Tonya Sherrod, LAPBAND, West Hartford, Ct: I MADE IT OVER THE HUMP!!!!!!!

Hello Everyone, As I stated yesterday, my surgeon Dr. Richard Newman prefer that all his patients fast a week before surgery , so that there liver is not in the way when he is inserting the band. My first day was horrifying but I made it through. I was very quite only because I was very moody. I didn't want to talk to anyone. Today is another day and a better day for me, I know that I will suceed with the band because it will be a tool that will help me live a much healthier life. I will be getting my surgery @ 7:15am on April 20, 2004 . I wanted to know if I could get some responses to how each individual felt after the surgery was it difficult for anyone to bath after surgery with the incisions, no disrepect but how soon after was anyone able to have sex. My doctor did tell me to stop taking birth control 3 months before my surgery so that I don't have any blood clots and unfortunetly I can't use other contraceptive and he stated that 5 out of his 6 patients in one month are all pregnant. I just want to have a better idea of what to expect. I am truly glad that there is a website for me and other people going through lapband surgery . It's good to know that there is other going through something like you. HAVE A BLESS DAY!!!

Hi Tonya and welcome. I'm a bandster too. (Should have surgery next month pending pre op test results). Good luck and keep us posted. Maggie

Good luck to you! Your lap surgery should be a breeze. The fast on the other hand...well, good luck to you on that! You're stronger than me, girl! I had open, and I basically felt like I got hit by a truck the first few days. You should feel much better, much quicker! I hear of lap people being out and about in their first week. Regarding sex, it will be up to you and your Dr. but most say a few weeks. But, ummm... I am a little concerned about your Dr. telling you to stop BC and then stating that 5 out of his 6 patients got pregnant in one month. Doesn't that seem a little contradictory to you? How can he possibly feel that this is sensible? He is aware that there are other forms of BC availalbe, no? I'd speak to my OBGYN and look for other alternatives. I was able to take the depo shot, since it's not estrogen based, it doesn't contribute to the blood clot factor. Please be safe and start up your BC right away after surgery and use double protection to make sure you don't wind up one of his interesting statistics. This time is about you and your weight loss. You don't want to have to worry about a baby and it's health getting mixed up in all this, right off the bat. You've got time for that soon enough. Sorry if perhaps I'm being a bit hard on him on this issue, but, it sent up a red flag the minute I read it. Be careful. Perhaps you can tell us more about your Dr., so that others know about him. I've never heard about him. Where did you find him? What do you like? Where is he located? Where are you having surgery? What is his background/experience? I'm sure that posting this will help others who are researching. We all wish you the bexst of luck and are so happy for you!!! Lisa C

Hello, Lisa My surgeon name is Richard Newman and he is located at St Francis Hospital in Hartford, CT. He has been performing the Lapband sx since it began at St Francis 2 years ago. He performs the Lapband and Gastric Bypass surgeries also with Dr. Carlos Barba who brought the surgeries to St. Francis. Yes he did tell those woman about other contraceptive, but they didn't listen , two of them have had healthy babies but the others are still pregnant. He stated that once the woman had taken off there first 40lbs they became very fertile. I am ready to have children but I am going to wait intil after I have met my goal weight. I am 33 yrs old 5'9 and 254lbs and my biological clock is ticking. I am allergic to condoms and the other foams and gels are gave me an allergic reaction also. I will pop those BC pills as soon as my visiter comes next month. I am going thourgh some big changes in my life and I am so appreciate all of you.

Tonya, Glad you made it through the first day of the fast -- that's tough to do!! I agree with Lisa on the birth control issue. Your doctor's comments are a worry. Most doctors recommend that you not get pregnant while you're in the midst of losing the weight. If nothing else, condoms are an effective means of birth control. I can't take BC pills, so I've had to rely on non-estrogen birth control like a diagphram (sp?). You do yourself no favors if you get pregnant so early on in the process. Please look into this more. We'll be keeping you in our prayers, and be watching for any other questions. Really, really consider simple birth control measures before going into this. You do need to take care of you, not a baby, for the next year or so. Kathy F. Best wishes, Kathy

Can I put my $.02 in on the BC issue? I have a history of blood clots...I had SURGERY to remove one massive one when I was 7 weeks postpartum, never mind the 9 months of Coumadin therapy and daily heparin shots. (Non-obesity related...it was becuase I took a 10-hour car ride to adopt my Boxer, MoJo, and took very few stops and being 5 weeks post partum). Anyhoo - my obgyn put me on Mirena, an IUD with no estrogen, good for 5 years and no side effects. I love it. I forget it's there, I dont have to deal with anything to stop the mood or worry about keeping stock of condoms. My insurance BCBS paid for it. Best of luck to you!

That's a good choice. I have to say I haven't looked into IUDs much because I think they were a less inviting prospect back in the day. Nowadays they've improved them. Does it make your period more heavy/painful, or is it nothing at all? Inquiring minds .... Kathy F.

I felt the same way, Kathy, but they have come a long way and the one that scared everyone off IUD's is no longer on the market. My periods are next to nothing (minus the first few months after surgery when I was on Coumadin...YOWZA!) and I am never crampy. 1-2 days, then it's gone, and it might disappear alltogether. It lasts for 5 years and then you can have another one inserted, or if you want to have a baby before those 5 years are up it can be removed and you're supposed to be fertile within a month. I've yet to test THAT. Hope that helps!

Hi, Tonya! Glad to hear that your date is getting closer - and the end of your fast as well. I had the lapband, too, by the way. I got to shower either the day after surgery or the day after that - I'm not sure which one - and that shower was HEAVENLY! The bandages over the incisions fell off in a couple of days and the butterfly bandages that were underneath in about 5 days to a week. I've been to a lot of the seminars that my surgeon has for new patients and NO ONE ever asks the sex question (tho I know that people want to but are too shy. I, however, am anything but.) My answer, and this is based on my experience only, is ten days. That's when I felt ready. I have no history of clots, so I didn't have to stop birth control. You can always ask him about the over-the-counter BC inserts, foams, etc. that they sell, and condoms are always an option. I can't imagine that he'd find anything objectionable about them! PS: I hope he wasn't bragging about all those patients getting pregnant, and hope that all the pregnancies were planned and wanted!