RestlessMonkey

Please realize SURGEONS control the fill level in the band...in that, if there's some in there immediately post op either the surgeon put it there or left it there. Some surgeons do FILLS during surgery which I'm starting to think in my non-professional opinion is almost cruel. I have an AP-L band and did not have any fill in it whatsover (except a little primer that didn't impact the tightness) until MY DOC put some in there with MY APPROVAL!! Ok. sigh. If you are filled even a little you need it removed. Otherwise your doc should be able to help you; many people swell post op (another reason fills during surgery are almost overkill). Hang in there; it gets better. Be on the phone to your surgeon 1st thing monday; see if you have a fill, decide how you feel and if it needs to be removed. Good luck. You aren't alone; you'll make it! Let us know how you feel tomorrow, ok?

And this one from WLS Help: (which as far as i know is affiliated with neither...but I will admit I didn't research that part of it) Compare Adjustable Gastric Bands - LAP-BAND vs. REALIZE Band

Onederland....that's like nirvana to me! I think that is just fantastic! Congrats!

It's typical and it will pass! Make SURE you get your fluids in, though. That's very very important.

I agree, check with your doc as to what supplements s/he wants you to take. Although the "no calcium" rule is one I've never heard of... Each doc seems to vary.

If I were you and REALLY worried about it I'd make a trip to the "band mill" to pick up my records. Call, get the office administrator, tell him/her you need them, have that person set a time to pick them up. (if the time isn't acceptable to you, negotiate) The day before, call to confirm they have them ready, then go get them. If they balk remind them they are legally yours and you don't want to complain to your insurance company, the BBB, etc. They'll release them HOWEVER...before I did all the above rigamarole I'd ask the NEW place if they ever had to obtain records from "BANDMILL" and if so, was it problematic? Without being gossipy, complaining, etc...just straightforward. If they say "well, it can take up to a few months" or whatever that is polite-speak for yes it can be a problem and you know to resort to Plan B (getting them yourself) You may be assuming a problem that isn't there, you know, because you've felt shuffled. They may release records quickly; find out before you get riled up! Good luck.

Not if the procedure is done laproscopically. It sounds to me like her surgery was the old style where they "open you up" They don't usually do bypass that way any more, nor "lap band" (the name comes from that ... the lap refers to the surgery type, laproscopic) They make a few (1-6)incisions, insert instruments/camera through those incisions, do the surgery, remove camera and instruments, and close up the incisions. Recovery is much faster; many lap band patients go home the same day or day after.

Good luck!

Do you have a band date yet, or are you still in the info-gathering stage?

One of the big things I have learned about the band is this: unless you are so filled that you can barely get food down (and some actually choose that...it's beyond me but it's a personal choice) you will have a HUGE degree of control over this. What you eat, how tight your band is; it's all up to you. There's no "diet" you'll be cheating on. YOU are the driver. If you want to pull over for fast food, you do it! (figuratively and literally) If you want healthy, you do it. No one is going to successfully control this but you. So you work it like it works for your lifestyle and family. I think it is just short of miraculous, myself. It's done exactly what I thought it would. I take care of the "head" or emotional garbage, the band handles the physical or "true hunger" part. A wonderful partnership. And we each get to define it to best suit us!

You'll do great! Just think ahead to a year from now; how different things will be:)

My doc numbs first but I don't really care...a stick is a stick. However since that's his routine it's easier for me to just go with the flow than, each time, say "no lidocaine". It's no biggie; I'm so happy to get the fill (looking forward to more weight loss etc) that I wouldn't care if he stuck me 10 times.

Soup isn't really a great bandster meal just because it tends to...go through. No feeling of satiety because it doesn't stay in the small pouch! My situation (1 husband, 1 cat, no kids) is so different from yours my menu won't help you but at 11 months post op my husband and I eat the same things. I just eat less. When I am really in "lose weight" mode that is more Protein and green veggies, when I am more relaxed it's just whatever. We don't buy much fast food but it's just preference. I can't eat more than 1/3 - 1/2 of a chick fil A(for example) and my huband doesn't need to eat my leftovers but lord knows I can't just toss it! Just one thing my nutritionist told us: if you eat rice or Pasta, cook it WELL...no al dente (because it continues to absorb liquid, as you know!) Some people can't eat bread, or white chicken, or this/that/the other (you name the food there will probably be someone who can't eat it!) but many of us don't really have any issues (I'm one of those lucky ones). You'll find what works for you. My doc told me "assume you'll be able to eat anything and the odds are you will". Say you were having chile cheese dogs and fries. I'd eat probably 1/3 - 1/2 of a chile cheese dog, 2-3 fries, and be done. I'd eat the bun. (well, that 1/3 - 1/2 of it) I wouldn't pick that though, because more protein dense meals keep me full longer. Fried chicken? I'd eat part of a breast or thigh (including the skin) Macs and cheese? I'd probably pass...or have a small spoon full and find some meat/chicken/fish to fill me up. You'll find it is easier than any diet you have ever tried, I bet.

Got it! I probably misread...hunger is making me faint (almost dinner time here LOL) A pillow to brace your surgical sites on ride home lip gloss or balm because your lips will be really dry easy slip on shoes (you'll be up walking A LOT) A comfortable bra, easy on shirt (some like button up but over the head worked fine for me) and pants/skirt liquid tylenol for at home (not the hosp) Mp3 player good book or some magazines hair brush If you wear contacts they'll make you remove them before surgery even if they are the kind you can wear for a week (or whatever) and then discard...just be warned most of this you probably already know good luck! I bet you are VERY excited!

The stats quoted are an average. That means some lose ALL, some don't lose any. It's up to YOU how much you want to lose. The band is a tool only; you're the one working it (and the weight loss). So...the answer is "however much you want to."

Your surgeon should've already told you if you'd be expected to stay overnight. What did he say?

What does your liquid diet cover? Did you get info from the doc? I'm sure he didn't just say "go. have only liquid. here's the bill" LOL it's different depending on your doc. what does yours SAY?

Don't you get tired of weighing/measuring your food? I did that for WW and realized that if I had to do it the rest of my life I'd go MAD! (well, mad-der! LOL) I have weighed or measured things a time or two for curiosity but how much I can eat is fairly consistent and I don't measure, count, weigh, anything. I guess that's one of the great things about our bands; we can work them in a way that works for us. Sorry, too. No thread hi-jack intended.

I came to in recovery hungry. No lie, no kidding. not emotional hunger, not head hunger, true physiologic hunger. That was the down side. The upside was that i felt great, I felt normal, no gas pain to speak of, slept on my side in bed night one, on my tummy night two (my norm) etc..no heavy pain meds needed, no problems getting my liquids in etc. But the point is we're all different. being hungry isn't abnormal during this stage, neither is not being hungry.

Call during office hours unless you feel dizzy or loopy. :thumbdown: I had no problem drinking from the start and in fact drank probably 20-30 ounces of Water in the hospital before they let me go home that evening...(and they were doling it out. MAN i was dry!) so I don't have any personal experience that can help you... Not to be crude but one way you can tell if you're ok is if you are urinating 3-4 times a day (at least).... and is your urine super concentrated? super concentrated can be a sign of dehydration... initially you have excess Fluid from the surgery you're getting rid of and that can help you a little. 64 ounces is the usual healthy minimum though. So yes, call your doc tomorrow if you can't get that in. He may have filled you some during surgery and need to remove some, or may feel it's just normal swelling/healing and want you to just monitor it...? but you should be ok till tomorrow, just use your judgment

You're probably fine but do call your surgeon tomorrow and make sure (hard to "diagnose" over the internet and besides I'm not a doc anyway! LOL so no diagnosis from this chickie) Odds are you're just really soon post op and your stomach is kicking up a ruckus. I didn't get anything but clear liquids when I was at your "days post op" stage so I can't tell you from personal experience...

I have never had any trouble at all with shrimp...breaded or not. Call your surgeon and ask; let him decide for you based on how you're healing etc. And...Linda bless you woman to chew to toothpaste consistency? I think that is probably a safe, good idea but ick! :thumbdown: I'm lucky; I don't have any food issues and chew to a smooth (but not toothpaste-like LOL) consistency before I swallow...:scared2: Love my band.

I like the therapist idea too. I went to a behavioral therapist who specialized in "eating disorders" (I didn't have bulimia or anorexia but obesity is a disorder) and she really helped me get a LOT of insight into why I overeat, and how to stop it. It was really groovy.

Probably. you're losing weight so your internal configuration might have changed a little. Now when you bend over your port isn't cushioned by as much fat. Check with your surgeon though, to be sure.

I don't know. Personally (no kidding here) I am always SO PUMPED when a little bit fills me up! I got the "eyes bigger than your stomach" but I also got "humph ... "she" eats like a man" about females who ate huge amounts (keep in mind this was the 50's, ok?) When I can eat a few ounces of steak and a small portion of green Beans and be satisfied I feel downright DAINTY. I LOVE it. Maybe you just need to look at it differently? I tend to think of food as fuel (and yes I've intentionally worked at that) and it makes a big difference.