Lap Band Bible for Newbies

[cheryl2586 3,053]

Now it seems that people just dont know how to search the forums to find an answer to their question and repeat the same question so here I am laying it all out for ya as simple as I can: Its all normal!!!!!!!

Gas? Yes you will have gas, your stomach will growl, talk, make noises you never heard, be loud enough for the neighbors to hear it. The gas will go away within a few days or by the first week. You may never get rid of gas. It may always be there. The band changes your digestive flow causing GAS. Put gas x on your grocery list.

Pain? Yes you will have pain. It is just not an option. To what degree you have it is up to everyone. Your port site will however be sore longer than any of the other sites can take up to a couple months to feel completely pain free. One day post op pain, two three four days post op pain. You may have pain for two weeks.

Sore Throat? You may have a sore throat after surgery because they put a tube down your throat while you are sleeping.

Nausea? Most bariatric patients wake up nauseated. This is common it should not last. Have them put a patch behind your ear before you go in to surgery. However if you throw up unstoppable for more than you think is normal then call your doctor.

Problems? If you feel you are having a medical issue call your doctor. That is what they are there for. We are not medical professionals and can not diagnose medical issues.

Band slippage? If your band slips you will have uncontrolable vomiting. Not because you can eat more than normal.

HUNGER? When the swelling from surgery goes down you will BE HUNGRY. HUNGER IS SOMETHIING THAT NEVER STOPS ITS IS NATURAL FOR YOUR BODY TO TELL YOU WHEN TO EAT. You may get fuller faster but you will still get hungry.

Shoulder pain? If your pain persist more than normal you could and probably are eating too much. You have a nerve that goes from your stomach to our left shoulder and the band presses on it. Signal STOP EATING.

Head Hunger? You need to realize that the band will not control head hunger it just wont. If your stomach is growling you are hungry eat. If you just feel empty drink. If your not roaring then you are not hungry.

Restriction? You may or may not have it from the beginning. If you dont you may need a fill 6 weeks post op.

Weight loss? It is not going to be fast. Im sure you were told slow but steady and then maybe not steady after a while. Its all about you, your metabolism and your ability to stick to the diet.

Diet? The lap band is a diet and if you dont think it is then dont get it because it is a diet/life style change. You can not continue to eat the way you did before surgery and think you will lose weight because you wont. Nothing taste better in your mouth than being thin.

Soda and carbonation? Drink it if you want to expand your pouch otherwise stay clear of carbonated beverages.

Alcohol. Although alcohol will not hurt your band the empty calories will hurt your weight loss so dont attempt it. One leads to two.

If you are steady losing weight I dont suggest getting a fill. Only get a fill if your not losing weight, overly hungry but if you eat enough Protein you should stay fuller longer, and or gain back weight. If you keep losing weight you do not need a fill. Why put yourself through that when it is not necessary.

Fluids? You need to drink 64 oz of fluids after surgery whether you want to or not or risk being dehydrated. Dehydration means IV"s if you love needles then dont drink after surgery.

bread? Some may never be able to eat bread ever. Some may. Same with Pasta and rice.

Exercise? Its entirely up to you whether you want to excersise or not. The band alone is not going to do it. It is a tool and that is all it is to teach you Portion Control. If you do not use it as a tool then you will not lose weight. If you are severely overweight wait until you feel comfortable doing some type of excersise.

Eat Protein first with all your meals then add the other things you will find out you wont need so much of the other things.

Anyone want to add anything else I forgot then please do. I am not being smart just trying to answer all the questions in one place.

[roxi 0]

if this post twice Im sorry . I am 5 days post surgery ( lap band ) ..Im coming down with a cold . ugggggh ! has anyone or does anyone know if we can take OTC cold meds ? Like tylenol cold stuff ? if you're going to say ask my sugeon ..forget it . I am so over him . any help would be appreciated . thnaks you !

[cheryl2586 3,053]

Yes you can take cold medicine. You can take medicine just like you did before just use tylenol in it.

[cheryl2586 3,053]

Now it seems that people just dont know how to search the forums to find an answer to their question and repeat the same question so here I am laying it all out for ya as simple as I can: Its all normal!!!!!!!

Gas? Yes you will have gas, your stomach will growl, talk, make noises you never heard, be loud enough for the neighbors to hear it. The gas will go away within a few days or by the first week. You may never get rid of gas. It may always be there. The band changes your digestive flow causing GAS. Put gas x on your grocery list.

Pain? Yes you will have pain. It is just not an option. To what degree you have it is up to everyone. Your port site will however be sore longer than any of the other sites can take up to a couple months to feel completely pain free. One day post op pain, two three four days post op pain. You may have pain for two weeks.

Sore Throat? You may have a sore throat after surgery because they put a tube down your throat while you are sleeping.

Nausea? Most bariatric patients wake up nauseated. This is common it should not last. Have them put a patch behind your ear before you go in to surgery. However if you throw up unstoppable for more than you think is normal then call your doctor.

Problems? If you feel you are having a medical issue call your doctor. That is what they are there for. We are not medical professionals and can not diagnose medical issues.

Band slippage? If your band slips you will have uncontrolable vomiting. Not because you can eat more than normal.

HUNGER? When the swelling from surgery goes down you will BE HUNGRY. HUNGER IS SOMETHIING THAT NEVER STOPS ITS IS NATURAL FOR YOUR BODY TO TELL YOU WHEN TO EAT. You may get fuller faster but you will still get hungry.

Shoulder pain? If your pain persist more than normal you could and probably are eating too much. You have a nerve that goes from your stomach to our left shoulder and the band presses on it. Signal STOP EATING.

Head Hunger? You need to realize that the band will not control head hunger it just wont. If your stomach is growling you are hungry eat. If you just feel empty drink. If your not roaring then you are not hungry.

Restriction? You may or may not have it from the beginning. If you dont you may need a fill 6 weeks post op.

Weight loss? It is not going to be fast. Im sure you were told slow but steady and then maybe not steady after a while. Its all about you, your metabolism and your ability to stick to the diet.

Diet? The lap band is a diet and if you dont think it is then dont get it because it is a diet/life style change. You can not continue to eat the way you did before surgery and think you will lose weight because you wont. Nothing taste better in your mouth than being thin.

Soda and carbonation? Drink it if you want to expand your pouch otherwise stay clear of carbonated beverages.

Alcohol. Although alcohol will not hurt your band the empty calories will hurt your weight loss so dont attempt it. One leads to two.

If you are steady losing weight I dont suggest getting a fill. Only get a fill if your not losing weight, overly hungry but if you eat enough Protein you should stay fuller longer, and or gain back weight. If you keep losing weight you do not need a fill. Why put yourself through that when it is not necessary.

Fluids? You need to drink 64 oz of fluids after surgery whether you want to or not or risk being dehydrated. Dehydration means IV"s if you love needles then dont drink after surgery.

bread? Some may never be able to eat bread ever. Some may. Same with Pasta and rice.

Exercise? Its entirely up to you whether you want to excersise or not. The band alone is not going to do it. It is a tool and that is all it is to teach you Portion Control. If you do not use it as a tool then you will not lose weight. If you are severely overweight wait until you feel comfortable doing some type of excersise.

Eat Protein first with all your meals then add the other things you will find out you wont need so much of the other things.

Anyone want to add anything else I forgot then please do. I am not being smart just trying to answer all the questions in one place.

Diarrhea? liquids in liquids out yes you can have diarrhea

[ElfiePoo 109]

Good post, the only thing I would change is regarding the shoulder pain. The shoulder pain, if it continues weeks after surgery is caused by some part of the band rubbing against the diaphragm and is not necessarily caused by eating.

I'm over a year postop and my shoulder pain occurs mostly when I'm lying down or riding in the front passenger seat of the car (puts me in just the right position). It never occurs when I'm eating.

.

[Humming Bird 275]

I'm not sure I would call your post the lapband bible unless you are an expert. Most of it is basic and helpful.

I also have shoulder pain that continues 18 months post-op. I think many bandsters get it very wrong when they tell others it is gas and to take gas-x for it.

One thing I would add, and it's just my opinion, PB (productive burping) is used way too often when actually the person is throwing up. IMO productive burping is more like the feeling of an actual burp or an acid reflux type reaction. It happens when I have taken a bite or two too much. It's that burpy thing that happens when I don't pay attention to my full signal. If I wretch and something (slime, food, foam) ends up projected in the toilet, trash, or along side the road ..... That is throwing up.

[CheckYes 46]

I appreciate the time you took to put this all in one place but I would say the golden rule is to ask your surgeon these things. The above may be your personal experience but the title of the post makes it sound like a universal experience which we know is not generally the case.

[PrincessErin 64]

I'm sort of new here and I'M sure I've asked questions others have asked (and yes, I actually DO understand how to use the search function).

The overall tone of this post is sort of rude. It's certainly not going to be a go-to "band bible" I'll ever use. I've tried to read it twice and it just makes me feel sort of dumb for wondering about anything band-related at all.

Just my opinion. :c)

[aprilalison 5]

I'm not sure I would call your post the lapband bible unless you are an expert. Most of it is basic and helpful.

I also have shoulder pain that continues 18 months post-op. I think many bandsters get it very wrong when they tell others it is gas and to take gas-x for it.

One thing I would add, and it's just my opinion, PB (productive burping) is used way too often when actually the person is throwing up. IMO productive burping is more like the feeling of an actual burp or an acid reflux type reaction. It happens when I have taken a bite or two too much. It's that burpy thing that happens when I don't pay attention to my full signal. If I wretch and something (slime, food, foam) ends up projected in the toilet, trash, or along side the road ..... That is throwing up.

I disagree on two counts. I like the name - it's intended for newbies to get that this is a post where you can get gobs of information. In a sense, if you've been through it, you become an expert on some things.

Second, I disagree with the PBing. My opinion is that burping is burping. I burped before I had a band, I still burp after I got the band. PBing is different - Productive burp means a burp that is productive - i.e. it produces something. I cannot STAND to vomit. If I truly throw up, I end up with tiny red dots all over my face (broken blood vessels) - it's not pretty, but I've always been that way. Nausea precedes vomiting and it's literally your stomach convulsing and forcing food up your esophagus along with bile and acid. Nasty stuff. Tastes and smells disgusting. If I'm vomiting, you know it two rooms over because I'm not a quiet girl. Sliming/foaming, meh... not so bad. I don't hate it. I can silently slime right into my office garbage can and no one is the wiser. It has no acid, no bile and doesn't taste repulsive. There is no nausea, it's just a pressure feeling where you know you've had too much. It's very similar to a baby spitting up. That's not considered vomiting, just when the baby's had enough, whoooop - up comes the excess.

Just my two cents... love the original post.

[renniemommietoo 1]

Don't worry Bubbles, ask your questions, MOST people are encouraging and helpful...

[PrincessErin 64]

Don't worry Bubbles, ask your questions, MOST people are encouraging and helpful...

Thanks, RennieMom!! :c)

[mattie7632 24]

Thanks but I prefer to ask questions that have already been asked before.

[amber2604 4]

Thanks but I prefer to ask questions that have already been asked before.

Question. Am I going to be hungry? Hungry hungry? Or hungry hungry hungry?

[mattie7632 24]

LMBO.

Question. Am I going to be hungry? Hungry hungry? Or hungry hungry hungry?