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If you are that uncomfortable it might be time for an enema. You can one for less than $10 at the drugstore. Works really quickly too!

This is a very timely thread for me, as I've been laid up most of this month with a compressed disk, so to the original poster, I feel your pain...unfortunately. I've had disk issues before, but have been painfree for about 7 years, thankfully, but then this month my problematic disks slipped. I'm 11 months post-op, which makes a little difference in that my band has been in place for a bit. This is slightly in my favor in terms of ibuprofen or Diclofenac-taking, as the initial postop inflammation is a thing of the past. After getting no relieve from Tylenol with Codeine--which I took for three weeks, and which did nothing for the pain but did constipate me greatly!!!--I spoke with my surgeon to get his permission to take an NSAID. My GP said that my pain was not going to subside unless I treated it with an antiinflammatory. My surgeon said not to take any NSAID, especially Diclofenac (which my GP had prescribed to me in suppository form, thinking it would be less harmful to my stomach). He said if I must take an antiinflammatory, I need to get my band unfilled as all NSAIDs cause the stomach to swell, and irritation/ulcers/band erosion can be a consequence. Well, I cannot get to the radiologist's to get my band unfilled---as those with back issues know, when the pain is acute, you cannot lift your legs to walk and there is no way I could get into a car, let alone up on a table to get an unfill. I can barely make it to the bathroom, and that is only on crutches, clenching my jaw, and making agreements with myself such as "just shuffle to the toilet. Breath. The pain will pass." You know the drill ;-( So I weighed the benefit/risk. I have to get out of this acute pain state, and the only way to do it is by taking an NSAID. Since Diclofenac is especially strong, I will start with Advil in a liquid form, 400 mg 4 times/day. If that doesn't get my inflammation down, I'll step it up to the Diclofenac 100 mg but I'm holding out for now. At the same time, I'm protecting my stomach lining with Nexium (you can also use Prilosec) to offset, hopefully, any irritation. So far so good. My pain is down from a 10/10 to a 9/10 right now. And no stomach ache so far. As gowalking has beautifully stated, sometimes you have no choice. I am willing to risk an ulcer and stomach irritation because I need to take care of my kids, get back to work, not be holding the walls because my pain is so excruciating. Hopefully the Nexium will keep my stomach lining intact, but if not, I'll deal with the consequences later. Just get me walking again. You must talk to your surgeon. I have joint disease and needed both hip and knee replacement surgery....which was why I had the lapband surgery as I was too heavy to have a good outcome. With all the pain and inflammation, I was on NSAIDS just as you...in order to function. I was even on Diclofenac 100 mgs. which is more potent than ibuprofen. Was it a risk? Yes. But did I have another choice? No. Any medication you consider is based on risk/benefit and only your doctor can help determine what is best for you. Oh...and just so you know, I had both hips replaced in October....my knees are much better because of the hips being aligned properly...and I've been off all NSAIDS since getting home from rehab. Good luck. I hope you get the surgery and have success in your weight loss journey.

Hi there: I am in Ronkonkoma, NY and was banded on 3/29/10. I have a suggestion for a fantastic tasting protein shake, called Premier Protein. It is available @ Costco and tastes fantastic! Stats of shake: 1g sugar, 3g fat, 160 calories and 30g of protein. I hope you are feeling well. Joan

Hello, I was wanted to know if there is any Long Island, NY banders out there. I had my band placed 9/22/10 doing good so far just having a hard time with the soft mushy foods. Also feel like I am not getting enough Protein :smile2:. I've also started bike riding which I must say hasn't been easy since I am so out of shape :frown: but I am pretty sure it will get better. When it starts to get too cold out I am going to start the gym. I look forward to hearing from any Long Islanders :crying: how are things going for you and if you have any suggestions to help me along would be greatly appreciated :tt2:

High Protein liquids. I made my soup with Fair Life Skim Milk. Cut your calories. Banded 10/12/16

It's possible to snap back quickly but don't forget that your insides are still healing and even if you don't feel it, it is. So, make sure to not lift anything heavier than 10 pounds and be careful but still keep walking. I assume you are no longer taking pain meds--that was the kicker for me. I couldn't drive until I stopped taking them but I stopped taking them the day I got home from the hospital and didn't really need them--in fact they made me nauseous. I went to work at a week and a half but I have a desk job so it is a bit easier.

I was banded on 1/10/08. Very minimal pain after surgery but watch out for the gas pain. Yikes! That was the worst part. Good luck! I love mine. Down 18 lbs.

Congrats on the weight loss. I'm 4 months out and also down 10 sizes. I get between 80-100 grams of Protein a day and don't have a problem lifting 4 times a week and gaining muscle mass.

So I have been lurking on this forum for a while. I have 1 month left to go on my 6 consecutive doctors appointments. Already have my psych eval, blood work,EKG, and chest X-ray. My first appointment with the surgeon is April 10th after that all I will need is my nutrition class. Then they will send for approval with my insurance, they said most probably I will have a surgery date sometime near the first of May! My question is this for my insurance to cover the sleeve I need a bmi of at least 50 my bmi is 49.9! Doctors office did not tell me to gain weight however they did say the bmi is calculated on your first appointment with the surgeon. So do I gain the weight? Put rolls of quarters in my pockets? Will they deny me because I have been maintaining and sometimes dropping 2-3 pounds a month on my regular 6 month appointments then suddenly gaining 5-10 pounds right at the end? I am so torn! I am scared to death of rny and the band I really want a sleeve! Advice please!

I could've got my haircut 20 minutes after surgery. Of course, I'm a guy and only have to sit for 10 minutes.

I cant have hair done before surgery. I will be banded 10/21 and my hair dresser books up a month in advance. My hair dresser is what my grandma would cal bat-shit-crazy. Can I say that? BUT- my color has never looked so good! Ha! I had a few bad colors (hair fell out) and I really love what she does. To be honest, nothing she says bothers me even a little. I know she is nutts so most of what she says makes me want to laugh. I read a lot when she is working. Thanks for the input!

Deborah, The 10 day clear liquid phase is very hard. There is no doubt about it that it's not easy. A lot of people just give up trying to get all their Protein in if they can't drink isopure. I used unflavored Protein powder and put it into anything that I could find that was sugar free. I didn't have any trouble drinking either. I had to force myself to go slowly. It's more important not to get dehydrated right now than it is to get that protein in. After the 10 days is up, you can try other things. Go to the food section of this board and find the thread "places to order samples" A lot of people like the nectar samples better than the milky protein powder. You're going to need something for when you can get on full liquids, so order some samples of something now. There is also a "Rate your protein powders" or something like that.

Jodie I didn't sleep well until about day 10. My tummy is still tender and I'm 16 days out so it's hard for me to get comfortable. You will feel better once u get some good protein in you. Get some soup and blend it up if u r allowed to at this point. Protein drinks (isopure) and shakes will also help. 22 pounds is fantastic! Good luck!!

My name is Liliana and I am scheduled for surgery with Dr. Almaza for March 10, 2010. What have you heard about him?

This is a really good idea. I had mine on Tuesday also, and I brought along a whole sack of meds (sad, huh?) and asked which I needed to crush or cut. I was surprised that he said most of them were small enough to take whole. My problem is, I have to take 10 pills in the morning and 12 at night, so I will be spending a looooonnnng time swallowing pills. But, that's one of the big reasons I'm being banded -- to get healthy enough to get off a lot of these meds!!! :thumbup:

I was banded March 10 and was eating about 3/4 c at a meal. I talked with my dietician who felt I was eating too few calories and suggested I add a few healthy snacks. I really hated to get into the snack mindset (his office is VERY against snacking) so instead I increased my meals to 1 c. (my doc's office suggests 1/2 to 1 cup at a meal) so I'm at the "max." That has made a big difference. Sometimes that can hold me over til meal time, other days (like today) it doesn't, but this is just bandster hell and we have to rely on willopower until we start getting fills. Follow your doctor's instructions, but if you are really hungry talk with them about possibly eating a little more at each meal. The worst they can do is say no!

youre lucky! alot have the liquid part for 2 or more weeks and 4 weeks before they get to mushies. focus on the 10 pounds you lost and the next pair of lower size jeans youll be able to fit in to. take a walk or go window shopping maybe. just sitting around thinking about it makes it worse. and if four days youre almost to the creamy soups!

Ok - I know this is off topic but I have a funny webkinz story. My older son is 8 years old - and of course I thought he would never go for the whole "stuffed animal with on-line life" kind of thing. So last Christmas, my mother-in-law gets him this stuffed tiger and I could tell it was one of those, and I'm thinking, "Oh no! Here comes the lukewarm thank you from my son and the animal gets tossed to the side." To my complete shock, he yells, "WOW, a Webkinz! Everyone in my whole class has one of these - now I have one! Mom, can we go home right now and log in?" I about fainted in surprise. My frog and mud loving, baseball playing, shower hating 8 year old son now has a collection nearing 10 of these silly stuffed animals and he begs to play games on the site almost every day. So, when I saw your post, Lori, I had to laugh. How old is your son? Oh and I have to be honest - my weight loss ticker shows my starting weight on January 7, when I started my pre-op diet. I've learned that most people start their ticker with their surgery date. (but gosh - I worked SO HARD on that pre-op...I want credit for it!) So for full disclosure - I've only lost 19 lbs since my surgery on February 6. I'm so glad you are encouraged!

You might think with "10 years" nearing in my postOp Adventures certain basics might be no longer an issue. What does seem to be inescapable, is the incredible fickle nature of my Band, Symbiant....the Little Angel of the Silicon Fisssst...... Day 1 lunch stop: usually able to eat 1 egg, 1 bacon, 1 piece of toast. Not today....the Slimes took over after just a few nibbles. Didn't think I made error of eating. Recovery in ~20 minutes. Day 2 Breakfast on real sour dough pancakes. Able to eat 1 egg & 1 4" cake, plus 1/4 of second sourdough. Walked the thin line between the slimes & 'all is well'. Day 3 breakfast on 1 bacon & a couple bites of granola. Almost made it without the slime pups visiting. Day 3 lunch: Small bit of battered 'fish & chips'. Didn't work well with a few nibbles, threw it away. On the other hand, the handful of tater tots were not a problem. Day 4 dinner most excellent Prima Vera Italian. Ate about 2 cups including a bit of angel hair Pasta & some shrimp. The broccoli buds were a bit too much but managed without slime dogs. Day 5 lunch small bean/cheese burrito. Odd this was the most wretched event of the trip. Took an hour to recover. And the same place and same pinto bean burrito that worked well for me Day 1. In any case, the Observations of Modified eating really show me that some of my Old Bad Habits remain lurking. Have a check up coming in a few weeks. The challenge of eating while traveling is just as real for poor choices and inadequate chewing/etc as ever. It is easier to be distracted while traveling, hence this brief story. Conclusion: Good Nutritional Choices and Good Eating Mechanics can not be ignored just because you are on a road trip.

Sending good vibes mine is Feb 26, 2019. Sending you good vibes.. so my dr gave me a list of things to bring in my over night tote, slippers, loose clothes, gas x pills. (Chewabla) compression stockings if needed. Any medication I am taking. These were the important ones. Sent from my SM-G950W using BariatricPal mobile app

Hi Sandee I have the same insurance as you do. The bcbs horizon of NJ. It covers the sleeve surgery. I have to meet my deductible first ($750) then it covers 90% of surgery. I believe I have to pay the 10%. What I am wondering is when do I have to pay the 10%? Does the hospital bill you for it ? Do you have to pay it up front before surgery? I am in Rhode Island

Hi my fellow sleevers. I don't post here often enough anymore but I get so much support and motivation here. I'm hoping this will give encouragement to someone who needs it. I was sleeved in May 2013. I have spent the last almost three months in a stall and bouncing up and down. Although I felt like giving up I didn't. I stuck with the program. Suddenly in the last ten days, eight pounds fell off putting me at a normal bmi. I have to admit I had started to believe this wouldn't happen. My doc set my goal at 170-177 (still overweight) so when I stalled for so long at about 166 I thought, well I guess that's it. I wasn't done and I'm still not done. I'm now 158 and sky's the limit! My weight loss has gone mostly like this. Long stalls with chunks of loss here and there. I was 240 the day I was sleeved and my highest weight was 268. Good luck to everyone.

I had exactly the same experience, and I know how hard it is to remain optimistic with that pain. After the first few days it subsided enough that it was only really bad when I was changing position. I tried the binder and found it to be uncomfortable because it restricted my breathing but the support at night was the only way I was able to sleep comfortably so I did use if for a few nights. Otherwise I basically pressed into that incision with an open palm when I was switching positions and that helped. It was bad, no joke. But I can't stress enough to keep moving. As odd as it sounds I went back to work (pre k teacher) at 15 days and I was literally in tears the night before because I didn't think I could do it with the pain - but apparently it was the best thing for me because it's 5 days later and by my third day at work I realized I am not in pain at all. Now at 19 days I feel normal! So I don't know if it's the moving or what that helped speed along the recovery of that poor beat up muscle but I have to assume it was because it was the only thing that changed. I was literally sitting on my couch going for short walks and running little errands when someone would drive me and now it's like nothing happened. Keep your eye on the prize. I know it sucks but better things are right around the corner. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Some great suggestions here for you to follow. Since you are only about 6 weeks post-op you need to be careful that you are following your surgeon's post-op food plan and not introducing solid foods or difficult to digest food too quickly. You stomach has been through a MAJOR TRAUMA and you need to give it time to heal properly. It can take up to 6 months for the swelling to completely subside and the healing to complete! My second focus is to suggest you adjust your state of mind..........you've lost 35 lbs! In 6 weeks! When was the last time you lost 6 lbs/week? Not losing much? Wow! I am 10 months post-op and my average loss right now (over those 10 months) is 2.85 lbs/week. You are losing LOTS! Believe me! And if you happen to be stuck (or stalled) right now, that is completely normal. Type "Week 3 stall" into the search box in the top right corner of this website. You'll see alot of people stop losing weight temporarily around this time period. It's great that you're looking for advice on protein intake (perhaps you should start logging your food on a website/app such as MyFitnessPall?). Just remember that your weight loss is a journey that is non-linear and you will have stalls, periods of fast loss (that sometimes don't make sense!) and some slow periods (but still losing). Your body is trying to figure out what's going on. It's making adjustments and adapting to it's changing physiology and energy stores. Give your body time, and your mental health with thank you! Good luck!

I kind of consider myself both. My insurance covers as of 01/01/2008, but only 50%. So, surgery is $17,000, meaning I still have to come up with $8,500. This includes all fills/aftercare for 12 months. Fills will be $100 each after one year. I'm still waiting to get the go ahead from ins so I can set my date!!! :biggrin: