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Of complications arising at 4 months post op? I have had no issues until yesterday and I started having pain on the left side of my abdomen. Today even when i drink water it is uncomfortable. I called my surgeons office today and the nurse said he wanted to see me tomorrow since he was off today. Just not sure what to expect. My surgeons office is an hour away and scared he will keep me then ill be in a panic to get my son from school.

@Josey Quinn, Thanks for this great article. The training wheels analogy is a really good one! We need to learn to use our new tools properly without rushing them along. I agree, you are so right that cheating on the post-op diet by caving in to cravings can lead to continued cravings and more cheating later on, not to mention possible complications and safety concerns. I think there is another relevant point here: the need to build good habits. The pre-op and post-op diets last long enough for us to build new, healthy habits, and get out of the habits that got us to need surgery in the first place. It takes a few weeks to build new habits. If we cheat on the diet early and often enough, we will never have that chance to break the habit of having cravings and giving into them. Thanks for this perspective on why it is so important to be good post-op!

Lapband for Life is an excellent book! I read it cover to cover before I had my surgery it was very helpful. It has a lot of helpful information for you AFTER surgery. If you have complications, questions about fills...etc. it gives you lots of helps & hints. My favorite part of the book are the Before & After pictures & stories all through the book.

Oh don't feel bad Tiff. I have hair all over the bathroom floor and counter and every time I wash my hair, I lose about 4 handfuls and I had not complications. You'll do fine Manatee. Just get that stinkin band out. It's the band that causes all these complications.

Ok, I'm doing my research for this second surgery. Over at LBT there's a complications forum that formed out of necessity over the years. I -really- want to know the bad possibilities, seeing how I seem to attract that 1-2% chance... Maybe someone can direct me to some threads? I need to know worst case possibilities.

Hi all I had a lap band on 12/10/2011 the surgery went well but then on 31/10/2011 and with no warning I had sever pains in the left side of my abdoment so I went to hospital and had x rays and discovered that the tube that attaches to the port had come off hence the pains so next day I went back into theater to have it fixed. All went well again then on Monday (24/11/2011) the same thing happened. This time not sure wot to do. Should I give it another go or should I just have it taken out?? Also has this hapened to anyone else???

How ya doin Rodney? My surgery went well, no complications. Doc said it couldn't have gone better. Sleeping s lot because of the pain meds but really not felling all that bad! Did 3 laps of the hospital floor already ???? I hope your recovery is going smoothly too

Agree 100% with this post. Everyone's body is different; age, start-weight, etc are all factors. People put start weight, lost weight stats etc and I never knew how to calculate that my first month post-op. My start weight was much, much higher then yours and I lost before the surgery, had complications with massive swelling, gained 13 lbs from the surgery, nothing but a couple lbs the week after (miserable!) the 3 weeks out started losing like close to 20 lbs in just a week (the swelling went down completely and lost the surgery weight I had gained). I've lost very quickly since then but other conditions affect that as well. Also, inches count! Now, at 4 months out with a new job this last month that is VERY physical labor in a factory have contributed to lbs not going down but my pants are falling and inches are going down. You can't go bad with this really. Just give it time and be patient honestly-you'll be feeling good in no time and feeling the weight loss more as you heal and get into a more normal way of life.

If you have fainted, you should have been in the E R already. Since your doctor appears to be associated with Lennox Hospital in NY City, I will assume that you have a bariatric team that you can contact. If you are feelng so physically weak and emotionally hopeless so early out, I would suggest that you take advantage of their expertise. They should have advised you that bariatric surgery can wipe you out physically and mentally and should have left you some means of reaching out to them Please be pro-active and trust in their knowledge. At eight days I was on purees and at two weeks I started soft foods such as the scrambled eggas and tuna that you mentioned. Maybe they would at least let you start pudding or applesauce...something like that. What's done is done, and as you have aleady seen, your sleeve is working even though this part of the process is unpleasant and inconvenient. Barring complications, it just gets easier from here. The worst is already over. The best way to avoid those complications is to get those fluids and Proteins in, and let your team know you are in distress. I hope that they can give you the boost you need to hang in there. Hugs from Miss Mac in Chicago.

I really like the end... "I will still need you in my life". I think people feel like we are leaving them behind. Friends want their fat buddy to laugh with and overeat with. Family are worried about the actual complications and loss of you, but that could happen with obesity. Gym buddies and trainers probably think we won't work out, or it is an easy alternative to working out, but they go hand in hand. Thank you for sharing.

hi and thank you, what are wls? I went back to work because it was a new job and I wasn't supposed to ask for time off until I'm off probation and I told her that ppl had said they were good in a couple of days. my job is a lot of walking and sitting and standing so I thought it would be good for me too It was painful but I got through it, I chose the lap band because its reversible ( if I have complications) and it seemed less evasive than by pass or the sleeve. what are you having done? or have had done?

Hello all. Im struggling with not eating. I can smell the food through the walls of my apt building. I went out for the first time and I could smell the BBQ in the air. My Docs recovery is very strict compared to others i see. Will be on Protein for 5 more weeks, then mush. Ive been holding on but i was determined to have a soft scrambled egg yesterday, but its not worth the complications that may come. How are others doing and how did you over come this stage?

I actually put off surgery at first because I was so afraid of complications. I ended up going ahead this time because I was insured for bariatric coverage and I knew at least that protected me financially. I remember looking at myself in the mirror after I had my surgery date scheduled and being like “what the heck are you doing”. But I went forward and I’m glad every day I did. For me it was reminding myself that risks aren’t only present with action, but also inaction. Sometimes we assume that we are safe if we stick with the status quo but there are medical risks with staying overweight as well. They may not be as obvious as surgical risks but they exist nonetheless.

Its normal to be nervous and start second guessing one self, its a big scary change you are about to make. Yes some people have complications. As part of the process your surgeon should have given you an information sheet explaining what the possible complications are and you should also have been given the opportunity to discuss these and any concerns that you may have with him/her. Its called informed consent. When I started using this site again one of the first things I did was to deliberately search out threads about complications. Maybe I'm weird but I feel that forewarned is forearmed. The actual likelihood of you having a serious complication is pretty low and they are things that surgeons can deal with. I got my date yesterday and I was having a discussion with my surgeon about the fear of surgery and him not killing me( when I'm nervous about things my weird sense of humour kicks in). He said the fear of surgery is normal , it's the fear of the unknown and also it is his job to worry about not killing me not mine! Now things you should worry about are how to manage your shopping addiction once you lose weight and see how amazing you look in your new clothes, and what you are going to do with all your extra energy etc As for timing it's like most things, there is no such thing as a perfect time. The sooner you have the op the sooner you will start your journey to better health. I now have a surgery date of Jan 17 which means that I still won't be eating solid food on my 25th anniversary in Feb!

If it is helpful, my NUT at Swedish recommended eating like the induction phase on Atkins for the pre op diet. I did not have any trouble with that as lots of practice there. it is essentially a very low carb diet, no breads, starches, etc. You eat Proteins as much as possible with some low glycemic vegetables. This kind of diet actually works remarkably well post op to drop lbs until you are able to add back in good carbs. The surgeon stated that I had a super healthy and small liver because of doing this when he opened me up. Most people will end up losing 10 lb in a week by eating low carb before surgery. For example, I switched my diet one month before surgery to be like Atkins induction phase and lost about 30 lbs, probably reducing complications that might have been present had I been 30 lb heavier and still eating junk. I felt it also gave me a good kick start on learning to eat better *before* post op physical and mental struggles. Really important!! Maybe this simple suggestion will help you or others. I also like the idea from space dust regarding drinking Protein shakes before surgery. That will help you get used to the post op drinking of Protein Shakes. All we drink are protein shakes for up to 3 weeks post op, so the more you prepare yourself for this, the better. However, I do have to warn you that your favorite protein shake flavor pre op may no longer be your favorite protein shake flavor post op. Our tastes often change going over to the other side. For this reason, it is not a good idea to load up on tubs of Protein powder pre op thinking you will be also drinking that post op. MyBariatricPantry.com and other sites like this let you buy sample packets of protein shake flavors. Try some or all until you pick one or more that you do not mind drinking. Again, do this post op as your tastes may have changed after your stomach is removed. I happen to like nectar sweets (several flavors) both pre op and post op, but did not like Nectar fruits post op where others really like Nectar fruit flavors post op. i used to be big on Peach and banana flavors pre op, but hated them post op. Everyone will have different tastes. Water and milk will taste different post op, maybe even gross. I could not drink milk again due to lactose issues until month 5 post op and plain water again until month 6 post op. You may find an alternative like light soy or almond milk will work just as well as nonfat/low fat milk post op. it will be smoother on your stomach. Everyone is different. As for water, I could taste all the minerals and it sat heavy in my stomach post op. I am still flavoring my water today at month 9 post op, but can drink bottled and tap water again without flavor if the need arises.

Mine was outpatient. Started around 10, went home a little after 1. Apparently within 20 minutes (not sure of the time, that's what I've been told) of hitting recovery I was up and asking them to release me. I was glad to be home. But it's a very indivudal process. I had no pain, no gas, no complications... not the case for everyone.

Congrats on your approval. My surgeon is also requires an overnight hospital stay. The next morning after surgery I had a barium swallow test, then they progressed me from water, to clear broth, to protein shakes over the course of about 2 hours. If I could tolerate that without any complications, than it was okay to be discharged. I went in for 10:30 am surgery Monday and I was discharged around 4pm Tuesday. I struggled to get up and around until Friday, but didn't feel like myself for probably another 5 or so days. By 1.5 weeks out I was fine. Everyone is different so it will be a wait and see for you but plan to take it easy. Best wishes on a great surgery and speedy recovery.

I am 3 weeks out......... and I am stalled right now.... the scale has not moved for about 1 week. I exercise, I have healthy protein meals 2-3 oz.. try to drink all my water, fall short of a few ounces..... and I am stalled.... just hang in there, try to eat simple protein meals like grilled shrimp or grilled chicken or fish with simple steamed veggies, supplement with protein shakes or soups.... I am not a nutritionist but I have been dieting all my life, I feel when we start this journey, we really should not complicate our meals so soon. stay away from processed food like pre made frozen store brought grilled chicken, these foods have a lot of sodium and you will retain soooo much water. I hope my stall and yours will pass soon !!!

which ever you get, do the best you can for best results no one wls is better than the other and as with all things, it varies from person to person for many reasons...any wls can have complications or none at all.. its not a quick fix...you will have to change what you eat, begin to exercise and have a complete lifestyle change..

Hi guys I posted a while ago that I can't tolerate solid food like I used to few days ago so I went online to read about it and guess what?? It might be strictures which are more common complications than I was expected!! It starts 1-3 months after surgery when we can no longer tolerate solid food anymore so we need to see the doctor for it then depend on the upper GI series the doctor will decide if he is going to use the endoscopy to dilate the stricture and for how many time we need it!! Is there anyone here or heard about anyone who had that to talk about his or her experience please?? I am sooooo scared. Thank you.

I have a mild stricture. It started at about a year out and I haven't felt the need to get it fixed. I can't eat certain foods or really dense, dry Protein or I puke it right back up almost immediately. If you're going to get a complication, this is probably the one to get. Using an endoscope to dilate a stricture is really straightforward, doesn't hurt at all, and you're usually good to go afterward. They only sedate you a bit so that your gag reflex doesn't prevent them from actually getting the scope down your throat. If this is your problem, it's an easy fix and probably covered by your insurance.

Thanks. My starting weight was 236. I only lost 5 pre-op. Presurg I was 231, my surg was 1/22/13. Today I'm 196, but I've a lot of stalling, or at least it seems like it. Of course my original starting wt pre-band was 265, I got it in 2009 before the sleeve was approved. I lost about 100lbs in the first yr, but then had complications and had to have all fluid taken out, so of course I gained almost all of it back. Then decided to get the sleeve. Its definitely not a quick fix, but I'm hoping its more of.a sustainable solution.

I was banded at TLBC June 8th 2006 and have already reached goal. The best advice I can offer is follow instructions.....Lapbandtalk can offer simple suggestions through experience, however.....when it comes to advice about fills, staying on liquid or other diets, etc...then talk to your Dr....they know best. I have never had an issue with TLBC...they treated me well and professional at all times, I had no complication pre or post surgery. My husband is a chef. I do not like cottage cheese so for the pre-op diet my husband was mixing 1/2 cup low fat yogurt with 1/2 cup low fat cottage cheese, 1/2 cup of ice cubes, 1 package of sweetner and liquified it through the blender...every day he would add different flavourings...such as 1 - 2 tablespoons of sugar free jam, or 1 tablespoon of plain cocoa powder, 1 teaspoon of real vanilla, etc. It was like drinking liquid cheesecake! Don't say you can't take the pre-op for 14 days....it will be tough but think of your priorities.....1) not following instructions and compromising your surgery....or 2) weight loss from your surgery which will bring you better quality of a longer life that would otherwise be compromised from your obestiy. I took the second choice and am now enjoying life as I never knew it....I also wear a size 8.....from a 24/26. Good luck Carol

Yep had my gallbladder out a year before getting the band..didn't change or complicate anything

So glad to hear that no one is having complications I had mine out in 2005 and will be banded in about 3 weeks Thanks for your input!!