U_go_gurl68

i'm not a nurse but i do find the remark "nurses are for bedpans" to be quite offensive. I know you're pissed off right now and with every right to be but that's no reason to be so insulting and condescending to all nurses. Many of them are near-saints who don't get paid nearly enough for the work they do.

My doctor and his 2 partners have nurse-nutritionists do our fills. I've had four fills, no numbing agent, and never felt a thing for any of them. I hope you have better luck next time around!

thanks for that comment. I found it a little offensive myself, but was trying to be understanding, so i didn't comment in reference to that remark. There are many more good nurses than bad, in my opinion anyway. I always try to do my very best with my patients and their families, which is really important bc i care for pediatric pts.

But most good nurses would have never stuck a patient that many times unsuccessfully and as a patient, i would have stuck up for myself long before being stuck that many times.

I agree that the nurse was in the wrong here. After the 2nd stick, she should have gotten someone else to try. Personally as a nurse, it's the rule of thumb and respect to try twice & then get someone else. It would have also been a good idea to try some topical numbing agent before trying to access the port. There are many things that you do not want your doctor doing, you want the nurse. These don't necessarily relate to the lapband, but in the hospital setting. If the nurse is having trouble with something (getting IV access, putting in a feeding tube, etc.), you don't want the doctor, just a different nurse. The doctors don't do these procedures all the time like we do. Just an FYI.

I agree with you. Most Docs are good at writing orders and telling you what needs to be done, but couldn't do some of the procedures themselves.

I haven't had a fill yet, but reading all these posts makes me nervous to get one. My surgeon told me he gave me a "low profile" port placement, which would make it harder to access, but wouldn't be noticeable when I lost weight due to being placed deeper. At first I was happy, but now I don't know.

Ok the whole story. Been heavy nearly my whole life. Decided it was finally time to change the whole dieting bouncing back thing. Researched banding a year ago but couldn't bring myself to really get into the process for financial reasons. Started searching again a couple months ago and found out that medicare pays for it if you go to a center of excellence. I am in the process of getting the things done that medicare requires. I am halfway through my psych eval and I go for my stress echo on the 5th of August. I am so excited with the whole process. My current weight is 430 with a BMI of 78.2. I am so excited to finally being able to do something more permanent in my weight loss journey, and I am extremely glad I found this site, which I must admit was homework from my therapist lol. She told me I had to find an online group or a live group somewhere so that I could talk to people who have had and are in the process of having this done. This site has been so very helpful and I know it will continue to be throughout my journey.

Congrats on your decision to take control of your life and welcome to LBT. There are many people at all stages of their journey and you will read good and bad things. Just remember that no matter what downfalls you have or exciting hurdles you overcome, we are all here to support you.

Have fun learning and meeting new people and know that in the end, everything will be well worth it. I love this place and hope you will too.

Sincerely,

Stephanie:biggrin2:

Maybe you could plan your surgery for a Friday, so you would have a couple of days to rest over the weekend.

It is very important to do those deep breathing exercises for several days after surgery. It is usually recommended to do them every 1 - 2 hours.

I hope you get to feeling better soon.

JennyLynn,

We are all here to give you support and encouragement through this painful time and beyond.

You are a beautiful person and will always be.

Sincerely,

Stephanie

I was banded on June 30th and currently in the mushy stage. Funny how all Doc are different. My surgeon, as far as meat Protein goes, wants me to start off with fish; no beef or poultry til after two weeks, then add them slowly, but continue to puree foods. He said sometimes it is easier to get baby foods and spice them to your taste. I have tried fruits only, but I don't think I could stomach anything else.

He also suggested using children's size plates, bowls, and utensils to keep from overeating.

Most say it takes approx 3 fills to hit your sweet spot, because they dont want to do the fills too aggressively, so after your first fill, you probably will have some resistance, but not as much as you need.

I just got attacked elsewhere for having two SF popsicles and some V8, etc. ??!! At least I didnt eat something worse. I got lectured about not grazing and snacking and that I need to check my attitude. Easy to say after you are already at your sweetspot.

....from another in bandster heck.

flowers,

I think people sometimes forget we are all here for support, encouragement and understanding. We all have our ups and downs and we could all, at some time or other during our journey have made better choices. If we all had the answers and did everything perfectly, we wouldn't have ever needed the band in the first place, right?

Sf popsicles has how many calories? about 15? V8 doesn't sound too bad either. Just don't forget the Proteins too. Snacking on a sf popsicle sounds alot better than eating a chocolate bar or a slice of cheesecake. Heck, it is just frozen liquid anyway. Try freezing some Crystal light or maybe just eat ice, LOL!!!! Don't worry about pleasing everyone bc that will never happen.

Sometimes the best way to help yourself is by helping others. It all comes full circle and we are better off in the end for being kind to others. You have always been kind and encouraging to me and I thank you for that. Keep up the great work.

Sincerely,

Stephanie:biggrin2:

Oddly enough, I was more comfortable sleeping on the side my port is on for several days after surgery. Now I sleep more comfortably on the opposite side or my stomach, which is what I prefer.

Just do what feels comfortable to you. There is no right or wrong way to sleep.< /p>

Hope you get some rest.

Stephanie

I am 6 days post op. and i noticed that i have very little air in me. I tried to yell yesterday and i had no air to do it.

Has this happened to anyone else?

As well twice now i am exsperiencing what seems like a blocked airway i am not sure what triggered it yesterday but today i niticed it happened after i sipped apple juice.

anyone else exsperience this?

thanks anyone!

Did you do your deep breathing exercises after you got home or did they give you something to work with? Pneumonia is common for post-op abdominal surgeries if you don't keep up with deep breathing and coughing exercises. They are designed to keep your lungs clear through the first few days post op when your activity is decreased.

Are you having any fever? Are you walking alot? Sometimes walking helps with the drainage of liquid, but try doing some deep breathing exercises to see if that helps. If they didn't give you, what is called an incentive spirometer, to use post op, you can blow out through a straw, blow bubbles, or even a party horn. These exercises help increase your lung capacity and keep those lungs clear.

Please check with your Doc to be sure everything is ok. I hope it gets better soon.

Sincerely,

Stephanie

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

Thanks everyone for your replies. This really helps me out. I just want to say it's so nice to post a question and get prompt responses. I love this website! I don't know anyone who actually has a lapband, and since I didn't tell anyone I was getting it done, it's really great to have the support here. Thanks again!

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

Stephanie-my RN coordinator has me putting cocoa butter on my scars--she says that can help the scars look better. It's also supposedly good for stretch marks...heaven knows we have plenty of those!

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

I'm so glad i'm not alone in this. I've heard the "your not that overweight" comment so many times. Hello I'm 255lbs, how can you not see i'm overweight. My hubby is overweight too, he is struggling with me doing this without him. He thinks I will leave him. NO WAY! I married for life! Good luck to you. We will get through this together.

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.

Just to update you, I am 1 week post op and my hunger came back with a vengence this weekend. It has been more than tough to stick to a liquid diet but I understand the reasons why. What I dont get is that even with liquids your stomach has to digest - so I can understand not eating a big steak but soft lean protiens seem like they would be ok at this point.

It was ok the first 5 days post op because I didnt want anything and anytime I did drink anything I was bloated and gassy. I am forcing myself to drink the Protein shakes, although I have changed it up a little and got the slim fast low carb shakes. But now everything smells and looks so good. I go to the doctor tomorrow and may beg for mushies. If I can eat fish I will be a happy camper!

Some other notable changes, I can now breathe and the pain in my chest has subsided. I can sleep on my right side - a little on my left - but not as much. The gas seems to be coming and going so I am not sure if this is still leftover CO2 from surgery or just from the liquid diet.< /p>

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

Here ya go i hope this helps its a great link for the lap band. I have the AP large 14CC

LAP-BAND Central - The LAP-BAND AP System

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

I had surgery on July 2 and I am kind of confused about band sizes. How do the doctors decide what size band to use? My doctor gave me a little card that says I have a 4cc band. I am assuming that means I can only be filled to 4cc, correct? Does that mean I am more restricted right now (without a fill), then someone who was banded with a 10cc band? I am very rarely hungry, and when I do eat, I get full really fast.:frown: I don't know if I feel restriction, or am I just afraid to eat too much. Since I have a small band, I'm afraid something might get stuck. :confused2: Please help me to understand this band size. Thank you!

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