freebit

4 mos post-op I started having shoulder pain. I know it was band related because I could breathe in certain ways that pressed on the band and it would hurt. However, after a few weeks it went away as mysteriously as it appeared. I think the shoulder pain is translated from the band area. However, I think that it is nothing to worry about. I found that an electric massager worked really good on it.

Windex. Put some Windex on it. Windex fixes everything. Just kidding. It looks bad. You should get it checked out.

To the original poster....there is nothing wrong with being a big girl and that is definitely not a reason for you to think that people wont want to "give a crap about you." Some people are built for comfort and some people are built for speed. To put it another way, some people want a small fast uncomfortable Miata 2 seater and some people want a smooth riding Cadillac. Personally, I'm a Cadillac kinda guy. My 2 cents.

My port area hurt the worst on days 3-6 post op. After that, the pain went away completely.

When at goal I will probrably spend as much on the ol' chassis repairs as I did on the original banding surgery.

Kati, now that you have felt that pain, you are now one of us. You will be amazed how well pain works to change your behaviour.

I did not pre-op prep at all. In fact I ate like there was no tomorrow. LOL. Anyways, post-op I made it 6 days, then I very carefully tried something solid. It was chinese. I am still alive.

As long as it doesnt seem infected, I probrably wouldn't worry. You will notice many weird aches and pains over the coming months. It all passes with time.

I used to have seat belt issues. One day you will have room to spare. One day those airline seats will feel very roomy. It's a nice feeling. So, hang in there.

$8500 everything included and I mean everything. http://betancourtmedical.com/packages.htm Great service. Good friends of mine. I dont think that I would trust anybody else to touch me. They are that good. The president, Andres is banded. His patient coordinators, Melissa and Violet, are both repeat customers of his (banded and other various procedures) also.

Why is everyone here shooting for 10-12'ish? Why not single digits? We have the ability to be as skinny as we want. Why not shoot for a size similar to the people you see laying out in the sun in Miami or Malibu. Come on people, imagine being a size where you fit in with the people getting a sun tan on the beach. That's my goal, I want to be a size where I can run around the beach in a pair of shorts and not be embarrassed.

Yeah, I have defenitely noticed that buffets don't hold the appeal they once did. LOL Used to do three plates and a six inch tall bowl of soft serve.

Strawart, I agree with everthing you said. It is all true. I have felt all of those things that you list. Every one of them. Atkins is better. However, with Atkins, it is possbile to cheat and go off the wagon for a day or a week. In the end Atkins is just a diet. Even tho the band can be removed, it is more or less permanent, it really permanently removes many choices from your behaviour via severe pain and discomfort if you screw up. The words "unyielding taskmaster" come to mind. As far as being hungry, if you are hungry, then eat. Dont worry bout the weight loss. If your band is tight enough then you will lose weight and not be so hungry. Dont stress over the Water timing issue. I never did. Drink if you are thirsty, even during meals. If you screw it up, your band will let you know and bend you to its will. Screw meal counts, they are for the birds. Eat when you are hungry. Stop eating before the band takes over and makes you PB. The band will teach you when to stop. Pain is a very effective teacher. The genius of the band, and the evilness of the band, is that it makes you lose weight by making every eating experience miserable. Eating becomes like going to the dentist and I hate the dentist. Like I said, if food is your close friend, then you will be getting new friends, like you will be getting new clothes...LOL. As time passes, you lose weight, and you will get better at living with the band, and things may get better. They did for me. Before I got the band I made a deal with myself. I was either going to lose all of my weight or die trying. As it turns out I am actually healthier. Ironic in a way. Actually, my goal is to have a stomach that is flat like the chick in Ultraviolet. I'll need more surgery, I know. The other option is another severe surgery to remove the band, maybe paying another $15k-ish and being in the same boat you were in before. You have traveled down the "bandless" road before, and like me, you know exactly where it ends. I hope this helps. 256lbs - 203lbs in 4.7 months.

Been there done that a thousand times. Dont worry, it will pass. 'nuff said.

I was up walking around and dragging my IV within 10 minutes of surgery. It really alarmed the hospital staff, but I was drugged pretty good and loving life. I was drinking sips of water within 15 mins. It really started to make the staff nervous when I started wearing my hosp gown like superman's cape. They still laugh even to this day. Later that night I fell asleep in the chair in my room. That night, I had the most comfortable and wonderful sleep that I had ever had.

DeLarla, the drugs I got during surgery were amazing. It truly was like a party!!! After surgery I kept walking around with my IV and I had this big goofy smile on my face. Its weird, but surgery was a blast. I was wearing my hospital gown like Superman's cape!! Man, I was outta control. With most people, they want a little walking after surgery. With me, they wanted me to sit down. Finally, I did sit in the chair in my hospital room. I was watching some spanish mexico station and even though I couldnt understand anything, I thought it was the best show I had ever seen. Gawd, I had a great time!!

I have found that the stomach can swell and change shape so much that using restriction as a guide for slippage doesnt work well. I have been so tight I can not get soup down then the next day I wasnt tight and ate like a pig then I was tight the day after, etc. However, if you cannott get water down at all to the point where you are dehydrated you may want to go in and have them look at you under a flouroscope.

I have had extremely severe vomiting and never have slipped my band. Try to minimize the vomiting as much as possible but dont stress too much. I once vomited soooo bad that I dry heaved for 5 minutes after my stomach was empty. I was a sore afterwards but I didnt slip my band. As you vomit try to concentrate on stopping. I know that once I get going, reflex takes over and I start heaving over and over again. However, concentrating on stopping if you cant stop really seems to help stop the dry heaves. If you cant stop vomiting, then try to concentrate on vomiting gentler. I know it sounds weird but it seems to help.

It is very normal. I find that chicken Soup really helps me get through bad days (Cambell's). Watery chili (Wendy's) goes down good too if eaten slowly and and chewed very well. 30-45 mins to finish a meal is ok. Many times I get tired of eating before that time and just stop eating. The guy that invented the band was a genius. "Lets make people lose weight by making eating a miserable experience." LOL <rolls eyes>

Unlike a diet, you cant cheat, you cant go off the band for a day like you can with a diet. If food is you best friend like it was for me, then you will be soon losing a friend. The band is absolute. It doesnt give in, it doesnt let you eat large quantities, and it is very unforgiving. If you screw up, it will punish you with much pain and discomfort and then you will learn not to screw up. Even tho the band can be removed, it is more appropriate to have the mindset that you will never be the same again. That being said, the surgery was a blast for me. I loved it. The drugs they gave me really made me feel great. For me the surgery was the best part. I never felt surgery related pain except for some mild soreness. The difficult part will be the life changes that you will have to make. The good news it that those life changes wont require will power. The band will enforce its will upon you and you will give in to it after some pain and discomfort over and over from screwing up. After you learn that which the band will teach you, then things will be better. In summary, the surgery is the easiest part, enjoy it. I know I did.

I have had pain with coughing. It passes tho.

I have found that it is actually cheaper to fly to San Diego from Portland and get the fill done in Mexico than it is to get the fill done in the states. Besides Doc Sanchez is awesome. The customer service is so much better in mexico than here in the states. Of course this may be different for you since you live further away.

If you are really tight and drinking is done skillfully and carefully it can really help. In fact I found that drinking about a quart of water with every meal really helped me with discomfort and eating when i was really tight. However, the other poster is correct, if you dont do it right, it can cause immediate PB's. I dont drink much anymore with meals. Water never impacted my weight loss. As I loosened up I drank less and less water with meals. Now I sip or drink none. 256 to 203 in 5 months.

Chewables work but taste icky. I use one centrum silver per day chopped up into exactly 6 pieces...works great.

I worried about slippage the first dozen times I PB'd. After going to the fill clinic and being put under the flouroscope a couple of times to make sure everything was still ok I stopped stressing over it.