CindyLou

i was told not to lay down for 30 min to 1 hour. My dad has acid reflux (not a bander) and his GI doc tells him no food or drink for 2 hours before bed.

I do not think your symptoms are that of a slip.

Hope you feel better.

I did a search and the only thing I could find regarding lap band and jaundice was the following,

"Complications of laparoscopic adjustable gastric

banding occur in 10 - 20% of patients. However, hepatobiliary

complications of this procedure are very

rare. We report a unique case of gastric band misplacement

around the hepato-duodenal ligament. The

patient developed obstructive jaundice several

months after the gastric band placement and suffered

recurrent episodes of obstructive jaundice and

cholangitis that were initially erroneously attributed

to fatty infiltration of the liver. Further diagnostic

work-up demonstrated the presence of the gastric

band in the hepatic hilum. Exploratory laparotomy

confirmed the diagnosis, and the band was removed.

Jaundice reversed and hepatic function was restored

following removal of the occluding band."

I would call the OCC and mention this as a possibility and ask them what to do. It may be nothing but it could be soemthing like this. I hope you feel better.

Cindy

I can only eat cooked, not raw. I'm gassy all the time now anyway....

Try beano when you eat it.

how much does it cost? sounds great!

Remember it can take up to 12 weeks or longer to get it back! So, if anyone anticipates needing to go after june, now is the time to get the application in!

Ok, here is where the confusion might be....

I was told before my surgery that the FILLS are free for life. But they do charge a $100 fee for the flouroscopy and that they DO NOT do blind fills. So there is no fee for the procedure itself, but there is a fee for the use of the machine, which are two different DRG or charge codes.

Hope that helps.

I was banded on 11/20 and my shoulder hurts as I type this! It hurts when I get too hungry or too full. Sometimes it just hurts because the sun is shining. .......or not...haha. The band is placed near where the phrenic nerve runs through and this is aggravated and referred to the shoulder much like the displaced co2 pain.

Its not fun, but its worth it, I guess. I have good days and bad days with it.

I was told by Dr. Acosta that you don't need to test the first fill, only starting with the 2nd. He also said that with the second one I can just order something from Mcdonalds and eat it there, wait two hours, then if all is ok I can go.

But I know different people have gotten different answers.

They will let you go back to the hotel that night if you feel ok.

Also, I would check with the hotel upon arrival regarding a room upgrad which includes a microwave and fridge. We didn't know until our last day there that it was an option but it would have been a life saver.

Your mom can order pizza at the OCC to be delivered and I think McDonalds might deliver as well. (very healthy choices, I know...)

When I am PMSing, I am ravenous - so I usually take a couple of green tea diet pills. They really halp take the edge off my hunger, otherwise I get so hungry I will eat until I PB.

I wouldn't take prescription meds though.

that's a good idea, as a temporary help.....

Email Response from OCC (Dr. So) today:

"Hi Ms Cindy

in 2 weeks, you can get another one

checklist if you are not losing weight:

1.- are you eating solids three meals a day.

2.- are you chewing thoroughly, not feeling full, and eating around a third of the volume of your preband intake?

3.- are you selecting your food judiciously?

4.- are you not losing weight or sizes?

if the answers to all of theses is yes, then you need a fill"

*So I guess I will go ahead and set up an appt for two weeks and see what happens. I can always cancel if I need to.

I agree that you shouldn't use them. It's all a learning process and will make you much stronger in the end!

ONE OF THE GAL'S, IT WAS HER B DAY SO SHE GOT TO GO FIRST, I JUST WHINED, AND WHINED AND WOULDN'T STAY IN MY ROOM SO COULD GO NEXT LOL

I was picked up at the mexicoach parking lot at 8am and was done with surgery by 130.

Its funny because it seems we all get a little different version of instructions.

But when it comes down to it, it's REALLY what works for each of us! I'm sure there are things that I do that some of you (even me) we told not to do, but for me and my body it works best.

So enjoy your soup if it works. For me, I feel like I drank water after I eat soup and I'm still hungry.

We are all sooooo very different!

Really? No soups ever??? That's like saying no water either cause it goes straight through your band. That's the first I've heard of that. I don't plan to eat only soup all the time, but for lunch sometimes? I eat solids most of the time but I like soup:(

Well, because water doesn't have calories and your not drinking it with food, then its ok. The function of the band is to restrict solids only. If you eat soup its going straight through the band and its wasted calories that do nothing to tell your brain that you are full, which is the reason for the band. I wound't say, no soup, ever, but remember, this is not using the band to its full capacity. The same thing with protein shakes. Dr. Ortiz told me, once on solids stay away from ANY liquids that contain calories or your wasting the calories.

I look at eating soup no differently than drinking liquids while eating. It liquifies the food and through the band it goes.

oops....remember, no soups or mushies once you are on solids...they go right through the band.

I'm just now getting to go through all of the posts...I sometimes have a difficult time navigating this site.

This one is awesome! I just hope I can do nearly as well as you all!

I didn't know you could chew and spit something out! Do you still retain some of the calories from that? I never thought of doing that...maybe I shouldn't even think about doing it! Once I taste it, I may not be able to hold myself back!

Guilty here too! I cooked a huge ham to make split pea soup for my soup phase. I couldn't stand it so I just chewed it. My husband was grossed out, but then after one bite I as fine. It was hard not to swallow it though!

Shhh...don't tell anyone, but I did the Gerber's baby food during my creamy soup phase. It was thin enough that it could have been sucked through a straw. I especially loved the pear and apricot. The sweet potatoe was "ok"........ It really saved me when I needed or craved fruit.

I would think as long as your getting the right amount of calories you would be fine to snack. I think the "no snacking" was if you were already getting your 1200 cal with your meals.

Hey Cindy,

Call them tomorrow and let them know - I have had fills with little or no restriction and went in for an adjustment within a week.

If this is your first fill they may not adjust – but call to see.

All the best,

Lisa

Just curious, did they charge you to "re-do?"

I bet they will just make me wait being its the first. I'm not feeling very hungry between meals, so maybe that's some restriction? But I didn't "feel" anything when I ate and felt I could have kept going if I had wanted to (but didn't). Maybe I just don't know what restriction feels like. I guess I'll figure it out sooner or later. I will probably call tomorrow, just so they have it on record that I don't notice a difference.

BTW, I think someone asked if it was under flouro or blind...It was at the OCC under flouro.

I think that was the one that quoated me the $400 a month payments and that was for $8950. Oh well, I guess I wasn't meant to have the surgery. If I keep applying for loans that will make my credit score lower due to so many inquires. Maybe someday, If I don't crock first. (haha). Thank you everyone that has responded. All of your advice was helpfull. > >

Hi, I was thinking, your numbers don't make sense to me. (I'm gonna assume the rate is around 18% ?? )

$8950 at 18% for 4 years is 262.91

$8950 at 18% for 3 years is 323.91

The other question I have is this. Why 8950? The price is 7950 and then you have to pay the OCC $500 up front when you book the surgery. However, the loan company then adds another $500-800 back in for their fee, whic would put you financing a max of $8250 to be financed.

So looking at that:

$8250 at 18% for 4 years is 242.34

$8250 at 18% for 3 years is 298.26

To put it in further perspective:

On $8950, in order to get a payment of $400 for 4 years, the interest rate would have to be over 40%, which isn't even legal. In order to get a payment of $400 on the same amount for 3 years, the interest rate would have to be more than 35%.

And, many times they will go 5 or 6 years.

So, please look at what they offered you. Something doesn't sound right. This might still be within your reach!!!!!

Had fill on friday, back on solids today and feeling no restriction. Had 1.7cc's. I can go back soon for fill if I need to (live in L.A.) but I was hoping to have some restriction from the first fill.

I haven't lost any weight in a week. I'm getting a little frustrated.

Will they do a fill sooner than 4 weeks after the first if I got no restriction?

Will it just eventually "kick in"?

HELP

I did the Atkins induction option and wasn't hungry.

I put my weight at the start of my preop diet, which happend to be my highest weight ever! I gained 8 lbs between deciding for the surgery and the pre op diet....

I would suggest only using a half dose of MOM. I used a whole dose and let me tell you it kept me moving....literally....back and forth to the bathroom for 2 days. One good thing is that it got rid of the gas I was having. Keep us posted