MrsHumphreys

THANK GOD I'M NOT ALONE! The crappy part is that I don't have thick hair to begin!! I'm starting to get a little panicky at the amount of hair that I'm losing. It's so bad that my husband is complaining that he's finding hair EVERYWHERE and can't escape it. I hope it will stop soon, because I don't think I'm the type that can rock the bald look, lol.

<br />I had my gall bladder removed about five years ago after losing 80 pounds in 9 months. The gall bladder attacks felt like I was having a heart attack. The pain was mainly around the middle of my sternum. During attacks I could barely breath because it made the pain worse, and I (who never sweat) had beads of perspiration all over my face. <br />At first my doctor put me on antacids, which only prolonged the suffering. I just knew it was my gallbladder, so you may want to ask for the ultrasound up front to save yourself from getting the runaround. It got to a point where I could not eat anything with any oil or fat in it without having an attack. However, on the bright side, I was as good as new the day after surgery. Get it checked, and good luck!!<br />

MrsMustang, are you in my head? Lol, I couldn't have written this better! Every bit of what you wrote EXACTLY what I experienced! And no exageration, I thought I was having a heart attack. And for me too, I never had any issues with it again after the surgery.

Hope you get everything figured out and feel better soon!

How exciting that you've decided to make this change! It's the best decision I've ever made, and I'd do it again in a heartbeat.

I came to the decision to have the surgery entirely on my own, because for me it was as personal a matter as it gets. Only after I went in for consultation did I finally tell my husband. He definitely had mixed feelings about it, but in the end supported me completely. The rest of my family, however, was a different story. I decided that I wasn't going to tell ANYONE until I was completely ready. I told my Mom first, and she was 100% excited and supportive. Then because I told her, I had to tell Dad, and that meant I had to tell my brother, too (yeah, news travels fast in my family, lol). Neither my dad or my brother understood, and neither of them were hot on the idea that I was taking a risk having surgery for something they viewed as a "willpower issue." Those were the only people I felt obligated to tell, and that's simply because of the close-knit family we are. Above and beyond them, with the exception of a handful of close friends, I didn't tell anyone what I had chosen .

Since the surgery I disclose to people here and there as it comes up. Still, it's nice that it's MY choice. Granted, my food choices might raise questions every now and then (I decline to go to sushi, or after a recent fill I drink a Protein shake instead of having the burger everyone else is having), but I can make up any excuse I can think of if I don't feel like explaining. To date (and probly until I die) I have NOOOOO desire to share this with my mother-in-law (the most judgemental person on the planet).

So just take it person-by-person, and remember... you don't have to tell ANYONE if you don't want to! You can just chalk up your stupendous HOT weight loss to reduced serving sizes, eating healthier, and exercise (because isn't that truly what we do anyways?!).

Good luck to you in your journey, and welcome!!

lovepolka84 - that's so funny that you posted about this, because i basically posted the same thing today a few posts before you! i loooooove it, and have been drinking 1/2 of one (240 cal) for Breakfast. it is super delish in my opinion. yeah, a bit grainy, but worth it for the flavor!

ugh! i totally agree with you jacqui! some foods are completely ruined when having to chew them to a pulp (especially when they still won't "moosh" no matter how much you chew). it's like you discover all sorts of characteristics of those foods that you never knew were there... and that was not a good thing for me recently with clams. blech.

Out grocery shopping yesterday and decided to try this: Naked (brand) All Natural fruit + Boosts Protein juice smoothie, Protein Zone flavor. It has 32 grams of protein in 15.2 oz, and the only ingredients are basically fruit & protein! (Apple juice, banana puree, orange juice, pinapple juice, whey & soy protein, a little coconut milk extract and the Vitamin C.) I am soooo excited!!! Have any of you tried this? What did you think?! I feel like I discovered gold, since I hadn't had a Protein Drink I liked before.

I, too, had the hiatal hernia repair during my surgery. I was suprised to find this later that day after I was back at home! I experienced a lot more pain than I had expected and prepared for, and I think that was mostly because of the extra repair they did on the hernia. The worst was over in about 5 days for me. Hope you're feeling better!

Dakloh - I think I tend to be a little obsessive and weigh myself at home at least every other day, if not every day. But I'm trying to break myself of that and only weigh-in weekly. I find that my weight fluctuates so much, that the day-to-day is likely not as reliable? If that makes sense? Let's break the obsession, lol!

Well, I haven't named mine (yet!), but my co-worker has a band and has named hers her "easy-button"... it always makes me smile.

Not sure if you have one near you, or if you're a member, but costco has a Tomato Soup that is AMAZING! In fact, I just had my first fill yesterday and am sipping on the Soup as I type!

buggirl - From the time I started my pre-op nutrition program until now I've lost 30 lbs. It does fluctuate, but that's where I'm at for the most part.

Basimah - I completely understand where you're coming from. Awhile ago I posted about my trepidations and frustrations with the judgemental and harsh comments some people respond with. That post ended up being the best thing I could have done, because from that I found many people who ARE supportive, caring, understanding and non-judgemental. I wouldn't blame you for leaving... it left me with such a sour taste in my mouth that I considered it, too. My decision to stay was only because of the loving responses I received from my post. It made me realize I'm not really alone. Unfortunately, the Jerky responses are pretty regular; even more regretable is the fact that those people make others like you (and me!) feel alone and at times sub-standard, which is WRONG. Just know that there are those of us out here that are willing to admit that we are HUMAN!! We make mistakes! That many are here today from issues that aren't simply cured with the placement of a band around our stomachs, and that healing from the inside of the mind takes time and support! If you do decide to leave, I hope you are able to find a support system elsewhere. Good luck on your journey!

How interesting to look back over the last 4 weeks! I can't believe how "ready" I was for a fill... not just mentally, but physically.

I feel like I truly experienced restriction vs no-restriction, so-to-speak. In the beginning, I really felt what it was like to have "restriction" (induced from post-surgery swelling, but still restriction none-the-less). Small amounts filled me up and kept me full for long periods of time, liquids took longer to go down, hunger wasn't an ever-present issue, etc. But as time passed and the swelling went down, I definitely noticed a huge difference, especially in the last week! I went from being satiated after eating a yogurt (which used to take me all morning to eat), to having a yogurt and a Nutri-Grain bar; then a yogurt, Nutri-Grain bar, and a Soup... and so on. It's pretty much only been my willpower keeping me from eating everything in sight (and that willpower of mine has not proven to be a trustworthy adversary in the past).

When I spoke with my doctor this morning, he just laughed at my frantic, ensuing panic. He said it's totally normal, and that it's my body's way of telling me I'm ready for a fill.

So, now I'm 1 1/2 cc's fuller, for a total of 5 1/2 cc's (apparently I had a relatively substantial fill to begin with at surgery time). It's back to liquids for the next few days (boo! but worth it, lol). I'm excited to see if there's any difference, though also prepared for needing additional fills before I find my sweet-spot.

I am now officially convinced there IS a band in there somewhere, lol! Last night I was a complete and total fool, and decided to try to take my Multi-Vitamin pill. (We were told in our pre-surgery class by one doctor to NEVER try these after surgery, and by another that it was totally okay to take them and that it was unlikely they'd ever get stuck). I should have known... I just kept forgetting to go get the chewables... ugh. That's a mistake I won't make again!

I am exactly 2 weeks post-op today. I went in yesterday for my post-surgery check-up, and the doctor made an appt for me to come in in 2 weeks for my first fill. I was super excited, because I had been under the impression that you have to wait 6 weeks after surgery to have the 1st fill. I think I would die of impatience if I was told that it wouldn't even happen at 6 weeks! Ugh, that's awful, Frenchie!

txsnow -

Isn't it funny to feel so relieved? With each new response to my topic, I am feeling renewed. I have truly relied on this site for support for weeks before my surgery, and especially now.

Thank you all for your support and non-judgemental encouragement!

Healthy Mom -

I'm actually getting all teary-eyed at my desk at work after reading that. Thank you. I need so much right now to have supportive, understanding people to turn to with my questions, concerns, fears, excitement. (I'm so ridiculously emotional right now, lol, and fighting with my hubby last night doesn't help). I truly appreciate your comment.

In another topic string, I found this comment and it sparked my desire to create my own post in response. Thanks for listening

<br />I am 12 days post-op and am supposed to be on full liquids for another 2 days then mushies for 2 weeks. I feel great! Barely any pain at the incision so started a trial and error about 3 days ago. Unfortunatly, I can stomach just about everything I have tried. chicken, potatoes, pizza, broccoli, apples ect. I already know I have NO restriction and now I'm just disappointed. :-(<br />

Hi Frenchie! I can't tell you how grateful I am to hear someone else speak honestly about the "trial and error" that you've been experimenting with. That's sort-of where I'm at. I was banded 12 days ago, too. I followed the liquids, and then purees after surgery. I realized that I was feeling TERRIBLE after the first 5 days or so. I started adding in more substantial food (mashed potatoes, chunkier Soup, etc) and noticed I was feeling MUCH better. (I think the pain meds I was on were too strong to be taken on a stomach filled with Jello only... I was given liquid Percocet because of the pain I was having after surgery). Since then, I've slowly been trying all sorts of other things in small amounts. I chew everything to a pulp before swallowing, which basically makes it a "mushy." Don't get me wrong... I'm not going out and eating a whole Port of Subs sandwich (which I would literally kill for right now, lol). Even for me that's crazy, and pushing it waaaay to far, I know that. But with all the small amounts of things I've tried, I've had NO restriction. I have encountered NO esophageal pain, NO vomiting, NO reflux... no signs of anything going awry. I've even tried toast (OH MY GOD, I'm crazy, I know! Lol), and had no issues. (Granted, it was chewed to liquid before I swallowed it. But still.) I'm just glad to hear that someone else has done the same, and is actually willing to admit it in this forum. Every time someone mentions eating a bit of anything remotely solid, it seems like they are crucified. I didn't even want to ask questions or talk about things that I've been feeling so alone about, for fear of people tearing me apart. And that makes me sad that I feel like we have to audit our honesty sometimes, because we're not 100% perfect all the time. I didn't have this surgery because I have tremendous willpower where food is concerned, and I don't think I'm alone in that. We're all human, and we had the surgery to make positive, healthy changes in our lives. That being said, I am NOT sabotaging my surgery. I'm not out gobbling down fast food, or drinking frapuccinos. And it's not something I'm trying to hide... I plan on discussing my diet with my doctor tomorrow at my post-op appointment. I'm just feeling everything out and discovering what's okay for me (and not) as I go. Personally, I've had no issues at all with soft foods, and because of that, I've been comfortable with cutting a few days out from the purees to move on to the next level. I've just felt so alone, and scared to come here with my feelings because I don't want to be judged or yelled at or lectured. I'm really just looking for other people who have had similar experiences to talk to. Am I alone here, too?

(Sorry to ramble... I've been holding all this in for days, searching the archives for posts that might relate, but having trouble finding them. I finally broke down and am taking my chances with posting, hoping for the best. Hope this wasn’t too defensive, too… Isn’t that bad that no one has even responded and I’m already on the defense? **sigh**)

Hi! So I too have an office job where I sit at a desk most of the day. I was banded on a Wed (1/12/11), and I took off Wed, Thur, Fri, then had Sat & Sun off, and Mon off due to a holiday. I was supposed to return on Tues, but was still not feeling well. I ended up calling in on Tues & Wed. I returned yesterday (Thursday), so I guess it worked out to a full week. Yesterday was really, really rough. Sitting is actually very uncomfortable for me because the tummy is all crunched up. It was also my first day without any pain meds, so I'm sure that made it more difficult. Today I gave in and took some pain meds, which seems to be helping. In the end I wish I would have taken the rest of this week (Thurs/Fri) off. I'm coping, but as far as being comfortable and 100% back-in-the-game, I'm definitely not. But then again, I had an additional hiatal hernia fix during my procedure, so maybe that's added to my discomfort? I dunno. But just in case anything happens that you weren't counting on (like a hernia, lol), be prepared to take a little extra time if you need.

Just my experience! Hope it helps! Good luck with your surgery!!

Hi!

So, I was just banded on 1/12/11 (yay!). Apparently my doctor found a hiatal hernia during the surgery, which he fixed. There really wasn't too much impact on my hospital stay... it was still outpatient. I actually had no idea they found and fixed a hernia during my surgery until later that night back at home when my husband told me. After hearing that, I understood why I had been in more pain than I had anticipated after surgery. They had told me to expect about 1 hour or so in recovery before they'd move me to the last stage of recovery in a different area of the hospital (where you go while waiting to pee and walk and such). But instead of 1 hour, I was in there for almost 3. I woke up from surgery in a LOT of pain, and was pretty sick to my stomach. My recovery since the surgery has been a lot tougher than I had expected as well, and I do think that was because of the hernia. It kind of feels like someone punched me in the solar-plexus.

But I wouldn't worry! It wasn't enough of an issue to make me re-think anything! In the end, I guess I'm glad they fixed it (even though I had NO clues or symptoms that I had it).

Let me know if you have any other questions! Good luck with your surgery!!

I am not sure if I had a hiatal hernia or not. I had the surgery on December 15th and I have not seen my doctor since they put me under for the procedure. I have gone back to the drs office for check-ups but have not seen the doctor. i have 5 incisions (instead of 4) with one of them right between my breast bone. I was told by someone else who had the procedure don that if I had one there, then i may have had my gall bladder removed. I think this is something i will check into when I go back onthe 26th. They should have told me...

I agree! I would never have known if they hadn't told my husband (who told me later that night). Even though it's common for them, they should remember that it's a big deal for us, and is probably something that would be good to know. I'm going to ask about it when I go in for my check-up. I'm curious to know how big it was, how they fixed it, etc.

I just wanted to say that I am so thankful I discovered this site, and that I now have you all as an amazing support system. It's so nice to talk to others that are going through (or have gone through) what I'm going through. All my questions, concerns, insecurities, excitement... I have someone to share it all with! Don't get me wrong... I have an amazing husband, and wonderful family and friends, but it's not the same. None of them really know what we're going through.

So thank you! I'm only starting this journey, and already I don't think I could do it without you all!!

I almost NEVER get the hiccups (like, maybe one time every other year). Since my surgery yesterday I have been hiccuping like crazy! Has anyone else experienced this? Is this normal?

Thanks everyone.. Nothing has helped yet but maybe it is the Phrenic nerve.. I will have to check into that.. Also even after a few sips of something i feel totally bloated.. I have a call into my dr bc i havent been drinking much but maybe just the gas.. We shall see..

I'm only on day 2 after surgery, but I'm experiencing the same thing. The gas is awful, and depending on laying or sitting up, it just shifts around in my body. It's super uncomfortable. And I do feel like I'm bloated when I'm sipping anything, but I wonder if that's just getting used to the band, too? I feel like I'm hyper-aware of everything going on in my body right now, and that most of it is pretty painful at the moment. But this too shall pass, right? And then we'll be banded and happy and ready to take on the world! (Lol, even though I don't feel ready to take on my driveway yet, hehe).

Thanks all for your help! I'm glad to hear that I'm not the only one with the hernia issue. It's so weird, because I had no indications that I had one. But I'm glad it's fixed though. Now I'm just ready to feel better and start really concentrating on the band!