I have been really struggling with this for about a week or so now. I went to the Dr. for my follow up (I had to go a week later cause he was out of town) so it had been 3 weeks since I have seen them. Well I had gained 2 lbs. and the nurse was just SHOCKED! She asked me what I had been eating, if I was excercising, how much Protein and such.

I told her that I am alot more hungry than I thought I would be. Then she was saying "is it head hunger or real hunger" (I think I know when I am hungry and my stomach is growling and I am a bear with a sore toe) I told her I had an omlet for Breakfast, she was so surprised when I told her I ate 3/4 of a 2 egg omlet!! So after her response of just pure (I can't believe you can eat that much) She told me to cut down my meals to a Protein shake at breakfast, and one for lunch and then a SMALL dinner. She said I should not be using more than a small salad plate to put my food on.

So here is the thing, I havn't had a fill yet. (I go in on Tues.) I can still eat a good amount of food, what is wrong? I hope I havn't stretched out my stomach and ruined my chance of good weight loss.

I have been feeling so down about the way she reacted to me. I totally left there feeling like a failure. I thought this time before my first fill was suppose to be for healing, not loosing weight. But she acted the total opposite.

I would love some type of feedback. I am really worried I have messed things up with the amount of food I can take in.

Thanks

Why do you have to wait 4 weeks, due to their cancellation??? Especially since you are at the stage needing your fill. Anybody out there that can make any suggestions for her and for us in the future?

We go thru the surgery, we struggle with so many issues already, but to have stuff like this happens concerns me.

Who was the surgeon you had and where at???

I have been reading WLS for Dummies and it gave me some questions to ask my surgeon. I would have never thought one would have to wait 4 weeks, for "THEIR CANCELLATION unless it is a matter of life or death of the surgeon's life."

Doesn't he have staff backup??????

Why haven't you had a fill yet? Typically they will fill you after your 6 week checkup. It sounds like it is time. Good luck.

THE FIRST FILL IS 6 TO 8 WEEKS HERE IN THE UK BUT FIRST APPT THEY HAD WAS 10 WEEKS THEN LIKE I SAID PREVIOUSLY IT WAS CANCELLED SIMPLY BECAUSE THE DOC SPLITS HIS TIME BETWEEN THREE CITIES AND IS ONLY AT MANCHESTER THE NEAREST TO WHERE I LIVE EVERY SO OFTEN, I HAVE SINCE THE LAST POST ON HERE SPOKEN TO MY NURSE OR SHOULD I SAY MY SECOND NURSE THE FIRST ONE HAVING STOPPED CALLING ME BECAUSE I WAS CRYING THE DAY MY APPT WAS CANCELED. SHE SOUNDS LIKE SHE DOES NOT WANT TO RING ME AT ALL AND WHEN I TOLD HER I AM HAVING A HARD TIME WITH MY WILLPOWER SHE WAS JUST SO SNIPPY AND SAID "IF WE COULD BOTTLE WILLPOWER WE WOULD BE MILLIONAIRES!" SHE JUST GIVES ME THE IMPRESSION SHE IS ONLY CALLING ME UNDER DURESS AND I FEEL AS IF I AM A PROBLEM TO HER, I FEEL AT MY WITS END , I FEEL ALONE AND ISOLATED IT,S ONLY THIS SITE THAT HAS HELPED ME KEEP IT TOGETHER,

Is there any support group where you are at? Or even a 12Step Group (AA, CA, NA, OA). Not sure if you are familiar with them...but these are "free" groups to go and be a part of learning to take care of self, especially when you know you can't handle what you are going thru by your self. The OA is Overeaters Anonymous..is about not about sitting around talking about food, it is helping you be supported with the pain, powerlessness feeling, looking at choices others may know about in your area.

Ouch!!! Does she know nothing about the band????

I was told not to expect to lose any weight til my first fill and if I did to veiw it as a bonus!

You see the glaring fact that she seems to be missing is that if we found it simple to stick to a protien shake diet we wouldnt have handed over £8000 to them now would we??

Keep strong hon I am in exactly the same place as you are and it SUCKS!!!!!

((((hug)))

Nina x

you are supposed to focus on healing now and then losing later.... the band has to heal well now so you dont have slips or erosion later..... take it easy on yourself and dont worry. you will lose the weight.......

Lainee - I was banded in Manchester UK did you buy a post care package or do you pay for your fills when you need them? I would be talking to them about breach of contract if you have signed up! If you havent then go to another clinic for your fills.

Nina x

I agree with everyone - that "nurse" should not be working with lapband patients. We all need support and encouragement.

I'm in the same boat as you, in that I feel I can still eat quite a lot, and am hungry - but compared with what I used to eat, it is still less, so that's gotta be good. By the sound of it, after the first fill, things will start to change. Don't let the nurse get you down (I suppose she was stick thin, was she?!!)

Sorry to hear that you had to deal with an obviously unprofessional "nurse".

I have no patience with people like that, no matter what profession they are in.We, as the customers, deserve respect and when we dont get it, its time to speak out. From what I have read, you are a little limited on the places you can go and the dr's you can see. Dont let the person in the office ruin the relationship you have with your doctor though. Speak to him about her. If it was a one time thing, then maybe she was having " one of those days". We have all had them. If it continues, then there is a problem. What you have chosen to do by getting the band is a big enough thing to deal with without someone adding stress to the picture. Hope it all works out for you....Dave

RN in California: Just wanted to let you know that Medical Assistants are not uneducated. In fact, they receive the same amount of education as your LVN's. The difference is that a Medical Assistant works under the physician's liscense so they are not regulated by the state the same way that nurses are. Many MA's are certified, which means that they completed stringent educational requirements at an accredited school and passed an examination similar to the NCLEX.

None the less, the "nurse" in this situation was inappropriate. If it happened to one person, it probably happens more often and should be discussed with her supervisor so that others are not distressed the way kbear was.

Bad, bad nurse!:bandit

I am also in limbo waiting for my first fill on 11/13- I have lost about 20 lbs., but the scale hasn't budged in the past 2 weeks (weightloss includes presurgical liquids)- the one thing that most people don't understand is that we didn't get fat because we didn't like to eat- If I could just eat 800-1000 before surgery, why would I need to do this in the first place- I am as hungry as I was before surgery- even though I am careful, I can eat probably about 80% of what I could pre-lap band

I am hoping that with the first fill I will finally feel the restriction that convinced me to have this surgery in the first place-

I totally gained 2 pounds post-op. My surgeon was like, Don't worry about it! You aren't to the "weight Loss" stage yet. It will start when you get the first fill or two (he was right). He was so cool and totally put my mind at ease. You are doing great! Don't listen to her - FTB!

In Washington only the licensed professional Registered nurse or licensed practical (vocational) nurse can call themselves a nurse. Unfortunately many people think anyone in a dr. office or hospital is a "nurse". Not true, in fact, it is illegal to call yourself a nurse if you are not one. I have been an educator at a Medical Assistant program (I am a RN with a Masters) and their education is about 7 months with a test they can or cannot take at the end of the training to become certified. They do not have the critical thinking skills of nurses. There are so many differences. The reason we see so many MA's instead of nurses. They are a lot less expensive to hire. I have seen excellent MA's. They are the ones that are proud of what they do and not the "wanna be nurses". Can you tell this is a hot topic for me. Just ask the person in the office of hospital what kind of nurse they are, they will usually have to admit they are an MA and that will help to deflate them a little.

I KNOW THIS IS A WHILE AFTER THIS THREAD BEGAN BUT I WANTED TO KEEP UP UPDATED. I DID SEE MY DOC AND I DID MENTION ALL THE ISSUES I HAD TO THE AFFECT THAT I SORT OF KEPT HIM HOSTAGE UNTIL I HAD SAID MY PIECE. HAHA BUT HE WAS MARVELOUS AND ASTONISHED AT MY POOR TREATMENT UP UNTIL THAT POINT. HE SAID HE WOULD DO ALL MY FILLS IN FUTURE WHICH IS LIKE A VISIT FROM THE POPEL LOL AND HE SAID HE WOULD NOT ONLY LOOK INTO ALL THE ISSUES I HAD HE HAS RE ASSIGENED ME A NEW NURSE AND SAID THAT IF SHE CAN,T DEAL WITH MY ISSUES HE WILL PERSONALLY CALL ME :clap2::clap2::clap2:1

so sorry about the nurse. That sucks. She was very unprofessional. I'm 12 days post op and I'm angry at a nurse from the hospital. I had an IV infiltration. (the IV fluids were dripping directly into my arm instead of my vein. the needle punctured the vein.) MY arm was horribly swollen and bruised and excrutiatingly sore. This gruff old nurse comes it and wants to take my blood pressure in my forearm. I told her it was swollen and sore, and she says, "Well, I can't very well put it around the other arm can I, the new IV is placed there." Well, crap, I'm in a bariatric hospital unit, why did they not have large pressure cuffs that would fit around my UPPER arm??? I was so put off. Then she grabs my arm and does it anyway. I almost screamed with pain. It was horrible.