health1st

Thanks so much for your honesty! It helps us all!

How do they "test" or confirm you have a streched pouch?

I am so sorry to hear about your complications, I hope they will resolve without too much increased stress. I am trying to avoid any problems as there seem to be more complications with the band than I expected. I wonder if I had read all of this would I still get the band?? I don't know. Question: Please do not think I am blaming you for your condition, I am just trying to understand. Do you think that maybe eating too much might have triggered Esophageal Dysmotility? The guidelines are so restrictive, 3 oz! I eat more than that all the time so I wonder if I am causing myself problems in the long run. !!!

SoccerMom" Your Doc should give you specific things that you can eat. Yes, you can beat the band but if you are willing to work with it I think you'll find you are not as hungry and will have fewer cravings. The following is based on my experience, but it can vary by individual. I am 8 weeks post-op. I didn't want to eat much for days postop. It was hard just to get down a few ounces of liquid Protein for the first few days. I just wasn't hungry. I drank Isopure that you can get at GNC and a little sugar free Jello, and chicken broth. (Buy these things before you have surgery) Just to get a varitey I drained some chicken Soup and just ate the brooth. After a week of Liquid Protein and liquids, I moved to cottage cheese and refried Beans (with a little melted cheese on top) in addition to liquids. Only about an ounce total of beans and cottage cheese, then after a few days maybe an ounce of each. My Doc told me to eat every few hours. I just wasn't hungry. No cravings. (I did stop eating sugar 30 days before surgery to get that devil out of my system.) After about 8 days I started eating some tuna fish with mayo. When I started eating meat it was just a few bites to begin with. If it went down OK then I tried some more meat at the next meal. I added food a little at a time, trying new things. My first raw carrot was heaven! I just started salads last week. Now I eat everything, staying away from the carbs and sugar. I never have had any problem with any food. BUT I was very careful with what I ate, and I CHEW, CHEW and CHEW some more. AND I practiced chewing food to a pulp BEFORE the surgery. Chewing at least a minute before swallowing. I also have the Vanguard Band that is known to be easier with food. Good luck and my suggestion is to practice eating a few meals pre-op like you'll be doing post-op. Eating slow and chewing like crazy so you have an idea of what it will be like post-op. Stop eating before you are full. You don't have to do it every meal, just try it for one or two meals. Even pre-op, I was surprised that I got full faster by taking my time and chewing a lot. This is how you will probably be eating for the rest of your life with the band. Tonight I went to dinner (first time with Mexican restaurant post-op) with my husband. He ordered a full meal and I ordered an appitizer. I ate about 1/4 of mine (mostly beans and cheese with some chicken, I didn't eat the tortilla), he ate the rest, his and mine! We finished eating at the same time. I was satisfied and still feel full 3 hours later. I hope this helps.

Does it hurt worse when you bend over or move? I had some sharp, stabbing pain right where you are describing your pain. after I over did it with some yard work. For 24 hrs it was very sharp, scary. Went to bed with heating pad. My Doc said I made a nerve ending very unhappy by bending over too much and it was "like" the nerve was frayed. The sharp stabbing pain went away pretty fast, 24 hrs, and then just dull ache for aboat a week.

Good ideas. I didn't plan to stay the night after surgery but had to and I didn't have a change of clothes, nightgown, etc. It is very unlikely, but you might want to take a few things JUST in case you have to stay the night. My list would have been: change of underware, nightgown, toleitries and my own pillow, something to read, cell phone.

So sorry you struggled with the pre-op diet. I think most of us did. I only had to do it for 2 days altho the Doc suggested 2 weeks. Thanks for sharing. It reminded me of how much I hated myself before I had a lap-band. I really suffered thinking why can't I do this!! Just as you are describing. I am only 7 weeks post-op and I don't beat myself all day long anymore. I had already forgotten how painful that was, day in and day out, no matter what, I was reminded that I can't eat normally. BUT NOW the band helps me focus on eating the right foods and feeling full pretty fast. People told me it would be like this and I had a hard time believing them. BUT its true for me, I am not hungry and I am very careful about what I eat because I have to. Now instead of beating myself up, I think about getting out and doing something fun, like ride bike. So different. Best wishes, I think you'll surprised that you can acually stick with a good food plan after your off the mushies.

I was doing pretty good until I did some gardening at 3 weeks post-op, lots of bending over, some lifting. Then severe pain. Doc said I tore some of the scare tissue and a nerve ending was very unhappy, which meant that when I bent over it was like lightening bolting thru my belly. It lasted just 24 yrs and then it just went away. Then I was sore for about 3 more weeks. Not bad, just a little discomfort. Suggestion: don't do too much bending over or lifting until you are sure you are OK.

NaNa, thanks for the info, thats great to have. Deb, maybe Check with your doctor about his/her stats on slippage (gastric prolapse) and revision. It should be in the 1-3% range. My experiecne is unusual. But I had slippage immediately after being banded, in recovery. I went 4 days in the hospital with extreme pain. They went back in for a 2nd surgery 4 days later to find the slippage, they didn't know about the slippage until they went in again. I totally trust my surgeon & am confident in his ability. He is very well known, lots of experience. Shit happens. For 5 weeks post-op I couldn't say I'd get the band again. Recovery was very slow. But now almost 7 months post-op, I can finally say, I'd do it again, even with all of the pain and slow recovery. I feel so much better. My energy and confidence is back. I rode a bike for the first time in 8 yrs. Life is good. The complications were awlful but for someone looking into a band, I think it is healthy to at least know it can happen, even if it is rare. Complicatoins happen and did in my case. I recovered. Being obese was so painful both emotionally and mentally. I'm still obese but now I have hope. What I did right was to find a Doc that had lots of experience, that I trusted and talked to me openly about the possible complications. I talked to 30 of his patients pre-op to be sure he was good. I considered Mexico and I am so glad I didn't do that. I want a Doc who is close and a hospital that knew him and knew what a lap band was, just in case.

DAA/stitcy, I am similiar too. Top weight 258, banded 5.5.06, VG band and do not want a fill. Losing a little each week. Lots of exercise. I haven't had a problem with any food so far. I tried sushi last night and even some sea weed salad. I chewed really well and no problem. I've also tried spinach salad, eggs, and even ONE bite of bread, chewed to oblivion, at which point it reallly wasn't very good. A little hungry but will stay the course of no fills for as long as possible. DAA, When did your joints stop hurting? My joint pain is better but still some pain. I haven't lost as much weight as you, but I may be older than you, 55! So maybe it will never go away totally.

Is it really so common? What does "common" mean in numbers? I thought the statistics were 1-3%. At least my Doc stats were low.

Thanks for sharing that, it made my day. And congratulations!!

Pat, .......You had a very unfortunate experiece. I am glad your doing better. I had my slipped band in a US hospital with a Doc that had done over 2000 gastric surgeries so I doubt the mexico experience had anything to do with it. Sometimes it just happens. I don't think they give us enough information on fill complications pre-op. This is the place I hear about it, not in the literature. Again, So sorry!

If you were like me, you did this because you were desperate to be healthy and needed some help. It took me 6 weeks but finally I am feeling much better. I pushed too hard too soon and ended up back in bed. Just take it easy and hang in there. Be sure you are getting your fluids and if you can't sip even Water or liquid protien drinks be sure to call you Doc. Some people have no problems and some of us take a little longer.

Excellent questions to ask pre-op. I didn't ask those questins and had some complications but the Doc and hospital were very willing to work with me to get it to something I could afford. Also, my insurance paid for some because I ended up in the ER.

So sorry to hear about your problem? What happened? If you can, more information would be helpful to those of us getting fills. Was there a way to avoid a week in the hospital and losing the band or is it just one of those things no one can do anything about. I hope the hospital will work with you. I had a slipped band, in the hospital 5 days and a 2nd surgery. Both the Docs and the hospital were very generous and helpful on how much I had to pay.

Bermy Here is a link on band size http://www.lapbandtalk.com/showthrea...130#post231130 <!-- / message --><!-- sig -->__________________ http://www.lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=8926&highlight=sized+bands

Karel, you have to do what is right for you. Sorry it didn't work out. My sister lost 100 lbs thru TOPS and has kept if off for 8 years. Having been thru what you've have I bet you can do it without a band!

I can chug all I want but only after about 2pm. Early AM I can drink a glass of water in a few minutes but have to pause between several swallows. No fill yet.

I'm with you! I'll wait as long as I can before I get a fill. Glad to hear someone else express it. Like you, I usually get hungry just before its time to eat (is this possibly like a "normal" eater, OBG?! what a unique experience) i was banded 5.5.06, losing weight just fine and I have a dreadful but I think healthy fear of a bad fill. (thanks to stories like Donnas, I mean it, thank you, sorry you had the experiece but sharing it helps us!) Do you have the VG band?

I have the Vangard. I was banded with the smaller band on 5.2.06, it slipped immediately (intense pain! but the slippage was probably not because of the smaller band just a very rare event, lucky me) and when my Doc told me he had to go back in on 5.5.06, I asked for the VG band. He said he'd decide which band when he got in and he decided on the VG. His reasons were that the smaller band had slipped and there was some damage and the VG band would allow it to heal faster. That was all I needed to be happy with the VG. It may be harder to get the sweet spot with fills but hopfully easier on my stomach is better in the long run. Here is a tread on the size of bands: http://www.lapbandtalk.com/showthrea...ight=band+size

Pam, I've been banded 6 weeks, so this is a newbie talking but I've never had PB's or slimed, or had food stuck. BUT I am SO careful about what I eat and how I eat it. I followed my Doc's food suggestions faithfully. My band-buddy has been banded 5 years and she's only had one time with food stuck. She was the one who told me: Chew, chew, chew. I get tired of chewing. I want to eat like the old days, unconscious and just putting it down but those days are gone. I'm losing weight very nice and not hungry. You can do everything right and PBs and slime can still happe but this is just my experience. ALSO, look into the newer, larger more flexible VG band. I have the Vandgard band and I don't seem to have the prolblems with food getting stuck and PBs others in my support group have with the smaller band.. Here is a tread on the size of bands: http://www.lapbandtalk.com/showthrea...ight=band+size ALSO PB's and slimming http://www.lapbandtalk.com/showthrea...ight=band+size Looks like you are doing your research. Great. Ask all the questions you need to, check out complications etc. You'll know if this is right for you or not. __________________ Banded 5.5.06 Weight 250 and losing! Colorado

Pam, I've been banded 6 weeks, so this is a newbie talking but I've never had PB's or slimed, or had food stuck. BUT I am SO careful about what I eat and how I eat it. I followed my Doc's food suggestions faithfully. My band-buddy has been banded 5 years and she's only had one time with food stuck. She was the one who told me: Chew, chew, chew. I get tired of chewing. I want to eat like the old days, unconscious and just putting it down but those days are gone. I'm losing weight very nice and not hungry. You can do everything right and PBs and slime can still happe but this is just my experience. ALSO, look into the newer, larger more flexible VG band. I have the Vandgard band and I don't seem to have the prolblems with food getting stuck and PBs others in my support group have with the smaller band.. Here is a tread on the size of bands: http://www.lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=19113&highlight=band+size ALSO PB's and slimming http://www.lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=17625&highlight=band+size Looks like you are doing your research. Great. Ask all the questions you need to, check out complications etc. You'll know if this is right for you or not.

Jenna, well that is very disappointing, expecially since Inamed and the Docs don't tell us much about the life expectancy of the band just vague mumbo jumbo. A very young person might have to replace it a number of times. I do hope the medical community willl develop a new solution in the next 5 years that will be better all around. I looked at the g-bypass 6 years ago and decided just to wait for something safer and less invasive. For now I guess I will live with my decision to have the band and accept that at the time I made it, for me, it reallly was my only choice. That or continue into terrible health due to my obesity. In general I think obese people have a desparate mind set and tend to ignore the downside. We just want to be able to live a normal life. At least that was where my head was. I was so tired of being obese and all that goes with it. Just 30 lbs lighter my blood pressure is really low, feeling much better, and much more active. My relationship with my spouse is so much better. I feel better about me and I am happier, so it spreads around. Even with my complications, today, I'd do it again.

Jenna, I thought it was longer too. I though what Inamed said was no statistics are available longer than 10 years as its only been around that long. I could be wrong. I think there will be more procedures developed in the next 10 yrs, hopefully some even more simple and less invasive than either Lapband or Gbypass. There is one ne procedure testing now that gives an small electric pulse to your stomach that makes you fill full. Something will be developed because obesity is such a big problem and there's money in it for someone. Just a quick FYI, I had the slippage postop and today, 6 weeks later, I'm having my best day. It has taken a long time to get my energy back and get used to this Band. I am beginning to feel better about having it. My weight loss is good, 30 pounds in all. I lose about 2 pounds every 5 to 6 days. Yesterday I rode a bile for the first time in 10 years. I've still got a pretty big butt "but" I rode a bike! The band is working and so am I. It is 60% the band, and 40% me. Yeah!