barbie1978

I actually had a stomach bug last wednesday...AND the wednesday before. I did not vomit (thank god!)...BUT i sure as hell thought i was going to....couldn't put ANYTHING in my stomach...not even Water. As soon as i did, my stomach started flipping and bubbling... If you can't keep even water down, you need to call your surgeon to see what HE/SHE recommends. Because of dehydration, you really might need to be hospitalized for a day and get IV fluids.... I would not try anything carbonated! Nevermind the pain it would probably cause, but the bubbles can actually stretch your pouch... GOODLUCK! Feel better and keep us updated please...

bobbie, i'm sorry! That seriously sucks...please keep us updated on this and GOODLUCK!!!!!

it's PROBABLY nothing since healing for each of us is different and your pain could be completely normal...BUT if it's something that's so bad you're in tears? DON'T FEEL SILLY ABOUT TALKING TO YOUR SURGEON! What's the worst that he's gonna say? He'll say (or he SHOULD say) "why don't you come in so i can check it out"....it will be a quick visit. And if it IS something, you don't want to wait any longer to have it looked at before it can become something more serious....CALL YOUR SURGEON! Don't take any chances....GOODLUCK!!!!!!

I think you need to change doctor's...plain and simple. You need a fill when you: a. stop losing weight b. are getting HUNGRY between meals c. can eat a lot of food in one sitting (w/o getting sick) YOUR BODY. YOUR DECISION. I'm sorry, but if you are having those 'symptoms' then you need a fill! And if you can't even see your doctor, find another one. That's ridiculous. And i've NEVER heard of anyone being completely 'full' and still being hungry. It's almost impossible! You'd be 'overfilled' at that point and would be getting sick all the time....

mondk...don't stress! I am just like you...vomit-phobe. As long as i can remember, i would 'hold' it down and make myself fall asleep...and then it would usually come out the other end:blushing: My philosophy was that if you hold it down long enough it will never have to come up...that being said, you don't have to worry! I have actually been told by numerous people in our support group that they cannot vomit anymore (after their band being filled) because it won't come up through the opening. I'm holding on to that! lol My worst moment was just after surgery. I apparently don't do well with anesthesia (this was my first surgery) and was VERY nauseas. But he assured me that I wouldn't get sick because there was nothing but air in my stomach. While the nurses were helping me to the bathroom, I got REALLY nauseas and swore that i was going to get sick...again she reassured me that nothing would come up but air..and she was right. As far as all that goes, just make SURE that you have NOTHING in your stomach before surger...they say nothing after midnight the night before surgery...well my surgery was at 11am and I didn't drink anything starting at like 7pm the night before..just in case... I have not PB'd yet either..i'm 4 1/2 months out of surgery, and i've only gotten something stuck about 3 times...maybe 4. It's not fun and it does hurt, but it will pass. And if you think about it, most people have PB'd...just non-banded people call it a 'vurp'...

In reference to losing some cc's...my doc said that it was normal to lose some saline occasionally inbetween fills..NOT a lot...but like .25-.5 can happen....this had no reference to vomiting or PB-ing.... As far as sliming and being stuck..it's happened to me on ly a few times....Bread is a NO-NO for at least 4 months post op because it expands in your stomach and that can hurt the band...nevermind the fact that it's dry as hell and THAT hurts... I hate bringing anything up...and even with sliming nothing has come up. I've felt like it might, but it never has....i'm a believer that if it's going to come up, it will. So be it...but if it's not and i just have to wait for it to pass...it sucks but that's what you have to do... ***you should be on liquids for the rest of the day after a fill....AND if you get anything stuck..let yourself heal. The last time something got stuck (because i started rushing and took too big of a bite AND had one bite too many), i was on liquids the rest of the day and mushies for 2 days after....i could tell i was swollen and wanted to be really careful. SF popsicles and Italian Ice were lifesavers!

interesting that i just found this thread...i'm going through this right now...and you pointed out something great. Our coping mechanism is G.O.N.E...no more turning to food...and I've noticed that i seem to be 'feeling' my stress more...and i've been thinking about my jobs and 'do i really want to be doing this'...i love my main job, as a daycare director...but i make NOTHING...daycare just doesn't pay what we deserve. We're fricken raising these kids and we LOVE what we do...but the money just isn't there. I'm 31 and still at home (love my parents) because I just dont' have the money to move out. I'm barely making my bills...i work another part time job and i teach a colorguard, but i need to start thinking about ME. Before it was always about everyone else..and now i'm struggling because i'm starting to really think of ME..and what i want... and it's hard. Then i feel selfish...then i feel guilty because the thought of NOT seeing those kids every day literally makes me cry...but i dream of living in Los Angeles again and really becoming the makeup artist that i KNOW i am.... wow that went off on a tangent, huh? I guess i'm just saying that you're totally right when you say that this is not just losing weight..it's totally changing us....

hey everyone! I've had 2 fills so far and before my first fill i was TERRIFIED!!! I absolutely HATE NEEDLES...and it's a big one! Be ready....BUT, it's really no big deal! You go in, lay flat on a table..they clean the area off and have you CRUNCH UP (as in literally do a crunch) and then they will give you a shot or two of lidocane which you don't even feel..at all...then they push down on your stomach to find the port, aim the needle and there you go...lol Once they put the needle in the port, then they will put in some cc's....in total it takes MAYBE 3 minutes from begining to end EASY! I have to say, i've never heard of the pulling up of your legs...i've only heard about (and have done) crunches.... I WOULD say to make sure you get lidocane...i got 2 shots of it this past fill and i didn't feel ANYTHING...my first fill I only had one shot of lidocane and it was definately uncomfortable....little pain....

OK time to tell you about MY pain....or lack there of.. I've NEVER had any kind of surgery or hospital stay..this was my first. I am sensitive to pain meds (had them after having my wisdom teeth taken out), so I was worried, especially since you're NOT supposed to get sick as it's bad for you band. The only meds I had after waking up from surgery were heparin shots throughout the night i stayed in the hospital, and anti-nausea meds while in recovery. I NEVER took anything else, not even tylenol, until I got home. I refused the morphine button thingy and had them take it away. They were amazed but i didn't need or want it. Yes, i was sore. It was hard to move, and to get up and down, but it was bearable. Each day got easier and by day 4 post op, the ONLY pain I had was in the port incision and the gas pain in my left shoulder. HOLY CRAP, now THAT was some god awful pain. It would come and go, and oh baby when it hit did it hurt. But that was honestly worse than the incisions....I didn't even take the prescription home. Just liquid tylenol...that's it! Oh and liquid tylenol PM...you'll need to to sleep the first few days... Everyone's story is different..it depends on YOU...just go in knowing that it's SURGERY..it's major surgery...and see how you feel when you wake up. If you need pain meds, ASK for them..if you don't, then don't take them! IT"S UP TO YOU!!!!!!! You can ask us all about how we felt, but just know that everyone is different... GOODLUCK!!!!!! And let us know how you feel!

OMG please please do not eat solid food yet. Yes, a lot of doctors have different guidelines, but the MAJORITY of them would tell you that you should NOT be eating yet! I also was on liquids for a full two weeks...then two more weeks of mushy/pureed foods, then soft solids....just because it went down does not mean it's ok to eat..you have to let your band settle and let your stitches heal! I would hate for you to just need another surgery... But to answer your question, you can eat because you dont' have a fill yet...at your 2 week post op, your doc should tell you (if he/she hasn't already) about no restriction and to be careful so you don't disrupt your band. I got my first fill at 6 weeks post op. I'll tell you, once you start feeling hungry, it's definately hard...but you have to be strong and stick to liquids, and MAYBE pureed food (think applesauce, soups, carnation instant breakfast...NO starchy foods..ie potato's, pasta, crackers, etc...starchy foods swell AFTER they sit in your stomach and that's just asking for a problem with your band)... I'm glad you're feeling well enough 4 days after surgery, but PLEASE DON"T MOVE TO SOLID FOODS! You should be on liquids...at least for 2 weeks post op.... Talk with your doctor tomorrow and GOODLUCK!!!!!!!

banded 7/7, had 2 fills so i'm at 6.5cc's in a 14cc band. I'm due to go for another fill on dec 30th but i'm going to try to get in sooner if i can. Down a total of 36 since the week before surgery...(well i lost 16 pounds that was needed before surgery in the week and a half before...don't ask how I did it because I still don't even know how!) I definately have to eat slower and bread is a no-no...but i'm not losing. I'll lose 3, gain 3, etc....i'm starting to workout more but no matter how i eat i have to somehow break this plateau....

And how are all of us July bandsters doing???

i was the same way. I ate a little of everything i wanted..it was more than i thought I could eat, to be honest, but not even CLOSE to what i usually eat. I had small portions (we're talking maybe 1 tbsp) of each thing I liked...i even had a sliver of pumpkin & apple pie.... It was a great feeling to be able to eat, but not overeat! I did well and i'm so grateful for my band...and i'm definately looking forward to my third fill :Yawn:

i sometimes will feel slight pain in, and/or going up to my left shoulder when my band is getting full. Sometimes my pouch won't register the feeling BEOFRE my shoulder...took me about a week to figure that out...so now i listen to my little signs..it's interesting what our bodies do with the band...

my doc told me no alcohol for a year as well..i know of SOOOOOOO many people who do go ahead and drink...they told us it was mostly because when you drink you lose your inhabitions and/or sense of what's ok w/FOOD, and you can eat too fast/too much and hurt your band...i would like a glass of white wine but i'll be strong and wait...but only till may (10 months post op)... going on a cruise!

that's exactly what happened to me..once i started eating again, it did come off, but slowly. Get measured in about 2 weeks...that's what i did and i was down 4 INCHES on every spot in my torso...waist, hips, and chest....the doctor wasn't kidding when he said that lap band patients lose inches first....it's true! I bet you've already lost a lot of inches...keep going and it'll happen! GOODLUCK!

5 incisions, stitches inside, glue outside....once it started coming off it itched like no other! lol And some of it came off too early (on it's OWN..i didn't touch it) so the incisions kind of widened...does that make sense? But i don't care...it was worth it!

HAPPY 4 month BANDIVERSARY!!!!!!!!!!! How have you all done? I wanna hear from all of us 7/7 bandsters!!!!! i've lost about 38 pounds (SINCE surgery, 44 total), almost as many inches, have really great restriction....:cursing::thumbup: I'm so happy! Oh...and i'm losing really well right now :redface::w00t:

omg me too..it MUST be the stage we are in post op...i go down 3...up 2...down 1, up 1....etc...but i'm DETERMINED to break that....i'm doing better since this fill but it's just a total wakeup call that we NEED to put in the work....in the gym...i've finally gotten back there...

congrats!!!!!!!

Thanks!!! :w00t:

4 months out, i've lost about 38 pounds (SINCE surgery, 44 total), almost as many/if not more inches, have really great restriction....:thumbup::redface: I'm so happy! Oh...and i'm losing really well right now :cursing:

hey, i'm only 4 months out and just got my second fill (finally good restriction)....so this is just an opinion...BUT could you maybe just need to take smaller bites/eat slower? My surgeon and the nutritionist stress non-stop about really making sure to take SMAAAAALL bites and eating slow...because I know for ME, I pretty much didn't really taste food before...i INHALED food....so slowing down/smaller bites has been what i have to focus on. I know that since I got this fill a little over a week ago, if my bite is too big, it will be painful...haven't brought anything up but man it hurts like hell until it goes down. Same if I eat too fast...i feel it...but if i take little bites and slow down, i have no problem... Again, i'm definately NOT trying to sound like i know all....i'm just giving an opinion/observation. Either way, GOODLUCK! If you do get an unfill, please post it....i'd like to know if it makes a difference for you...

thanks! Gotta stay positive, no matter what :w00t: