A Few Questions

New Life · March 7, 2005

My surgery is tentatively scheduled for March 29, 2005. I am getting nervous and I have so many questions. This website is awesome so many of my questions have been answered. But here are a few more:

1) I am worried about the gas and noises that bandsters talk about. At least once a week I present to a staff of 40 people. I can't imagine having my stomach making noises during my presentations. How loud are the noises? Is it easy for people around you to hear them? Over time, will the noises ever stop?

2) Do you always feel the device in your body?

3) Is it a probelm to do rigorous exercise (not that I do any of it)? If you jump up and down can you damage something?

4) Does it hurt when food passes from the small pouch to the larger part of the stomach?

5) Do you regret having had the surgery? If so, why?

Thanks so much for your time;)

SPJones · March 7, 2005

Hello,

As you ask your question you will notice that you get very different results and that is because everyone is different how I handle something and how you handle something is two different things. But at any rate.

1. I had really bad gas for the first 5months after my surgery now it is not that bad. My stomach really doesn't make noises however what I noticed was when it did that other people directly by me never heard anything. And I would make a big deal.

2.I never feel my band or my port

3. I never have a problem doing exercises. The Dr. does suggest you wait to 8 weeks post -op before doing exercises. I actually waited about 12 weeks before I did crunches.

4. It does not hurt but there may be some discomfort depending on the foods you are eating. If you eat something that is hard to pass through then you will feel very uncomfortable and it will come back up and of course that doesn't feel well. So eat slow stay away from breads and Pasta because they are harder to digest. But once again everyone is different you find a person who doesn't have a problem digesting bread. It also depends on how much your band is filled.

5. No I don't regret having my surgery it has saved my life. I feel wonderful and I look forward to the future. Some may think this is the easy way out but it is not. It takes a lot of hard work to focus on making this work for you. It’s not only physical but mental as well.

New Hope · March 7, 2005

Best of luck on your upcoming banding!!

1. Not all bandsters have these problems. I do not have any more problems with gas and/or burping than I did pre-band. When I was tighter, I occasionally had a little gurgling sound in my esophagus while eating. But others didn't notice it.

I have not suffered the hair loss that others have reported either.

2. Once I healed, I have not been aware of my band.

3. I have not done rigorous abdominal exercises. But I have done heavy-duty bicycling, hiking, and walking with no problems. I wouldn't think jumping up and down should affect anything, once you are healed.

4.If I eat too big a bite and/or too fast, it gets "stuck" and that is painful.

If I chew my food very well, no problems.

I can not feel the food passing through.

5. No! I love my band! It's given me control of my life and helped me get out in the world.

Alexandra · March 7, 2005

1) I am worried about the gas and noises that bandsters talk about. At least once a week I present to a staff of 40 people. I can't imagine having my stomach making noises during my presentations. How loud are the noises? Is it easy for people around you to hear them? Over time, will the noises ever stop?

Only once have I had a noise situation that was anything but ordinary. And that was in a quite room full of bandsters! It may be tricky during the first few weeks and possibly right after a fill, but the rest of the time you're not going to be noisier than anyone else.

2) Do you always feel the device in your body?

No. I'm only aware of it by its effects--by what happens if I eat too much or too fast.

3) Is it a probelm to do rigorous exercise (not that I do any of it)? If you jump up and down can you damage something?

It is not a problem at all. I've asked my doctor this on several occasions and he assures me I can not damage my band by exercising. (I think he thinks I'm nuts for worrying about it. He has a pro football player as a banded patient.)

4) Does it hurt when food passes from the small pouch to the larger part of the stomach?

Not normally. That process isn't what causes pain, when we have pain. It's the food that doesn't pass that causes the pain.

5) Do you regret having had the surgery? If so, why?

No regrets whatsoever.

coyotegirl · March 7, 2005

DITO on everything everyone else has said. No gas, No noises, No problem exercising (dang it), No I don't feel my port or anything elso. No pain with food (eat slow and chew chew chew) and NO NO NO regrets. I'm happier now than I have been in a very long time. My band is my new best friend!!

PFernandez · March 7, 2005

My surgery is tentatively scheduled for March 29, 2005. I am getting nervous and I have so many questions. This website is awesome so many of my questions have been answered. But here are a few more:

1) I am worried about the gas and noises that bandsters talk about. At least once a week I present to a staff of 40 people. I can't imagine having my stomach making noises during my presentations. How loud are the noises? Is it easy for people around you to hear them? Over time, will the noises ever stop?

Well I have found the tighter your band is the more gurgeling your little pouch makes somedays is loader then others.

2) Do you always feel the device in your body?

The only thing I feel is my port and that is after losing 100# but it is not uncomfortable and does not hurt.

3) Is it a probelm to do rigorous exercise (not that I do any of it)? If you jump up and down can you damage something?

I do a 30 minute circuit training and it is all good.

4) Does it hurt when food passes from the small pouch to the larger part of the stomach? Never... you cannot feel the food pass through, The only thing i have ever felt is cold liquids passing through.

5) Do you regret having had the surgery? If so, why?

Thanks so much for your time;)

Never any regrets and I would do it all over again without hesitation.

The band is my forever friend and I cannot ever see being without it.. because my friend has changed my life...forever...

La_madam · March 7, 2005

1) I am worried about the gas and noises that bandsters talk about. At least once a week I present to a staff of 40 people. I can't imagine having my stomach making noises during my presentations. How loud are the noises? Is it easy for people around you to hear them? Over time, will the noises ever stop?

[I]No one yet has been close enoughto me at the time my tummy makes those noised only I can hear them and they seem loud to me

[/i]

2) Do you always feel the device in your body?

No I do not feel the band in my body, but I do feel my port in my body, sometimes I get a few pains or twinges of pain from my port area.

3) Is it a probelm to do rigorous exercise (not that I do any of it)? If you jump up and down can you damage something?

I have been working out at the gym and have had no problems, there is a wait period after surgery to make sure all is healed and set in place.

4) Does it hurt when food passes from the small pouch to the larger part of the stomach?

It is the food that the bite is too big that is painful or the food that does not want to go through the band that is painful

5) Do you regret having had the surgery? If so, why?

NO NO NO NO !!!!! best thing I have ever done for myself

Thanks so much for your time

Reply With Quote

Tarafeena · March 7, 2005

The noises sound like your stomic growling no biggie it stops within 2sec. I just say Man I'm hungry. The way I see it is look at how many people do plastic surg. to improve there looks, the band will help your looks but unlike plastic surgery, it will give you a hole new "HEALTHY LOOK ON LIFE" No regrets.. I love my little buddy..

Tara