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New Bandits?

Posted , 8 users are following.

jo06561
jo06561

Hi

I had my band fitted on Tuesday 16th June, just wondering whether any one else just had one recentently and wanted a band buddy? would be nice to have some one to share experiences with.

Jo

0 likes, 34 replies

34 Replies

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  • sim_1971
    sim_1971 jo06561

    Posted

    Hi

    I was banded 3 yrs ago but it wasn't right. Just had a portsite adjustment a few weeks ago and starting again.

    It would be great to exchange ideas.

    Also theirs a few other posts n members here who have bands and are discussing.

    Look at other posts too it will help you.

    And good luck on your journey to a new you.

    • jo06561
      jo06561 sim_1971

      Posted

      Thanks will do, its more for support the post op liquid diet really hard. I just want to eat real food.  Although once I start losing real weight and can excercise I'm sure that I will feel better :-)
    • jo06561
      jo06561 sim_1971

      Posted

      Hi Sim

      How do you feel now? are you eating ok? where did you have your band fitted?  

      Jo :-)

    • sim_1971
      sim_1971 jo06561

      Posted

      Hi JO

      I feel better from the portsite now and am controlling my food intake.

      Its just hard with my other health problems and being in constant pain and not very mobile. Determined to make as good a go of it as possible though.

      Had my band and adjustment in Bristol.

      Have a follow up next week. I hope they'll give me a fill so that I can eat less and lose it easier.

      How are you doing now. Is it getting any easier for you.

      It will hopefully get easier for all of us as we follow the journey.

      We can all look back in a few months and smile at our progress :D

    • jo06561
      jo06561 sim_1971

      Posted

      Good that you have focus and are feeling positive because this is what will get you through along with determination.  I can imagine the mobility is an issue, really as walking is the only thing that is making me feel good.   Its makng the difference and I have just posted this advice and shared with everyone. you will get there so using this site for refocus and support!!! you are not alone :-) I'm happy to share with you anytime keep it up x

  • deborah40435
    deborah40435 jo06561

    Posted

    Hi.Ihad my band on 31st March (about ten weeks ago) and have just had my first fill. I found the post op liquid diet really difficult too: at least with the pre op diet (which I did for four weeks) there was something to chew!  Because I had barely no restriction post op I began to get worried that it had all been in vain. But now I've had a fill and am feeling the effects I am very happy. So, just stick with it as best you can, its very early days....... wishing you all the best.
    • jo06561
      jo06561 deborah40435

      Posted

      Hi

      Thank you! are you feeling better and happy with it?  After 6 weeks

      Could you eat normalish then? did you put any weight back on?  I have already booked my first band fill for the 13th July.  A couple of my friends have had the band and they told me to be on it with the fills as they get booked up easily, basically they told me to book the next one straight after my appointment. Jo :-)

  • Sheney
    Sheney jo06561

    Posted

    Hi, I had mine done on 15th June so we should be at the same stage. I really struggled with the pre-op diet as I can't stand the feeling of lots of liquid sloshing about in my stomach - I don't even drink tea or coffee - so I got through it by snacking on raw carrots and salad instead. The result was I lost 10lbs in those two weeks. I was absolutely dreading the post op diet but my surgeon and the nurses I spoke to said a week was the minimum and after that be guided by how I feel. I was given a sample diet but to be honest for the last week there is no way I could manage that much. For the first 4 or 5 days it was taking me hours to drink a single drink. Now a week on it is much better and I'm going to start soft food gradually and see how I get on. I've tried yoghurts (never was a fan but they are so much nicer now, love the Muller Lite Greek style ones) and that was fine so next I'm going to try one of those little pots of Ambrosia creamed rice (Lite version). If that's no problem then I'll start adding in porridge and move on to mash potato etc. I know the recommendation is 6 weeks before getting back to a normal diet but I expect to be there or thereabouts in a week or so. Once  your stitiches have healed inside it is just a case of working out what you can tolerate, whilst being mindful of healthy eating
    • jo06561
      jo06561 Sheney

      Posted

      Hi, Sorry for the delay, i've not logged on since Sunday.  I'm drinking nutrabullits [blended fruit and veg] its blended to a watery consistency with added spirulina.  Not the most pleasant of drinks but good for you.  I have one slim fast in 2 halfs or a protein shake with 1/4 banana and some soup for dinner, usually blended (shop bought) fresh soup.  On an evening I am having icecream and chocolate sauce [only a 100g] its keeping me sane or I suck 2 squares of chocolate!!!  plus a horlicks.  It works out about 900 - 1000 cals a day.  So far I have lost 1stone 4 lbs.  Only thing that I found odd is that I can drink really easily? have been able to from day one! absolutely no problems at all.  I saw my consultant last night, maybe I should have mentioned this.  I can easily eat blended thick soup too.  My left side hurts when I bend, its painful in bed has been the whole time.  I dont even know where my port is, I should have asked this too.  My wounds are glued I have 5, 2 of them still bleed a little whats why I saw my consultant last night.  Are yours still bleeding?  I dont have any stitches either.  Tuesday is two weeks for me so going to try rusks and weetabix, maybe some sloppy mash.  I bought some yoghurts maybe I'll try them this weekend.   Let me know how your getting on?  Jo :-)
    • Sheney
      Sheney jo06561

      Posted

      Hi Jo, I don't know if you would call it lucky or not but because it's taken much longer than I expected to recover from the op itself, I just haven't had much of an appetite. Yesterday it took me til 6pm before I felt like anything but water. I did try one of those little rice pots then and i had no problem so this morning I tried some milky porridge and it was lovely. I took my time over it and it went down fine. With semi-skimmed milk it was about 215 calories which is a lot less than the shakes which don't satisfy at all. I don't really have much of a sweet tooth so I haven't been tempted by chocolate or icecream but if I were you I would definitely try yoghurts as there are so many different low fat varieties now and they're nicer than you think.

      I'll be honest I'm a bit confused by how much I should be eating. I've been using a well known calorie app and it keeps telling me I'm not eating enough (approx 700-850 cal a day) but I'm desperate for this to work. I'm 44 and I know if I hit 50 this size then I won't make 60 so I'm determined not to cheat myself but I wonder if I eat too little it might backfire.

      My wounds were joined with disolvable stitches. The one second from left is really painful for me too and it seems to have a hard lump under it which seems weird almost as if I could feel the band but I don't think that's possible. The one between my breasts looks like it could be a little infected but it's getting better I think so I won't bother anyone about it yet. It's still painful when I bend though and it is very swollen. I can definitely feel the port underneath so I hope the swelling goes down.

      Anyway, keep us posted on your progress smile

  • Chanters
    Chanters jo06561

    Posted

    Hi I had my band fitted at end of May...so 4 weeks tomorrow. Found pre-op ok....post op had puree from day 3 till yesterday now on to 2 weeks of mash. I have my first band fill on Thurs...should be ok but don't like needles and have to do a fasting blood test at the same time! I'm under a research project so being followed and monitored for 3 years post op.

    Was so glad to move off puree. First 2 weeks bruising kept me under control... week 3 worked hard...week 4 started needing to chew, or crunch something...fed up with soup. Happy now on mash...a bit of texture at last. Fill might set me back a day or two but only got 2 weeks till solids!

    Just keep drinking....i'm on iron tablets and consipation not good with bruises!

    I have no restriction now so really looking forward to Thurs and hoping to feel something. I then get the next fill 3 weeks later (supposed to be 4 weeks but because I'm flying off on holiday... need to do fill a week before I fly to be safe from bruising and air pressure).

    Good luck.

    • Sheney
      Sheney Chanters

      Posted

      Really interesting to read how other people are managing. One thing I'd like to ask any of you is, have you also been told to self inject heparin for the first couple of weeks? I was really shocked to find out I'd have to, especially as i'd never had a dvt before. Also, the pain at my port site is still quite bad. How is/was the pain for you?
    • sim_1971
      sim_1971 Sheney

      Posted

      Hi

      Glad to see your getting on.

      I never had to have injections but portsite was very sore and the wounds from keyhole incisions. I had 6 different ones which took a while to heal.

      I had my original op 3 years ago and even after constant requests that band was too lose and no restriction felt was not given any. Always sent away and told to try harder and eat less etc. If it was that easy I wouldn't have had the op.

      Eventually was agreed to fill only to find portsite had problems and neede d to be done under xray,at which I was told the port was not in the right place and would need adjusting.

      Finally had it adjusted last month.

      Through the 3 years I could still feel the port and it would be quite uncomfortable at times like something was twisting.

      I unfortunately did not manage to lose weight but am hoping the band will help me more now its been sorted. Have a check up at the end of the month and hope they will give me a fill because I don't have any restriction still.

      Good luck to you

    • Chanters
      Chanters Sheney

      Posted

      I had the injections only for the day after my op when still in hospital. Sent home that day but had to wear the surgical stockings for 2 weeks but thankfully no more injections. I had pain the first night in hospital but ever since then nothing. I had 6 sites...large one top middle, 3 small and 2 tiny. All ok and they were glued but they have sharp stitches at each end which are not dissolving or going away...will ask and get them to check them on Thurs.

      I think each Dr and hospital is different and they want to reduce the chances of complications. I'm quite mobile so thought I could discard stockings but was advised to keep them on for the full 2 weeks.

      Although I had no pain...I was incredibly  bruised for nearly 2 weeks....alsorts of great colours, black, blue, greens and yellow plus I had a fair amount of bright pink dye that was hard to scrub off. I found sleeping on either of my sides uncomfortable to start with but no real pain. May be a different story come Thurs.

      Hope this helps.

    • Sheney
      Sheney sim_1971

      Posted

      Thank you. So sorry to hear you've had such problems. It must be quite depressing to go through all that and not even lose weight. Hopefully now you've had the adjustment you'll soon be on the way to achieving the weight lost you hoped for.
    • Sheney
      Sheney Chanters

      Posted

      I think my local hosp in Berkshire must have a real issue with DVT's because not only do I have to self inject twice a day but I had to wear compression stockings for the first 22 hours straight. Absolutely zero chance of getting any sleep and they were so irritating to my legs I was getting seriously agitated by the time the Nurse said I could remove them. I do wonder though if they didn't slightly defeat the purpose as I was confined to bed when I would have rather got up regularly. As for pain clearly it affects everyone differently and it's great you didn't suffer too much pain. I had my Gallbladder removed in Jan and I thought it would be similar but for me it was much worse this time. The port is sited at the bottom of my sternum just above my bra strap but it is slightly off centre so there is alot of pressure and pain on that side when I bend or turn over which I think is specific to being a woman and carrying a fair bit of weight naturally in that area, if you know what I mean.

      Anyway good luck with your first fill and I'd love to hear how you get on after

    • jo06561
      jo06561 Sheney

      Posted

      Yes I was sent home with 7 days worth, have loads of little bruises on my right side.  I get my husband it do it! I cant physically do it.  I wear my stockings although ill be honest, I forgot to put them on twice already.  My pain is still bad too.  :-)
    • jo06561
      jo06561 Chanters

      Posted

      Hi

      I spoke wth my nutritinist last night, I'm so excited I can have mashed root veg or potatatoes and mashed thin corned beef on Monday.  will be wierd swallowing it, thats physcological I think!  Its my first day back at work so I'm going to stick with my shakes and soup and move to the slush on an evening.  Maybe you could try veg and fruit in a nutribullit it really keeps you regular!  Jo :-)

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