Obesity Discussion Forums

[kirk22@optusnet.com.au]

G,day Folks
I have just left hospital after having a lapband installed. Its a prettty wierd feeling having it all in there. But i know it will get better. I do have a few questions to ask any of you that have had it done. Firstly i am sooo bloated from the surgery. I was wondering how long it took people to get over the swelling after surgery.

Also, not being able to swallow pills what options did you use for pain management. So far i have been using big doses of kids liquid pain killers. But to honest i can now see why the poor little buggers screw their faces up when i give to them . The stuff we have here is vial !!!

Thanks folks !
Kirk in OZ

[jblack]

Originally Posted by kirk22@optusnet.com.au

G,day Folks
I have just left hospital after having a lapband installed. Its a prettty wierd feeling having it all in there. But i know it will get better. I do have a few questions to ask any of you that have had it done. Firstly i am sooo bloated from the surgery. I was wondering how long it took people to get over the swelling after surgery.

Also, not being able to swallow pills what options did you use for pain management. So far i have been using big doses of kids liquid pain killers. But to honest i can now see why the poor little buggers screw their faces up when i give to them . The stuff we have here is vial !!!

Thanks folks !
Kirk in OZ

I had gastric bypass, not LapBand, but they gave me liquid Lortab for pain. That stuff works GREAT. I miss it.

[sass63]

Originally Posted by kirk22@optusnet.com.au

G,day Folks
I have just left hospital after having a lapband installed. Its a prettty wierd feeling having it all in there. But i know it will get better. I do have a few questions to ask any of you that have had it done. Firstly i am sooo bloated from the surgery. I was wondering how long it took people to get over the swelling after surgery.

Also, not being able to swallow pills what options did you use for pain management. So far i have been using big doses of kids liquid pain killers. But to honest i can now see why the poor little buggers screw their faces up when i give to them . The stuff we have here is vial !!!

Thanks folks !
Kirk in OZ

I also had the gastric bypass although my brother had the lap band he chews all his pills YUCK!!!
I will talk to him and see what I can find out to answer your questions.
Good luck I am glad your surgery went well.

[Irving]

Originally Posted by sass63

I also had the gastric bypass although my brother had the lap band he chews all his pills YUCK!!!
I will talk to him and see what I can find out to answer your questions.
Good luck I am glad your surgery went well.

he chews his pills? yuck!

[Irving]

Originally Posted by kirk22@optusnet.com.au

G,day Folks
I have just left hospital after having a lapband installed. Its a prettty wierd feeling having it all in there. But i know it will get better. I do have a few questions to ask any of you that have had it done. Firstly i am sooo bloated from the surgery. I was wondering how long it took people to get over the swelling after surgery.

Also, not being able to swallow pills what options did you use for pain management. So far i have been using big doses of kids liquid pain killers. But to honest i can now see why the poor little buggers screw their faces up when i give to them . The stuff we have here is vial !!!

Thanks folks !
Kirk in OZ

welcome to the site!! my niece had it done (lap band) and it was a good month before swelling went away completely. liquid painkillers was her vice, but not kiddie levels. the real deal.

[sass63]

How are you doing? Any updates?

[kirk22@optusnet.com.au]

G,day again
Things are settling down nicely. Pain is under control now. And swelling is going down too !! Eating is a bit wierd. I was told to to stick with a liquid diet for two weeks after the opperation. I did the meal replacement thing for 3 - 4 weeks prior to surgery. So on Saturday i just couldnt stand the thought of another bloody diet shake. YUK So i had a bit of potato and spinich soup (thin) and it felt sooooo good ! I took it slow and didint eat much. But i have been eating solids like yoghurt and low fat vegetable soup since. I think i just needed some variety. I havent felt hungry since. I have my first meeting with my doctor in about 2 weeks. I think he i going to inject some saline depending on how im going. I have lost a few pounds too. I am now about 285 i think. Its a bit different talking pounds to me. We use metric here in Australia. So going from 317 to 285 in about 5 weeks looks good . I do feel better too. I am getting back into those old clothes again. I feel better about myself too. I sooo sick of being treated like a lepper for being overweight. Last night on the TV news Airlines in Australia annouced they want to charge overweight people more per seat because we use more fuel.

Anyway folks i will keep checking in time to time. Updating my weight scale etc. And checking other peoples threads etc. This sort of forum is a great idea. Any questions etc are wecome.

Cheers

Kirk

[Audrey]

Congrats on your success so far!

Sounds like things are settling down for you nicely. Did they give you lots of information on nutrition? Is it the same kind of thing with gastric bypass where you don't always absorb the nutrients you need anymore?

[kirk22@optusnet.com.au]

G,day Audrey
Things are settling down nicely. For which i am glad. I was a bit apprehensive about getting this done. But i think it will help me long term to keep the weight off. I never have trouble losing it. Its keepng it off thats hard. Also i am not a junk food person. So i am not tempted by chocolate or chips etc. I just like to eat huge amouts of good food.

As for the nutrients thing banding is different like that. Nothing internal is cut so it is basically the same system as preopp. It just restricts the amout of food you can eat. But never the less i take a soluble multivitamin everyday just to be sure. The other reason i chose banding was because i can have it removed anytime if i decide it is impacting on my health negativley. Plus it is adjustable. Take a look at this animation. it will give you an idea of what the opperation is.
Information on laparoscopic gastric banding for weight control

The doctor i used here in Australia is one of the best in the country. He makes sure you know the risks and what to expect after surgery. He also makes you see a dietician before the opperation. and them every few weeks after that for a few months. Plus you must see him every month or so for a while. He gets you to pay for most of it upfront. So you may as well go. I usually do the consultation with the dietician at work on the phone. Its easier than going into her clinic. Its kind of a whole package with him. He has his own anesthetist, dieticians etc that mostly work with obese people.

Cheers

Kirk

[Wish to be slim]

YOu are an old pro now,... this posting was over a year ago.
I had my procedure done a few days ago... online looking for some experiences that would help me.
My post op diet is two ounces of liquid per mean. Sipping milk inbetween.... not sure how much intake that is to be! Dealing wit hthe doctor's office, everyting is ala carte... not to my liking... but I will deal to be thin....
Any first week advice out there?
Thank you.

[kirk22@optusnet.com.au]

G,day there
The best first week advice i can give you is take it easy and be patient. In a few weeks you will be eating more solid food. I had to go on a no solid food diet for three weeks before the opp. Then another three weeks after the opp. So i know how hard it is to go without solid food for so long. But i look back now and know it was worth it. These things are not a silver bullet for weight loss. But they do work. I have never been thinner for as long as i have. It was bloody hard that first month or two. Just hang in there mate. Remember, it only gets better from here. Since i have had the band i have lost most of my weight. Then had water removed to travel to Europe. Then had more water put back in to lose weight again. Another point to remember is controlling your weight is a long term thing. You're only in the first hundred metres of a marathon. Best of luck. and if i can be on any help to you let me know.

cheers Kirk

[Obesity Discussion]

Originally Posted by kirk22@optusnet.com.au

G,day there
The best first week advice i can give you is take it easy and be patient. In a few weeks you will be eating more solid food. I had to go on a no solid food diet for three weeks before the opp. Then another three weeks after the opp. So i know how hard it is to go without solid food for so long. But i look back now and know it was worth it. These things are not a silver bullet for weight loss. But they do work. I have never been thinner for as long as i have. It was bloody hard that first month or two. Just hang in there mate. Remember, it only gets better from here. Since i have had the band i have lost most of my weight. Then had water removed to travel to Europe. Then had more water put back in to lose weight again. Another point to remember is controlling your weight is a long term thing. You're only in the first hundred metres of a marathon. Best of luck. and if i can be on any help to you let me know.

cheers Kirk

I'm really happy to hear that you've lost most of the weight!!! Fantastic! Was it everything you expected both side effect wise and result wise?

[hoping2succeed]

Please tell us more about your experiences! I told my doctor last week that I have decided to have surgery too. I guess that he has to supervise me on a weight loss program for 6 months first, so I started a pill (meridia) and he is having me go to Weight Watchers. I have failed so many times in the past to lose weight. I am praying for a miracle this time so that I do not have to have surgery, but if I do not succeed, I will have surgery in 6 months.