DawnH

Mine feels really big too, bigger than I would have thought it would for sure! Good luck, post an update!

I have been able to feel mine pretty good since a few weeks out of surgery. I am 3 months out and am feeling it more the more weight I am losing. Who knows what it will feel like when I am at goal. I am sure yours is fine.

The only thing that I have noticed as far as tastes changing is with Crystal Light. That used to be all I drank, not much plain water but now it is way too sweet. I just gave all my boxes away because I can't stand it. Weird.... I wasmtold that could happen but was sort of surprised.

I am in the same boat as you. I had surgery 9/12/11 and had 2 ccs at surgery and had another 2 added 6 weeks ago and have felt nothing. I know it is just because I am not at a good restriction level but it is funny how some people have a ton of restriction with 4 ccs but it doesn't do anything for me. Also, in my case I have a 14 cc band so it may take a little bit more time to get to the 'green zone'. I have my second fill tomorrow so I am curious to see how it goes after that. Good luck!

I thought the pain was similar in the getting up and down from sitting/laying down positions. As you know everyone's experiences are different. I had no gas pains from lap band but it took me a lot longer to feel back to normal. I was finally feeling 'normal' after about 3 weeks. It only took me a couple when I had the c-section and I didn't have babies to take care of because my twins were in NICU for 3 weeks. Good luck!

I was in pain there for awhile. I didn't think I would ever be able to wear jeans again, lol. Now I am a couple months out and wear jeans all the time but they are a couple sizes smaller . Seriously though I had pain there for 3 weeks or so. I went to the dr thinking for sure something had gone wrong but I am fine now. Good luck!

It was fun and I finished the race not at the end so that was good. I jogged some, walked some and I was satisfied because there were some active duty military even behind me . I don't get sore on the treadmill anymore but man the front of my thighs and my abs were killing me for 2 days. It was really weird how jogging on the ground versus the treadmill uses different muscles. I wasn't expecting that. Anyways, thanks so much for asking!

I can burp with the best of them! It is so weird. It isn't even painful gas in the stomach but just burping. I don't think mine is from being full becuase I do it if I am sipping water or if I sip water while I exercise. It isn't always when I eat. Glad I am not alone

I am going to do a 2 mile Veterans Day 'fun run' on my husbands base this am. I am going to try to jog some of it but we shall see. This challenge has helped me push myself more and more though for sure! Wish me luck!

I was able to sleep on my stomach about 2 weeks after surgery and it felt wonderful!

I think the easiest way to avoid the smell is once you get to the part of post-op where you can eat regular food you can just get it through your food instead of having to supplement with shakes. There are plenty of foods out there that are high in protein and low fat. I have been liking hardboiled eggs and chicken salad lately, lol. Another thing I have been liking lately is PB2. It is powdered peanut butter that you mix 1 tbsp of to 2 tbsp water and it has the exact consistency of peanut butter but only 45 calories, 1.5 grams of fat and 5 grams of protein. Not a huge amount of protein but a good amount for a snack. Good luck!

I have the Allergan lap band and it is 14cc's. The dr determines the size by how much fat you have around the stomach itself not by the brand of the band. I believe the Realize band comes in 9 and 11 cc sizes, it doesn't even come in a 14cc. True that it takes a little longer to find that green zone but my surgeon is a little more aggressive with fills to get me there quicker. I was banded 9-12-11 and have lost 32 lbs, I am not in the green zone yet for sure but I am comfortable at the pace I am losing weight.

I am in! I was hoping you were doing this in Nov. I was banded in Sept and started really walking miles at a time in mid Oct so I was late to start the challenge then. It will be a good challenge!

I am only 7 weeks out so far but I don't feel like there is any foreign object in my body except the port. It just feels weird but like the above posters said it is a reminder of what you are working towards. I have lost 32 lbs and I don't look wrinkly at all so I am hoping my skin holds up with the 59 lbs I have left to lose. I just keep exercising because that is about all I can do for my skin. I think the vitamins are totally helping my skin too. Good luck!

Sorry you are feeling bad! I do have to tell you though we still have to deal with the head hunger and it stinks, lol. I still at night can sit and try to think of what to snack on while I am watching tv even if I am not hungry. I have to go take a hot bath or something or I could sabotage myself for sure! You just have to find something else to do to keep busy. Good luck!

A nurse practitioner does mine in my surgeons office.

Ditto what Corrigan said. I wouldn't worry but just watch it. Mine got little rashy bumps by it while healing. They were nothing so I think it can go through a lot of different things during the healing process. Good luck!

Don't be disgusted with yourself! Just get back to the basics of the way to eat. I just had my first fill and only notice a little difference so I know I can eat more than I should but if you want this to work you have to stay strong until you get to the right fill level. Did the dr. give you a fill since he doesn't think the band was tight enough? The other night I know I could have eaten more than I should have so I had to put the food down and go get in the bath to just not focus on the food I wanted to put in my mouth but knew I didn't need to put in my mouth. I was just telling my nutritionist how much of a head game this all is. You have to retrain your brain to not want food but only when you need it. Just start over and take one day at a time. Good luck!

Maybe you can find a support group or something you can take him to with you. My mom (we are also very religious) was super skeptical and worried too but her fears were put to rest when I took her with me to the support group. She asked the post-op people questions and came out knowing this was the thing that would help me. Once she had researched it she has been comfortable with it ever since. Of course it is a surgery so there are always things that can happen but for me my mom knows this was the best decision I have made. Good luck!

The fill was fine. She said my port moved quite a bit and it did take 5 pokes but she numbed it with lidocaine so I couldn't feel it at all. I had 2 ccs in it so she only added 2 more. Now I am on liquids today and tomorrow, then soft foods for a couple days and then normal diet so I am anxious to see what I can handle and what I can't. Good luck!

I just usually eat greek yogurt, protein shake, or cottage cheese. I am not a breakfast person so I eat it just because I know I should, lol.

I was banded on Sept. 12th and have my first fill Tuesday and I am so ready for it. Hang in there it is all part of the process. If you want a few of us started a 'September 2011 bandsters' thread. We are all going through the same stages and it seems like we are all having the same struggles. Good luck!

That's awesome! Congrats to being on the other side

The 'liquid diet mouth' was HORRIBLE. I saw you recommend the lemon candies on another thread and those were a life saver. That was so weird, no one tells you you will have the nastiest taste in your mouth while on liquids! Thanks for the tip

Honestly my most favorite thing that has helped me a lot is using myfitnesspal.com to log in all my food and exercise. It helps keep track of everything for me and there is an app for my phone too so I can use it when I am out too. Love it. Good luck!