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My MD always numbs the area, no question or option, just does. Has never had a problem finding my port. I have had a visit 2 weeks after a fill, and that isn't abnormal. Probably wants to make sure that things are going well since the fill. Don't expect to necessarily get another fill 2 weeks later. Especially if you are doing well.

Usually, seeing a NP allows for more time to have questions answered, and have less of a rushed type of appointment. If you don't want to see a NP, you can insist on seeing the MD when making the appointment. It may mean that you might not get the day or time of appointment you want, but usually, fills don't make the MD's much money, so they keep their appointment slots open for patients and appointments that will bring them higher revenue to their practice. Most NP's are paid a salary, and don't have to worry about how many patients they see or how complex the patient is in order to make money, the MD's, most of them, do. But it is your right and if your MD's office is part of a larger health care group, there should be a patients rights poster or pamphlet which explains your rights as a patient. Don't be afraid to complain, but don't be mean either, just state your case to the office manager, director, or administrator. That way they will know what is going on in their practice and can do something about it. Bottom line, if you don't want to see a NP, you shouldn't have to, but it can be a good experience.

I did the same thing. I tried on some of the clothes I thought I could still wear but my husband helped me to decide which ones looked ridiculously big and some that I had refused to donate before in hopes that they would fit and they do! I also shopped in a department store for myself for the first time in YEARS! It was a great feeling.

Usually the gas that they use to inflate your abdomen to do the surgery dissipates and moves toward your left shoulder and chest, thus creating left shoulder pain. Walking usually is the only thing that really helps to get that gas out. I would follow the stages of your post op diet and keep to the liquids for a long as your MD states, then move to fruit after you are able to go to solids. I think the biggest risk is taking too big of a bite and getting stuck, which is no fun. You'll be able to eat solid foods soon enough. Be patient.

Had my first fill yesterday. A little poke with some lidocaine to numb the area, was a really small stick and a little burning sensation, but lasted all of like 3 seconds. Then he did the fill, couldn't feel anything, had to drink 2 big gulps of water, and he wanted it feel like there was only a slight hesitation before the water went down, or a little burp and then the water goes down. He put 3.4 CC's in for my first fill.

That is great news (coming from a Cardiology Nurse)! Good job!

I can't really eat scrambeled eggs,- even if I chew, the bite size gets me every time because they really don't break down that much with chewing. Anyway, just make sure that you keep your bite sizes to the size of the tip of your little finger, and chew 25-30 times each bite. I also had to keep a timer or used an app on my phone to take about 60 to 90 seconds between bites. Eating too fast can cause issues too. I found that 90 seconds was a good time interval with most anything solid inbetween bites. You can google how much protein is in ___ and should be able to find pretty reliable information. Rule of thumb is that most beef cuts are about 7 grams of protein per ounce. A 4oz hamburger patty has 28 grams of protein. A chicken breast 3.5 oz has 30 grams of protein, Fish 3.5 oz has 22 grams. Venison 3 oz is 20 grams of protein.

I had liquid pain medication, but the rule of thumb for swallowing pills with the LB is that they should be no bigger or longer than the tip of your pinky finger. Most pills can be cut in half, any pharmacist will check to make sure of this for you, and that can prevent having to crush medications and deal with the awful taste. As far as water goes, you can't really drink too much. My MD told me to be constantly drinking sips of water for the first 1-3 days post op as tolerated. The goal for the first week post op was at least 32 oz of water, more is better though. For the gas pain, gax x strips worked great for the intestinal gas, but the gas they use to inflate your abdomen, the only thing that helped was walking. If your post op diet instructions were anything like mine, you are on liquids for a few days after surgery so feeling full shouldn't be an issue. I really didn't feel like I was even hungry until maybe post op day 4 or 5. The incisions sites really never hurt that bad at all, it was the gas pain. By day 2-3 you should be able to be pretty pain free when taking your pain medication as prescribed. Also, I would walk as much as you feel up to, at least 2-3 short walks the first could of days post op.

I have 2 dogs (Boston Terriers) that like to jump and stand on my abdomen. When I got home, they knew something was up and were very careful around me. The hardest part was hooking up leashes to go for walks, but it is nice having company when going on the many walks you will need to take to help with gas pain. It might be a little tough to bend down to pick up or fill water/food bowls, but do a squat instead of a bend at the waist and you should be fine.

I wish I would have really understood that a lot of my eating habits were mental habits, and that woud be the hardest thing to change. The LB helps with the negative feedback I need to say, no, you ate too fast, too much, didn't chew enough so I learn new behaviors with physically eating. Mentally, I still think that I need a large amount of food to feel full, and that is not the case.

I think you've got a good plan, but I wouldn't limit yourself to that. I would say that by day 3- I felt pretty good, started to feel human again. I think that if you have flexible plans, then you should just do what you feel you are up to. I was able by day 4/5 do things for about 2-3 hours at a time, normally before feeling tired. If you have the ablity to do frequent stops, and bring something to cushion your body from the seat belt, and you can be flexible to change your plans depending upon how you feel, then I say go for it. I wouldn't really plan to do too much distance walking, like I wouldn't go to the zoo in SD or sea world, too much walking and standing around, plus the heat will zap be best out of anyone. To me, the hardest part of the vacation will be the menatal part. For me, vacation what a lot about what resturants we were going to try and eating out. Being less than a week post op, you will have to find other things to focus your thoughts on besides food, but allowing yourself to heal. I had a chance to go on a trip shortly after my surgery, decided not to. Turned out to be a good thing because I was having a hard time adjusting to learning how to eat differently after the LB and vacation would have been less enjoyable while going through that learning phase, at least for me. Bottom line, if you can plan to have what you need avialable, (types of food and lots of water), and your plans can flex with how you are feeling, I would say have fun!

I would say that at 7 days out, you should be fine. You may even want to check with MD to see about going in the water. I think the biggest thing will be just making sure you have the kinds of foods you need accessable to you when on vacation and plan for that. Everything else will fall into place. I was off all pain medications at that point, and was back to work. I think really after the 4th day, I could have done just about anything. Having had the LB with plication myself, I think that 7 days out, you really should be fine, and it will give yourself a situation where you can relax and heal. Just keep the right kind of foods around and drink your water and you should be good to go.

Make sure you take your pain medication at the smallest time intervals to keep the pain at bay.

Bel12- I would make sure that you find a couple of good protein shake options that you actually like. Also, make sure that you have stuff that you are allowed to eat, and try to rid your house of the things you can't. I have a DH, that didn't like that idea, but I changed it up. For example, he still wanted chips around, so I got a flavor of chip that he liked and I hate. Same with things like Ice Cream, and other trigger foods. I also made sure I had either bottled water, or a watter bottle to keep up with my water intake for the day. For the ride home, make sure you have a pillow so you can put that between the seat belt and your stomach. I would also make sure you have your prescriptions for post op filled before you even go to have your surgery so you don't have to wait for them when you get home or make an additional stop to pick them up. Gas X strips are a must, and be prepared to walk when you get home because that it really the only thing that helps with the gas pressure and pain. Stock up on liquid items that you can have, which is probably going to be pretty limited if your pre-op and post-op diet restrictions are like most.

The carbination is the cause of possible pouch dilation and gas pain. The soda itself, can be a source of extra calories and sugar that are counter productive for weigh loss. My MD said that with Beer and other adult beverages, that because we don't have as much food in our stomachs to absorb the alcohol, that it can result in becoming intoxicated much more quickly and also the calorie factor again. My MD said just to be careful with any alcohol and listen to my body signs and that carbinated beverages are ok in small amounts once in a while, but the flatter the better.