arianna

I had major diarrhea the first few weeks after my surgery, but it did go away on its own. But even though I don't have diahrrea anymore, I definitely have more bowel movements now throughout the day than before. Is that normal? I think everyone's different and maybe it's our body's way of adjusting not only to a foreign object (the band) but also to our new way of eating. I mean I'm sure I put my body in shock by switching to vegetable soups, broths, and healthy smoothies. LOL . Hope you feel better. It's no fun! Arianna

I actually wrote a post a few weeks ago about feeling gassy all the time. It's been almost 4 months since I was banded and I still feel a lot of gas, and I'm not sure if it's from the food I eat or what. sometimes it goes up to my back and shoulders, or to the sides of my abdomen. I'm going to talk to my doctor about it when I go in this month. As far as the hiccups, I get them when I drink or eat too quickly. but if you're getting just one now and then, then it's probably from the gas. Hey I guess if we're losing weight, we can handle these little quirks. Arianna

I have been getting a lot of headaches recently and when I spoke to my doctor about it before my last fill, he told me that perhaps I'm not drinking enough water. He was right. I usually start my day with coffee and then more coffee at work, tea in the afternoon, etc. so this past week I've started drinking more water. but everytime I drink I feel so nauseous, especially if I drink it on an empty stomach. I know the rule about not drinking water with meals, so I'm trying to drink as much when I"m not eating, but it makes me sick. Is this normal or has anyone else experienced this? One more thing I'd like to add is that I HAVE to drink with my food sometimes, because I feel a huge lump in my throat if I don't. It's like I'm choking but I'm not (sound familiar?) I'm chewing and chewing and chewing. I know my band's not too tight because I still get pretty hungry. and it's the healthy stuff that doesn't go down...chicken, fish, vegetables. Chocolate mousse and puddings have no problem. LOL Arianna

I'm happy for both of you and glad it all went well. In the end, only you know what is good for you and your body. I went through the same thing...of friends trying to talk me out of it. and some even made me feel like I'm taking the easy way out and not willing to work hard at it. Trust me, even with the band, it's hard work. keep us posted. Arianna

CONGRATULATIONS! My friend got pregnant after a year of being banded. Her band, however, was filled almost to its maximum capacity. so when she found out she was pregnant, she went and had her band unfilled some because she wanted to be able to eat more during pregnancy. Not sure if that was a good idea because she gained all her weight back and some more. She tightened it again after giving birth, but it hasn't made a difference. so talk to your doctor about how much you should be eating. I wish I would've had the band during my pregnancies. a lot of times I just ate because I thought I had an excuse to (and now having a hard time losing the weight). Technically,when pregnant, we should only be consuming about 300 calories more a day not double. Congrats once again and keep us posted on how you're doing. Arianna

Good for you Sabrina! How about this? We report back to each other by the end of each day and when either of us feels the need to "indulge" whether with something sweet or salty, log on and post what you're feeling at the moment. It's Saturday night right now so our week begins tomorrow. Yes Sunday is the beginning of our week (fri and sat is the weekend) so I'll start tomorrow. I don't think it's a matter of we're testing the band, I sometimes convince myself that because the band is there, what I eat is not going to affect me the same as before. My doctor has explained this to me several times. The band is a device...it's to assist you...not do it for you. We can eat EVERYTHING but that doesn't mean we should. He gave me an example of how one of his patients was so proud that he was able to eat a BIG MAC. LOL. that should not be considered an accomplishment with the band. Don't be so hard on yourself. You have lost a lot of weight. You just need to refocus and yes we need to set small goals. so the first one is NO JUNK FOR THIS WEEK. Arianna

congrats! you're officially banded. I am so glad everything went well. I've been thinking about you and I'm sure this past week's been crazy for you emotionally. The pain does go away and a lot of it is from the gas. You'll feel it in your left shoulder pain as well. that was the worst for me, but it's all temporary. Thanks for keeping us posted every step of the way. Sending you hugs for a quick recovey. Arianna

YEAAAHHHHH!!!!! Say hi to Robin for us and tell her we're so glad it's over for her. Can't wait to hear from her when she's awake. Hugs, Arianna

Thank you all for the quick response. It seems like Dr. Ortiz's fees are similar to what I paid here. but WOW $17,000. what a huge difference. I'll let my friend know but I'm pretty sure she won't want to pay $17,000. I'll give her the website to the OCC and she can do the research and then make a decision. By the way, is it ok that I'm on this forum? I'm not one of Dr. Ortiz's patients, but when I signed on, it didn't ask for any details as to my doctor etc. It's a great forum and I wish my doctor had recommended something like this for me. better late than never. thanks again guys, Arianna

Hi, I was wondering if anyone can give me an estimate of how much your lapband surgery cost? and how much the fills are? My friend's interested in getting the band, but she's debating whether to do it here in Kuwait like I did or do it in the States this summer when she's there on vacation. It cost me about $6000 for the surgery with an overnight stay at the hospital, and my fills are about $60 plus $50 doctor's fee so around $110. I told my friend it'd be best to do the surgery closest to where she'll be in case she has any problems with anything. But she's convinced the quality of everything will be better back home (USA). I don't have any complaints except that my doctor didn't give me as many instructions as some of you have gotten. But thank God I discovered and joined this forum because it's really closed the gaps and I've learned so so much from everyone...in such a short time. Arianna

YEAH!!! Your surgery will be over soon. Not sure if you've had it yet or not. It's Friday morning in Kuwait right now which would make it Thursday night in the States (we're about 10 hrs ahead depending on where you're at). I've been thinking about you. Do log on and let us know how you're doing. Arianna

If you're concerned that eating snacks adds extra calories to your daily intake, then try what I do. I'll divide my main meal into a couple of portions. A lot of times, I'll have a whole wheat pita stuffed with a couple of slices of turkey and every veggie you can think of and maybe a piece of fruit. I'll cut the sandwich in half, eat 1/2 for lunch and save the other half for when I badly need a snack, which always hits me at about 3 or 4 pm. and I'm sure you can do this with any of the meals. you'll be getting the same number of calories but throughout the day and not in one sitting. I've also tried to keep track of when I tend to snack and it's always around the same times. about 3 or 4 pm and after 8 pm. I think because I eat lunch around 1 and then dinner's not til 6ish, that's a long stretch without any food (5 sometimes 6 hrs) so naturally we get hungry. the night cravings are just out of habit. you know feeling the need to be munching on something while watching TV or a little something with my tea. I've dealt with the daytime snacking, I just need to conquer the evening ones. those are the ones getting me in trouble. I know it's frustrating but at least you've realized this, are analyzing your diet, and making changes where necessary. That's awesome! good luck, Arianna

Thank you all for the great tips. I live in Kuwait and some of the products you describe aren't available here, although it's so much better now than a few years ago. haven't seen any protein shakes. Do the slimfast optima meal replacement shakes work the same? they've got a few flavors of those. I did go out and buy sugar free hazelnut flavored coffee mate to add to my coffee. tried that yesterday and didn't have any sweets the whole day. I do know that protein curbs the craving for sweets. I did Atkins a few years ago and after the induction phase, I didn't even reach for the sweets. Maybe it is the fact that the sweet stuff goes down so much easier than the healthy stuff. I'll definitely try the frozen fruit as well. found blueberries and strawberries. I so wish we had a Trader Joes' here. when I was in california, I lived on that stuff. Will keep you posted on how it goes. I haven't lost anything the past couple of months and I know that this is the reason why. It's been pretty frustrating...but I'm to blame. thanks again, Arianna

Welcome Aboard! I'll introduce myself as well. I had the lapband on Feb 1 and I joined this forum a couple of weeks ago. I live in Kuwait, but joining this forum has helped me connect with people in the States. So far I love it and everyone's really supportive and have given me great advice on stuff. Wow you're surgery date's not far... what an exciting journey you're going to be on. It'll be tough but worth every minute of it. Looking forward to reading your posts before and after you've become a bandster! Arianna

oh good so it's not just me!!! I've been thinking about this and I've come to this conclusion. We have a food addiction, or to be more specific, a sugar addiction. as with any addictions (smoking, drinking, etc.) when someone's trying to quit, they cannot be around the stuff nor can they be in a situation where it might tempt them to revert to their old habits. so I think what we need to do is 1- don't keep any sweets in the house (and don't stop by the store to pick anything up after work either) 2- don't bake a cake and then test our will power and try not to eat it (I've done that. doesn't work) 3- right after dinner, get up and clear the table before dessert (or better yet, don't serve dessert) 4- when eating out, ask for the check immediately after the main meal before looking at the dessert menu 5- substitute the sweet stuff with fruit. I've tried strawberries with whipped cream or made a fruit salad with some shredded coconut and a few walnuts. I know I need to do all of this. I guess writing it down makes it clearer gives me some ownership. we're in this together. Let's make a pact at least for this week to stay away from sugar. I, like you, am disappointed in myself that I'm cheating my band after all the money I spent and the recovery time I had to go through. in the end, i'm discovering, this whole eating thing is more mental and emotional than it is physical. keep me posted on how you're doing. Arianna

Thanks for the advice. I am a huge coffee drinker and that's what keeps me going most of the day. it's at night when the cravings hit, but I'll try the sugarfree syrups. You're right, I should just stop buying sweets. Although let me tell you how desperate I was one day. I didn't have anything sweet in the house except for some dried cranberries. I put those in a bowl and mixed it with some stale chocolate chips that was in the pantry. LOL. oh and frozen coolwhip. I've also heard if you stop eating sugar for 14 days, the cravings do go away. let this be my first Day. Will let you know how it goes. thanks again, Arianna

You cannot get fills for the rest of your life even if you wanted them. the band can only hold a certain amount of fluid and can range from 4cc to 9cc. I've got the larger band, which can hold up to 9 cc. Your doctor will fill the band, gradually, depending on how tight you want it or what would be optimum for losing the most weight. It can be too TIGHT or too loose, but that's something you'll know and have to experiment with. Once your band is at its maximum, then it cannot be filled anymore. Hopefully, by then, you've lost most your weight or are close to your goal. I'm at 6cc with a 9cc band, which means I've still got a few more fills. I go about once a month and get a fill. Now here's the thing, once your band is completely filled, that's when you should really be working with it because that's where you'll be for the rest of your life. Remember the part of the stomach that is banded can expand, and it will over time. My friend was banded a few years ago and lost almost all of her weight within 6 months. She has regained all of it plus more because she's able to eat so much more now than when she first got the band. As far as being uncomfortable, I don't feel it's there, unless I eat too fast, too much, or don't chew my food well. It's a reminder to slow down and eat less, which is what we should be doing anyway. Hope this helps. Arianna

I've always had a sweet tooth and my doctor warned me that the band would not work magic on getting rid of that. I measure my food portions and don't eat very much throughout the day, but by evening, I'm dying for something sweet. I'm trying I really am but it's such a battle. I even went out and bought the 100 calorie packs of York wafers, but here's the problem, I ate like 5 packs (a whopping 500 calories in one sitting). and for some reason, it had no trouble going down or making me nauseous or feeling full. How do you know deal with the sweet cravings? I know that's why I haven't lost much weight with the band. It's not that I'm eating a lot, but ...it's a little of the SUGAR that's sabotaging my diet. Arianna

This is normal, especially right after a fill. Did you drink the iced tea too quickly? The band is tighter so you have to start out by taking small sips. Stay on fluids for at least another 24 hours. It does go away. I was ok with my first two fills but I felt like this after my 3rd fill and I think that's because I drank too quickly and immediately moved to solids the next day. I know it's an awful feeling, but hang on...you'll be fine in a day or so. Arianna

yes I'm American but living in Kuwait. There are a lot of americans here...working and some married to Kuwaitis.

You just had your surgery a few days ago right? the pain in your left shoulder is from the carbon dioxide that's still in your body. when any laparascopic procedure is done, carbon dioxide is pumped into your abdomen to inflate it so there's room to move the surgical instruments and so forth. some of the gas escapes but it could take anywhere from 48 hrs or longer for the remaining gas to completely leave your body. take some advil or something and if it's still there in a day or so, then definitely call your doctor. mine was pretty bad as well and i paged my doctor to tell him how bad it was. it does go away. good luck. arianna

I haven't had a problem with corn or nuts but make sure to chew them well. I know that nuts are high in calories, but a handful a day is actually really good for you. I usually sprinkle sliced almonds on my oatmeal in the mornings. but here's the general rule...at least for me because after my 3rd fill, I've had problems with all vegetebales, especially broccoli and cauliflower (raw or steamed)...chew everything really really well. On several occasions I feel like I'm choking and have to drink sips of water to wash the food down. Arianna

The excitement begins now and will continue way after your surgery. and you are so right, it's those little things that will change your life. It's going to be tough and will require work, but it's worth every minute of it. I got banded in Feb and it's made such a huge difference in my life. Haven't lost the weight as fast I'd like but that doesn't matter. I can focus on other things, not just food. Whenever I'd go out with my friends the first thing I'd do was browse the menu and order appetizers before everyone even arrived. now I go and have great conversation and laugh and joke and food's not even on my mind. I'll order a meal, eat a quarter of it, and bag the rest of it. that never used to happen. Good luck with it all and yes this forum is awesome. we're all here for you. Arianna

I had the same concerns and am now finally thinking of doing a tummy tuck. some background info. I was a size 6 before I got pregnant with my first baby 10 yrs ago. gained 60 lbs and lost most of it. then I waited 8 yrs before having any more kids and in the past 4 yrs, I had 3 kids, one after the other. I'm now a size 16 and haven't been able to lose much so that's why i got banded. after my first baby, I wanted a tummy tuck. my plastic surgeon advised me to wait until I had all my kids because from experience, I do gain A LOT of weight with my pregnancies (but I pretty much eat everything in sight and pregnancy is just an excuse to do that) so now that i'm done having kids, I finally got the band... weight loss is going really really slow but i guess I'll get there. I'm seeing a surgeon on June 11 in fact and I'll find out more details. I guess in the end the decision is yours. I'm glad I didn't do a tummy tack 8 yrs ago because I did end up having more kids, and my tummy looks a lot worse now than it did back then. But then again, that would've been 8 yrs of looking awesome. whatever you decide, good luck. Arianna From Kuwait

Hi Robbyn, At least you are doing a pre-op diet. I did my band in Kuwait and I was never told to go on any sort of pre-op diet. In fact, I did the reverse. I celebrating the fact that I was going to get the band by eating out and enjoying all my favourite foods. so by the time my surgery date came around, I'd gained 7lbs. not smart. I'm just now discovering that everyone else had to do a pre-op diet and were given a list of instructions to follow. I just joined this forum a couple of weeks ago because I needed support. so far it's great and I have to admit I've definitely been working more with the band now than the past few months. You will be fine. Get those thoughts out of your mind. Don't focus on the anaesthesia and the surgery itself. Instead focus on what's to come after. How great you're going to feel and look when those pounds start to come off. Don't be so hard on yourself about not being able to stick to the diet to the T. That's unrealistic. Let me know how it all goes. Arianna From Kuwait