faithmd

Here's my incisions from day two post-op. The lettering all over is my graffitti telling the surgeon where my braline sits, and where I wear the waistbands of my scrubs and my jeans I also wrote AP band ONLY on my belly as well as NO Staples. Well, they wiped off the NO staples, because the surgeon convinced me pre-op why he wanted to use them. I understood and was okay with it as long as I can get them out earlier than two weeks. I guessing he was shocked to find all of this when they pulled my gown up I still have some bad rashes from the tape, eek! ITCHY!

How FANTASTIC! I'm jealous, though! You guys have lost 19 and 37 lbs, respectively and have changed sizes. I have lost almost 50 and haven't changed sizes at all, waaaaaaaaaa!

Welcome to LBT (officially)! If price is an issue, there are some great docs out there that are fairly reasonable. For example, my surgeon's office (in MI) charges about $19K, a really really skilled doc down the road about 45mins charges a package price (inc first year visits/fills) of about $12,800. Then there is lapbandrockies.com where Dr. Kirschenbaum in Denver charges a little under $12K. If you would be willing to go to Mexico (that is where you will find some VERY experienced band surgeons-Ortiz, Aceves, etc...) you can get a wonderful package price of around $8K-9K. The key to going anywhere other than your home area for surgery is that you HAVE to set up a doc for fills and follow-up BEFORE your surgery. Many docs won't touch another surgeon's band. The good news is there are some great docs out there who gladly fill other's bands. And there is a company fillcentersusa.com that does fills. I wish you luck! And I concur about not telling ANYONE about your surgery. I told only my parents, DH and two friends who have been thinking about it themselves. I just don't want the "food police" or the naysayers to disturb my zen.

Pinch your earlobe (either one) between your thumb and first finger as hard as you can take it and hold it until the hiccups go away.

The probem with soda is the carbonation. You can have diet soda, you just have to stir it or let it sit until it gets flat before you drink it. The theory is that the carbonation could potentially stretch out your pouch. Some docs are okay with their patients having soda in reasonable amounts after healing (6 months or a year out). Most folks have said they no longer have a taste for it. I gave up all carbonated beverages in January, haven't missed them at all. Occasionally (pre-banding) I'd pick up DH's glass or bottle and take a small swig and it was pretty odd. I didn't really like it as much as I used to. Regarding your diet: Your surgeon should have hooked you up with a dietician and they should have discussed what your post-op diet should be. Did you get the band booklet? It has some diet guidelines in it. Call your surgeon's office RIGHT AWAY to find out what you should be drinking and for how long before you advance to each stage. You shouldn't be eating at all yet. This is not the time to go it alone, you need guidelines from YOUR surgeon as to what you should be doing. Welcome and good luck!

Manatee, that's AWESOME!

Hello kimmom, I just wanted to post the link to a older thread that asks this same question. It is in the UK forum and I thought it might be kind of cool to see what others are responding to this question. It's a good topic! http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f85/bandsters-what-did-you-eat-today-32257/

My surgeon told me that I could drive when I was off the narcotics for pain control. As far as picking up your child, I wish I could help, but it seems there each doc is different in their guidelines. Mine is pretty strict and says no bending, pushing, pulling or lifting anything heavier than 5lbs for at least four weeks. I would suggest you give your doc's office a call and ask your questions, they will completely understand that you were a little drugged when you got these instructions the first time. I'm pretty stunned that you are getting a fill 17 days after surgery, the usual is a minimum of 4 weeks, and more often six weeks post-op before a fill. The reason is that the band is stitched on the front aspect of the tummy, but scar tissue has to form to secure it to the back side of the stomach. If a fill occurs too early before scar tissue has been fully formed, it can cause the band to move. But again, every doc is different.

Hello and WELCOME! There is an entire forum here dedicated to food and recipes. Take a look around, you'll find great stuff here! :)

I would suggest she get online and look into the various Yahoo groups, one in particular is called "OSSG-gone_wrong" you have to email them to request to join, but this is a group dedicated to those who have encountered complications with their weight loss surgery. It's a great support. They also trade names of docs who do reversals (though it never can TRULY be reversed, at least 22 inches of bowel have been removed), or at least as close to a reversal as possible. I wish you and your mom luck! I would not suggest going to obesityhelp.com, they seem to be only about the positive stories, not anything negative.

I've started drinking one bottle of Gerber Baby Apple Prune juice per day (4 ounces) and I'm noticing things starting to move today. Yeah! And when I can have mushies, I'll start eating one container of Gerber baby prunes per day.

Here's a picture of the band with the port attached, the port is sutured to the fascia of your abdominal muscle. Fills are done one of two ways, either by feel to guide the fill person into the port, or under fluoroscopy (a form of xray) to guide the fill person to the right spot.<!-- google_ad_section_end --><!-- / message --><!-- attachments -->

Huh? The fill is how the band works. The band is a silastic balloon-ring that goes around the stomach and restriction is achieved by inflating (or filling) that ring using a needle into the port that is placed in your abdomen. Here's an example

I was unimpressed with the Magic Bullet, it only has 225 watts of power and a regular blender has at least 450 watts. If you really want a small sized blender, here's a link to one you can get online from walmart.com for about $18 and it's 350 watts! Back to Basics 3-Speed Brushed Chrome Personal Blender Express, BPE3BR - Wal-Mart I bought a regular-sized blender (needed a new one, anyway) by Oster that included a free small-sized cup for smoothies. If you look around and buy one that has a screw-off base (from the pitcher) and rings for cleaning, then you can use small canning jars instead of the pitcher and make small amounts at a time, and easier clean-up. I think I paid $39.96 for my Oster at Walmart and it included not only the free personal sized jar, but a food processor attachment as well. What a great deal!

BobbertsMom, GREAT suggestion! Soniacan: The Magic Bullet doesnt like the ice because it really isn't all that powerful, it is only about 225 watts, a regular blender is at least 450 watts. If you have a regular blender that has a jar with screw-off rings, then you can use those little glass canning jars instead of the huge pitcher that comes with the blender. There is a small blender you can order from Walmart.com that is about $18 and has 350 watts. Back to Basics 3-Speed Brushed Chrome Personal Blender Express, BPE3BR - Wal-Mart

My experience at Hurley was pretty great. ANYONE, ANY HOSPITAL can oops and a patient can get a burn from the Bovie pad. I ended up getting closed with staples despite my desire for sutures. I pled my case and Dr. Wagner pled his, and in the end, his case made more sense to me, so I agreed to the staples. One incision has one staple, three have two and the port scar (above my belly button) has five. I drew all over my belly with permanent marker (industrial strength) where my braline is, where I wear the waistbands of my pants (scrubs and jeans) and that I wanted the AP band ONLY. You know what? He avoided every single line, he went in between them for eveything he placed. I couldn't be more thrilled. I also asked for and received the box my AP came in (AP small). I was admitted overnight and i do remember being in a great deal of pain in the recovery room and moaning a lot. I remember being told that moaning wasn't doing me any good and me saying, but *I* feel better! I got a morphine PCA and was admitted to their burn/bariatric unit. I shared a room with another Bandster and we both loved on our PCA's all night. I had to pee every two hours and I think the nurses got sick of hearing my call light all the time to get me up. My lower belly, mostly around my port incision, is completely numb. I don't know if that was intentional (liks a dose of something placed in there) or an unintentional side effect of the surgery. But I'll take it for now. The only real complaint I have is the huge rash I've got from the tape, but that's no one's fault. I never reacted before. All in all it was a really good experience, DH said he had never been in a hospital where folks had been nicer (and we've seen the insides of loads of hospitals). I was the first AP placement at Hurley, and I'm kind of geeked by that.

Keep us updated, it's great to hear it went well and that you are home!

luvmyiggy, Mark is dead on in his comments to you. I would also add a little something from my journey that may put things in perspective. I started my weightloss journey at 371# (I'm 5'7" tall), from late January/early February until now I have lost about 47-49lbs (depends on the day) and folks only just started asking me if I've been losing weight. They guessed about 15 or 20lbs. I think it is because no one would EVER have guessed that I weighed 371 at one point, just as no one would ever believe you are 465. I haven't changed a jeans size yet, either. They are getting baggier, but they are not falling off. It's all based on their perspective. The bigger you are, the more you lose before it becomes noticeable. Who cares if you make a "normal" weight? Isn't the point to lose weight and get healthier? Even if you only end up losing 100lbs, that means you didn't stay 465, you didn't gain to above 500, you would have LOST 100lbs! I think it's worth it! If after really honestly trying with the band and working with it as it's intended (trying not to cheat, giving it time, moving around and burning off calories, making better food choices) and after a year or so it hasn't helped at all, then you can always have it removed and then get bypass or another procedure. That's part of the beauty of the band, it's totally reversible. Good luck!

It went okay. I got a small AP band and was in some SERIOUS pain after the OR. I don't remember much during the time they started rolling me into the OR and when I woke up in my room, but I do remember moaning and screaming about the pain. I also remember someone telling me to stop moaning and that wasting energy like that doesn't help. I told her I know, but it makes *me* feel better. So she gave me more pain meds. The surgeon gave my box (from the band) to my husband, and the booklet on how to place it was in there, now DH is joking that he could fix a slip or fill me. I stayed overnight and was on a morphine PCA, I hated the feeling it gave me of not being able to stay awake, but I appreciated the pain control. Especially because I was up walking to the bathroom about every two hours. I'm home drinking my liquid diet and eating my popsicles and my Lortab Elixir. I also have a Scopalomine patch behind my ear, Reglan every six hours, prevacid and compazine suppositories. I think they don't want you to vomit!

Here's the article found at this link: Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc., Files For FDA Approval Of New Gastric Band For Treatment Of Morbid Obesity Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc., Files For FDA Approval Of New Gastric Band For Treatment Of Morbid Obesity Article Date: 16 Apr 2007 - 0:00 PDT Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc., a Johnson & Johnson company, today announced that it has submitted a Premarket Approval (PMA) application with the U.S. food and Drug Administration (FDA) for its adjustable gastric band, an implantable device intended to treat morbid obesity. The company's submission includes results from a prospective multi-center clinical trial of 276 patients with a body mass index (BMI) of 40 or more (100 pounds or more above ideal body weight) or a BMI of 35 or more, with one or more obesity-related conditions such as Type 2 diabetes. The primary endpoint for the study was percent of excess weight loss at three years. Patients with these BMI are classified as morbidly obese. The clinical trial was designed to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of the device, which has been commercially available outside the U.S. since 1996 and has been implanted in over 100,000 patients worldwide. The device is a soft, adjustable band that is fitted around the uppermost part of the stomach during laparoscopic surgery, creating a small pouch and restricting food consumption. "The submission of this application to the FDA is an important milestone as we seek to provide the bariatric community more treatment options and solutions for morbid obesity, a life-threatening disease that continues to grow throughout the world," said Kenneth Sumner, Ph.D., vice president, Worldwide Clinical and Regulatory Affairs, Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc. According to the American Society for Bariatric Surgery (ASBS), about 15 million people in the U.S. have morbid obesity, and in 2006, about 177,000 people had some type of bariatric surgery. About Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc. Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc., develops and markets advanced medical devices for minimally invasive and open surgical procedures. The company focuses on procedure-enabling devices for the interventional diagnosis and treatment of conditions in general and bariatric surgery, as well as gastrointestinal health, gynecology and surgical oncology. More information on the company can be found at http://www.ethiconendo.com.

I got one pre-op, possibly one in the recovery room that I don't remember, and then refused my last one the day after OR. They hurt too bad! It stung for about 15 minutes like a bee or wasp was stinging me. I had the leg pumpers (SCD's) on the whole time and everytime I got up to go the the bathroom (every two hours) I would walk around the unit I was on, twice. Now I'm home and finding it hard to go out and walk 5 mins every hour. But I'm doing my ankle pumps and bicycling exercises with my legs. I have a graduation party and another party to go to today, as well as needing to make a trip to Wallyworld or Meijer and GNC, keep your fingers crossed for me! Should be interesting going to these two functions as no one knows what I had done and I'll have to beg off holding babies and kids. Not to mention having to take my shakes with me...I figured if someone asked, I'd say I had a hernia repaired.

Oooooo, exercize!!!! And yes, Dr. Keith can join Oprah and Dr. Phil! I'd be happy to see that. I thought I heard Dr. Keith was cancelled, but damnit, he's still on TV!!! Ooooo, I'd also like to put that Judge Maria Lopez in the box with them. Her voice (smoked enough cigs, honey?) and her attitude make me nutso. In the opening of her show she says she's been a judge for X years and she's seen it all. No, no you haven't. I don't care how long you've done any job, you have NEVER seen it all.

I had to do a twelve month MD supervised program as well. I was also told initially that it was a six month requirement, but the insurance company changed their criteria on me. Oh well, I used the time to learn as much about this and what to expect as possible. I also started eating the "bandster way" with small bites, choosing good foods, not drinking with meals, etc. My advice to anyone who has to do the supervised diet, do not miss one single monthy visit, not one! My insurance company has a compliance requirement and if you aren't attending (meaning going to the MD) monthly, then you start from square one.

Ditto to what Alexandra said ^ ^ ^

Here's a link from Dr. Curry's board about it, it is a remote control fill band, they're not in the US yet, and don't expect to be for a while (couple years). Trace W. Curry, M.D. :: View topic - NEW TELEMETRICALLY ADJUSTABLE GASTRIC BAND-study