chansenrn

Don't get discouraged. I was banded on 01/06/11. I lost 16 pounds the week after. That's when it showed up on the scale. Then the scale did not move, but I saw the inches flying off and felt thinner. About 4 weeks later, I lost a pound. That is the way I put it on and the way it came off in the past. When you can add exercise and I mean anything more than you are doing now, you will see the difference. When you are down about the weight, just blog us. It is great to hear others story to keep the faith. Your body is readjusting everyday. I am now down 19 pounds. Oh yeah, I got my second fill a couple of weeks ago, but need another one. I'm 48 and mother of two adult boys.

I was banded on January 6 also and feel left clavicular pain with cold weather. I wonder if you have some arthritis that was irritated when you had surgery. Arthritis hits that joints and people do not know if they have it until you have some type of injury or intervening event. . If you have not called your surgeon, please do so to put your mind at ease. Let us all know how you make out in case someone else has this problem. I am sure that you are fine, just need time and weather change.

I was banded on January 6, 2011 and got my first fill on February 21, 2011. By this time, I was able to eat about everything and somedays wanted to eat everything in sight. That was my indicator that the swelling in my stomach had disipated and my physician agreed. I had a bad day where I wanted to eat everything yesterday, but know that 5cc of saline is not enough yet. If I eat too fast or take a bite that it too big, I start to feel a tightening in my chest. Today, I had an egg and one low carb carbohydate for Breakfast and a salad with grilled chicken for lunch. Could only eat half of the salad and it is bed time and I am stil full. I will be getting another fill in 2 weeks. My physician told me that for some people, if they do not have the signs like I did, they do not need a fill until they have those signs/symptoms. I hope this helps you.

I am now 6 weeks post op. I have only lost 17 pounds as I stayed on a very restrictive liquid diet. The diet has been lifted and in the past 4 days, I feel like I could eat everything in sight. Is this normal? Is this also an indication that i need my first fill? I was afraid i had streched the band, because I ate a few things that I should not have. Any help would be appreciated. I see my doctor in 3 days. Thanks, Che

Source: I have failed my band - SUPPORT GROUP

I converted this to my blog for privacy.

Hi, Would like to talk to you, but in private. Not sure how to do this on the forum. Can you email me at chansenrn@comcast.net? Thanks,

Hi, I am also a nurse, have sleep apnea, HTN, and had a huge hiatal hernia. Most people did not think that I qualified for Lap Band, but I did. Just turned 48 and I do have trouble with pain when I wake up from any surgery. Wanted to some background. I work at home as a case manager traveling on the road at times. I defintely needed the 2 weeks off. By the day 18, I felt like I never had surgery. It took a while for me. Like I said, this is the way I responded to surgeries in the past. Alot of other people recovery quickly, so I guess you have to gauge it on your own past experience. I would highly recommended at least 2-3 weeks off. You need to heal, and then start to get your routine down in terms of eating. It feels so good to destress. As nurses, we really need time off not just physically, but mentally. In terns of STD, contact your HR department. There may be a waiting period for length of time that you need to be out to collect. Just a note from the physician will do. They do not need to know the medical condition. That is confidential. I've learned to keep things to myself, as others have used it against me. Then, it just provokes anger.

All my trainers tell me the more you work out, the hungrier you will be. Six small meals are fine, just keep them light. I was told Protein first, then vegetable and then carbs. When I drink my protein drinks or have the little protein I can get down, I feel a little more satisfied, but I know what you mean. I just keep busy and it will divert your mind. If you are sitting in the house, especially alone, most people tend to eat. Just take out your skinny pants or a picture of when you were thinner and keep it on the fridge. Look at it first, so you will make the right choices. Keep up the work and keep blogging.......

All my trainers tell me the more you work out, the hungrier you will be. Six small meals are fine, just keep them light. I was told Protein first, then vegetable and then carbs. When I drink my Protein drinks or have the little protein I can get down, I feel a little more satisfied, but I know what you mean. I just keep busy and it will divert your mind. If you are sitting in the house, especially alone, most people tend to eat. Just take out your skinny pants or a picture of when you were thinner and keep it on the fridge. Look at it first, so you will make the right choices. Keep up the work and keep blogging.......

Well, that's obvious. but some are more motivated than others.......

Thanks, My brain still feels like I am 20, which has always been my problem with my recoveries. I need to hear from more people my age so, I can get my brain on the same page as my body......lol....

Hi Joni, I am self employed, have a home office and just started working on my emails and phone calls post op day 11. On day 13, I traveled to a meeting about 5 miles away from my home for about 1 hour. Then I went to BJ's to get glasses fixed, walked a round a few isles and came home. I was wiped out. On day 15, I went to meet a client that lives 2.5 miles away and had a 2 hour meeting. That was after cleaning my SUV off from the snow and getting in and out of my Escalade (which of course is a climb) for a total of 6 times in 2 hours, I pulled a muscle in my abdomen. Be careful about getting in and out of the car and clearing off the snow. You use alot of abdominal muscles and don't know until you feel it the next day. I had a huge hernia repair as you know and will be 48 next week, so recovery is slow for me. You might get tired during the day a bit, but by mid week, you will probably be fine. I was glad to get the psychological rest. I deal with many patients on many levels. Good luck, Cheryl

Hi, I was banded on the 6th. My incisions have healed and my staples were removed last Tuesday. I still have lots of discomfort in my abdomen. But during this time, my pain has started to diminish slightly in different areas at different times. I got out of my SUV yesterday and felt like I pulled a muscle on the right side of my abdomen. I will be turning 48 next week and I am not recuperating like some of you younger folks. My surgeon said that some people can go back to work in 4 days other in 4 weeks. Also, that my pain was normal. I had a hugh hernia repair at the same time, which I am sure caused alot of swelling making recuperation time longer. I was told that I could expand my foods and felt good up until today. I over did it yesterday with food, small bites, but not pureeing. I won't do that again. I had such pain around my port site today. So, I will just wait and continue eating mashed potatoes, scrambled eggs and the like. After all, I am on a weight loss journey and know I have to do this for my health and for myself.

Hi, I am in the medical profession and also started with bulimia, but recovered and never required treatment. According to one of the DSM manual ( psychology book): Many people who are bulimic describe their feelings during binges as completely out of control, driven by a desperate desire to escape or numb out. While they might feel ugly, unworthy, hopeless, and helpless before and during a binge-purge episode, after, they might feel a mix of control, shame, relief, disgust, high, dizziness, exhaustion, and resolution. Part of the cycle often includes the promise that each incidence will be the last. These are the exact feelings that an alcoholic/addict feels. If a physician feels or knows you have a substance abuse problem, they will not do surgery, never mind if are have bulimia or anorexia. This would be life threatening to the individual in addition to being an unsuccesful surgery. Excessive vomiting can cause slippage of the lapband causing erosion of the stomach. Vomiting causes pressure in the stomach. The pressure exerted can cause the band to expand and contract, leading to erosion of the banding material. Treatment for this includes medications and surgery, in which recovery is longer than the initial insertion. Please, don't think about this or do this, until you totally have the bulimia under control with the help of a physician and couselor. It is going to take some time. This disease has a lot to do with psychological and physical changes. Preparing for and after receiving the lap band, is a big process both mentally and physically. I know. I am post operative day 16 and right now, have no vices to lean back on when I am stressed out. I don't drink, can't eat my comfort foods, can only walk at this time, and the gym is out. I am getting through it with the support of fellow banders.

Being in the medical field and also having had this done, this was my experience. First, I had to fill out a questionaire. The answers to these questions are reviewed by the pyschologist and he writes up his thoughts and what the literature supports as your strengths and weaknessess. Then he commented on the different parts of the test and what he saw as my strengths and weakness. Then he asked more open ended questions about my weaknesses. Mostly, he was looking to see if I have any additions (alcohol, drugs, food whatever), my coping skills, my percetions of certain situations, behaviors, what drives them and what I did to cope with them. The reason they do this is to insure that mentally, you are aware of what lifestyle changes you are going to have to make and your coping skills. Everyone wants to believe they are ready, but past history is what they are looking at. Bad behaviors tend to repeat themselves and multiple way of obtaining support is crutial. It is so different thinking that you are ready and actually going through it. My mind was made up to do this and I lost weight before with a strict diet and excercise for 4 years, so I know what sacrafices I had to make. Unfortunately, I had half my thyroid out causing me to gain weight, I virtually had no engery and slept most of the time. This is how my weight went got out of control. I am now 12 days post op and thought I was going to loose it yesterday. I am self employed, do not drink alcohol, can not eat can not exercise and had to deal with a stressful work situation. I did call my friend who does the same type of work and she help me work through it. Today, I got my staple out and can eat more. Unfortunatetly, I had a huge hiatal hernia and it is tight, so thick pureed foods is not good now. But, it just feels good to know I can eat more if I want to.

Hi Amy, Hey it's okay. I lost it yesterday and I cheated, but it was much worse than what you ate!!!! So you know what, I got up today and stepped on the scale and saw that I was up a pound after loosing 12 lbs in 2 1/2 weeks. ( BTW, I have my first post operative appt tomorrow to get my staples out). That gave me the incentive to eat what I am supposed to and I stuck to it today. When I was thin without the band, that is how I approached eating and life. When I had a bad day and needed that treat. I ate it for one meal only. You can bet the next day I got back on the right road and then I weighed my self the following day. It is about balance. Don't beat yourself up. Journal what took you to the point. Its okay for today, just get back up, dust yourself off and get back on the horse. Just learn from it. Awareness is the key to success. Cheryl