IM_LORI

Phazyme, or any simethicone based gas relief is great for intestinal gas. We do have some minor problems post op with gas/stool moving as the anesthesia sort of puts the entire gastro-intestinal tract on a temporary hold. But with the laparascopic surgery, it is typically not intestinal gas that is so bothersome post-op. It is the carbon-dioxide gas that is used to literally inflate the abdominal cavity. It is blown into the abdomen, not the intestines. There isn't a whole lot that helps the free gas that remains inside the surgery. Tylenol, heat, & walking help your body absorb the risidual carbon dioxide gas inside, and only time helps take it away. But for regular intestinal gas, phazyme is great!

and I have the opposite problem. My husband (separated) preferred me heavy. But it's not just the size. If you can recall back when you were lighter, we act different. And once you lose this weight, you will see it again. A lighter heart, healthier outlook on life, more confidence, more energy, a joyous nature in your personality. Those are probably things he misses as well. So it's not just your body, it's probably a lot of personality issues that are different than when he met you. My husband is Arab and preferred a quiet submissive subserviant woman, non-confident woman. That is what I was when I was heavy. Right now I"m close to goal, and I am VERY outspoken, NEVER at a loss for words, I prefer to wear striking attention getting clothing, and I feel like I have a lot more to offer in life than cooking & cleaning for an ungrateful person. So there are probably more things that he is focused on than just your size. Be patient with him, nobody's perfect, but open the discussion with him on how much that bothered you. Instead of insulting you, he could have supported you in other ways to get the weight off. And maybe you'll find his dedication and support in your process with your band. And lets face it,,,,,,it's not attractive to be obese, laying on the sofa watching soaps & stuffing our face all day. If we believed it was, we wouldn't have gotten our band. There is a respect and admiration in a person who controls their life, their food, their weight, their mood, everything. It shows they love themselves enough to put themselves first, so that they are healthy enough to take care of those around them. :biggrin:

fills, take about as much time as having blood drawn, poke, push, outta there.

I can't burp. I had my band 10-19-07, nearly a year ago, and not once since I was banded have I been able to utter up one little burp. I asked my doctor and got sort of a lame, brush off answer about the band placement not allowing air to come up. Acid reflux comes up! Slime comes up! I've pretty much just learned that this is the way it is for me, but last night I just felt like I needed to burp so bad, leaned over, pushed, etc,,,,,,,,, no burp. What's up with this? DYING to BURP again.

DITTO! One thing I've noticed, I cant burp. Have never been able to burp since surgery a year ago. It's gotta come out somewhere; if not one end, then the other :cursing:

You can pretty much tell before you even lose the weight whether or not you'll need some plastic work. If you look at the skin, you can see whether or not the skin fibers have been torn, or just simply stretched. If you gain weight, your skin grows with you. When we gain too much, or too quickly, the skin isn't capable of stretching too far, or to quickly and the elastin fibers tear. At that point when you lose the weight, the skin is not capable of shrinking back to the original size. The damage is done before you lose weight, and despite common belief, losing weight slowly doesn't really impact your skins ability to "shrink" back. Exercising does not impact your skin, it impacts the underlying muscle. A strong toned abdominal muscle will hold in more abdominal fat, and help things appear flatter. But if you have lots of loose skin, that will continue to hang. Keep things in perspective though. Did you want to lose weight to run around in a bikini on the beach? or did you just want to become more fit & healthy? If you are left with a huge pannus, or hanging skin flap on your tummy, it can cause rashes, and become very disfiguring & annoying. I am close to goal and can see I'll have a very small amount of lose skin, probably more from my 3 pregnancies. I'm 40, have no desire to run around in a bikini and with clothes on, you'd never see it. I'll live with it. :cursing:

I've had 4 of them done in the last 6 months. Different physicians do them differently. Some do them in the office, under a muscle relaxant. You are awake, and it's uncomfortable. You end up gagging a lot. Done & over in 10 minutes though. Most doctors, (mine) does them on an outpatient surgical basis. They hit you with some morphine & versad so you are pretty much in lala land. You are actually awake and aware of everything that is happening. To someone who is watching, they will see you choking or gagging on the tube. You appear that it's not a fun experience. But the drug cocktail has an amnesic effect on you. After it's all done, you remember nothing. So for the patient, you think you went to sleep and woke up when it's over. Actually quite a nice way to do it.

This is a very good but "plain" bran muffin, which is not overly sweet, by design. You may wish to double the amount of Fiberfit, use a different kind of nut, or jazz up these muffins by adding 1/2 cup dried chopped fruit. FIBERFIT BRAN MUFFINS That's right, bran muffins that are TRULY low carb. Just 4 net carbs each. • 2 large eggs • 3/4 cup oil (any type) • 3/4 cup half and half cream • 1-1/2 tsp. Fiberfit • 1 tsp. vanilla (or maple) extract • 1 tsp. baking soda (Reduce to 3/4 tsp. @ high altitudes.) • 3/4 cup plain wheat bran • 1/2 cup low-carb whey Protein powder (such as Designer Protein™ shake mix) • 4 Tb. vital wheat gluten • 1 cup All Bran Extra Fiber™ Cereal • 1/2 cup chopped pecans Preheat oven to 350 F. Line or grease 12 muffin tins very well. Add ingredients to mixing bowl in order listed, scraping sides as needed. Bake 14 to 16 minutes or until they test done. 12 servings, each: 4 Net Carbs 225 calories, 20 g fat (3.6 g sat.), 8.3 g carbohydrate (4.3 g fiber), 7 g protein

What your going through is totally normal and very common. My doctor told me to expect it. You get this band, this thing you've been waiting for, for a loooooong time. You get it, and all of a sudden you feel crappy. You have air inside you from surgery, pressure in your chest, your stomach is swollen & sore from surgery, this band thing is squeezing your stomach like a tight pair of shoes on your feet. Then suddenly reality hits you, what a major life changing event it is, and that there is really some dramatic changes that lie ahead. It's almost like a panic attack or anxiety. And not to scare you, but it is frustrating the entire first month. You're drinking liquids, eating mushy runny foods, and your HUNGRY! Keep in mind that the first month, a lot of people do not lose, and they may GAIN! Which logically makes sense. Your band IS NOT FILLED! It's there, but doing pretty much nothing. That is where people really panick. They expect the pounds to be just flying off right away, but they forget that their band is not filled, so their hunger pretty much remains the same. Then we sit here asking ouselves, "Why am I so hungry? I have this band and it's not working" Take in a big breath, relax and give yourself time. Go shopping, watch a movie, do something you enjoy. I hate to say it, but maybe grab some "comfort food". Do whatever you need to this month to make yourself comofortable, and adjust to the challenge and adventure that lies ahead. Your in for the most rewarding adventure of your life in the next year! Don't throw it away!

Here are some that may be close to you. Map Laparoscopic Associates of San Francisco - Sacramento, CA Over the past 10 years,fellowship-trained Dr. Jossart and Dr. Cirangle at Laparoscopic Associates of San Francisco have been committed to providing patients like you with a wide range of weight-loss surgeries using advanced laparoscopic techniques.Some of our most asked about procedures: Lapband (Laparoscopic Gastric Banding) , Sleeve Gastrectomy Surgery , Laparoscopic Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass , Duodenal Switch , Laparoscopic Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy Map Sacramento Bariatric Medical Associates - Sacramento, CA Sacramento Bariatric is a ASBS Bariatric Surgery Center of Excellence (COE). Our program offers you state-of-the-art bariatric surgery including gastric bypass and laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (lap band).

UNFILL yourself! I'm in the same boat with you. I had a whole 7 months of bad reflux, aggrivated by bile reflux from my gall bladder. The acid caused erosive damage to my esophagus. The scar tissue nearly closed it off. After 4 endoscopies to try & dilate my esophagus back open, I can now swallow & eat normally. I just had a fill last weekend, and 2 days ago, I feel the reflux again. From experience, it's nothing to play around with. I"m having some out tomorrow morning. I'm in Costa Mesa, 90 min from Mexico so I end up driving down there. I know how to feel about the money. Fill,,,,,,,$$$$$$, Unfill,,,,,,,,,,,$$$$$$$$$,,,,,,,,,,,Fill,,,,,,,,$$$$$$$$$$$ it seems like your paying for the same thing twice. :thumbup:

3 months post op? and you've "ONLY" lost 32 pounds? Are you NUTS! haha Do you know how many people would kill to do that? That's consistently just a hair over 2 pounds a week! My god anymore than that wouldn't be good on a long term basis. A lot of people lose NOTHING or even GAIN until they hit that magic fill level. I"m 11 months out and I'd be doing the hokey-pokey if I could lose 2 pounds a week. You expected more? This is to assist weight loss. It doesn't wave a magic wand and just magically disappear. Girl, you are doing AMAZING! And when in your life have you ever been able to lose 2 pounds a week, for 12 weeks straight? I'm guessing never or you wouldn't have gotten your band in the first place. You are on a roll, be happy, keep going, and don't stop whatever your doing until you are 100% at your goal. You may see some people drop 5/week, but they are typicallyl in the 350+ pound range. At a lower BMI your going to lose at a more normal rate, more like yourself. Keep going and be HAPPY!

I don't know if Dr. Ortiz is or not. I saw on my doctors website, Dr. Mariano Covarrubias at www.bajanor.com they are right now for $6,500 And another placed Mexico Weight Loss Surgery Dr. Mario Alberto Almanza Reyes currently is for $5,500

Oh i'm so sorry to hear that. Sounds like you & the anesthesia were not a good mix. I know people tell you this is a breeze, nothing to it. Some that's true, others it's not. We are all different. I would imagine vomiting after being banded is an aweful experience. One thing I can assure you, it DOES and WILL get better! :smile2:

YES! When you fly out of state, or country for your surgery, they WILL have you stay overnight in case of any problems. If your close by, they'll let you go home, but you would be able to drive over quickly if you ran into any adverse side effect. You would be staying over 1 night.

I went to Mexico, as did MANY MANY if not most self pay. My doctor is doing it for $6500 right now. Lap Band Surgery $6,500, Gastric Band, Vertical Sleeve Tijuana Mexico I love them to death! Mexico is NOT a bad place. Ask around, and you will hear the common names of surgeons that are highly recommended. Mexico, Cananda & Europe began the band 10 years before the FDA ever approved it here. THey are 10 years ahead of us. Where do you think our Dr.'s learned from? Dr. Ortiz, from Tijuana trains doctors all over the world. He is one of the best known surgeon for the band in all the world. Lap Band Surgery in Mexico - Dr. Ariel Ortiz at the Obesity Control Center That is his website. They base their business on catering to us fat Americans. The service, skill, expertise, is amazing, or of course nobody would go back to them. Get that notion out of your head that your settling for second rate care. I've been much more impressed with my care there, than I ever was with my care in the states. Ask around, many will concur. Yes you'll hear of people who had bad outcomes, and there are those as well in the states. Your key to success is good follow up with your doctor for fills, any problems that arise, establishing eating patterns, etc..... Go for it!

NO! They don't test you for caffeine! hahah. I too quit the caffeine after my surgery,,,,,,,,,for 24 hours. I couldn't stand myself. Caffeine can irritate the stomach, that is why they want you to quit. If it hasn't bothered you before, it probably won't now. I still do my morning cup, and typically 1 more after dinner in the evening. Without it, my family and friends with probably have to shoot me. Enjoy in moderation.

OH dear! This is not a "sick" surgery, this is a celebration surgery! This is going to open a new beginning for you. High blood pressure? GONE! Back pain? GONE! Sore knees? GONE! Type 2 diabetes? GONE! With this surgery, it honestly is nothing. 45 minutes start to finish. Many patients go home within a few hours. Some stay over 1 night. You are a little sore the next day, like you did too many sit ups, but it's a very very minor surgery. I had mine in Mexico. I live close by in California. I drove myself there on a Friday, had it done late in the evening, and drove myself back home Saturday morning. You probably have grandchildren? Imagine riding bike with them! Running with them, walking all over an amuzement park, shopping all day, etc,,,,,,,,your energy level skyrockets as you drop the weight. Your quality of life improves significantly. My only regret,,,,,,,,,,,,I didn't do it sooner. I missed out on too much with my kids. I sat on the side watching them. Now I'm in the trees climbing with them, roller blading beside them, squished in the tight roller coaster seats beside them. Living WITH them again, not watching them.

That sounds classic of acid reflux. The acid comes up the lower esophagus, irritates the tissue, much like you scrape your knee on the cement. Think of rubbing sandpaper over that raw skin. That's what happens when you swallow food and it goes over the irritated tissue in your lower esophagus. I have a major problem with that. I had it all under control, got a fill that last Saturday, and today, Tuesday, I can feel the reflux starting again. Sometimes if you take a small amount out it will go away. You can also use a PPI, Proton Pump Inhibitor, like Prilosic, Nexium, Aciphex to keep your stomach from producing acid. That helps enormously. Prilosec you can buy over the counter now. Take 1 on an empty stomach in the evening, and it usually last 12 hours. Reflux happens primarily at night when your laying down. Don't eat 2 hours before bed. That keeps your stomach pressure lower so things don't back up as much. Good luck, I hope things get better for you.

You will get through this. The crankiness is from lack of food. It does get better once you advance to other things. Some orange juice goes a long way on boosting up your blood sugar level, and maintains it for a while. Use it as a crutch when you're tired and not focused. It helps a lot.

The day I had my surgery, there was also a bypass patient that was having a band placed. It's common.

You are always going to find people like that. She may also be dealing with what she may interpret as her "fat friend". I think we have sort of a safety net when we are heavy when we hang out with other heavy friends. We feel safe and don't feel like we are being judged. She may be worried that she won't feel the same with you, that you'll move on to bigger better things without her, or that you will start judging or putting her down. She may also be jealous that she isn't able to do it. There a lot of dynamics psychologically that go into play. The problem I keep encountering, is that I have friends who keep asking me to go out and eat. Or would want me to go do something during my gym time. I finally just got real firm and direct with them and said, "Look, right now my goal weight is my #1 priority in my life. Until that goal is met, EVERYTHING comes 2nd. " They seem to understand it when it's put very bluntly to them.

you may have had a piece of the kernal scrape in the wall of your esophagus. A few days of warm liquids and soft foods should help. I've had similar problems that felt like that when I've had some major acid reflux problems. It feels like glass went down when you eat. Do you think you may have some esophageal irritation from reflux? Try some Maalox or something for a few days also, and see what kind of results you get from that as well.

Same issue here. AFter the band with the limited amounts of food we eat, it got really bad. I SWEAR by Miralax powder. Mix it in a glass of water and you taste nothing. I can put it in coffee, juice, tea, milk, anything,,,,,,,,,,,no taste, no grit. 1 capfull a day keeps things going well. My gastoenterologist said also it's something that is acceptable to use everyday longterm, which isn't the case with some other stimulant laxatives.

hahah you crack me up! I did the SAME thing! That last week, I ate like it was my last week on earth! Red Lobster, steak, cheesecake, chocolate covered peanuts, peanut butter & jelly sandwiches, Big Macs, Weinerschnitzel, cake, cookies, SODA, everything! I think we all do it to some extent