RestlessMonkey

There is a forum on here for "other weight loss surgeries". Click on Home, scroll down, and you'll find it. As anyone here will tell you....do your research and decide which surgery you think is right for you. You're the one who will be living with it, not your doctor. You may, or may not, decide RNY is right for you. :juggle: Good luck!

My doc doesn't use x-ray equip to fill me. He doesn't need it, honestly. The man put my port in me and knows where it is; he has a great "touch". He can always tell me how much restriction I'll experience by how much resistance he feels when he injects the additional saline. He is truly a master at this. Don't assume that docs who fill slow do it because they are inept or can't tell what you need. Many who use x-ray still need more, or unfills. The aggressive/conservative fill approach is instead based on the data some subscribe to that aggressive fills set patients up for problems down the road, like esophageal spasms for example. Obviously not all surgeons believe this way but many do.

You already know you heal slowly, and internal "wounds" take a while to heal. If this is your history, if you don't have redness or a fever, and if you trust your doc, then you're probably good. I had little pain and healed really fast but didn't mash on my port at all. I didn't even know where it was until my first fill appt (at 6 weeks). You know your body best. I'd guess that you are just healing slowly! The port is usually sewn into muscle tissue and it takes that a while to recover.

My surgeon says no snacks! I've found that it depends on what I choose to eat as to whether I stay full or not. Things that are softer and more "processed" (like a bean burrito as opposed to chicken breast, for example) leave me hungry sooner. Right now I can eat anything at all...but some foods pack more bang for the buck if that makes sense. You may want to tinker around with that too! :juggle: Good luck; sounds like you're doing great!

Burping (and what comes out the other end) is what we do to get rid of gas in our digestive tract, so that's normal! :juggle:

If they don't call you (I'm usually called, either by the NP at my banding surgeon's office, or by the RN at my primary's office) call them and ask.

Tell your doctor exactly what you told us; let him make the call. At the worst he'll delay surgery a little, and that will be for your health.

I'm sorry you had a bad experience. I'm sure what happened to you can "just happen" but usually there is a slip, or a too small band, or too tight, etc. I'm not a banding surgeon so I don't know for sure but have sure researched a lot before I got mine. Anyway sorry you won't ever know what went wrong with your band and that it didn't work for you. I hope you feel better soon!

Hello and welcome! I really enjoyed your post! Your mom knows you best, of course, but the band REALLY helps you stick to a healthy eating schedule. You don't need to overindulge now because you WILL be able to eat later, most likey. I can still eat pizza, hamburgers, fries, enchiladas, lasagna...you name it. I just dont' eat it often and when I do, don't eat a lot of it. I eat a piece of pizza (no crust) and am full for about 4-6 hours. So...you do what your Mom says (LOL) because you aren't going to starve and be miserable forever. Show her you've got the juice! There are some who are so tight they only eat what we call "sliders" (yogurt,Soups, ice cream) but that tightness is a choice. You'll always be in control. Good luck!

I appreciate you taking the time to "talk" with me about this. How did your lap band "fail"? Did it slip? Was it placed improperly? Was it too tight? If you don't mind...."Fail" covers a LOT of ground...

You won't find any doc to promise no hospital stay and if you do...RUN from that physician! My doc keeps everyone overnight but didn't keep me. Why? Because I recovered quickly, felt great, kept adequate liquids down easily, urinated, walked, etc etc. We had agreed in advance that subject to his good judgment I could go home if I was doing well. I also, during the preop phase, acted in a way that he would know I'd go to the ER etc if I needed to. So I suggest finding a surgeon who is on your insurance and with whom you feel comfortable, and discuss your concerns with him. Just like one should never PROMISE to send you home, you don't have to find one who is knee-jerk about how you MUST STAY regardless. My surgeon knew I had good care at home, etc. I reasssured him and was doing great, he was happy to accommodate me. I'm sure he's not the only one out there who feels that way.

privatedancer7 what caused your damage? were you filled too much? did the band slip? it's not common; what caused your problems? Thanks! :juggle:

I don't know you or your friends/family and really don't know a thing about you...age/height/weight/weight history etc. So I'll say this: If the people who love you really love you, then listen to their advice. Think it over. Weigh it in the mix with everything else. Then decide what is best for you. Don't discount negativity as just "jealousy" or "doesn't understand" or whatever....find out WHY they feel the way they do. Are they afraid for you? ARE they jealous? Do they have valid concerns? And then decide. If they don't really love you and care about you, who gives a damn what they think? As for your DOC, ask her why she's reluctant, why she thinks ANOTHER diet would help when your 100% committment in the past didn't do the trick. Listen to her concerns, weigh things out, then decide for yourself what you think your best course will be.

I started at 405 and a BMI of 67 something. Since 5/7 when I finally hit my sweet spot I've lost about 47 pounds. All told I've lost just under 75. I'm really on a roll now that I have restriction. I think people who think the band is just for "smaller" obese people are not informed.

Check with your surgeon (or your primary) before you do something like this.

I just take the 6-pack multi complex I always did. I don't and have never had an issue swallowing pills. :juggle:

We are learning a new way to eat, most of us. This takes some time. Think of how long it takes babies to master the process? We've got the part about holding the utensils down pat (most of us LOL) and no flinging food at your brother...but how well we chew, no drinking, size of bites, it's ALL different once you have restriction. I suggest carefully carefully following the band rules. Chew well (for me that's 40 times...it varies by person) smallish bites (I can take a bite about 1/2 to 2/3 my normal "old" size but not everyone is that way; you may need smaller bites). Eat SLOWLY. Put your fork down between bites. I find if I am talking to my husband or have company I eat faster and run into trouble so be aware of the mechanics of eating. Pay attention. Don't drink during or soon after a meal (follow your surgeon's directions) IF none of this helps you (and it should help immediately) then go see your surgeon pronto. AND...hydration is VITAL. My surgeon told me that getting at least 64 oz of Water in each day largely removes that "can't eat in the morning" syndrome lots of people have. The band tightens up as we dry up. I start my day with 16 oz of water before Breakfast, coffee, anything....and don't have a psycho band. I could have 3 oz of steak for breakfast just as easily as I have it for dinner. So make sure you get WATER in. Again...that should help you immediately. If it doesn't, call your doc. Don't just suffer and graze; that's not the point or use of the band.

Go see your surgeon. You may have a hernia that needs repair; you may just need drugs, you may need an unfill...but whatever it is, the earlier you catch and stop it the better off you'll be and the less severe the intervention! :juggle: It's not uncommon...just call your doc tomorrow and go see him ASAP!

Too tight is very personal, unless you are so tight you can't get liquids and "food" down. I can eat about a cup at a sitting (I don't usually measure but have done it a time or two just for info) depending on the food. Softer things I can eat more of course. If you are losing 1-2 pounds a week you're probably good.

You may want to post this on the "lap band complications" thread too, OK? You'll get more "play" there. However, may I suggest you go to your regular doc to rule out allergies or infection or some other pulmonic issue? It may be your band, or it may not. How long have you had these issues? (You just say "recently") Have your regular doc rule out your lungs etc.

Confused. Are you getting an unfill just so you can indulge? Or are the "tight band" and the "olive garden" two separate things? But to answer your question...I'd get whatever I wanted. I'd have them box 1/2 of it up before they brought it to me, then I'd probably eat about 1/2 of what was left and have a wonderful time. :biggrin: I'd pass on the good breadsticks though...I can eat bread, but now they'll fill me up and I'd rather have FOOD!

tym2findme I hope it works for you! Just remember you're supposed to be able to eat a variety of food, not just yogurt and soup. When something happens that you can't, check your basics. If you are still following "the rules" and can't eat, you need to see your doc! AND hydration really helps keep the band "even"...64 oz of water each day! Hope it keeps working for you!

I'm glad I encouraged some of you...but hate to make you cry! :thumbup: You'll all love your bands, I'm sure of it!

Ok hope I can remember all your questions. I honestly haven't had anything I'd consider downs. It took a long time for me to get restriction but I expected that after a long talk with my surgeon. I love my band. I think something VERY important that isn't always stressed is to follow a preop diet if you're given one (in the few weeks to days before surgery) and FOLLOW the post op diet. If you're like a lot of us "cheating" occasionally on a diet is almost a way of life. The pre- and post-op diets with lap band, though...don't cheat. Tough them out. Preop is usually to shrink your liver (all don't need that) and post op is to allow your band to heal. Cheating on your post op diet can really set you up for problems. I'm pretty optimistic and have really had a great band experience, don't have any cons, negatives or "wish I would've" (except maybe not doing my "own" preop diet the first time through and not getting the band 1st surgery as a consequence) but that's all on me.

My sister is here and we're about to play Rock band LOL but I will post later...odds are someone else will post though and help you out! good luck!