SoccerMomma73

Hey there! Good luck with your decision. I was banded on 12/16/09 and am down 29 pounds, a million to go. I have not vomited once. Gas from the surgery was over in a week or so. I do burp a lot and my stomach gurgles (loudly at times) but neither bother me I can feel my port but not unless I'm really looking for it. I cannot see it or in irregularity in the skin above/around it. My surgery was on a Wednesday, I was back at work full time on Monday. I stand/walk almost all day and the first 2 days were exhausting but by day 3 (1 week post-op) I was fine. Good luck!

I can't speak for optifast, I was on HMR but we were allowed to add sugar free jello-o (powder) or a little sugar free pudding (powder). The ONLY was I could stomach them was to add both the jello and pudding then put in the freezer until almost frozen, if they were the least bit cool instead of cold I can't stand 'em....And they're right above, it does get better!

I was great the first six days, day 7, 4:00 a.m. I woke up starving and stayed that way until I could move to mushies, then just stayed slightly hungry most of the time. Then I got my first fill, and while not perfect, am not hungry all the time either, WOOHOO!! My advice? Drink drink drink, walk walk walk, and ride the not hungry wave for as long as you can! Enjoy it and keep up the good work!

I've still got a long way to go but if you read around here there are countless people who have lost 100+ pounds and are at, or below their goal weight. What you typically read is average weight loss. It's all in how you use your band...I have an acquantance who was banded a year ago and has lost 10 pounds...she lives off ice cream....I know another who was banded 2 years ago and has gained 20, she would not eat the appropriate foods and chew slowly and kept having complications so her doc took all her fluid out, she is still complaining about gaining weight but she's not willing to make the changes that make the band work....It appears that the people who really work with their band lose much more than 50% but it's all about averages. Good luck!

I know, I know, but I was so thrilled to have something, anything that was real food I didn't dare question it. My instructions just said pickles so had every type imaginable, I did fine bread and butter made with splenda which turned out to be my favorite. I'm fairly sure the folks at Kroger thought I was pregnant with triplets by the vast amounts of pickles I was purchasing....I also decided that if I could have pickles why couldn't I have cucumbers....soooo...I stretched that a little. As far as the caffeine, I don't know, I haven't noticed anyone else on here saying anything about it. I have a very conservative doctor who also says no alcohol ever so I'm guessing he just looks at caffeine as not great for you therefore you should give it up. I've never been big on caffeine so that hasn't been an issue.... It is a diuretic so immediately post op when you're forcing the fluids to keep from getting dehydrated I can see why they'd want you to avoid it, after that I really have no explanation!:cursing:

Mine was HMR protein shakes (which I loathe) sugar free jello and popsicles, broth, SF/caffeine free beverages (crystal light and water) and pickles...the only solid food allowed was pickles. I will say I cheated with raw celery and cauliflower, and boiled egg whites (don't care for the yokes)...I lost 12 pounds and had no problems with the surgery.

I'm a physician assistant so lots of standing and walking but no straining. Surgery was on Wed, I was back on Monday. The first 2 days by noon I was worn out but made it through the day, after that I was fine. I had issues with clothing. The waist band on all my work clothes bothered the heck out of me when I sat down, even elastic waists...the only thing I found comfortable for about 2 weeks was a pair of leggings...be prepared :cursing:

Mine did not require it, if I'd had a lot of GERD symptoms he would have. HOWEVER mine makes everyone do a barium swallow post-op before they get anything besides ice....Totally sucked, already nauseated from surgery, pain meds, etc then the first thing you get to drink was that stuff...YUCK!

I've only had 1 fill but could have gone back to work as soon as they were finished if needed, it was no big deal. I would go with whichever is more convenient (okay, seriously I'd go for the one I could do quicker...but it sounded better to say whichever was more convenient) GOOD LUCK!

I was completely and totally miserable until I could advance to mushies....So Good Luck!!! If your doc allows cream of wheat or pureed oatmeal those did help fill me a little but it didn't last long. Also the protein drinks did little...although I was required to drink them (and did) I felt the same as if I'd been drinking water...it's miserable and has its own special name of "bandster hell". My best advice is drink drink drink, drink constantly it was the only thing that kept me from going NUTS those 2 weeks.... GOOD LUCK!!!!

Congrats on taking charge of your life! Having the lap band is an interesting little voyage. Surgery and recovery were (at least for me) a snap. I'm just over a month out and lost 12 pounds pre-op and 19 pounds post-op. I chose the lap band because I felt like my biggest obstacle to losing weight was hunger....My portion sizes were outrageous and I felt like if I had something to help me control that then I could lose weight. I don't mind working for my weight loss, I don't mind eating healthy and exercising, I just can't handle starving all the time. And so far, so good. I do not regret my decision one bit and am anxious to see how far I go with the weight loss in the future! I will warn ya it's not easy, you have to think about and watch everything that goes into your mouth and the first weeks, if you're like most of us, you'll be starving, but it's temporary. If you're like most of us too you won't lose as much weight initially as you would with a bypass but if you work with your band you will lose the weight and you know the saying, slow and steady wins the race.... Good luck with your decision, we at LBT love to talk so any questions or concerns just drop us a line!

Seriously yes it's a big deal! I started 30 pounds under you and have lost 29 so you're almost passed me! Congrats, and you totally rock!

You could also have some inflammation/swelling from the pill incident. I'd recommend sticking with liquids for a day or two and that should go down. I take 2 chewable flintstones a day (doc suggests the flintstones, go figure). However, my doc has told me not to worry about pills and so far I haven't had an issue, guess I'll keep an eye on it in the future!

FYI my doc (Baker) has you go back on full liquids for 48 hours after a fill then mushies for 48 hours after that. After my first fill last week they told me to go get a smoothie and hang out in town for at least an hour in case I got too tight and needed a little removed. (next time I'm taking a yoplait yogurt smoothie with me...I was about 2 hours late getting filled and hadn't had anything except a protein shake about 9 hours before and had started to get shaky and needed to get a little something down but didn't have anything with me except water...you life, you learn!) Every doc is different but I thought I'd let ya know! I'm in Cabot and so glad to hear from a few of you in AR! Congrats to everyone with how well you're doing!

I found on the pre-op I could do little more than go for a short walk after work...just wasn't enough fuel to run off of, if I did more I got dizzy, tunnel vision, etc. My pre-op consisted of all the nasty shakes (HMR) my heart could desire, SF popsicles, SF jello, broth, water, crystal light, and the ONLY solid anything I was allowed was pickles...there were many, many pickles in my life, just so I could chew. Some of the other docs pre-op isn't so bad but I recommend if you're cut down to <750 calories a day you take it easy and don't over do it. Good luck! It sucks but you can do it!

So that's what "stuck" feels like. O-U-C-H String cheese as you're running out the door in a hurry and not paying attention is a bad combo, luckily it passes momentarily, after scaring the poo out of my 5 year old son...but I don't want to ever play that game again thank you very much.

Hey guys! I'm from Cabot, Dr. Baker did my band on 12/16 (Dr. Gibbs did my gallbladder 2 years ago and LOVED him). I've had 1 fill and am chugging right along. Surgery and recovery were uneventful (just how you like 'em) and I'm starting to get the hang of this whole band thing. Somehow I keep hoping I'll wake up in the morning and magically be thin! Unfortunately it's not that easy but the band absolutely helps. Good luck with everything and feel free to drop me a line if there's anything I can help you with, I know I had a million questions as my surgery date got close!

I go from hungry to not hungry...once I hit the "not hungry" phase I have to stop...two or three more bites and I immediately go to the horrid chest pain and "oh my God I'm going to die" phase....I never actually feel full any more....I'm used to shooting for the "full" feeling and had several rounds of the nasty nasty chest pain before I caught on. Hope this helps!

I've been laughing at other people naming there bands but have decided since it's a part of me forever I might as well...I'm leaning towards Steve....don't ask...it has to be a male, I'm not sure why, but it has to be, and Steve is a simple, strong, decisive name :-P I'm not sure, I haven't written the birth certificate yet

I felt the "flush" as they put the saline in too and it was totally BIZARRE!!! I told my nurse practitioner it was like a big worm wiggling and she thought I was a freak....okay, maybe I am a freak. Isn't it nice to not be starving???? and Congrats on the progress.

Someone should really start a scale whore support group!!! Hi, I'm Christie and I'm a scale whore....:thumbup:

Mine was 2 weeks of shakes, shakes, and more shakes. For excitement I was allowed broth, SF jello, SF popsicles, and the standard water and crystal light. The ONLY solid allowed was pickles....go figure...I ate pickles out the wazoo. It was miserable and I fought it tooth and nail. I took my normal BP meds and yes, at time was weak and shaky, a little dizzy but adjusted.

So that's what "stuck" feels like. O-U-C-H String cheese as you're running out the door in a hurry and not paying attention is a bad combo, luckily it passes momentarily, after scaring the poo out of my 5 year old son...but I don't want to ever play that game again thank you very much.

I'm new at this and just got my first fill a week ago so this all may change. But at this point if I get "full" it immediately turns to a chest pressure/shoulder pressure I'm in misery kind of feeling. What I've discovered this week is that if I eat until I am no longer hungry and feel satisfied and then stop at that point then I am good for several hours. If I take 2 or 3 more bites I'm in misery, which, again, lasts for hours. Depending on what I ate that satisfied feeling may last anywhere from 2-4 hours. I no longer feel "full" like I did pre-band, it's either hungry, not hungry, or stuffed to the point of pain and misery.....so I'm shooting for the "not hungry" feeling. I know my restriction is likely temporary since I just got my first fill last week but I'm working with it while I've got it and trying to take advantage of it. Hope this helps a little! Good luck, you'll find that restriction, sometimes it just takes time.

Yup, an average is just an average. I know 2 people who have had a band for 1-2 years, 1 has gained 15 pounds, one has gained 30 pounds....I know 3 others who have lost more than 100 pounds each (and are within 25 pounds of a "normal" weight). Everyone is different and I see a lot of people going in to this thinking they will just magically lose weight without working for it and when the weight doesn't just fall off they give up. The 2 that haven't lost weight don't exercise and have every excuse in the book for why they eat the way they do....I feel bad for them, but there's nothing anyone can do until they are ready to be proactive about their health and do the work they need to in order to get where they want to be.... Losing weight isn't easy, but the band certainly helps. For those of us who could eat and eat and eat and never get full the band is almost like a little bit of magic....Okay so it's actually aversion therapy, if you eat too much you get pain/nausea/etc and you hate that feeling so you stop eating too much...but it works. And throw in healthier foods instead of junk (which is easier when you're not hungry all the time) and a bit of exercise and there ya go! Good luck with everything, I know it's hard but it is so worth it!