NurseShay

No NG w/o scope means No Nasal Gastric tube that does not have a scope on it should be put down into your esophogus. Without a scope they will not see or know that you have a band & meet resistance & cause you unnecessary trauma (especially if you have restriction.) On medical IDs u really just need to list your conditions, special drugs you take like coumadin which would tell med staff that you're at risk for bleeding out. Allergies (especially drug allergies) should be listed. But its not necessary to have your doctors name & # unless you have some special rare condition. The listing of your condition should be enough for a trained professional to assess your particular needs. Lap band is newer so some people aren't familiar with it which is why you'd want to list No NG tube w/o scope but someone with say Type II diabetes doesn't have to say 'No sugar' bc its pretty much assumed. Good idea to list are things like: allergic to latex, or any kind of drug or food. Especially if your allergic reactions are life threatening ie: anaphylactic shock. If you're taking anticoagulants or insulin. If you have diabetes, epilepsy, or other chronic conditions that you may become unconcious. Have implants such as percutaneous implants, pace maker, dialysis access ports etc.

I feel that when I eat too fast! It definitely is my reminder to chew! I have taught myself to sit the food or the utensil down between bites. This way I don't 'shovel' food in & I'm conciouse of wether or not I've thoroughly chewed my food, swallowed, & am actually ready for the next bite! It feels like a very dry sponge is squeezing thru when I take a big bite! Anyone at the table can tell by my expression that its uncomfortable. =/ It sort of ruins my appetite for a while which can bee a good thing! I love it bc I really still need a physical upset to be mindful of my eating. Thankfully it passes in minutes.

At 4wks post op I lost 25lbs... 35lbs from my start date. But my BMI is on the higher side so that accounts for quicker loss. On me I can hardly see that loss but I feel better & I'm more in shape. I was really excercising daily the first few weeks & have since started to slow down (old habits die hard!) But I definitely watch what I eat now that I'm eating regular food with 0cc in my band. I'm happy with any loss as long as its not going up! First fills next week I'm looking forward to the feeling of satiaty bc willpower runs out eventually! =) Everyones different so don't compare yourself too much!

I'm a month out and I still feel bloated a few times a week! Gas is still an issue although nothing like the first 2 wks post op! After I eat solids I tend to feel gassy so I don't know when or if the gas issue ever fully goes away but it does get much better. My stomach has gone down considerably! Gas x, heat pad, walking & massages -especially for the shoulders & neck really helped me.

You are divinely favored that's for sure!! Awesome!

Fritty, wow your my neighbor in riverside!=) we must def keep in touch it is nice to see someone my age on here also! Happy bday to you as well!! I am looking forward to restriction! Right now its based on me stopping myself & being out a lot this week I can see how difficult that can be when everything looks sooo good when you've been on mushies & shakes for a month!haha I don't like the full feeling that comes with the band so I try to avoid it. Before I felt warm & satisfied & sleepy after a large meal! Now after a small one I feel bloated! =/ My appetite is changing. But I'm comforted to see I'm not alone in the battle against 'peer pressure' to eat! =) So now its my bday so thank you all for the bday wishes! Its actually not too difficult to enjoy the festivities but its definitely a change. I never use to give much thought to what I put in my mouth or wether or not I excercised. I went out last night to a club & was totally sober.. who knew clubs weren't as fun as I thought?!haha Went to dinner to start the bday celebration with my mom last night and since I'm still unfilled I was able to eat normal food- ofcourse a heck of a lot less. I use to hate that restaurant for its 'small portions' but it was actually too much food for me now! Left overs! *whispers* I never use to have left overs!! Only doggy bag I ever had was my 2nd order for my late night snack!... So this is really cool. I can do over 10miles a day on my stationary bike now & people are actually starting to say 'it looks like your stomach has gotten smaller!' Despite not knowing about the band. Woo-hoo! 30lbs down & fitting my clothes better, with a lot more energy. This is a awesome birthday!! No regrets.

Ok so I know we eat to live & not the other way around but... for me my family & quite a few of my friends hold food on a pedestal, if you will. Its a BIG part of my culture. Cooking, eating & sharing. Its incorporated into every event much like music is! We eat for every occasion. Birthdays, graduations, holidays, memorials, anniversaries! The major issue at our family wedding is what to serve more than what colors the theme will be. Everyone is large in my family. (Yes, from the South!) And because of this, I have never been more aware of how many events there are in any given month as I am now that I'm banded. I am now on soft foods like fish & eggs & mashed potatos. I have ofcourse tested and I can still eat normal food chewed thoroughly in small quantities. I have 0cc in my band still but I feel a bit of restriction anyways. I do feel stuck if I eat or drink too much too fast. Trial & error. But I'm still losing pretty steadily 4-5lbs/week so far post op out of sheer will power. Not to say it has been easy! Not at all... I'm finding myself hungry again. =/ Problem is... I realized today is Cinco de Mayo, Saturday is my 26th birthday, Sunday is mothers day, next week is my best friends birthday, my grandmothers birthday & my late-fiance's memorial. These are all occasions I would normally throw down! All kinds of foods & definitely some drinks too. Our celebrations are literally just 'dinners, bbq's, going out for drinks' type events. My bf's family is Mexican and they're having a big party today for the 5th & I know ill be more than tempted to try some carne asade or corona! =O I even felt so stressed about not getting off track that I told my friends I didn't want to go out for my birthday this weekend. I have NEVER known a time in my life where you Celebrate without food & drinks. You tell me christmas I think fudge, tell me 4th of july I think BBQ! I hate to go & just feel tortured watching everyone else indulge. This is not a diet its a lifestyle change ... so I need to know how to celebrate without feeling like I can't participate?!

Getting enough calories?? Water? Iron? Any signs of infection maybe? If it persists I suggest you contact your surgeon or even your PCP (esp. If you were self pay for the band it would be cheaper or free thru your insurance.) You should ask for some blood work to see if your deficient in anything. Feel better! Good luck!

Happy bandiversary!! Congrats on all your NSV & weight loss! You have saved your own life that's inspiriational!

Thanks for the advice LapNYC! I think I'm just frustrated because I'm hungry! Haha. Working night shift allows the mind to wander! That's funny you say that bc I'm just starting to feel 'older' seeing the major gap between my age and the teens I so vividly remember being! Years are flying now! =) If only we were all from the active cultures instead of 'Happy Birthday here's diabetes on a plate' culture!lol But that would be too easy! And ty for the condolences it been 2yrs, military. Girl55, thank you as well! Ill def try that! Talking is def something I can do well. Haha!

Watch your fat & carb intake. Make a food journal maybe, to help you track your losses & gains vs. what you're eating, you may find a pattern. (Calories should obviously be at least 500 lower than your daily needs to lose) excercise & slowly increase your intensity. Your metabolism can easily adjust to lower caloric intake & hold on to fat. Boost it with regular excercise. For me excercise is key to my losses as I have no or at least very little restriction as of yet!

Bout a week for me! They'll come off in their own time just don't pick at it.

Wow katy! That's outrageous. I hope your surgeon has some sort of discounted plan for you. I was self pay... had it done in San Diego, CA; and paid $15,300... included the entire pre op consults, surgery, and all post op follow op & fills for 1 year. Banding center also uses care credit financing no interest if paid off within 18mts.

Yep I still have awful gas issues! Don't typically have pain from it like I did immediately post op but I do get cramps at least once a week & I don't go more than a few hours without passing gas or burping! Tonight for the first time in my sleep I didn't care that the boyfriend was over & I let go and man the compressed giggling manifested by shaking on his side woke me up! Lol I warned him before I was banded a month ago about what id heard about the gas but I still played coy running to the bathroom but now its just normal to me. I have never had gas like this but for me gas x helps & if its painful I turn on the heating pad! That's the price we pay for the band I spose! =)

I find that for me the eating is about the same as someone on day shift- still 3 meals a day with the larger one being at work. I work 11p-9a as a nurse so I find I need more fuel at night. Doesn't make sense to eat my largest meal after 9am for me because by noon I'm asleep & not buring any calories. (This took some getting use to though!) My issue would be excercise while working nocs. I do walk & burn some calories at work but working 10-12hr shifts I find it really difficult to get an hour or 2 (2 sessions) of work out in. By the end of the day (or begining technically) I'm pretty pooped. I manage to walk 5 laps at the park but I must do this before going home or else I won't do it! And on off days I usually have a hard time staying on regular time. 24hr fitness is the only gym with hours I can work with but frankly I hate being the only person there in the 2-digit pants sizes! =/ But so far I've been successful on the scales so I won't fix what isn't broken!

I know how you feel sue! I went as far as to chew on celery just for the 'crunch' and spit it out! Old habits die hard. I also feigned for meat- of any type! First few days/weeks were difficult mentally even though I wasn't hungry either. I am not a sweet eater- I have always hated sweets, chocolate, fruit, you name it. My issue was/is real food (in high quantity!) . So for me the sweet flavors of all things liquid in the first phase was torture. I'm sure the sacrifice is worth it tho! At least eventually we can eat normal again with a faster satiated feeling. Best of luck!

I also had it done during my banding surgery. Mine was rather large & tacked on 2 extra hours to the 1hr lap band surgery. My doc said I was even obstructed & had a lot of reflux from it- days before surgery I had no idea I had a hernia but I did know I had sudden major heartburn & had even vomited up until surgery day. I attributed it to hitting my mid-20's & being obese. But since the surgery no heartburn, no vomiting! Glad to have had it taken care of. May cause a little extra discomfort post op but in the long run will be a huge relief!

I am in total agreement with elcee. Patient responsibility! People pick their own pharmacys & they may or may not have a clue who you are. Medical history is not forwarded to them just a Rx to be filled. They may have no idea at all why your doc prescribed what you're taking. Medications serve different purposes unbeknownst to the laymen. You could be taking say sildenafil (revatio/viagra) for arterial hypertension not an erection. As a nurse when I took pharmacology one thing I remember was the main concept was learning drug catagories the side effects, interactions, dosage ranges & such. Your pharmacist may pick up on a dosage error or a negative interaction in what your PCP vs. An ER doc, that didn't know your full history (especially when you don't tell them!), may have overlooked. A medication order is only valid when written by the prescribing doctor stating the type & route (tab, liquid, patch, nasal spray, drops/ by mouth, subcutanous, buccal etc.) So the person who your issue should be with is the provider who wrote the order not the pharmacist. This is why its so important to tell your doctors EVERYTHING. They're not mind readers. If you've recently had a fill & are tight then you may need a liquid PO med. But many banders on a normal day can tolerate a tab pill. If you have issues with pills - break them in half or crush them & pour over some liquid (provided they are not extended release) but again if you discuss this with your doctor they can direct you as to what to do & prescribe exactly what you need. Not every medication comes in liquid form & not all can be crushed. In which case your doctor can change the drug altogether. Do not leave it up to your pharamacist! And by the way its rare you're even dealing with the actual pharmacist over a pharm technician & they may know a lot less than you're challenging them to be aware of. Its your responsibility to know & share with your providers all your medical history. Many banders do not wear medical braclets but in the event of an accident where you're unable to reveal such info & the ER doc's want to stick a NG tube without a scope down and meets resistance from your band they are not going to automatically think 'LAP-BAND®' over 'obstruction'. LAP-BAND® is only 9yrs old & isn't all that common in the US. Do your part... its your health after all! And by all means give correct info- ofcourse LAP-BAND® is reversible. Best of luck next time & I'm sure your pharmacist will remember what you said so its even better for the next bander! Most fields of medicine require CEU's to keep a valid license to practice your field so you may have inspired him/her to take a class regarding new devices like lap band. No reason to be upset knowledge is power. =) ::thumbs up::

I had my surgery 2.5weeks ago and a few days after surgery I had a small infection & really irritated & painful glands. Its due to the 'trauma' of intubation (tube down the throat) & my PCP told me a little irritation, hoarse or loss of voice is normal & can last anywhere from a day to 30days following intubation! Mine felt better by week 2. Gargle warm salt Water to detour any bacteria growth & drink warm liquids like tea. The profalacic antibiotics you receive during surgery ward off colds but about week later they wear off and you're subject to colds & throat infections to an already irritated throat, so it doesn't hurt to take a little Vitamin C! Feel better & congrats on the band!

Haha @ Manda... I was a CNA for 4yrs and have been a nurse for 2 so I know exactly how you feel but believe me nurses in SNF have a lot of work to do that may not be evident to you! Snf's are endless paperwork! Karma&kismat its doubtful you do 12's in a SNF so if you're working a hospital the physical work is likely to be more & I don't think you'd want to go back to work beforee a week off. But I also don't think laprascopic surgeries really require 3 or 4 wks either its a minimally invasive procedure. If it required 3wks of bed rest it probably wouldn't be out patient right? First take the recommendation of your surgeon/doctor. Then decide if you have a low or high tolerence for pain bc that'll help determine when you'll be off the narcs & can even think of going back to work light duty or at all. If you're a charge nurse & sit doing a lot of paperwork rather than bedside you'd probably be ok after a week otherwise give it 2 weeks. And if you have hernia repair expect a little more downtime to heal. I personally work subacute unit & I was back to work in 1 week working 10's. By the 2nd week post op I had very little discomfort due to the gas & virtually no pain.