vix Posted July 22, 2008 Report Share Posted July 22, 2008 I'm new here...my first post. I have my first appointment on Wednesday of this week to see if I can get LapBand surgery. I am embarassed to admit it, but I am terrified to get the surgery. I am desperate, and I honestly will probably not live 10 more years if I don't get it, but I am so afraid of the pain afterwards. I have heard stories about people having pain all the time and that they throw up everything they eat...I have tried to look for this info on different forums, but thought I'd just ask what you'all had as an experience? I had my gallbladder out a few years ago and had laparoscopic surgery for that, but had a lot of pain afterwards. Can anyone give me some positive info that might make me feel a little more easy? I really appreciate it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MamaMichelle Posted July 22, 2008 Report Share Posted July 22, 2008 First off Hello and Welcome, we are a warm and friendly group of current and future bandsters here to support each other!! Most of us here on this forum were banded by one of the best lap-band drs in the world- Dr. Ariel Ortiz in Tijuana Mexico and pretty much everyone was up shopping the next day with very minimal pain... Some people didn't even spend the night in the hospital!! the PB (productive burp) only happens when you don't follow the new rules the band is there to enforce, meaning eating too much, eating to fast or not chewing food well enough... There is a learning curve but if you follow those rules then you minimize the risk of the painful PB's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vix Posted July 22, 2008 Author Report Share Posted July 22, 2008 First off Hello and Welcome, we are a warm and friendly group of current and future bandsters here to support each other!!Most of us here on this forum were banded by one of the best lap-band drs in the world- Dr. Ariel Ortiz in Tijuana Mexico and pretty much everyone was up shopping the next day with very minimal pain... Some people didn't even spend the night in the hospital!! the PB (productive burp) only happens when you don't follow the new rules the band is there to enforce, meaning eating too much, eating to fast or not chewing food well enough... There is a learning curve but if you follow those rules then you minimize the risk of the painful PB's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vix Posted July 22, 2008 Author Report Share Posted July 22, 2008 First off Hello and Welcome, we are a warm and friendly group of current and future bandsters here to support each other!!Most of us here on this forum were banded by one of the best lap-band drs in the world- Dr. Ariel Ortiz in Tijuana Mexico and pretty much everyone was up shopping the next day with very minimal pain... Some people didn't even spend the night in the hospital!! the PB (productive burp) only happens when you don't follow the new rules the band is there to enforce, meaning eating too much, eating to fast or not chewing food well enough... There is a learning curve but if you follow those rules then you minimize the risk of the painful PB's. Hi Michelle, Nice to meet you and thanks for the nice welcome! I am in Kansas City and will be banded here (unless my insurance says no and then will most likely look into Dr. Ortiz)... Thanks for clearing up what a PB is. I had just read that on another thread and couldn't figure out what it was. It makes sense! I will find out on Wednesday all of the details on how long I'll have to stay in the hospital, what my pre-surgery diet will be, etc. I am a bit confused because I have read that some people have to be on a liquid diet for like 3 weeks before surgery and 3-4 after. What was your experience? Thanks again and I'll be chatting here.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MamaMichelle Posted July 22, 2008 Report Share Posted July 22, 2008 Every doctor has their own set of guidelines for both the pre-op diet and post-op diet... With Dr. Ortiz the pre-op most of us choose is 2 slimfasts and a lean cuisine for 2 weeks prior to surgery then it is full liquids for 3 weeks after sugery... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElaineC Posted July 22, 2008 Report Share Posted July 22, 2008 If you have a high BMI, (like I did) they have you do a pre op diet. Mine included a shake (or meal bar) for breakfast and lunch and a lean cuisine type meal for dinner. Post-op diet is clear liquids for 3 days, followed by full liquids until the end of the third week. Then you eat three solid meals a day from then on out. My pain was minimal, mostly soreness. I actually spent the night I was banded back at the hotel. The day after I was banded I took the trolley into San Diego and got married to my life partner. It wore me out, but was totally worth the trip. I did end up with one complication. I became dehydrated (probably from not drinking enough on the trolley rides) and was vomiting the next morning. One quick phone call to the clinic and they sent the van for me. They checked my band and it was fine. They gave me fluids and made sure I was doing well and I went back to the hotel. I am learning what I can and can't eat. I have been nauseous a few times when I did not realize I had eaten something I should not have, but have not really had a PBing episode yet. I am scheduled to get my first fill on the 31st. So far, so good. Elaine Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phoenix Posted July 22, 2008 Report Share Posted July 22, 2008 You've probably been soaking up the oh-so-negative stuff on lapbandtalk. I had to leave there...It felt like their negativity/horror stories and whatnot were going to infect me. Stick around and read and ask questions. Knowledge is power. I had 4 consults and did my homework for about 15 months before taking the plane to San Diego....you're not ready until you're ready. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bragman Posted July 22, 2008 Report Share Posted July 22, 2008 Hey hey, It's been one week exactly for me since I was banded (heh, sounds like I've been tagged by a group of field researchers, like some kind of penguin!), and I understand your fears about pain afterwards. I had mine done here in Detroit at a small local hospital that has a good weight loss center, and was thoroughly impressed with the staff. I wouldn't say that I really felt much pain exactly, but I'd better categorize it as "discomfort". You'll move or stretch a certain way, and it will be tender, kind of like you've pulled a muscle. But this is really just the incisions twinging from the sutures; everything INSIDE you is pretty much invisible. One week to the day after my surgery, and I'm moving almost like it never happened! A little tenderness in spots, but certainly nothing intolerable. When I came out of surgery after the banding last Monday, they had me on a dilaudid pain pump, one of those things where you push a button if it hurts every few minutes, and it zaps you with some serious narcotics. Well, they had to pull me off 'em, 'cuz it was making me sicker than any pain would have! Long story short, I was home the next day with some liquid vicodin, but stopped taking it the next morning. Went to liquid Tylenol, and even stopped that after a day. One thing you'll notice is that the discomfort lessens every day; you'll wake up in the morning and go: "Hey... this is noticeably better than when I went to bed yesterday!" It's that surprising! So don't fear the pain of the procedure; it's really not that bad at all. And having gone 3 weeks now sticking to the "full liquids" diet and having lost nearly 30 lbs. (results not typical!), I can definitely say it's been worth it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kittycat Posted July 22, 2008 Report Share Posted July 22, 2008 Welcome Vix!!!! It is perfectly normal to be scared, I believe we all were before taking the plunge. I was banded here in Canada on June 10th. I did have to go on a pre-op diet for two weeks and it was tough, but you'll get through it, we all do. You will also be required to follow a post-op diet plan set out by your surgeon, it can also be challenging. Both will prepare you for the lifestyle change you are about to embark on. If you view the band as a tool to assist in healthy eating and weight loss, you are on your way. It's not a miracle, if you make unhealthy choices, it won't work. I have not had any PBing episodes yet and chew like crazy to avoid it. I have not had a fill yet. I still have restriction from surgery 6 weeks later. Ask us anything you want to know, that is why we are here. We are one big happy family and support one another!! Best of Luck!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bobbi Posted July 22, 2008 Report Share Posted July 22, 2008 Welcome Vix - We all have gone through the scary, but you know it really wasn't all that bad. I was banded on a Monday, stayed the night in the hospital, and back to the motel the next morning. Yes I was tired, and I was sore, but no actual real hard pain to speak of. What helped me most was walking, and sipping on clear liquids, but mostly the walking helped me get throught it. It was a real great experience that I will always treasure. It was the begining of the new me. Stay with us and we will help all we can. Bobbi Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bragman Posted July 22, 2008 Report Share Posted July 22, 2008 Welcome Vix -We all have gone through the scary, but you know it really wasn't all that bad. I was banded on a Monday, stayed the night in the hospital, and back to the motel the next morning. Yes I was tired, and I was sore, but no actual real hard pain to speak of. What helped me most was walking, and sipping on clear liquids, but mostly the walking helped me get throught it. It was a real great experience that I will always treasure. It was the begining of the new me. Stay with us and we will help all we can. Bobbi I second what Bobbi says about walking. The more you walk, the more you move around & not just sit there, the better off you're going to be! It seriously gets easier as you do it, it's quite amazing. A good yardstick I measured my progress by was the woman in the hospital room next to mine when I had my procedure done... we had it done just about an hour apart last Monday morning, but I spent a LOT of my Monday afternoon and all Tuesday morning walking around, moving around, doing laps around the hospital ward where we were. She... well, laid in bed, and whined a lot. As a result, I was home 24 hours after my surgery, while she was still just getting up out of bed. Yah, this process does require a little brevity, but the more you master it & make it work for you, the faster the recovery will go, no joke! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
banded4life Posted July 22, 2008 Report Share Posted July 22, 2008 I have been totally suprised with the whole experience. The pain was no where near what I had expected. Also, I was so worried about changing my eating habits, but it too as not been as hard as I imagined. You can do this, and you will feel so much better about yourself!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yoyodieter Posted July 22, 2008 Report Share Posted July 22, 2008 I had my surgery and 4 hrs. later I was laying by the pool taking sips of my water. later that same day I walked to the mall and back. I was loopy but not very sore, I stayed an extra day at the hotel mainly for a mini vacation, The worst thing that happened was when i was coming out of surgery I kept asking the Drs. to dance with me and if they had any daughters for my son to marry! LOL Good luck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vix Posted July 22, 2008 Author Report Share Posted July 22, 2008 I had my surgery and 4 hrs. later I was laying by the pool taking sips of my water. later that same day I walked to the malland back. I was loopy but not very sore, I stayed an extra day at the hotel mainly for a mini vacation, The worst thing that happened was when i was coming out of surgery I kept asking the Drs. to dance with me and if they had any daughters for my son to marry! LOL Good luck Wow! You guys are all so great! I know that I'll get through it...God knows I've gotten through stuff before, but I just have fears about my health/anesthesia and of course, the pain. I am allergic to almost every kind of pain medication and can't take vicodin, or anything codeine based. It sucks because I am basically a chicken and imagine that I'll be the lady in the bed "whining"...lol I do remember though that when I had my second C-Section, I knew that if I walked that I would feel better sooner, so I did and felt better. I will be having my surgery in a suburb of the town I live in so it is about 45 minutes away from my home. I imagine I will stay one night. I'm getting a little less worried...you all seem to be doing really well. Thanks so much for the info...it really helps a lot... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mona-camille Posted July 22, 2008 Report Share Posted July 22, 2008 Wow! You guys are all so great! I know that I'll get through it...God knows I've gotten through stuff before, but I just have fears about my health/anesthesia and of course, the pain. I am allergic to almost every kind of pain medication and can't take vicodin, or anything codeine based. It sucks because I am basically a chicken and imagine that I'll be the lady in the bed "whining"...lol I do remember though that when I had my second C-Section, I knew that if I walked that I would feel better sooner, so I did and felt better. I will be having my surgery in a suburb of the town I live in so it is about 45 minutes away from my home. I imagine I will stay one night. I'm getting a little less worried...you all seem to be doing really well. Thanks so much for the info...it really helps a lot... I am the biggest baby on the planet and have a very low threshhold for pain. That being said, I went back to the hotel about 4 hours after surgery with no pain at all. I never took a pain pill and was up shopping the next day. The constant vomitting you are talking about might come from people who have gastric bypass. They DO vomit a lot! Lap banded people do not. Now, I did have some vomitting problems, but that was because I was not drinking enough and became dehydrated. But that is easily fixed by drinking more. Bottom line, this surgery was so easy for me, I felt like the whole trip was more of a vacation than a surgery. I actually had fun. Be positive, and look forward to the surgery and you will be fine! I truly believe that the reason I had no pain, was because I was so excited about FINALLY having something done about my weight that my hapiness overshadowed anything else. You will be amazed how easy it is! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom12 Posted July 22, 2008 Report Share Posted July 22, 2008 If you had a c-section this will be nothing. It is so much easier and has a much quicker recovery with little or no pain compared to a c-section. I was the last surgery of the day so stayed overnight but was back at the hotel early the next morning and spent the day resting by the pool, shopping and drinking tea. It was really no pain at all. I didn't even need the pain meds they gave me. The only discomfort was a small burp like pain in my chest, kind of like a had a burp stuck but that was it. Now 2 months later, I have to look very hard to even see 3 of my 5 incisions and the other two shrink almost daily. The only one that I think I will be able to see long term is the port one since it is a little longer. I have had port site discomfort on a couple of occassions if I over work my stomache muscles but nothing that didn't subside very quickly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kim2BSlim Posted July 22, 2008 Report Share Posted July 22, 2008 Welcome vix! The pain after the surgery is very minimal. The trapped gas hurts worse. We were up and at em the very next day and shopped for 12 hours in San Diego! You will be fine. Take care and keep us updated! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FRANCIE Posted July 22, 2008 Report Share Posted July 22, 2008 Hello! I am to be banded on August 18th and I am totally confident with my decision BECAUSE OF THIS FORUM. The people here are very nice and supportive and eager to answer your questions. I read one post where the lady asked "what if I fail?" and the people on here answered her with "what if you succeed". That really stuck in my brain.... I think we are all used to (and maybe even programmed now) to believe we are going to fail at weight loss. We need to realize that this will be a new beginning of learning how to eat right and think right. It worries me that you think you only have 10 years to live if you dont get the surgery. If you have this concern then you need to do something now but alot of this process is attitude...a positive one. We have a great support system here. I went to lapbandtalk forum and was shocked at the difference. What we all need is to "band" together and support each other and I think this is the right place for people like me and you. I know you are scared of the anesthesia. I talked to an anesthesiologist and he assured me they monitor you very very closely. If something happens, they can flush you out and wake you up immediately. I don't think this is something to worry about, but I understand your concern. At the end, it's all up to the good Lord anyway..... Just my opinion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vix Posted July 23, 2008 Author Report Share Posted July 23, 2008 I really am excited that I came here and have "met" you guys. I can't believe how much better I feel just in the 24 hours or so since I've met you. I'm really excited about my appointment tomorrow and interestingly, I am not worried at all about being turned down by my insurance company because all of you have had such a wonderful experience with OCC that I almost hope I can go there... I do have a couple of other questions though and thought I'd ask in this thread instead of starting another one. When you guys talk about PBs, are they just like a sudden "upchuck" of food, or do you feel the nausea that you have before you vomit and then have the vomiting? (Sorry to be so stupid and ask such a silly question...but that one is really bothering me because one of the things I hate the most is being nauseated) And, I've been reading a lot of the threads and it seems as if food often gets "stuck" somehow. I imagine this as feeling like you swallowed a chicken bone or something. Is this pretty common? What does your food get stuck on if the band is on the outside of your stomach? After tomorrow I'm sure I won't ask so many silly questions since I will be asking them in my consult...but I do appreciate all of you taking the time to answer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MamaMichelle Posted July 23, 2008 Report Share Posted July 23, 2008 I like this anology: Putting the band between your stomach and esopagus is like a glass blower "pinching" an hourglass in the middle of a glass. The size of the space within the "pinch" is adjusted by adding a fill to your band, the more fill you get the smaller the space inside the pinch. The food you eat is like the "sand" that is able to pass through the pinch... If your don't chew well enough (if the sand is too big) it won't pass through the band. That is the "stuck" feeling people describe! When your band is filled correctly the food you eat will stack upon itself on top of the band (like sand in the top of an hourglass) till the food stacks high enough that your body signals that you are full. Again depending on the size of your "pinch" combined with the size of the sand (your chewed up food) derermines the flow of food from the esopagus into the stomach. Once you lose that full feeling it means that the food has passed through the band into your stomach where the nerves in your stomach tell you body again that you are still full... once the food has been digested and left your stomach you get that feeling of being hungry again. So if you're not feeling full with the food you are eating your choices are eating more to keep that feeling of fullness in your stomach or getting another fill so that food stays above the pinch so you feel fuller longer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kdagmcdonald Posted July 23, 2008 Report Share Posted July 23, 2008 I'm going off topic, but I'm new, and just wanted to know what pb'ing & sliming refers too. I've been reading some of the post, and I see people refering to this quiet a few times!! I was banded June 12, 2008 in Augusta, Georgia by Dr. Bagnato. My first fill date is July 28, 2008. Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kim2BSlim Posted July 23, 2008 Report Share Posted July 23, 2008 That was a great explanation, Michelle! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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