harold wrote:This is usually vastly diminished over 3-4 weeks although it will also depend on your pain tolerances.
As to the pain/recovery issue, my sister (a non-musician) had GB surgery, but rather than split her wide open, they did it by just poking a couple small holes and going in with cameras and little instruments on rods. Sorry, I don't know exactly what the technical term is for this type of approach (maybe laproscopically?), but it sure worked for her! Much less invasive than the old way, with quicker recovery.
The doctor who performed the procedure practices in Colorado, and is apparently one of the top GB surgeons in the country. In fact, the local NBC affiliate in Denver did a full story on this guy, using my sister's case as a point of departure. If you'd like this doctor's contact info, I'd be happy to get it for you.
Anyway, just thought I'd chime in on the possibility of a "less invasive approach"...
...Dave
p.s. My sister's 5'6", and is down from 350 to 165 in a year and a half. They say she'll probably lose another 25 to 30 pounds if she has (very expensive!) cosmetic surgery to remove all her excess skin.