Banded 12 days ago- and it is GREAT

meganwf · April 3, 2006

Hello all,

I haven't posted much hear pre-band, although I read everything and it really helped. So now I thought I should offer my bit.

Comments on these first 12 days:

1) I am just back to work, and I wouldn't have minded longer. That 'you can go touring/ ride an airplane/ go to work' within the first days or week really was NOT true for me. The physical energy wasn't too bad, but there has been a lot of different sorts of pains post-op (mostly gas related).

2) It works for me EXACTLY like it is supposed to- I feel full on a small meal, and I stay full until the next one. I am amazed how my instincts have already started to kick in. I am taking the right amount of food, taking small bites, and chewing a lot without thinking much about it. Also eating slower.

3) I started back on real food by day 3 (Dr. Dargent said follow your instincts). Day 4 I had meat, and realized how much I had been craving it. I have expanded and now am eating just about everything I used to eat, with a few restrictions (I am avoiding Pasta and careful with bread).

4) I am right now down 8 pounds; 2.5 this week. It seems likely that won't last without a fill, but as long as I am losing, I won't be getting a fill. I still don't have anyone for after-care, so that is the next big hurdle.

About the surgery itself: I went to France (4400 Euro- ~$5500), which is cheaper than Mexico! The poeple in that hospital did not speak much English, but they were very nice. The doctor, Dr. Dargent, has done over 1500 bands, and publishes regularly in medical journals. I was very impressed with him and the French medical system, which I have found out is one of the top 3 national medical systems in the world (the USA is down in the low 30's!!!). They kept us in the hospital for 3 nights (2 days) and I felt that I needed that much time. I definitely enjoyed the morphine drip the first day. I did have a lot of gas pain post-op.

While I was there, my roommate, who was also having the band put in, was a British woman. She said you could get the band in Belgium for 1000 pounds cheaper than France! I can't believe it- that would be about $1800 less. She said Belgium was where the band really started being done. I never heard anything like this in my researching, but she was a nurse, so I suppose she knew what she was talking about.

Oh well! That's my news.

ellette · April 3, 2006

Congratulations!

I also was banded 12 days ago. I've been doing well, except a couple of days where I felt so hungry! I think what happened is that I wasn't eating enough and my body just had it and mayble a little PMS.

I definately feel that I will need a fill right away. I've started to exercise but haven't felt like I can go all out because of the limited food intake. I'm going to try to step it up this week. Anybody with any advice regarding exercise?

Dr. Kemmerling, Green Bay WI

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