soxaholic

Hi All - I'm 12 days post-op today, and I woke up with a strange sensation in the bottom of my throat; it feels "tight" or as if something is there. The only way I can think to describe it is to compare it to swallowing a pill that you can still feel for hours later (like it never quite went all the way down and you can feel it in your esophagus). Also, I'm not sure if it's related, but I constantly feel like I need to burp, but can't...almost turns into a hiccup. I'm not in pain, but the feeling is giving me a bit of anxiety. Could I simply be swollen and tight after surgery, and feeling it even when I'm not eating? Is this a symptom of being tight, or does it sound like something could be wrong? I know we're supposed to stay away from anti-inflammatories, which was my first thought because it sort of feels like the throat is a bit smaller. I am on what my nutritionist calls "super soft mushies" (mashed potatoes, yogurt, pureed Soups, etc.) and I can get food and Water down okay. I moved to them (with approval) early, so I hope I haven't slipped or stretched my pouch. On the bright side, I have a two-week check-up on Thursday, but meanwhile, I'm looking to see if this sensation is common. There's such a fine line between what's expected after surgery, and what is cause for concern! Does this anxiety and constant worry that something is wrong EVER go away? Thanks!

When I was struggling during the liquids phase, my nutritionist said I could move to cream of wheat (not oatmeal for whatever reason)... FYI - cream of wheat comes in a variety of flavors now, and while the original is blech, the maple and cinnamon are delish!

Yeah, that disappears around the two-week mark. My glass of wine is someone else's cookie, that's all!:smile2:

You're not alone! I'm a decent drinker (a couple glasses of wine at night; maybe a few more cocktails on the weekends), and I was terrified that my liver might be larger than the norm. My doctor calmed my fears at my pre-op session when I asked him about it -- A, he said moderate to slightly above moderate alcohol consumption should not cause fatty liver and B, he wouldn't not operate because of one (unless it was enormous). My doctor's fellow told me when I woke up I kept asking if I had the band, and if my liver was small. Ha. It was fine, and I'm sure you will be too.

Not that it would have changed my mind, but I wish I knew how noticeable the port was to the touch -- because I probably would have asked my surgeon to place it deeper. You can feel my port with the slightest touch to my stomach...and as someone who is not open about the surgery, this could potentially be a problem! It is very, very obvious that there is something foreign there. Makes it easier for the fill nurse, but not me... A boyfriend pillow saved my life! And take plenty of time off!

I had a pretty tough recovery and wasn't able to work until the two week mark. I probably could have at ten days post-op (and I have a desk job), but no earlier. No way! I am so jealous of the people who were back in action in days! But, the bottom is that everyone reacts differently, and you never know which camp you'll be in, so have a plan in case you need more time!!

Four months for me. Insurance approved me right away and I didn't have to do any supervised diet programs, nor did my doctor require me to lose weight first. My doctor just didn't have a surigical opening for four months; others can get you in a week or two later. SO many factors go into how long it will take!

Because fills, large or small, cause stomach swelling. You're lucky that your doctor only requires 24 hours! Mine recommends two days of liquids and two days of mushies before returning to solid foods. It is painfullllll....

I could not have done a presentation four days post-op if my life depended on it (in fact, I don't think I could have left the house, let alone present compelling, cohesive thoughts); others are on their feet in a day or two. Since you have no idea how you'll react to the pain, I would err on the side of caution and re-schedule the presentation. Good luck with your decision and upcoming surgery!

I'm glad you started this thread, because I've been thinking about starting one for a while now! I've been filling very conservatively, and that's the way it's going to stay. I'm almost three months out and I have 1cc -- .5 at the two month mark and .5 just added today! I have decent restriction (eat about 1/2 to 2/3 of what I used to, can't eat too fast or pieces too large) but I also don't really have no no foods. If I'm careful enough, I can tolerate some breads, steak, Pasta and other typical problematic foods. I've never been stuck to the point where I've had to force it back up, but I definitely get the golf ball warning sign if I don't behave...enough to keep me in check! I'm obviously losing slower than those who really fill 'er up, but that's okay with me, because I'm still losing steadily. I'm looking for a balanced diet -- not a super restricted diet. I have no interest in stressing about what I can eat in public situations or vomiting up my food. I will not trade that for a quick weight loss. The band forces me to make better choices, choosing Protein over carbs (well, most of the time), salads over sandwiches, and stopping when I'm full. It was really the mental lift that I needed. My hope is that a lot of optimism and willpower meets a bit of physical restriction. I envision a Weight Watchers/South Beach-esque diet that I don't fall off of every time there's a birthday or a vacation. It's a permanent reminder, every day, how unhappy I was...and that keeps me in line. With all that said, I realize that this does not work for everyone, and I don't mean to imply that it does. Some certainly need more physical assistance than others. We're all different, but at the end of the day, whatever works and whatever makes you happy...and you're exactly right, Colorado, if this stops working, we can always fill up -- the beauty of the adjustable band. I would love to hear more success stories from conservative fillers who are at, or near, goal!

Ugh, I had it too (go figure)! I told the nurse when I went down to pre-op and they eventually made me remove my tampon for a 1940s-style pad (although diaper would be more appropriate). They also gave me some big, stretchy "underwear." It definitely was uncomfortable, as I haven't worn a pad since I was 12...but not the end of the world. I was super light, fortunately, so I didn't even think about it until the middle of the night when I went to the bathroom (and discarded the diaper for a lovely Tampax Pearl :thumbup: It certainly isn't ideal, but you'll be absolutely fine! Heck, once the surgery is over, bleeding will be the last thing on your mind. Hello, Dilaudid drip!

I had the lower left side pain and it was not near my port, which isn't very common so it was scary...but it got better each day and went away entirely around week two. It's also normal to feel something when you drink too fast or a bit too much. To reiterate what everyone is saying - call your doctor and demand pain medication. I had a tough recovery, and I needed every bit of my roxicet (hydrocodone and acetaminophen). You had surgery - you're supposed to be given pain meds. Heck, they give it out for minor oral surgeries. Good luck...you're on your way towards feeling better soon!

Glad to see everyone is doing well! Wow, I can't believe a couple of you got such large first fills! Are you getting stuck like crazy? I was doing pretty well at first, but ever since I hit soft solids, the scale came to a hault. I've lost a pound in the last two weeks. I'm super frustrated because I feel like I do have restriction. I log my food every day, and I'm staying within 900-1300 calories and watching my breakdown of carbs/fat/protein. I cannot eat anything close to what I was eating before. As for my first fill, my doctor waits until six weeks, so i have two more weeks to go. He also knows that I want conservative fills (no desire to get stuck or have no no foods), so at my last appointment, he said he wouldn't even fill me if I continued to lose steadily...which I'm not, so I'm thinking maybe between .5 and 1cc? Although I'm confused as to what good a fill will do if I'm eating my caloric goal currently. I know it's common to not lose during this "bandster hell" period, but I'm not really experiencing that. Anyone else have decent restriction but not losing?

Same here! How are the two of you doing?

Hi Jodi, All of your thoughts and concerns are totally normal. I'm sure we've all been there - afraid it won't work, not understanding why it would be different than other diets, feeling ashamed that it actually got this bad and needing to resort to WLS (big ones for me anyway). While my PCP was very supportive, my surgeon's office made me think really hard about my desire for success, willingness to make changes, and the risks associated with surgery (including the fact that it simply doesn't work for everyone). Now, keep in mind, there are a lot of factors associated with people who don't lose with the band, including non-compliance (eating slider foods, no fills and follow-up with dieticians and physician) and lack of exercise and other healthy habits. Yes, there are a small group of people who, unfortunately, have severe band complications or simply never feel restriction... How I dealt with that mentally was knowing that I'm willing to exercise. I know I'm willing to work my band properly, or I simply wouldn't go to such lengths to lose weight if I was going to sabotage myself. Non-compliance is not going to happen to me, so that eliminated a lot of the "numbers." I'm in control. If I happen to be one of the unlucky few, well, what do I have to lose? Sure, it's surgery...but you heal relatively quickly. Insurance is paying, so the $550 program is all that I'm responsible for out-of-pocket (which I spend in a year on WW, pills, memberships, videos, etc.). Worst case scenario (aside from serious complications) is that I won't lose weight...the same result as all the other diets and plans I've been on over the last six years. On the other hand, the likelihood of success with the band versus diet and exercise alone is much greater. Again - what did I have to lose? Just weight. I'm new to this, but I've already lost as much weight in three weeks as I did in four months the last time I did Weight Watchers. Good luck with your decision...you'll make the right one for yourself! And although your PCP asked you to think hard, at least she didn't seem totally opposed...that's a good thing!

I can totally empathize. My membership is $64/month, and with this economy, I feel it's too much of a luxury (although can you really put a price on health?). I know a few people who absolutely swear by Turbo Jam. I have been looking into it for a while, and I'm finally going to buy it. The reviews are phenomenal if you don't have knee problems. It's a combination of dancing and kick boxing; really high-energy and upbeat, hip-hop music. It goes for about $80 for all the DVDs and weight gloves, but you can find it a bit cheaper on E-Bay. Slightly expensive, but over the long run, much cheaper than the gym! I can't wait for my exercise ban to be lifted...3 weeks to go!

I had it a week ago today (when I was 1.5 weeks post-op) and it scared me to death - thought I was having/going to have a panic attack. I've felt it a few times, but one of those times I had it all day long. It was horrible and worse at night. It (thankfully) went away and I haven't experienced it severely since. I asked my Dr. about it after the fact, and he said it could very have been from swelling around the band; however, if it does come back, he'll have to send me for an upper GI. I also thought it could potentially be reflux, but it felt nothing like GERD. I thought something was wrong since I had no fills or anything. It's a scary feeling. Here's hoping yours goes away as mine did. The two-week point for me was huge. That's when I started feeling human again. There's still some pain, but it gets a bit better each day. Hang in there!

I love this topic because at first I was furious that I had to stay overnight. I was dreading it leading up to my surgery ("I'll be more comfortable at home, I don't want a roommate," etc.). I begged the nurses as they wheeled me into the OR... Boy, am I thankful I had to stay - I couldn't have gone home that day if I wanted to. A pain pump I could push every seven minutes, constant attentiveness...I felt great...until they took out my IV and sent me on my way 24 hours later. Looking back, I would have spent another night if they would have let me! The pain really set in at home. Kudos to the people who went home - I do not think I could have.

Post-op is a really confusing, emotional time, huh? I felt great attached to a dilaudid pump in the hospital, but the second they released me from my IV and sent me on my way, I was in a ton of pain. While it does get a bit better each day, I am 11 days out and certainly not pain free. I still can't sit up for extended periods of time, I'm fatigued, I have a pain on my lower side that hurts when I breathe deep or walk around, and I still have a faucet rear-end. Needless to say, you're not alone, and you're still early in the recovery process! Whether it's weight loss or recovery time, we tend to compare ourselves to others; I always read about people who went back to work in two to three days or use phrases like "feel great," and I find myself angry and wondering why my situation is so different. But at the end of the day, we all heal at very different rates and it certainly doesn't mean something is wrong (even though it's really easy to go there mentally). Slowly but surely...we'll get there. Good luck with everything!

I'm here to make you feel normal! I have never met anyone else who has experienced this (or at least admits to it)...until now! I've also 'gotten off' on an ab machine, although mine was the one where you lay on your back at an angle and do sit ups with the arm rests in front of you. My new gym doesn't have that machine, so it's been a while, but my friends back in high school used to call me "Abmachineohhhhhh...":tt2: More consistent than most men, I'll tell ya that!

Thanks for all of the responses! It's really nice to know that a few of you have experienced the same thing; at least I'm not alone! However, I don't think my pain could be caused by the port. My surgeon placed my port just above my belly button, slightly to the right. I can't imagine the port, in the middle of my belly, could be causing pains on the sides? I'm just hoping it's gas! I guess I'll never truly know. All thoughts and similar situations are welcome!

Hi everyone - I was banded four days ago and I'm just wondering if the pain I'm feeling is normal. I've heard all about the dreaded gas pain, but I'm not sure how to tell if my pain is from gas or (worse) something else... I have a really sharp pain in my side every time I try to take a deep breath. I am not able to talk very loud or speak in very long sentences because of the side pain. When I drink liquid, I get the very same pain in the aforementioned side and it makes me feel incredibly full on just a few sips. This naughty little side hurts when I walk around as well. The only time it does not hurt is when I am laying still. The pain comes from the middle of my left side (near the stomach). I chalked it up to gas, but it doesn't seem to be going away (and I have been passing for days). Would gas cause pain when I drink and make me feel full? It doesn't seem like it would... Are these symptoms normal? Has anyone else experienced these particular problems? Does it sound like gas, or stomach pain? Is stomach pain normal post-op? I realize pain is to be expected, I just want to calm my nerves by knowing this is common! I'm afraid that the band is causing me pain! Thanks in advance for the help!

I definitely didn't receive anything for breathing - can you explain what it is? Anything I can get/make on my own?

I know it seems so insignificant compared to what we just put our bodies through, but the sore throat was the absolute worst for me! When I woke up in recovery, all I kept saying was my throat hurts and my mouth is dry. Being on a dilaudid drip for two days, my throat was literally my only discomfort...until I got home of course! The hospital gave me a numbing spray, which helped a bit. Drinking bouillon in hot Water helped a lot as well. I'm four days out today and it's the first day with no throat pain...so you're right around the corner! Now I have to put up with the painful gas, or at least what I think is gas!

Hi Everyone - I'm looking for a little support/advice/talking me off the ledge as I prep for my surgery. My time has (almost) come, and as part of my obsessive preparation, I have spent pretty much every waking hour reading Lap Band blogs and thread-after-thread on this site. I now find myself completely and utterly horrified about the thought of PBing, getting stuck or sick, whatever your term of endearment (ha) may be. The blogs and threads on PBing really opened my eyes - reading about people's very descriptive experiences with “difficult food.” I've read about people getting stuck weekly or daily (worse, sometimes multiple times per day); horror stories of sliming in cups; "spitting up" in front of others (sometimes in public settings); vomiting violently in public restrooms; being in sheer pain for hours upon end. Now, let me preface this by saying that I did not go into this blind - I read all of the literature, went to support groups, info sessions, and read every message board I could find. I knew the term "stuck" and "PB," but I guess I didn't realize how often it happened, or how severe the incidents could be. I also was under the impression that if you’re careful, you can avoid them completely...but that doesn't always seem to be the case? I chose the Lap Band understanding that I would have much smaller portions, would feel full very fast, would have to utilize it as the "tool" that it is, and that some foods wouldn't be tolerated. I did not know how frequent and alarming these stuck sessions would be. I spent the last five years of my life obese and feeling abnormal - I don't want to feel that way anymore. I'm also not telling most people, which makes it more difficult. I'm young and single - I want to go on dates without the shadow of terror lurking around me that I may get stuck. I don't want to be at a restaurant and have to run to the bathroom and spit in the sink, or vomit in the toilet. I think of new jobs, dates, business lunches, baby showers, amusement parks, you name it - and think just how horrible it would be to get stuck in those instances. I know most give the small bites and chew, chew, chew advice to avoid this, but don't the frequent PBers know this too? I do know that many people don't PB at all, or at least not very often; but I've also read accounts where people claim they can't even get solid food down in the morning...and then they go get a fill? Isn’t PBing a sign of being too tight? I'm so confused. Do a lot of people get too fill aggressive to lose quickly and/or avoid hunger? Can I avoid this by not getting fills when I already have a little bit of restriction? Has anyone had a lot of success with very modest fills? Obviously will power is not my forte, or I wouldn't be here, but I'm praying a little will power and a couple of fills will go a long way. Any advice, tips, support, or suggestions for "episodes" would be greatly appreciated. I'm terrified of being terrified to eat anything in a social situation. I know I can't expect this process to be perfect, but from the other side, it seems so scary and uncomfortable (both physically and socially)! I hope to hear that I'm overreacting and it's really not that bad! Thanks in advance!