not even know it. Make sure your water intake is adequate and if that doesn't fix it (if you've been "under" drinking, give it a week or two of adequate hydration to see a change in your lips) call your banding surgeon.

Cheating on your post op diet (advancing foods too quickly) is a major cause of band slippage. You aren't the only person who feels fine. I came to in recovery hungry and had senior year of nursing school to contend with while on liquids for 2 weeks and I made it so I am sure you can too...because I didn't get to 405 pounds by dieting frequently and easily, you know? Get back on your liquid program and HANG IN THERE. call your surgeon monday, tell him/her you are hungry and that you advanced your diet and how and when. Odds are he'll tell you it's ok and you can eat more than what's prescribed but let the pro guide you, ok? A slip is nothing to fool around with.

It depends on many factors...you, how quickly you recover, how good your surgeon is, how physically demanding your job is! You really can't judge by us, but your surgeon should be able to give you an average of how long his patients are out (and how long he'll sign off for, so you can get your "disability") I was attending nursing school (53 years old, top weight 405) when I got mine and I had surgery on Friday, was back in class that next Tuesday. I had a VERY easy recovery, though (even though it was my 2nd surgery in a month.) Not all recover so quickly.

I agree with Enchanted, you need to see a doc pronto, and I see you plan to do just that. Good for you and good luck; I think you're right to be worried and I hope they help you figure out how to stop it. Just wanted to add...yes be worried but don't be ashamed. Sounds like you have a little deeper issue than just "plain old" overeating going on.

The support group at my surgeon's office is across town at 6pm once a month. The traffic is VILE beyond words that time of day (and there is ongoing interstate construction at his exit, etc). I would literally have to leave home by about 4:45 or earlier to make it on time. So no, I don't go. I too am not a joiner although I probably would've gone at least a time or two to see what it is all about if it were closer or later or earlier or whatever!

I'd have a "family education night" I don't know exactly what family you mean (parents? kids? husband? cousins?) but I would sit the whole kit and caboodle of them down and discuss the lap band with them. Have a picture of the band around the stomach, or whatever visual aid you think appropriate. Treat it like a true litlle "class" on the band. I would also discuss how ineffective and counterproductive a force of "food police" is (plan this and say it nicely, as you see fit). Tell them you are now in more control than ever but to have people constantly treat you as different is very off-putting. Tell them you just want to be treated "normally" and that would be the biggest help of all. Tell them the goal of lap band is for you to be able to eat ANYTHING but in small amounts, and until you have good restriction (which may take up to 6 months or more, actually, depending on many factors) your portions will be larger, and then slowly get smaller. I think since they all apparently want to help and are asking in kind ways, that they are probably curious and want to know. They want to help you....so help them do just that. That's what I'd do.

Since you obviously know yourself best, then you are the one to best advise yourself on this subject. take whatever colon cleanse works for you. Don't "poo" for 10 days, then go to the doc whenever it suits! :cursing:

The abdominal cavity is filled with CO2 during surgery to spread things apart and make the surgery easier. Sometimes that discommodes the diaphragm and it can be agitated and sore afterward. If it presses on the phrenic nerve that runs right by it you have what is called "referred" pain in your shoulder. It will lessen and resolve over time as the gas is absorbed by your body (Gas X or other drugs won't help it because it isn't in your digestive tract, it's in your abdominal cavity, unless your surgeon removes most/all of it) It felt, to me, kind of like what we call "a crick in my neck" but having my husband massage my shoulder would make mine quickly abate. Different people have it (if at all) to different degrees.

It can all be a little overwhelming sometimes, can't it? I'm thinking that since you don't have symptoms, you can probably manage it. Lots of times our bodies respond to our stress levels etc, so if you don't worry about it, it might not be a worry, if that makes sense? You have a good attitude; I am sure it will all work out well for you!

well of course our pouches are made out of our stomach and it is VERY VERY stretchy, and also rebounds back down nicely. It makes sense the pouch would stretch a little but you'd have to really overdo to stretch it out, I think. So odds are you're really great! As my granny would say, "don't borrow trouble"...don't worry about it unless it happens. :scared2:

I say ask your surgeon...let him know about the flight etc. Also at 3 weeks will you be on food-type restriction? It's important not to advance your post op diet too fast. A good talk with your surgeon is your safest option.

With your surgeon, who knows? But usually if the pouch is stretched, docs unfill you and let things "rest" for a while, then begin refilling. In order to stretch your pouch enough to cause trouble you generally have to consistently overeat. Note I said consistently...a time or two of wild abandon won't do it. Odds are at 6ccs your pouch isn't stretched but you just need more restriction. Bands aren't one size/one fill level fits all, and while I'm no pro, your surgeon is the first I've ever heard of with a kooky "6 cc" rule. Bands can be filled to capacity...that's the point.

I guess it's part of church politics and apparently something I don't understand. However if he was "OK" to ask her, in his official capacity, should she have LIED to him? I think he's culpable too but don't understand the situation apparently. Maybe as your friend she wanted to be quiet but when a church official asked her outright she didn't feel comfortable lying. I would've been ticked off that the bishop didn't ask ME personally, but that's just me. I'd be upset with her, too...but again, your church and it's beliefs are all intertwined here.

Why didn't the bishop ask YOU if you were ok because you were missing meetings? Since they are trying to keep gossip down? Just curious.

You can't "poo out" enough in advance to make it ok to go 10 days without a BM, if you're planning on doing what I think you are. As to the constipation, call your banding doc. He'll tell you what to take to fix it.

I think once you get restriction you learn pretty quickly that you'd better pay attention and chew. It happened for me that way, anyway! :scared2:

I have never taken a chewable. In fact I take a potassium pill that is HUGE. And I'm well restricted. I wasn't told "nothing larger than a dime"....I have great restriction and no issues with any pill or capsule.

Head hunger aside....speaking only of physiologic hunger, which the band does "control".... who would want to NEVER be hungry? That's the flip side of ALWAYS being hungry and neither one is healthy! The band shouldn't take away ALL HUNGER...but it should make it easier for us to be hungry at more appropriate times (instead of always, or almost always). I used to be physiologically HUNGRY way more than I am now. Anyone who thinks all hunger is permanently removed is wishing for something that isn't a good thing!

As long as you didn't advance your food faster than your post op diet, you are fine and normal. You don't have to keep eating like it's your last day to eat because it isn't!

Austindoll while you wouldn't want to chug your drinks, liquid should go through the band evenly and quickly. I can drink probably 4-6 ounces of water pretty fast....and no issues or bad aftereffects. I think most bandsters who aren't too tight can drink fine, especially if it's in the afternoon/evening. A "small sip" of water should NOT take 20 minutes to go down. Something's very wrong in a situation like that; either swelling or too much saline in the band.

Well maybe if you're asymptomatic, you'll stay that way? I'd probably get the sleeve instead, if it were me. But honestly before I even got the band it all scared me so much I probably wouldn't have done it at all! :scared2: if that makes sense. Now, having had the band almost a year, it's totally do-able and WLS in general isn't as frightening as it was. Good luck to you, whatever you and your docs decide! :wink2:

I don't know about prime but my paperwork wasn't submitted until I'd had a psych consult a nutrition consult a meet w/surgeon and some blood work. Then it took 48 hours for tricare to approve it.

I get hungry just about 30 minutes before it's "food" time. I still get bored and occasionally find myself in the kitchen, but I can usually catch that and stop it. I don't snack any more and I feel wonderful, and more in control of my eating than I ever have in my long life! :scared2: As long as I choose the right foods (that is part of the key, the band is another part, and restriction) I can go for about 5 - 5 1/2 hours before I get hungry again. Apparently it does work that way for some of us! :wink2: