BANDED ON 11-24-06

[bandedrene]

Hi,

I was banded 6 days ago and now I feel completely healed which is a good thing....but i am worried because I am able to eat without feeling any pain or restiction. I can't have a fill for another 5 weeks, is this normal? Please advise...

[cyndiwilson]

  bandedrene said:

Hi,

I was banded 6 days ago and now I feel completely healed which is a good thing....but i am worried because I am able to eat without feeling any pain or restiction. I can't have a fill for another 5 weeks, is this normal? Please advise...

Were you banded by Dr. Ortiz? cause if you were why are you eating ? we are to be on a liquid phase then introduce tomato and shakes back in but no solids till I believe 21 days?

[Marissa]

  cyndiwilson said:

Were you banded by Dr. Ortiz? cause if you were why are you eating ? we are to be on a liquid phase then introduce tomato and shakes back in but no solids till I believe 21 days?

i have not been banded yet but from what i hear you hsould be on liquids and The unrestiction is normal right after surgery, you have to wait 6 weeks to get a fill so you can feel the restriction

[bandedrene]

  Marissa said:

i have not been banded yet but from what i hear you hsould be on liquids and The unrestiction is normal right after surgery, you have to wait 6 weeks to get a fill so you can feel the restriction

That makes sense...I know I'm supposed to be on the liquid stage and I sort kinda am ...but its so hard not to eat when i know i can i feel just fine...Has this happend to amyone else, or is it just me?...

[karenlynn79]

  bandedrene said:

That makes sense...I know I'm supposed to be on the liquid stage and I sort kinda am ...but its so hard not to eat when i know i can i feel just fine...Has this happend to amyone else, or is it just me?...

I ate food prematurely at 2 weeks post op and almost slipped my band- but I felt fine before it. Please be careful and try not to eat food. You don't want to have an emergency on your hands!!

[obrien3tn]

  bandedrene said:

That makes sense...I know I'm supposed to be on the liquid stage and I sort kinda am ...but its so hard not to eat when i know i can i feel just fine...Has this happend to amyone else, or is it just me?...

The exact same thing happened to me. I was starving the day after surgery. I tried so hard to just do liquids but after about 5 days after surgery, I would eat some mashed potatos. I had no restriction whatsoever. I lost 7 lbs the 1st week and that was sheer will power because I was starving. The 2nd week I only lost 2 lbs because the mashed pot. and other soft foods won the battle. By the time I got to week 3 with no restriction, it was over. I was starving. I couldnt eat another bite of soup or v8, I felt totally healed as if I never had surgery. I begged them at the OCC to please let me have a fill at 4 weeks ( a dr. in Nashville will give fills after 3 weeks surgery but he is not fond of MX patients and charges a fortune for a fill and it is not under fluro). The OCC would not do a fill sooner. I know the dangers of getting a fill too soon but just a little fill I think would have helped.

I finally talked them into a fill at 5 weeks because of the airfares going up for thanksgiving. My surgery was on 10/09 and by the time I had my 1st fill on Nov. 14 I had gained back 4 pounds. Very depressing. 5 weeks after surgery and I was down 5 lbs. The fill went well. I got 4.2 in the vg band. I thought finally this is going to work. The flight home from TJ was miserable. The barium gave me gas so bad I thought I was in labor and they wouldnt turn off the seat belt sign becuase of turb. Not sure what the flight attend could have done about it but I ignored her when she said I couldnt get up. I must have gone to the restroom 15 times during the flight but everytime I got back to my seat my stomach filled up with air again. Because it is a 4 hour flight my next fill is going to be here in my town. I found a dr. who doesnt charge an arm and a leg.

Anyway, after the fill, I did the liquids for one day and couldnt eat much for about 5 days. i lost 7 lbs that week and I was so happy. That put me at a total loss of 12 lbs. Then the restriction was gone. The 2nd week after the fill I have gained the 7 lbs back. I struggle with will power daily. My stomach growls so bad it is uncomfortable. I cant deal with the hunger. The dr in my town wants me to wait 2 weeks before coming in. He likes you to wait 4 weeks between fills. This has got to get better. I know they say it will take 2 -3 fills for this to work and I am trying to be patient. i do know that Inamed says that only 1% will feel restriction after surgery. My next fill is Dec 15. I guess we'll see.

I hope you will have good luck after your 1st fill. Thanks for letting me vent.

Joyce

[bandedrene]

  obrien3tn said:

The exact same thing happened to me. I was starving the day after surgery. I tried so hard to just do liquids but after about 5 days after surgery, I would eat some mashed potatos. I had no restriction whatsoever. I lost 7 lbs the 1st week and that was sheer will power because I was starving. The 2nd week I only lost 2 lbs because the mashed pot. and other soft foods won the battle. By the time I got to week 3 with no restriction, it was over. I was starving. I couldnt eat another bite of soup or v8, I felt totally healed as if I never had surgery. I begged them at the OCC to please let me have a fill at 4 weeks ( a dr. in Nashville will give fills after 3 weeks surgery but he is not fond of MX patients and charges a fortune for a fill and it is not under fluro). The OCC would not do a fill sooner. I know the dangers of getting a fill too soon but just a little fill I think would have helped.

I finally talked them into a fill at 5 weeks because of the airfares going up for thanksgiving. My surgery was on 10/09 and by the time I had my 1st fill on Nov. 14 I had gained back 4 pounds. Very depressing. 5 weeks after surgery and I was down 5 lbs. The fill went well. I got 4.2 in the vg band. I thought finally this is going to work. The flight home from TJ was miserable. The barium gave me gas so bad I thought I was in labor and they wouldnt turn off the seat belt sign becuase of turb. Not sure what the flight attend could have done about it but I ignored her when she said I couldnt get up. I must have gone to the restroom 15 times during the flight but everytime I got back to my seat my stomach filled up with air again. Because it is a 4 hour flight my next fill is going to be here in my town. I found a dr. who doesnt charge an arm and a leg.

Anyway, after the fill, I did the liquids for one day and couldnt eat much for about 5 days. i lost 7 lbs that week and I was so happy. That put me at a total loss of 12 lbs. Then the restriction was gone. The 2nd week after the fill I have gained the 7 lbs back. I struggle with will power daily. My stomach growls so bad it is uncomfortable. I cant deal with the hunger. The dr in my town wants me to wait 2 weeks before coming in. He likes you to wait 4 weeks between fills. This has got to get better. I know they say it will take 2 -3 fills for this to work and I am trying to be patient. i do know that Inamed says that only 1% will feel restriction after surgery. My next fill is Dec 15. I guess we'll see.

I hope you will have good luck after your 1st fill. Thanks for letting me vent.

Joyce

I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR INPUT JOYCE, I REALLY DID FEEL LIKE I WAS THE ONLY ONE THAT THIS WAS HAPPENING TO. I'M GOING TO START HITTING UP THE GYM, I'VE HAD A PASS NOW FOR 2 YEARS THAT I'VE ONLY USED LIKE 10-15TIMES MAX. IF IT DOES TAKE 2-3 FILLS FOR THIS THING TO WORK ,,,I GUESS THATS OK...BUT I WILL DEFINITLY TRY AND GET MY FIRST AFTER 5 WEEKS AS WELL...

[Liz]

  bandedrene said:

Hi,

I was banded 6 days ago and now I feel completely healed which is a good thing....but i am worried because I am able to eat without feeling any pain or restiction. I can't have a fill for another 5 weeks, is this normal? Please advise...

You're only supposed to drink liquids so that your band/stomach can heal otherwise, the food you consume may cause the band to heal because you are still in the early phase.

[Littleroo27]

A lot of people experience an initial "de-fill" because air escapes from the band after your first fill, actually reducing your restriction. You may find that at your december fill you no longer have a 4.2 fill. But that usually only happens after the first fill.

  obrien3tn said:

The exact same thing happened to me. I was starving the day after surgery. I tried so hard to just do liquids but after about 5 days after surgery, I would eat some mashed potatos. I had no restriction whatsoever. I lost 7 lbs the 1st week and that was sheer will power because I was starving. The 2nd week I only lost 2 lbs because the mashed pot. and other soft foods won the battle. By the time I got to week 3 with no restriction, it was over. I was starving. I couldnt eat another bite of soup or v8, I felt totally healed as if I never had surgery. I begged them at the OCC to please let me have a fill at 4 weeks ( a dr. in Nashville will give fills after 3 weeks surgery but he is not fond of MX patients and charges a fortune for a fill and it is not under fluro). The OCC would not do a fill sooner. I know the dangers of getting a fill too soon but just a little fill I think would have helped.

I finally talked them into a fill at 5 weeks because of the airfares going up for thanksgiving. My surgery was on 10/09 and by the time I had my 1st fill on Nov. 14 I had gained back 4 pounds. Very depressing. 5 weeks after surgery and I was down 5 lbs. The fill went well. I got 4.2 in the vg band. I thought finally this is going to work. The flight home from TJ was miserable. The barium gave me gas so bad I thought I was in labor and they wouldnt turn off the seat belt sign becuase of turb. Not sure what the flight attend could have done about it but I ignored her when she said I couldnt get up. I must have gone to the restroom 15 times during the flight but everytime I got back to my seat my stomach filled up with air again. Because it is a 4 hour flight my next fill is going to be here in my town. I found a dr. who doesnt charge an arm and a leg.

Anyway, after the fill, I did the liquids for one day and couldnt eat much for about 5 days. i lost 7 lbs that week and I was so happy. That put me at a total loss of 12 lbs. Then the restriction was gone. The 2nd week after the fill I have gained the 7 lbs back. I struggle with will power daily. My stomach growls so bad it is uncomfortable. I cant deal with the hunger. The dr in my town wants me to wait 2 weeks before coming in. He likes you to wait 4 weeks between fills. This has got to get better. I know they say it will take 2 -3 fills for this to work and I am trying to be patient. i do know that Inamed says that only 1% will feel restriction after surgery. My next fill is Dec 15. I guess we'll see.

I hope you will have good luck after your 1st fill. Thanks for letting me vent.

Joyce

[Kay]

  Littleroo27 said:

A lot of people experience an initial "de-fill" because air escapes from the band after your first fill, actually reducing your restriction. You may find that at your december fill you no longer have a 4.2 fill. But that usually only happens after the first fill.

I hear ya. I was on liquids then yogurt since I was on insulin. Then I added some mashed potatoes to a lot of turkey broth and that made me feel like I was eating something. Post op is for healing. You won't be restricted until your first fill or even the 2nd one

Kay in So Jo Mo