I'm getting very discouraged so far with my lapband. yesterday I went to see my Dr post -op (banded 6/9) he told me he put in a 14CC band around my stomach (I'm 4'11 weighed 199 at time of surgery). He said there was fatty tissue around around my stomach and thats why he went for the larger band. I was also very very sore at the port site and in terrible pain until I woke up this morning and now I feel so much better- not sure why but I do.... I can breathe, walk lay down all easier. My Dr wanted me to get a cat scan to make sure there was no swelling around the port site, so I called them them this morning and told them how much better I am feeling and am waitig for them to call me back. This morning i was able to drink a whole protein shake 11oz (with a straw) with no problem (pretty fast too) unlike yesterday where I could barely get anything down and felt like throwing up all day. What's wrong with me? One day I can't eat anything the next I'm drinking a whole shake like there is no tomorrow...could it be because the port pain feels so much better therefore I feel better? Anyone that can help I need it any encouragaing words send them my way...I'm having a hard time with all of these ups and downs it's really affecting my moods.

TIA

The swelling has gone down and you are healing. Isn't that wonderful! Being able to drink the shake with no problem is normal. You may even become hungry. I started with an empty band and was hungry almost right away. I didn't get restriction until 4 months out. I had to count calories and actually "diet". It was very discouraging but I hung with it and now am losing. It was sooooo worth it! So hang in there!!! Best wishes!

BUMP

Is it normal to have such a large band around my stomach? From what i see in oher posts most people get the 10CC band why did my dr picksuch a large band for me....

Didn't your doc say there was more fatty tissue around the stomach? It may just be that.

BUMP

Is it normal to have such a large band around my stomach? From what i see in oher posts most people get the 10CC band why did my dr picksuch a large band for me....

He gave you a reasonable explanation for this.

Look, you're very fresh post-op. Your expectations are high----and unrealistic.

Your band will work. You WILL get restriction.

But being able to drink Fluid freely at this stage is perfectly normal.

There will be days when it's easy, and days when it's not. When you're a little further postop, you will at least be spared the mood swings associated with the trauma of surgery itself---I suspect a lot of what you're feeling is due to that at this point.

A tool a lot more important here than the lapband is a positive attitude and you seem to be very negative.

Repeat after me, "This is going to work. This is going to work. This is going to work. This is going to work. This is going to work. This is going to work. This is going to work. This is going to work. This is going to work. This is going to work. This is going to work. "

Thanks for your replies... I guess i just expected a magic bullet. And I of all people seem to be doubting myself. I know I can do it....I can do it.... I will do it.... I must do it. I guess because I am reading so many different posts I am getting discouraged that this will not work for me some people lose alot others lose basically nothing and that scares the hell out of me after what I put my body thru. I guess I just got scared because I drank a whole protein shake whereas I could only drink 2-4oz at a time the pass week...that scared me. Me being hungry scares me. having NO restriction scares me.... I'm scared i'm going to fail even with a tool to help me. I'll try to be more positive and happy, but thanks for taking thetime out to reply.

You might want to check with your Dr but mine says no straws. :thumbup:

I was advised to avoid straws as well - I was just banded 6/2 so just over 2 weeks out now - even now I can feel something getting better each day...less soreness, more flexibility, etc - so just a week out, you're still feeling some after effects and the healing - surgery is basically trauma to the body, so it's still getting over all that

and just when our bodies are recovering, we throw it all kinds of curve balls - changing chemistry and composition with liquid diets, drastic cut in calories, all kinds of stuff - so don't put too much pressure on yourself by weighing in too frequently - so much is up in the air right now - I don't think the doctors even expect the bands to work on their patients effectively until we get some fills anyway

the band works totally on restriction, and it's possible we have only a hint of it (or almost none at all) at this point - right now we're basically just dieting by taking a big cut in calories