RestlessMonkey

The surgery is the easy part! :crying: You get pain meds and people take care of you. When is your date, do you know yet?

I think you weren't properly educated before you got the band. It was stressed over and over to me/my group that we'd lose 1-2 pounds a week and that it might take 4 OR MORE fills to get restriction and that satiety we all want. It is a LONG process. Bypass is fast. The band; we'll lose for up to 3 years (or more). It sounds like you were set up for disappointment if you were ever led to believe you'd lose faster. 23 pounds since 8/11 is GREAT. You are a very new bandster. You need to be nicer to yourself and your band and give it time.

You're probably ok. We're pretty well insulated on the inside. It's a good idea to call your doc but if you can still swallow ok and are sore but no odd symptoms, it can wait until tomorrow.

Seriously you need to take some deep breaths and chill out! :crying: Who said you won't ever be able to eat again? My surgeon told us we'd be able to eat essentially anything we ever did, but be satisfied with a MUCH smaller portion. So you'll have one mini instead of 10 or 100 or whatever. While you are losing, of course, and even afterward to a point you'll want to make healthy choices (protein, then veggies, then fruit, then grains) but an occasional halloween candy or christmas cookie won't sink your ship. You need to put it in perspective. You're thinking "punishment" and "diet". That's not what the band is about.

Sorry no direct info but if you don't get any...have you attended seminars at both? Which surgeon has more experience? Which has a nicer staff? Which is closer to you? Do they both offer free fills for the first year or two (or more) to self-pay patients? Which one do you LIKE better and feel better with?

Congratulations! I can tell you that most of us are restricted to lifting no more than 15 pounds for the first 2-3 weeks post op (each surgeon is different but that's fairly standard) so yes, help is definitely indicated!

It should be in your chart but anesthesia? Shouldn't matter. The tube will stop well before it reaches your stomach and it's concerned with your lungs, anyway, not your GI Tract. You should still be able to sip liquids after recovery and so on...if you are well restricted and can't take certain pills, just tell them you can't take pills over XYZ size (like someone said nothing larger than an m & m...use whatever works for you!) Just make sure that they have your band and port location in your chart, and tell the nurses in preop to make sure the info is where they can access it quickly! If you are going to be in a while make sure they know you need a specific diet (ie soft?) if that's important to you. Otherwise, No big deal! :crying:

You are right RayeP...but she is PRE op and hasn't been banded yet. Once she has the band your advice will surely apply! :crying:

Can you keep the junk out of your house? If it really is junk, no one in your family needs it! My doc says to eat protein, then veggies, then fruit, and finally grains. Have you tried that? And if you are still hungry, maybe another fill?

Good for you asking him (taking the high road!) And I'm glad he gave you the green light too. I'd guess (just a guess here..don't know for sure) that he means you're eating far enough preop that you won't have undigested food in your system when he does surgery (that's quite risky!) So enjoy your meal.

Why shouldn't she call to find out what the insurance company wants? It is good to be proactive in your care. If she gained 1 1/2 pounds and is scared she won't get approved, what does it hurt for her to find out? She's the consumer, it is her insurance. She has a right to know what they look for!

My insurance did not require 6-months pre diet. I don't know if it's true or not; that's why I'm trying to see WHO told you that? IF it wasn't the insurance company, then I doubt it. Call your insurance company and ask them. You need to take charge; it's your health on the line. What you were told may or may not be true, so go to the source and see. I've never heard, frankly, of an insurance co. requiring a 6-month supervised diet to MAINTAIN weight, but then I am not an authority on your insurance! Call them. Find out.

Make sure you have an aftercare surgeon lined up, or do you plan to go back to Cancun? That's something you need to address before you proceed.

Who told you ins won't pay if you don't maintain? The insurance company? or someone else?

Depending on where you are in the band process, drinking shouldn't be a problem. Except for some immediately post op who are severly swollen, and some who may have too much restriction, liquid goes through the stoma just fine. That's one reason we're not supposed to drink with meals; it can have the effect of washing food through too quickly and negating the effect of satiety. As long as your prep isn't carbonated, use whatever your doc recommends and go cat go!

When you eat food (like a sandwich!) your stomach churns to digest it. That's why we are supposed to forgo certain things for a while...to allow things to heal. For most of us part of the stomach is pulled up (or down, depending on surgeon) over the band and it is sewn into place. At 2 weeks post op that churning stomach MAY have torn loose one or more of those stitches. Even if you don't have trouble now you may get slippage or erosion down the road because of that. I agree, call your doc and do what s/he says. Most of us get hungry post op; that's why they call it "Bandster Hell". You just have to get through it. Please call your doc; I hope he thinks you're ok.

You are very welcome! Nice to know I'm coherent this late on a Sunday night!

It's an acronym for "Productive Burp" which is what many call it when, once you have restriction, you take a bite of food that is too large or not well chewed or for whatever reason will not go through a lap band stoma and on into the stomach below. Not strictly traditional "vomiting" (because there is no stomach acid etc) the term was coined to describe that specific type situation. It is usually accompanied by excessive mucous production which is referred to as "slime". You can "slime" without "PB'ing", because sometimes the food goes on through. It is not comfortable and is a good motivator to chew chew chew and take small bites. A few people will PB anyway but usually it is because of the reasons I've listed, or because the band is filled too tightly.

hi! I started out at 405 so like you, I have a big chunk to lose. Nice to see you posting here!

I did NOT vote since I haven't even had a fill. Just posted so I could easily navitgate to see what answers you might get.

I wasn't supposed to have ANY Protein for the 1st week post op. Week 2 I just had 3-4 EAS carb control AdvantEDGE shakes...no big deal. but then I have no restriction and haven't since I came to in recovery. Hopefully that will change with my first few fills! Just drink whatever protein supplement your surgeon recommends when s/he recommends it! You'll be fine!

Ok then if it's just hunger pangs I can say YES they should go away for the most part. That's the point of the band....to be satiated on less food and that satiety to last up to 5-6 hours. So hang in there. It may take up to 4-5 fills to get tweaked properly but it will get better every day.

Welcome! Glad you joined us all!

I don't have any good advice (wish I did) but have to ask...are you eating protein first, then veggies, and then fruit, and then finally breads and grains? No snacks? I get my 1st fill 10/9 and that's how my doc has told us to eat...and to keep the cals to around 1200 or so.

You may not be eating enough, actually. Depending on what you weigh now you may need to up your calories just a little. Make sure you are getting between 1000 and 1200 a day (that's a good average guideline unless you are much larger, like me, or really close to your goal and I assume, having just lost 10 so far, that you aren't). You need to eat enough to lose efficiently.