SammySam

I used dr Gellman, it will be a year since I was banded....

Ive had problems from day one... and it will be a year this saturday.. i had a complete unfill in december do to severe acid reflux.. wasnt able to eat for 10 days because the pain was soo bad... nowwww i cant eat anything with out getting reflux and gas pains.. i take nexium twice a day along with maalox throughout the day... im just done.. i want it out.. i cant live my life like this... its not normal.. i need to feel healthy and live a normal life again... everyday food gets stuck, with NOOOOO FILL!!!... and when i need to get the food up, its a full time job... its almost like my body rejected the band... but either way i cant wait, its coming out on April 18th and then 3 weeks after that im going to Italy for a 2 week cruise, and ill actually be able to enjoy myself!!!

awesome thanks.. did food still get stuck with the band being removed????

I STAYED OVERNIGHT ALSO. AND WAS NOT ALLOWED TO HAVE ANYTHING FOR THE FIRST 24 HOURS.. NOT EVEN A SLIP OF WATER.. THEY WANT TO LET THE BAND HEAL... AND THROWING UP RIGHT AFTER SURGERY WAS A NO NO... I HOPE YOUR FEELING BETTER... HOWEVER IM GETTING MY BAND REMOVED... GOOD LUCK TO YOU..

Im having my band removed on April 18th, can you tell me what the recovery is like... im nervous cause 3 weeks after its removed im going to Italy... whats eating like after removal???

Yes... Makes me feel much better.., thank you!!!!

So Im gettin my band removed after a year of being miserable... i cant wait.. i feel for me, it was the worst decision i ever made... After dealing with severe acid reflux and esphogeal spasms its coming out... Ive lost 60 pounds, and i know that with hard work and motivation i can do it on my own.. ive done it before... my questions is the recovery time... im leaving for a two week cruise in Italy on May 11, and i just want to make sure ill be good to go.. I dont want to have any issues.. Can any one please tell me the recovery time... Im only taking 5 days off work for the removal.. i know ill be sore, but are there any issues!!!

Yes!!!! I have written documentation from my gi doctor stating its medically necessary to have it removed... Just saw my surgeon yesterday and he also agrees that it needs to come out, and is also thinking that I might have a slip... Either way April 18th can't come soon enough... Im just worried cause I'll be leaving for Europe in 3 weeks after its removed...

Ok, im at my witts end, and i dont know what to do.. emotinally, and mentally im drained... tomorrow will be 3 weeks post op and ive been non stop literally burping 24/7... Im not drinking from a straw, im trying to take sips, im trying to eat slow, i dont know what else to do... i burp so much that i start dry heaving... its actually starting to bother my family, and i tell them i cant help it.. everyone that i have spoke to they told me they stopped burping after week 1 or 2... does anyone have any suggestions for me.. i'll try ANYTHINGGGG!!!!! i had an emotinal breakdown last night because im doing everything im supposed to, and they just wont stop

Congrats on getting banded.. im 3 weeks post op today, and i feel your pain about the gas... but it does finally go away.. try to burp and hahah fart as much as you can because it leaves your body fast, esp by walking around... as for the liquid pain meds after you take it, try sucking on a sugar free ice pop.. they are about 15 calories, that helped me because some of the pain meds can cause nausea if you dont have food in your stomach! Good luck

I dont think we have emergency clinics, but i could goto the emergency room where i had the surgery done, however.. im not in pain... its just constant gas... and now its both ends... its just starting to effect me i feel mentally and emotionally... i had none of these problems before march 24th!!! im just waiting for the doctors office to call me back.. maybe my stomach is just that sensitive to the band and i didnt need any saline in the band to begin with, and just need an unfill... but im gonna give it til monday and if its not any better im definitely going into see him...

I called him today, and spoke to the nurse.. said its not normal to be burping the way i am esp 3 weeks out... they said they've never heard anyone just having dry burps for no reason.. They asked me a bunch of questions to as if maybe my band was too tight because i know he did put a little saline it it, but my food is going down so its def not tight, but if i wanted i could take some of it out, but im afraid to get it taken out because i really want to give the band a try... plus i have strep throat as of monday so im thinking the medications im on for that is just making it worse then it was because before monday i thought i was finally feeling like my old self again... soo ill give it til monday and see what happens... i just want to feel normal again!

Ok.. here goes... sooo I was banded on March 24th, and i started before surgery 310, im now down to 287, and boy is that amazing.. i love getting on the scale and seeing a new number, but ive become obsessed with weighing my self now (i know i have to stop lol) anyways, i had a really rough start.. was sent home the following day from surgery, had nausea and dry heaves, constant burping, a day an half later i was readmitted because of the dry heaves a nausea.. they checked the band everything was in place.. doctor said i had no complications with the surgery and i was a text book case took 30 min.. but i had an air bubble on top of the band which was causing all the heaves and nausea... i know they tell you to drink as much as you can, but c'mon how are you supposed to when your constantly feeling like crap... soo due to that, i was extremely dehydrated.. i got a bunch of fluids and nausea medication and was feeling 10 times better... was sent home the following day and started my fluids, doing good but these what you call PB'S are so friggin ANNOYING!!! its so unattractive and gross... when are they gonna stop??? then i goto my one week post of visit.. doctor said i look great.. I also told him that when i was burping i had pain in my chest that felt like a burp was getting stuck and then 5 seconds later it went away, he said its cause i was really tight.. anways.. nurse goes to take my vitals and my heart rate is at 180.. SERIOUSLY!!!!! once again im dehydrated!!! got 2 liters of fluids and back down to a 63... now im at my second day back to work and i feel like crap... burning in my chest, gas pains.. i just want it all to end... im reading everyones posts and im starting to feel like i made a huge mistake... i had enough issues before surgery and i really didnt think i was gonna have more after... Im trying to drink as much as i can but i started out with 1cc of Fluid in my band so my restricion is pretty extreme, i probably could go all day without eating or drinking,.. anyways.. i just want to know if anyone else out there has run into similar situations.. oh and then to make matters worse this morning the cardiologist who was monitoring my heart rate called and said my blood work came back and my liver function test was elevated!!! i never had any of these problems before surgery!! I dont want people to think im a hypocondraic (spelling).. I just hope things get better from here.. Def looking forward to start mushy foods on friday cause im so over liquids!!! Anyways anyones input was greatly apprectiated!!! Sammy

How do you know if your band is too tight.. When i went in for my 1 week post op, i told my doctor that when im burping i get pain that lasts for about 5 seconds and then it goes away.. he then told me its cause your really tight.. so im guessing i have saline in my band.. how much? i have no idea... tomorrow i start mushy foods, and after reading everyones posts im getting really nervous... i dont want food to get stuck, but all day today ive been experiencing pain in my chest... and im constantly burping since day one... is this a sign that my band is too tight???

thanks... my heart breaks for you.. i just dont know if im really have that serious of a problem or if its just my body trying to accept the band...I remember i had a piercing and my body totally rejected it to the point where the skin started growing around the earring... i just hope im not having a similar situation... i feel like death in the mornings, but then as the day goes on i feel better.. tomorrow i get to start mushy foods so maybe its just cause i have so much acid in my stomach from just liquids.. and i def know i havent been drinking as much as i should, but like i said i was never a big drinker... i burp constantly which is honestly awful.. i cant stand it... then sometimes i have pain in the center of my chest i guess where the band is... honestly, i keep saying to myself if i knew i was going to have this many issues i probably would of never of done it, but then i go and look at everyones before and after pics and they look so successful, and im pretty sure im not the only one whos gone through this either... everyone keeps telling me that it will get better, but im getting really impatient.. i just want to feel normal again.. i go for my one month follow up on may 6.. and hopefully by then i will have no complaints...

Ok... whats the deal with the burping... I know there not what you call PB's cause im still on liquids 2 weeks post op, but im constantly burping.. i take gas x literally all day long... Is there anyway to maybe make them subside????

SERIOUSLY!!!! Im kind of getting embarressed because im at work and my co workers can even hear me now, even though im burping with my mouth closed... I dont know what else to do... Are you still on liquids??? I switch to mushy foods tomorrow so hopefully that helps

sooo im curious to as if anyone else feels like crap in the mornings.. im exactly 2 weeks post op, and i have so much restriction, that im never hungry.. its a struggle even to get a protein drink down.. im looking at it right now and i kinda wanna gag.. lol... so im trying eating a sugar free pudding instead.. someone said that for some reason that the bands are extra tight in the mornings, and then by night time im sorta starving... tomorrow i get to start the next phase and go to mushy foods, so im hoping that will fix how ive been feeling... maybe its cause i havent been drinking enough or my stomach just wants food... someone please helpppp.. but on a postive note ive lost 23 pounds

thanks.. im trying.. i just keep getting so discouraged... tomorrow i start mushy foods and im really nervous.. did you have any problems when you started? any suggestions on what foods i should try and should stay away from??? and you know how people keep referring to food getting "stuck" well.. im kinda confused on that whole aspect... is it that the food goes down, but then doesnt pass through your lower part of your stomach, or does it just get stuck as soon as you swallow????

Hi.. I was banded on 3/24, and my surgeon told me to walk 20 min each day and make it to 30 so things keep moving... I like you have had really bad gas... the gas pains from surgery have gone away.. but now i just have plain ol gas.. haha.. im burping constantly, and its really annoying.. everyone says thats normal and its part of the band... my doctor said you could also start working out a week after surgery but take is slow... maybe just the tredmill for a while until you are completly healed... Have you also been doing your Protein drinks, your supposed to have 3 a day.. and trust me i know its hard because your like how am i supposed to drink all this when your not hungry, but ive been dehydrated twice since the surgery and had to get iv fluids so make sure your drinking enough... also you can drink a cup of skim milk, hot tea, sugar free Jello or pudding, lentil Soup, Vitamin water zero, propel water zero or even gatorade... your also supposed to be doing 60-75 grams fo protein a day (i def have not been because i have such resctriction im never hungry)... i finally get to start mushy foods on tomorrow and im defintely looking forward to it... just take your time... Ive also lost about 23 pounds... I hope this helps a little... We could be hear for eachother as we were both banded around the same time..

Thanks for all the input, i really hope things get better... im the type of person where i dont want to constantly call my doctor, i feel like im a bother, but i know.. its their job... i figure ill see how i fee after i start mushy foods, if im still having problems then ill give him a call... I def know im still not drinking enough, but ill learn to drink more.. i was never a big drinker before surgery so its a hole new ball game for me... and ive learned today that im not having PB'S today because i really havent eaten anything but just actual burps that seem like air.. Im not drinking from a straw ,so i dont know why I still have so much gas in me.. I take gas x literally all day long.. Anways hopefully my new chapter in life is a successful one, cause im ready to move past all this

Omg YESSSS!! I was banded on March 24, and i swear i burp all day long.. when i wake up, if i have a sip of water, if im watching tv.. honestly i think its really annoying... ive talked to some other bandsters and they say goes away.. but im almost 2 weeks out and im starting to give up hope