jen120

Brandon, I was one of the lucky ones. After surgery I had absolutely no gas pain and just a bit of soreness where the biggest incision was on my stomach. I never took any pain medication after surgery except 1 dose of liquid vicoden right before I left the hospital. I started at 415 pounds. On May 9th I started my pre-surgery liquid diet, I had surgery on May 23 and as of Monday 7-25-2011 I have lost 51 pounds. I do not have any fill in my band so I can pretty much eat anything I want as long as I chew really well. I do have to be careful with bread. I stick to a strict diet. I eat about 1200 calories a day, focusing mostly on Protein and trying to eat low carb. I drink 10-12 glasses of Water a day. The great thing is that they want you to eat a lot of protein, so eating steak is not out of the question. You just need to chew carefully. Like you I have a very difficult time exercising. I cannot walk any significant distance. I have started slowly riding a recumbent stationary bike. (People all weights and sizes can do that) I also swim. I have a small circular 12 foot above ground pool that is 3.5 feel deep. It was $99 bucks at Walmart and came with a pump and filter. I hang on the side and kick my legs, 500 sets on my back, 500 sets on my stomach. I swim "laps" using only my arms. Granted they are really very small laps, but I'll do 10 one way, switch direction and do 10 the other and go back and forth. Good luck with your research. I will tell you...everyone is different. Dont let any 1 experience color your opinion. I hope you find the information you are looking for so you can make an informed decision.

It is normal to cough and bring up stuff from your lungs after having anesthesia. I dont know about dark brown phlegm balls. I would call my doctor on that one. Congrats on having surgery!

This is very common about 3 months after surgery. This article explains the reason why. Everyone experiences hair loss on a daily basis. Normal hair loss is barely noticeable, amounting to less than 100 hairs per day. However, the stress of a major surgery can cause hair loss to accelerate up to three times as much in both men and women. It's the body's way of reacting to the trauma of the operation. The Facts During a normal hair growth cycle, hair grows, then enters into a resting or "telogen" period and eventually sheds. According to the American Osteopathic College of Dermatology, "telogen effluvium" is a term used to describe hair that has been rushed into the resting state after the body suffers a shock due to major surgery. As resources are redirected to help heal the affected surgical area, the body temporarily shuts down hair production because it is not necessary for survival. Identification Telogen effluvium related to surgery can be distinguished from other forms of hair loss in several ways. Individuals typically begin to notice the increasing hair loss two to three months after the surgery. Hair loss after surgery is uniform, noticeable on the scalp but never excessive enough to cause a patchy appearance or complete baldness. In addition, the shed hairs all exhibit a specific pattern at the root, which resembles a white bulb. Time Frame Hair usually resides in the telogen phase for a period of two to four months before growth resumes. Individuals don't begin to notice the increase in hair loss when showering or brushing the hair until about three months post-surgery. Although the resting hair is being pushed out of the scalp by new hair that is already growing, it can take anywhere from about six months to a year for the hair to return to its normal fullness. Gastric Bypass Surgery Individuals who have undergone gastric bypass or other operations of the digestive tract designed to reduce obesity are more prone to hair loss post-surgery. This is due to the reduced intake of food in the weeks and months immediately following these procedures. The body needs an adequate amount of Proteins and Vitamins to maintain hair production. Protein-enhanced shakes are often recommended for these patients as a substitute until solid food can be better tolerated. Proper Diet Hair loss related to surgery typically reverses itself without any medicinal intervention or the need for over-the-counter hair loss tonics or treatments. However, maintaining a diet rich in Protein and Iron is believed to help promote and speed up healthy hair growth. Suggested foods include salmon, Beans, eggs, spinach, broccoli, nuts and whole-grain cereals. Avoid foods that can inhibit hair growth, such as those that contain high levels of caffeine and fat.

I'm sorry you had this experience. It sounds like you were caught off guard. I hate when that happens and I always think of what I should have said after the event. My doctor is very nice, but I know he is very strict about people sticking to the plan. He said this before surgery and was very adamant about it. He will not even do a fill unless you bring a printout of the last 2-3 weeks of food journals and exercise logs. If you are not doing it already, I suggest you start logging everything you eat and every time you exercise. I use a web site called myfitnesspal.com. Many people on this site use it to track all their food and exercise. It allows you to print out your food journals and exercise logs. You can also track your measurements. Bring these with you to the next appointment. Show him that you are doing the right things, that you are losing inches. If he gives you grief, then ask him to make a suggestion in how you can improve what you are doing. You are doing great! Sounds like you have great support! Stay strong and come here for support!! (((Hugs)))

Awesome!!

I feel your pain...I was miserable during the pre-op liquid diet. I could only have the shakes, Jello and broth. Not even veggies! I hated the shakes so much I would just drink the whole thing in one gulp. Like I was chugging a beer. I also gave up drinking diet coke when I started the pre-op so I know about the headache. It is all part of going through ketosis. It does get a bit better. I looked at the pre-op diets as if I was taking medicine and that it was part of the process. I must admit that on some days I did have some fat free fully blended pea Soup for dinner and that seemed to help. If you dont like the shakes you are drinking now, I highly suggest finding ones that you do like. Because if you hate them now, you are really going to hate them after surgery. Do a search on this site regarding Protein shakes. There are several posts where people recommend shakes that they like. Good Luck and Hang in there! You can do this. I've lost 51 pounds since May 9th when I started my pre-op diet. I still have a long way to go, but the results are worth the suffering!

Congratulations! You should be so very proud of your achievement!

For me...i had been so disassociated from my body for so long, I never ever really looked at myself. I always only just looked at my face. It was as if I was a floating head. Now I am acutely aware of my size and my body and how huge I really am. I do get depressed and I wonder what will be left hanging when I am done. But I am so much happier eating healthy and trying to work out the best I can. I am focusing on losing the weight and making positive changes. I have accepted that I will never be "skinny" or a super model. But I will be a smaller, happier and healthier me. I remind myself to be patient because I have a long road ahead! Good Luck to you all!

I agree that Bariatric Advantage are horribly chalking and make me gag. I switched to One A Day Kids Complete (Scooby Doo). To me they taste great and I look forward to taking it everyday. For calcium I do a generic brand of Viactiv. 2 a day. The chocolate chews taste like tootsie rolls to me so it is a little treat as well as a Vitamin.

Sami, This is very, very common. I had the same issue and it lasted for almost 3 weeks. I had lost 32 pounds between the pre-op diet and immediately post op and then nothing. At the time I was eating about 600-800 calories a day. I ended up increasing my calories to 1000-1200 a day and started seeing the weight come off again.

I drink with my meals and after. It is very difficult to eat if I dont. I plan all my meals, I eat what I plan to eat and stop. I dont go back for more. I stay at 1000-1200 calories a day. I am satisfied after I eat and typically dont get hungry unless one of my meals is significantly delayed.

Good Luck! I am sure everything will go well! Take care!

This is very, very common. I was told that I should not expect to lose weight and I might even gain the first 2 weeks after surgery. Your body is healing and you are swollen. I know its frustrating, but the loss will happen once you are healed. Congrats on your surgery and good luck!

Congratulations!!! My doctor office also had it where you buy the shake mix from them. I found out the brand of the shakes and actually found them cheaper online at a website called Bariatric Choice. I would continue to train for your walk. Just take it down a notch and if you are not up to it...then take it easy. You'll have plenty of time for exercise after surgery. I ended up taking 2 weeks off because I had lots of vacation time. I have desk job and I could have gone back to work after a week. You might try to go back half day for a day or 2 to see how it goes. Good Luck!!

(((Hugs))) I was a complete emotional mess about 5 days after surgery as well. I wasnt in pain, I was just so very weak and tired. The protein shakes were starting to make me dry heave. I ended up adding some soup and cottage cheese in addition to the protein shakes I was supposed to be drinking. It made the world of difference in how I felt. I dont suggest you go against your doctor orders, I'm just sharing what worked for me. It will get better...just hang in there.

Yes...I was craving balsamic vinaigrette pre and post op. Weird to hear someone else did too. I didn't do anything about it. But what a strange coincidence!

I was just curious...I had to give myself 7 days of Lovenox injections into my tummy after surgery. (Yes I had to give myself a shot for 7 days!) The surgeons at my office require all patients to get Lovenox after surgery to prevent blood clots. Of course they didn't tell us about it until a week before the surgery! Did anyone else do this? By the way...it was really easy and didnt hurt. Just kind of freaky sticking a needle in your stomach and injecting the Fluid. Luckily I had a lot of extra padding!

Glad to hear you are feeling so much better. Each day will be an improvement!

Congrats! You are doing great!

Awesome! Congratulations!

I would call the doctor and explain your situation. It sounds like you are in crisis and I'm pretty sure they wont turn you away if you cant pay. Set up a payment plan or something, but this sounds like you need medical intervention. Good Luck!

I think just about every weight loss surgery program requires a psych eval. Totally common and nothing to worry about. They just want to make sure you understand you know what you are getting into and dont have unrealistic expectations. Good Luck!

Remind yourself that eating is very important for your body. There is no need to feel guilty for giving your body nutrition that it needs. It sounds like things are going well, you are eating the amount you should and are not having any problems with getting stuck or other issues. For that you should be thankful. It's ok to be happy and enjoy the process. I know I really enjoy my meals and have had no problems to date. I even had to increase my calories because I wasnt eating enough. You should take that guilt and turn it into pride for following through and sticking to your plan! Each meal should be a affirmation that you are doing what you need to do to be healthy and lose weight. Good Luck!

You have just been banded so things are going to feel very tight for the first few days. I know I wasnt able to get much in at all for the first 5 days after surgery and then things loosened up a bit. Hang in there! Your mushies are just around the corner. TV commercials are the worst. I always kept the remote in my hand to quickly change the channel when my favorite places came on. I swear Papa John's and Domino's increased their frequency of commercials just because I had surgery!

You've done amazingly well! Congrats! Happy Band-iversary