laurigee

Walk. This will help with the gas pain. My shoulder pain went away about the same time. People say gas-x helped them a lot also. You have typical symptoms right now, so there should be no need to call your surgeon. But of course if things get worse where you don't feel comfortable that things are going as planned, don't hesitate to call your surgeon, that's what they're there for.

My surgeon was just at a seminar and was told that new information shows that there is no actual link between drinking with a meal and how fast the food leaves the stomach or pouch. However, he informed us that if we thought we felt fuller longer without drinking to definitely continue to do so. Everyone's bodies are so different that we need to experiment and find what works for us! The lack of vitamins that your body is getting is totally YOUR fault. The band does not speed up the digestion process and remove food from the body before it can absorb nutrients like gastric bypass! Eat properly = proper nutrients. Any surgery can have negative side effects and I am sorry for that, however, this is not the norm and shouldn't be projected as that! I can understand your anger, I think you need to deal with that! I can assure you that if I had something in my body that was causing this kind of problems, I wouldn't care if I had to work 5 jobs to pay to get it removed I would!

Part of being a woman! We have feelings and emotions! LOL...Embrace the day for what it is and maybe tomorrow will be a happy day. I will send smiles and hugs your way!

I was told to walk all I wanted immediately after surgery. However, lifting and weight bearing exercises I was told to give it 4 weeks. He said not because it would dislodge the band, but because it was still surgery and every body needs time to heal! I figured I went years without lifting weights or doing stomach exercises, I could wait another 4 weeks. I would definitely talk to your surgeon regarding his opinions on limitations. You don't want anything to happen to yourself and have the surgeon question why you weren't following HIS instructions!

I'm wondering why surgeons pick which side to put the port on? My surgeon always puts it on the left. Now you have made me curious! Sorry, I haven't heard of anyone in our local support group having this problem. I'm really sorry you've had so many problems, hopefully your next fix is the answer! Good luck!

With some of the negativity that we see on this site sometimes, it's awesome to see that one bandsters advice to the other helped one achieve a goal! Missy has a lot of great advice, she's definitely an asset to this site! I love to see this, it makes me feel warm and fuzzy! LOL

I, like Missy, chose the lap-band because it didn't mess with or remove anything internally and could be easily removed if necessary. I didn't want to alter anything in my body unless it was the last resort! I will not lie, it was hard in the beginning until everything gets where it needs to be, and if you don't follow rules, like myself, you can gain weight back! But I have been as high as 296 and as low as 155. In 6 years I have never been over 204. Which is still over 90 pounds of consistent weight loss! The only reason I gained my weight was not because of the band, but because of myself. I lost track of taking care of myself when my dad died of cancer and my 24 year old niece died unexpectedly 6 months later. Eating out, eating fast, and not exercising was the culprit not the band! IMETTERA.....as far as people not being able to keep things down, that seems to happen to people that are more aggressive with fills. If that would be a concern of yours, you could share that with your surgeon and I'm sure they could prevent that from happening. My recovery time was very short. I had surgery on Thursday and back to work on Monday! Good luck with whatever you choose, have no regrets, and give it your all.

I was 40 when I had the surgery, at my highest point in my life I was at 296. I got down to around 155 and had no hanging skin anywhere. I have gained weight in the last two years so after I lose my 30 pounds it may be different, but I'm not thinking so. I started exercising right away, drank a lot of water, and lost my weight very slowly compared to most. I'm not sure if this made a difference or not.

Good luck tomorrow! Keep us posted!

I had hernia repair at the same time as my band. How experienced was your surgeon? It's odd that he wasn't comfortable doing both at the same time. My hernia was so large that it stuck out under my ribcage. My surgeon recommended that I wait for my band to be put in to do the repair to my hernia because that way I wouldn't be put under anestesia twice in a short period of time. I also think it is harder for some that have surgeons further away. You can't just pop in and get a fill or unfill when you need it! I'm sorry that you had the experience that you did. I know when others are succeeding and your having a hard time it can be frustrating! Unfortunately, not everyones bodies are the same! Therefore, results will not be consistent. I am curious, I take topomax for my migraines, is it now used as a diet drug? When I take it, it knocks me out. Do they use another drug with it to counteract that effect? Do you have to continue to take it? Anyway, Congratulations on your successful weight loss! Whether we have used the band, bypass, or prescriptions, all of us are looking for the same results! HEALTH! As long as we get there it doesn't matter the road we had to travel!

Unfortunately, you will be hungry! This is probably the most frustrating time most of us will have with the band! Just follow your doctors restrictions, do as he says, and don't worry about your weight right now! This is the time your body is healing and getting use to something new! When you first start mushies from liquids most people will gain weight. You will wonder how that is possible and could get discouraged. My biggest advice would be don't weigh yourself for the first 8 weeks. It can mess with your mind! It will go up and down so much it can get discouraging! And just having surgery can make us emotional enough, you don't need to add that extra stress! After 8 weeks of healing and adjusting your mind and body to the band, then give it all you got! Good luck, stick with it, and the band will work for you if you work with it! It may not feel like it during this time, that's normal, but have faith! Again, good luck!

Insurances are very different. Some will only pay if you are above a 40 BMI. Others will pay if your below with at least 2 co morbids. Mine would not pay at all! Your next steps will be determined by your insurance company more than by your surgeon. They may have you follow a 6 month diet prior to the band. A lot of insurance companies require that. Unfortunately, you will have to wait for them to make the next move! Good Luck!

My philosophy is never say never! You may want or feel like exercising once you lose some weight and start feeling like you have more energy! I think if you already have in your mind it's something you refuse to do, you may be looking at this as a quick fix to lose weight and thinking it is easier than exercising. I think health is the ultimate goal, and part of health is proper nutrition and exercise. You don't have to join a gym or train for a marathon, you just have to move more than you do now! I love to walk, I do it 4 or more times a week for an hour. When I feel like doing more I do, when I don't, I don't, no guilt! I have no extra skin hanging and I attribute that to losing weight slowly and exercise! Of course genetics also helps! Who knows, a few months from now we may see you post that you are no longer addicted to food but to exercise! It's a long journey and anything can happen along the way! Regardless, good luck!

Like Missy said, some do cover removing excess skin. A friend of mine had excess skin that was causing open sores that wouldnt heal and would get infected. Her insurance considered it under medical instead of cosmetic! However, they did not tighten the muscle that they tighten during a tummy tuck? I think that's how she explained it. I don't know anything about tummy tucks, but I remember her saying there was something they didn't tighten like they do in the tummy tuck. Anyway, it's always worth a try to get it covered if you can! Are you sure you'll need one? Are you at goal or just starting out? I lost over 100 pounds and my stomach has nothing to tuck! I did gain back 40 in the last 2 years, so I'm hoping that's still the case! LOL

Don't freak out! Maybe the reason you always failed on diets is because you set yourself up for failure. Maybe you weren't ready! Get educated on what you need to do to have the band work for you, don't treat it like it a fad diet, turn it into a lifestyle. Dont concentrate on weight, concentrate on changing unhealthy choices with healthy choices, and the weight will follow. Have faith in yourself! If your mind isn't in the right place it will be hard! Don't be scared, be excited that there is a tool you can use to finally have the health and energy you deserve! Embrace it, don't run from it!!!! Everything will work out!

Too bad they don't want to educate themselves on a topic they obviously don't understand. When you have no knowledge of something of course there is fear! With knowledge is power! Right now they are powerless!

I had a problem where a large pill got stuck in my esophagus. It didn't desolve because the pill dissolves with stomach acids not liquids. However, when this happened to me I could not swallow ANYTHING even water without it projectily shooting back out. The doctor had to retrieve it with a scope type instrument. If you are able to get food and liquids down and are just having a stuck feeling you may have been stuck for a little bit but it pushed it's way down. Now it is probably just irritated from sitting there. Definitely tell your doctor! Let us know how it goes!

HELL YES!!!! No more eating my favorite crap really pissed my body off! I think my body was rebelling, screaming DON'T DO THIS! And during that time I think my husband and kids would have agreed with my body. I was so cranky and irritable I think if my husband could have ran a chocolate I.V. In my arm he would have! It goes away once your body detoxes from crap! LOL...good luck and God Bless the people around you during this time! LOL

How are you doing, this should be day 4!?

Ouch!!! I never had this problem but a friend of mine did. Her lap band was covered by insurance and so was her tummy tuck. She had the same problem you are having so they considered it a medical procedure instead of a cosmetic procedure. Definitely check into it! You shouldn't have to suffer with that. You are doing so great you don't deserve to be having to deal with this problem. I hope someone can give you advise to help you out!

I was also denied by insurance. However, I did not let that get me down. I started that day saying I would do something. So I worked 3 jobs, started eating right, and started walking. Within a year I was able to come up with half of the money for surgery and was down almost 30 pounds! I had my surgery and continued with my journey. It wasn't a quick fix, I have had many ups and downs, but it was worth the hard work it took to get here! Anything worth having is worth the hard work! If you want it, make it happen!

I really think the amount of calories for me depends on the amount I'm working out! on days I work out I will increase my calories. I never go below 1000 calories. I don't feel I can get in the proper amount of nutrition on less than that. I pay a lot of attention to proper nutrition and I think that is why I never had problems with hair loss. You may have to play with the numbers to see what works best for YOUR body. Same as with food choices. I know that I get very tired and weak feeling if I don't get enough protein. And carbs don't agree with me! It is definitely a process of getting to know your body. Be patient and figure it out, it will be worth the time. Good luck!

I usually have to have something warm for breakfast so I just drink a big cup of diet hot chocolate! I will have some little snack if I get hungry before lunch. Sometimes I don't! I never use my calories on anything liquid. It just doesn't stick with me! I can honestly say that there are times I feel hungry every day. You have to determine whether it is an uncontrollable hunger. I know I was use to eating every time I had a twinge of hunger in the past, however, now it is not so overwhelming that I can't just move on to something else. I think if you never want to feel any type of hunger that could be unrealistic. That's just my opinion however! I know the calories that I'm able to eat per day and what I will eat, so I kind of let myself graze on that food all day. If I don't eat all my lunch, I may finish it if I get hungry between meals! Regardless of when I eat it, I stay within my allotted calories for the day so it doesn't effect my weight loss. Don't always rely on the fills for every solution, sometimes you just have to play around with different things to find something that works for you. Coming here and listening to everyone's different approaches is definitely a great idea. You may find something that worked for them that will work for you! You are doing great and should be very proud of yourself. Stick with it, it may be slow right now, but your getting healthier every day, that in itself is a success!

I only weigh myself once a day and that is in the morning! I don't like to mess with my head twice a day!

You look absolutely fabulous! Congratulations on your success!