Taterbugsmom

I have an appointment Monday with my surgeon but thought I'd ask if anyone has any input (hopefully to put my worst fears at ease!) about this pain I've noticed at my port site the last few days whenever I cough hard. It feels almost like a burning/tear sensation that really hurts but goes away instantly. Has anyone else ever experienced anything similar?

Thanks for sharing & Congrats on your loss! I couldn't remember what fantasy world I was in the day I renewed so I had to look but I remembered that the previous one said 170 & no way could I hold a straight face and leave it at that. I had put 210, when I was weighing around 250 :w00t: I am glad to say I am 7 lbs under my DL weight currently :blushing:. Hopefully (crossing everything here) when I renew next November, I can proudly say my actual weight!

:w00t: WORK IT GIRL!!!!!! :blushing: You are truly an inspiration!!!!

I have the larger 11 or 13 cc band. I received my first fill 4 weeks after surgery, I think it was like 3.5 cc's. I see my surgeon every 2 weeks and have had little fills ranging from .25 to 1 cc all except one visit, I thought I was at the magic sweet spot. Wow, was I wrong! I have honestly lost track of what cc's I actually have but I'm pretty sure I'm really, really close now but thinking I need just a little bit more. I am really tight in the morning but come dinner time, so long as I eat REALLY slow and CHEW CHEW CHEW I can eat well beyond the 1/2 - 3/4 cup guidelines. I envy you for still being able to tolerate bread! I haven't been able to even eat crackers since September and any doughy bread has been out for even longer. Sounds to me like you may need just a little bit more of a fill.

WHOA HOA! Congrats!!!! That bike riding will kick your butt while melting the pounds away. I'm in Southern Ohio & gave up on mine several weeks ago, it's too chilly for me Brrrr lol

Thanks everyone! I really just want you gals/guys that are struggling and trying your best to diet that it will get better once you start getting regular fills and begin having some restriction. I don't follow a real diet anymore that I have some restriction, I eat such small amounts that it makes not that much of a difference. STAY AWAY FROM SWEETS! Even when you get restriction, they are all slider foods. No matter how slow you are eating, slow down more. It'll make a world of difference on what you are able to tolerate with your band, I'm still working on that. I have found that eating with a baby spoon helps a lot also. The more I stick to bites the size of a pencil eraser, the less problems I have with Pb'ing, sliming & all that fun miserable stuff.

Just wanted to toot my own horn a lil and give all you newbies out there struggling in Bandster Hell right now hope that it WILL GET BETTER! As of today (drum roll please:lol:) I have lost 68 lbs in 20 weeks, half way to my goal weight! Yes, I include the 2 week liquid diet love affair I was forced into . The first couple months after surgery were pure hell for me, I went through a bunch of self pity & questioned my decision to have the Lap Band but looking back now, every SECOND of my agony was worth THIS MOMENT! The Facts: I started my journey weighing 271 & am now down to 203. Onderland, here I come BABY! My size 22 jeans were literally leaving bruises on me & am now wearing a size 14/16. My shirt size has went from 2-3x to EXTRA LARGE and still comfortable! My shoe size (yeah I know CRAZY huh) has went from a 9 1/2 to an 8 1/2. My bra size has went for a 46 D to a 38 C.... keeping everything crossed that the C sticks around I know many others have had even more success than me & some are at a slower pace but I AM SO HAPPY with my results! I recently had my 5th fill and I think I may have finally hit that sweet spot, I just have to get my mind in motion to accept that 1/4-1/2 cup food for a meal really is all I need & I won't starve... It's getting easier everyday though. Anyhow, I really just wanted to give all you folks newly banded that are struggling such as I was, some hope to hang in there until your "tool" begins doing what it's suppose to. I'm definitely beginning to see it is getting easier though I know I will face many more struggles before reaching & maintaining my goal weight but at least there IS hope now! Good Luck to us all! :crying:

Hello, just thought I'd share my recent experience with you. I was experiencing terrible gas pains (along with terrible constipation ) in my left side, I was in so much pain I couldn't even bring myself to walk to the car to be driven to the hospital! I talked it over with my Dr and we decided to go over my diet & see if something wasn't agreeing with me. Well, long story short I gave up drinking Crystal Light & (knock on wood) I have yet to have an episode again in over a month. :crying: We think it was the aspartame, apparently not everyone is able to digest it properly. Hope you find some comfort!!!!

Please accept my condolences I think I am up to about 6 cc's and I can no longer do eggs & am finding it harder everyday to eat my new favorite food broccoli....

WHOOT WHOOT!!!! That is awesome! Keep up the good work, hope to be joining you soon

IMO- Tell as few people as possible. I told pretty much everyone and I'm sorry to say I regret it. It annoys me to to no end when I get comments about how much I have lost 'because' of the band. I pretty much had little to no restriction up until my last fill a week ago so the 60 lbs I have lost (so far ) has all been MY hard work exercising & dieting. The only thing the band has done to this point is lead me to this site where I have received some great advice on eating properly until I get restriction and there after. I got laid off from work the day I started my pre-op diet & just returned 2 weeks ago. Of course everyone asked how did I do it & I reply a lot of exercise & dieting, then I mention the word lap-band and I get a sighed "ohhhh". If I hadn't told so many I was doing it I would leave the surgery part out of the conversation but I assume they know, they just want to see what I'll say? I always feel the need to defend my hard work, maybe it's just me? Anyhoot, my advice would be tell only those that truly love you and care about your health & well being and know of your struggles with your weight. Whomever you tell be prepared to educate them on all you know about the band because they will have 5 million questions, opinions and advice. Best of luck to us all!!!!!

Amanda- Hello first of all! Just thought I'd throw my 2 cents out here for ya. I'm certainly no expert by any means on this "process" but I think you aren't getting in enough calories for the exercise you are doing (which is great by the way! :thumbup:). My scale was doing some serious acrobatics about 3 weeks ago & I was getting pretty discouraged myself. I walk about 6 miles a day (1 1/2 hrs) and ride my bike for 60 minutes several times a week. My surgeon suggested I up my calories from 800 to 1200-1500 and it has made a difference for sure. His theory was I needed more calories to fuel my metabolism? I completely quit counting everything & just tried to focus on eating my 3 small meals & ONE somewhat healthy snack and I've lost 6 lbs since last Monday. :w00t: My meals consist of: Bfast: yogurt w/kashi Cereal or Protein bar or oatmeal Lunch: most always 1/2 cup chicken salad & 4 wheat crackers Dinner: 4 oz unbreaded fish or chicken, 1/2 cup veggies, 1/4 cup potatoes, mac n cheese or rice Snack: yogurt OR 1/2 Protein Bar OR handful of grapes OR banana & when I break ONE reese cup (my guilty pleasure) I don't have a special treat day reserved but if I do bad one day, I just try to do better the next :wink2: I see it as I'm only 12 weeks into this life commitment so I'm not ready to throw in the towel just yet and condemn myself. I believe I am up to 5.75 cc's on my fills and have been debating on getting another Monday but I'm pretty sure I will ask for at least a small one because I still seem to get hungry between lunch & dinner. I think I'm pretty close to full restriction, though I'm still unclear on what that actually is? Feel free to PM me if you want or just want a sounding board. Hang in there girl, we CAN & WILL do this! :thumbup:

I have had 5 fills now and have been learning a lot the past 2 weeks about getting "stuck", pb-ing & sliming. They are all very unpleasant experiences to say the least. I have never been unable to breathe, just in a lot of pain & agony. All of my episodes have been my own fault, either eating things to fast or things I was warned would become an issue (scrambled eggs, overcooked meat, bread, lettuce). Don't worry about not being able to "vomit" a stuck item because trust me, it'll come back up on it's own! I have always been one that has to be deathly ill to vomit so I was concerned I wouldn't be able to if something got stuck but have learned sometimes a good cough will reproduce the obstruction without a problem.

Isn't it great!!!! The simple things that are such great accomplishments when losing weight! I have lost 50 lbs now and I am just loving that I can actually "suck in" my gut :smile:

I am 6 weeks post op and still burb religiously after EVERY meal for at least 30 minutes. I have heard it's common?

I had my first fill of 2.5 cc yesterday. No barium swallow, just a water test. I was able to lay down but had to hold my legs up in the air (which nearly killed me might I add). It was so simple, one lil prick. The nurse said my port was in a very easily accessible spot. I go back in 2 weeks for another fill.

To answer your question.... Yes, i did "cheat" and yes, I was still banded as scheduled & had no issues. I wish I could have been one of those that were able to stick to the 2 week, 4 Protein Shakes & Water only diet but I wasn't My "cheats" were mainly grilled chicken. Though, I completely lost my willpower 5 days before surgery at a birthday party & even had birthday cake :eek:! I did however work my a$$ off those 2 weeks to make sure I burned as many calories as possible. I lost 29 lbs on my pre-op diet. Would I advise anyone to do the same, HELL NO! Why, because the guilt and worrying that my surgery may have been canceled as a result drove me practically crazy! The second I came to after surgery the first thing I asked was "please tell me I was banded", my surgeon actually said my liver was in "pristine" condition and flat as a pancake :redface: Definitely STICK to your surgeons diet to a "T" these next few days and I would even suggest doing some intense work outs just to be sure you will be cleared for surgery. BEST OF LUCK TO YOU!!!!!

OMG! $36000!?!?!?! I recently had surgery and am required to pay 15%, I will die if I open the bill and it is $5400 vs. the $2500 I was expecting to pay! :scared2:

Oh Kimmy, I SOOOOO feel your pain! I made the mistake of pretty much telling everyone. It wasn't an issue to me at the time but I am so regretting telling anyone except my hubby! I am only 11 days since surgery and I get asked at least once a day how much have I lost. Seriously? I actually have not lost a thing since surgery! Lost 30 lbs during the 2 week pre-op and have just bounced back and forth between a pound everyday since. It's really beginning to frustrate me!! :scared2:

WOW! She ate AN EGG, for christ sake people... it wasn't a loaf of bread! I understand everyone is entitled to their own opinion but couldn't you have been just a little more encouraging rather than thrown such harsh criticism? She obviously felt bad and was concerned about her decision! I highly doubt she paid all that money out of pocket to purposely sabotage her band. BTW- I was given the go ahead to eat soft scrambled eggs (chewed to mush of course) on day 3... I do agree with the one reply to call your dr since you were obviously concerned and maybe you will find that you are able to progress in your food choices. Hang in there girl, WE can do this!! Feel free to message me if you just need a sounding board, not a reprimand :biggrin:

:thumbup: Reading stories such as these is what convinced me I made the right decision. Thank you & CONGRATULATIONS!

Breathe! It'll be here and over before you know it. I was a nervous wreck also, so much so I almost walked out of the hospital when they came to give me the IV. Don't be afraid to ask them to give you something once you get settled in waiting for the OR, I asked for something and before I knew it, I was cracking jokes with the Surgeon & Surgical Techs before the anesthesia kicked in. RELAX & TAKE A DEEP BREATHE..... You've made a HUGE decision for your health, it's only normal to be nervous.

I was also banded Friday, I FINALLY went #2 this morning. When I called my Surgeons office for a refill on the pain meds Monday he suggested I take some Milk of Magnesia because constipation is very common on pain meds. I was giving it until tomorrow before trying that.

I happened to be looking through my Insurance Co claims the other day online & I noticed my surgeon charged my ins co for the supposed "free" consult also. Them crooked turds!

Good question? He & most of his staff have also been banded so I was comfortable with them and their practices. He sure was cautious on the pre-op, I was only allowed 4 Protein shakes a day & Water. Jello on occasion, but not everyday. Funny thing, I have no desire to really eat though. I have stuck with jello for the most part post-op. I am lucky to drink 30 oz of water a day and that is really pushing it. I have felt pretty crappy (mostly gas in my chest) up until today though so if I don't get some sore of appetite within the next few days I'll be sure to give him a call.