tachlime

Shame on your surgeon and nutritionist for not explaining about the drinking. Here is how I explain it when people ask why I don't drink with meals. Imagine a funnel (your pouch and band) in the top of a big jar. Now imagine pouring a can of tomato paste into the funnel. It will stay there a long time before it finally trickles into the jar. But if you add water in there the paste becomes more like tomato sauce or ketchup, and it will go through much faster. That's why you avoid water with meals.

Stick to thin crust, stay away from the "pan" style. Small bites, chew thoroughly, and of course, pick your spots. It's not something you want to have 3 times a week, but save it for special treat night.

I got the first adjustment of my band this morning, about six weeks post-op. I had no restriction whatsoever after the swelling from the surgery went down, and I could eat normal portions with no consequences, even bread, rice, and stuff that causes problems for some. We started at 4cc in the 10cc band. I had difficulty just sipping Water right after the fill at the office without burping or getting hiccups, but the nurse said as long as there was no nausea I'd probably be OK. I've been able to get down about 48 oz. of water and juice today (Clear liquids for 2 days) and it seems to be getting easier, but still a LOT of burping and some hiccups. Is this normal after the first fill? I'm hoping not to have an "unfill", because I really like the idea of restriction. Your experiences would be appreciated.

It sounds like you do have some psychological issues, as most of us do. That being said, let's assume that you lose down to your goal weight and the binge demon says to you, "OK, you've worked hard, reward yourself, pig out for a few weeks!" If you've still got the band and have restriction, guess what? The first time you give in to your binge demon you will feel like you are going to die! The point is, the band will be a tool to help keep you honest that you never had before. You will just have to love yourself enough to work with the band and obey the rules (don't drink with your meals, avoid high calorie liquids, etc.). So stop the negative thinking and enjoy your journey!

The only discomfort from the fill was that after the syringe was inserted (mosquito bite) he had to keep manipulating the syringe while he was pressing on my belly trying to make sure he had the port. Not really pain, just pressure. Don't put too much faith in the accuracy of home scales-mine is relative expensive but it fluctuates wildly also, so I don't really pay attention to it. I consider my official scale the one at the surgeon's office. It says I've lost 20 lbs. Most of that was the pre-op diet. Good luck.

All I know is that after the post-op diet, which was five weeks, I could eat anything I wanted with no consequences. I had very little pain after three weeks post-op, so I'm guessing most of the swelling was gone by then. Hope that answers your question.

I did 10 days of clear liquids before. I had very little post-op pain. Never filled the prescription pain meds and only took OTC twice. I believe that two things that affect the amount of post-op pain you have are 1) the skill of your surgeon, and 2) how closely you adhere to the pre-op clear liquids. The better your surgeon is and the more you shrink your liver, the faster he (or she) can get the job done and get out without disturbing your insides any more than necessary. So if you've been prescribed a pre-op diet, it may be tough, but you'll be glad the first week after surgery.

"That breathing thing" is called an incentive spirometer. I was banded Thursday the 10th also, and fortunately, I've had to take very little in the way of pain meds, just OTC Tylenol twice. I'm going to try to make it tonight without that. My biggest complaint is getting cold shakes late in the afternoon. I thought maybe I had fever, but it goes away after an hour or two. I may just be a little anemic.

I have BCBS of New Jersey. Just be prepared for a long wait, even after you've jumped through the hoops. They took 8 weeks to give the go ahead even though it was a slam dunk in terms of meeting the criteria. Maybe you won't have to wait too long. Also my psych evaluation was paid for. Sorry you couldn't find a surgeon/facilities in network.

Think of your banded stomach as a funnel in the top of a big jar. If you put a can of tomato paste in it, it's going to stay there quite awhile before it makes it's way though the narrow part of the funnel and into the big jar. But if you put tomato ketchup in the funnel, it will go down through pretty quickly. Eating with food dilutes the food and makes it thinner and pass through your band faster. You don't feel full as long.

Good point, Susan, about the long-term weight loss comparison. And I hope all of us are in this for the long term. It's a commitment to lifestyle change for the rest of our lives. Good luck.

I'm going through the pre-op testing in preparation for banding May 10. Today I had a chemical stress test. The cardiologist said the EKG portion looked great, and they would call with the results of the pictures. He warned me that in obese patients there are frequently "false positive" results. Sure enough, I got a call mid-afternoon by the doctor reading the tests who said there was a possibility of a small blockage, and that they only way to determine for sure if there is a blockage or if it is a false positive is to perform a cardiac catheterization. Has this happened to anyone else in band land? I've researched the cardiac cath and it sounds like it's major testing and more down time, and likely will push back my band date if I can't get one scheduled quickly. I'm very frustrated. Any insight, anyone? :help:

After many weeks of waiting, I'm finally scheduled to be banded May 10 in St. Louis by Dr. Van Wagner. The approval should have been a formality, but of course BCBS-NJ took their sweet time-about 8 weeks. The last time it took me that long to get a date was high school. :heh: Pre-op testing this Friday and next Thursday (still dread the upper G.I.). Clear liquid diet for ten days also. So now it's finally sinking in-this is going to happen, and my life is going to change-for the better.

Krystal, remember that you can't change the past, so don't beat yourself up over it. Just don't forget that the band is a tool, so work with it. Don't drink with food, avoid high calorie liquids, and chew your food well. The weight will come off. Congratulations on your new start. I'm from Cape Girardeau. Long way to drive for appointments and fills, but it will be worth it.

Re: Dr. Van Wagner-CoolBrez84, if you are in the St. Louis area, check out Dr. Wagner with Heart of America Bariatrics. Annapg, in my consultation with Dr. Wagner and from attending the informational seminar I didn't get the impression that he favors RNY (gastric by-pass) over LapBand, but just the opposite. But he is very candid about the need to exercise, and someone who won't will do better with by-pass.

I've been waiting on BCBS of NJ to give us the go ahead and we keep hearing "no decision yet." My company's policy definitely covers bariatric surgery and I easily meet the criteria, but it's frustrating that his is taking so long. I hope the long wait isn't going to result in a denial or in more hoops to jump through.

I found out I'll have to have a UGI after insurance gives us the green light and a date is scheduled. I know the stuff is "NASTY", but can anyone be more specific? Is it just a bad taste, or is it a texture that's hard to swig down? I'm concerned because I have a hard time swallowing Pepto Bismol or Kaopectate because of that chalky testure. I throw it back up almost every time. I think I can hold my nose and handle the bad taste, as long as it's not chalky.

Even though you have no other health issues NOW, believe me, you can't carry a large amount of excess weight indefinitely without consequences, which will shorten your life if you don't do anything about it. What you're doing in getting banded isn't selfish. Far from it, it's one of the best things you can do for your family long-term. That's why I'm going to have it done (hopefully in March. Good luck!

Joeboo, I can't speak from experience because I haven't been banded yet, (should be in March) but I can tell you from working with Dr. Wagner so far that it is obvious that he knows his stuff. Also, it seems he is much more thorough than some of the surgeons that I've read experiences about since I've been visiting LBT. One of the things that he has stressed is that if you drink with food, you can defeat the band. I know this will be a major challenge for me, too, after I'm banded, since I'm accustomed to washing down every mean with at least 12-16 oz. of Water, tea, Diet Coke, beer, etc. And I know that washing my meal "down the drain" lets me eat way larger portions than I need to be eating. But I know I HAVE to stop drinking with meals after the surgery if I want to be successful. Don't forget that Dr. Wagner has done over 400 bands so he has seen all different rates of progress. He wants you to succeed, so look at him as your teammate. Good luck and let us know how it goes after your appointment.

Hi Sharon67, I'm from Cape Girardeau and working with Dr. Wagner in St. Louis. Not scheduled yet, but all the hoops have been jumped through and just waiting for the word from insurance. I was just in JC over the weekend. Had lunch at Yen Ching this morning. Won't be doing that after the band! Good luck with yours and keep posting on this thread.

Welcome Spark from Cape Girardeau. If all goes well in the next few weeks I'll be getting banded in the St. Louis area. Who are you working with? Good luck.

Mickeyf, make sure your concerns aren't just "cold feet". I can't address your specific health questions, and I don't know about fills, but I know that the band is a much safer procedure than by-pass (which my wife had). Remember that NO medical procedure is about risks, even some that are routine. But also remember that if you are morbidly obese, there risk of NOT doing anything probably far outweighs the risk of the surgery.

Very good observations from all about hunger. I haven't been banded yet, but I'm trying to deal with the psychological issues that lead to overeating now, because if I don't they will be a problem post-band. Many of us don't feel good about ourselves because of our weight and lack of self-control. So we eat for comfort, to make ourselves feel better, if only temporarily. Then we gain more weight, which makes us feel even worse, which makes us turn to food for comfort, etc. etc.-a vicious cycle. I'm trying to ask myself even now when I reach for food, "Am I really hungry? Or am I eating because I'd enjoy it?" The band will be a tool, a means to an end, but ultimately I know I have to win the psychological battle if I win the weight battle. Good luck to all and keep up the good work!

I found this website while Yahoo searching for experiences of people who've had Lap-Band surgery. I'm well into the process of qualifying for the surgery, which will be in St. Louis, about two hours away, if all goes well. I've cleared the insurance, which will pay 100% (a big reason why I'm pursuing this now), along with the other paper work the surgeon requires. I basically need the psychiatric evaluation (scheduled for Feb. 1) and to attend the informational seminar on Jan. 18. Probably looking at early-mid March for the surgery. I'm 5-10, and have yo-yo'd between 300 and 325 for most of the past 10 years. I did it without adverse health effects for a long time, but now my BP is borderline high and I have sleep apnea. I know the surgery will be just a tool and I'll have major lifestyle changes to make in my eating habits. I think the Lap-Band will give me the extra push I need to get off the roller coaster. I'm very interested in responses to my thread from middle-aged men like myself who've had over 100 pounds to lose. Best wishes to all.

WendyR, hello from Cape Girardeau, I'm working with Dr. Wagner's office. All I know is from his bio, but the credentials seem to be excellent. I still have to attend the seminar (1/18) and the psychological evaluation (2/1) before my consult with Dr. Wagner, but all the other paperwork has been done and insurance approved. If there's anyone else who has info/experience with Dr. Wagner I'd love to hear from you. Good luck Wendy. tachlime