tigers1998

Are you allergic to adhesives of any kind? That could be symptom. I would ask you do you keloid but I think its to early for that. Does it itch and/or is it painful? My incisions felt a little hard and knotted at first. Now they are smoothing out ( I was banded on the 10th of July). I was told this is normal. BUT and I stress this advice: Consulting the doctor would be the best thing to do if you are concerned.

Wow. I am sorry to hear about the band. I wondered what the symptoms where to band erosion. I heard that is rare though. Did they tell you what they think may have caused it?

What does your pre op diet consist of? My advice: don't let your stomach get empty. What I mean by this is the following: keep something on it as much as possible. For me I could only have protein shakes and water. So I had a shake every three hours and 1/2 to a whole bottle of water during the three hours in between. Yes you will use the restroom like its going out of style, but it will help with the hunger. Crystal Light I am told helps with the headaches. Didn't help me, but its worth a try. Broth is good, fat free jello, popsicles: all I am told help. I was not able to have those items. So again it depends on your restrictions.

To answer the question, I found that drinking a protein shake every three hours and half to a full bottle of water in between is what helped me with the hunger. But for weeks, I have been trying to understand why others thought my diet after surgery was so weird. LOL. Now I get it. It seems based on most of the posts I've read, that many doctors have strict POST OP diet restrictions. I had a MONTH of PRE- Lapband diet restrictions and now a more lenient post up diet. I guess its different from doctor to doctor. I also had a moderate size hiatal hernia and an ulcer. So I wouldn't necessarily fit the normal circumstances.

I agree that is does get better. You will get less stiff as time passes. I was banded on the 10th of July.

I am sorry for the bad news you have received. I know the cancer fight is hard. I have had my own personal experience with it: twice as a matter of fact. All I can tell you on that part, is to love your brother and think on the good memories. Instead of sorrow, make it your duty to bring joy to him, to family, to yourself. As you must fight for you health, you also must fight for your joy. It is something I practice everyday of my life. If I can cry than I can laugh. If I can frown than I can smile. Where there is bad, there is also good. Rough days are ahead, but good days are well in reach. I have no advice on emotional eating. When I am emotional, I don't want to eat at all. So, I would go with the advice of others on that topic. I will pray for you and your family.

I do feel normal again. It was jut highly frustrating to not get answers. No one seemed to have an idea what was going on. And no one I talked to had the same symptoms.

So I had my first follow up appointment with the Surgeon. Happy to report that all is well from the surgery point of view. Anyways, I have lost ten pounds in two weeks. Which they seem to be surprised by. Not sure why. I guess during this time, many people gain some weight back from their pre op diet due to lack of fluid in the band. I however am not able to eat as I was before. Only small portions of food at a time. The doctor informed me that I would feel twice the restriction due to the hernia repair. So I guess the great news is - its all downhill for a little while longer. Yes, I still have issues seating up in a chair without leaning to my right to relieve the pressure on my left side and I'm told that is normal. How long does it take for your insides to heal? I have five stitches in my diaphragm and stitches securing my port. Well I will keep you updated when more happens. Monday, its back to work for me.

Short and to the point: The Last three days have been horrible. Night sweats, unable to eat, stomach spasms, cramps, lower back pain. Ordinarily, I would not be concerned, but I have never had night sweats and stomach spasms. Today would make my 13th day post surgery and I am due to start tomorrow. Have any of you experienced band tightness, stomach pain, inability to eat food, night sweats three or four days before your cycle and/or during your cycle?

I have been told several times that Chicken is one of the foods that most banders have problems with. It tends to get stuck.

10 POST SURGERY: I find that I am still sore. I guess I should not be surprised. No magical healing potion is available. So here is the deal. I feel okay when I stand up and move around. I feel okay when I am reclining. No exercising as of yet, I do walk around.( Hopefully, I will be cleared to exercise again after my two week follow up on the 25th of this month.) However, I find I am in the most pain when I have to seat up in a chair - or seat up in a drivers/passengers seat. Generally, I start to ache after 30 minutes are so. Not sure what is happening here, but seating up hurts my left side - where most of the incisions are. I have to lean to the right to relieve the pain. Though, leaning back and to the side while driving is supposed to be cool, exude confidence, whatever, it really doesn't help me when I am driving. (The Commercials lie!) Its also not comfortable when I make a left turn. Usually, when I come in I enjoy seating in my lawn chair in the bedroom watching TV. Yes I know that sounds like a story in and of itself. ( The short version: I was looking for an computer chair to work with my computer armoire which is closer to the floor than I expected when I bought it. After a long shopping day and no luck finding a computer chair, I went to look for new bathroom accessories at Bed, Bath, and Beyond. While waiting for my mother to finish shopping, I pulled out a lawn chair and set down. It had a head rest and it was very comfortable. I bought it on the spot. I mostly seat and watch TV and fall asleep in it.) So now that I have explained that I can move on. So I try seating in my lawn chair only to discover this is not comfortable. So I go on Amazon, which owns a fourth of my paycheck every pay period, and I look at inflatable furniture. I settle on a reclined chair and ottoman set. Today was my first day using it. It works wonders. Although, I'm afraid I'm doing more sleeping than watching TV. Somehow furniture never works out like I plan. I also use an inflatable wedge to sleep elevated at night. It too works wonderfully and is one of the pieces I have bought FOR the intended purpose of sleeping. P.S. NO I DON'T SLEEP ALL THE TIME. LOL. BUT Pre-surgery, I often had very restless nights, many times choking in my sleep. I maybe got 3 hours of rest a night. Post-Surgery and Hernia Repair, I seem to be sleeping like a baby.

Today was NOT a good day. I struggled to sleep most of the night with dull stomach pain. In the morning, I tried to eat but couldn't finish a thing. I have been tired and cold most of the day. I am a little irritated and I just didn't feel like being bothered. I have had a protein shake day - food just not happening. My girls are sensitive and my back aches a little. I am two days away from my monthly nightmare. However, this is my first cycle POST lapband surgery. I'm 10 days out and I'm just not sure what is PMS and what is lapband symptoms? I'm guessing most of this is PMS. If you don't mind, please give me some advice to deal with this sensitive time. I don't know what to expect or when if at all to be concerned. My doctor is a man, not really a big help here.

So, I am not sure if this is a question or a rant or what. But Here It Goes: I was just banded on July 10th. I was informed that I would not have my first fill until a month from the date of surgery. Upon leaving the hospital, I had a patch behind my ear and prescription for anti nausea medication to be taken every six hours for seven days. I was told to drink liquids only for the first 24 hours, and then soft foods until my follow up appointment. I did everything I was instructed to do. I had liquids the first 24 hours ---- which wasn't a problem because I slept most of it. The next day, I started on soft foods. I was told by many who had the surgery before me that I would not feel like eating. I found quite the opposite to be true. I was starving the third day after surgery. Though, I can only manage to eat small cups (like two or three table spoons worth) of food whenever I do eat, I EAT JUST FINE. Usually about every four hours, I eat a little something and I'm good. No pain, no nausea, etc. So far I have had some baked fish (two to three bites), applesauce, oatmeal, protein shake, mac and cheese, cantaloupe, small cut very well cooked carrots, fat free pudding, and cabbage (although this is the one food item that didn't work out). However, I have been made to feel like the odd man out. Everyone is so nervous for me except the doctor and the nutritionist. I was even told by one lady to be careful not to bust my band. Scared me to death and I called the doctor. He informed me that this was not a concern and after further inspection I am doing just fine. I am just healing Much Better than expected. I went to the nutritionist Thursday and she is very proud of my progress. She also seemed surprised I was doing so well. I was expected to be the problem child, so much so I was the first surgery scheduled on the day I had surgery. I had a moderate sized hiatal hernia and I have been unable to eat MANY foods for over three years. Yet, I EAT JUST FINE. I guess my question is, why is my progress so different or unexpected? Why do others scare me whenever I tell them how I am doing? People just seem to freak out on me. I don't understand. Plus, I am still losing weight. Don't you still have to eat?

I wore my biggest scrub set. But my advice, wear something comfortable and forego the bra. You wont feel like putting anything on afterwards. I guarantee you that.

Honestly, pre surgery my doctor wanted me to have three protein shakes a day and water....all of 330 calories. I tried it his way for two days. I had a soaring headache for two days. My blood pressure shot up to 220. It was crazy. I have never had blood pressure problems. I went back and said we have to do something different. He said drink some crystal light to curb the hunger. Yea, that didn't work. So I tried something different, I had a protein shake every three hours , 7am 10am 1pm 4pm 7pm and 10pm. I drunk water in between. No food. IT WORKED. No more headaches no more pain. Only 660 calories a day. I still loss weight. What I discovered from all of this. My stomach could not be empty. Water and shakes consistently. I still eat like this post band. Losing weight. Small cupful of food, every three to four hours. MAYBE, you are the same way. Everyone can not make it on an empty stomach. However, you can change what you put on it. And if you eat/drink at regular intervals, the body wont think its starving. Most important thing, you are not a bad person and you made a good decision. I too cannot exercise until August - need time to heal first.

LOL, love this topic. I am currently single but given the opportunity I would follow your lead.

Don't feel bad, I had the same question. I got banded on the 10th of July. I am obviously able to eat more of a variety of food than most are allowed post surgery and/or able to eat. I do feel restriction though. I can only eat little bits a time. I have lost a little wait post surgery but not at a dramatic speed. So we will see. The main thing right now is to heal. You are almost to your first fill. So update us afterward.

Thank you for all the advice and answers provided. I really can only eat small amounts at a time. Just to give all of you the update, their is a reason to my lenient diet. Before I get my first fill, the doctor wants to know if and what types of foods still bother me and do I have the same response to them as before, sharp stabbing pains/ nausea/ etc. Before surgery, I had severe pain when ever I ate many foods pre surgery. My doctor was pretty sure fixing the hernia would help but we really wont know until I try to eat foods that caused me pain in the past. So I guess I am in an experiment phase. If I still have the same pain as before when I eat fruit for example, we know to look further into the case.

I am sorry the procedure did not help you. I wish you all the best in the future.

Wow, I hear about this often. I was just banded on the 10th and I had no problem with fluids and started eating soft foods the third day. However, I did have medicine for nausea and a patch behind my ear for three days. Maybe that helped. Do you have anything to take for nausea? If not ask the doctor about Phenergen, (may have spelled that wrong). I had to take it every six hours, for the first seven days,

I have a sour taste in my mouth after drinking protein shakes. But I don't know why. When I go for my two week follow up, I will ask the doc.