dirigo

Hi Sherri: I'm so glad you are doing better!!!! Congratulations on losing another three pounds. My wife was banded on 9/30 and has had two fills so far. She didn't feel any difference after the first and only a little difference now. I was banded on 10/29 and get my first fill next Friday. My surgeon keeps stressing the importance of not starving myself. He said the body goes into starvation mode and it will make losing wait after the fills much harder. Take care and enjoy this dreary day in the northeast. Jim

Hi newgrama0904 - I had my surgery last Wednesday, October29th and had my first post-op appointment this morning. My surgeon told me that we shouldn't be worrying about losing weight yet; that until you have had it properly filled, the unit is installed but not activated. He said in the first few days post-op, the band is kinda working as the stomach is swollen but as the stomach returns to normal, the effects of the band pretty much disappear until it is properly inflated after you are all healed. That is when the weight loss starts in earnest. Don't get frustrated. Don't let yourself get so hungry; have something with protein until the hunger goes away. The weight loss clock starts ticking when you are properly adjusted. Time to heal and feel good about this wonderful life-changing decision you've made! The band will help once it's adjusted and doing it's thing. Best wishes and happy healing!

Short n' Sassy Great hearing from you. I'm thrilled to hear that you are doing so well; I've been thinking about you and wondering how you are. I haven't been on the forum either as I had been busy taking care of my daughter and my wife. I am doing extremely well and never had any pain or lack of mobility. My wife is in disbelief as she and our daughter were laid low for over a week and I went to a church meeting 3 hours after I was discharged from the hospital (I'm a tough old bird!!). Congratulations on the 12 lbs - you won't EVER see those pounds again! I bet you are excited about your first fill? I went with my wife on the 30th when she had her first fill. It was done at the hospital and I went with her right after I was discharged from the hospital so I got to see how it was done. My daughter gets her first fill Thursday. It's great hearing from you and I'm delighted to see how well you are doing. ~Jim

Hi Bridgette - glad to hear that you are doing well. I was banded on the 29th as well and am feeling fine. I never had any real pain; just some discomfort for two or three days. I've lost 10.5 lbs since the morning of my surgery. Gas and lack of sleep seem to be the only issues. I cannot sleep more than 3 hours at a time even though I have no discomfort. I directed my church choir on Sunday without any problems although my voice was very weak so my singing was not that hot. My wife and daughter who were banded in late September are doing just super and my wife had her first fill last week.

Hi bbblampwork - congratulations on your 10/11 date. You may want to join the discussion on an different thread, "any october bandsters!??!?!" within the pre-operation lap-band surgery Q & A forum. There you will find a large listing of us being banded in October and can have you name and date added to the list. Hope to see you there!

Hi KarenK - Good luck to you tomorrow. Soon you'll need to change your username to "Petite in Pocatello"!! Please let us know how everything goes for you; we will all be saying a prayer for you.

Greetings Saninbham - Best of luck to your tomorrow with your surgery. I go in three weeks from today and am excited to have it done. I LOVED your explanation of AA women and lapband!! You are too cool! You are obvisously intelligent and know what you have to do so my bet is that you will do just great! I'll be praying for you tomorrow. - Jim

yeah, I hit the wrong year. Does make me feel old.

I'm glad your husband is recoving well. My wife and daughter are also recovering well and have had very few issues except my wife has learned the hard way that you can't sleep on your side. They are both progressing to more interesting foods. My banding date is 22 days away and I cannot wait!

Short n' Sassy - Good luck on your surgery this Wednesday, I'll be praying for you. You have been a great inspiration. My wife and daughter are recoving well although my wife has found out the hard way that you cannot sleep on your side!! - Dirigo Jim

Hi Kim - this is your hubby!!

Hi everyone: I just joined this group today. My 18 y/o daughter is having her lap band surgery tomorrow morning. My wife is having hers done this coming Tuesday and I am scheduled for the end of October. We are all going into the great unknown. We are fortunatre that here in NH, there is a new law that mandates bariatric surgery for treatment or morbid obesity or comorbidity. The law went in to effect this month and we were rejected earlier by our insurance provider but now can have it done thanks to the new law. BTW - what is BP'ing? Thanks everyone.

Hi Christi's Mom I haven't been banded yet but my daughter was last Thursday and my wife was banded two days ago. From what I have observed, there is a three day period of being sore and bloated. Day four seems to be turning the corner and each day after that gets better. I would suggest sticking to the crystal light and not worry about the protien shakes until day four. The clearer the better. If you have intestinal gas, you need to remember that the drugs they use to put you out for surgery bring your intestinal muscles to a halt so gas there moves slllooooowwwllly. Sounds like your on track. Congratulations and I'll be joining you in 27 days!

Sounds like you'll be in very capable hands. The countdown starts with one week to go. I will be praying for you next week and pray for the surgery team as well.

DianaT Welcome to the group. It would be a good idea to consult the dietician. You need to also know what eating will be like after banding so that you can make an informed decision. I will be banded the end of October; my daughter and wife have just been banded and I went to their appointments along with my own so I understand what eating will be like afterwards. This group is a great place to start and ask a lot of questions and you will get helpful answers.

Thank you Short n' Sassy! They just started doing LapBand at our local hospital. We went to the very first meeting in July, got our apps in the NEXT day and started the process of meetings a week later. My daughter was the 9th patient to be banded here and my wife was number 12. Surgeon had done this at the Leahy Clinic. They now have over 100 on the waiting list. Yesterday was interesting going back and forth between the hospital for my wife and caring for my daughter at home. My daughter said the surgery was easy and she would definately do it again if she had to. She is the inspiration for my wife and I. She has not had any pain meds since day three and has not complained ONCE!!

Hi Vavery - nice to have another New Englander here. I am from neighboring NH but actually live on the border with The People's Republic of Vermont. My family vacations in Wells every year and stay at Lafayette's. Welcome to the talk group and perhaps you'll join our Smashing Pumpkins October bandsters group. My daughter was banded last Thursday and my wife was banded yesterday. I am scheduled for 10/29.

Hi Short n' Sassy - My daughter continues to recover from her banding last Thursday and my wife is now home from her banding yersterday. She did just great and has almost no pain at all. My daughter came with last evening to visit my wife in the hospital. How are you doing? Any nerves yet?

Hi goosefraba - I liked your comment about being on your way to being a different person. You will be able to start over; I think of it as a REBIRTHday! Good luck to you; I'll be thinking of you on the 8th.

Hi Brandy - sounds like sage advice. My daughter has allready been banded (last Thursday) and my wife will be banded tomorrow morning. I need to play nurse for several weeks while they recover and I am scheduled for banding on 10/29. They have about 347 pounds of Optifast left so I'll be able to do it even without my doctor's orders. Thanks again for the wisdom. Congrats on nearing the half way point!!!!

My wife and daughter had to do the pre-op diet but I am told that I do not need to. We have the same surgeon and he told us that since my BMI is 40, he doesn't need me to shrink my liver but because my wife and daughter have higher BMI's, they need to. My daughter lost 8 lbs and my wife lost 11 lbs.

Thank you Short n' Sassy!! I wanted to get online to give an update but it has been a little crazy getting one home and healing and making preparations for the other one! You must be getting VERY excited as your date with a new start is only 8 days away. My prayers are with you as you get ready for this big change. Congrats on the 12 lb loss so far in your pre-op dieting.

Are you feeling hungry yet? I've been told that until your first fill, it can be hell. My daughter was banded Thursday and wife will be banded tomorrow. Their fear is overdoing it before they can be filled.

Hi Short n' Sassy: My daughter had her surgery Thursday and it went just great. She is recovering very nicely and is making progress each day. She was so strong, was never worried and hasn't complained once. My wife is having her surgery tomorrow and she is much more worried than my daughter. Thank you for your prayers and kind thoughts for my daughter.

star13 - In the new law, the hospital does not have to be a center of excellence; it just must comply with the American College of Surgeons. Do not wait a year - go for it now! I would be happy to work with you on the insurance issue - they CANNOT deny you or make you wait. Pam Morrison is a very good friend of my wife and I. I agree Dr. Dupuis seems very nice (and funny). Did you meet with Hima and Amanda? You must have gone to the first info session they had at the hospital; if so, we were in the same "class".