Elisabethsew

I was not told to avoid caffeine... just carbonated beverages.

Congratulations and Happy Anniversary!

I had my first fill 9 days ago and, like you, can still eat the same amounts as I did prior to the fill. I'm sticking with the post-op diet but might have to move my appointment for a second fill up from the present date of July 6. I hope your restriction "kicks-in" for you.

Mr. Yo, I give you a lot of credit for sharing your thoughts and uncertainties here. It's nice to get male perspectives and I value "other points of views." My best male friend is in a marriage that sounds similar to yours. He makes a ton of money, has never had an affair, puts his wife and kids before himself, and finds himself stuck in the role of giver. This man has had heart-to-heart talks with his wife and really isn't asking for much... just some alone time with his wife every now and then as well as some recognition that he's more than the financial support of the family. Things MIGHT improve for a few days but then it's back to businesss as normal. The kids are now college age, the wife has never worked but has tons of friends and social outings, they live an upper class life-style yet his wife just never seems to put him first... or second.... Because he loves his wife and kids, he stays in the marriage. Like you, he has never had an affair. Although he has no weight issues, he is now at the point where he is looking to his life 5-10 years down the road and is not liking what he sees. He hasn't made any decisions yet but it would seem to me that if things don't improve in the husband/wife department, he'll explore alternatives. It's admirable to express your feelings and bend over backwards to try and save something you thought would last forever but, when it's only one person giving, it's understandable why relationships fail. Thanks for sharing the male point of view and good luck with your surgery.

I only know of one person who had difficulty because of an enlarged liver. He weighed 370 pounds and did not follow the pre-op diet so he never shrunk his liver. The surgery was performed via a lap approach but he ended up with an extra incision and a drain that stayed in for 1 week.

I have no problem getting pills down so I take my usual medications, vitamins and supplements just as I did pre-banding.

I'm only 2 months out of surgery and am not disappointed in getting banded but I am disappointed that the pre-op information did not adequately address the post-op realities. I was not made aware of the fact that you usually don't feel restriction until after 1 or more fills and I was not told that fills were not performed until 8 weeks post-op (by my MD). So, I am still in a "holding pattern" at this point. The first fill has not produced restriction so I'm again waiting... this time for the second fill which is a month away.

Insurance companies WANT to see that you FAILED medically supervised diets before they approve WLS.

I would see your MD ASAP and not have ANY intervention until you have an EGD (endoscopy) to evaluate what exactly is going on.

The reason that so many people have problems with their gallbladders once they've lost a significant amount of weight is the dietary changes. When you eat a diet high in fat, the body increases its production of bile. Bile is stored in the gallbladder and aids in the digestion of fat. When the body detects a high fat intake, it signals the gallbladder to release bile. Once we switch to a low fat diet, an increased amount of bile is stored in the gallbladder but is not released as often as before the low fat change. This predisposes us to the formation of gall stones, crystals and sludge. A simple, non-invasive sonogram is the first test to evaluate for gallbladder disease. Other tests include DISIDA and HIDA scans as well as spiral CTs, etc. I'm glad that your problem was found and treated and that you're on the road to recovery. I had my gallbladder out 3 years ago and know how awful the pain of those attacks can be. Some surgeons who do RNY surgery are electing to remove the gallbladder at the same time they perform the RNY.

My surgeon discourages alcohol (stimulates the appetite) but does not forbid it. Carbonation is on the no-no list so sodas are history.

For some people it is instant but for others, it can take 1-2 weeks. Many people here also shared that they did not feel restriction until after a 2nd fill or more. So, it seems to be quite variable as to when patients finally find their "optimal level" of restriction. You'll learn a lot more as you read through the posts.

I'm on Long Island and have been banded since 3/30. My surgeon waits a full 8 weeks before giving a first fill so I got that a week ago. For some reason, it can take 1-2 weeks before a restriction "kicks-in" and you become aware of the band. I only had 1 cc put in and have a follow-up appointment on July 6. It appears I will need a second fill at that time. It's natural to be nervous about the surgery but I'm sure you'll do fine. It can be frustrating waiting for the surgery and then waiting for a fill and then waiting for the feeling of restriction to occur but eventually, it all works out. Unlike other forms of weight loss surgery, banding requires a lot more patience. :-)

I was brought up in the Catholic religion and have come to believe that "God helps those who help themselves and others." Yup, I added the last two words. Richness is dependent on where one is in life, what one wants out of life, and changes over time. When I was younger I wanted to make lots of money so that I could do X,Y and Z. Now, my focus is on getting to a healthy weight so that I can make X, Y, and Z happen even if those things don't happen to be what they were 20 years ago. I also believe in the richness of giving to others who are less fortunate. Giving does not have to mean money. It can be spending time with an elderly person in a Nursing home, tutoring a child for free, babysitting for free so a stressed couple can get away for a few hours, etc. As for the discussions on religious communities and politics, churches are like all other organizations. Politics is simply a fact of life when people come together in an organized community.

Can you swollow water? Can you tolerate a meal? Do you have regurgitation in the middle of the night? Do you have esophageal burning? If the answer to any of these questions is yes, your band might be too tight. The dangers of the band being too tight include risk of erosion, slippage due to vomiting, malnutrition due to poor caloric intake, dehydration, etc.

Congratulations on your good news!

It is my understanding from reading all the posts that, while weight loss might be a little slower, MANY people with lower BMI's do lose with the band. Of course, you need to make the band work for you and follow the dietary and exercise guidelines.

Denise, Congratulations of the weight loss. I'm definitely a volume eater and portion control is my biggest problem. Cookies, ice-cream, candy, fast food, etc., don't tempt me at all and that's why lapband was offered as the best choice for me. Despite your being a sweets lover, it appears you have been successful is making the band work for you.

You make an excellent point about dysmotility, Sue. Evaluating for this condition is especially important for those who are diabetic. I have a friend who has not had WLS but suffers terribly from dysmotility secondary to diabetes. She's tried acid blockers, antibiotics, and reglan and is now being considered for a gastric pacemaker.

It's great to hear you're on the mend and feeling better. Try and not push yourself too hard and continue to heal.

Thanks for the reply, Dody. I think you misread what I wrote. Plavix is the drug given to prevent platelet aggregation. PAXIL is the drug given for anxiety/panic attacks. The names are quite similar so it's easy to make a mistake.

If you're hungry and feeling weak, call your MD. Most of the time they allow you increase your dietary intake by moving to a soft diet.

Some of the things I have found to satisfy the sweet callings include: Sugar Free (SF), Fat Free (FF) jello pudding (60 cal) Edys SF frozen yogurt (100 cals in 4 oz) 100 calories snack packs Fresh Fruit cut up into bite size pieces 6-8 Frozen grapes Crystal lite fruit punch I'm sure others will have suggestions on how they handle sweet cravings as well.

Althought the surgical approach was via laparoscopy, the fact is you had major surgery that resulted in a lot of manipulation of internal organs. The body requires 6 weeks to heal and, during that time, you can expect to feel and look distended. As the sutures heal around the band and port, you'll look and feel better but it's gradual.

My surgeon told me that you should feel restriction when you eat a normal meal. Of course, we must remember that "normal" is what is recommended by the dietician and NOT by an obese person's standards. From what you're describing, it sounds like you have perfect restriction and another fill might actually be painful. Have you tried increasing your exercise to kick start the weight loss? Have you considered the fact that you might not be eating enough calories in a day to promote weight loss?