nan73

I had surgery on a Tuesday, and was supposed to go back to work on Monday but couldn't. I went back to work on Thursday (9 days post-op) but I was still sore and not feeling well. It took 2 full weeks to feel like myself again.

No, I drink as much as I always did, 3-4 cups a day. I'm trying to cut down to no more than 2, I hope it'll make me drink more water!

I know I will once I have the legs for it! It'll take a while, my thighs and knees are the last places to lose weight.

My first fill was 7cc and I had very little restriction. We went up to 7.5cc and that was perfect for me, I stayed there for a year and a half. Then we went up to 7.8 and it was too much! Because of this, I always thought of 7 on a 10cc band as a starter fill, if that makes any sense.

To answer the original question, I've had a (possible) slipppage a couple of months ago. My only symptoms were light to medium pain in the gut for several hours after a solid meal and vomiting (real vomit, not PB) a couple of times. One Saturday morning, after my fourth (and worse) vomit episode the night before, I had trouble keeping yogurt down, so I decided to stick to liquids for the weekend and call my doctor on Monday. We then did a complete unfill and I spent 2 weeks on liquids and mushy food. We did a fluoro 2 weeks later, which didn't show anything (that's what I mean by "possible slippage" - we think it was a slippage that healed itself with the unfill and gentle food). I know I got off lightly, mine wasn't a traumatic experience at all. I just went back today for my first fill after all this.

I was banded on March 7, so close enough. I've lost 88 total and put 17 back on since the new year... Then I've had to have a complete unfill due to possible slippage... now we're starting fills again and I'm trying to get back on track. I started at 290. And I agree, everything is WAY different, for the best. No regrets.

I think it's different for everyone, and I've also seen great differences after every fill. My biggest problem food right now is pasta. Everything else will go down if I eat slowly enough and chew it well. But not pasta!

pmcclen2, the pinching pain & cramping is natural because the area around the port is still cut, bruised and swollen from surgery and slowly recovering. I've had little port site pains on and off for the past 2 1/2 years since I've been banded and that has nothing to do with slippage (has to do with bad posture in my case). Honestly, I wouldn't worry, I know exactly what you mean and it's just your body getting back to normal.

I'm the same way... I burp all the time.

The only thing I couldn't eat is raw carrot. I can only east very small quantities of bread or pasta and I have to be very careful with meat, eat slowly and chew very well but overall I can eat everything.

22 lbs in 20 days (and then nothing for a month)

It is normal. According to my surgeon most people stop losing or even gain a little during the transitions to soft food and then to solids. I didn't lose any weight for about a month after the liquid stage. The fill will start working after you're on solids, soft foods just pass through

I was given 1 before surgery and then had to give myself one per day for 10 days, as a precaution. I didn't think I could do it myself... I spent the week after surgery at my mother's and she did it for me while I was there but had to do it myself after that... It's very easy and not painful at all if that's what you're afraid of.

My surgeon

I was banded on a Tuesday, and I was supposed to go back to work the following Monday but I couldn't... I went the following Thursday but I was still sore. The first week I even had trouble getting out of bed on my own. Editing to add that I have a desk job.

So, I just had my first PB yesterday .My fault, I was eating too fast. I am glad it happened in a way, it was like a proof the band is actually there. Does this make any sense? Not that I want it happening again :sick

Not the day before, the day of surgery and for 10 days afterwards. I was told that anticoagulant injections are pretty much standard for overweight patients.

It's weird how we all have different experiences. I get shoulder pain when I eat too much or too fast .

I'm here for an update! I was banded on March 7. I lost 10 kg (22 pounds) during the liquids/soft food phase and just 2 kg (4.5 pounds) since I started solids. I had my first fill in April (5 cc in a 10 cc band), and it was painful!! I had some restriction for a few days and then nothing. I had a second fill 2 weeks ago (7 cc total). I finally have restriction!! It took 4-5 days to kick in but the band works!!!!! My biggest issue is head hunger, & that in the last month I have discovered every possible way to cheat. I'm meeting a psychologist next week, she's part of my doctor's team & we'll talk about these issues & I hope it helps.

I haven't had any trouble with pills but I haven't had to take any big pills since my second fill so I don't really know.

I wasn't told to give up coffee. In fact it was on the list of allowed liquids they gave me before I left the hospital.

I was banded March 7 and just had my first fill today!

I was banded on March 7 & it seems my doctor is moving me along faster than others here, they let me go on solids this weekend. I had some tuna yesterday - I chewed it really really well and was full after a few bites but it went down OK.

My doctor said we might use them eventually. I've used both reductil and xenical pre-band but only for a while. Reductil took 3 weeks to kick in, I don't see how it would help while waiting for a fill.

You know what, my mom did the same thing! I was really hurt and really angry & told her so. I've come to inderstand that the weeks before the surgery were very hard for her as well, and she needed support but didn't want to burden me with her issues, so she told others. Now that I see the reasons behind it it's actually easier to accept the behavior. I am a very private person and all of a sudden people I hardly knew, knew some of my very personal stuff... I felt a bit... exposed for a couple of days but it's not a very big deal anymore.