Dr. Terry Simpson - Banded by Dr. Simpson

[bevanfranks 0]

Congrats on your surgery! Day by day your soreness will decrease, and you'll notice your clothes fitting looser and it will all be worth it!

Walk, walk, walk- that's the only advice I can think of. Especially after drinking anything, I felt best if I walked after-- I kind of imagined it funneling down better.

Take care, and keep us updated.

Lisa

[prillywilly 9]

Thanks! The pain is gradually receding. I have discovered that when I feel the gas building like a fake burp, if I open my mouth to the sky and pretend I am going to burp, the pain doesnt go directly to my shoulder, as it had before.

My newest challenge is learning to lie on my side, using many pillows, it is still rather difficult.

I go back to work tomorrow (eep!) and I am a bit nervous about that. I will just lay low. I only work 5 hours a day so I cant complain too much!

[prillywilly 9]

I was also wondering, did anyone feel real weak after the first week? Yesterday I was real easily put into a clammy sweat and I felt very weak. Im drinking carnation instant Breakfast and 2 Protein shakes per day, alongside Soups, Keifer,broths, Water, sf koolaide, and Jello, I am taking my Multivitamin and tums. I have lost 13lbs in one week. is that too much? Am I doing something wrong?

Thanks

April

[bevanfranks 0]

April,

Wow, 13 lbs? That's great! I lost 6 in my first week. I suppose everyone is different. Make sure you are getting in your calories and drinking enough Water. I know the doc recommended to make sure to get your calories through Soups, keifer, etc so your body has energy (vitamins) to use to heal.

If you think you're losing too fast you can always e-mail Dr. Simpson. I've done it a few times and he replies QUICKLY!

Have you added in cream soups? Cream of potato, etc.? You have to strain them out, but you can have the cream part. I know once I was able to have those, it was a nice switch from the Protein shakes/keifer only. I was glad to have something sort of salty.

As far as feeling weak goes, YES-- I felt weak during the first week or so. It's partly because your body is healing, partly because you're on a liquid diet- PLUS it takes a while for the anesthesia to get out of your system (or so I've heard). Also- it's SUPER HOT all of a sudden! That makes me tired, regardless of surgery!

I think you'll be feeling like yourself in no time. Soon you can have cottage cheese, and other soft foods. They will give you more energy.

Hopefully returning to work was ok for you. I have a desk job, and returned on the 6th day after surg. It worked out just fine for me, but I don't have to do much other than walk around a bit here and there.

Lisa

[prillywilly 9]

Thanks Lisa, I guess it does make sense that I should be weak while my body is still healing. I have been drinking some cream Soups and I am drinking Water, but I do find it hard sometimes to remember to drink enough. Sometimes I will be sitting here doing something and realize I'm thirsty, then its like, Dang! I should have been drinking this whole time! And its not like you can make up for it all at once. Thats one of the hardest things for me, to not be able to guzzle tons of Water at once, hahaha.

Returning to work was weird and more difficult than I thought, but I am real close with my boss and he knows that I am going through (no one else at work knows why I had surgery) and knows I am taking it easy, so that helps.

I will try to wait until I see Dr Simpson on Monday, but if anymore difficulties pop up I will definitely email him.

Thanks again for the support!

April

[bevanfranks 0]

April,

I think you're doing great. I'm happy for you and it sounds like you'll do wonderfully with your band.

I'm so happy I had surgery. I know it'll take a bit of time for me to lose the weight I need to lose, but I'm confident that I can do it with the band.

I did not tell anyone at work what I was doing. I didn't even tell them I had surgery. I just took some vacation time. I just didn't want people to try and convince me not to have surgery- when I had already made the choice for myself.

So far, it's been just fine keeping my little secret. The first week back to work was the hardest, but I told people I was on a Protein shake diet, because they were wondering why I wasn't eating.

Maybe I'll tell them eventually, or maybe not. . . ha ha-- we'll see.

A few close friends and family know- so they are my support group and I'm ok with just telling them.

Lisa

[dmarcy 0]

Hi All,

I was banded by Dr. Simpson on 5/19 and had my first fill on 6/22. He said I will probably want another one in a month, so I have another fill scheduled 7/27. I have heard it sometimes takes 3-4 fills to hit that magical "green" zone. Right now I am finding it fairly easy to stick to three small meals per day, but the weekends are killer for me, when my family snack all the time. I lost 18 lbs. the first two weeks, then gained back 7 because I was hungry all the time (before my first fill). As of my first fill, four days ago, I was at 11 pounds lost. Since I am back to eating small meals, I am probably down more, but I don't like to weigh on my scale at home because it is inconsistent. It's good to be able to talk to others who have been banded by the same doc. We will all some day be "Simpson Success Stories!"

[prillywilly 9]

Congrats! Ive been losing constantly but I know once I eat some real food I will gain some back before losing it again. Seems to be the trend, at least I can make peace with it in advance. :thumbup:

[bevanfranks 0]

I didn't gain weight back once I started real food, but I didn't lose much either.

At times, my weight loss would stall, but then I'd lose a pound really slowly- over a few days. . . I think it's partly because my desire for food has diminished (even before my fill) so I'm not having urges to eat "junk" food. Just the fact that I'm eating healthier, because I feel less hungry, has helped me to avoid gaining back any weight. It's not always easy though-- I find myself constantly pondering "am I really hungry, or is this head hunger/emotional hunger." I pretty much decided that if my stomach isn't growling, I'm probably not really hungry. I've also been measuring my foods as recommended. But it's not always so simple, sometimes after I eat I feel like-- "That's it?!" but I'm trying to adjust to it. I know that with each fill it'll get easier.

I try to use the little cups from Dr. Simpson for measuring my Protein, and then I have 4-6 oz of veggies. I have not been eating bread, Pasta, or rice. I'm sure that's helped with my weight loss. I have had some crackers though-- per the nutritional packet guidelines.

My scale is very different from Dr. Simpson's so it's hard to gauge my weight, but I can tell it keeps going down, even though it's more slowly than I'd like.

Lisa

[bevanfranks 0]

Has anyone been to the support groups yet? My next appt is near the end of July, and I'm planning to attend a support group then if the timing works out well.

Also, has anyone had their 2nd nutrition appointment? I thought I read somewhere that we're supposed to have a 2nd one at some point, but I haven't looked into it much yet.

Lisa

[prillywilly 9]

I would like to attend a group as well. My post op appt with Dr Simpson is today, I can ask about the second nutrition appointment if you like?

April

[bevanfranks 0]

Sure, if you have the opportunity that would be great- thanks. . .

Good luck on your appointment.

Lisa

[prillywilly 9]

Ok, appt was ok, my incision has an abscess, apparently my body does not like the internal stitches and was trying to propel them out, hahaha, so now Im on antibiotics. Dr S congratulated me on the weight loss so far (yay) and my next appt is in 4 weeks.

I asked about the nutrition f/u and the nurse said it was the Lap Band 2 class?

so Im onto mushies right now, woot! soft boiled eggs never tasted so good, hahaha!

[bevanfranks 0]

Thanks. Yes, I suppose it must be the #2 class. I thought I read somewhere that it's required before you can get your first fill, or something of that sort. However, I already had my 1st fill.

Also, I had the same problem with the stitches. At my 1st week appointment everything looked great, but about a week after that (2 wks out) I had a small piece of what looked like clear fishing line protruding from one of my incisions. I found (in the forums within this site) where several others had a similar problem. I also e-mailed Dr. S when it happened, and he told me not to worry. I didn't have an infection or anything. Dr. S told me he could cut it at my next appt, or I could do it myself.

Lisa

[bevanfranks 0]

April,

How's your weight loss going? I'm frustrated a bit, I seem to be at a plateau, I guess I need my 2nd fill soon. My next appt isn't for 2 1/2 weeks though.

I thought i would just keep losing continuously in the beginning, so I'm surprised it's stopped like this. Hopefully it resumes again soon. I was losing so well before!

Lisa