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I was banded on May 28th, one week ago. I went for my Post-Op Appt. yesterday,had my stitches out, and I've lost 17 lbs. in 9 days!:confused: I have 1 more week of liquids and I think the first week was harder, so far I'm dealing with it better this week, I think because I've lost so much and it has motivated me. So anyone else banded on that day or around that time, and how are you doing? What's the average everyone is losing at this stage, what are you guys eating, how do you feel???

Hey all...I've been banded now for about 7 weeks. Here is my problem. I had a slight acne problem years ago, mostly they were like heat bumps under my skin, and they itched a little.. I tried many things, and I found Proactiv to work wonders, and have been using it for about 5 years. My heat bumps/acne was finally under control (sounds so cliche' I know, lol, but it's true). My skin was so soft & bump free! Okay, so about a week or so after my surgery, I started getting a little bit of the heat bumps again on my face, around my forehead, around my jaw line, very mild. Well, as of today, it's really bad. They're really tiny bumps all over my face, and they itch too! I've talked to my Nutritionist about it, and she said she's never heard of it being related to the surgery or diet change. So has anyone who's been banded had this problem? I'm so stressed out about it. I have lost 35 lbs now, but I feel ugly because of my face. I haven't changed my soaps, deodorant, perfume, make up or anything. I'm not stressed, I physically feel better than I have in a long time. I don't have allergies, nothing like that. I thought it was my make up sponges, brushes, etc., so I bought all new ones, and that didn't help. My diet of course has changed drastically since the band, no sugars, breads, pasta, low fats, and high protein. I always thought those things should break out your face, I just can't figure out why it's doing it now, I'm healthier darn it! :thumbdown: Okay, enough of me rambling. Oh, and I've seen a Dermatologist, they gave me samples that just made my skin dry itch more and I'm not doing that again. Plus, it was expensive. So, if you have any ideas or have experienced this, please help me! Thanks for reading... Tonya

Hi Erika ~ Congrats on the graduation, that sounds exciting! I wanted to respond to your post because I also have UHC, and I was told the exact same thing, that they didn't cover it. But when I made my initial appt. this past January for the lap band, the lady in the insurance dept. told me they usually do cover it. So, that same day, I called UHC again, and spoke with someone different, told them the Dr. & the Practice that would be doing my surgery, they actually looked up my policy, and read me the part in it that said they do cover it. They do require some pre-op stuff first, but that is to be expected. The Dr's office gave me a list of things they wanted me to do pre-op before they would cover it, but it was things like, lots of bloodwork, an Upper GI, a Psych. Evaluation, things like that, nothing major. Just time consuming. I agree with the last comment, you never know who you are going to talk to there. Ask specifically for them to read where it states it in your policy. I had my surgery on May 28th of this year, it's been 6 weeks now. I had my first fill today, and so far I've lost 30 lbs. I was very lucky, UHC covered it 100%, minus the nutritionists appts, which is a total of $500, plus a $100 copay for the hospital. I have to tell you that even though I was worried about complications, just surgery in general, not being able to eat, things like that, this has been the absolute best thing I have ever done in my life. Other than getting married & having my two children, lol. I have a lot more weight to lose, but I feel so good, I'm not out of breath as often or easily, and I don't miss food too bad after all. Listen, don't give up. Call & call until you are satisfied with what they tell you. If you have any questions at all, please feel free to email me or message me. Let us know what happens! Take care & goodluck! :smile: Tonya

Just wanted to update everyone. It is Wednesday at 7:00 pm, and I was banded this morning at 7:30 am in Concord, NC. Things went very well. I was told I was doing well considering what I had done. I don't remember much of course from the time I got my IV to after surgery. I woke up around 10:00 or so, and I was ready to move and get up by 11:00. I had a tiny sore throat when I woke up, and a little pain in my stomach, but not too bad. My cuts are up really high, the 2 inch cut is just under my breasts actually. I have four other small incisions. I had lost about 10 in a week, so he said my liver looked great. I will post some pics of myself & my incisions soon. After I woke up and was walking around a litte, I went to have xrays done to make sure I could swallow. Even though the stuff they give you to drink didn't taste good, it wasn't too terribly bad. I had to stand up and turn to the side once or twice for them to get multiple xrays. That part was really neat, I could see the band & the port on the xrays. After that, I walked around some more, they got my results back that my xrays were fine, and I got to go home! I even walked into the drug store with my husband to get my meds. It hurts a little when I go to sit or stand. If I could describe what my stomach feels like at this point, almost 12 hours later and I've had 1 pain pill, I would say it felt like I've been punched in the stomach. It's definitely not as bad as I thought it would be. When I burp, hiccup, things like that, it's a little uncomfortable. So far, the gas is mild as well. I'm crossing my fingers that I only get better from here, not worse. I've managed to get almost an EAS Protein drink down today, and little sips of Water, and not much else. I really think I should try to drink another one before the nights over with, but I'm not sure that I will. I already have a good bit of restriction from the band. Sorry this is so long, I just enjoyed reading others people stories of getting their band, so I thought I'd share mine with you guys! :scared2:

First, thanks for trying to figure this out with me guys! I really don't know what was going on. I did it a few more times yesterday, but then it just went away. I knew it wasn't heart related, simply because something would come up in my esophogus, sometimes just a weird feeling, sometimes a burp. The only thing I had done differently was have that "creamsicle shake". I think that possibly some of the orange skins that weren't strained had gotten down in my pouch or my esophogus and maybe were causing me to burp, or possilby try to pb, I'm still not 100% sure. I do know two things though. I will never make another shake out of Marmalade (it was gross) and second, I am SO GLAD IT STOPPED!

I posted this in another thread, but it was related to PB'ing, and I don't think that's what I'm doing. So last night, I made a "creamsicle drink" and it had lots of orange rind in it from the marmalade. So I strained it, but I think there were still a few tiny pieces in it. So about an hour or so after, I started feeling these strange sensations in my chest, not really my stomach, a little higher, and I could feel the pressure or something coming up, or just moving, and I don't think it was gas. Then this weird sensation moved up in my jaw/mouth, and it would make me feel the need to yawn, or burp, or just try to make it go away. It didn't hurt, just very annoying, and it kept happening for several hours, all the way until I went to bed. It's SO weird, I've never done this before. I woke up and I wasn't doing it at all. So I took a shower, and while I was in the shower, yep, it did it again. Am I crazy or something? What the heck is this? I've been up now for a few hours and it's only done it maybe 3 times so far this morning, but it's driving me crazy. It's almost like a yawning sensation but I feel it in my chest too. Please, if any of you have the slighest idea of what this might be, I'd love to know. :confused2:

Hey NY ~ I think I'm doing the same thing. I was actually about to post a question asking if anyone knew, but I thought I would do it here since our symptoms are similar. I think PB'ing is when you actually "vomit" something up, or atleast something comes up, food maybe? I think it stands for productive burp. This thing I'm doing is so strange. It happens at no particular time. I get this feeling that I'm going to burp or hiccup maybe, and then I feel pressure coming up in my throat, but I don't burp or hiccup, it's just this strange feeling. Like you, I didn't start doing this until after the band, actually just in the past few days, I was banded last week. Does anyone have any idea??

I posted earlier today about problems I've been having with feeling full, nausea, etc. So yesterday, I could drink about 2 oz's and I felt SO FULL, but today, I can drink an entire 11 oz. Protein drink, and I'm just barely full. I know that each day will be a little different, but is that normal to be such a BIG difference is just one day?? I almost feel like I don't have the band at all today. Anyone else had this experience?? So I have a question for all bandsters, how much can you drink/eat at once until you're full and how long have you been banded??

I didn't ask my Dr. this question ~ but I did ask the Nurse at the hospital ~ well, I sort of asked her, lol. I said "so how many days after surgery can I do things like, um, jump on the trampoline, um, ride a bike, um, swimming, things like that." She goes..."Well, you should wait atleast 10 days before any type of physical activity like that, including sexual activity". I thought I was going to die! :eek: But, like someone else said, there are a few positions you could probably get away with it as soon as you are feeling better. Goodluck to you!!

I was banded last Wednesday, May 28th, almost been a week now. The first few days I was doing great, I was able to get my liquids in, sipped slowly, I got full very quickly. I would wait until the fullness feeling went away, and I'd start sipping slowly again. I could only drink about 1 to 2 oz. in the beginning before I felt full. Well, about 2 days ago, I started having very sharp pains in my side, felt like a knife digging in to me, about every 2 or 3 seconds. I wasn't able to get in as much liquid, because everytime I drank anything I felt nauseated. Then yesterday, the same thing, pain in my side, and I had to force myself to drink drink drink. The entire time I was drinking, I felt like I was going to throw up. I really didn't know if I was nauseated because I didn't have much in my stomach, or because I was drinking too much. That feeling lasted up until bedtime, about 11 pm. I laid down, felt like I was going to throw up at any time, got up, walked inside the house, sipped on a little Water, tried laying back down. Still felt the pain & nausea, so I took a pain pill which also had Phenergan in it. Fell asleep, and at about 2 am, I woke up feeling extremely sick, went to the bathroom and I couldn't hold back the vomiting. Not much came up, I guess because I didn't have much in me, but I sat there and dry heaved for about 5 mins. I felt a little better after I did that, just felt very very weak, so I laid down again. I woke up this morning, and I don't have anymore pains in my side at all. I feel very weak from not drinking or eating much. I got myself a Protein drink, and a bottle of water, and I started sipping. I was able to drink about 6 oz. of my drink pretty quickly, without any pain or any fullness at all. I finished about 4 oz of water, and I feel satisfied, but not that terrible painful full feeling I had yesterday. I called the nurse just now, thinking maybe I had a slippage and the vomiting "fixed it" or something?? I don't know really. But she said it sounded like I was in pain and feeling extremely full from the swelling and gas and I was vomiting because I was trying to force liquids in. She also said maybe I felt a little better this morning and could keep more liquids down because my swelling & gas went down, and I should be fine now. I'm very relieved that I don't feel nauseated today, and that I can keep more liquids down, but I'm still unsure as to what happened. I went from feeling good in the beginning and having a good restriction, to feeling like I was dying and couldn't drink anything, and now to feeling pretty good with hardly no restriction at all. Sorry this is so long, but I wanted to mention everything that happened in hopes that someone here may have experienced this and might know what's going on. I'm terrified of a slippage, and I'm terrified of this band not working for me, as I have already lost over 10 lbs over the past week. Anyone who may know what's going on, please help. Any suggestions?? :thumbup:

Hey, just read your post. How in the world are you getting in around 1000 calories?? I feel like I'm drinking all day and I'm getting in around 500-600. Each protein drink is 110, so I'm having 3 a day, chicken broth, crystal light, water, which hardly have any calories at all.

Thanks everyone for all your help & concern. . This forum is great for help & support. Kelly J ~ My gas was moderate the first few days, and actually got worse after day 4 or 5. Today my gas is much better, and my stomach seems to have went down a lot. I'm thinking that maybe the pain last night did come from gas. Glad you are feeling better! AthinnerDenise ~ I agree, I really don't think my band has slipped, but being new to this, that is something I was really worried about. You said I won't have any restriction before I get my fills? I'm pretty sure my Dr. put a small amount in me during surgery (I'll find out for sure tomorrow), and I definitely have had restriction for the first few days. Is this just a restriction feeling from the surgery or real restriction???

Hi Claudine! My name is Tonya, I am 32 years old, married with 2 children (13 & 6) and I live in Salisbury, NC. I was banded just two days ago in Concord, NC by Roc Bauman. I weighed 299 in January, at 5'8", and now I weigh 280. My goal is around 180 or so. I'd love to be back in a size 12!!! I'm looking so forward to being able to shop in ANY store. Can you imagine?? My surgery went well, I'm having some soreness and I feel soooo full after taking just a few sips of Water, low energy, but I know this will pass soon. If you'd like to chat, you can message me here or you can email me @ my work address jtphotoeffects@yahoo.com. I am a wedding & portrait photographer and if you'd like to see some of my work you can at www.jtphoto-online.com ttyl ! Tonya

I was banded just two days ago, May 28th. I'm able to keep everything down, but I'm noticing that after one or two tiny sips of my water or protein drinks, I full so full that I feel sick. About a minute goes by, and the sick feeling goes away and then I can drink another sip or two. It goes on this way no matter when or what I'm drinking. Is this normal?? I know the point of the band is to feel full and restricted, but I didn't think a few sips of liquid would do that. I was going to call my Dr's office, but they closed early today, and you guys here are so helpful!

Hi shy_one! I am having the exact same problems. I'm still burping with every sip I take, not a big burp, just a little one, and I do feel better after I burp. Does anyone know if this will go away?? I'm not positive where my port is, I was out of it when my Dr. came in to talk to me. But I'm pretty sure it's on my left side, and that's the most tender part of my stomach. I think the worst pain is when I burp hard or hiccup, that's no fun! Like you, I haven't really had much gas at all. I really thought from what I read, that would be the worst of it. I guess everyone is different. I'm not complaining either, I didn't want the gas pain! About having trouble peeing, I'm doing the same thing. It takes me a minute or so before I get started. And then it's different than before, takes longer to pee. This is something we might want to mention to our Dr's on our weekly appt. Is your first appt. next Wednesday? Mine is, we'll have to keep in touch with what our dr's say. Goodluck to you!

Hey Shaz...That's pretty cool, same age, same banding day. So how do you feel today? Any soreness? Are you able to keep liquids down pretty good?? Update for me ~ This is the day after I was banded, and I did have a little trouble sleeping. I usually sleep on my stomach, but I couldn't do that, it was also a little painful to sleep on my side. So, I just stayed on my back. Getting up this morning was also a little painful. But I think with anything you do, the next day is usually the worst. Getting up is the worst thing for me. Especially out of bed. But once I'm up, and walking around I'm fine. I've also noticed something I'm doing that I've never done a lot of...and that is Burping! No matter what I drink, water, protein drink and even chicken broth, I have to burp a lot! It hurts a little at first, I guess because it's making my incisions move when I do, but afterwards, I feel much better. Is this what everyone calls PB's (Productive Burps??)

Hi Becky & Paige ~ I was very nervous too, especially not knowing how I would feel when I woke up and taking my first sip of liquid. I have to tell you that for me, it was so much better than I had heard & imagined. I thought I'd get lucky and only have 3 or 4 incisions, but I have 5, and the only one that even hurts a little is the larger one. Now that's it's 10:00 pm, been over 12 hours since surgery, I feel well enough to sit at my computer, and I even walked down my driveway a few times. Feeling full after drinking a few sips of Protein drink is very different, but I like it, I know that my band is working. I know everyone is different, but I really think you'll both be just fine! :thumbup: The night before surgery, last night, I was just ready to get it over with. And now that it is over, I think I'm in that mindset that I'm so excited about losing weight, I'm trying hard to focus on that. The only thing I wasn't happy about is that I can't shower until Saturday! :scared2: But oh well, I'll just get out the febreze and light some candles and hopefully no one will notice! lol :youcandothis: Take care and please feel free to ask me ANYTHING you can think of. I'll do my best to help you! Tonya

Hello everyone! :rolleyes2: I will be banded this coming Wednesday, May 28th by Roc Bauman in Concord, NC. I am super excited but just ready to get it over with. I have been doing my pre-op diet for about 6 days now, and I've already lost 6 lbs. Other than my pre-op diet, does anyone who has already been through this have any advice or suggestions for me?? Anything I should definitely have at home for my recovery time, things like that??

Well, my info. was submitted to insurance over a month ago, and no word from anyone. Then a few days ago, I received a letter from UHC saying I was approved, but it didn't say how much they would cover. I waited patiently, and I couldn't wait any longer. So yesterday, I called the insurance lady at my surgeon's office, and she said she hadn't received a letter yet. She said "if you'll fax me a copy of it, I'll get your surgery date for you". I was SO EXCITED! I sent it to her within minutes. Got a call from her yesterday evening, and she at first said my surgery date was for June 4th. She said, "is that date okay?" I said, "absolutely, I'll take whatever you have!" She laughed and said, I doubt that, I have something for next week, but that's probably too soon. I said " no way, there isn't a too soon". My surgery date is NEXT WEEK PEOPLE!!! Wednesday May 28th! I have my pre-op appt. tomorrow, and I started my liquid diet today (wasn't mandatory, I just thought I'd get as ready as I could). Oh, and she added, "did you know your insurance is covering you 100%"? I have to pay a $50 hospital fee and that's it. I'm so darn excited. :confused_smile: I'm excited, a little nervous, excited again, lol. Thanks to all of you for this forum, this place has been amazingly full of information, caring people, and I will probably have tons of questions in the upcoming week!

Thanks for all the great advice ~ this forum is awesome! mstrina ~ Thanks! I added the Gas-x to my list. I've heard that's some of the worst pain and that it lingers on too. My husband had gall bladder surgery years ago, and he thought he was dying from the gas pain. I've heard that ice packs help with the gas....anyone tried that? I have been doing really well with my 2 protein drinks & one small meal each day. Today I walked about 1 1/2 miles with my daughter. But....I wanted some mexican food really bad, and I ordered a half an order of A.C.P., my absolute favorite. I only ate half of the half, no chips, no cheese dip, and no tortillas. It was really good. It's just grilled chicken & onions & rice. Funny this is, even though I ate MUCH better than I usually would've, I still feel guilty about eating it. I was ready to go walking again at 9:00 tonight, but it was dark. :biggrin: I'm doing another 1 1/2 miles in the morning. I have a question about your liver. Does exercising decrease the size of your liver....or is it only by eating less?

I have United Healthcare through Wachovia. I've heard other people say they are trying to get a job at Wachovia just for their insurance. I didn't have to do a 6 month supervised diet. They did give me a list from the Dr's office of what my insurance needs me to do in order to cover me. Blood tests, OB Appt., Psych. Eval., Nutritionist Appt., things like that. After I finished everything on my list, everything was sent into insurance for approval, I was approved about 3 weeks later. And my date is for next week, May 28th. I started this journey in November, so it took a little over 6 months to get everything done. Yes, I do have health issues. I have sleep apnea (supposed to wear a C-pap ), I have High BP and I'm on meds, I have anxiety and take Lexapro for that, I have heartburn and take Prevacid, and diabetes & heart problems run in my immediate family. But my BMI is 44, so I think I was a candidate even without these health problems. I am having my surgery in Concord, NC by Roc Bauman.

I have been waiting for this day since last November, when I went to my first Lap band appt. I got the letter today from UHC, figured it was just a bill or statement or something. I opened it.....and it said " we are happy to inform you that you are APPROVED for surgery"!!!! I almost came out of my chair!!! I swear, I couldn't wait to tell someone, and my 6 year old son was looking at me like he was frightened, lol. Not only was my surgery approved, but I also found out that it will be covered 100% except for the Nutritionist appts. I prayed about this for so long, knowing I wanted it, just not knowing if it was meant to be. So I just prayed, asking God to take care of me and do what is best for me as He always has, and I had decided if I got a No from insurance, it just wasn't meant to be. (But honestly, I probably wouldn've tried again) lol I have a question for anyone who may have been through this already. From the time you are approved, how long does it usually take to get your surgery date?? Thanks everyone! :tongue2:

Thanks! I still haven't heard from the Surgery Center with my surgery date. Anyone know about how long it takes to get your surgery date AFTER your insurance approves you?? :thumbup: