Devo-tee

Agreed. There are just more women getting the band on here. I had horrible pain with this surgery, especially with the port area. Different surgeons put the port in different places, using different methods. This is VERY DIFFERENT between people. Some people (like me) have reactions to dissolvable stitches. That is not fun. Some people have restriction, some don't. I never did. So I was in a ton of pain, but could gulp down whole vicodin very easily and never had trouble reaching my Fluid or Protein goals. I was upset with how my surgeon responded when I called about the pain, and my inability to tolerate the vicodin due to rebound headaches. My pain was definitely under-treated. I had to be away from work for two full weeks. FYI, my pain scale is: the worst pain I ever had was horrible back labor that turned into an emergency c-section. So my 10 really is a freaking 10, and little a guy goes through can match that 10. (I hear kidney stones are up there, though.) So it really just does vary for so many reasons. Usually I don't take painkillers after surgery (I had sinus surgery, both carpel tunnel surgeries, shoulder surgery, etc.) I think it would have been better had I had adequate pain relief. I had surgery two weeks ago and I am on soft-normal foods now. Weight loss completely stopped a week ago. I'm probably gaining now with the complete lack of restriction. I am walking 2 miles 5 times a week at minimum (did a few 3 miles in there), so that's ahead of the curve in terms of expected exercise. I'm just looking forward to that first fill, and hopefully I"ll get restriction in not TOO long! hopehope!

I was banded 9 days ago. My port still hurts like hell, but the stomach is totally back to normal. No more grumbles, no more bathroom troubles, I have absolutely NO restriction, etc. I think it is just the healing we go through. It does get better with time but some of us seem to have very painful ports, and some don't, but that will get better too. I had complications with the pain medication and so could not take even that, and I even called the doctor to get alternative medicine and ask what to do, and he totally blew me off. "oh, it will get better". That pissed me off- I usually don't take pain meds, so it was REALLY bad if I was calling. It would wake me up multiple times at night. That is starting to get better. I would actually not recommend my surgeon to others because I'm so upset about that. However, now am feeling like a human again. Also: extremely hungry. I see why a lot of people don't lose weight after the surgery until a few fills. Oh, I hope I don't need such large fills, because having no success for six months until I finally get restriction will make me go BonKerS!

UGH. I am so sorry. Definitely contact your surgeon back in Lebanon, and make sure you get copies of your files AND XRAYS. I don't think anyone is going to want to un-fill you without knowing exactly where your port is, and no-one is going to give you X-rays when you are pregnant (as they shouldn't). how do you feel, and how is your current weight gain? As long as that is on track and you can eat healthy foods, I don't think it is 100% the case all the time that you get unfilled for a pregnancy. If you aren't throwing up, and can use healthy slider foods to gain the right amount of weight, you might be OK! Anyway, if you can get a copy of your file/xrays that might really help regarding getting someone to help you, and if your surgeon knows anyone in the US, maybe that person could help?

You can get this just from going under general anesthesia! The four month timeline looks right for that. It's just that the hairs all went into "resting" phase vs "active", most likely. That hair will come back, but it will take some time. This happened to me after a completely unrelated surgery, and then it happened again after getting pneumonia and taking prednisone (I lost half of my hair that time!). So it's not just protein or vitamins- it can be the surgery itself. Just take care of yourself as best you can, and it'll come back :crying:

There are a few of us Nov 9th-ers out there :eek:. I don't get surgery until 1:30PM that day (I am going to be soooooo thirsty late in the morning.) I'm on the very low-carb 10-day pre-op diet (which is nice- it's not just liquids). No weight loss needed before surgery, it's just the shrink-and-toughen-up-your-liver-by-using-up-all-your-glycogen diet. I've lost some weight but really it is just water- like with any high protein diet, you'll lose 5-7lbs of water after you use up that glycogen. It's a good sign it is working like it should. Cutting caffeine out entirely was harder. God I'm tired. I would lie if I said I was not terrified, but I"m happy at the same time. I'm more terrified of the post-op diet (which is liquids for a long, long time) than the actual surgery!! I learned my lesson when getting an unplanned c-section, though: TAKE THE PAIN MEDS ALL THE TIME, and never let the pain get bad. Don't try to tough it out. Ever. So I will be following that to a "t" this time. :thumbup:

Hey lashonda23- you're from flint? Where are you getting your surgery done? I'm in Midland and I'm going to the center in Alma. We're not too far from each other!! Cool :sneaky:

Hi All! I have hardly posted on here at all since I was so upset insurance was not going well.. but... TODAY I WAS APPROVED!!! I feel like it is a miracle. Aetna has been really horrible the past couple of years, but it seems that requirements have been clarified a bit finally. I have 100 lbs to lose, and I'm being banded on Nov 9th! The day after I get back from two fun trips I'm taking- my biggest worry is that I will catch another cold! This year has been a virus-fest already. I am so excited and so ready for this. I have to do a 10 day very strict protein-only diet, but don't have to lose a certain amount of weight (just the shrinking/toughening up the liver diet.) I'm nervous about the mental implications of the surgery most of all, and finding a better way to handle stress than food. I've appreciated so many of other people's posts on the board and will be filling out my profile more, and being more active on here, because I'm Getting The Freaking Band :thumbup:

Hi! Definitely get a specific note from your doctor for your Protein, on doctor stationery with a contact number, and you should be fine. Just be really nice, and ask to talk to a supervisor if they give you any trouble. Sometimes inexperienced people don't know the rules. Going to the FSA website and printing out their rules about this wouldn't be bad. Good luck on the flight- what an adventure! (I'd still bring some powder as backup, though!)

My first post! :laugh: I am tentatively scheduled for nov 9th. Paperwork being submitted tomorrow after a horrible and arduous two-year Aetna Adventure. I am... SO... freaking excited. I've been hoping for this for a long time and was just about to give up hope!