amy4hr

I had my band removed in late October, at which I weighed in at 294. My surgeon requires that I re-start the approval process for the revision to sleeve, he also requires 6 months between surgeries to make sure the stomach heals and a 10% weight loss prior to surgery. I go in for my first psych consult and dietician appointment on Monday and I have gained 10 lbs since my surgery. I am not making any excuses. I know why. I am struggling to hear my body's "full" cue as it was so used to the band and feeling severe discomfort. I also think I'm struggling with "last supper" syndrome knowing that I went years with things I couldn't eat/caused pain, days of not being able to eat, etc. And ultimately, fear of the same thing happening again...that I when I am eating I get stuck in "EAT IT ALL". Again, not making excuses, I know why I have gained weight. I am seeing a therapist regularly already to work through all these, and other issues. I am stressing MAJORLY about the weight gain and worrying how the office/surgeon/psychologist will react. Has anyone had this experience and how did your programs respond?

West burbs here too. I was originally banded in Nebraska 5 years ago and when I moved to the cities 2 years ago sought out the Unity Bariatric program and have been a patient of Dr. Baker. I had my band removed in October of 2015 and looking to do a revision to the sleeve. I have tons of respect for Dr. Baker and the entire team. Did any of you struggle to lose the pre-op weight? I know Dr. Baker wants to see me lose 10% prior to surgery and after having the band removed I'm struggling to maintain my weight, let alone lose. I no longer know my own satiety signals after having the band so long. I don't have a date yet as Dr. Baker requires 6 months between removal and new surgery to ensure my stomach has healed properly, and requires revisions to go through entire pre-op approval process (which I think is a good thing). I'm stressing over my next appointment because I have gained 7 pounds in the last 2 months since my surgery.

I had my band out on 10/27. I had some strong gas pains and tenderness the first 5-7 days, but really saw them disappear by the end of week 2. My doctor had told me no more restrictions from a day to day activity after week 2, including no weight restrictions but to take it slow. At about 2 1/2 weeks post op, I had a fairly active day, running errands, walking, etc. I did scrub a couple floors and did lift a box that probably weighed close to 40 lbs. That night I noticed when sleeping if I attempted to roll to my side, it instantly felt like I was ripping/pulling something in my stomach. When I got up the next morning, any movement had the pain sharp pull/ripping feeling in the middle of abdomen, very close to my largest incision (believe this is where the port was). I gave it a couple days and when it didn't improve I called my surgeon. They indicated it is probably just scar tissue or maybe I pulled something and to take it easy. To call them back if the pain didn't decrease over the next 2-3 weeks or if it became acute, or if I developed a fever. It has now been an entire week and the pain has not decreased. I called again yesterday and they still are not concerned. Told me to give it another 2 weeks and take it slow. I haven't been doing anything beyond day to day and walking my dog. Gave me the same guidelines to call them if the pain became acute or if I developed a fever. I haven't developed the fever and frankly, struggle with defining "acute". I tend to have a very high pain tolerance and threshold. What concerns me most is that until a week ago, all pain/discomfort had disappeared, and then suddenly a week ago, abdomen pain when I move, which isn't improving. And now the last 2 days, heartburn is back. Thoughts? Any one experience anything similar?

I'm reading these replies and other multiple threads with similar themes and I'm experiencing such mixed emotions. I was banded in Sept of '10. Had back and left shoulder gas pains from day one with them coming & going commonly over the past 3+ years. After my second fill I started having more and more problems. After every attempt of a fill I would swell within couple hours and not be able to get liquids down, and end up right back in the office for a deflate. This repeated for a year. During this time I was never able to eat fruit, fresh or cooked vegetables, chicken breasts, or any healthy lean meat without all of those things instantly getting stuck. The only way I could eat those things is if they were covered in a sauce of some type. And yes, I shared this with my doctor. I was told that “in rare cases….some peoples bodies are just more sensitive to having the band and it can be tricky”. After a year of this, I started randomly swelling which would result in no liquids going down and me vomiting the saliva my body would produce because that couldn't get down either. This was happening for no reason and would end up in Dr's office for deflate for no reason. After two years of that, I asked for a revision. My doctor told me no, I was still a success story with a total loss of 75 lbs post op (still considered severely obese) and told I must not be compliant with the plan. Define being compliant? I couldn't eat most the time...how was that ok? When I was able to eat, I ate what I could without fear of it causing problems and getting stuck. Don’t tell me I’m not compliant when I’ve expressed the challenges I’ve had from day one and constantly being told there was nothing wrong. At this point I was averaging 1200 calories a day and hadn't lost a lb in over 3 months. I was again told “in rare cases we see more challenges than others trying to figure out what causes the swelling or problems, but it’s a process”. After gaining 25 lbs from sustaining on liquids and slider foods, I again asked for a revisions and was told I was still a success story and having the risk of putting me under again was greater than the potential benfit of having the revision. I ended up asking for a complete deflate and let the doctor talk me into leaving 2ccs in the band as "something". Another year later, I go to see a new doctor because I relocated. I find out I still have 4ccs in my band and that the dr had only taken out 2cc. No big surprise to me at this point that the other Dr did what they wanted to do. By the time I saw the doctor I had gained another 40 lbs. My own fault, I am not blaming the band or anyone else. I have had a lot big life changes that had me putting exercise and healthy eating on the back burner...and again, it isn't like I was able to eat fresh vegetables and grilled chicken breasts. And frankly, fattening food could go down with no pain. To this day if I want to eat, its chicken with lots of sauce, or foods that easily slide. With that said, the 3 years leading up that didn’t exactly help me develop healthy eating habits and if I didn’t have disordered eating before, it is 100% present now. So here I am today, the last month having random acid reflux that ends up with my esophagus and band super tight and again unable to get anything down for a day or two. Now the past couple of days I have had the esophagus spasms where I can technically drink liquids and eat soft foods but with extreme pain as it goes down and constant back & left shoulder pain/burning. Just sitting here if I burp the pain instantly hits. I have a very high pain tolerance & pain threshold so it isn't that part that is bothering me. What is bothering me is that if all these people on these boards have similar issues over the course of years, and I have shown increasing symptoms for years of the band being a problem for me, why do the doctors immediately assume I'm non compliant? Why don't they move more aggressively? Why am I treated like an annoyance or problem or immediately assumed that I must have caused the tightening or swelling? Now I will go into the office, feeling like a complete failure because I haven't lost any weight since meeting this new doctor (I haven't gained either). In fact, I don’t even want to call to make the appointment because my emotional state just doesn't know if it can take once more being told some how I must have done something to cause it. I want it out. I have asked two different "highly respected" doctors who have talked me into believing it must be me somehow. Now, almost 4 years later, I am 10 lbs lighter from weight on the day of surgery, in a lot of pain, and even more emotionally beaten down than I was 4 years ago. I don't usually post or vent like this, but I am truly at a loss for what to do next. Society says I'm unacceptable because of my weight. Heck, even some posters here treat those of us with these challenges like we are a problem child. Anyone who knows me knows that I believe in taking accountability for my actions. This is one time in my life where I feel that has been used against me and now has negatively impacted my health more than it ever helped. Family tells me to just make the appointment and ask for it out. I can do that. I know I need to do that. Yet after almost 4 years of being told it’s me, I’m the problem, it isn’t as easy as it seems.

I'm getting to the point I wish I had a probelm with popcorn because it is too easy to snack on....it has definitely become my new mindless eating food....

I have been in a major panic about this the past 4 weeks. I was also lucky to have very thick hair to begin with, but in the past month I have lost about half of the amount of hair I had. It is so difficult not to stress about it, which probably doesn't help any. I was banded on 9/20/10 and didn't see the massive hair loss until around Thanksgiving....and it hasn't stopped. I even chopped my hair in an effort to not have it be as noticeable as it continues to fall out and hopefully grows back in. I also average 70-90 grams of protein a day, take a pre-natal vitamin, and just this week started taking an extra vitamin for hair and using Nioxin shampoo. I am willing to try anything. I can handle lose skin, saggy body parts, and social challenges but being close to bald???? No, I am not prepared for that.

Hi everyone! I am 34 years old, single mother of one amazing daughter, who will be 9 in a few short weeks. Banded in September of this year. Looking for a great friend, possibly more, that understands this journey and all the challenges and rewards that come with it. Located in Nebraska...yes Nebraska

I just got my 3rd fill on Wednesday and have noticed that, but it also makes sense why my dr and nutritionist said to keep meals to 20 to 30 minutes max. I think the food starts to move through at this point and "makes room" for more. So I try to keep my actual eating time to around 20 minutes.

I have my first fill tomorrow as well and just like the post op diet, it appears that different surgeons have different rules. I was told I could eat prior to the fill, but only clear liquids for 24 hours after the fill, then slowly re-incorporate regular foods as tolerated. I'm excited and ready because the last week has been nothing but pure willpower!

I have been struggling to lose since day 5 post op. I have been journaling all food/drink calories and exercise. I currently average around 400 calories burned per workout. I am averaging around 800 calories a day. Many people have told me they think my body has gone into starvation mode. I have tried twice now to get in around 1200 calories....and I feel so sick and at one point, had so much pain, I couldn't sleep. To date I don't really have any restriction and my first fill is scheduled Oct 21. I read over and over that most women are averaging around 1200 calories a day with exercise. How do you do that follow the guidelines? My doctor has indicated that I should not be consuming more than a 1/2 cup at a sitting and trying to avoid "snacking between meals". I am still on the mushie stage and am allowed protein supplements between meals if needed. But my doctor also recommends the protein supplements have less than 4 grams of carbs and 5 grams of fat, which means they are overall low in calories as well. How do you get your calories in???? I am at a loss.

Could be anything from a urniary tract infection to a kidney infection or a kidney stone. I highly recommend you call your gp asap.

LisaA thanks for starting this thread! I started walking right away after my surgery, 9/20, because I didn't want to lose the momentum I gained the month prior to surgery. At my post op check up last week I got the ok to go back to my normal 45 minutes on the elliptical, but still have to wait a few weeks to add weights back in. I am working out about 5-6 days a week, 45 minutes of the elliptical usually gets me 3 miles and if I walk instead, I usually get about 2 miles in about 38 minutes. I can honestly say now that I miss my workouts the days I don't get them, but my trainer recommends one day of rest a week to let the muscles heal.

I can't wait for that day! Way to go!!!

I can so relate! I have only dropped 6 since surgery......and the scale wont budge. I have been exercising and still nothing since day 5 after surgery. I was banded 9/20. I keep telling myself that maybe when I get to the point where I'm consuming more than 600 calories a day and can get back up to 1000 or so, the weight will start coming off. Right now, I think my body thinks its starving.

I had the exact same thing! And trust me, I hated it, and still struggling with the fact that I am not losing at the same rate as everyone else, but the water retention and swelling all went away within a week, just give it time. You will be fine!

Ups: I did it! Down 17 lbs since first consult. Feeling better every day (although today I have had very sharp pains at the port site). Looking forward to lowered blood pressure and continued weight loss. Downs: Horrible heartburn I NEVER had before. Getting very sick of liquids. Not being able to sleep on my sides yet without discomfort. Banded 9/20 and haven't lost one pound since last Thursday and following post-op diet to a tee = HUGE frustration

Lincoln, Nebraska. Human Resources Manager at a telecommunications company. Single mom of 1, and FT student working on my MBA....6 months left!!!

I really appreciate these boards to find answers and get support, but lately its frustrating to see people who were banded around the same time as me and losing double the numbers! Don't get me wrong, very happy for the success, but just frustrated that even in the beginning, I am not having the same type of results and afraid that this is just the beginning of what is to come. I followed the pre-op diet to a tee, only lost 11 lbs. Had surgery 9/20 and have followed the liquid post-op diet and only down 5 lbs. I see everyone else down 15-20 pre-op and another 10-20 on the two week liquids. What am I doing wrong?

Thank you for all of your support and I know you are right, I am trying to hang onto that each day!

Surgery 9-20 and yesterday was the first day I really felt hungry but full liquids and protein shakes are keeping it in check, but I too dream about food...everytime I open the fridge I would give anything for that baby dill pickle staring back at me. How sad is that?!? Just trying to keep myself busy which is also difficult since there are still a lot of physical limitations. Also dealing with the gas pains that sit in my chest, and by the of the day, I have the worst heartburn, which I NEVER had pre-op. Very frustrating.

I was banded Monday morning and have been very bloated since. I know the gas and bloat are normal at first, but was so bad last night I decided to step on the scale. It says I am up 10 pounds from Monday morning pre-op weigh in. Is this normal? Should I be concerned?

Banded on 9/20 and doing better each day. Until today, even clear liquids were difficult. I find that mid day I can get cream soups and yogurt down, but morning and evening I start to feel restriction even with water. I am constantly sipping on water all day to attempt to stay hydrated. The gas pains were so much more than I ever remember with any other surgery, and that has been the most difficult part, but I just keep walking Prior to surgery I was doing about 45 minutes of cardio on the elliptical, and worried that the lack of exercise will lead to a weight gain, but I am sticking with the doctors orders. I am very excited to continue this journey!

Today is the first day I have really been able to have protein shakes and cream soups without discomfort. But I also noticed a great deal of swelling has gone away today, with more to go. My doc also said just to take it slow, and don't push it and make sure I stay hydrated. It still takes me about an hour to get through a glass of water, just keep sipping

Thanks for the support!!! You were all right, it all dropped off overnight last night and I feel like a different person. Still some minor bloating and gas, and soreness at the incision sights, but feeling so much better!

I was also banded early Monday morning. Can keep fluids down, but concerned that I'm retaining too much of it. I stepped on scale last night because the gas and bloat were unbelievable and I am up 10 lbs from pre surgery weigh in. Is that normal?