Search the Community

Only have three days till my surgery! On a liquid diet And it is not my favorite but I will not cheat!! I can do this!!!

If you refuse to go. At least call the band doc's service. Let them know what happened and let them decide if they want to see you on Sunday or if you can wait till next week. If you don't call I'm tempted to call my band doc for you. The band has very few complications and very few that are serious but any symptom like vomiting blood so soon after surger is very SERIOUS. I'm worried for you. Understand this is all being said by someone who won't normally go to the doc unless a drug there under extreme duress.

I was also banded on October 29th at 7:50am. I can't believe it has already been a week. Hope you are doing well!

I had a doctor's Appointment Wednesday. It was great. I have been on mushy food for a week now. I had lost 20 pounds... Woohoo!!! I get my 1st fill December 15th. I feel great!! Hope that you do too!!! My e-mail is bethmmassengale@gmail.com if you want an easier contact. Beth

As I was getting changed this morning my eye was caught by my scar. It is still very pink and big and slightly raised. Now I know that the rest of my belly is white as snow so any colour tends to pop out but seriously it looks like I just had surgery a couple weeks ago and not 2 and half months ago. There is no pain or anything but 2 out of 5 scars are still looking a little to new to suit my tastes. So I am wondering when did peoples scars tend to fade and did you do anything special to make them fade? Right now I am using a Vitamin E coca butter cream to help it fade not sure if it is really working or if I am just telling myself it is in desperation.

Typically 3%-7% of banded folks will experience a slip. Of those 3-7% of people who slip, 80% of them can be repaired with a total unfill and full liquids for 1-3 weeks. About 20% of the time they need to have a surgical repair where they reposition, replace, or remove the band.

After surgery you generally follow a liquid stage, a mushy stage, and then you can progress to regular foods. The length of time in each of these stages varies. I followed liquids for one week and mushies for two weeks, then I could cautiously eat anything. I think most people stay in these preliminary stages for a bit longer than I did, but I would think that by now it would be okay for you to eat normal food. Just check with your surgeon's office first to make sure. Once you progress to normal foods, you can try eating anything, but just eat small amounts and take it very slowly when you're trying new foods.

Hello everyone! Im scheduled for surgery next week and im sooo confused.. clear liquids and protein shakes. Whats allowed?? I know only broth, but what shakes? My doc said no milky shakes.

:rolleyes:I'm here. I couldn't get in to my own journal this weekend. I could read everyone elses but my own. ODD. So, it's day 17 and I am down 16 pounds. I can handle a pound a day. I know this wont keep up as I have been starting to incorporate real foods back in to my otherwise semi-squishy foods. Today I had 2 scrambled eggs, 1 chunk of mozzarella cheese, a protein shake, applesauce, yogurt, and 1.5 stuffed shells. After eating the stuffed shells, I went to the gracery store and didnt feel so great. I came home and made some shepards pie for my lunch or dinner tomorrow (we'll see how I feel at lunch). When I eat "real" food, I get light-headed and gross feeling for about 2 hours after. I was feeling crappy but now I feel fine. Thats just another thing to ask the doc about. I am on the "early" shift at work for the next 2 weeks. I hate the 7am but love the 4pm. Today was quiet since the giraffe wasnt there and pretty much all of the insurance co's that I must deal with were closed. I got a lot done. There was minimal drama today. Usually Mondays are drama-filled since the weekend has occured. I am off to shower and play with my doggie... then nighty-nites.:redface:

Yes TriCare-south. However, they dont pay for anything down here but the bypass, which I am not interested in getting at all.. they make up all kind of excuses from its "experimental", to we dont pay for laproscopic procedures and on and on... So I figured somewhere in the military someone has to do lapband right? I mean if they do bypass someone has to have had the training to break open lapbanding in the military... So I started looking into it and doing some research for my mother who is interested as well, I did a doctor search in her area and found a guy at the base we just moved from, thought heck I will get them to send me up there and have it done (which they do all the time- sending patients to other hospitals for things that cant be done where your at) and figured if I was going to have to go somewhere and have surgery might as well go home and have mommy take care of me right??!! Anyway I called and he had PCS'd (permanant change of station) at the same time we did. So I had to track him down and put in a call to him, and then made calls to the other major medical facilities in the area. The nearest hospital that does them is Walter Reed in DC (yes the one under investigation). Which made me nervous but I thought with all the attention its getting right now, they will be cleaning up their acts (and rooms) and following the book with everything they do. So I started doing all the tests that I could to get everything out of the way and taken care of before I send my records up (which included my sleep study last week- which I am waiting for the results) at which time I will ask my pcm to send up my records for concideration. In the mean time I figured ok I am at BMI 36.8 and I am watching veryyy carefully how much I eat and what I am eating. I hadnt had junk in months. I figured between now and sending my records up if I didnt pay so close attention to what I was eating, or how big or small my portions were and I happened to put on a few extra pounds (and of course raised my bmi closer to 40) that no harm could really come because they would have me do the liquid diet anyway and that I would more than likely drop all-or most of that weight I just put on. Only for some reason, I havent really put any on! I have stayed right in my zone within three pounds as I have always swayed in the area and for a little while even lost about four pounds, altho I put that back on since then -about 4 weeks ago- and am back in my "zone". Of course four weeks ago I had a hysterectomy and have been resting a lot since then so as not to over-do it. So here I am. Kind of just hoping that I have apnea so I have a "real reason" to have this surgery, instead of having to need to put on 10ish pounds to get it anyway. I thought about ankle weights, which freaked my husband right out, and I am still concidering it (shh dont tell him) just too kind of help it along without the gaining thing... But I need to find a really cute pair of flare leg jeans to kind of cover the ankle weights so the tech doesnt see them before I go back in my room and remove them and toss them in my purse so they arent discovered.. but I am having a hard time finding a pair that is long enough to cover the weights and keep them covered while I am sitting in the waiting room. So, I will probably pull it all together and have the weights on when I go in for my follow up to the sleep study so We can just kill two birds with one stone if you will... Im already at 40 bmi doc, so who cares if I qualify with the apnea. *blink* He thinks I should be able to have the surgery now, and thinks my issues are plenty enough reason, but hes not a surgeon so, we have to go by what they say, some docs will smudge it even if you are just below 40, so heres hoping we find one of those doctors! Thats my story... and Im stickin to it! Alli

I signed in and poked around got the message "Hey Sissy907 you haven't posted in awhile, why don't you say hi or answer some questions!!" So here I am. Frustrated and angry. Still no band. I had a sleep study a few nights ago so I should hear about the results of that in a week or so. That is really my last shot at getting the band without having to gain more weight. And on that note, do you know in all this time TRYING to gain weight, eating whatever I want and how much I want (acctually trying to stuff myself to over full) and drinking 3-4 ensure plus shakes a day I havent gained any weight? This makes no sense to me, and is frustrating. Just 10-20 lbs would do it and I would be on my way to health! So since I have had little luck gaining, and I honestly dont think I have any trouble with sleep apnea, I am fearing it will be a cold day in hell until I get my band. On an upside I am applying for a new job at a vet clinic here, I would really enjoy time out of the house, without thinking about my weight and other issues. Maybe they offer health insurance that will pay for this... Who knows. So hi everyone! Sorry I am not feeling more positive about all of this. Hope everyone is having a lovely spring and enjoys a great time with their family for Easter!!

Three C-Sections??? Honey this will be like a scraped knee to you. LOL...I too had a c-section and last Nov. I was banded. Piece of cake. Good luck to you!

Hi all. . Brand new and feeling a little lost atm . Have no buddies . 2 weeks since op . Now onto baby food but my tummy feels oh so so bloated and Omg i have never burped so much in my life is this normal. Would love to make some band friends . Marissa

Yes I still have port pain, some days it's worse than others. I was really worried and when I went in for my last fill I talked to my dr. He said that I just may be one of those people that always notices my port. With it being sewn to that muscle that working that muscle will make it sore. It has gotten better this past week, until this weekend when my and my sons played a few rounds of Just Dance on the Wii. I woke up Sunday pretty sore. I usually will take extra strength tylenol which helps a ton! No worries i've been in the same boat but it will ease up, and just know that you may always have some soreness. I have a friend that she's been banded for over a year now and she still has some days where she is sore.

WOW! You poor thing. Technically three surgeries in a matter of 2 weeks?! I can imagine the gas has you all bloated up and it wouldn't be unheard of for it to settle in your back. Mine was mostly in my shoulders and chest. I agree with the others' advice, walk when you can. It will help the body re-absorb the gas. I've also heard chewable gas-x helps although I never tried it. Maybe you need more time for your body to heal. This was an unforeseen complication as well as a second surgery that was only 10 days ago. Depending on your job and circumstances, I would think you should be allowed more time to recouperate. Here's wishing you good luck and Hope that the gas dissipates.

Hi I'm new to the board. I am celebrating my one week anniversary of being banded. So far I think I am doing ok. I'll be glad to advance to more foods! I am still of soup broth, etc. Good luck to those of you who go tomorrow. The surgery was no problem. I was home in a few hours! Hula

That took longer. My consultations were in mid June, my surgery wasn't until Aug 31 because of work commitments. I would have been able to have the surgery within about 2 weeks otherwise. I was self-pay, so that cut down a lot on the time it takes.

Best wishes to both Kellie and to jg! I was banded just last week and I am still excited about it. Looking forward to hearing how everything goes for the both of you. Kellie, don't worry. i have a feeling that everything is going to go just fine. I had a bad case of pre-band jitters and worries, and it was all for naught! Good luck!

I am stRting ro wonder if this was right for me. I havee lost 30lbs though. Anybody else have rhis problem? Now i hAve a feeding tube at home for 3 weeks and have been still nausaus and vomiting.

Hi Karen, Thanks for the encouraging words. I've only lost 12 lbs. but have my pre-op diet coming up in June. My diabetes is so improved with this small loss. (less insulin and improved blood work):redface:!! I'm kind of going thru a Mourning the loss of my best friend "Food" this week. Just a small BUMP in the road. I am really very excited about having less pain in my ankles, feet and back. It will be nice having more energy so I can start moving. Have a Great Weekend, Carol D'

I got my lapband in Nov. 2008, in the first 6 months I lost 70 pounds, but then I got a neck injury and things changed, after it got better I then moved to Germany for work, so I never got back on track. The band seems to be in place and does limit my portions, but towards the end of my time in Europe 10 pounds crept on. Then I lost it since I've been back but it keeps creeping back on! So, now I am wondering if getting a refill again will help me, so that I can get rid of the remianing 50 pounds; I have really tried to get back into a better eating routine, although it is not making a difference-I stopped eating the foods and chocolate from Europe. When I had the surgery, afterwards I had no problem with following all nutritional guidelines and even had NO craving for sweets or carbs! Do you think that would happen again? I have an appointment with my lapband surgeon in a couple of weeks, I just hope it will make a difference.

OMG this is my GREATEST fear!!!!! How long were you losing your hair for? OMG! I can't even imagine OMG! How do you stop the hair loss? Sheesh!!!! I'm 3 weeks out. I'm so nervous. Please help! I am going to start taking that biosil stuff NOW! Where do I get it from? Also, what does Protein have to do with hair loss/growth? I am definitely not getting in 60g of protein per day so I guess I should definitely be worried.

Wow this is me too! I wish I was one of those ppl who lost their appetite and it never returned. And I worry that my sleeve won't work either. I am making good protein choices but I think I'm eating too many times during the day 6-8 times. Well I will find out Thursday if I lost any weight in a weeks time.

Hi, I was banded on June 26th. I am 37 and a mother of 1 little boy. I live in Newfoundland, Canada. I haven't had a fill yet. Hoping to get one soon. I felt I had restriction after I had the surgery, but having trouble controling my food intake for the past 2 weeks. From my highest weight (1st of June) I have lost 25lbs. I am happy with that, but I've been loosing and gaining the same 5lbs now for the last few weeks.

I am on day 6 of 14... and the first three days were the hardest... hang in there... day 4 and on isn't as bad! Hmmm and yes I cheated by eating a hard boiled egg. I was light headed and thought it was good nutrition w/some sodium added... that was a mistake... learned my lesson... lol My doc says if you feel weak or lightheaded it is likely from the lack of sodium, since our pre band life of prepackaged, high processed foods was full of sodium; they recommend one bullion cube in a cup of Water a day to help... They also say that you can have an additional one if you start to get a headache and I have found that it really does work with the shakiness I sometimes get and the headache I got day 4 went poof after a mug of beef broth... Hugs, Heather