Comments on: Sue: LAP-BAND Surgery

By: Kammy

Kammy — Thu, 27 May 2010 02:45:05 +0000

Once you lost, was it ever discussed to remove the band?

By: Margaret

Margaret — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 17:54:48 +0000

Shelby, The first week after my surgery my thought was “Am I gong to feel like this all the time?” I didn’t like that I could feel where my port was AND could really tell I had had surgery on my stomach….hard to explain the feeling. But after two weeks everything was different. I no longer knew I had a port except for the tiny scar and my stomach was starting to heal inside so I didn’t feel that as much. By three weeks I couldn’t even tell I had had any surgery EXCEPT for eating differently. It is difficult to explain but by the time your stomach (& banded area) heals you “feel” no differently. I love my band!

By: Sue

Sue — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 22:06:24 +0000

Hi Shelby

I am not sure I am “typical” – that might be a better question to ask the surgical team.

Patients are asked to start a low-cal/low sugar diet about 2 weeks before surgery – so I started it on May 1st and my surgery was on May 18th. According to the spreadsheet I kept, I lost about 20 lbs one week after surgery (including those days on the diet pre-surgery). By 2 months post-surgery, I had lost about 30 lbs.

Food – there is a slow gradual reintroduction of food post-surgery, that I followed religiously. First day or two post-surgery, I had some jello and vegetable broth (I have come to love it, hot, by the way). That slowly progressed to soft food like applesauce, soups, etc.

The port (Dr. Bagnato puts it near the left shoulder area) was probably what caused the most discomfort at first. But that makes sense — there is something “there” that was not before. I don’t notice it now (though it is more visible as I have lost weight, but I don’t wear skimpy clothes where it would show anyway).

Hope this helps with your decision,

By: Shelby

Shelby — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 05:29:01 +0000

Is your weight lost typical on the lap band system? How did you feel with a port? I am thinking of having the lap band system surgery. What was your actual weight lost for the first two months and what kind of foods did you eat?