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I had stitches, staples and tape. When I would change the dressing and remove the old tape, it felt like I was taking a layer of skin off too! It got very red and irritated. I only covered it because I was afraid the staples would catch on my clothing or sheets in bed. I begged my doctor to remove the staples after 10 days and the tape irritation areas went away after a few days.

What am I not suppose to have to eat? 10 weeks post op. They tell us what we can have at 8 weeks. But what is it we can't have? What do you eat at 10 weeks? Sent from my SM-G920P using the BariatricPal App

Here is my story. I am 29 yrs old, married and a mother of 2 boys (ages 10 & 5). I have battled my weight my whole life and turned to food at a very young age to fill the emotional voids. It was my best friend, was always there for me and never judged me. I have battled with depression pretty much my whole life. I got pregnant when I was 18 and got married. Over the past 11 years I have been a yo-yo between 185, 215 and 230 being the highest. I have seen that damn 230 quite a few times. I delivered both my boys at exactly 230. I have lost and gained and lost and gained. In 2004 I was diagnosed with polycystic ovarian syndrome and also insulin resistant. I went through hell and back with my hormones and meds. I went threw fertility treatments, etc. There was one thing that was always there for me, food, any hour of any day or night. The last time I hit 230 was a year ago. I had had enough and made the decision that I was going to get the lap-band. I went to a seminar @ my local hospital and while sitting there listening to all 3 procedures, I decided that the band was not for me. I needed the RNY. I needed something to kick me in the ass, make me sick if I ate the stuff I shouldn't. I'm a very impatient person and knew the band would be too slow for me. So I began the process of a very long 6 months. I had my surgery on 8/22/12 and weighed in at 217. I stayed in the hospital 1 day and couldnt wait to get out. I cant sit. There were many times throughout the 1st month I asked myself what the hell did I get myself into. There was times when I had pain so bad I wanted to die. My own fault because I advanced my foods too soon. I am 4 months out and weigh 170. It has been an emotional rollercoaster. If you are considering surgery here are a few things to consider. I went into this with a "I've gave birth to a 10lb kid naturally and had a c-section and was back up full speed in 5 days". Let me tell you giving birth was a hell of a lot easier. Make sure you are ready and have a handle on your food addiction. I thought it would be so easy to kick once I had my surgery. I still struggle with it everyday. I have thrown up many times because I have eaten stuff I shouldn't. I have wanted to die many times when the dumping started. Sitting down and eating dinner with your family (especially if u have kids), will not happen for awhile. This was one thing I was not prepared for. There is still times when I cant eat with my kids or I find out what I made, doesn't sit. Going out to eat is pretty much next to impossible, unless u wanna waste ur money. There pretty much isnt shit to eat on the menu that will guarentee to sit well. The other problem is they give you all this food, and your brain still reverts back to that "eat everything that is on your plate" mentality. Well, at least mine does. Your hair will fall out, some more than others. Mine has fallen out quite a bit, still waiting for it to stop. The doctor said it should be soon. If you have PCOS, do not think that your hair will stop growing other places. It still does, except for your damn head. Some days are better than others. I can eat something one day and eat the same very thing the next day, and feel like crap. I still cannot eat bread. What I would do for a sandwich, yes really a sandwich. Have a good support system. I dont and it is very difficult. No one understands, that I know, what this is like. It is not the easy way out. This is harder than just losing weight. It is truly a life change. You may think you are so ready, but there will come a point, when you look up at the sky, and ask yourself "What the Hell did I do." "Is this worth it". I would love to sit here and say absolutely, but I'm still not there. Yes, I have lost 45 pounds in 4 months and have 30 to get to my target goal of 140. That is the easy part. The emotional changes that you have to make are hard. People will look at you differently. People will judge you and think you took the easy road. So the question is did I kick my love affair with food. The answer is: I'm a work in progress and its an addiction. One day at a time.

I am expected to have surgery around the middle of September so I pushed my fall classes back a month so instead I'll be starting classes 10/20/2014. I will be taking online classes for the fall semester then I will begin sit in classes again during the Spring semester in January 2015. For anyone who's had surgery, is a month out from surgery too soon to start back at school? Should I completely take off for the Fall semester and start back at school, come the Spring semester?? Im just not sure what mindframe I will be in, a month out. Will I start feeling like my normal self and will I have the energy to focus on school work? I know that everyones recovery time is different but I would like to hear back from you guys to see how you felt, a month out from surgery. Thanks in advance!

I have a 2 week liquid diet I have to do. Its almost all protein shakes that I got from my Drs office and 1-2 cups of veggies until 3 days before surgery then its straight protein shakes. For 2 weeks.. :/ Sorry I'm still wrapping my head around it lol. I start that on 10/5, with surgery on 10/20.. I'm a little jealous of the people that only have to do a low carb diet or a few days of liquids.

I was supposed to do 14 days of Protein shakes and clear liquid only but I got a call asking if I wanted to move up my surgery. I am now on day 5 of 10 days of 4 protein shakes per day and no food. Honestly, it's not as hard as I thought it would be. I do make dinner for my family and the smells make me a little hungry but I try to plan my shakes as I cook. The only thing that I have noticed is that I am really tired. If I sit, I fall asleep. Can't wait until Friday!

I found the surgeon excellent. He does not speak english, but his Asst Surgeon and Nutrition person both do. I heard many comments how this surgeon just does it fast and right. I have a video of my surgery, would it help if I uploaded it to youtube? (I still am not sure I have the stomach to watch it). =) Care at INT was fine, not great but fine. Only about 30% of nurses I had spoke English. It is a different setting than the USA hospital system but never was I scared or threatened. I think people just have to think about a USA hospital 10-15 years ago. I probably had the wrong expectation coming in. My decision was very quick (was going to do it between Thanksgiving and Christmas), but decided what the hell... being healthy a month sooner is not a bad thing. So Monday I made a decision to have Surgery Thursday. They all laughed at my quick decision (but it really has been weighing on my mind for 10 years, probably like the rest of you). I used BariatricPal as the coordinator. It was OK. I went alone and liked the idea of a recovery condo better than a hotel so I would have others to heal with (hear a lot about "sleeve sisters", and I wanted that). I never met or talked to another patient at the hospital or the recovery condo because of my timing of doing this a week before Thanksgiving. I am sure my experience would have been a little better had other people been at the condo and the hospital that I could bond with. Especially with traveling by myself. I remember on the day of my discharge from INT that they gave me this blue drink (the leak test), and I was like "This isn't bad. What were all those people complaining about!" The blue drink is first used to see if the blue leaks into your drain. The actual drink for radiology is clear and you drink that while in Radiology doing the leak test (you watch the liquid go down on screen, which you also get a video of). That clear drink is HORRIBLE!

Hi everyone. I had orientation 9/14 in Richmond, met with my surgeon, Dr. Park, 9/27 and have an appointment for a sleep study 10/13. I still haven't gotten my appointment with pysch though. Dr Park only required me to loss 20 lbs, She said its because my weight is distributed evenly on my body and that there isn't a ton of fat on my upper abdomen. I'm only 9 lbs away from goal weight and I'm hoping to at it or very close at my sleep study appointment. Everything is moving a lot faster than I expected, and I'm both excited and nervous about it. Kaiser has been great so far, and I'm really glad I got the one female doctor.

I do dump. I started at over 700, when I got down to 310 (my goal was 210), I started a program similar to Couch to 5K. I accomplished that and just kept going. Eventually I thought a marathon would be an interesting goal and I targeted the Valley of Fire marathon (outside Las Vegas). I ran 5 marathons in a year starting about 3 years post-op, during which I was running 70 to 90+ miles a week. I usually ran in the mornings before work, though there were periods where I did "2 a days". Right when I woke up I mixed up an ice-tea / Gatorade mix that wasn't terrible and drank it down. It woke me up and got me moving but I don't think it made much of a difference during my runs. During the runs I just did water. After runs I also did a regular yogurt for recovery. I tried the little squeeze packs and found they were ok on normal days (10-13 miles), but they would cause me to dump on longer runs, so abandoned them and anything else. Again, I didn't perceive any difference with the squeeze thing. My normal plan was 3 meals per day of 3oz protein, 1oz veggies. Because of the running I hit and shot way past a normal BMI. Eventually I was up to 5 meals per day plus a protein drink. The protein drink was instead of a 6th meal as I already felt I was eating all day. It slowed my weight loss. I hated (HATED!) eating so much, what a turn. Good luck, Tek

I went to my local gp this afternoon to get another referral to my band doctor as they only last 12 months. Anyway i told the doc how much weight i have lost and how happy and good im feeling. She said oh let me take your weight and height measurements to check your bmi. So she did all that and my BMI was 34...WOW i was really happy as before i got banded it was like 52 i think. The doc said that is way to high and it should be 20-25 and i really need to lose more weight. Geez cant she see how far i have already came and give a postive instead of saying what she said. I felt very intimidated as i thought losing 35kg in 10 months was a good effort but obviously not:(. Sorry i just had to let this out, normally i dont but i mustv neede to...lol

Congratulations on starting your journey! I had a 6 month required pre-op, and I am completing my last requirement on Monday 4/10, so then it will all be submitted to insurance. Don't get discouraged by all the requirements, just do one step at a time and you will be there before you know it. This is a great board, lots of info and really awesome people!

To all of you saying that you "failed" with the band - try to see it in a different light. Unless you knowingly ate too much or ate incorrectly, irped the food back up, then tried again until it stayed down, you didn't fail. Unless you opted to eat ice cream all day because it's what you wanted, then you didn't fail. Having a mechanical device that is supposed to give you fast satiety, but never does, is not failure. In reality, it's having gone through surgery with high hopes, and finding you still have to "diet" to maintain weight or lose weight. Having a band that maybe worked for a while, then failed, is also not you failing - it's you not having the ability or resolve to "do it on your own" but why would having had surgery change that? If we could do it on our own, we would have long before surgery... and definitely would have long before a second (or third, or fourth...) surgery. The sleeve cannot have the same issues as the band. The sleeve cannot slip (prolapse), it cannot erode through your esophagus, etc. It can limityour intake. You will still have to work at it. Since it is not (or maybe just lightly) a malabsorptive procedure, you will still have to own what you eat. If you cannot own what you eat, then frankly the sleeve might not be the best option. I'm pretty far post-op by band standards. I know a lot of people in the 5 - 7 years post-op range. Those who still have their bands, shouldn't, but are too afraid it will be removed to seek the medical care they need. It has let down a lot of people, and mentally is about a 30x magnification of the standard diet "failure" emotions we've all experienced more times than we care to count. I suspect I will spend the first 6 months with my sleeve "just waiting" for it to somehow fail. I mean, 100% of my bariatric experience tells me that eventually, it stops working, right? But try to focus on the fact that the band is not PERMANENT. Ok, in theory it's intended to be a permanent device. I'll give it that. I don't know anyone 5, 7, 10 years out who still has theirs, so it's not THAT permanent. Every sleeved person I know 5, 7, 10 years out still has their sleeve. I understand your fears, and I share them. We have "failed" at weightloss most of our lives. We "expect" failure again, it's what we've become conditioned to. But if you didn't at least have hope, you wouldn't be here, so run with it.

Thanks Liliana... I am probably stressing too much but my doctor, though very good and a kind man is a little non commital so its hard to guage if he is posative or negative about a situation. It worried me when I asked how weight loss is for bandits after sleeving and he said " some lose weight some bounce back and forth and others maintain, it depends" when I asked what he meant he said " its relative to each patient." So to not look like a complete uneducated dummy I accepted his statement but I am still not completely clear on what he is saying... other than a shoulder shrug answer so as not to commit either way. He feels I dont need to lose any weight but mearly maintain but since having the band removed I have gained 10 on the 10 I had gained towards the end of my band life making a total of 20 gained.... I personally would like to squeeze off ASAP at least 10 preferably 15 ( 20 is way too low for my face I look drained) I am worried now that weight loss might not happen.... Hopefully after looking at your stats I am just being a pork chop and carrying on like a sooky la la. I lost 70 kilos with the band and all I want is 10/15 with the sleeve then maintain...The whole exband thing seems to be the problem

Hey there! I'm a newbie waiting for a surgery date! I've actually been waiting quite a while. As a Kaiser patient in Northern CA, Lap Band wasn't available until just recently (this month they did their first round of installations). When the FDA approved it in 2002 I was all over their backs to start offering it to their patients. So, here I am four years later, and ready to go. I've done the pre-op routine: nutritionist, psychologist, surgeon, lost 10% body weight...and now I'm in a holding pattern. Hoping to at least maintain my loss until I get my date. Kaiser says if you're over your goal weight, they'll walk you out of the surgery room and back into your car. Don't know if this is true, but don't want to find out. I've been to a few support group meeting for weight loss surgery patients, but have only met one person who has the lap band. I can't seem to find a support group around here specifically for LB. Alas, I found you! So, I've got tons of questions which I'll post in other threads. For now, here are my stats: 35 years old 5'7" 254 lbs heighest 220 lbs current sleep Apnea High Blood Pressure Lower Back issues Knee issues Reflux Sounds familiar, huh? --Alisha

Hi = I had surgery 7-10-2014 to start my new life journey. My weight loss goal was 80 pounds and today I hit my half way mark, 40 pounds down. I am about 4 months post op and have had no issues. Life is good!

I was banded 1-19-07

Everything went as planned! I arrived at 7:30, they wheeled me back at 9:10 and I was awakened at 10:00. No gas pain, no port pain and feeling fine. I do have some gas in my belly but that is working its way out! I have a bit of a sore/scratchy throat form the intubation but that too is tolerable I can tell some one has been pushing my insides around but no pain. I did take one dose of the pain meds when I got home but I don't think I'll need anymore. We'll see. The only problem was the IV team. They had to stick me 6 times to get a line inserted. I have big veins that are close to the top. All in all a GREAT DAY. It has begun! Thanks to all who offered up kind thoughts and prayers.

What pain meds did they give you and did they work? how much pain were you after surgery and how long did it last? from a scale from 1-10 10 being the worst pain ever how would u rate it?

Okay, so my surgery is just over two weeks away. I plan to document my progress with lots and lots of photos. Perhaps this makes me vain, but I want to look as good as possible even in the hospital, so I thought I'd buy some cute new PJ's for my surgery day. Well, I went to the Lane Bryant outlet. I found this really cute pair of PJ pants, pink with different colors of flip-flops on them. (Have I mentioned I LOVE flip-flops?) Well the tops that were supposed to go with them were tanks. I DON'T do tanks. My arms look really bad. (I've never seen anyone else other than my baby sister when she was born at 10 pounds who has rolls on their arms. Sadly, I do.) Anway...I found some cute tops that would match, but the largest one they had was a 22/24. Well, I have some quite large ta-tas, so I must have a 26/28 top. I know that this particular store often has extra stock in the back, so I thought I would ask a clerk for some help. BIG MISTAKE! I found a lady and explained to her that I needed a 26/28 in any color of that particular style of top. (All the colors in the collection would've matched the bottoms.) She looked at me for seriously at least five seconds without saying a word. The she said, "Well, I guess I can go look in the back for you." I go to the counter to wait and watch the lady walk over to a different style of top and she literally hollers back, "They have your size in this one. What about it?" This top had no sleeves either, and I'd already looked at it. I said, "No, thank you. Just forget it." The lady at the counter could tell I was miffed. She asked what I needed, and I said, "I'll just take the swimsuit." (I had already fought and won that battle.) She said, "Please allow me to go look for a top for you. What do you need?" So, I let her look. In the mean time, the other lady came back and said, "We don't have your size in purple." I wanted so bad to say, "Geeze, lady, don't you listen?" I had already told her I would take ANY color. Anyway, they didn't end up having any of the tops in my size, but I did appreciate the other clerk being willing to help. It was clear that the other lady did NOT want to be bothered. Maybe I'm just crazy, but I used to work retail (that's how I put myself through undergrad school.) and I would NEVER have treated a customer the way she treated me. This is just one reason people judge us "fluffy" folks as being lazy. Laziness, rudeness, and arrognace really get under my skin. This lady was two for three!

I'm going to start out by telling you about my journey. Sorry for the babble. I started my journey in April of last year. I went through all of my testing, dietitian, psych eval, plus some. I was originally scheduled for my op in November. It got pushed to December. A month before my operation, the insurance coordinator came in and told me that the doctor was leaving. I couldn't believe it. Luckily, I was able to transfer to another doctor and saw him at the beginning of December. I had planned to have my surgery over Christmas break. I attend school online and it is virtually impossible to miss class. Also, my husband was scheduled to have a break as well. Things got pushed back..again. The insurance coordinator at the new place was totally confused. She submitted my paperwork to the wrong insurance company, she got my name mixed up with someone else, and she didn't submit the correct documentation. BCBS IL determined that they wouldn't cover me. I was under 40 BMI and I didn't have the required comorbidities, although I do have asthma, gerd, and high cholesterol. I was crushed but I had come too far. I had looked as far as going to Mexico which I thought I would never do. I called the office and scheduled a weigh in. I put 5 lb weight around my ankles, wore heavy clothes, put stuff in my pockets. It was pretty nerve wracking and amusing....but I weighed in over 40 BMI so I was happy. Meanwhile, the insurance coordinator told me to appeal. I wrote a letter, my husband wrote a letter, the whole nine yards. Turned out all they needed was a submission of my weight. It was a predetermination letter not a denial! I took the initiative and submitted the paperwork myself. I about had it by then! I figure I will get news soon. A week later I get a call and the doctor needs to see me. There was no way that I would weigh in if they put me in a gown. I was determined so I ate a bunch of crap. Two weeks later, I went in with weights...in my bra this time (just 2 lbs) and I weighed in. They didn't even put me in a gown. I saw the doctor and he went all through my history AGAIN. It was so frustrating because they introduced a new system the day of my first appointment. Soooo....the doctor speaks to me and tells me that the information has to be resubmitted. Here we go again! I leave the office and they call me and tell me that my psych exam is not there. I knew for a fact they had it. I had the pile of files with me, psych exam and all on the day of my first visit. I told them and this time I was firm. Anyways, I waited for a few days then called the insurance company myself and my submission passed me for a "yes" for predetermination. I was so happy, I called the office and left a message...no call back then straight to voicemail. The following day I had the bright idea of using my husbands phone and I got to the coordinator. Turns out the original coordinator left and the job was handed to the scheduler and she admitted to me that she had absolutely no clue of what she was doing. I guided her through everything and my surgery was scheduled for Feb 10! Thank God! I have had periods of severe anxiety, depression, and mania. They have determined that I have bipolar but it has been up in the air for about 10 years. This whole situation left me on pins and needles. I felt fantastic for the past year (2013) but in December I came close to a mental breakdown. Everything was happening so haphazard and I honestly thought that God wanted me to lose the weight the natural way. I started to have anxiety so bad that it was hard to leave the house. It was really bad. I went to the doctor a few weeks ago and she increased my Effexor. Most of you may be aware of the mania that can occur with an increase in dosage.So here I am. My anxiety is soooo bad and my mania is driving me insane. Unlike many people, I do not enjoy mania. It makes me feel out of control and I HATE it. I'm trying to do my school work and I cannot put my thoughts into clear sentences. I'm anxious about the surgery, school, finances, everything. It is a vicious cycle. I'm concerned with recovery and my mental health. I know that the transition will be difficult but I suppose I need some insight on how any of you have dealt with your situation. I suppose I'm looking for a friend that I can share my journey with that understands how bipolar and mental illness can change with surgery. If anyone uses prayer, that would also be helpful. God is the only thing that keeps me going.

I excited I got my papers in to do my EKG and blood work just feel like everything is one step closer...I will do this then have my appt for my nut and psychologist on the 19 then my 2appt with the psychologist on the 26 then I see the nurse on sept 15 everything is falling into place

Mine is 10 day all liquid. Have my preop class sept 30. Hopefully this will explain more what I can have

I've lost 19 lbs and u don't feel hungry at all. A little gas pain not much no more pain meds. I'm loving my new life.