Cangel76

Congrats on realizing that you have the Band and making the right choices. You are correct, now when you are feeling alone or sad, take a walk or go to the gym. Just bring lots of water with you. You are going to do great and when he gets home, he isn't going to be able to find you, so bring a sign that says, "Yes I am your wife, well half of her!"

Congratulations bluerose! Going through the preop process sounds long at first and then it seems to come up so fast. Nobody I know is excited about surgery, no one. So just take it one day at a time and know that the surgery and healing really isn't that bad. The hardest part of this is dealing with the emotional connection to food and/or the habits we form when we eat. Example, eating the wrong foods, finishing kids plates, picking up a french fry with out thinking. LOL Good luck, I was banded November 2, 2010 and I am feeling good over all.

Congrats on finding a way to eat. I know that this will help me out when it comes around time for my fills.

BIG HUGS.... The hardest part when you first get to eat is the fact that there is NO restriction. So a lot of times you are hungry. My kids did not go trick or treating this year, my oldest didn't want to and my two and a half year old doesn't need the candy. I love halloween and to avoid the caloric intake of such an event I am planning costume parties for the kids instead of candy filling trick or treating next year. Take your time, breathe and remember, if you have a food obsession or you have trouble controling yourself with food, talk to your doctor. You can get additional resources to help you through this process, like the nutritionist.

Day 6: It is starting off slowly.... First day home alone with the two and a half year old princess of a daughter. Last night I didn't sleep well and went to bed way to late. I tried to elevate myself a lot more to prevent the pain in my chest from gas when I wake up. This morning was much better, just minus the waking up due to lack of comfort. What made me very upset is waking up to the sound of ice and snow pelting the window. Why? You may ask. My son had to bring his project to school today. So this meant I knew I had to drive him. This also meant I had to wake up the 2 and a half year old princess. Which I did, to her dismay. I had to carry her 28lb body down to the car and get her into the car seat that was in the middle of the back seat. Oh so not easy, but I feel okay and not like I pulled anything. Mind you I had to carry her back into the house. She doesn't have snow boots yet and would not have been able to walk. That being said, I made my own spreadsheet for tracking purpose. I like the one that the doctor gave me but I wanted to make my own that was more all inclusive, this way I can be sure to not only track fluid and protein, but have a place to check off my vitamin supplements so that I remember. I am feeling okay, down 5lbs since surgery. So one week, 5lbs, that is what my doctor said I should be doing. AND I cheated, I sucked out the center of a chocolate covered cherry. Ouuu, and I have been eating mushy carrots with mushed chicken. IN fact to day I am going to buy some chicken and make my own chicken soup for the mushy phase fast approacing. Much love to all.

Good luck to all of you and see you over on the Post Op question board very soon. Shake time for me!

I realize that getting this band, often times people say, "this is the wasy way out." It isn't really. Sure it helps with the weight loss but if you don't learn to gain control of what it is that got you to this point, or your connection to food, you set yourself up for failure. One must truly be committed to understanding if they were an over eater and why, or what it is that makes them want that chocolate shake on the way home from work every day. Getting this procedure only ensures weight loss and only for a short period of time. We can stretch out our pouch, we can eat the wrong foods and become super unhealthy. We need to really focus on the why I eat what I eat portion of this. I have hypothyroidism and PCOS, though food isn't what brought me to banding, as much as my medical issues. As I sit around thinking about what I am going through I question myself, how much of me is going to miss having those brownies when I am PMSing. How am I going to fill the void? Why is it when people tell me I can't have something I want it more? Self evaluation for self control. This journey isn't easy, but neccessary.

I am sorry to hear about your struggle. Lots of hugs. I would suggest, if it is an obsession with food as you state, to add therapist to the mix. The food is replacing something in your life and you need to find a way to realize the food means to you and how you can move past the obsession of the food and on to the focuse of the potential new you!

Congrats loseloselose, I have been confronted with food and there are things that I admittedly want. I never had a terrible relationship with food. I just enjoy my meals and making different foods. I think today was my sons birthday and I never have sweets. Well my MIL makes Apple Streudel and I always eat it when I go. I couldn't and that was a bit of a bummer. I am only a few days post op and still no solids for me.

I am day 5 out. Somet of the tricks I have heard: a. sleeping Elevated b. Ginger Root Extract c. Laying on the left side as you can tolerate. d. Walking, walking, walking and some more walking. e. GasX These are what I have seen people post. For me, it was just walking, walking and walking. When I first wake up in the morning it is the worst.

Hello there, welcome and congratulations to taking your first step to the new you. I have Hoshimotos which is one of the most common reasons for hypothyroidism. Though I was just banded on November 2, 2010, I am feeling great. With the pre and post diet I have lost a total of 20lbs already. My Endocronologist did tell me that because of the thyroid my weight loss might be slower then others and have a tendancy to plateau at times. Those were all mights and to just stay focused. I also have PCOS (Poly cystic ovaries) all things that contribute to weight gain and difficulty in weight loss. This was my last hope and my doctors both Dr. Gedeon who did the surgery, my Endo Dr. Luthra and my OBGYN doctor (they keep changing doctors on me) all suggested that this was my best option. They are all very positive and tell me before I know it, there will be a new me looking at me in the mirror. I don't believe three independent opinions would lie. I am so excited for me and for you!

Hey Christie, I think it is different for everyone. I was able to shower 48 hours out of the hospital. I removed the cotton from my wound (they went in through the belly button) and I just have to keep it dry. My port just has a tiny piece of tape over it and my doctor said to leave it until it falls off. I am sorry you are having trouble with liquids. I was told 64-72oz of liquid every day, that includes Protein shakes. With out protein your body is slower to heal, so that is 60-80grams of that a day. Good luck. If you have any questions call your doctor. Remember very small sips of fluids and keep slow and steady at it all day, eventually you will have no trouble taking fluids down.

As soon as I saw TMI I had to click. I always seem to have many TMI posts. I think the advice everyone gave you is great. I used to take care of the elderly and constipation seems to plague them. One client I had drank warm prune juice. 8oz only but warm it up. Not hot, warm, like hot tap water warm. If you can get a chewable fiber, take that if the doctor okays it. If you need to, call the doctor and ask his opinion. Miralax works wonders but sometimes can work quickly. Good luck

I don't remember who told me this, because I forget these things when I talk to ten people in a day, BUT, take a powdered Protein and add some fruit and put on liquify in the blender. You have to choose low sugar fruit. So for example a just yellow banana is lower in sugar then a brown mushy one. Yesterday I took a 1/4 of a yellow banana and cut it up, put it in the blender with the appropriate amount of Water for the mix.... (That was 8oz) and then threw in the mix, blended it and viola, chocolate covered banana. It was full liquid and yummers. I also do broths, I went online to Bariatric Choice before I started the process and bought all of these flavored mixes that are low sugar, low calories and high protein. One of the drinks I have is Hot Cocoa. Yummers, 12 grams of protein and it even has fake little marshmellows. Though not as good as what you might buy, good enough to get by. Variety is the only thing that will keep your sanity. Someone also recommended mixing your chocolate and strawberry shakes. Chocolate covered strawberry flavored. I hope this helps. Don't forget your decaf teas.

Well, today is officially day five. I slept too flat last night and now my chest is killing me, it is taking forever to burp out the pain. I miss sleeping on my belly. I miss that sooo much. If I tried that now I would scream and cry. So I have been drinking a 160z bottle of water daily and most of the rest that I drink is protein rich. Yesterday was Myoflex, wonderslim chocolate shake with a banana, Wonderslim Gran Grabe cold drink, broth, milk, and, well something else I can't remember. Oh and I licked a chocolate covered cherry. I bought them for my Dad and they are a favorite. I don't tend to over indulge in such things even before banding, but I wanted a taste of the chocolate and cherry. It is a almost a holiday tradition in my house. Well, I am off, I am going to go to the grocery store today by myself. Still can't get my stupid pants on because of the bloat and sensitivity. Will try something else today. Good news is the weight is starting to finally show on the scale. I check myself every am before I eat or drink. That is the only way to have a accurate fortelling, is to check the same time and place every day. Do I need the scale to prove weight loss, normally no, but right now because I am still bloated, yes, it is reminding me that my body is changing.

Thank you Gonnabefit, I needed to use my creative outlet yesterday.

Congratulations that is great!

Welcome HOME mjohnpb.... Wishing you a speedy recovery. When I came home I was feeling okay, the following day was probably a little bit harder on me and when I first wake up. Don't forget to get up and walk. I gained 4lbs in the hospital from IV fluids and it took me about 4 days to get it all off.

Devo-tee.... Every doctor is different with the pre-op diet based on weight, liver size, etc. So that part you are correct. However, even the variations of the doctors can be very different with in the practice itself. I chose my doctor out of the group because his preop diet was Protein and vegtables. So I would go out and order chicken and steamed veggies. The other doctor in the practice was two weeks of liquids. My doctor only made me do the pre op diet for a week before because I am on the thinner side and in almost perfect health other then the weight. As far as post op. For bypass patients they have to be on liquids for a lot longer because they can not handle food. They have to let all those incisions heal. For banding, we are trying to let the inflammation that happens from placing the band to decrease. You don't want to start mushy food if you are still inflammed, it can cause a lot of pain. So letting the inflammation go down is super important. However, if after a week on liquids, I would recommend talking to your doctor about it. My doctors rule is 2 weeks liquids, 2 weeks mush, 2 weeks solids. If after 1 week of liquids we feel hungry then we can go to mushy. I don't think this completely answers your question but I hope it makes it more understandable at least a little. It really does depend on the doctor. If you are starving on liquids though it is super important to communicate that with your doctor.

Thanks shorty, I don't drink coffee though. That sounds like a great solution for others though. Thanks for the tid bit of information.

The most important part of healing and even being thirsty is getting up and walking. If you don't do that it takes longer to heal. I am on day 4, up and walking around a lot and feel really good. It makes me burp a lot and the coughing sucks but I do ten deep breaths every two hours to keep me clear. Good luck I am sorry you are sooo sore still.

Hope you had a good time.

Make sure you get your Protein in too, it aids in healing hon. Glad you aren't in too much pain. I found Day 3 was the hardest. Or day two if you go by 24 hour intervals. Good luck.

I am told to get in 60-74 grams of protein and at least 64 oz of fluids. So it sounds like you are making the amounts you need to and taking meds. I had surgery done November 2, 2010 and I am feeling really well. I have stayed off the RX pain meds and tylenol for two days. I find when I am on it I over do it. So I am struggling a little but okay. Up, walking around, the gas is a lot less and just doing things like walking a certain distance, I get a little tired quicker. I had only one incision in my belly button and a small slice up under my left breast, neither are too sore. I am achey if anything and sometimes feel like burning in the muscle. It is healing so I am trying to ignore it. When I first wake up is the hardest with the pain, after that I am okay. Oh and having to use the bathroom is a trick sometimes too. LOL As far as protein I am getting 64-72 depending on the day and then fluids I am usually in the 70s. Taking my meds every day and literally drinking something all day long. Hope you are feeling better today.