Elisabethsew

I would start with an MD who could order a bunch of blood tests to determine if you have an auto-immune disorder such as lupus. Rosacea comes and goes and it sounds like your MD is treating you with a "hit or miss" approach. Very unprofessional... see a different MD.

What you described is a not so uncommon reaction to getting a tetanus shot. My arm turned hot and had a black and blue welt for weeks and was painful to move. The reaction will be stronger if you haven't had a shot in a long time. Your body no longer "recognizes" tetanus and that's why you have the strong reaction. That's the reason for booster shots... so the body "remembers" and can mount antibodies for defense. Feel better!

With lapband surgery it is recommended that you don't consume any alcohol. I know many people here do drink alcohol but you might want to check with your surgeon. There are a lot of calories in alcohol and it stimulates your appetite.

I'm glad to hear that all went well for you. Make sure you take it easy, walk, and stay hydrated.

Welcome and yes, it's normal to feel tired and sore for several days. Force yourself to walk and make sure you stay hydrated. I hope you have a speedy recovery.

I had no restriction 5 days after the operation and have had to make a conscious effort to stick to the diet and determine if I am REALLY hungry or just hungry out of boredom or habit. I don't get a fill for another 4 weeks so I'm using this time to make healthy new eating habits.

It sounds like she keep aspirating the needle as she withdrew the needle causing the saline to "spill" out. As long as she aspirated it all out and then put back in the required amount of fill, you're good to go.

I was banded 4 weeks ago also and yes, my port is still tender and even a bit bruised. My surgeon will not do fills for 8 full weeks after the surgery because he believes it takes that long to fully heal. From what you describe, it sounds like your port area was still healing and the fill might have hindered that process and increased the pain.

It sounds like you ARE restricted so you might want to wait a little while before you go in for another fill. When you eat crackers, you might want to first drink some water to "lubricate" the esophagus and then eat them slowly.

Stick with the soft foods for at least a week and no, I doubt you did any damage to the band... especially since you don't have a fill. Take it slow, listen to your body and heal.

I think you're describing a capsule and yes, it will dissolve whether it's in the pouch or the stomach. Enteracoated medications are caustic to the stomach and dissolve in the small intestine so they should not be split in half. Extended release/slow release/timed capsules should also not be altered. The element that is supposed to make a cold leave your body more quickly is zinc. Rather than spending a fortune for the "cold remedy" just read how much zinc is in the remedy and then buy that dose of zinc in a drug store for a lot less money (and you get much more). I hope you feel better soon.

I researched all the weight loss surgeries available and, based on health reasons and recovery time, decided on the lapband. Like many people here, I have lost and regained hundreds of pounds. I am now at the point in my life where numbers on a scale mean little to me other than a concrete validation of weight loss. My "success" comes from being able to walk further with less knee pain, fitting comfortably into clothes that were tight, not being short of breath walking through the grocery store and feeling in control of my life. I have felt no restriction since 5 days post-op and can't have a first fill for 8 weeks from the surgery date but I refuse to let that "control me" and cause me to over eat. I had a tough recovery from the surgery and I didn't go through all the testing, surgery, time off from work, etc. to fail. I knew the band was an aide to weight loss and not a miracle cure so that's how I'm treating it. Ultimately, if I fail, it's my own fault as nobody forces food into my mouth. I take the stance that failure is simply not an option and move forward one meal at a time.

The skin is the largest organ in the body and the best way to keep it from sagging is to keep yourself well hydrated. Thanks for the tip!

Some MDs use pre-op diets and others do not. As a general rule, if you weigh over 300 pounds or if you have high cholesterol, your MD may want to place you on a low fat, low carb diet to shrink the liver. When you eat a lot of fats, the liver becomes enlarged and fatty. This obscures the surgical field. Talk to your MD about what he/she prefers.

Many MDs recommend "tricking" your body into losing by confusing it. How? You alternate the amount of calories you take in a day (as in the article posted above). One day do 800 calories and then the next day do 1200, etc. Your body won't be able to "adjust" to what's happening which prevents plateaus and keeps you on a winning course (or should I say losing?). LOL.

My surgeon won't allow any fills to be scheduled until 8 weeks after surgery so I'm waiting for my appointment in 5/25. Like you, I feel NO restriction from the unfilled band (since post-op Day 5) but I am determined to lose the weight and am sticking to the diet. It sounds like you're ready for a fill.

Welcome, Jen. I would suggest doing a search for topics that you're interested in and researching ALL of the weight loss surgeries that are currently available before making your choice. I'm sure someone will offer you a MD recommendation (I'm in New York) but you should start with calling your insurance company to determine what procedures they will cover.

You're depriving yourself of protein and THAT's why you feel hungry all the time and make poor choices like Burger King for dinner. Did you have a pre-op meeting with a dietician prior to your surgery? Maybe it's time to make an appointment and talk with one. Journal what you've been eating the past few days so they're able to see what you're doing wrong and how to make it right.

Hi Sunta, I'm glad that you're feeling better and worked through that awful experience. I swore off all fast food the month before surgery and don't crave it at all. I start solids next Thursday. Stay away from McDonalds... it's evil! LOL.

Hold a pillow against your stomach and slowly bend down towards the floor. Bending and walking are the best remedies. Hang in there, it gets better.

The only thing that I would add to what the others have offered is to HONESTLY journal your food intake... everything you put into your mouth and measure the food. It's amazing how I can "eye-ball" a 4 oz portion of frozen yogurt only to MEASURE it and find it's 8 oz. Good luck to you!

Hi Mary, Yes, I have been in the healthcare field (RN) for MANY years and I also have iron deficiency anemia that was discovered when I had my gallbladder out a few years ago. Your MD could give you a Rx to have the bloodwork done at your leisure.

Have you had your iron levels checked? Low iron can cause hair to thin. True iron deficiency anemia cannot be detected from a hemaglobin and hematocrit. You need a ferritin level, iron level, total iron binding capacity and iron saturation... one tube of blood.

Thank you for posting your update. It's great to hear from "experienced" people who were banded and to be reminded that the lapband is merely a tool and not a substitute for healthy eating. I think it's wonderful you were able to maintain your loss and hope to see more postings from you as you continue your downward journey with the refill.

Hi Robin and welcome. I found this site 5 days after I was banded and discovered a wealth of information. I would suggest searching through topics you're interested and then posting specific questions you might have. I had surgery 4 weeks ago today and did well. I was in the hospital overnight, went back to work after 10 days, and will have my first lapband fill on May 25. The surgeon I used requires a one week pre-op diet of full fluids. After surgery, it's 2 weeks of full fluids, 3 weeks of a soft diet, and then a solid diet. Pre-op, you'll need insurance approval (call NOW and see if they will pay), a surgical consult, an upper GI series, a respiratory consult with a chest x-ray, pulmonary function tests and a possible sleep apnea study, a cardiology consult with a stress test and EKG, a psych and nutrition consult, blood work, a pre-op informational seminar and maybe a few other things.