Questions before going forward with lap-band...

[pmommy 0]

I have some real concerns about moving forward with the lap-band and well, no one whose been through it to ask.

I've decided I want to do it, my appointment is finally next week, but I am hung up on the below.

Hopefully this is the place :-)

1. Do you FEEL the lapband around your stomach? Does it feel tight or uncomfortable?

2. I think giving up soda will be really hard. WHY must it be done?

3. What is the purpose of the liquid diet pre-surgery? And post?

4. Did your insurance company cover the procedure? How long did the pre-auth take? Did you have to do psych evals, etc?

5. The port - does it physically bother you? Can you see it initially, after losing, etc? My husband is kinda freaked out about it....

6. Does getting a fill hurt? Or does it feel like getting a flu shot / giving blood?

Thanks!!

[pmommy 0]

7. Do you have restrictions with taking pills? I.e. is Tylenol still effective, does it digest regularly, etc.

8. What about drinking alcohol? Is it OK occassionally?

[IndioGirl55 32]

1. Do you FEEL the LAP-BAND® around your stomach? Does it feel tight or uncomfortable? - NO

2. I think giving up soda will be really hard. WHY must it be done? CARBONATION DOESN'T AGREE WITH THE BAND - IT MAKES YOU FEEL BLOATED -

3. What is the purpose of the liquid diet pre-surgery? And post? PRE-SHRINK YOUR LIVER - POST - HEALING

4. Did your insurance company cover the procedure? How long did the pre-auth take? Did you have to do psych evals, etc? YES 2 WEEKS AND YES

5. The port - does it physically bother you? Can you see it initially, after losing, etc? My husband is kinda freaked out about it.... PORT SITE HURT THE MOST RIGHT AFTER SURGERY - MINE STICKS OUT A LITTLE NO BIGGIE

6. Does getting a fill hurt? Or does it feel like getting a flu shot / giving blood? MY DOC NUMBS ME PRIOR TO FILL SO NO IT DOESN'T HURT

7. Do you have restrictions with taking pills? I.e. is Tylenol still effective, does it digest regularly, etc. - YOU ARE INSTRUCTED TO TAKE LIQ TYLENOL - SMALL pills AREN'T A PROBLEM FOR ME - I CAN EVEN TAKE TYLENOL CAPLETS - IT DEPENDS ON YOUR RESTRICTION AND SIZE OF PILL

8. What about drinking alcohol? Is it OK occassionally?

YES - I DRINK OCCASSIONALLY - BUT REMEMBER EMPTY CALORIES..

The Band is only a tool - you have to change your eating habits for life and add physical activity to your life.

Good luck on your journey

[Cocoabean 430]

I have some real concerns about moving forward with the lap-band and well, no one whose been through it to ask.

I've decided I want to do it, my appointment is finally next week, but I am hung up on the below.

Hopefully this is the place :-)

1. Do you FEEL the LAP-BAND around your stomach? Does it feel tight or uncomfortable?

Not at all, unless food is stuck, then I am oh so aware of it. But I don't feel the band itself.

2. I think giving up soda will be really hard. WHY must it be done?

I still sip it from time to time, I like the taste. But it sometimes gives me hiccups. It has no nutritional value. I have also read that diet soda can trigger hunger, who wants that?

3. What is the purpose of the liquid diet pre-surgery? And post?

Pre-op: To shrink the liver, and make the surgery easier on your body. Post-op: To aid in healing, your stomach does not need to work as hard.

4. Did your insurance company cover the procedure? How long did the pre-auth take? Did you have to do psych evals, etc?

My insurance did cover it. With all the hoops needed, it took about 5-6 months. Yes, psych eval was required, a no biggie. 15 minute talk to show I knew what the procedure was and possible complications. He also wanted to be sure I understood it was not a quick fix or miracle cure.

5. The port - does it physically bother you? Can you see it initially, after losing, etc? My husband is kinda freaked out about it....

High waisted pants bother it. The scar is visible. If I got really thin, I expect the port would be visible, but not now. I understand that there is a low profile port that some people have installed.

6. Does getting a fill hurt? Or does it feel like getting a flu shot / giving blood?

Not at all like giving blood. I get a numbing shot with a very small needle. After that, I feel a slight "pop" when the huber needle enters the port. It is nothing to be afraid of at all.

7. Do you have restrictions with taking pills? I.e. is Tylenol still effective, does it digest regularly, etc.

Big pills sometimes go down a little sticky. Small pills no worries. Yes, they digest as usual. food also digests as it used to. As a side note, my surgeon advised me to not use anti-inflamatory drugs on a regular basis.

8. What about drinking alcohol? Is it OK occassionally?

I have no troubles with it. Even have beer sometimes, same issue as with soda, hiccups. But as the previous poster said, empty calories. Defeats the purpose of having the band, so I limit the amount.

Thanks!!

You are welcome! There is lots of info here, read and learn!

Denise

[happymammaof2 0]

Those are awesome questions!!! I had them myself, so awesome answers too!!

Thanks for them both!

[pmommy 0]

Thanks guys...I forgot one LAST question (I hope!)

9. WHY IS IT YOU CAN'T DRINK liquids, LIKE Water, RIGHT BEFORE, DURING OR AFTER A MEAL?

[building_a_new_temple 0]

Drinking liquids before/during/following a meal makes your food more dilute and "soupy", making it easier to pass through the constriction your band creates. This means you feel full for a shorter period of time, makes you hungry faster, thus defeating the purpose of the band. It pretty much turns all food into "sliders", or foods that pass through the band quickly.

My nutritionist also made sure to mention that you need to eat your food within about a 20 minute period because after 20 minutes your stomach begins to break down the food...meaning you can get more in there...adding more calories, etc.

[Cocoabean 430]

Thanks guys...I forgot one LAST question (I hope!)

9. WHY IS IT YOU CAN'T DRINK LIQUIDS, LIKE Water, RIGHT BEFORE, DURING OR AFTER A MEAL?

I really, really, really balked at giving up my glass of milk with my dinner. My surgeon said he had no problem with me having some, but that I might not have room for it. He also said he prefers that I don't drink my calories as they go right through. Solid foods will hold me longer.

But poopy head that I am, I do still have a little bit with my dinner meal. Breakfast and lunch with no liquid, no problem. But old habits die hard. Dinner is my last eating session of the day, I don't eat after that, so even if it does cause my pouch to empty sooner, so be it.

I look at it like this...this is my program to make work for me. I have to live with my band. Whether we are getting along nicely or arguing is up to me. I love, love, love my milk with dinner. I am not ready to part with it. I am also on a slight plateau right now..ok, big plateau, but I am ok with it and maintaining with ease. If I get serious about losing the rest, I may have to revisit the issue. Or revisit my surgeon for a fill. Or revisit my endocrinologist to get my thyroid checked as I have thyroid issues :tt1:

Denise

[carmen74 10]

Thank you for asking these questions!! Some of them are exactly from my list!! :-)

I have one to add:

I know pretty much everyone will probably have a different answer, but.... What does it feel like when you are stuck? Another adjective besides "umcomfortable" please :-) does it feel like bad cramps? bad gas? a punch in the stomach?

[Cocoabean 430]

Thank you for asking these questions!! Some of them are exactly from my list!! :-)

I have one to add:

I know pretty much everyone will probably have a different answer, but.... What does it feel like when you are stuck? Another adjective besides "umcomfortable" please :-) does it feel like bad cramps? bad gas? a punch in the stomach?

It feels like I have a rock just beneath my breastbone. Lots of pressure and lots of pain. For me, the pain is in one location, about the size of a small fist. I cannot think of any sensation I experienced prior to my surgery to describe it. I find that I rock back and forth trying to alleviate the pain. I am willing to do just about anything to stop it.

Denise

[NCIS 0]

1. Do you FEEL the LAP-BAND® around your stomach? Does it feel tight or uncomfortable?

Not really. Mostly just the port.

2. I think giving up soda will be really hard. WHY must it be done?

I am a former diet coke and seltzer Water junkie. Never drank flat. But I followed the rules. I have been told that the carbonation is added gas and when you are healing and learning how your band works you want to do whatever is recommended until you get to know how your band and body will get along. Sometimes mine doesn't play so nice - I named her Princess. She's a little better behaved as they (my body and band) play well now. :-) I just stayed with flat Water and am fine. I don't miss diet coke - sometimes seltzer.

3. What is the purpose of the liquid diet pre-surgery? And post?

Pre-op: To shrink the liver, and make the surgery easier on your body. Post-op: To aid in healing, your stomach does not need to work as hard. I was a bad patient when it came to this. I ate WHATEVER I wanted...up until the night before the surgery. Awful. But I was fine. Thankfully!

4. Did your insurance company cover the procedure? How long did the pre-auth take? Did you have to do psych evals, etc?

My insurance did cover it. With TONS of requirements, it took about one year - yes seemed like forever. Attended the seminar, then surgeon's visit, blood work done, pysch eval, 6 month monthly appts with primary for history - waited painfully 3-4 mos for approval from insurance company.

5. The port - does it physically bother you? Can you see it initially, after losing, etc? My husband is kinda freaked out about it....

All five of my scars are visible. It will be a year in Feb since being banded and I've lost 85 lbs. I have started to notice my port sticking out more and more (bc of weight loss) it's right under my breasts and looks like an alien living in there. I showed my dr a month ago and he said we could do a low profile port revision but I want to lose more so would rather weight until it's all gone. But I am interested in doing it.

6. Does getting a fill hurt? Or does it feel like getting a flu shot / giving blood?

Not at all - I go in - chat a few mins - lay down and pull my shirt up, left arm under my head - they stick huber needle in and done. Don't feel anything and no bandaid needed.

7. Do you have restrictions with taking pills? I.e. is Tylenol still effective, does it digest regularly, etc.

Sometimes but after surgery I switched to every chewable or liquid that I could. Vitamins are chews or chewable and if nessa I use liquid tylenol for pain. Recently, I haven't had a problem with regular Vitamins and/or ibuprofen. Fine.

8. What about drinking alcohol? Is it OK occassionally?

I have no troubles with it. I am a big fan of wine. I have noticed I cannot drink as much - that's a good thing. Especially wine though - it causes acid reflux to me. I've tried to determine if it's red/white/heavy/etc. It's a little better but no more than three glasses - GOD telling me something - another reason to love the band! btw - I had wine two weeks after surgery.

9. WHY IS IT YOU CAN'T DRINK liquids, LIKE WATER, RIGHT BEFORE, DURING OR AFTER A MEAL?

This one is still tricky for me. Not so much at first. But now - I guess bc I'm filled. I can't have both - food and water at the same time. I can have liquid up to 15 mins prior to eating but 60 mins after. In fact, at a time when I've felt like I ate too fast or was going to puke or stuck - if I drank water - it immediately came up. That was a good thing for me bc I can't take being stuck. I do have to be careful sometimes with gulping water or milk...u can't drink or eat anything too fast. This past summer I would even have Protein shakes at around 4:00ish at work so I wouldn't be starving when I got home and inhale food. It helped a lot. Now I think I've got it but I can have a glass of wine, eat some dinner but I cannot drink a drop of liquid for a good 60 mins after eating...tea, water, whatever - I have to do it slowly and be careful. I just can't have both at the same time. It looks like some pepl can.

I hope has been helpful! This site has been my savior!

GOOD LUCK!

[btrieger 21]

Great questions and replies!!

Gonna start pointing people to it when they ask 2 or more of these questions.

Not banded yet but have read a few posts by people on this site saying they had no problem with soda. So, don't give up hope just yet.

Also, if you want the taste and flat soda makes you gag, try freezing it. Diet coke makes for great homemade popcicles.

[Manda87 3]

My friend who is 9 months pregnant and has the lap band made a Facebook status that her baby is poking or kicking at her lap band port and that it was hurting her. lol So, I guess you can feel it in certain situations...

[btrieger 21]

My friend who is 9 months pregnant and has the LAP-BAND® made a Facebook status that her baby is poking or kicking at her LAP-BAND® port and that it was hurting her. lol So, I guess you can feel it in certain situations...

I don't have to worry about that one unless I eat a baby. :smile2:

[ElfiePoo 109]

1. Do you FEEL the LAP-BAND® around your stomach? Does it feel tight or uncomfortable?

I don't feel the band, but I can feel the port. 10 weeks post op though and I usually forget it's there.

2. I think giving up soda will be really hard. WHY must it be done?

I was a carbonation freak. I even drank carbonated Water. I stopped drinking carbonated drinks a couple weeks pre-surgery and never went back. It just wasn't that hard. Why we have to has to do with the gas we get from the carbonation.

3. What is the purpose of the liquid diet pre-surgery? And post?

Pre-surgery is usually an insurance requirement. I didn't have one. My doc didn't require one either. However, if you carry a lot of belly fat, a pre-liquid diet will help to shed some of the fat around your liver. If you've ever seen one of these operations (and you can on youtube), they have to life the liver to get the band around your stoma. If your liver is very fatty, this makes it difficult (sometimes impossible) and/or may result in the liver cracking. Yes it heals, but it's something they'd prefer not happen.

Post-surgery, I was back on regular foods by the end of the second week. I only had to do the various stages of the diet for 2-3 days at each stage.

4. Did your insurance company cover the procedure? How long did the pre-auth take? Did you have to do psych evals, etc?

Yes. Pre-auth only took about a week after they had the psych eval, which was the only thing my insurance required.

5. The port - does it physically bother you? Can you see it initially, after losing, etc? My husband is kinda freaked out about it....

For almost a month after surgery, it looked like a tumor on my belly. Then the swelling began subsiding and the port settled in position. Now 10 weeks post op I can't see it and I can only feel it if I press in a bit just above the port.

6. Does getting a fill hurt? Or does it feel like getting a flu shot / giving blood?

They always tell me I'll feel a little prick from the needle. I never do. I just feel a little bit of pressure as they press to push the needle into the port.

.