AlienBandit

Hey guys I am finally granted my time off work so it is time to start preparing for my tummy tuck and breast lift in 8 DAYS! Yes I know it is soon so I was hoping people can give me any tips for the aftercare, what I should do before to prepare my house etc. Also any update pics of scars etc would be great. Thanks :drool:

Wow your so lucky! I have sick days but basically have to be dying to get time off. After a month you will be right back to normal. I went back to work day 2 post op and was horseback riding again a week after surgery. You are going to blow people away when you go back to work! Good luck :drool:

I am always looking for something to take to help with constipation. I will have to see if I can find those items here in Korea. It is a little harder to get many qestern products so I always try more natural ways like certain foods in my diet etc. i know this is a common problem for many bandsters :S Stuck Grrrrrr!

I am sorry that your stomach has eroded. I know the feeling. Do you know how bad your erosion is? Erosion can happen sometimes and don't worry I am sure you will be fine. The surgery isn't complicated and maybe after your stomach heals you can get the band again. I had erosion after only 4 months but the erosion was very small. After a few months I was able to get the band again. If you have any questions feel free to ask me

I have never had a fill taken out for vacation. That just seems bad because it can bring back your old eating habits. No one knows about ym surgery and I was able to go back packing for 10 days with some friends and survive fine with a 10cc fill in my 11cc band.

Though it might make sense that removing 6 or 9 or __lbs of skin or fat ( from lipo) would result in a change in the scale it is not however always true. I have had over 15 pounds of fat removed by lipo but I didn't lose 15 pounds on the scale. My doc always warns me to not be disappointed when my scale doesn't change much.

Hi Though I am not a full veg like you, I try to make my diet as animal free as possible. Having said that I live in Korea making it almost impossible to cut out all animal parts etc. Losing weight with the band can however be possible for you. Look up recipes and stuff that consist of animal free products and use them after being banded. To be honest many bandsters cant eat many animal products like eggs, meat etc. Therefore some people almost each like a veg. A problem that might be for you is that sometimes bandsters cant eat many carbs like rice bread etc. However everyone is different. I try to list recipes on my blog for bandsters of all kinds ( veg, vegan, carnivore etc) on my blog. If you want to read the experience of a veg trying to survive in Korea then check it out. If you want some advice on some good recipes that will suit your needs and the band please let me know :smile:

I am scheduled to have a tummy tuck, lipo and breast lift in less than 2 weeks. I can't tell you how it will be after the surgery yet but will keep everyone posted on my blog (link below). My tummy tuck won't be as extreme as other as I am only having a hip to hip incision and my muscles won't be touched. I have had lipo before and it was easy a pie. Hopefully the tummy tuck won't be too hard either. I will try to post on here again after my surgery.

Flying and eating shouldnt be a problem. I live in Korea and fly often sometimes long flights sometimes short flights. When I had 10cc in my 11cc band I had no problem eating on the plane. I ate chicken, fruit and nuts without getting stuck. However I did eat smaller portions and chew more then usual just to make sure. Some people can be tigher then usual when flying but I have been ok so far. You might feel a little sore around your band area if you have really good restriction. The morning after my longest flight my stomach just felt like I had a good ab work out the day before but never had any problems eating. Also countries in Asia do have Lap Band doctors and they are usually more than willing to help any international patients if you have any problems ie stuck too much and need an unfill. I have never had an unfill before flying either. Hope this helps and have fun in Japan

My band doctor is also my plastic doc. He has some tummy tucks on other banded patients and there have never been any problems. I am getting a tummy tuck next month and also getting my port moved so it doesn't stick out so much. Maybe talk to your band doc about the tummy tuck.

youtube! never thought to look. FInally found what I am looking for. Sorry with all the q's this is something I never heard of [nomedia=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nsNEHCoWn1E]YouTube - Las Vegas StomaphyX™ Specialist Bariatric Weight Loss Surgery[/nomedia]

has anyone seen a photo of what the stomach looks like after it is stiched? I have found photos of what the stomach looks like from the inside but I want to see what it looks like showing the stomach from the outside.

perfect! Thanks so much! I am going to look it up :confused1:

Right now I have the lapband and have had great success with it. However I talk with my doctor about the sleeve often because sometimes banded patients switch to the sleeve if they have any problems. My doctor then mentioned a sleeve type surgery that can be done endoscopically. This procedure is done by stitching your stomach smaller from the inside and not the outside. This is some version of the sleeve and is a new way apparently to do this. I have tried looking on the internet for more info but havent come up with anything. Has anyone heard of this?

All bands and stomachs are different. I once had 10cc in an 11cc band and still could eat almost anything with little restriction. It takes a few tries and fills to get to your sweet spot. Don't worry it will happen What band do you have? I have never heard of an 8cc band

Im in Korea right now but moving back to Toronto in April. Must find a band doctor who will deal with my post care. Does anyone know if their docs will take on patients like me"?

I remember that pain. It will go away after 2-4 weeks. My first band it went away after 2 weeks my second band it went away after 3 weeks.

I'm a teacher so I sit a lot doing class prep and spend some time standing, no heavy lifting etc. I got my band on a Saturday and went back to work on Monday. It was a little hard getting up and down but once I started moving I felt better. By Wednesday I was back to my normal self.

over 40 lbs already! That's great! I can understand why your doc didnt give you a fill. This can be disappointing but you need to remember you must work with the band. So far you are working well with it. No fill also gives your stomach more chance to heal which is good. The more your stomach heals the less chance of a complication.

Stomach erosion is something rare but can happen. It can happen for many different reasons. There are factors like alcohol, spicy food, bad eating habits ( not following doctors orders), nick during surgery, rapid fills, large fills etc that can cause stomach erosion. If your erosion is very small then your doc might unfill you, put you on meds for a few weeks and then check your stomach again. If the hole in your stomach healed a lot then a simple stitch can be placed to fix the problem thus not needing to remove the band. There is no perfect and exact way that all doctors remove the band. When I had my band removed my doc removed it laparoscopically the same way it was put in. He used the same incisions too. I know that if the erosion is bad and way into your stomach then the doctor can remove the band endoscopically ( going down your throat and cutting the band in half inside your stomach) and laparoscopically ( pulling the band out ). All docs are different though. If your getting your band removed you can ask him how it is done. This is just what I know my doc does

Have you asked your doctor? What is your band size and fill? Sometimes port pain can be a sign of infection or erosion. Sometimes the pain can come on because of something like an accident ( ie falling off a horse trust me ouch!) or if something hit your port area. As for getting back on track to losing weight, I would maybe talk to a nutritionist and maybe get a fill if it has been awhile. Hope everything works out ok.

I have been craving dried mangoes. I wake up in the middle of the night craving them so bad.... I have a little sometimes but right now I was a steady 100% diet of them... holy sugar and carbs!

Since you were just banded it could be that your band isnt ready for the food you are eating. I know that when I cheated once before it was time, it hurt to eat that kind of food. You might be swollen still. Maybe stay on liquids for a while longer and contact your doctor if you really worried.

This is a great website that compares all surgeries Compare LAP-BAND® to Other Weight Loss Options | LAP-BAND®

The lapband 4cc ( first generation band) is still used in other countries like Mexico and Korea etc. With a 4cc band you will obviously get smaller fills and probably reach restriction sooner. My doctor picks what band he puts in his patients ( unless specifically specified) based on what the stomach looks like ( ie big stomach cant have a smaller band etc) and what he thinks would be best for the patient. I'm not sure if Realize makes a 4cc band but I do know they make 11cc and 14cc. There are also other bands out there other then realize and lap band that are different sizes. Here is a little bit of info and photos of 4 different kinds of bands Bands: Very IMPORTANT !! Please Read!!