erink58

Hi Guys, Has anyone been banded by Dr. Wai Yip Chau from NJ Bariatrics? He operates out of the Medical Center in Princeton NJ. I have already had a consult with him. He seems really nice and his staff were very professional and helpful. Just wanted to hear from someone who has been through this with him already. Does Dr. Chau do the fills or a staff member? How did the office respond if you called with a problem? Does Dr. Chau return calls or emails? Just wondering, he seems great, but I just wanted some verification if my instincts are accurate. Also, how was the hospital? Did you have to stay overnight? How was the tretment by the nursing staff and the anesthesia doctor at the hospital.? Thanks!!

Hi everyone, I was banded in January 12', felt no restriction and gained weight. After six weeks had first fill. I was so glad that I was having episodes of food getting 'stuck'. A few episodes were very painful and lasted for about 45 minutes. I was glad that I finally was feeling like I had a lap band in me. Now I think I have learned that when I feel a little full, all i have to do is wait a few minutes and I can resume eating. HELP! I thought that the lap band would make me feel full after eating a normal amount of food and that I would feel full for a few hours. Instead, I get an uncomfortable feeling of being 'choked' or food caught in my throat. I did not realize that I would feel hungry and that my stomach would feel empty while eating. For example, when I have a plate of food and only can eat one third of it before feeling like I am choking, I am still hungry. My throat feels full, but not my stomach! Is this what the lap band is supposed to feel like? I realize that I am going to have to re-think this whole thing. I would like to know if this is how others are feeling. I go for another fill in a few weeks, what is it supposed to feel like when it gets to the "green zone" everyone refers to? Any comments would be appreciated. Thanks.

Well I went for my first fill today! I was not shocked to learn that I had gained 12 lbs since surgery six weeks ago. I felt absolutely no restriction and slowly began to eat almost as much as before surgery. I was almost too embarrased to go for the fill. However, my surgeon told me that about 65% of people dont feel any restriction, initially. He did not lecture me or make me feel bad about myself. So I decided to start fresh. The fill was not bad at all. It did not hurt and he did not numb me beforehand. I got four cc's added to the original one cc and it was too much. Drinking water felt like a lump in my throat that would not move. So he removed one cc and I now have a total of four cc's which feels really comfortable. I am anxious to see if I will feel full after eating a normal meal. However, that wont be for a few days as I have to limit myself to liquids and then soft foods for a few days. Wish me luck everyone!!! I am so glad I went through with this.

Hi, My surgery was January 13th. Everything went well and I actually lost about 19 lbs from the pre-surgery diet and the first week after. But now, I can eat alot of food and I have no restriction. I will not get my first fill until February 27th. I was following the post surgery diet to the letter but was experiencing severe hunger pains within 1/2 hour of eating. I slowly increased my food intake to the point that I can actually eat pretty much anything I want. I am very upset about this and keep feeling that the band is not actually "in there". I have gained eight lbs back. I am concerned because the surgeon actually said that when I see him next he "might" give me my first fill "if I need it". I am confused, I thought the purpose of using the lap band was to have fills and be able to feel full and control the amount of food I eat. I am very upset. I called the surgeon's office to request an earlier fill and they said no. I do not know what to do. I guess just reading others' comments and problems, helps me to feel that this all might be "normal" Thanks for listening. Erink58

Hi everyone, As I get closer to my surgery date, I find that I am wondering how my band is going to feel. I would like to hear if you feel the band and port under your skin, particularly when losing weight. This might be silly, but it is among the 1000 things I worry about when thinking of the surgery!! Thanks for any responses

Congratulatios and Happy Anniversary....I hope I do as well as you did. PS You will have to change your screen name how about Skinny McSkinny?

You are so right to ignore your co-worker. Maybe this would be a good time to give her a little education about how difficult living with the lap band will be. It makes me angry that outright discrimination is allowed for anyone who is overweight. You can be discriminated against when applying for a job or home, it is perfectly legal. People need to know that this is a huge decision and will take alot of commitment and strength. We are risking death in major surgery, to become thin and healthy. If we could do it on our own, that would be the easy way out...not surgery. I am prepared to live with this choice, even being aware of the many, many things that I will not be able to eat anymore, but that is the price to pay and it is OK with me. However, it is not OK for anyone to belittle us for being brave and going through this process. Not one person has ever had an easy time going through this process, from the consults with surgeon, psych eval, colonoscopy, endoscopy, sleep study, pre-surgery diet, etc... it is a major undertaking. Maybe it is so difficult so that only people who are mentally prepared for the journey will be successful...Oh well, I just wanted to rant a little bit. Good luck and God Bless..

Hi, I was scheduled for lap band surgery in May, however my cardiologist wil not let me stop taking Plavix right now. My surgeon will not operate on a person who is on Plavix. Has anyone had lap band surgery while on Plavix? I though the incisions were very small and there was not alot of bleeding with this surgery. Should I find a surgeon who uses the single incision method? I basically want to find out if it is possible to be on Plavix and still get my lap band. Any info is appreciated.

Hi Everyone, I was scheduled for surgery on May 3rd but after meeting with my cardiologist, it has been cancelled. I am really upset about this. I was mentally prepared for surgery and now I am confused. I have been on Plavix for one year and have two stents in my heart. For lap band surgery you have to stop Plavix for 7-10 days. My doc says that it is too dangerous for me to stop the plavix right now, so she will not give clearance. Has anyone out there gotten a lap band while using Plavix? Has anyone gotten lap band with heart disease? Any info would be appreciated.

Hi, you might just want to call any bariatric surgeon's office for a quick confirmation over the phone, but when i was checking out lap band surgery, i was also concerned if it would be OK considering I have stage 3 kidney disease. My doctor says it is OK for me. However, once a person is on any type of dialysis, that means total renal failure. It is my understanding that they will not put a lap band on anyone with total renal failure. Sorry to tell you this - but please check with a surgeon. I just wanted to let you know what I found out when I researched it. Good luck Erink58

Hi, Your story touched me because it is almost the same as mine. I too am on about 12 prescriptions for diabetes, blood pressure, cholesterol, asthma, etc. I have neuropathy, retinopathy, nephropathy, all connected to diabetes. I started researching lap band and have read everything on these posts which sometimes gives me great advice and comfort and at other times scares the &$#@* out of me. I am having a lap band put in on May 6th and I feel that at any time I can chicken out. But I look at it like this: My main goal is to get off all these medicines. If I continue like this I will not live too much longer, so whatever the fears and dangers associated with lap band, living without the lap band is far more dangerous to me. So I hope I will stay with it anc be successful. I think the people who fail maybe dont follow the plan after surgery. Eating slowly, chewing, eating more protein and veggies. I am scared of all the complaining about hunger, but I think that if Ifollow the doctors advice and keep all appointments with the doctor, I am more likely to be successful. Good luck to you and please let me know how you are doing. erink58@aol.com

The first one I was mortified and actually crying pre-op because I had to have a catheter put in. The LapBand surgery I didn't need a catheter so they just give a monstrosity of a pad and these funky underwear to put on. Sorry, I was confused by your post. You stated that the second surgery you had no catheter and a pad. It looked like you were saying the first surgery only required a catheter...thus my confusion....Sorry.

Hi there, sorry to hear about all your pain. I have not had my surgery yet, but from reading these posts, I am planing to ask my surgeon to prescribe liquid pain meds (I think they do this anyway). Could you call your doctor and ask for him to phone in liquid pain meds to your local pharmacy? Also, some liiquid tylenol should also be on hand if you need it later. Good luck, hope you feel better soon.

Just a word to the wise, you can not 'sneak' a tampon. I read that the carbon fibers in tampons interfere with some surgical equipment or gas, I am not sure. The nurse, pre-op will give you a pad and some sort of mesh underwear. Also, I am not sure what a catheter has to do with your period? The place that gets a catheter is not the same place that bleeds during a period. So, the catheter would not have been used 'in stead' of a tampon or pad. Good luck and please check with the nurse, they have seen it all.

Hi, I dont want to worry you, but did they give you a barium swallow test before you went home? I am just wondering because maybe the band slipped or is not in the proper place. I hear that they do the test to make sure it is in the correct position before you go home. Good luck and please be assertive with the doctor, sometimes they act like pain is all in our heads, Make sure they know that you are serious. Post again to let us know what happened.

Hi, My surgery is scheduled in May. Everything went very smoothly for me. I have BC/BS insurance and I only had to do a psych eval. Once that was done, I received a call that my paperwork went through and I was given a surgery date. Now I have to see the physician;s assistant to review my information and then go over to the hospital for pre admission testing three weeks before surgery. The only time I see the surgeon is the iniital appt? Also, there were no pre surgery tests or procedures that everyone else talks about. No post surgery barium test? I am getting very worried. My surgeon has the designation "bariatric surgery of excellence" but from what I read on these forums, he does not do anything like all of you have been through. I am getting cold feet from all this worry. He does not even suggest support groups or getting any other assistance to help with all the changes comming up. I am so worried I dont know what to do.

Thanks everyone, maybe I won't worry so much, I have read so many bad things here that I expected to have problems like everyone else. I guess maybe the center of excellence surgeons dont make us jump through hoops like some doctors., Anyway, thanks for all the replies, I am starting to relax and try not to be so worried.

Elizabeth honey, stop insulting our intelligence. You just admitted that you were "hired" by someone to hawk their product. Obviously you drank the kool-Ade! Stop insulting the nice peoople on these boards and telling us how jealous we are of you, Also, stop suggesting prozac.....when you are the one who needs drugs. I would really question any company that would hire you to sell their product. It is clearly some type of shady operation that hides behing alleged 'spokespeople' like you, Why dont you stop posting here and take some of that wonderful product that allows you to eat all you want, and leave us all alone.

[Elizabeth, You are full of crap and have no business posting in this forum. You know damn well that you are hawking a product for your own benefit and have no interest in helping anyone lose weight. You are absolutely ridiculous and need to be barred from posting here. I only hope anyone reading your nonsense is smart enough to see through your advertisement.

Hi, I am scheduled to start the pre op diet around the last two weeks of April. I am trying to figure out how this works. As I understand it, for two weeks I am only having shakes for breakfast, lunch, and dinner and a cup of either vegetables or fresh fruit. No carbs or starchy veggies. The written instructions say "if you need it" I can have a snack of a piece of fruit. Now, after surgery, there will be no fills for at least 6 weeks. During that time I am mostly going to be on liquids and towards the end soft 'mushies". So that is two months of starvation with no assistance or restriction. If I can not lose weight on my own, how am I supposed to get through this? I was recently following a normal carb counting diet for diabetics and every night I went to bed with sharp hunger pains in my chest area. I kept thinking that the pre op diet is going to hurt worse. Herbal tea helps but really, I just dont understand how this works. Does the smaller pouch cause less hunger pangs??? I really need an answer because I am wavering and do not want to change my mind about surgery.

Ralph!!!!................Now that is funny........I am still laughing!!

Hi, I am surprised that no one has told you why the cardiologist will not do a consult over the phone. He needs to see you in the office so he can bill your insurance company and you for his time. If you have never seen this doctor, of course he needs to examine you in person. If your cardio does the consult over the phone, don't be surprised if you get a bill in the mail for the usual co-pay. I guess they have a right to be paid for their time,but sometimes the staff people are cruel and mean to the public. Thank God my surgeon has a wonderful, kind and professional staff!

Hi, I am trying to find anyone who has been banded at the hospital in Princeton, NJ. They have a center of excellence designation but I can't find anyone who has been banded there. I would be interested in finding out about the process over there. I am scheduled for surgery and I am having some cold feet about using that hospital. Do they have a section designated for bariatric patients? Did you recover in a room or in a 'step down' area waiting to be discharged? How was the treatment by the nursing staff? I would really feel better if I could hear a surgery day story from that hospital because every place seems to do things differently. Thanks in advance

I have been determined to get a lap band but lately have been reading articles that say gastric bypass is better. Now that my surgery date is set, I am wavering. Should I ask my surgeon to do the bypass? I have about 100 lbs to lose and I am doing this to help with many comorbidities I have. I do not know how to decide. I know there are more risks with the bypass but maybe I should just go for it? Any thoughts out there? Thanks in advance

Hi, I'm May also. My date is May 6th, assuming nothing comes up. I already have insurance approval and I have to go to the hospital on April 12th for pre admission testing. If everything is OK then May 6th is the day!!! I am scared, they better sedate me when I enter the building or they will have a crying, babbling baby on their hands !!!!