Finetnredbone

Somebody please help me because I am about to lose my mind. I wasn't able to sleep last night and now I have a furious headache. I was banded June 7, 2010 only after an extensive period of research and observing the successful progress of several of my co-workers. Anyway, I haven't really been able to eat anything, not because I'm having emesis or regurgitating, but food has not been appealing to me and some of my favorite dishes aren't even tempting enough to take a bite. I have been able to drink fluids without difficulty and when I do eat, everything stays down fine. So I really didn't think that it was a problem with being too tight or anything. Yesterday I woke up kinda weak and I'm assuming that its due to poor intake so I call my surgeon's office for suggestions or to see if they could make a determination as to why I'm feeling this way. Not only can I not eat but food doesn't even smell good to me. When the nurse calls me back, she informs me that the day of surgery my band was prefilled 4 mls. I asked her was it because my doctor could not get the band attached as tight as he wanted to and she stated yes. Now, I was so concerned about not being able to eat that I hadn't really thought about what she said. When I really started thinking about it, I was pissed off and couldn't take my mind off of it. I had already hung up the phone, but I plan to call today and put an end to my misery. My question is posed to all of you that have more experience with this than I do: Why would a surgeon place a band that is too big and that he can't get tight enough without having to prefill the dang thing? I have read about 1-2 ml prefills, but a whole precious 4 ml. Now I'm having visions of not being able to find the so called precious, in much need of, "sweet spot". I don't have but 6 additional ml's to play around with if this is the case. I've read that the "sweet spot" is usually found around 5.8 mls and this is playing it too close for me. I am a healthcare professional as well and I did very thorough research when searching for a surgeon. My surgeon proctors these gastric banding procedures all over the country and he even sat on the board that helped to design the new lap band system by allergan. I have been overweight for five years and I was looking for a way to stop this downhill spiral once and for all. I am very pissed because now I feel like I am going to be limited in my success. I feel like I was cheated out of possible precious fill room. I was also under the impression that he wasn't going to fill my band until June 29th. He didn't even tell my boyfriend, who was present, after surgery, what he had done. I have searched all over the internet for answers and could not find any so if someone knows the possible reason for this, please shoot me some answers. It just seems to me that if this band comes in several sizes (the lap band system by Allergan) then he would have picked the one closest to size that would fit me properly without him having to use precious fill space just to get it to attach tight enough. I am very unhappy, angry, disappointed, disgusted and many other verbs at this point. Its not even like I have a huge abdomen because I'm one of those people that carry the majority of my weight in my hips and buttocks, so I just don't understand. I don't even have a fatty liver so its not like he couldn't see what was going on. Now I don't know if I even want to deal with him anymore. Someone please help me. Please give me some answers because if I call him today, its not going to be a nice scene and I do want to be able to be open minded.

Thanks for the info about the air and filling the spaces. Thanks for all the encouragement. I've decided that I'm going to work this band for all it's worth and stop sweating the small stuff, but as someone who likes to do things right the first time, it's gonna be hard to not critique everything. I just wanna look good in my clothes and be healthy. I love my pear shape and my curves. Even as a size three, I was well endowed in the buttocks. At the end of the day, I have to be happy with all the successes, no matter how small I may think they are. Changing my mode of thinking and not worrying about the numbers. I'm not a person that weighs myself anyway, I've always been concerned more with inches. I like the way clothes look when I'm dressed. I'm off to pilates. Have a great day and thanks for all of the advice. It has helped me greatly and I feel much better already!!! Just pray that I keep an open mind.

I was banded Monday and I'm already having doubts about this surgery. I weigh 230 and I want to lose exactly 100 pounds. I keep wondering why did I do this to my body. I'm uncomfortable, having gas pains and feel this really big knot in my upper abdomen. I am extremely swollen and my abdomen is bigger after the surgery than it was before. I have been walking with friends in an effort to ease the discomfort. I haven't been able to eat much, but I have been keeping myself hydrated. I went to a social gathering this afternoon and apparently was out much too long because now I am absolutely exhausted. I thought that I was over the worse part of this surgery. I know my boyfriend needs a break from my Evilene attitude, but he won't admit it. My friends are trying, but they don't know what to do for me. I'm missing the greatest parties of the summer this weekend, but I know that I don't need to be out and take the chance of being accidentally hit in the stomach. I cant take the incision sites being touched too much. Please tell me that life does go back to normal. I'm such and outgoing person, being in this house is driving me crazy!!!!!!!

My journey with this procedure started in December with Doctor's visits once per month for 6 months. My last appointment was May 13. The Surgeon's office submitted my info to the insurance company on May 18 and I got approved on May 19. My surgery is scheduled for June 7. Right now I'm on my preop diet which lasts for two weeks. It seemed like a long journey here with the Psych consult, nutrition visits monthly and the doctor visits, but I did it. This preop diet has not been easy, but today was the best day. Its day 5 of the diet and I have 9 more to go. Next week will be nothing but 4 protein shakes per day, but other people have done it so I know that I will be able to I just have to stay focused. Good luck to you and congratulations on the new baby that is coming very soon!!!

I'm scheduled for surgery June 7 and I am really excited. I have read a lot of posts on this site. I can relate to a lot of the pre-op diet feelings. This is day 5 of my 2 week pre-op diet schedule and today was actually a good day. I went through the faint feelings and headaches on day 2 and it has progressively been better thus far. My diet consisted of 2 high protein, low carb shakes and one frozen entree' that had certain parameters. Next week I will drink four protein shakes daily and no solid foods. I can have all the sugar free popsicles, jello and crystal light along with 64 oz of water that I want. I just started having popsicles and jello yesterday. I just keep my mind on the ultimate goal. My support system has been great as well. I'm looking forward to reading the postop experiences as well. Good luck to everyone. We should stay in touch and plan some big party in a great place this time next year. I'm ecstatic

I'm am very happy for you. My big day is June 7. Please stay in touch and let me know how the next few days are. Good luck. Praying for you!!!