RestlessMonkey

Thanks! I'll do that! It will help a lot. I appreciate the advice. I've about gone nuts because I'm truly hungry but would rather just shoot myself in the foot than risk damaging my band as it heals! Your solution sounds perfect.

I'm not sure what the difference is between clear and full liquids. I know I get to go to "Mushies" next friday. What are full liquids, things like cream of whatever soup, blended to be smooth? Or something else? Just FYI I am sick of sweet stuff (the shakes, jello, the shakes) I want something that tastes like food, not desert! (not that I'm whining....LOL)

Great! I am here 1 week post op. Love my band but I am starving. No, it's not head hunger (10 months of behavioral therapy taught me how to recognize that!) I'm going to chew my arm off or something. However, I'm down 38 pounds and the most I EVER in my whole long life lost on any diet was 45 pounds, so I'm approaching a new personal best. VERY happy about that but still so hungry that I'm even giving the cat the eye when he isn't looking.

Sunnylilme...you need to find out WHY they denied you, then make that go away

I think you should get another surgeon. I weighed 375 when I got the band. I have a large ventral hernia which means things were TIGHT in there. There are many different places where they can place the port...and I am fine now. I think your surgeon is blaming you for her lack of skill.

There is no way I'd want the old style surgery. uh uh. no thanks.

Why did they tell you they couldn't do it? I had surgery 8/11 and he couldn't place the band. I followed his preop diet longer, lost 32 pounds, and got the band on 8/29. I had a fatty liver.

Janet, is this thread for a specific group, or can anyone join in?

Bradley, I'm not really a fatty liver authority...there is a disease associated with it sometimes (Nonalcoholic liver disease, or NALD) but I don't have that. Nothing wrong with mine but the fact that it was too fat and thick for the doctor to move out of the way to place my band laparoscopically. He didn't "open me up" (thank goodness...LONG recovery) but rather, when I was awake and back in outpatient, came to talk to me. We decided I'd give his preop diet a little longer (and honestly not realizing how important it was, preop I followed my "own" diet and lost 15 pounds, but didn't shrink my liver, or not enough) SO 2 1/2 more weeks of following his preop diet (to A T this time!) and down 32 pounds, I was successfully banded on 8/29. If you want the band and your doc told you your liver was fatty, I suggest you just follow his or her directions to shrink it. Mine was a very low carb, high protein, low fat diet.

Personally, I have wanted the band since it came out (here in the USA) since 2000-2001. So I had a LONG LONG time to research it, talk myself into and out of it, etc. Once my insurance and my PCP were finally on board with my thinking, things came together 7/3 of this year and I started the process on 7/10. I am now a happy bandster 1 week post op. However I was VERY ready for it. I even had gone to 10 months of behavioral therapy, on my own, searching for answers to why I overeat and how I could stop it. I know the band is just a tool; I'll still have to work work work. But that's ok. I felt like I was working and getting nowhere before; now I'll work and achieve something. That's fine for me. I think of the band as a friend or a type of pacemaker for my stomach, not an alien intrude or weird thing. I know I will never again eat like I used to. That's ok with me. I don't WANT to eat like I used to. It isn't a quick fix and there is no need to rush. Be sure before you proceed. Just like in marriage you CAN get a divorce but you don't go in thinking "oh, I'll cheat if I want and can get a divorce if it's bad", don't get the band thinking you don't have to work and can just have it removed. Plan on it being a life long committment to yourself and your health. When that sounds good to you, proceed!

So glad to find this! I'm in San Antonio and was banded by Dr. Sonny Cavazos at NE Baptist. I think he's just great! I've talked to a few of you on other threads...but glad to find the rest of you! I'm one week post op and still on liquids but feeling fine. I go for my first fill Oct 9. Very exciting!

Yell Bell I wish I could help you but my experience is limited to "book learning" LOL IE my surgeon, and other posters. What I would do if I were you is to call my surgeon (or whomever did the fill...a fill center...whomever) and ASK! How many weeks post op are you? Did it hurt in the office?

My doc says liquid for 2 days after a fill, then slowly progress back to real food.

Can't your surgeon just replace the port?

Is your port a larger one? Losing that much you may need a smaller, low-profile port. Or, have your surgeon move it. It could be that it shifted as you lost and it is pressing on some nerves. You don't have to have your whole band removed .... Good Luck!

I think you already should've gotten some taken out. The point of the band isn't to starve; it's to be able to eat most foods and get full on way less. That isn't where you are at all! You're losing the wrong way....w/out protein your body will pull it from your muscles (including your heart!) That is not good.

My initial meeting,....they took my vitals, took a thorough health history (including all the meds I'm taking...) and I met with my surgeon to discuss my health and what surgery I wanted. (my surgeon performs several different bariatric procedures; he did NOT pressure me to choose any special one) After reviewing my health history and current status he had me get a barium swallow test(some have to do sleep apnea studies, meet w/cardiologist, etc...all for your own good) and that was it! He answered whatever questions I had...but I had gone to the seminar he led and it was very informative so I didn't have many.

MarieF if you want to come farther south to San Antonio, Texas, I can help you! :tt2:

I know that it is common to retain Water just before or during your cycle. That may make it seem that you've gained. However, it is usually lost quickly in the week following. It sounds like you have 3 weeks out of ever 4 where you gain; unless you have an endocrine imbalance of some sort or are overeating, I can't imagine why you'd gain for so long! Sorry! AND I would never get a fill if I couldn't get an unfill if necessary. It's too hard to find that happy spot and if you have trouble it could be serious, unless he's leaving another emergency doctor in charge.

I think that the first weeks are more for healing than losing. There are very few people who aren't hungry without fills. Many have docs who have told them that this time is for learning a new way of eating, healing, and adapting to the fact that you have a band. (I am one week post op and starving already, but still on liquids). What I hope to do while finding that perfect fill amount is to try to "diet" and keep my calories to a certain level. I expect I'll be hungry some...but will try to eat more protein and less carbs, little to no sugar, low fat, etc. My doc does the 1st fill at 6 weeks and I expect it won't restrict me much...so willpower will have to help me through. We'll get there; we just have to be patient and let the process work.

Congrats! I was banded 8/29 and I love my band. With your attitude I'm sure you'll do great!

I will say the 1st morning post op I woke up sleeping on my stomach. Well, OW! LOL It took me a while to get up the gumption to get up! But it wasn't that bad. Depends on how you do after surgery though; some are in a good bit of pain for several days, some like me don't have many issues at all. It's a roll of the dice unless you've had surgery before and know how fast you bounce back!

I will say though, I LOVE my band and I'm just barely 1 week post op. :tt2:

It depends on how large your fatty liver is. I was scheduled for surgey 8/11 but after he "went in" my surgeon couldn't get my liver moved out of the way. He was afraid of lacerating it. SO back on the preop liver shrinking diet and on 8/29 he was successful. I WILL say that I didn't know I had a fatty liver beforehand...and he said I am the 1st patient in over 1000 that he could not band because of a fatty liver.

I'm so sorry!! I hope someone posts who can help you!