TerriDoodle

Your doctor should have told you not to take pills larger than a birth control pill. As a matter of fact, you should only take liquid form whenever possible. If you took a capsule or one with an enteric coating, it could stay stuck in your stoma for quite some time....and irritate the heck out of it! Call your doctor and ask why you weren't given liquids for pain....and what pills you can and cannot take! It's important.

No, I think what you are experiencing is swelling from surgery...."extreme restriction", if you will. After you've healed you won't have to sit in any special way and you'll not feel anything very different from your before banded days....except when you eat! If you've chewed well and eaten small bites, at most you will feel a fullness in your chest, rather than in your stomach and you'll know that you can't put in one more bite. The sense of fullness changes in that way. You'll also stay satisfied for a few hours on small amounts of food. If you have eaten improperly by taking too large of bites or not chewing well you will feel pain in your chest ....like someone is pressing their fist into your sternum....until the food passes thru the stoma. If/when that happens do not take another bite or drink anyting until that feeling passes!!

I seem to remember that it lasted 3-4 weeks, but it got a little better every single day. Hang in there!

I've been banded 4 months and I eat steak regularly....it's such a darn tootin' shame that I have to eat filets though. :eek:

This thread should help answer your questions: http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f17/scar-stages-share-yours-6117/ I'm only 4 months post op and of course mine are still quite visible, but they dont bother me one little bit!! The largest one is only an inch long, the others just look like the head of an eraser.

A good question to ask, then, is what (if any) type of advertising DID influence us to investigate the lap band further? I distinctly remember that the first thing I ever heard or saw about it was on a billboard. The "after" photo was a conservatively-clothed, 30-something woman who looked like she might even live next door to me....just an average woman....maybe 20# from being almost perfect. The board said something like "The lap band changed my life forever".... no big hard sell. The ad that made me start digging deeper and deeper was in a local community magazine where Dr. Speigal was advertising...and it listed his impressive credentials and gave more specific info about what the band is and is not. His office is 5 miles from my house! So that's what got me started in this direction. I credit LBT and Dr. Spivak with reeling me in. :eek: THANK YOU LBT!!!

Hi Pam! Well, don't worry... you'll still enjoy time in the kitchen with your hubby!! I hope you have a great experience with Dr. Davis!

I was banded by Dr. Spivak in April and, at that time, I don't think the new AP band was out. Mine is an inamed. Dr. Spivak and his staff are all wonderful. You've made a good choice. Good luck!

Well I think he closes with dissolvable sutures under the skin and then maybe glue w/ steri-strips? I have no idea. I just remember that the strips had to 'fall off on their own' in about 10 days and there were no stictches to remove or anything. I know there were stitches underneath because I had one that was sticking out a little bit. Congratulations on your decision to be banded. I know it's not an easy one to make, but I promise you won't regret it!!

((((SARA)))) Your news is heartbreaking!!! You poor dears...I am just SO sorry :eek: There is nothing I can do for him but pray, so pray I will. Is he in awful pain? What type of work did he do? What kind of recovery period will he need? Oh, honey... I can't even imagine how you are feeling about your baby. Please take care of yourself thru this, too...don't forget. We'll all be concerned so try to keep us posted periodically.

I like to think of critical people this way: Their criticism helps you to define what you DO believe and should make you more resolute in your decision. Know what I mean? So challenge is a good thing thinking of it that way. It's like when I have people who question my spiritual beliefs....it used to make me upset until I realized that everytime someone did, I just became more and more comfortable with where I was and what I knew to be My Truth. This is your path and your life. Claim it as your own and don't be shaken by those who challenge you. BTW - I guess you're banded by now.... CONGRATULATIONS!!! :eek:

Here's a good article about hair loss: Changes in diet can sometimes lead to hair loss I also posted it in the general discussion area Note that it does stress that if you have a genetic predisposition for hair loss that you are more prone to it. So that may explain why some women lose hair and some don't even though they may be following basically the same diet....like Atkins, for example.

This explains a good deal about hair loss as a result of losing weight: Changes in diet can sometimes lead to hair loss

When I was low-carbing I was on a forum like this one and girls complained about hair loss then too. (Tracy, how about on LCF?) And low-carb diets are notoriously high-protein, so it can't be a lack of protein. If I had to guess I'd say it had more to do with a sudden 'shock to the system', as in rapid weight loss. For those of you losing hair, how much weight did you lose, say, within the first 6 weeks post-op....expressed as a percentage of the total weight you needed to lose?

Of course it is possible!! Just not all at once! You would probably do well to break down your goals into small 30-40# increments which would give you LOTS of reasons to celebrate!! :confused: Best of luck and let us know how we can help!!

ClynnC -- have fun at the GYM, too!! It really does help!

Bump, bump, bumpety-bump-bump :confused:

From "Conversations With God Book 2": The Meaning of Love. "For centuries you have been taught that love-sponsored action arises out of the choice to be, do, and have whatever produces the highest good for another. Yet I tell you this: the highest good is that which produces the highest good for you. . . . This is because you and the other are one." No matter what your spiritual beliefs, I think that everyone can benefit by contemplating these thoughts for a moment. This one phrase has helped me through many tough decisions. For whatever it's worth to you......

Oh, here's our pic from Tuesday night! Thanks, SchexyMomma!! ....and the busboy, wherever you are!

Gina - You know I'm just messin' with ya, right?? :grouphug: I am so sorry about the disc!! My MIL has several and she is in so much pain alllll the time. You do exactly as your doctor tells you! You don't want to make things worse!! That's the SECOND BEST kind of NSV there is!!! Denise's is the ULTIMATE BEST!.... LOL Man, you must be floating on a cloud!!! Hot wrecker driver!! :confused: That's the stuff fantasies are made of!! Woo hoo!!!! Wow!! He must be taking happy pills or something!!? No matter.... ya'll sound like you're having a blast and that's all that matters. You deserve it all, girl. You deserve it ALL!!!! I'm down another pound today (to 190) and have no idea why....except that I've skipped my workouts....and maybe water is leaving my muscles. It will be an interesting experiment to see if I gain over the weekend as I make up these sessions. Love you guys!

Regarding the pics...I didn't have a phone or camera at the time, Josie's pics came out blurry on her i-phone (the bus boy took them!)...and SchexyMomma's the only one who brought her camera. She doesn't get online much with two little kiddos, but hopefully she will post or email the pics to me soon. TracyKS - I love your rings!! How's DF holding up?! All of a sudden things are HAPPENING!!! Is he freakin'? Tracy - Sorry, sweetie. I remember those days. One thing I surely don't miss is Aunt Flow!!! All the other parts about menopause suck big time, but not that one. I got an i-phone yesterday. You have to activate it yourself on your computer, not thru the AT&T store like the other phones. So I couldn't do it yesterday 'cause I was out to dinner with the girlz, so I had to stay home tonight to get it all done (just finished!) 'cause I can't be without a cell phone another day. Ok, the reason I'm telling you all this sad tale is to explain WHY I haven't gone to the gym for 3 whole days!!! :car: So now I can't miss for the next five days to make my goal. Jeez. Maybe I can get two workouts in on Friday. Ol' sharp-eye-Tracy has probably been noticing my workout ticker hasn't changed but just too nice to say anything. LOL Or maybe she's just a little distracted?? Ya think? Laura - my wedding ring has diamonds around it too. I had it sized UP when I gained and the jeweler told me I can probably only size it once more. The metal gets more brittle every time so, depending on the setting, be careful about sizing it too often. Just go as long as you can. It'll be worth it in the end! Ah....honeymooners. It's been a looooooooong time since I christened a house! Well, off to see what else is happening at LBT! G'night!

I've skipped the gym the last two days which, I think, is a first. The most I've ever skipped before is one. Anyway, I'm peeing ALL the time and losing Water like crazy...... you think it could be glycogen or water needed for muscle repair leaving my body already??? I'm hoping it's FAT leaving my body...but afraid to hope! LOL I'm preparing myself for a re-gain of this weight when I go back to the gym. We'll see!

Right On, Sista!! You are absolutely 100% correct about that!! LBT is the place to be!! (Hey, that rhymes!)

Well, we're back from our dinner out and we had such a good time!!! We could have stayed until midnight just yacking away. I wish you ALL could have been there with us! I hope we can do that someday, we'd have a blast. (((Schexy))) (((Haydee))) (((Josie))) It was soooooooo wonderful to meet you girls and you're all so beautiful! I do hope we can get together again real soon. I enjoyed myself immensely! We got a pic or two and will post them tomorrow probably. KAT - You make some excellent points. You're a good lady. Gina - Sorry, hon.....BUT WHY ARE YOU SO BEHIND ON YOUR EXERCISE??? HMMMMMM??? GET MOVIN'!!! :heh:

Haydee - the Target is in Memorial City. Cafe Express is in Town & Country. You know how to get there? It's on the Tollway side, facing the street. Close to LaMadeline.