EKCHIK

Some info to help you can be found on my topic. My lapband experience in OZ

I usually wait around 10 minutes after drinking water to eat. And around 20-30 minutes after I eat.. A handy tip I learnt from the dietition was that. If you find food is getting stuck.. Try a sip of coke-a-cola, I have found sometimes it actually pushes the food down, a bonus because not vomitting. I then of course realise that Im full and push the meal aside. However sometimes if its stuck good and proper the coke-a-cola will actually cause you to vomit, which your probably going to do anyway. Hayley

I had my third fill before I felt any restrictions on what I could eat. I thought at first that the band hadn't worked, but it has. I was banded March 05, if youd like to read my story you can find it in: newly banded tell your experience: My lapband experience in OZ. If you have trouble holding clear fluids down I'd maybe get some removed, but otherwise stick to it. Remember to go slow. Sometimes now even, if I drink milk too fast it will come straight back.. Eating and drinking very slowly are a big key to success here! Good luck hope all goes well after your fill... Hayley

Do not worry... As i have stressed before and cannot stress enough, follow your Dr orders and you will be fine... He is a Dr for a reason! Dont try and force food in.. When you feel a bit sick it means you have had enough. Dont go back and try again on the same meal after you have vomitted. You will be fine.. Think positve... Its the beggining of a new life... You will be amazed at how different the world is on the skinny side!!! Even though it shouldn't matter! Let me know how you go and if there is anything I can do just yell out! Hayley

Congratulations Kristi, I was banded March 05. If I can be of any help to you I would be happy! You can read about my experience in: Newly Banded tell your experience: My lapband experience in OZ. Good Luck, Take care.. Hayley

WOW, next day home..... I remember the pain I was in... Good luck! I was in hospital for 3 days, had to have someone (mum) with me 24/7 at home for 1 weeks as I had trouble sitting up after the operation. But then again a friend of mine had it done and he was up walking, driving and lets say NORMAL the following day... No fair! Thats unreal. Congratulations and good luck on your new beggining! If I can help in anyway feel free to contact me. Hayley

JERIB, Good luck next week. Dont be scared. Its not that bad... You will be a bit sore, but its all worth it. Trust me your first 4 weeks are the easiest. Because you have not yet had a fill you will find you can still eat quite a large amount. However Im not sure how they work in the US but in OZ for the first 2 weeks I was on liquids only then the next 2 weeks vitamised foods only. I thought it was really tough at the time, however once I had my 2nd fill I quickly realised that those first few weeks were soooo.... easy! Take care and let me know how you go... Reamember always do as the Dr. says and you'll be fine! Hayley

Just so you know, my doctor informed me that after taking the meds, if the problem was still there he was going to send me to check and make sure I dont have an ulcer! I have been on meds for 3 weeks now and yeah as soon as I eat something high in acid I am in pain again. So I go back in a week or so, will be sure to keep you updated! Please do the same for me.. Incase my doctor is incorrect!

Just so you know, my doctor informed me that after taking the meds, if the problem was still there he was going to send me to check and make sure I dont have an ulcer! I have been on meds for 3 weeks now and yeah as soon as I eat something high in acid I am in pain again. So I go back in a week or so, will be sure to keep you updated! Please do the same for me.. Incase my doctor is incorrect!

Hi there thought I would attach this reply from my topic in OZ incase you havent read it.. Thought you might be interested. Hey guys and girls, Just been to the doctors and have found a new problem, thought I would share it with you all incase someone else is having a similar problem. I was getting a strange burning sensation in my throat whenever i ate certain foods or strong smells, which a lot of the time caused me to vomit. But I could tell it wasnt the lap band causing it as it was a different feeling. So went to the doctors today and apparently im suffering with Heartburn/ Stomach Acid.. What has happened is, we have a valve at the top of our stomach which stops any acid we eat from coming back up, however since having the lap band my valve is not functioning as it should, so the acid is coming back, which was causing burning, vomitting and terrible taste in my mouth. So glad I found out that is all it is. Have been put on medication and it already seems to be working. Hayley

Hey guys and girls, Just been to the doctors and have found a new problem, thought I would share it with you all incase someone else is having a similar problem. I was getting a strange burning sensation in my throat whenever i ate certain foods or strong smells, which a lot of the time caused me to vomit. But I could tell it wasnt the lap band causing it as it was a different feeling. So went to the doctors today and apparently im suffering with Heartburn/ Stomach Acid.. What has happened is, we have a valve at the top of our stomach which stops any acid we eat from coming back up, however since having the lap band my valve is not functioning as it should, so the acid is coming back, which was causing burning, vomitting and terrible taste in my mouth. So glad I found out that is all it is. Have been put on medication and it already seems to be working.

Sorry about that... Yes i did pb a lot... A hell of a lot!!... Its all about learning what you can and cant eat. I still vomit to this day. But its is because i am trying to eat something that i know I shouldnt. You will learn how much your stomach can handle and when you do the vomitting will slow down. I found that i had "off" days, by that I mean things that would usually go down fine didnt. This could go on for a few days, then it would be all fine and I could eat fine again. Not sure why. And this is why I advise if it happens, dont go rushing back to get the fill taken out, as it may only be temporary. Glad to be of help!!!

slm, Will be glad to answer your questions as best I can.. May be difficult with the language barrier, but ill try! 1. My diet was simple. At the beginning it took a while to get used to the do's and don'ts. I stuck to very soft foods such as cereals and pasta. Apparently everyone is different. I have a few friends who are able to eat things that I cannot and vice versa. So far my discoveries are: Steak, chops, bread are a FORGET IT! Never go down, so don't even try anymore.. But I guess my biggest discovery is that to loose weight it is all about quantity. Wish I had of known this before the surgery. But yeah I pretty much eat anything but in far smaller portions. Fish and chips (fried) able to eat, but now only able to get down 3/4 of a peice of fish instead of fish, chips, potato, seafood sticks and so on... McDonalds I used to eat large meal and cheeseburger, now i just manage to squeeze in a cheeseburger (mind you takes me an Hour!) Some people say they have loads of trouble with rice. I have found rice to be a good friend. Remeber to save your drinks for at least 1/2 hour after you eat! 2. Exercise: I was naughty. I didnt do much exercise during the weight loss. I do however highly recommend it. As if I had of excerized a bit more, I may have not had as much excess skin to be removed. 3. Fills: If my memory is correct I think I have had 3 or 4 fills but only little ones. My cousin has had 10 and he is still struggling to loose the weight, so again everyone is different. And you will know when it starts to work. It can be quite a rude shock! 4. Sorry here goes that language barrier... Not sure what you mean by pb??? Good luck and hope all goes well Thank you Hayley

Sylivia, I would be glad to be of any help I can.. please feel free to contact me with any questions you think of.. Congrats on 18lb its a start and you will get there. I hit a platou (spelling???) at around the same weight, then I realised what I was doing was: When I felt sick from eating and brought it up, I would then go back and have another go at that same meal. I realised after a while that the reason I wasnt loosing anymore was because I was throwing up for a reason..... I was full, so there was no need to go back and eat straight after being sick. Maybe this is the same for you??? When I stopped doing this the weight started to fall off again. It does take time.. Stick with it... Im sure you will be as delighted as me with the results. Hayley

Hi all, Congratulations to all who have lost weight as a result of having Gastric Lap Band surgery. And to those who have not lost any weight yet. Dont give up! It can be tuff, but as long as you stick to it, and follow your Doctors orders you too will succeed. So I guess I should tell you about my experience down here in Australia.... After i sat down and figured out the conversion of how much I have lost from lb to kgs, I realized its quite a lot. I had a Lap band put in in March of 2005. At this time I weighed 124kg (274lb). My knees and my back had just about given up on me. I cant blame them when I look back now! It has been tuff. There would be tears when I had a few bad days of eating, days when it seemed nothing would stay down. But I hung in there and learned a few things to help me along the way. The weight was just dropping off, I couldnt keep track of it at times! It is now September 2006, (18 months on) and i now weigh 62kg (137lb) Which means I am exactly half my oringal weight. Yippee!! I never dreamed it would happen.. But here I am and I seriously feel fantastic. I am sharing clothes with the sister I used to look at and think I wish I was that skinny. Its hard to explain the joy.. I am a single mum, and found it very difficult to find a man due to the huge amount of weight I had put on over the years. Now they are finding me... ha ha now I cant choose.... ha ha... 8 weeks ago I had a tummy tuck. It is amazing, what a difference! A flat tummy, I mean FLAT! I do need more surgery, however being a single mum, money is tight and I just cant afford it at the moment. I need boobs, thighs and buttocks. But hey really, I feel so good it all really doesnt matter. As I said earlier I have learnt so much about the lap band.. If anyone needs any advice please contact me i would be more than happy to help... But I really think the most important thing is to stick to it. Dont force food in. Take your time (chew). And always do as the Dr says! So glad my dad found this site for me to share my experience.. Keep up the good work everyone. Hope to speak to you all really soon! :-) Hayley