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I took 10 working days, which wound up equaling (sp?) 16 days off for me with regular days off in the middle. I was going to go back sooner, after the first week. But I had a complication, my body decided it didnt like the dissolvable stitches. So you know how when you heal, it itches? Well, I thought thats all it was at first. Then it got insane! I went in and they gave me a short few days worth dose of prednisone. My job is sitting on the phones all day, so it's not like it's physically strenuous. But mentally... it can be from time to time. 911 calls, you never kow what's on the other end of the line.

Hi, I have my surgery in 2 1/2 days. Have to work the next two nights then surgery on Tuesday am. I am from Washington State and Dr. Neal is my surgeon. I have about 100 pounds to loose. I would like to get down to 115-125 pounds. I am 4'11" tall and 55 years old. Been overweight more or less since I was 10 years old. I have a wonderful, supportive husband and am paying for this out of my own pocket. I am very much looking forward to loosing weight. I lost 90 # 7 years ago and have gained 70 # back. That is the way it has been all my life. Well, got to go and sleep before work tonight.

I was banded by Dr. Hollis on 8/19/2007! Go to HoustonAreaBandsters@yahoo.com and there is all kinds of info on local support groups. Dr. Hollis is on the site as well as "LapBandDoc". You and I have almost identical weight loss since our surgeries. Do you get your fills at True Results? What has your experience been? There is a huge difference between the two women who do fills and I have had issues...just wondered if you had too.

Well, I ended up being completely normal - thank God! Hehe! I spent 10 minutes talking to the guy and then he made me take a personality test made up of 344 questions!!! But it only took me about 20 minutes to complete. He gave me the results as soon as I was finished and said I passed and was "right as rain." LOL! Yay! The support group was a little weird. When I think of a support group I think of something like AA (thought I've never been to AA) - where you sit around and talk and stuff....it was nothing like that. But at least I've got one of them done - two more to go!!!

It's been 10 days post op and I feel like I have poison ivy on my back. Can't stand it just took two Benadryl. Crushed of course. Anyone else having this problem?

Hey Everyone! Wanted to share what I made the other night! Super yummy and easy! http://www.afterthesleeve.com/2013/01/turkey-meatball-squares.html

And this is exactly why we need the sleeve. I'm not sure when I will start the pre-op diet. My surgery is on the 21st. The surgeon did say a 7-10 day pre-op diet for me. It makes me want to pig out now before I can no longer do it Hope you have a better day tomorrow.

My surgery was Nov 28th, I did a full 2 week liquid diet starting Thanksgiving week. 5 days that week I spent in Disneyland with family and friends. I did not cheat one bite on vacation. Came home and faced Thanksgiving with my family of 30. Took my protein shake along and no problem. I lost 17 pounds in 2 weeks before surgery. Had surgery 10 weeks ago this Wednesday. The first 2 weeks were painful, because once I got home I couldn't take Loritab it has 7% alcohol in it and I'm allergic to alcohol so I just went no meds cold turkey. The reason I'm elaborating is...if your having this much trouble with the pre op diet maybe your not ready. Your mind needs to be completely ready. If your falling apart at Dinner I'm worried about you. This is a major surgery, you are making a decision that is permanent. Do some serious soul searching, ok? You don't want to do something you regret. I have lost 47 pounds, and feel wonderful! Everyone I run into tells me how great I look. It's amazing! My goal is 100 pounds and in 10 weeks I'm just about half way there. Please make sure your ready to make this life changing decision. If dinner time is hard, Go for a walk and stay busy. My husband has been so helpful. He took over the cooking for the kids and himself. So I don't even have to think about it. I just grab my shake and leave the room. If something like that is an option for you try it. I wish all of you pre op people luck! Stay strong it's so worth it!????

2bullymom, I think it was I just couldn't believe I was smaller. I kept buying 14-12 pants and I'd wear for an hour and they would be baggy, really bad. So I went in and got a 10, now I can wear some 10's and some 8's. But my top I like it bigger, do have some larges as long as they hide the belly flab lol. Hang in there you to shall get down and it's a great feeling. If I couldn't lose any more than the 50 I have I will be happy. My new husband loves the new me, well he loved me before but I get more compliments now.

#9grammy in TWO WEEKS you went from a size 14 to a 10?? WHOLEY MOLEY! I started at an 18-20 in March and am down to a 14-16 now. I would be thrilled if I could get in to a 10 in 2 weeks! Awesome for you!

Hi all, I'm scheduled for my endoscopy on Monday at 10:15am. I woke up today with a sore throat this morning and little bumps in the back of my mouth. I feel perfectly fine otherwise but now I'm really nervous that they will cancel my procedure. Did this happen to anyone? If so, did they still see you even though you didn't have any other symptoms? This whole process has been overwhelming for me. I found out last week that I need my gallbladder removed because of gallstones. I really can't afford a set back Thanks for listening and sharing your experience if you have one.

Hello :tt2: I have some questions for people who have had the LAP-BAND®, I basically am not sure if I want to go through with it and I would like to hear some stories of people who also couldn't decide at first lol. I understand it is not a quick fix, and it is going to take time and effort and what not. I do have some questions though. I have been overweight my entire life. My mom loved food, therefore I love food. She rewarded me with food and we pretty much lived on fast food growing up, therefore I am quite morbidly obese. In Kindergarten, I was 100 pounds, most of the other kids were around 60. Last time I was weighed, probably close to 2 years ago, I was 427. Food is my comfort and I spend any money I get on food... My parents have never said you cannot have this or no we cannot order this in, if they can afford it, or I am willing to pay for it, we get it. That is that. They have tried to mention my weight and doing something about it, but they know it does not phase me and that I ignore it. I actually made effort when I was 16 to go to a nutrionist but after a bad experience, I completely refused to go back to ANY nutritionist. She basically told me fat peopel cannot be succesful, it felt like an interrogation, and that fat people cannot do anything. It was just so rude. Since I was 16, I am 18 now, my mom has been talking about the lap-band® and how I should consider getting it when I turn 18. Lately she has really been bothering me because the class you have to attend is in a few weeks, and I only have until I am 19 (less than a year) to get it done, which is when insurance stops covering me. I have social phobia/social anxiety though, due to being taken out of school 4 years and put into homeschooling with no real human interaction. I was put into homeschooling due to bullying, I have been clinically depressed since 3rd grade, that is when I was diangnosed. I have told my mom several times, i will not go to a class with other people in it, I cannot do it. If you do not know what social phobia/social anxiety disorder is, it is basically fearing human interaction, and you totally believe everyone is looking at you, judging you, saying things about you, point at you behind your back, making fun of you etc.. That is the only way I can explain it. I have only just started going and getting the mail in the past 2 months, and only if nobody is outside their house and I have a hoodie completely covering me, with a long skirt. I only leave my house if I absolutely have to, and at that, it is usually at night time, and I do not go inside anywhere. I always have to have a hoodie on that covers everything and a long skirt,so nobody can see me. I only go in the dentist when I am in terrible pain, I deal with moderate/mild pain otherwise, because I know I will be in a room with just the dentist and I. I have not even gotten my license yet, nor do I have any interest... I seriously start having a panic attack in social situations, I have not had any RL friends in 3 years. Lately I have been having so many pains due to being overweight, and I am sure in a year or 2 I am going to end up having a heart attack. The doctors said at anytime I can have a heart attack. I never mention these pains to anyone though because the social phobia/anxiety, and I will NOT go to the doctor. So, what I am asking is to hear from people or people who have had friends/family get the LAP-BAND® and if it is really something worth doing? The main questions I have are; 1. Is there pain after the surgery? And if so, what kind? How long did it last? 2. How long do you have to stay in the hospital after surgery? 3. Is there a specific diet before/after surgery? 4. Do I have to slim down to a certain weight before I can get it? 5. I know you eat less, a lot less, do you eat more smaller meals or just 3 really small meals? 6. If really small meals, is there enough food for your body to like have energy? :S 7. Should I worry about complications with my weight? 8. How many people die of complications every year? And how many people get the surgery every year? 9. What kinda of diet are you on currently? 10. I cannot stick to diets, will I be told to TRY dieting before the surgery? 11. What happens on the day of the surgery? 12. Side effects? 13. Problems you had? 14. Did you ever consider not getting it because of the extra skin? 15. How steady of a weight loss can one expect? 16. Did family members actions change after you got the surgery? 17. Your worries before you had the surgery? What about after? That is all I can think of but I appreciate any replies! Thanks, sorry for the long post lol.:thumbup:

I am 10 weeks post op and have lost 40lbs and now steadily averaging a loss of 3lbs a week. I dont miss eating food and dont feel hungry. My social life has improved and i can now wear fashionable clothes BUT why do i lose my temper so quickly? I am easily irritated esp at the ones I love (my husband and mum esp) the tiniest thing upsets me and my anger is now starting to scare me i hate feeling like this- did anybody else experience this?

Thanks for taking the time to write that. I still have a wAys to go before surgery. One question at 10 weeks what stage are you at eating wise and what are some of the things you can have and can't have? Thanks

I never really thought of the percentage thing - I only needed to lose 50 in the first place and am down 20 after 10 1/2 months so I guess I shouldn't complain - that is almost half of my goal and I think that is what they told me is that after a year I may only be down 1/2 of what my goal is - thanks!

Yes I spoke with the Claims person. She said that WW was not enough that I needed a doctor supervised plan. I started going to the doctor 3 months ago and the information she submitted wasn't enough. They wanted a food Journal and notes on how my exercise was for example if I could only do 10 leg lifts in one month then the second month I could do 15 leg lifts. That kind of documentation. When I spoke with my Insurance Coordinator at the Bariatric clinic she told me that I had a really tough claims adjustor and she was surprised they were being that strict but she was going to wait on the denial letter and see what I need to do. Just Bummed me out

4 days ago I had surgery. I don't feel like I had the surgery done lol. I've been drinking and drinking and no pain or feeling full. I am wondering if I actually had the surgery lol. Funny how every commercial is with food particularly pizza which I LOVE. I hope I can have it again. I want some right now. I know I am hot hungry but I made a mistake not training my brain and eyes. They are craving food and not my new tummy. I have 10 more LONGGGGGgGgG days on full liquid Uhg. Can it go any slower? I am trying to be patient but it's not easy. I come from a but family so there are lots of yummy food around me. They are being so nice and not eat in front of me but I know they are having delicious food. Can't wait to have mashed potatoes and pudding looking forward to that.

Delco here! Sleeved on 10/7 and surgery at university of penn Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

O.K. Well to make it short as I could go on and on about what happened to me.............Ditto to what Natalie said. I did well after receiving the band until about Feb of this year (had lost 85 lbs). I had always had pain in the abdomen around where the port site was every time I did anything requiring use of the abdominal muscles. I had always had pressure type pain in the esophageal area, even after having had nothing to eat or drink for several hours. In short, I was never able to forget that I had a foreign object in my body making me miserable every day. The feeling of something not being quite right has been with me basically 24/7 since the original surgery. I was willing to accept this as I felt that I was loosing weight and getting "healthier". In Febuary of this year, I developed severe chest pain one night and it was all down hill from there. Just prior to having this, I was having so much acid reflux for a couple of weeks that the skin around my lips felt like it was on fire 24/7. My teeth were rotting out due to the acid breaking down the enamel (I can't imagine what it was doing to my esophagus). Anyway, went to my original surgeon who took me to surgery for lysis of adhesions around the band. Since then, I have been unable to get a fill to reach restriction. I do not even have the amount of fill in my band that I did before the second surgery (only 4.5 ml in a 10 ml band). Every time I try to get a fill to get the magical "sweet spot" that I heard everyone talking about, I develop severe pain with the first swallow of any thing, including Water. I have this problem even when there is no Fluid in the band. Have had multiple different x ray exams, etc. Had a slight slip which corrected after an unfill. Have been diagnosed as having esophageal spasms after all the x rays. The spasms happen as soon as the first swallow of water or what ever I try to swallow rounds the bend from my mouth into my throat. These spasms feel like someone is shoving a knife down my throat. Then it feels like someone slugs me in the epigastric area with their fist. This happens simultaneously as the food rounds the bend. The original surgeons had placed me on Prevacid in the AM and Pepcid in the PM, with Maalox/Mylanta between times for the reflux. I would take the Maalox/Mylanta 4-5 times a day. Much to my dismay, several months after the second surgery, I developed nausea with vomiting and diarrhea pretty much after attempting to eat anything. Went to my original surgeons office and their response was "you should be happy that you have lost 85 lbs" while demanding that I put my purse down and get up on the table so they could do an unfill. The nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea went on for about 5 weeks. The only way I could make it through the day was getting I.V. fluids pretty much every couple of days (I am a nurse at a surgery center so every couple of days when I was looking like I was about to die one of the surgeons would write me a prescription for IV fluid therapy and my co workers would hang an IV on me). Believe me, I did everything by the book to make this thing work. I would chew any food I was able to get down into liquid form, obeyed the no drinking rules, no eating for 3 hours before bed rules, etc, etc, etc, etc blah, blah, blah........... (That is why i got so pissed when I read on another post in the lap band talk that a "nurse" said that most people have problems with the band because they are not doing what they were supposed to do-bull shit..........). I had posted several times on the lapband site and Wasa came to my rescue. She literally saved my life. I will be forever grateful to her and so very much miss her contributions to the site. Anyway, through her I met Dr. Aceves. She also told me about band intolerance. I went to Dr. Aceves. He took me off all the antacids. Stated that I had basically probably wiped out all the normal acid in the stomach and that the food was basically rotting in my stomach before being digested as the acid was not there to help in the digesting of it. This pretty much cured the vomiting and diarrhea issue. I am at least able to eat now but still have the severe pain with any thing as soon as it "rounds the bend". I still am unable to go out to eat with anyone and need to set close to a bathroom as I never know when with the first swallow I will spew (yes, this is even after I have chew, chew, chewed-I swear to god if I hear this one more time-I do chew, chew, chew. Do people think I enjoy the severe pain with swallowing every day? How can I chew water? Jesus). These are only a very few issues that I have had with the band. If I listed every one of them it would take all day. These are just the "highlights" so to speak. I am so looking forward to the day when I get my sleeve. I can not live the rest of my life like this. I want to lead a normal life again. I am not afraid of the sleeve like some people are as I know that they have been doing partial gastrectomies for years. Believe me, I am not just counting the days but also the hours. I want to thank everyone who posts here daily (VegasAngel, Oregon Daisey, Mac, Ruthi, etc). Just reading your posts and tips gives me hope.

You are still healing and some will take 4-5 weeks to heal. Do only liquids for the first 10 days or follow your doctors orders completely. Do not deviate! I added an extra week of liquids to my post op to make sure I was okay in the healing process. People want to lose their weight quickly and hopefully look good. A BNig mistake! Take it slower and steady and learn how to eat good and make proper choices. This is a Lifetime committment. Best wishes

I have had horrible migraines since I was 16 and i'm 49 now. For about 10 years I was on Inderal to prevent them and that worked. My doctor just switched me to Verapamil because he said I had been on the Inderal to long. Even though I didn't get the migraines that often after starting the Inderal I still would get bad headaches. Since the surgery I don't get very many headaches. Now if I get one I can usually tell I haven't drank enough water that day. I take Tylenol and start drinking the water and they go away. I fiqure it was all the crap I used to eat that caused all the headaches. I'm not quite ready to stop the Verapamil because it scares me to death that they will come back. I would talk to your doctor about what to take just in case you do get one, because most of the over the counter meds for them we can't take.

Just continue your pre-op diet and remember to breath!! I received my dietary tool on Dec. 23rd. The two weeks prior was my time to EDIT my pantry and refiterator. If you have a family and are responsible for OTHER meals, you probably should start preparing for how you want to handle your diet vs. preparing for others. I'm a single guy so it was a bit easier for me. I wish I had stuck with my pre-op diet instead of succombing to my LAST What-a-Burger, Popeye's chicken or Mexican breafast. While I lost weight, I just barely lost the required 10 lbs. Quite frankly, I enjoyed the 7:30 am call and the period of time prior to going into surgery. The staff can be very good at calming your nerves and they do start a pre-op IV to help the body prepare for surgery. Post surgery was great, too. No pain. That wore off around mid-Afternoon but was manageable. If you are having hiatal hernia, be prepared for a bit more pain [i didn't] due to the repair and the gas that they use to inflate the stomach. GasXX strips should be on hand and take as needed. I did one about every 2-3 hours and it helped. Also, I didn't lie down until that evening. Sitting, walking and do minimal activities. My niece had her's 2 years ago. She started dusting after her procedure. I did dishes and then a minimal rearragement of one the shelves in the utility room. Most of all...make it a celebration of what is to come. You are taking a great, first step and the medical staff are really there to make it happen. Be realistic...it will feel lilke someone punched you in the stomach but they will give you a perscription for pain. I barely used 1/4 of the liquid Tylenol. The strangest thing is that you will begin to feel liquid hitting the bottom of your stomach about 5 minutes after taking sips [or when the operating meds wear off] of Water. The craziest thing is I LOST my appeetite on Dec. 23rd and I still don't have it. The biggest thing I have to learn is that a full stomach trumps an empty plate. Good luck!

My surgery is 10/21, but I do not have a time yet. My schedule for surgery is as follows...Today-start 10 day diet. ( Switch to clear liquids ONLY day before surgery at 2pm until midnight. No bowel prep needed due to diet.) Monday is EDG. Wednesday -stop oral warfarin ( I am a lifer on blood thinners due to repeated DVTs) Thursday (my birthday)- see Dr. Bruce for final pre op appointment. Friday- start Lovenox injections. Monday- SURGERY!!! After that....heal, feel better, be healthy and lose this weight!!!

Well i made it through surgery and am now at home. I feel very blessed that my surgery was relatively pain free. No pain from the incisions and no gas pain at all. I have not had to take any pain medication. I'm struggling a little getting my liquid and Protein in. I'm using Isopure for that. I can only take it in small doses. I was released from the hospital yesterday afternoon. I slept a little bit in my bed last night but after about three hours I got up and switched to my La-Z-Boy recliner and had a very nice sleep until 7 am this morning. I jumped on the treadmill and did about 10 minutes of slow walking. I'll repeat that process throughout the day. I gained 5 lbs from the IV solution in the hospital but have since dropped that weight and three pounds more. Best of luck to everyone that has had their surgery or is about to have surgery. Dallas

1. My insurance covers either procedure as long as I'm approved for wls. 2. At only 27 I am concerned that lapband is not permanent enough since I would have to rely on a foreign body lasting inside me for hopefully 60+ years. - Even the manufacturers and FDA knows that the band will not last a lifetime. It's only listed for 10 years, I'll try to find the specific links for you. 3. The sleeve is totally permanent (scary). In my humble opinion, the band is not reversible. It can be removed, or unfilled, but once that thing is suture around your stomach, your anatomy is forever changed. 4. One of my biggest factors is that I plan on having more kids and I'm worried that the sleeve will not be compatible with pregnancy. There are successful pregnancy patients on Obesityhelp that have had the VSG, and have delivered healthy babies. Once you hit goal, your surgeon will help you determine when you can TTC. 5. I am a huge puke-a-phobe (this is a concern with both surgeries). Puking with the band is horrific and so uncomfortable. Puking with the sleeve isn't the same, it's like this creeper piece of food coming my esophagus, and I spit it out. That hasn't happened in months because I've learned how to eat with my sleeve. With the band, things get stuck and you never know when or what is going to cause you to puke. It's especially an unpleasant experience when eating in public and you have to rush to the bathroom because on that particular day, mashed potatoes didn't go down, and then you can't eat anything else because the stomach tissue swells. 6. I am totally ok with eating tiny portions, but the lapband seems way more restrictive on the kinds of food you can eat. With the band, some days I could stuff, and the next Water wouldn't go down right. meat always had to be slathered in a condiment or gravy of some sorts because my band didn't like meat, and it didn't matter how it was cooked or prepared. I could not eat any bread products with the band that was total trainwreck with my band. With my sleeve, I can have about 1/2 of a fajita size tortilla with cheese on it, or the inside of a super light yeast roll. I'm not a sandwich person so I don't eat sandwich bread. I do enjoy pita bread, but it's about 1/4 of a pita pocket with cream cheese and deli meat sometimes. Some other information about the band vs. sleeve. With my band once I lost restriction (the initial swelling with the band surgery), I never felt full, I was always hungry, but couldn't eat things some days so I ate slider foods which is completely counterproductive, but I had to eat. I had a flipped port, and could only get 2 fills post op, and then in February, my surgeon could not access my port. I was miserable, and in constant pain with band because the flipped port caused the tubing to actually tug on my stomach which in turn damaged my stomach. You won't get restriction with band until you get enough fills, and that could take months. Not to mention the unfills you may have to endure to find the "sweet spot". It's a lot of maintenance. With the sleeve, it's instant restriction, plus with ghrelin hormone out of the equation, the ravenous hunger is gone. I'm 8 months out and still have zero hunger. I still have to remind myself to eat. The risks with the sleeve are more common immediately following surgery such as leaks. But, with the band, the list of complications is long and can occur fairly early out, or a couple of years post-op flipped ports, esophageal dialation, stretched pouches, erosion, slippage, and those are the most common. Some have asked me why did I have the band. It was approved by my insurance, my mom has a band since Nov 2007 (and now she pukes 2-4 times weekly), I really thought I would be one of the lucky ones (so not the case), I needed surgical intervention, and I was so against RNY. I knew all the complications, but honestly thought I could be successful. Luckily, when I decided to revise, I found out that a military base close to us did indeed perform the VSG. I left my civilian band surgeon and transferred all my stuff to a military surgeon. My insurance (Tricare Prime) approved my revision immediately. I am not the type of person to really regret anything I've done in my life. I don't regret my decision to get the band. It taught me a lot about myself, and I did pick up some good habits with it. I do wish that I would not had of complications, and I wish I would of known that the VSG was approved at our neighboring base. But, I see a civilian PCM, so I get kicked to civilians for all of my referrals. Just my ramble. I hope that helps.