Natman

Hi there. I was banded about 6 weeks ago and can tell you that my experience has been extremely positive for me. What you will probably have noticed is that few, if any, of the posters here will tell you what to do with this decision. I wondered why when I first came to this site. Surely with all the experience and knowledge out there people must have opinions...and yes, we all do! The thing is, none of us can make a decision this big for you. My advice, for what it is worth, is for you to continue to do exactly what you have been doing and that is to seek as much information as you can before you make the decision. As for not telling people, I can only say that the support that I have had from those around me, especially my wife, but also close friends and family, has made the days when you question your sanity in doing this easier, and allowed me to progress to the days when I can clearly see why this was a decision that has saved my life. I wish you all the best in your decision making and hope you find the support you need. Cheers.

Hi there. I also face this problem and have found that taking a probiotic daily and an occasional charcoal capsule seems to help. Not sure what the medical reasoning is, but it has been suggested to me that the slower rate of digestion in the main stomach portion has it working a bit like the "rumbling stomach" you get when hungry, which produces gas. Sounds not unreasonable and I'd be eager to hear from the medicos out there... Cheers.

I have heard of people reacting this way after a general, irrespective of the operation. The pain does go away, and if you are finding that the medication causes you a problem speak with your doctor right away to get something else. I know codeine causes problems for many people just as an example. Keep in mind the reasons that you went through this and keep those around you informed of what you are feeling. You can do it, but we all need support and reassurance from time to time.

In some "lucky" cases (like mine) your surgeon will use a retractor to separate the liver from the stomach. I was injured playing sports as a kid so these two organs had become fused. The separation created pain that still hasn't gone away after almost 4 weeks...but is lessening each day. Felt great the day after surgery, but that was really before the drugs all wore off! Everyone is a bit different as we all had slightly different experiences and different pain responses. Don't feel you need to suffer, though. Great advice there...contact your doctor! Hope all is well soon!

Hey there. Glad you said it before me! I'm having the same battle. It seemed that all of a sudden there was nothing to stop me eating anything I wanted all over again. Let's be honest though.....none of us hear went through the "fun and frivolity" of gastric banding because we found it easy to just use our willpower to restrict our eating habits. That sounds so much like cartoon superhero stuff that I have to laugh when people say "couldn't you just not eat bad things?". Even those people who ask those dumb questions have their cake days I can promise you that. I have a cousin who is the fittest person I know. She rides a couple of hundred km's in an afternoon just because she has nothing better to do...you'd think she lived on lettuce or something by the look of her. Yet I'm not brave enough to get between her and the tub of chocolate ice-cream when the mood takes her! I guess what I'm trying to say is that this is pretty hard! Don't beat yourself up over a couple of bits of cake. You know the rules and you kinda broke a basic one. We all have. If you can't see it right now, let me remind you that you've made a bigger decision for your future health and shown a real commitment to seeing it through by trying to do what is right. You should be proud of what you've achieved so far. I say congratulations on making it this far and being strong enough to try! Small slips happen and you've done the hard work in being able to see it before it becomes a habit. :thumbup:

Hey there. It's never easy going through surgery, and as you've heard from other posts there is a common post-surgery depression caused by the drugs used to put you out. If it helps, anyone who has a history of mental health issues often finds this harder to deal with as the normal "swings and roundabouts" of life aren't as easy to control. I'm mildly bipolar and had a hell of a time in the first couple of weeks with mood swings (largely depression but some euphoria). With that settling down I'm beginning to face the world again and be happy that the choice to have the band put in seems to have been the right one for me. Fortunately for me, though, I have found that my friends have been supportive and have welcomed the chance to talk about what I have been through and why. If you have people to talk to (the suggestion of support groups is a great one!) whether close friends or in the case of mental health issues like anxiety maybe professionals in the field then you might find this brave new world easier to handle and less daunting to have those around you not understand or be understanding. I truly wish you the very best and hope that you find the support you are looking for. This site is filled with people who do understand what you face and I hope that you are helped by those here like I have been.

Hi there. I have had a medic alert bracelet for years so I guess I'd feel somewhat naked without it! I have other medical conditions that need consideration in the case of emergency but I've definitely added the band on the information. My local chemist has them or they can be ordered over the internet from various places. Mine is just a screw-lid thing made of stainless steel with paper inside. You've reminded me that I should probably consider replacing the waterproof seal soon!:smile:

I once scared a small child with the loudest hiccup I had ever encountered during the start of week 3 post surgery! I didn't know it was coming - it just came out. Slowing down, taking MUCH smaller bites and chewing much more has meant these have just about gone away for me. I still get the occasional "indigestion" feeling when I begin eating sometimes but that apparently goes away too and is just another reminder to do the above right from the beginning of a meal.

Hey there. I was banded Sept 11 this year and have just started feeling no restriction. Sounds like you guys heal faster than me! My doc and nut both said not to be too concerned if I feel hungrier as the swelling has probably just gone away and with no fill there is very little to restrict the pre-surgery throughput. The main advice they gave was to stick to a healthy diet and to watch the portion sizes. I'm finding that I'm eating just about a cup of food (give or take) and feeling full if I take it slow. The biggest problem is often about 1-2h later I'm hungry again. Apparently this is normal so I'm trying to come to grips with it all. I am assured that the hunger goes back to a slower distribution pattern once the fills put you in the green zone. No fill, no green zone! All the best with your battle. All I can offer is Winston Churchill's famous line - "When you are going through hell, just keep going!".

Hey there! Great to see so many happy people! I've so far lost about 8kg (about 18lb I think) but I've only been on liquids so I guess that doesn't count really yet....I just hope the trend downward continues. Also wonderful to see good news shared.

Hey there. That's awesome news! Congratulations. It's great to hear stories like yours. I've only been banded for a week and a half and have a little bit of lingering discomfort at the band site still. Hearing about great days like yours really helps to keep up the spirits while enduring the healing process and nothing but liquids! Thanks for sharing the positive news!

I definitely felt that for a few days but I found that making sure I kept up the protein shakes and drank HEAPS of water helped me get my mind back. I'm an Engineer who needs to be able to think on his feet for work so I truly understand your concern. Exercise helped a lot - even just short walks each night.

Hi Bob. I know people say this so easily, but I truly feel your pain! I also have other medical issues, one of which is diabetes that resulted in me adding 50kg to an already, let's be nice and say "solid" frame. Deciding to have the band is a personal choice and I certainly won't try to tell you what to do. For me it was a decision to try and be around a bit longer for my about to be born first child. What I decided was to give it a go and, like you I do things 100% and then typically fall away 100% quickly. This forum has helped me stick to the diet needed to heal (I had the band put in less than 2 weeks ago) and I am grateful for the support provided here. For me the process has been amazing. Although I am not fully healed already my medication requirements have dropped very significantly and I've lost almost 10kg (22lb) in the last 3 weeks. I wish you all the best in your decision. The choice to have the surgery was the best thing for me. Cheers.

Hey there. I would question the sanity of ANYONE who wasn't at least a little apprehensive about the idea of being operated on! It is a big deal however "minor" people say this surgery is. What I can say from my experience is that I woke up an hour after they put me under and within a couple of days I was back up and able to go for long walks again. I could walk around the hospital (complete with drip on wheels!) within 2h of waking up! After almost 2 weeks I have next to no pain and have had great success in dropping medication dosages already. I hope you keep positive and I wish you every success!

Hey John. I hope you are hanging in there! I also found the energy thing really hard to deal with - it was like starting out with Diabetes all over again, but without the sugar rush! What helped me was getting out for a walk each evening. The shakes are good to give you input, but I really didn't start feeling "normal" again until a couple of days after walking again (I couldn't make it more than a few yards straight after surgery but within a couple of days I was able to make a km or 2). Hope that helps a bit!

Hi JennGA. I have type 2 diabetes and was banded on Sept 11 this year. During the pre-op diet something quite remarkable happened. I went from needing about 100u of insulin daily to less than 10! Since banding that number has dropped further (today I only took 2u and it was almost debatable whether I needed that). I understand that since I'm on the liquid diet phase (and that is not as easy as it sounds, believe me) that things may change in the future. All I can say is that my surgeon is pretty confident that my diabetes will go into remission or go away altogether and I'm already reaping the benefits of not taking enough insulin to cure a diabetic horse!:biggrin: Happy to answer any questions that you might have. All the best.

I had a similar experience the day after my surgery. My wife drove over a speed bump a little too vigorously and I was in agony for a couple of hours with extreme nausea. I called the doctor and he gave me a similar explanation (sewn in - Lapband) so all was good after a few paracetemol and a good lie down!

Hey there. I was banded the same day and I still have a sensation like someone punched me in the solar plexus, but it is fading. I was told that this is due to the swelling going down but the resultant bruising taking longer to heal. My nutritionist put me onto a soluble fibre called "Benefiber" that has helped reduce stomach pains and allow "normal movements" (for want of a better phrase!). I still take paracetemol for the pain as well as anti-inflammatories for now. There was also a great suggestion of Probiotics for the gas that I'm keen to try (another thread I think). Also peppermint tea seems to help and the warmth of the liquid seems to aid in recovery, although if I drink too quickly the resultant hiccough can be painful. I agree with the previous post, though. If the pain seems more than you can deal with, or especially if it gets worse or isn't lessening (or even just for your own peace of mind) please contact your surgeon. All the best.

Hello there. I have just had band surgery on Friday (so I'm 3 days post just now). Aside from a small scare going over a speed bump a little fast and knocking the wind out of me I've had a great experience so far. I lost about 5kg before the surgery and my insulin needs have dropped dramatically already (I'm a type 2 diabetic but needed insulin). The pain from the surgery has almost gone already and I can take liquids pretty easily now. Fortunately I have great support from my family and friends, as well as a great team from the doctor (Dr. Craig Taylor from the OClinic in Sydney - you guys rock!). Very pleased to meet everyone here and hope that my experience in going through this might help others in some way!

This is great advice and worked for me too. Slow walks (be ready for the passing of gas in record amounts though!) has helped me tremendously. Getting the rest that YOU need is essential and terrific counsel.

Hey there. You sound like you are going through a rough time. I can understand that and just wanted to remind you that you aren't alone. Coming here to say what you have said took real courage and I want to compliment you on that. You are stronger than you may realise if you can come to this forum and say that you are finding things tough. Too many of us pretend we are coping just to "not trouble others with our troubles". I have other medical issues to deal with and was like that with them too. "Be tough - a good Aussie Bloke doesn't show pain or weakness". I'm here to say that it takes more strength to reach out to others saying that you need reassurance than to just sit back and do nothing. If you feel it would help there are often support groups that you could go to physically. Maybe if you looked in your local directory or even google you might find that there are others in your local area with similar thoughts and feelings, and you could be support for each other. Well done for speaking out and I wish you all the best. This forum seems very supportive and knowledgeable so use this resource as you need to as well.

I don't know if this helps but I had surgery 3 days ago and have had basically no issues. The operation took maybe 1 hour and recovery has been really fast. I also only regret not having done this sooner. The decision to have a band put in is a very personal one and you need to be the one to make it. For me it has already reduced my insulin requirements to almost nothing and as a result may have saved my life. I encourage you to make the decision that you need to make with as much information as you can. Clearly you are a courageous person to look at banding, but also wise enough to know that you need support. Hopefully you will find the support you need here as well as through those close to you. All I can say is that the process has already changed my life as I can see that my diabetes may go away altogether and only 3 days after surgery I can still go for walks with my wife. I haven't had to crush pills, plus I've found liquid alternatives to some that I took before so it became no issue. All the best.

Hi there. My experience has been very similar. Some muscular pain near the port (like I'm winded or something) and a lot of gas. I also found that propping myself up on pillows to sleep a bit helped. The general pain is fading now and I hope you find things more comfortable over the next couple of days. My doctor recommended mixing in a soluble fibre (we have a product in Oz called benefiber that dissolves completely and is tasteless) and that has meant fairly normal BM's for me. Cheers!