Rastis100

CONGRATULATIONS Cherry - glad to hear your recovery is going well. Dr Watson is great, I was lucky enough to not even get the wind pain, he really is a great surgeon - Well done and welcome to bandland!!!!!!!!!!!

Hey Fanny - that's great 9.2 kgs you must be stoked. I only have 1cc in at the moment as well, but I wish I had more. After all the trouble I had, Dr Watson didn't want to rush with putting in the 2cc incase I had more pain. My next appointment is 8th Feb, so I am looking forward to that because I definately feel like I need more restriction, and my hubby got out the scales for me the other day and they are not budging, so more restriction is definately needed. Have a great day - Rastis

Hey Min - my GP recommended Dr Watson, and he has been great for me. Initially I thought his bedside manner was a little strange, but now I think he is excellent. I had no problems whatsoever with the banding - I didn't even get bad wind problems as a lot of people seem to get. Although I did have a bit of a bad patch after my first fill, but we have discovered that it has nothing to do with my band, so that was great news. I actually stayed two nights in hospital, I have three children at home and I was really frightened that they may jump on me and hurt my incisions, so Dr Watson said to stay another night to make sure everything was fine when I went home, and it was. Have you been banded or are you waiting to be banded? Cheers - Rastis

Goodluck CherryBlue - you will be fine and your husband will be completely capable of looking after your son. I left my husband home with 3 children and he did fine, I am sure your hubby will do great!!! GOODLUCK FOR TOMORROW - ONLY ONE MORE SLEEP - WOOOOHOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hey Cherry Blue - it will be the best decision of your life!!! Who's your surgeon? Cheers Rastis

Nat36 - time will fly and the op date will be here before you know it. Fanny - how did your fill go yesterday? Did you go ok with your weight loss? I bet you were stressing about nothing!!!! mjo479 - I was a little naughty once I finally decided to get the band done, and went a little more crazy with my food than normal. But now that I am banded I just can't do it anymore. I have had one occassion where I overate and I felt absolutely disgusting - got the worst shoulder/back pain and felt like throwing up and this lasted for about 1-2 hours, it was awful, I haven't done that again. I actually serve my dinner up on a bread and butter plate (same as my kids) and I find this works really well. Cheers All - Rastis

Perthchick - I had a girlfriend who paid $12,000 to Dr Watson (no private health care though), I have HBF and paid $1750 to Dr Watson, but in total including SJOG it was the same as most with private health at about $2000 - Rastis

perthchick - I had a girlfriend who saw Dr Watson and 2 weeks later was banded, I think I waited about 2 months before I made the actual decision to be banded and once I made the decision was banded pretty much straight away. mojo479 - like you I was only about 35kgs over weight, and I also had a family history of diabetes, plus I have osteoarthritis, and according to my GP, even at 35kgs overweight, the surgeons generally won't knock you back - GOODLUCK!!

I was banded on the 3rd of October and everything was smooth sailing until about 5 days after my first fill. I started getting the most intense pain in my chest area and it felt like I was having a heart attack. The pain would last from anywhere between 20 min to 3 hours and it was mainly happening in the middle of the night. After about a month I couldn't take the pain anymore and ended up back at my dr's and he removed all of my fill. I have had every test under the sun and am going in for an endoscopy tomorrow to see if they can find out what is going on. I was getting the pain every night for about six weeks and it was the most excruciating pain I have ever had (even worse than labour pain and I've had 3 children!!). Although in saying all this the pain has eased considerably and I have only had it about 4 times in the last 2 weeks (and it's been very mild). The doctor said he has never had anything like this before and he won't refill me until he finds out what's going on (very responsible of him), but extremely frustrating for me. Has anyone else ever experienced anything like this - or am I the only one??

mss - how much do you have in your band now and do you feel restricted? Has everything gone smoothly for you? Cheers Rastis

I'm hearing you Coo about the exercise bit - am finding it very hard to get motivated. My husband is an exercise freak and is training for a half iron man - I just wish I had his motivation and dedication to exercise. AAARRRGGGHHH!!!!!!

Hey Guys - just wanted to let you know that I am feeling great and haven't had any pain at all for the last couple of nights - aaahhhh how great it feels to sleep through the night and not wake up tired - YAY - Love Rastis x

Fantastic weight loss Coo - 11kg's since the end of October - that's awesome.

Fanny - I remember thinking I hadn't lost anything before my first fill, and when he weighed my I'd lost about 6.5 kgs, so I wouldn't worry about it too much. I was like you and weighing myself everyday, but I got my husband to hide the scales from me and so far I'm not fretting too much with not weighing myself. I thought I'd put on a couple of kgs over Xmas, but according to Dr Watson's scales I have only put on 1.4 kgs, so I am happy with that (especially since I had no restriction at all over the festive period). Cherry - what day next week are you being banded? I look forward to hearing all about it? I remember being this close to op time and being excited and petrified at the same time. You'll do great!!! Take care - Rastis

Fanny - Initially Dr Watson thought it was gall stones, but I had three tests done for that and they all came back negative. I then had to do a berium swallow, he wanted to make sure everything was okay with the band - which it was - thank goodness. Yesterday I had an endoscopy done and it showed that I had a 1 cm linear erosion at the base of my oesophogus right where it joins the stomach. This was causing my oesophogus to spasm, which was giving me heart attack like pain and it was lasting up to 3-4 hours. The pain was so severe that it would wake me up and on several occassions I thought my hubby was going to have to take me to hosipital. I have just come back from seeing Dr Watson and he has put me back on some tablet that we had while in hospital, he said this should clear up the erosion problem. But he would only put in 1cc of fluid due to all the dramas I've had, but he said he'll see me again in a month (or before if the problem doesn't go away). I am hoping all will be well and he'll put more fluid in next time. He usually puts 2cc for your first fill, 1cc for the second fill and then .5cc for the last fill and he says he finds this is enough restriction (although in some cases it does vary). Cheers - Rastis

I was banded by Dr Watson on the 3rd of October as well, so I could have been the one you met in the waiting room getting our stiches out (I was in at about 7.30am). I have an appointment with him today (8/1/08) to have some Fluid put in. I had to have all my fluid removed due to some problems, but after 6 different tests we finally found out yesterday that it has nothing to do with my band. It turns out I have a 1cm linear erosion of my oesophogus and it is causing it to spasm giving me heart attack symptoms (aweful). Dr Watson hasn't wanted to put any fluid until we have this problem soughted out, so I am hoping that he will put 2cc's in this morning. Good Luck Min with your banding - it will be the beginning of a new chapter. It's great to finally be chatting with so many Perthites. Cheers - Rastis

Good luck Cherry with your banding next week - I am sure it will go really well. Just remember to walk walk walk after you have had it done, this helps leviate the wind pain you can get after the op, and drinking peppermint tea also helps get the wind out. Amy who did your op? Cheers - Rastis

Hey Fanny - I haven't been coming on to the site much of late and I've been wondering how you were going? So you are finally banded - CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!! Did Dr Watson end up doing your op?? I am actually seeing him tomorrow for a refill (hopefully). I've had a few problems and had to have all my fill removed. But we have finally found out what the problem is (and it has nothing to do with my band), so I am hoping he will give me a refill tomorrow. I put on a couple of kgs over Xmas (bummer) and I want to get back into it again, so I am hoping he will give me a fill tomorrow. Cheers - Rastis

The doctor initially thought it was my gall bladder, but all tests came back negative. I had an endoscopy this morning and YAY they have finally found what the problem is and it has nothing to do with my band (thank goodness). I have a thin linear reflux erosion extending for 1 cm above the base near my sternam, and this is causing my oesophagus to spasm - which is causing the heart attack like pain. I have to see my doctor tomorrow who will prescribe me with some medication and all should be well within a few days - YAY - so glad it has nothing to do with my band.

Jeanne - I was banded on Oct 3 and had no troubles until I had my first fill a month later. Within 5 days of having the fill I began to experience the most intense pain in my sternam area (it feels like I am having a heart attack). I finally got in too see my doctor last Saturday and he removed all of my fill. I am petrified with having no restriction. I am still having the pain but not for as long (upto 3 hours sometimes), but I am still getting it every night. The doctor does not know what it is. He thought it may be gall stones, but they can't find any, so I am having more tests done on Monday, so hopefully they will find out what the problem is. I really don't want to go into the festive season without any restriction. I have lost 10kgs so far and am terrified that I will put it back on. Good luck to you with fixing your problems - Rastis

Kacee - your weight loss to date is awesome - congratulations

Same here, it's such a good feeling. MSS I was banded by Dr Watson the week before you and we are practically the same BMI and weight loss - spin out!!!!

I was banded 7 weeks ago, and never really had any pain to complain about until I had my first fill about two weeks ago. The pain I am getting is in my diaphram - right at the base of my breast bone. I get it sometimes during the day when I am hungry, BUT it is the pain that is waking me in the middle of night that is excruciating, I feel like I am having a heart attack. It generally keeps me awake for about 2 hours in the middle of the night, and it becomes bearable when I am sitting up. My portion sizes are small, so I know it is not from overeating, and it is definately not reflux/heartburn - it's a completely different feeling - like I am having a heart attack. Has anyone else ever had this feeling - please help because the way I am feeling when I get this pain is that I want to have my band removed. Thanks - Rastis :cry

Georgia girl - thanks for your reply. I generally eat dinner at about 6ish and don't go to bed until about 9.30 and the pain is occurring midnight, 2 am, 3am 4.30am, so it's definately not from going to bed on a full stomach. I have emailed my doctor twice and called him a couple of times as well - but as yet no response. I know he has been away on a conference and is in surgery all day today, so I am hoping to get a reponse soon. Cheers Rastis

I am six weeks post op and had my first fill 2 weeks ago. I have a 10cc band and have 4cc in at the moment. For the last week or so, I have been having the most intense pain near my diaphram/sternam. It gets so bad that it actually wakes me up from my sleep (hence why I am writing this at 3.15am). I also get it during the day, but it doesn't seem as intense - it's almost like a spasm feeling. It comes in waves - but the middle of the night seems to be the worst. The pain was just so horrible that I thought my husband was going to have to take me to hospital. But now that I am up, the intensity of it has gone, now I just have a slight ache. In saying all this though the majority of the time that I don't have any pain at all. I rang my surgeon on Tuesday, but I can't get into him for two weeks, and I just said to my husband that if this pain continues I want the band taken out. Has anyone else had this type of pain at all? Any advise would be truly welcomed - I really don't want to have it removed - but the pain in the middle of the night is really horrible, and I didn't get it before my fill. Thanks heaps - Rastis