Angela1234

I think it's important to fully understand that this process is more than just the surgery. Pre-op, surgery, and post-op are such a small part of the journey. Today is my 2 year anniversary and I am reminded of my band not only at every meal but throughout the day too. For starters, the band is much tighter in the morning. There are some mornings that are worse than others but when your favorite meal is Breakfast it gets annoying. Oh, and goodbye eggs (for me anyway). If I can mix them with something I can get them down sometimes but for the most part, eggs don't stay down for me. And for the record, eggs aren't fun the second time. You will be noisy. My husband calls me his baby bear. When I eat, when I drink, and sometimes just because, I make noises. It's fine around my hubby but it does make it uncomfortable when I am with others who don't know about the surgery. I haven't told anyone about the surgery except my hubby and my mom. So I play it off as funny noises with everyone else. You will eat slower than you ever thought. If you are the chef of the household, you may want to prepare your plate first and start while you are still cooking everyone elses. Eating out is a challenge because others are done and you've got only a few bites down. Again, it's not that big of a deal but people will inevitibly make comments so be prepared. Countless waiters have asked me repeatedly if my meal was ok because most of it is left when we leave. Learn to love leftovers This will be difficult. This is a not a dream. You won't wake up feeling better. You won't wake up skinny. You wake up every day with a reminder that you were fat once and you don't ever want to be that weight again. You know you. You know why you chose surgery. This is a commitment - a commitment you can't break. It's easy to plan to eat healthy. It's easy to plan to go to the gym. It's easy to say you want to lose weight. Committing to doing those things is easy - following through is the hard part. The band helps you with that. The band reminds you to change your life and when you slip into old habits it makes you pay for it. This is a great forum. There are lots of people in the same situation as you. I've used it when something happens and I want to see if it happens to anyone else. For me, it was shoulder pain. After surgery you will have gas - not the farting kind but the bloat your entire body with gas so they can move your organs around kind. I felt this pain in my shoulder. Walk. Walk. Walk. Still today, if I eat too much, or eat too quickly, I sometimes get the same shoulder pain. It's not fun - at all. Anywho... good luck with your journey. You are not alone. You're not the first and won't be the last. This is common. You got this!

This was hard for me in the beginning too - heck its still hard sometimes and it's my 2 year bandiversary today. Your body will let you know to slow down and the consequences of eating too fast are not fun. Think about each bite - enjoy it. You're eating less so you have to consciously enjoy each bite more. Good luck!

You look great! I love seeing everyone's progress

I agree with others - at least cut out the soda. Even if it is diet soda - the carbonation can cause havoc on your band. And if you are pouring it into a glass to get rid of some of the carbonation, then what is the point to drinking it? It is a habit you can do without and one that you will appreciate later on. I was a soda drinker. Diet Mtn.Dew was the nector of the Gods to me... yes, I drank alot. I haven't had any kind of soda in almost a year. I was banded in July. I live on Crystal Light and regular Water. If caffeine is what you crave, they make "energy" Crystal Light... give it a try. You owe this to yourself and it will only help the journey. I don't mean to preach... you've done great so far. The band only changes your life if you let it. If not, you'll easily go back to where you were. Good luck!

I see a lot of comments about being too tight so I thought I would share my story. I had a fill on Wednesday. I told my Dr. that I was getting frustrated with how slowly the weight is coming off. I think he assumed that meant I wanted to be a lot tighter. Well, I left the clinic feeling fine. I was miserable later. I kept telling myself that it was just tight for the first day or so and that it would be better. But Thursday, after only being able to sip a couple sips of Water total I asked my Doctor how long before I was back to normal.... I knew something was up, I was having the gurgling noises after just swallowing my own spit. Listen to what your body is telling you. You know if you are too tight. This morning I went in and he took out half of what he put in just two days ago and what a difference! Granted it was a nice to lose 7.5 lbs in two days but I realize it was all water. Happy to be on track again. That band is a tool... listen to what it is telling you.

There is a lot of learn so don't worry about having questions. I agree, 1 cup total and please be careful since you are still new. Best of luck!

Don't cry from being nervous - if anything, cry for being so excited to start your new life! This whole process is life changing. Enjoy it! You will be fine!

I had mine in July - yes I was just tired the first day. I think the third day was the worst for me. I think it's because all the lovely drugs totally wore off. It's normal to feel what you are feeling. Getting in and out of bed sucked for about a week.

Btw - go ahead and cry if you want to. Let it all out - sound off here, shed the tears... and then when you find that spark again we are here to support you again. You have to find that spark... that motivation to change. Baby steps. Ever consider doing the dreadful liquid diet for a bit? When I feel like I'm not losing or just need to get a jumpstart I do like two or three days liquids and I get back on track. Any little bit will help you - and seeing the almost instant progress from that is helpful. Just a thought.

I realize this post was probably therapeutic for you more than anything else, but.... You have so much to be thankful for! Give yourself some credit! You've lost the weight before and you will lose it again. You have a new baby - congrats! You kicked cancer - congrats! Yes, the weight gain is a pain in the ass and I totally understand the defeated feelings... don't give up. You got this!

Anyone have suggestions on a good quality scale? I have been reading product reviews and I can't seem to find one that has rave reviews. My biggest concern with my current scale, and many of those I have seen reviewed, is that I can get on and it tells me one weight. Then I get off and back on again and it's a different weight, by up to 4 lbs. For instance, this morning it said I was down 3lbs. Ten minutes later it said I was up 9lbs after eating or drinking nothing. I wanted to go lay back down for another ten minutes but I didn't want to gain another 9lbs. So, I welcome your suggestions. Ideally I would like something to keep track of my previous weight but I'm more concerned with accuracy. Thanks!

Nothing to worry about - you can't really fail. it's just to make sure you are realistic about your expectations of weight loss and that you aren't trying to lose it instead of dealing with other larger problems. You'll do fine.

You will know when you are stuck - hands down it's a horrible feeling. How do I know this? Because I've been dealing with it this morning. Apparently, for some reason, my body didn't want to have the toast and egg this morning like I have most mornings. The toast was a little more toasted than I normally do and I don't know if that's it or what but omg... miserable. I've managed to clear the nastiness of the toast but I'm still all frothy and have puked up just froth a few times. I sooo want to drink something but I don't want to make it worse. It's a horrible feeling. So, if you aren't feeling like you need to puke and don't have froth then you might not be completely stuck. Don't drink or eat anything and it will pass.

I've been able to eat whatever I want, including roasts of all kinds. Only you and your body will be able to determine what you can and can't eat.

Not sure what your insurance requires - i needed six months of nutritional monitoring. The day I completed it, the office sent in my completed packed to insurance. Within a week i had my approval. After that, i had to schedule an appointment to meet with the surgeon one last time. At that appointment I got my surgery date. A week before my surgery I had to go meet with the anesthesiologist and have my blood work done. Then it was surgery day! It will go fast from here on out - good luck!

It gets easier... by day four I really wasn't even that hungry anymore. You will lose weight on the pre-op diet and that helps motivate. I learned to love cream of chicken Soup because most of the other liquids are cold or bland. i drank a lot of Water - popsicles - and Jello. it's not fun but it is worth it - it's awesome to go into the surgery having already started the process. good luck!

your post made me smile because I had the same question when I first heard about having a port. I would have dreams of this gaping hole in my abdomen Rest assured you leave surgery completely sewn up again. The fill process is different for each doctor. I've had two doctors do fills... well, only one successfully do a fill. My doctor finds my port by using an xray. I stand in front of the machine, sip barium so he can see how its passing thru and then fills. The other doctor made me lay down and she used an xray machine to try and find it. She couldn't fill me because she said my port was flipped. When I consulted with my own doctor he said it was because of how she does her fills and that I wasn't flipped. So - the point of my ramble is... you will be sewn up and your port is hidden (sometimes even from doctors)

I can understand your concerns. I don't have Crohns but i was scared to death of puking. I was banded at the beginning of July. I've felt great, no nausea, not losing my hair. There was once, where I had a bite of cake and then mistakenly drank right afterwards. I don't know if it was the cake or the drinking or the combination of both but I got that feeling that it had to come up. I dreaded it but finally, it did and I felt better. If anything, this just cured my craving for cake You won't know what it feels like until it happens. Learn from it. This site, among others, its great but it is also horrible! Trust your doctor AND your body. You've lived with crohns for so long that you know how your body reacts to that. So, if your doctor approved the surgery in spite of having crohns then I'm sure you'll be fine. If anything, get a second opinion from a doctor who has experience with crohns patients. Good luck - but if you don't feel you are emotionally ready and would like more answers then postpone the surgery until you are comfortable.

It was so frustrating to not lose once the band was actually in there! I was banded 7/10 and have finally started to lose again after my second fill last Wednesday. I know everyone says be patient and you're healing... but cmon, we had the surgery to lose! Congrats on the pre-op loss and just know that you WILL lose again eventually. Your body was losing so much in the pre-op because you weren't eating. That can only last so long. Your body is recovering from that AND the surgery. I, like many, gained a couple of those back before my first fill. It is normal. I know it doesn't make you feel any better but you'll be losing before you know it!

I was banded 7/10 - had my first fill on 8/8 and was on four flights in the last two days. I too had similar questions. I didn't eat on the plane - only had Water. I did eat about an hour or two before flying and didn't feel any different flying than i did prior to being banded. As with everything you read here the recurring theme applies to this as well... everyone is different and reacts differently. I wouldn't expect to have any concerns, especially this early on in the process. Eat a sensible Breakfast and you shouldn't be hungry on the flights. If you are, grab a yogurt as you're running thru the airport to your next flight! I did notice that so many of the airport vendors have fruit and healthy choices. You'll do great Good luck!

Everyone's pain is different. I did really well. Move as much as you can and take the drugs. Getting in and out of bed was the worst. There is no easy way about it. If anything you might be more tired. Your energy level won't be what it was prior to surgery. Take that time to relax and you'll be happy you did. At 10 days post surgery I was eating normal food. I stopped taking the meds just shy of a week after surgery. Good luck!

When looking for vitamins i was told to look for multi vitamins with vitamins AND minerals. Most just say vitamins. Vitafusions are yummy though, especially the multivites. I look forward to taking them. I take two a day and i even space them out so i get to enjoy them twice a day It's my little sweet candy-like treat

LOL - mucosy froth... sounds like a bad martini