Hello from Hong Kong

michaelms · August 7, 2006

Hello All,

I am so glad to have found this site as I cannot find any banders here in HK. (obesity is hardly a problem here) I weigh 268 pounds BMI 39 & have been suffering from diabetes for the last 2 years. My insurance company has refused to cover the surgery so I am trying through the govt system , maybe I have to pay for half the surgery but I have to wait 2 months to see a doctor.

Before I do so I have several queries pleae can someone help me:

Is there a lot of vomiting after the surgery? My biggest fear is vomiting, I seem to have some kind of phobia about this - I can count that I have ONLY vomited 3 times in my entire life.

After a year or so can one go back to eating (even though its small qty) things like red meat, rice, vegetables & fruits without exception?

Does this really help in reducing hunger pangs all day? My problem is I feel hungry every couple of hours.

I realise some quetsions may have been already answered in past forums , I will keep searching, but I would love to talk to some banders personally so I can ask them about their experiences. I would be happy to call anyone if they are willing to discuss this with me over the telephone. I would really appreciate this.

Regards

Michael :help:

PattiCakes · August 7, 2006

HI! I have not been banded yet (waiting for my consult!) but I just wanted to say hi and that I hope you find all of the information you are looking for!

LindaV · August 7, 2006

Hi Michael,

Welcome to LBT! I will try to answer some of your questions. I have been banded since May 1st of this year so I am hardly an expert but I will share with you from my experience so far.

I usually am nausious and vomit from anesthesia but I made sure that I was given strong anti-nausea medications during and following my surgery and I actually did not vomit diretily following my surgery.

As far as hunger goes, the band has really helped me with that. Even when I do get hungry, a small amount of food satisfies me.

You must, however, be prepared to deal with hunger for the first several weeks after surgery until you have the proper amount of restriction in your band. Most surgeons will give you your first saline fill at about 6 weeks post-op and it can take a few adjustments to finally feel a good amount of restriction.

As far as what you can eat, it is different for every person. I can eat pretty much any food but I have to be careful with breads and hard Proteins. I take small bites and chew my food very well. I also eat pretty slowly or it can be very painful. Sometimes when food gets stuck, it does come back up. You should be prepared for that if you have an aversion to vomiting. This is called a PB (productive burp). For some people it is really like burping and having food come back up. For others, like me, it is more like full-blown vomiting! It doesn't happen too often (thank God), but it does happen to most of us occassionally!

Some people are very limited to what they can eat. Foods that often cause problems are breads and hard Proteins like chicken or steak.

I am really glad I had Lap Band surgery. It is changing the way I eat and the way I feel about food. I do make healthy food choices and I am now exercising regularly which is certainly helping with the weight loss but, having the band has really curbed my appetite and helped me control my portions which has been a HUGE help!

For the first time in my life, I feel like I will successfully be able to lose the weight I want and to keep it off for good!

Good luck with your journey! Keep us posted and, if you have any other questions, please feel free to send me a private message.

Nana~ · August 7, 2006

Greetings!

Welcome to LBT!

I would love to visit HK one day!!!

Nana~

coyotegirl · August 7, 2006

HI MICHAEL, WELCOME TO LBT!! I also will try and answer some of your questions. But remember that everyone is different and the band can only work if you work with it! :)

[Is there a lot of vomiting after the surgery? My biggest fear is vomiting, I seem to have some kind of phobia about this - I can count that I have ONLY vomited 3 times in my entire life]

I didn't have any trouble with nausia after surgery. The only time I have vomited is when I was not being careful and ate to fast or took too big a spoon full at one time and didn't chew well. Called PB--Productive Burp-- It is not a fun experience and if done a lot it could hurt your band.

[After a year or so can one go back to eating (even though its small qty) things like red meat, rice, vegetables & fruits without exception]

You should be able to eat these foods a couple of months after your surgery not a year. After surgery I was on a liquid diet for 2 weeks then on to mushy foods then after that I was on solid food again. But like Linda, I can't eat breads but who needs the extra carbs. Right?

and I have to be VERY CAREFUL with rice, but I can eat it if I eat slow and easy!

[Does this really help in reducing hunger pangs all day? My problem is I feel hungry every couple of hours.]

The band has helped me with hunger ALOT! But I still have to deal with "head hunger" I am not really hungry but I want to eat damnit!! It is hard sometimes but I just try and find something else to do and stay away from the kitchen!

Michael, Good luck and I am sure once you get the band you will love it as much as I do. It is still a lot of work to lose these nasty pounds but the band is a BIG help!! The band is my "BEST FRIEND".

ralheit · August 7, 2006

Welcome Michael. You have found the place to be. I was banded in March. Everyone is different in what they can eat and how fast they lose. The good thing though is that it is working. I rarely feel hungry, I do occassionally have a PB, but it's not like vomiting, it just comes back up. I am pretty much able to eat anything, although like the others, breads are not a good thing. Although, wraps and pita bread don't bother me at all. Good luck.

thinkthin · August 8, 2006

Hi Michael, I just want to address the issue of vomitting. I, personally, have experienced a lot of vomitting. My band has become tighter as I have lost weight, and has required more adjustments than the first 8 months. The band is an ever changing phenomenon, and I have lately been throwing up alot.

That said - the way in which you vomit is different than pre-lap band. You know when you're sick, you can have that violent, heaving type vomitting that is really gross and tastes horrible? (Hope you're not vomitting right now just with the description!) It is not like that with the lap band. Usually, food just gets stuck or backed up and cannot get through the band. It will come up inthe form that it went down. It is not violent, it is not like heaving, it is usually quick. Sometimes it comes up with lots of slime, which the body is trying to produce to "help" the food get through. Usually, I can "control" something coming up and get to the bathroom. Only once did I feel that the slime was coming up and I barely got to the waste basket. I know I'm being graphic, forgive me, but sometimes its good to know the truth about these things. You can often tell if you've eaten too much and feel it rising. I also hate to admit it, but I have been know to make myself throw up to alleviate the pain and discomfort I feel when I've put too much down. This is not a good practice, but I tell you this only to let you know that the whole vomitting experience is not so horrible as you think it will be. The food never gets into your stomach, so there is not that horrible acidic flavor that you experience when you're sick.

I do think that you should evaluate if you think this is something you can try to become more comfortable with. With the band, you may be someone who throws up alot, or you might be someone who never does. I have a friend who has only thrown up twice in the first year of lap band. That's great. She eats super slow, chews well, never overeats or pushes, has good adjustment on the band its very easy.

I am very happy with the band - couldn't have lost weight without it - but I do have more difficulties with the throwing up, but its really not unbearable or horrible. Plus, it is a work in progress to get the proper adjustment so that I don't throw up so much.

Good luck with your investigations and decisions.