U_go_gurl68

I was fine the next morning after surgery. I even took regular liquid tylenol instead of my liquid Lortab. But by the evening, I was in so much pain from moving around alot and not to mention the gas pain. You can probably stand being at school for an hour or so, but after that, I would go straight home and take some pain medication even if you aren't feeling too bad because it may hit you with a vengence later. I am a nurse and we usually medicate our post op patients a full 24-36 hours after surgery. It is easier to prevent pain than to get rid of it when it hits you pretty hard. Plus healing is better when you keep the pain controlled. You are able to move around better and it doesn't hurt as much when you have to do those deep breathing and coughing exercises after surgery. Use your best judgement. Everyone is different and some of the other posters never experienced any pain of any kind; lucky, lucky. Good luck. Sincerely, Stephanie

I agree with you. This site has been a blessing to me. I have told people about my surgery, but still don't feel like I am getting the support I need. It is nice to share experiences with others that truly understand. thanks everyone, Stephanie

Are either of you noticing a difference in the way your clothes fit? Are you starting to build muscle? How are you feeling since being banded? There are more ways than one, to judge your progress. One of the most important things is, are you taking in enough Protein? If not, this can stall your progress too. According to your tickers, you both appear to be doing great with your weight loss. Be proud of that progress and don't stress out too much on where you are right now. Just continue to follow your dietary and exercise guidelines and 6 months to a year from now, those little victories will have added up to noticeable accomplishments. Stay strong. Sincerely, Stephanie

Hi, I was also banded on June 30th and get that feeling occassionally. If you find out what it is, please post your answer. I just thought it was spasms due to increased activity. I don't mean exercising or anything strenuous, just moving around more. I didn't realize how much we use those stomach muscles for everyday activity until I had my surgery. I thought the back discomfort was due to added pressure on the back from compensating for decreased use of stomach muscles. When I have discomfort in my abdomen, I tend to tense up, causing more pressure on those muscles in the back. I hope all this discomfort goes away soon for all of us. Sincerely, Stephanie

I was banded on June 30th, so I don't have as much experience with the band as all the others, but I will say that all calories are not created equal and be careful with what you are eating. You can stay within your caloric intake goal with all these "low fat, No fat, 100calorie" junk foods or you can eat good Proteins and natural carbs (fruits/vegetables). Try keeping a food journal and be honest about every little bite or nibble you have. Read those food labels carefully as well. Most of those proclaimed low fat, 98% fat free items have more fat and other hidden items than you think. The numbers listed are usually based on a % of 2000 calorie a day diet, not the actual content of the serving size. I think you are doing great to have lost the weight you have so far. I know we all want it to come off quickly and we want to see those scales moving on a daily basis, but successful weightloss takes time. The body needs time to make adjustments. Plus the closer you get to your goal, the slower the process will be, at least for most. Don't get discouraged. We are all here for support. Lord knows I have been getting down on myself too for not losing it quickly, but that is not how it works with the band. Thank God for LBT because other than you guys, I don't have anyone that truly understands what I am going through. I was going to say good luck, but it is not luck that makes us successful, it is our desire to be healthy. So keep up the great work everyone. Sincerely, Stephanie

Thanks for the info. I need all the help with scar healing I can get. My port site looks the worst to me, but it is probably due to the adhesive. Stephanie

Maybe your husband will be encouraged by your experience with the band and want to have the surgery done one day. Seems like everytime I went to my surgeons office there were many couples going through their journeys together. Seems like one of them would get the band and the other would follow a few months later. What an experience to share together. My fiance is more supportive than he was in the beginning , but him being a toothpick, will never know or truly understand how I feel. Good luck to you and your hubby, Stephanie

Thanks for the info. Sounds like a great event. I am in Waco and plan on attending; only about 2 hours away. I look forward to meeting you all there. Stephanie

I have 5 incisions. One of them is under my sternum and the other 4 are horizontally placed about 4-5 inches about my belly button. My surgeon used dermabond which is a skin adhesive. The worst one is the port incsion, which is about 2-3 inches. I need to ask my surgeon if there is anything I can put on the incision sites. I am hispanic and anytime I scar it tends to heal darker. I don't want to be left with ugly dark lines across my abdomen. Any suggestions? thanks, Stephanie

My fiance was my worst critic. I had been researching my options and had thought about the for over 3 yrs. When I finally decided he pretended to be supportive until I actually started making appointments. He said most of the same things mentioned above, plus he told me I just needed to be more disciplined. He had gotten us gym memberships last year because he said he wanted us to workout together. Only thing is he never wanted to go. He is super slender anyway and didn't really need to. So he had all these ugly things to say to me even though he knew personally of my struggles to lose weight. Get this, he even told me the morning of my surgery that he couldn't handle any of this and basically wanted to end our relationship. When I said I was going to get banded anyway, he reluctantly went along. The only good thing is now he is my best supporter and glad I went ahead and didn't listen to him he keeps me on track and tries very hard to be helpful. When I am in pain, he never wants says, "well you asked for it". like I expected. I do hate the constant questioning from those I did tell about my surgery. Everyone wants to know on a daily basis, if I have lost more weight and how much. That gets old.

Sounds like you are doing much better. The only pain I have at this point is at my port site, other than that all seems to be going well. Continued well wishes to you. Sincerely, Stephanie

Thanks. This info helps me understand it better. I also have the AP large with low profile port placement. Are you having good restriction so far?

I was banded on June 30th and started mushy stage Monday. I am getting full with little food and hope it will last for awhile. Plus what keeps me from eating too much is this dang port incision discomfort. I don't want to get bloated or anything. All my other incisions are doing great but that port area is still sore and has some firmness underneath. I am keeping a food journal because sometimes I feel like I am overeating with all this fullness, but I am not. Good luck to everyone, Stephanie

Good luck with your surgery. Like everyone else has said, It is probably just your nerves. Right before my surgery, I had the same kind of pain and thought, "what a bad time for something to bother me now". I was afraid of having appendicitis or something else, but all turned out fine. Let us know how it all turns out. Sincerely, Stephanie

My surgeon gave me a larger band. He said the band size depends on the measurement of the area it is to be placed, the thickness of the tissue and how much fat is around the stomach. He said everyone is different and it doesn't mean one is more fat than another if they have a larger band. My surgeon also said he was thinking about using larger bands in all his patients because then there is more room to play with in the way of fills. He said there is only so much you can add to the smaller bands and some people aren't getting enough restriction when filled to the max. Good luck with your band. Sincerely, Stephanie

Hi all. I have enjoyed reading everyone's posts. I, too, am experiencing some pain and discomfort in my left abdomen.Mine is more underneath my port incision. There is a firmness under each incision, but more so under the port, I guess due to it being larger. When I sit for long periods of time, it kind of feels like being pregnant with the baby constantly kicking my left rib. Plus the occassional pulling and stabbing feeling is really starting to get on my nerves. The surgeon called it "healing pockets" and said it was normal and the firm areas should go down or away all together. He didn't think I had any signs of infection, which is my biggest worry. I hope this pain goes away soon. I am also using a small pillow across my abdomen when I am driving to keep the seatbelt from rubbing. I guess I never realized how much I bumped and rubbed the area until now. Good luck to everyone. Sincerely, Stephanie

Kizzie, Glad you are doing much better. I have missed hearing from you. Get some rest and we will all be here waiting for you. Sincerely, Stephanie

Hi there. Welcome to LBT and I hope you are getting some great/helpful information. I researched the lapband for about three years before deciding it was right for me. I just got so tired of failed attempts with diet and exercise programs that I had to finally commit to making a lifestyle change completely and not "just trying" something else. There are still many things I need to work on, but having the band as a tool, is helping me day by day. I was banded not too long ago (June 30th), so this is all still new to me as far as actual experience with the band. Some of the info can be terrifying at times, but all in all, I think the good out weighs the bad and in some cases the bad is preventable by following your guidelines. If you gain nothing else, you will at least meet some great people to help you through your decision making process and beyond. We are all at different stages and there are many stories. I am not in the food industry so I can't give much advice in this area. I don't really think you would have too many problems because you are only tasting and not just sitting down for a full meal. But during your healing period, it could be rough since you are only allowed liquids and mushy foods depending on your surgeon. How much longer do you have in culinary school? Do you get breaks? Perhaps this is something you could wait and do. Or maybe you can explain the situation to your instructors and see if they can help you in your Quest to lose weight. Not only that, but perhaps as a project you could come up with some tastey meals for all your new bandster friends to try :tongue_smilie: Everyone is always looking for new meal ideas. Anyway, Good luck with your weight loss journey.

My pain is more right above the pubic area,but deep. Seems like it happens more during the ovulatory period of my cycle as well. I guess it is because I am more tender during that time anyway. Since I had my tubal, I could always tell which side I was ovulating from because the pain is so intense and sex just makes all of it worse. When I have gone to the Doc in the past, they come up with all kind of possible explainations and even have treated me for pelvic inflammatory disease, but can't ever find anything wrong. All my paps and ultrasounds come up normal. I have wanted a hysterectomy, but the GYN doesn't think I need it. Primary physician just thinks it is a hormonal problem and has suggested bio identical hormone treatment. I don't know, but I hope you get it all worked out. Sincerely, Stephanie

Just started into mushy stage, but you have to get that Protein in. I was at a stand still for almost the entire two week liquid period until I started watching my protein intake more carefully. When I added more protein shakes, the weight just fell off and I wasn't hungry either. Proteins are more useful than carbs. They are your building block. If you don't take in enough, your body will break down your muscle tissue to insure it gets what it needs. The carbs that are not used will convert to fat. Proteins also take more time to breakdown, so you are able to stay full longer. Whereas most carbs just keep you wanting more. Perhaps you could do like Erin and mix non-flavored Protein Powder into your Soups. Get you one of those high protein powders and blend with fresh/frozen fruit to make a thick smoothie. That usually does the trick for me. If you make a smoothie, try mixing with Water instead of milk and or maybe throw in some yogurt or cottage cheese in for extra protein and added creaminess. Hopefully these next few days will pass quickly and then you can eat something else. I was ready to breakdown in tears if I had to eat more cream soup, so I know how you feel. Try to make your meals more enjoyable if you can. Set out a nice place setting. Make the atmosphere as peaceful and nice as you can. Listen to relaxing, soft music. Perhaps even add a candle on the table for dinner. Try not to see it as the same old boring meal. Prepare you body and your mind for the nicer things to come. When it comes down to it, we just need to break away from those old bad habits. I struggle with them everyday, but I know in the end it is going to be worth it. Plus like you, the thought of spending all that cash on another failed weight loss plan is a great deal of motivation for me. That and the fact my fiance didn't want me to have the surgery and thought it was a waste of my money. Good luck to you. Sincerely, Stephanie

I was banded on June 30th and only feel sore in the area where my port it. That area is more tender, not do to infection, but because I seem to bump it more often or the seat belt strap just rubs against it more often. Under my port incision there a slight firmness about the size of a 50 cent piece. The surgeon said this is normal due to healing and should go away. When I sit for awhile or walk a bunch, it makes me like I am pregnant with a baby kicking me in the rib.

The burping thing is a new one for me. I have never burped so much in all my life. I guess the other thing I find weird, is that I am not craving chocolate during my period. Before it was pretty bad.

What kind of job do you have? Are you on your feet most of the day or are you sitting? Walking is said to be cumulative, so maybe get a pedometer and keep up with all your steps. You may find that you are walking more than you think, just not all at once. Perhaps park further out when going to work or shopping. Or maybe one of those little portable steppers that you can use while cooking, washing dishes, folding clothes, etc.... I need to start walking too. I did the first few days after surgery to help get rid of that gassy bloating feeling but I do need to make a habit of it. I work nights and my kids are much older, so I have no real reason not to do so other than just being lazy. I will start working day shift hours starting in mid-August and I am also thinking of getting a part-time job so that I don't have much time to sit around getting bored and resorting to eating. That is what has gotten me in trouble in the first place. Good luck in figuring it out. And congrats on the weight loss you have had so far. You're doing great.

Thanks Cynthia. I was afraid I would never be able to attend. Saturdays work out great for me.

Cynthia, When are Saturday groups held? I live in Waco and currently work night shifts so weekday meetings are out for me. Saturdays would be great because then I could make a day of it being that I would have to drive about 1 1/2 - 2 hours to get there. Thanks, Stephanie