jenncore

I didn't have a stress test because I didn't have any concerns that would have required one. Not everyone has one before surgery. If your primary care physician is okay with it I wouldn't worry. Good luck with your gall bladder surgery. Jenn

I'm not sure about the fever but I have had very similar pains in the past and discovered it was really bad gas. Someone else in my support group also had the same thing and it was gas pains. Try using a heating pad for a while and see if that helps. If it doesn't improve and you're still having fevers, I would definitely go back to the Doctor ASAP. I hope you feel better soon! Jenn

I had my first fill 5 1/2 weeks after surgery. I was a little nervous but it didn't hurt at all. My surgeon actually does my fills and he didn't numb me first. It's a tiny little stick and is over before you know it. It's completely normal to be nervous the first time. You'll do great! Jenn

My throat was pretty uncomfortable for the first few days and I also had a huge sore in my mouth. Sugar free popsicles really helped with the discomfort. As far as gas pains, I really only had gas pains the night after my surgery. I slept with a heating pad everynight for a week anyway so that might have helped dissolve some of the gas. Hang in there, you'll be feeling better before you know it! Jenn

I agree with the other posts about the amount of weight you have lost and the need for more calories. I was very similar to you. I lost about 15 pds. in the first three weeks and then nothing, not one pound. I had my first fill about 5 1/2 weeks after my surgery and then started to lose a little more. I had my surgery on 12/26/08 and as of today I've lost about 27pds. I'm happy with that! Some people have lost more than I have in the same amount of time and some have lost less. The important thing is to not become too focused on what the scale says right now. Technically, the weeks before your fill aren't considered weightloss weeks so you're ahead of the game. It's great that you're exercising but you need to have enough calories to burn. I eat between 900 - 1100 calories a day and that's exactly what the nutritionist has recommended for me. Hang in there, the weightloss will continue but as you know, it's a slow and steady process. Jenn

hi, i got my first fill (1cc in a 4cc band) about 4 weeks ago. the first few weeks were fine but the third week I felt exactly like you were explaining. I could drink okay but it seemed like everything I ate was getting stuck. I actually vomitted yogurt. I was also worried that I was over-filled. I really didn't want to go to the doctor for an unfill if I didn't have to so I really started off slowly. I took tiny (baby bites) of food and chewed until I couldn't chew anymore. Each day I slowly improved. I'm feeling much better although I do get the occasional stuck feeling. I hope I was helpful! Jenn

First of all, I'm sorry you're having such a hard time and I hope you feel better soon. I felt pretty good post-op but got sick of the same old liquids fairly quickly. The last thing you want to have happen now is to get dehydrated. Try having sugar-free popsycles, they don't offer alot of nutritional value but will at least help keep you hydrated. I know you're sick of the sweet drinks and such but maybe get some ensure, slimfast, or even carnation instant Breakfast, anything that will give you some Protein. For now, you might even want to try drinking some gatorade. It sounds like you've lost alot of weight quickly so it might not be a bad idea to have a milkshake and add some Protein Powder to it. I would suggest that if you're still feeling this way over the weekend, that you make an appoinment to see the doctor just to make sure everything's okay. I hope I was helpful! Hang in there and keep us posted on how you're feeling. Jenn

I think for the most part, we have all been successful at losing weight at some point in our lives. The problem is that it always comes back on and then some. For me, that really was one of the deciding factors in getting the band. As for exercise, you have to find exercise that is realistic for you. If you don't want to spend a lot of time at the gym there are many other ways to get exercise in. I currently don't go to the gym so I either get out and walk or do an exercise tape at home. This is a really big decision and nobody can make it for you but really consider all of the factors before you make your final decision. This was the best decision I have ever made and even though it isn't always easy, I don't regret it for one second. I wish the very best in whatever decision you make! Jenn

Hi, the time line is differant for all of us. It does depend alot on if your self pay or insurance. I was insurance. I attended the seminar on Aug. 27, 2007 and had surgery on Dec. 26th (almost 4 months). In between the seminar I had a psych. eval, nutritionist eval., met with the cardiologist and the surgeon twice. I also had to get all of my medical records together. If your going through insurance, you might want to call to find out what their requirements are. It seems like most of the insurance companies require 6 months medically supervised weightloss. I had a bmi of 43 when I started, had no co-morbs and didn't have a 5 year weight history but I had 12 months supervised weightloss with my doctor. Good luck and start looking into the requirements now so you'll be prepared. Having lapband surgery was the best decision of my life! Jenn

Hi, I have been thin and I have been very heavy. People definitely treat you differantly when you are overweight. This past summer my husband joined a Real Estate agency and I signed on as his assistant. We were encouraged to have business cards made with both of our photos on it because we were considered a team. I'll admit, I wasn't crazy about having a headshot done but I did it anyway. The photographer never acknowledged me. He spoke direrectly to my husband the whole time. When he was positioning us for our photo he was getting really frustrated and kept moving us around. I didn't realize why he was taking so long until he showed us our picture on the computer. Only half of me fit. So, if that wasn't humilitating enough, while he was printing our pictures he showed them to another employee and they both stood there in front of my face and laughed at me. My husband didn't see what happened and when he saw the tears in my eyes I told him I wasn't feeling well and just wanted to leave. I was banded on 12/26/07 and once I have lost enough weight I will go back into that photo shop, ask about having my photo done, and then tell them to f-off because I'm going to bring my business elsewhere. Jenn

I was banded on 12/26/07. I got my first fill about 3 weeks ago. I have 1cc in my 4cc band. The first two weeks after my fill were fine. I had some restriction but could still eat. This week has been horrible. I get stuck after eating one bite of food even when I chew it to death. I actually got stuck eating yogurt tonight and it came back up. Is it normal to feel like this after just one fill? It's so frustrating!!! I'm not having trouble with liquids so i have been trying to supplement the loss of calories with protein shakes. Any suggestions? Thanks, Jenn

hi I'm 37 and had my surgery on 12/26/07. My starting weight was 264 and I currently weigh 243. I have a small band, 4cc, and have 1cc's in there. I got my first fill about 4 weeks ago with another one scheduled for next week. I didn't get a numbing shot with my fill and I barely felt a thing. As you will read on the posts, some people have great experiences with the band and others haven't. Having the surgery was the best decision I ever made and I couldn't be happier with my band. Has it been easy? At times, no! I constantly have to remind myself to slow down and really chew my food or I'll get stuck. My advice to you is to do the research and read as much as you can here. Although there are people who have struggled here I think you'll find the majority of us have been successful. I wish you the best with whatever you decide to do! Jenn