kacee

That's great you got covered! I needed to lose 70 pounds and although I had co-morbidities, they were being treated medically so I figured I wouldn't be covered. Also didn't have the patience to go through the six months required weight program. Figured by that time I would have spent a fortune and then lost a little weight and they would have just said I didn't need to lose enough weight to qualify for the band. Catch-22. So I just opted for self-pay and got it done asap. I had to get stuck twice once on one of my first fills. The nurse said because I have lost so much weight my port is very wobbley. At least it hasn't flipped on me.

I just found out about the lap band back in April for the first time. I settled down and did a month of INTENSIVE research, googling everything on the net and reading all the posts here. I can honestly say when I went in to surgery on May 23 I felt 100% informed. There were no surprises for me whatsoever. I was covered informationally for every contingency and I was very comfortable with my decision. You have a wealth of experience here to tap. Use it and you'll find everything you need to make an informed decision!

HA! I've worn a dress ONCE in the last 17 years (funeral) and it was a long one and I wore knee-highs. I don't think I have owned a pair of pantyhose since the mid-80's. Pantyhose and "the deep south" don't go very well together.

I am a fanatic about animals. I will not kill any living thing (on purpose). I save earthworms in the parking lot at work. Even icky bugs get scooped up and set outside to live another day. I have three chihuahuas and 13 birds. I will be the "crazy old lady at the end of the block who has all the animals". I like animals much more than people.

Yep, I've got it too. I live a fair drive away from my doctor and the nurse asked me how far away I was and when I told her we decided on the thicker medium because she said it will stay better and longer. I have had three fills (last one 7-31) and I am getting very close to perfect. Still losing so I need another top-off. Gonna call and get an appointment next week.

<p>I think MOST of us were in a hospital. The difference is whether you stayed overnight or not. I went home after about 14 hours (mainly because I couldn't pee and that is a prerequisite for leaving the hospital). A lot of folks left after about 5 hours. Some doctors require their people to stay overnight. It's different with everyone.</p> <p> </p> <p>As far as plastic surgery, you betcha. I was only a BMI of 38 with about 70 pounds to lose. Plastic Surgery hadn't crossed my mind, but as I have lost half of the weight, I have a horrible turkey neck that, because of my age now, I don't think is going to go away with weight loss only. Even though my hair is white, I have good skin genes and I don't really have any wrinkles other than that damned neck sagging there and most people can't believe I am as old as I am. I fully intend to get that done in about two years when my 401K loan is paid. This neck makes me look a LOT older. YUCK. Also, I will probably have lipo on my saddlebags. I have always had them (even at 113 lbs.). It's how I am made and no exercise in the world is going to make my legs symmetrical with the rest of my body. If I am going to the trouble and expense of losing this weight and keeping it off and getting myself in shape, I'm gonna be in the BEST shape I can be in, and not have any regrets.</p>

I must have been different....my gas moved around as I walked. Every time I walked I started farting and burping and I could feel that gas moving around inside and trying to get out. From then on, every time I started having a bout of gas in my shoulder I would get up and start hiking around the house and it did wonders!!!! It was when I stayed in one place that it got bad.

<p>Sue Magoo....</p> <p> </p> <p>If I was a betting person I would have to say it was one of two things...</p> <p> </p> <p>1. You may be a VERY slow healer from surgery and your body is still trying to regroup itself, or;</p> <p>2. You have not given yourself enough liquids and Proteins to get built back up after surgery. Getting the Protein in and getting in the liquids (as well as taking a multi-vitamin daily) is paramount to restore the body. Or you could need to be checked for anemia...</p>

Unbelievable difference! Before surgery I was lucky to be able to last until 8:00 pm at night before falling into bed. I do computer work and have to get into a lot of files at work and the mere act of getting down on the floor to open file drawers was a real killer. I couldn't walkl up 1/2 a flight of stairs without having to rest of a few minutes. My sister-in-law and I went to Walmart and parked way out in the parking lot because she had a brand new car. I remember looking towards the door of the store and thinking "Gosh that's a long way. I wonder if I can make it..." I get up and down from the floor now a LOT easier (and that was getting scarey for me because at 55 I was thinking I was joining my Mother at looking at the FLOOR as a thing of the past, as far as getting up and down...) All in all...I'd have to say energy is one of the biggest bonuses of the lapband process. I feel like a million bucks and I am only halfway there!

I agree...you may have heard him wrong. I can't believe any band in the world would require no fill for 6 MONTHS. It does not even start working for you until you get a fill....that defeats the purpose of it entirely. I could see some doctors waiting 6 weeks. Generally most wait about 30 days before first fill.

Thanks to Wendell for posting this in another thread. I think it deeserves a thread of its own. Great information for all of us (I'm three months out and learned some stuff from this as well!) This may help you in understanding the restrictive mechanism of a Lap-Band. The INAMED protocol for Lap-Band fills calls for a six-week delay after surgery, prior to any fills. The purpose for the six-week delay is for the patient’s stomach to heal from the surgery, as well as allowing time for the Lap-Band to “Seat” or “Nestle” into the fat pad between the stomach wall and the interior wall of the Lap-Band. Prior to receiving an EFFECTIVE fill, it is VERY uncommon to have any restriction from a Lap-Band. Some patients will NOT lose weight, or may even GAIN weight until they have received an effective fill in their Lap-Band. Normal weight loss with a properly restricted Lap-Band is between 1 and 2 pounds per week. The normal cycle of fills, restriction and weight loss is as follows: 1. The patient's Lap-Band constricts when the patient receives a fill. Swelling for a few days after receiving a fill is very common. Many doctors require a patient to go on a liquid diet for a day or two after receiving a fill. A fill may have a “Delayed Action” of up to two weeks. A “Delayed-Action” means that the fill may not become effective for up to two weeks after the fill. That is why the INAMED protocol states that fills should not be performed on patients who will not have access to medical care for at least two weeks after a fill. 2. The patient's stomach capacity is lessened as a result of the restriction caused by the Lap-Band. 3. The patient loses weight because they cannot eat as much food. 4. The residual fat-pad between the inside of the Lap-Band and the outside of the patient's stomach reduces in size because of the overall weight loss in the patient. 5. The reduction of the residual fat-pad causes the Lap-Band to become loose again. 6. At that point, the patient needs another fill, because the Lap-Band is loose, and the patient has a loss of restriction, which allows the patient to eat larger amounts of food. 7. The patient receives another fill and the process starts all over again. Most Lap-Band patients receive several fills to adjust the Lap-Band as their weight loss progresses, and there is less and less residual fat-pad between the inside of the Lap-Band and the exterior of the stomach wall. Once a patient has lost all of their residual fat-pad, fills become less common. As the Lap-Band patient progresses in their weight loss, the effect of very tiny fills (Less than .2ccs) becomes greater and greater. It is not uncommon for a late-stage Lap-Band patient to experience a significant difference in restriction with as little as .05cc of fill.

I doubt there is one person reading this board who ISN'T a yo-yo. That's why we're in the shape we are in today! (or were, before the band)...

I feel for your agony. I'm so glad I was a self-pay.

I was astounded at how fast I bounced back after surgery. My gas hit me the second day and was pretty bad for about 5 days. I've heard some people say that it hit them almost a week out. Sounds like yours is pretty stationary...lucky you. Mine went under my left shoulder blade and up the left side of my neck. I know what you mean about the noises. You're gonna hear some FANTASTIC growls out of you for a while. Mine could be heard across the room. That seemed to temper itself about a month out. You're probably gonna be doing some active farting and burping for about two weeks or more.

some people say they left the hospital and went shopping Very few people are capable of that I'm afraid. I am 55. I basically slept for two days. *some people say they were in pain, groggy and slept for a week I started feeling a lot better by the 5th day. I was still in pain (from the gas more than anything else), but I was alert and moving around okay *some people felt great and were walking all over the place Whether you feel great or NOT, you DO need to be "walking all over the place". Walking is what makes you feel best of all and is extremely important the first week. *some people went back to work 2 days later Yep, some did. I was banded on Wednesday and went back to work the following Tuesday. I don't think I personally could have been very functional prior to that time. Especially if you are having a lot of problem with the gas. I was still taking pain meds at that time. *some people needed 2-3 weeks off Somehow I think many of those folks were just waiting to get back to "100%". You'll tend to tire a little easier at first. But I would say that most people notice a dramatic turn for the better about the 5th day. I had no restrictions on driving. I actually drove the third day after surgery (Friday morning, after Wednesday morning surgery). I was concerned with the "sitting" in the car hurting my stomach, but it wasn't the case. At the very least I think I would make sure you are able to just heal the first three days and not be expected to carry on with your family life as usual. Because this is laporoscopic surgery you'll find that you are up and about VERY quickly. My incision pain was very topical, and not bad at all. The main discomfort was the gas.

Make sure you are taking vitamins too.

The biggest rule post-op......drink drink drink drink, walk walk walk walk. You will not feel nauseus or light headed or weak if you get you liquids down....and Protein. If you have Protein drinks like Isopure, concentrate on them. (By the way, here is a link to find out about them. Some health food stores (especially those for body builders...but NOT GNC) carry them. Isopure protein drinks (good for the clear liquid stage, and all stages....) index You should have liquids in your hand and be sipping constantly while you are awake. And the walking cannot POSSIBLY be stressed enough. That's when you get that rogue air moving around and you'll do a lot of burping and farting for about 2 weeks. EMBRACE IT!

Yep, fills are really nothing. Almost everyone agonizes before their first fill....fear of the unknown. Some folks really get bent out of shape. I can just hear them in the doctor's office after the fact..."Was that it? Is that all? Oh that wasn't anything!" Not to worry!

<p>I didn't have a pig out day, but I also was not required to go on any kind of diet pre-op. I was trying to modify the last week before the surgery, but some unseen person sneaked in and hit me over the head the day before surgery and dragged me (kicking and screaming you know) to this Chinese restaurant down the street. It was horrible.....they bound me to this chair and ordered ALL THIS STUFF! And then they put this gun to my head, see, and they said they would blow me away and I'd never see my surgery day if I didn't eat every speck! Well, let me tell you I was SCARED!!! So I ate, and ate and ATE! And then they blindfolded me and threw me in this car and the next thing I knew I was back in my house sitting on the couch with a stomach ache. WOW! I ate so much I had a raging stomach ache all night before surgery, which really scared me! Yeah, that's what happened... That's my story and I'm stickin' to it!<img src="http://www.LapBandTalk.com/images/smilies/ponder.gif" border="0" alt="" title="rolleyes" smilieid="40" class="inlineimg" /></p>

<p>Why are you on solids at 27 days? How long have you been eating this way?Just wondering because most doctors don't let you do solids until after the first 30 days and even then you need to take it slow....I don't really call tortilla chips and a chicken wrap slow....</p>

You need to talk to Jack. He's out there somewhere.....

I'd say 5 days is fairly marginal. There is something you DO need to be VERY VERY careful of though. When you are first banded you are on a liquid only diet. If you aren't doing what you need to, you can VERY EASILY become nauseus, light headed, and weak. I am concerned about whether you will be standing the entire time. Singing could put a strain on your throat and chest. If you insist on doing this you had best recruit some help in the choir. Warn them to keep an eye on you if you start to look funny. The last thing you need to do is take a header off some risers. I am serious. This is a very real possibility.

I'm a little surprised at this. First off, the lapband is still relatively new...I wonder if your husband's friends were thinking of BYPASS. Yes, there are always lovely horror stories to tell about bypass. Trust me, MOST people think of weightloss surgery as bypass. Even when you SAY lapband, they proceed to equate it to bypass. I think I would take everything you heard with a HUGE grain of salt. Do your research. Educate your husband.

Yep, gas pain. Mind was under my left shoulderblade and traveled up on top and then up the left side of my neck. Walking is by far the BEST thing you can do. You will be burping and farting a lot and you need to realy embrace that...each one means a little more of that painful air is gone. I think I had it off and on for about two weeks.

Fullness takes on kindof a different meaning now. When you start to get "full", you geta kindof tightness and fullness feeling in your mid-chest. It's in a different location now because your food isn't dropping into that bottomless bag we call a regular stomach. Now after having a fill I cannot push eating "just a few more bites" because I find a get a little queasy if I do, and that can be a prelude to a PB, and I really just don't have the time for that now. Note, you are going to feel full all the time for the first week or more. That's the band settling in and healing and your body going "What the hell???" The operative word here is SLOW eating. Don't worry about the liquids stage. That is strictly for healing. Don't worry about your caloric intake (that being said, don't dump a bunch of ice cream down your gut!) because the first month is going to be different. During this time, don't worry about weight loss or anything. Just concentrate on getting PROTEIN (i.e. protein drinks or shakes) and liquids in constantly to keep up your energy while you heal.