reredc

I am a pastry chef in a restaurant. I'm around food all day (sometimes 16 hours). I also have to taste the food I make on a regular basis. The tastes don't amount to much calorie-wise but I do find that I don't eat as many "meals" as other bandsters do. I usually eat 2 meals/day and the nibbles throughout the day (and there are going to be nibbles in a kitchen) keep me satisfied. I think that for a lot of people who work in kitchens, the food we work with is seen as work and not really food - if that makes any sense. People tell me all the time how they would be huge if they had my job from eating sweets all day. I actually found that I lost my sweet tooth when I started in this line of work. I mean I taste my product because I have to but it's just work to me. I don't think my working in a kitchen has made it any harder for me than for people who don't work around food.

My surgeon's office provided me with a list 15 mental health professionals in the area who provide psych evaluations for the lap band. Even though you're self-pay I'm sure they have to comply with some of the psych evaluation requirements from other patient's insurance companies and have shrinks they work with.

I was banded 9/19. I've had three fills scheduled since then but none happened because the surgeon felt my restriction was adequate due to my high BMI. Since surgery, there were many foods I could not eat at all and I had to chew all my food into oblivion so it would go down without any pain. I also felt I had to stop after only a few bites because the food wasn't going down and I was losing 2-3 pounds a week. More importanty, my appetite was virtually gone and I had to remind myself when it was time to eat. Now, I noticed about two weeks ago that my appetite had skyrocketed and I was snacking alot. This week I discovered that I could eat steak and rice and potatoes and this has been bad news; I have been eating everything that's not nailed down. I would say that except for the morning when I must chew and eat slowly, it's back to the good old days for me - I guess if I was able to make the right choices I wouldn't have gotten the band in the first place. Anyway, I am assuming it's definitely time for that fill. Anyone else experience this? I was told that for high BMI people, it might be six months before I needed a fill. I haven't weighed myself in a month but I'm sure it's bad news. I feel terrible. Does this mean an aggressive fill? Or is this how everyone feels when they need a little fill?

I am scheduled for my first fill in two weeks. Post-op I had severe nausea and vomiting for 3 days and am wondering if I have more of the same in store for me after the fill. Has anyone else experienced this? The phenergan they gave me for post-op nausea was not helpful.

I feel exactly the same way. I'm not sure that wanting to improve these parts of my life is dissmissable as vanity. I think that there's an improvement in mental health that goes along with the weight loss.

Sorry that you're having to deal with that stressor at this time. Fortunately you'll have the support of MIL. I had my banding about a month ago and, though it's been a rocky road at times, I know this is the best thing I have done for myself in years. I too, went through the "what have I done to myself" stage but it passed. Keep in mind that you need to move alot after the surgery as part of your physical and emotional healing. You have many and happy and some not so happy days ahead of you but hang in there. You are one tough cookie or you would not have decided to take this step in the first place. Good luck to you - hope your recovery is easy breezy.:clap2:

I dry heaved for the first two days after surgery and it was usually after drinking something. The fact that none of the liquid came up gave me the impression that we can no longer vomit like normal people. Most of my dry heaves were followed by what could best be described as a kind of forced burp but without producing anything from the stomach. I told my surgeon but he didn't seem to think it was a big problem. I have sinced PB'd twice and it was nothing like the dry heaves - no violent contractions just a very calm expulsion of what I had consumed. I'm not a doctor but I would suggest you get an x-ray or upper gi to check for slippage or erosion. I'm going to request the same during my first fill 11/8. Good luck.

Lithium is known to cause weight gain but I've never tried it. When I was put on Depakote, I regained over a hundred pounds that I had lost. I switched to Lamictal and found it to be less sedating and was able to actually excercise loose some of the weight. I am not currently taking a mood stabilizer however. Throughout, I have also been on zoloft and at times zoloft and wellbutrin. I do not suspect either of the anitdepressants or the Lamictal of impairing my metabolism/energy like the depakote seemed to. Have you tried Lamictal?

Well I have had severe male pattern baldness since my mid-twenties and since then I have shaved my head. So no worries there. However, I have just noticed that everytime I look at my shirt, there are 9 or 10 hairs from my goatee/moustache on it. I'll brush them off and in an hour or so, there are new ones. So there's definitely some shedding going on. When I was on Jenny Craig in the 80's, (didn't work obviously) they gave me a Biotin supplement to take daily that I distinctly remember thickened my hair and nails. I can't remember what the dosage was, but it worked like a charm - it was very noticable. On my way to get me some biotin!

I was told I could start taking liquid advil for my hip pain but that I should se my PCP and get swtiched over to celebrex shortly. Apparently, the COX-2 inhibitors have a lower rate of gastrointestinal complications.

It was 8 full days before I felt like myself again. Take as much time as you can just in case you have complications. You can always go back sooner if you feel up to it.

Divorce is very difficult for everyone involved. My parents just divorced after 37 years of marriage and it has been challenging for me at times. I cannot speak for your children, but after my siblings and I got over the initial shock (37 years), we were more concerned about them as individuals and wanted that they both be happy and healthy whatever that meant for them. Good luck to you in your transition.

Good idea! I was actually surprised by how crappy I felt after surgery. I had planned on and requested a whole week off but was hoping 4 days would have been enough as I had a lot going on at work. Turned out to be 9 days before I could go back.

I agree 100% that your medical history, procedures, and treatments are confidential between you and your doctor. Your employer only needs to know that you are taking time off to have minor surgery. Where I work, people were both concerned and nosy and so I told everyone I was having a hiatal hernia repaired which also explains my current pureed diet. I would say that unless you have a very intimate relationship with them, they should not be upset that you omitted the specifics of the surgery. And if you do have an intimate relationship with them, I think they would be supportive of your trying to improve your health. Good luck with whatever you decide.

I was banded last tuesday and went back to work today for a half day - which in the industry I work in is 7 hours. I am still having shoulder pain especially at night. I don't think I could have gone back monday- so about a week is average I think. Good luck.

Thanks for asking; I am much better now. The nausea and dry heaves lasted two days so I afraid something was seriously wrong. As of Sat, I was able to drink water and clear protein drinks. As of Mon, I've been on full liquids. Can't wait to start the mushies so I can learn what restriction feels like. Right now, can have all the liquids and soup I want. :hungry:

I'm a guy. I was banded last Tuesday. Everyone seems to recover differently. I, for example, am still having lots of shoulder pain from the gas they use for insufflation. Icy-Hot patches and lying on my right side seem to help though. Surgery itself was a breeze. Congratulations on your decision, I am sure you will do fine. Good luck to you.

I was banded on Tuesday with no complications or pain. Was released on Wednesday and sipped on one Vitamin Water all day as I was really too nauseated to try any Jello or Protein shake. Wednesday night I developed severe nausea and dry heaves. Took the phenergan suppositories they gave me and it helped a little. Slept very little due to excruciating shoulder pain I was told was from gas. Called my surgeon who said I should stick to water and Isopure until further notice. Anyway to cut to the chase, it's now 4 days post op and I am not having any nausea at all, I am able to drink about 1 litre of water a day and about half of an Isopure (which is only 75 calories). Have been taking 2-4 walks a day and still have this shoulder pain. Am I too restricted? It seems like the only day I didn't have any shoulder pain is when I was too nauseated to drink anything for 20 hours. Tried Gas-X and heat. Is 75 calories a day a good idea? I can't see drinking any more isopure without causing this pain and am afraid of causing the nausea to return. Anyone else went through this? When did it get better? :help:

Thanks leatha_g. I am still supposed to be only clear liquids until I see the surgeon on Thursday. If cannot start to consume more calories though, I think I might call him sooner. Thanks again.

I was banded yesterday and expect to be discharged later today. my surgeon said everything went swimmingly and i am surprised by how little pain i am in. can't wait to start losing!

My surgery is scheduled for the 19th at Fair Oaks Hospital in Virginia. I decided to have this surgery about a year ago and am really looking forward to it. But I am also a little bit scared as I've never had surgery of any type. My Dr. has me on a low-carb high protein diet to shrink my liver and I've lost 10 lbs. in the past two weeks. However the last two days have been last meal syndrome from hell. Will I be weighed the day of surgery? What if I've regained some of the 10 lbs? He said I should "keep up the weight loss" and do liquids only on the day before surgery. Picked up my post-op pain and nausea prescriptions today. Got a robe and some slip-ons. Ready or not, here I come!

I'll be thinking of you tomorrow; wishing you a successful surgery and a speedy recovery. Interesting that you are going home the same day. I am also being banded at Fair Oaks (Sept. 19th) and was told I would spend at least one night in the hospital. Good luck!!!

I also came across a surgeon who charged a $2000 program fee. They claim it covers paperwork and nutrional counseling. It seems outrageously excessive to me. After some more searching, I found another surgeon who had no program fee. Or so I thought - imagine my surprise when I was told I'd have to pay a $150.00 program fee at my first visit! Nutrional counseling cost another $200.00 (also not reimbursable by insurance). Still much more reasonable than $2,000 though!