Hello (questions, fear, hope and all that!)

[mummer 0]

Hi! I am Jeremy. I have arrived at the point where I do not think I will ever be able to control my weight through will power and exercise alone. I am seriously considering getting banded. I have a plethora of questions, but I'll try to limit them to a few:

Do you feel the band/port inside you?

When you eat while banded, does the "full" feeling you get feel the same as the full feeling you got when you ate a large amount of food before you were banded?

If you are on pill medication, can you still take it during the liquid diet post-surgery phase?

Are there any long-term or permanent restrictions on vigorous physical activity?

Seriously, how bad is the post-operative pain?

Does anyone have any experience with the Oband center in Westwood, CA?

That's it for now. Thank you for your help and for this wonderful community.

[SaraJaneQ 0]

Hey Jeremy, Ill take a stab at most of these.

Do you feel the port? Well, there are two parts to this answer. I can put my hand on my tummy and feel my port. I expect I always will. I can also feel it inside every once in a while if I stretch or lay on it, but I am only ten days out. Friends who have been banded long says that they do not feel their port from the inside now that they are healed.

I am still on liquids, so I can't really speak to being "full", but I can tell you that I get to a point where I clearly feel satisfied. I get halfway through a cup of Jello and usually my body tells me it does not need anymore.

Generally, pills need to be crushed or opened during liquid phase unless they are very small. Your doc may have you temporarily change meds too. My acid reflux was controled(ish) by two prescriptions and right now I am on one chewable OTC and having no reflux.

My doc swears that there are no long term restrictions. Im a nervous girl, so I will probably protect my port for a long time, but nope, my doc says no worries.

The pain is different for everyone. When I woke up from surgery I had an AWFUL backache. But just a normal really bad backache. I got myself up to walk about a half hour after going to my room and was in and out of bed at least once an hour that first night. By one week out I could just about sleep on my tummy again (at a week and a half out I can mostly sleep on it, but if I lean wrong my port aches a little). I took my prescription pain killer my first day home but since then I just take tylenol. now thats ME. Some people hurt worse, but it seems to be unusual that people are in real agony, just different levels of discomfort.

[RestlessMonkey 7]

Do you feel the band/port inside you?

When you eat while banded, does the "full" feeling you get feel the same as the full feeling you got when you ate a large amount of food before you were banded?

If you are on pill medication, can you still take it during the liquid diet post-surgery phase?

Are there any long-term or permanent restrictions on vigorous physical activity?

Seriously, how bad is the post-operative pain?

Does anyone have any experience with the Oband center in Westwood, CA?

That's it for now. Thank you for your help and for this wonderful community.

I can't feel the band and port at all. If I hadn't seen it during my post op x-ray, I'd have my doubts. I can kind of feel the port if I really mash, from the outside.

I don't really have restriction yet so I can't answer this personally but from what I was taught, being "satisfied" (the goal of the band) and being stuffed to the gills are very different things. That stuffed full feeling means you've over eaten and it isn't the goal post banding.

I took all my pills (including huge horse-pill postassium) fine post op. However we're all different; pills you can't take on an empty stomach will be dicey until you get on mushies, and some have some restriction post op. I didn't.

No restrictions, once you're healed, on physical activity. In fact that's part of the point; for us to be active and healthy.

Post op pain is very personal. For me (53 year old fat broad) it was a non-event. Honestly I got a cold 3 weeks post op and that sucker kept me down more than any pain. But I walked frequently and I am a firm believer in distraction as an aid to pain control. I did take liquid tylenol fairly regularly the first 2-3 days. 2 doses of darvocet on day 2. That's it. I slept on my side the first night (with a pillow to support my torso and surgical sites) and on my tummy the next night. I think that helped keep me from getting adhesions. Move move move...walk walk walk....and the gas and pain are mininized.

I'm in Texas so no experience with the center you're interested in.

If I may make a suggestion? Go to a seminar. The good ones are very informative. Mine covered several types of bariatric surgery. The surgeon conducted it and we got to meet him and ask questions. They wouldn't even schedule appts until after we'd gone to the seminar so no hard sell. It will help you decide if you want to proceed in checking it out or not.

Personally I think this may be one of the smartest best things I have EVER done for myself.

[glancerlm 0]

Hey Jeremy!

I can feel the port if I poke a little; it doesn't bother me, though.

I am on capsules, and they told me to open them and take them that way, but after a few months, I started just taking them and it doesn't bother me.

No restrictions on exercise after recovery.

The pain was really not that bad. I was sore for a few days. A week after the surgery, I got horrible shoulder pain from gas (they pump air in you and this is normal.) The shoulder pain was the worst pain, and it happened a few nights in a row for an hour or so and then went away.

Frankly, the hardest part of me was the two weeks liquid diet. I was SO hungry! It was torture, but I kept telling myself it was temporary. Plus, during that time I lost a lot of weight, so it was worth it.

I am nothing but glad that I did this; it was one of the best decisions of my life!

[PDG777 0]

Hi, certainly uncomfortable after the operation.. but I cannot say in any particular pain, and certainly not from the lap band.. the port area was sore - sort of - but decided it was the drag of the weight around the tummy that was not helping. Certainly had a small lump there, but that has disappeared, and I can feel it when I want to find it, but absolutely no bother. No problems with the liquid diet, stuck to Optifast, plus chicken broth (lovely) ensured no high calory foods liquids - added an egg or two to the optifast for more Protein. As for feeling full.. well, just don't feel like food at all. the last couple of weeks before my first fill did become a challenge, but a week after that fill, just feel satisfied, and could go without food totally, except that you must eat, so have mid day meal and evening meal and low or no calory liquids in between... Energy is fantastic, a little tired in the evening, but that helps me sleep well. Best thing I have ever done.. and weight is coming off nicely. I am already off blood pressure meds, and just feel great and positive... and just HAPPY! Hope this helps, Cheers, Trish

[JayTee562 1]

Hi! I am Jeremy.......

Does anyone have any experience with the Oband center in Westwood, CA?

.....

Jeremy looks like many of your questions have been answered if you haven't found it yet there is a area for local support groups... in the forum you will see one for USA and under that link there is an area for each state I bet somewhere in the CA link you will find info on that center.

[9pdmnm5 0]

Do you feel the band/port inside you?

When you eat while banded, does the "full" feeling you get feel the same as the full feeling you got when you ate a large amount of food before you were banded?

If you are on pill medication, can you still take it during the liquid diet post-surgery phase?

Are there any long-term or permanent restrictions on vigorous physical activity?

Seriously, how bad is the post-operative pain?

Does anyone have any experience with the Oband center in Westwood, CA?

Hi Jeremy!:cool2:

I can actually feel the band/port to my surprise. However, I am exactly 2 wks. post-op today. The band feels like a lot of pressure being pushed into my chest/throat. I'm hoping this just takes some time to get used to. It doesn't hurt but is somewhat uncomfortable. The port I can feel but it doesn't really bother me unless I turn/twist a certain way. For the most part, I don't even realize I have it.

From my experience and please remember I have not had "solid" foods yet, the fullness feeling is different. I get a feeling in my chest or I hiccup and that is my signal that I've had enough and it is time to stop.

My Dr. wanted all of my pills crushed and I was able to take them fine on the post-op liquids.< /span>

My doc says there won't be any restrictions post-op however, I am a worry wart and it will always be in the back of my mind before I do anything.

I must say, I did have a great experience w/surgery. My surgery was @ 9 and I was on my way home @ 1. I came out of anesthesia very quickly and was sitting in a chair about 45 minutes later. I would be lying if I didn't tell you about the gas pains though.:eek: They were awful! So...you have to walk walk walk and have plenty of gasX strips. Yes, you will be uncomfortable for the 1st few days but its only temporary.:tt2:

Lastly, I cannot help w/the center you are looking into but I'm sure you will be able to find someone on here that has used them.:thumbup:

I think that's it. Good luck to you!!!:biggrin::smile2::wink2: