RestlessMonkey

Don't confuse soft foods with mushie foods. Mushies are things like refried beans, mashed potatoes. Or BLENDED meats. Soft foods are things like baked fish, or crumbled meat (ground turkey, ground beef) Regular foods are things like chicken breast. Besides, each doc has a different preop diet and it is VITAL that you not eat ahead of your diet. My surgeon says that is the number ONE cause of band slippage; patients advancing their diet ahead of doctor's orders. I know you get hungry but it's just a short while. Hang in there with the diet your doctor gives you. If you just can't, call and ask what you can eat. Since you are still feeling pain you should let your doc know what you did. You may have hurt yourself, you may not have. He'll be the one to make that call! Good luck and quit cheating on your post op diet! Even if you don't hurt yourself now you can set yourself up for a slip later on! I know you don't want that.

I wouldn't want one either. Maybe you have to have it because of getting the sleeve. You run an increased risk of infection. I'm glad I didn't need one for the band!

Find out first if your insurance covers the surgery. If so, then you'll need to go to an "in network" provider. (most likely) If not, THEN you can start pricing. The cheapest I've heard of in the USA is around 10K

The band is meant to be in place indefinitely. The LAP BAND has been in use in the USA since 2001 but a version of the band has been in use since 1985 (in Switzerland). MOST people who have it removed (for whatever reason) regain any lost weight. Erosion is a problem for less than 1% of all banded people, so its something you don't need to worry about. Slippage is more common and happens for various reasons; the one you can control is scrupulously following your docs post op diet (don't advance food groups earlier than you are cleared for them) Both issues are rare.

Preop clear liquids generally mean anything you can see through....tea, coffee, jello, water, clear broth. Not protein shakes. You can have grape juice. I'd avoid the protein shakes (including isopure) because they have nutrition and you don't really want that now! (husband's an RN; I just clarified with him)

I think its imprudent to make fun of anyone's fears, no matter how unafraid WE may be of whatever it is. We're all different. Tolerance is always a good thing, especially on a board like this. If you don't belittle things, you don't run the risk of being misunderstood.

My doc prescribed/strongly suggested a certain brand. Quite honestly, I didn't "like" them (when I'm hungry I want food, not a fake-sweet thing) but I drank them. It was just for a short time and I wanted the goal, so I did what I needed to.

What specifically would you like to know? The lap band impacts a lot of things; it would help to narrow it down! :grouphug:

Ask your doctor. Many ban NSAIDS, including aspirin, forever.

I've only had lap band (twice) and gall bladder (once!) LOL None of them were bad at all. I have honest to goodness had dental procedures that hurt worse and for a longer period of time. I didn't answer your poll because "it was a breeze" wasn't an option!

Its funny because I feel the exact opposite. Before I felt like so much of life was taken up with food...what to eat, when, where, who was going to get it, prepare it, clean up after, etc etc. Now it is just so darned EASY! Once you get the knack of chewing your small bites well, this is WAY more "mindless" than the old way, at least to me! No guilt, no "wow I should diet" or if dieting now "wow I should weigh this and count the calories" etc. I just go get some food, eat it, and am done. I LOVE it! I truly feel free, more free than I ever did pre-band. Hopefully you guys can get to this point because it is marvelous.

It's Water retention. Seriously...4 pounds is 14000 calories OVER what you need to maintain basic life function. I know you didn't eat that much in the last 2 days. My doc says to eat Protein first, then veggies. Fruits (not juices...eat the fruit) and then grains/pastas etc IF You have room. So I think you should focus on protein and veggies, not sweet juices and things like Peanut Butter that are full of fat and sugar. cheese is high in fat too. What you're eating isn't necessarily nutritious, just high in fats and sugars. You might want to check with the nutritionist at your docs office but eat the lean Proteins and fresh veggies (get a variety) and take a good multi Vitamin and you should be fine. Add in skimmed milk (good source of Calcium without the fat) and you've got a good diet... oh and water water water. But trust me in 2 days you haven't gained 4 pounds of fat.

Your symptoms sound like low blood sugar...make sure you drink your protein shakes and tell your doc if it doesn't get better by Monday (and if it's really bad, eat something). Don't drive if you feel dizzy, ok? Yes I take a multi. In fact honestly I'm taking a total of 27 pills and only 6 of them are actual prescription drugs. The rest are "supplements". But I won't keep that up for long; the pills take up more room that the food I eat!

What they said. If you're that tight you're too tight and it is NOT NOT NOT healthy to "Pb after every meal" You'll end up with a slip or erosion and have to have the band removed. Call your doc, get some saline removed. THen enjoy the steak.

The first six weeks or so are for healing. Quit obsessing about it and let your body repair itself! The doc should've explained to you that this is a process. The band won't really do much until you have restriction and that takes filling it. So just practice the new way of eating (you are eating a lot of what they call "mushie" or slider foods...but that's because you aren't healed yet I'm sure. Later it will be more lean protein and less cheese, pasta, refried beans etc) and the other band rules and let the process unfold!

Hey! From your ticker you've been doing great! I am doing much better now that I finally have restriction (It took FOREVER!) Good to see you kicking around here!

The Realize band has a low profile port that doesn't really show as long as it's placed well. The lap band port MAY show but as my doc said, it's hard to find it under all the fat (he was MUCH nicer about it but that was the gist) and that once I lost a lot he could switch to a low profile one if the one I have now is a problem.

What are you eating? Are you making smart choices, not snacking, getting your water in? are you keeping up with sufficient fills? Are you exercising? The band is just a tool, we have to use it for it to do anything. Are you eating lean protein, then veggies, then fruit, then grains/pastas? or are you eating a bunch of slider foods? Fifty pounds lost beats 50 pounds gained, but only you know what you may need to do differently!

I was told to eat protein first, then veggies (neither of which you ordered!) then fruit, THEN grains, pasta etc. Have you been banded yet? IF so, I think you're going the wrong direction...if no, then you still are choosing wrong because most of us are on liquid diet then mushie etc. What did your doc tell you to eat? You need to follow that guideline....

Not ibuprofen...it's an NSAID and most docs don't want us to take it. Hard on the stomach. I used tylenol.

If you can't drink tomorrow morning call and get a slight unfill. Don't DONT wait and see if it will get better; you'll get stuck going to the ER over the weekend because you're dehydrated. We need liquid daily; if you wait to see if you magically loosen up (and if you can't drink water, that won't happen) you'll get dehydrated very quickly. A slight unfill will leave you with restriction but able to drink, and will save you having to maybe get a complete unfill while things calm down!

My doc: If you are losing 1-2 pounds a week, no fill unless you agitate for one. If you are not losing, or are gaining, you get a fill.

This is really really not uncommon. I wish docs were more clear about this. Many people take 3-4 fills (or more) to get restriction. I was told that in fact it might be up to 6 months before I really "felt" it. It's a process; it will happen, but many docs think aggressive fills are counterproductive and in fact can cause problems down the road. Hang in there!

As I posted to your blog, I think if you WAIVE coverage that means you have no coverage. Sorry.

Seriously I'd call and ask him tomorrow. I've never heard of the recliner/blood clot thing either (and my husband has been an RN for 25 years, and I just graduated with my BSN in nusring) Not that your doc is wrong, mind you...just that I have NEVER heard of that. Maybe the instructions are old...based on the old style of banding (ie cutting you open) and don't apply now? I never say to ignore doc's advice but I'd almost tell you go ahead. I don't know you or your doc though; he may do something some way that requires a long non-tummy recovery! Call and ask.