kizzie

After 6 weeks of no swimming (due to op and port op) I was given the go ahead to swim. I had planned to use my daily 1 hour walk as a warmer before my 1 hour swim... great plan!... I swam that first day and enjoyed every minute of it.. ... the next day I slipped and tore a ligamennt in my ankle.. I won't be swimming or walking for sometime... so the answer to the question is.. NO I AM NOT EXERCISING.. and not happy about it.... ( I have been lying on my bed doing leg raises with my good leg though and putting my arms out straight circling them though... if that counts??)

I know how frustrated you are Emily. It is really hard in the first stages of being banded especially when you read on here how fast the weight falls off of some people. First off you should be congratulated for your 10 pounds pre and 10 pounds post op.. maybe you need to remind yourself just how heavy that is and go and pick up a few bags of sugar!!..(you won't feel so down about it then).. I was BMI 41 when I was banded on June 18th. After one month I lost 18 pounds. I was very pleased BUT I had many complications along the way. I have lost 30 pounds to date but haven't lost anthing for the past three weeks. I think because I had infections and my eating was just way out of whack. I also haven't been getting enough Protein. I do think that maybe you should call your dietician, give them a weekly journal of your eating and exercise.. maybe you need to increase your calories a bit more!??.. I read on here earlier that one woman could get out of her plateau by upping her calories (we are talking a couple hundred not a big mac style increase!!)..and changing her exercise routine..that would trick her body into moving the weight again... I used to do this when I was on weight watchers and would see a good weight loss afterwards. I am going to try again once I ge my ankle out of its plaster cast and can start exercising again!. Good luck to you and KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK.. you are doing an amazing job!!!... keep in touch it will be good to hear how you are getting on. kind regards Kizzie

I am happy to say I have lost 30 pounds. I have had a very hard 8 weeks and most of my loss was in the first 4 and a half. I have hovered around 213 pounds for 3 weeks now. Quite frustrating, I have had terrible infections, port problem, a torn ankle ligament (so exercise is really hard right now) and at one point my stomach actually closed completely... my surgeon said that considering all of this I am doing very well with my weight loss and as soon as I am fit and healthy again and can get on with my band life my weight will start to come off again. I hope so!!!.. Looking for advice on what to eat!?? I am struggling with solids. after a few bites I get that golf ball feeling in my back (yes I chew chew chew and take small bites) so revert back to a protein shake!... Even yoghurt got stuck today and I was sick.. so hopefully things will start to get better soon. Still love my band!!!

I wish I had known just what 'restriction' felt like! I thought I would just feel 'full' after eating the right amount. I didn't realise that I would get these golf ball feelings in my shoulders after eating anything solid. I am 8 weeks post op and have had trouble with solids since beginning them. I have no fill right now *as I was completely closed up due to infection and fill) It has been two weeks since they took out my fill, I can drink with no problem and even gulp but as soon as I touch solids I get the golf ball.. I have to eat like a finger nail size of food at a time for this not to happen, I am getting used to cold meals and getting so fed up of taking so long to eat that I end up leaving most of it on my plate and taking a Protein shake instead!!.. BUT with all the complications I STILL LOVE MY BAND.. I have managed to lose 30pounds in the first 5 weeks (the last 3 have been very slow!!), I couldn't have done it otherwise!...

I have been going crazy trying to make different flavoured soups/broths as I have 2 weeks on clears. I made these two this week.. maybe they will help others too. I just strained them and ate the broth. I am sure on the mushie stage you could blend them... here goes French Onion 5 onions roughly chopped 1 tsp Olive Oil (or pam spray to sautee onions) 4 1/2 cups of hot beef broth 1 tablespoon Worcestshire Sauce 1 tsp fresh or dried thyme 1 glove garlic left whole Salt and pepper to taste 1 teaspoon sugar (or 1 package splenda/sweetener) *optional grated Fontina/Mozarella or another good melting cheese.. a few teaspoons per bowl 1. Take a frying pan and heat the oil. Sautee the onion until golden brown. (heat shouldn't be too high or the onions will burn). Add sugar here.. but NOT splenda 2. Add clove of garlic and coat with the oil and onions allow 2 mins to permeate flavour 3. Put hot beef broth into Soup pan and add the onions, garlic and rest of the ingredients.(include splenda at this point) 4. Cook on medium heat for 30 mins or until onions are soft but not disintergrating. 5. serve into bowls. *add cheese if not on clear stage!!.. lucky you!... YUM Chinese chicken Soup vegetables and chicken should be chunky to get best flavour from them and easier to strain for the broth 2 chicken legs and thighs 2 tsp olive oil or spray oil (1tsp to brown chicken, 1 tsp to brown vegetables) 2 scallions chopped (including green tops.) 4 cups of hot Water (seasoned) 1 cup of sliced mushrooms (shitake are best but any will do) 1/2 large red bell pepper sliced thickly 2inches of sliced ginger. Slice quite thickly do not dice or chop too small. 1 clove garlic sliced 1 teaspoon sesame oil Soy sauce or salt to taste. Pepper 1. brown the chicken legs in the oil on both sides until golden brown and leaving a light crust on the bottom of the soup pan. 2. add the water and garlic 3. Cover and bring to a simmer. Until the chicken meat is falling from the bone. 4. Remove the chicken from the stock pot. using two forks shred the meat from the bones and discard the bones. Add the chicken back to the pan. 5. In a frying pan sautee the scallions in 1tsp oil, add ginger,bell pepper and mushrooms. Sautee until vegetables are soft. Add one teaspoon of sesame oil and mix. this is for flavouring NOT cooking. Put all vegetables in the pan with the chicken and water. Cook for 30 mins on simmer. Check for taste. Add salt/ soy sauce and pepper... and drizzle with a little more sesame oil before straining. *a few tablespoons of sherry is also a nice touch..but not necessary. DELICIOUS..and a change from regular chicken broth! My friends ate the chicken and the vegetables with some of the broth I left..they LOVED IT.. this would also be nice with red chili added for some heat at the sautee stage. ENJOY

Cutting the extremely long last six weeks into a shorter version. THIS IS SHORT!! I wonder when I will be able to 'just get on and live with my band!:?" I had my surgery on 18th June. No problems. Week 1. I had extreme port pain.. which didn't go away. I was told it was ok. Although situated under left boob. Week 2. I was admitted to hospital with temp 102 and liquid situated around my surgery area-internal. Week 3... adjusting to antibiotic hell and accompanying yeast infection. NICE.. no real problems with the band. Quite hungry though. Normal. Week 4. First fill. Dr couldn't access port after three attempts. Then under local anesthesia in op room he opened me up and took an hour repositioning the port, slightly lower. It was a bugger to locate and a bugger to stitch back in. Small fill. Week 5. Extreme restriction building day to day. Loads of port pain Begin throwing up solids and mushies. Hacking cough starts and flu like symptoms without fever over the weekend. Week 6 (Monday 28th July) Dr office. Try for unfill. Can't locate port access area AGAIN!. Have inflamation and another infection. From that evening on I cannot keep much more than a teaspoon of liquid at a time. So painful. I throw up foam! I guess I am just unlucky. He said some people just reject this kind of surgery. I have been so careful as has my Dr. He has been brilliant and very caring. I am sitting up in my bed having had three full days now of not eating at all.. and in the last 24 hours have not been able to hold down liquid. I am even vomiting my own saliva and cannot lie down otherwise I feel I am choking. I am afraid to fall asleep. I am off to the ER in a few hours for an IV to get rid of this dehydration and accommodating headache and shakes. I will see my doctor tomorrow instead of Thursday. I can't go on like this anymore. I am soo thirsty. I hope beyond all hope that I haven't slipped my band. The more I think about it I fear I have. I am hoping it is just the swelling and liquid around the port area with my hacking dry cough that is putting pressure on a too full band. I just want to get on with it!.. and it won't let me I have lost 25 pounds post op though. So can't complain in that area! I wonder how much is Water weight this week though !!.. I REALLY WANT TO KEEP MY BAND. I am completely self pay and can't lose it now. thanks for letting me vent. __________________

Thanks Kiz Good to hear from you again!! It has been rough but I have had a good support team at the hospital thankfully. how are you doing?

Well it certainly seemed like that the first week or so. Before it flipped it was feeling a lot better. I know they prefer to put it on the ribcage area so it is easier to access. I guess it is different practices. It is still under my left boob but half an inch lower. He does actually have a incredible success rate and very well respected in his field here in Spain. I guess it just comes down to individual body types and rejection. I have always had some kind of complication post op with ALL of my previous surgeries for anything so I shouldn't be surprised that I did with this too.

Thanks Susie. I am beginning to feel better just knowing that everything is right with my band. I so desperately want to keep it that I will do everything in my power. I have no understanding of people who go against doctors orders. I didn't go against mine at all and still had complications.. It has been a worrying six weeks but you know what?? I would do it all again in a flash!... I still think this band is the answer I have been looking for and as of today I am 27 pounds down since surgery. Couldn't be happier really!!

I am just back from the hospital and so relieved. Thanks for your post Pam. Luckily for me, my surgeon knows me better than my GP!!.. that is because I don't have a GP. I travel with my work and see many different doctors for prescription fills and check ups etc. The hospital I had my band done in have known me for about 3 years now. I had some serious ortho problems and I got to know most of the ortho surgical team very quickly. The Gastro team became involved as I was told to lose 20kg before the Orthos would operate on my knees. My surgeon has been wonderful throughout all of my problems and has been available to me whenever I walk into the hospital door. Almost like VIP treatment I guess. So I am very lucky he knows my history and my work situation (which is not the norm!)... He had me in for an upper GI as soon as I got there this morning. he took about 20-25 mins to access my port. Gosh the pain!!.. Thank the lord for the anesthesia shots.. anyway, he finally removed all of my fill and left the band empty. I have a severe infection around my port from where it was repositioned two weeks ago and there is a lot of inflammation and liquid. It was very hard for him to access the port through all of that c**p!... We got there though. My stomach was completely closed. Nothing was going through at all. But then I knew that already! I swallowed something clear and very bitter tasting. I don't think it was barium as I hear that is like milkshake and chalky. It was another gastro contrasting agent anyway. I watched it fill the pouch very slowly.. and DRIP into my stomach. GOSH even with the complete unfill I have a LOT of restriction from the swelling. He checked the port hadn't flipped and the band hadn't slipped. So I am good to go!. Such a relief!! I sat in the cafeteria for 45 mins sipping a sports drink. HEAVENLY. I still feel restricted but not the pain or the severe urge to vomit. So back on clears for me for a few days then puree for 10. I have antibiotics for the infection. I am so sorry to hear about your infection Pam. I hope they have put you on some good antibiotics. The band is so wonderful and I hope that you can keep yours. It is SO hard to sip tiny drops only to have it all come back up again. It is so painful. My surgeon today said it is a vicious cycle. Vomiting increases inflammation, inflammation increases vomiting... I really hope your pain soon eases up. Thank so much for posting your message.

Hi Charlie Farley, (great name!) I could so have done with your post last night! I was up all night vomiting my saliva, in agony and so thirsty. I went to the hospital this morning and my very good friend there (in charge of patient care) called my surgeon down immediately. He had me in for an upper GI within 10 mins and after another 20 mins of locating my port he accessed it and removed all of my fill. He said I have so much inflammation, liquid and infection around the port that his needle wasn't long enough to get through it all so he had to physically manipulate the port to access it to drain the fill. I had a couple of shots of anesthesia. He was so wonderful and I felt immediate relief. I vomited on the table twice and the staff and my surgeon had such lovely bed side care. I am so grateful to them. I didn't have barium but something else I forget the name now. It was clear and bitter tasting. With a mint taste. Totally disgusting however. I did watch it slowly pass through my stomach. Even without the fill it took a long time to go through in drops. I have severe inflammation around my stoma and the bottom of my esophagus.. so am on Clear liquids for a few days and then puree for a week. I can handle that. I was so desperate for a drink when we had finished. It took me half an hour to drink a small can of sports drink (without carbonation). It was the most wonderful drink I have had in years!!!! .. it still hurts a lot to drink and I feel as though I will throw up but know with tiny sips it will go through. I have no slippage of the band and the port hasn't flipped again so I am VERY VERY happy right now. Exhausted but happy!... thank you so much for your post. I truly appreciate and so pleased to hear you are on the mend!! I am off for some well deserved broth now!! GOSH the relief of knowing I am ok is incredible!!

Cutting the extremely long last six weeks into a shorter version. I wonder when I will be able to 'just get on and live with my band!:?" I had my surgery on 18th June. No problems. One week later(week 1) I had extreme port pain.. which didn't go away. I was told it was ok. Although situated under left boob. Week 2. I was admitted to hospital with temp 102 and liquid situated around my surgery area. Week 3... adjusting to antibiotic hell and accompanying yeast infection. NICE.. no real problems with the band. Quite hungry though. Normal. Week 4. First fill. Dr couldn't access port after three attempts. Then under local anesthesia in op room he opened me up and took an hour repositioning the port, slightly lower. It was a bugger to locate and a bugger to stitch back in. Small fill. Week 5. Extreme restriction building day to day. Loads of port pain Begin throwing up solids and mushies. Hacking cough starts and flu like symptoms without fever. Week 6 (Monday 28th July) Dr office. Try for unfill. Can't locate port access area AGAIN!. Have inflamation and another infection. From that evening on I cannot keep much more than a teaspoon of liquid at a time. So painful. I throw up foam! I guess I am just unlucky. He said some people just reject this kind of surgery. I have been so careful as has my Dr. He has been brilliant and very caring. I am sitting up in my bed having had three full days now of not eating at all.. and in the last 24 hours have not been able to hold down liquid. I am even vomiting my own saliva and cannot lie down otherwise I feel I am choking. I am afraid to fall asleep. I am off to the ER in a few hours for an IV to get rid of this dehydration and accommodating headache and shakes. I will see my doctor tomorrow instead of Thursday. I can't go on like this anymore. I am soo thirsty. I hope beyond all hope that I haven't slipped my band. The more I think about it I fear I have. I am hoping it is just the swelling and liquid around the port area with my hacking dry cough that is putting pressure on a too full band. I just want to get on with it!.. and it won't let me I have lost 25 pounds post op though. So can't complain in that area! I wonder how much is Water weight this week though !!.. thanks for letting me vent.

Hey there. I know I had terrible pain in my shoulder area around the back of the port (my port was situated right under my left boob so imagine behind that).. and was told by many it was GAS. I had no pain for the first two weeks. I ended up with liquid around my stomach/spleen/diaphragm area. I needed IV antibiotics. I did have a raging fever though due to the infection. Get it checked. The people on here are wonderful supports but only your doctor can you tell you what is going on. Bug them until they see you. good luck to you Kizzie

Gosh. Thank you guys so much for answering so quickly. The hours are going so slowly when I am waiting for 8.30am to come. I just tried some warm tea. Nope. no good. I am in such pain. It is so good to know that you guys really care. I am pretty much alone in all of this. The people I work for have had it up to their eyeballs.. My 'simple' procedure hasn't been so simple after all. I live with them as a private tutor so I have to recover in my place of work. Not the best of situations. I guess we shall see just how caring they are after 6 weeks of problems. Roll on 8.30am. I wish to get some fluids in me. I am desperate to just 'down' the apple juice carton I have opened to sip. I know I can't. The two tiny sips came right back up. Here's to better and brighter things. I need this band and I want to make it work. This is from someone who followed all the rules exactly as doctor ordered. Even my Dr is flummoxed to the reasons why. He has such a high success rate in this field. I am his first port flip..and could also be his second!! poor guy will regret the day I walked into his surgery!. Thank you all so much for your kindness and the time it takes to write. I greatly appreciate it. Kizzie.. "things can only get better'..

I was always slim too. I was 110 pounds right up until I hit 22. Then over two years I gained over 100 pounds. I had no energy, was tired all the time and became a recluse. My sports suffered and my social life too. I hid away. The doctor couldn't give me any reason for my gaining so much weight. He just said "eat less, exercise more". At the end of the two years I was severely depressed. I had to move doctor and my new one immediately tested me for 'hypothyroidism'. My thyroxine levels were so low he was afraid of heart complications too. I had probably only gained a small amount of that initial weight due to my thyroid. It was the comfort eating and depression that really did it. I went from a size 8 to elasticated waists and my dad's jumpers. I had no idea I had ballooned to a size 20! My Mum finally persuaded me to go shopping for clothes. She had been so worried for my health mentally and physically but it is very hard to boost a depressive. I was so hard on her. I was so upset that I had to go to the 'fat shop' They measured me at a 24!!!. SO I headed to Marks and Spencer. I was a 20/22 in there. Nicer clothes too. it was devestating. So it has been 11 years since. I have slowly gone up each year to my highest of 251. Going through the cycles of "well i am fat now .. I will put up with it.. and I love food so much I am not going to deprive myself. I deserve to eat what I want".. to "I am not going to a school reunion fat. I am not going to buy from "evans or lane bryant again'. Since being banded 5 weeks ago I have lost almost 21 pounds and for the first time in YEARS am out of the 100kgs!!. This morning I got on the scale and weighed in at 99!!! hurrah!.. on with my life. For me the depression really lifted when I realised that the band was an option for me... and that I didn't have to fail at ANOTHER diet!!.. I am in such a happy place!! Am so looking forward to being the new improved 'old' me!!!

Hey there Sorry you are having pain. It sounds like your anesthesia wore off after the two days and what you are feeling now is your port pain. It can be mighty uncomfortable. If you are at all unsure you should contact your doctor or nurse for peace of mind. The cushion holding does help during the day when getting up from a chair, sneezing/coughing and at night when you lie on your other side.. it is good to put a cushion in your back to stop you rolling back too quickly and hurting yourself. take care and it will get better..

Good question. This is my first day and I am quite heavy. I am usually normal to heavy on day one. I am extremely heavy by day two until day four or five. Will let you know how it goes tomorrow. As for now. Same old, same old. Would be great if it lightened up!!.. Same pains though unfortunately. Good old stomach and back cramps along with thigh/boob tenderness.

Just wondering if anyone else can REALLY feel their restriction when they get their period. I have read before that 'some' women can feel it a bit. BUT LORD! I am so tight!. I had my first fill last week- only . I felt some restriction the first day after my fill then nothing much. 'Aunt Flo' came to visit today and bloody nora do I know it!. I ate 2 tablespoons of yoghurt for Breakfast before feeling the tightness, at lunch I had 2 tablespoons of gazpacho before I realised that lunch was officially over!.. and no hunger pangs either! (My first period was actually the day after banding so I wasn't really aware of the effects except added pain!!!) Anyone feel the effect of their monthly visitor as much as me?:frown: I am quite happy with this added restriction as I think I was eating a bit too much prior to my fill.:crying: I wonder how long it will last through the week though? Maybe only the first day. I have been stuck on 18 pounds down for the last 2 weeks!. It was all 'guns ho' and then just stopped. Shouldn't complain I guess considering it IS 18 POUNDS OFF!!... :eek: Just ready for a bit more to come off now! Imagine!! natural restriction with your period!.. so something GOOD does come along with Aunt Flo!!.. ha.. http://www.lapbandtalk.com/images/smilies/MSN/teeth_smile.gif

Hi Nancy! Unfill!?? madness. I am loving this restriction! hopefully there will be some good weight loss along with the normal monthly 'bloating/water retention' weight loss! I can sure handle this three days a month! I shall have a few tablespoons of tuna tonight.. just to get the Protein in!. thanks for reminding me!

maybe you could try your fill doctor. Have him check it under 'fluro' at least he will know if it is accessible. My doctor did an xray and fluro.. he couldn't see my port in the correct position at all. Which is why he immediately opened me up and moved it. hope that helps. no point in the band being adjustable if they can't adjust it!

I have been suffering with so much pain since my surgery last week.. and thought this stinging and very sore 'lump' on my chest just under my bra line was something wrong with the band or the tubing.. I went to the hospital today IT IS MY PORT AFTER ALL!.... I saw another surgeon today (mine is on vacation for a week).. and he checked the site and said it was the port.. Now, what I want to know is ' WHY THE BLOODY HELL DID THEY PUT IT RIGHT UNDER MY BOOB.. WHERE MY BRA WIRE SITS???".. I have HUGE boobs -38H- and my wire has been irritating it apparently... the surgeon today said "can you go without a bra for a few weeks?".. TYPICAL MAN!!!.. NO I CANNOT.. ' Can you get a sports bra?".. well... If I could hop I would have been hopping mad... I will be seeing MY surgeon next week for a few words about the placement of my port.. I am so not happy with it being there.. an inch further south would have been fine.. but literally, about 1/2 inch from my wire.. darn... I need to ask them if this pain will go away and if I will be able to wear a wired bra in the future.. if NOT they better make plans to move the bloody thing!!!... no discussion about the situation of the port at my pre-ops!!.. ANY ONE ELSE HAVE THEIR PORT IN THE SAME PLACE??.. WERE YOU TOLD WHY IT WAS PUT THERE.. I AM WONDERING IF THERE IS A SPECIFIC REASON!????..

Hi Travel Lady I am actually doing really well now. On Monday they moved the port under LOCAL anesthesia, so I was awake throughout. I am sure they could do it under twilight if you ask. I just have very bad port pain from my reposition on Monday. Much more painful than post op band. I know it will get better.. but annoying to be back to no showering and taking care of the incision site again.. never mind. Am back on track again. Have lost the 2 pounds I gained last week after my infection. I hope to get on a role soon. thanks for your comments though.

Hey there Thanks for your recommendation. When my port was under my boob, my wire was sitting right on it, like close next door neighbours!. I had to cup my hand over it when I walked and shove my thumb under the wire. Unfortunately for me non wire bras don't lift my breasts the same way and the added weight on the port was just as uncomfortable. I also get sciatica without a wired bra... About 10 days after my op I didn't feel port pain any longer. I believe the swelling had subsided and it wasn't pushing into my wire. SO I had a few days of relief... then, as I stated above I needed it to be repositioned as it has flipped when I went for my fill. Good advice for others though.. and I will say that once my swelling went down my port was much more comfortable and I would have been happy with it. best of luck

Hi Melody My surgeon said that once the swelling went down the port would be more comfortable. I was apprehensive at first but after 2 weeks it did become more comfortable and I didn't feel it at all for about 10 days. BUT......a couple of days before my 4 weeks post op date I had extreme port pain! So this past Monday I went for my 4 week check up and first fill. He tried 3 times to get the needle into the port. TO cut a LONG story short after many different scans etc I had surgery that night to reposition the port as it had flipped 180 degrees. He tells me he believes the extreme pain I was in a few days before was it flipping over. He has an amazing success rate with all of his band patients. I am his first to have a flipped port. I am not sure if it is because I am so large chested, but I would presume that it was because my bra wire was bashing into the port area before it had time to heal. I will have to ask him if he has put the port in that region with larger chested women before. I am very large though 38HH.. so I am not sure how many women of that size a surgeon would come across daily??.. But then again he is an obesity surgeon so maybe he has. Do you have your port high up under your boob?.. Please feel free to message me with any concerns or questions you may have. take care and congratulations on your band!! Kizzie

Ok so what ELSE can go wrong!?? fingers crossed this is now it! what an amazing and eye opening first four weeks! I went for my first fill today and found that my port had flipped 180 degrees! incredible. The doctor tried three times to access it to no avail and with fluro too. I had surgery this evening to correct it. I had local anesthesia so was awake through the whole procedure. I personally love listening to the staff doing their jobs. It was uncomfortable and I did have pain at times but they kept drugging me which was great. My port has is now back where it should be and has been placed an inch and a half lower now. It was under my bra strap area. I think this is why it flipped. Anyway, I am home again now with 3cc in my band. I ate an inch of poached salmon, an inch of vegetable tortilla and half a cup of Soup. I felt FULL!!! and completely satisfied!!.. now THIS is what the BAND IS ALL ABOUT!! HURRAH!. I am so pleased that I can now get on with this and start to lose weight again. My surgeon has been amazing. He booked me into my surgery immediately. I guess the added benefits of being self pay. However, I am hoping not to pay for the reposition and correction, as I complained about my port pain and positioning from day one. Going to bed now. Tramadol is kicking in.. Stinging pain and will have to be careful again with the port. Gosh was about to start swimming this week too!! another few weeks to go again. All worth it though. I am actually very happy things have been sorted and I am back on track. Just thought posting this might have been of some use to others!. My infection (if anyone saw my post two weeks ago) has completely gone now too. I was admitted 2 weeks post op with a temp 102. I had liquid in my spleen area. If it happens to anyone it happens to me. My surgeon has an incredible success rate and I am his first flipped port! He kept repeating in spanish. "Incredible' . Poor guy must feel he was given a DUD!! lol... at least I didn't hemorrage! which is my usual trick post surgery. Kizzie __________________