Fenton

I think that the catheter is very variable - I think most people DON'T get a catheter! Greg, because of his hiccup, may have been one of the lucky ones. Jack's the veteran around these parts, and has lots of wisdom to dispense - just check out those weight loss numbers! But we all have our own experiences, as Gordon says, and we're all a bit different. It took me five or so days for the swelling to go down. For the first five or so days, I had a slightly queasy feeling, and found getting fluids in pretty hard. I relied on clear premixed Isopure Zero Carb fruit punches - 20 oz Fluid, 40 g Protein. That 64 ounces a day is just a guideline, but it's a good goal to aim for. As Jack says, particularly in the early days it might be hard to hit, but just do your best to keep the Water intake up. The REAL secret of recovering from the procedure is to just keep walking. You might get gas pain in your shoulder or chest - when you get it, get up and walk for a little while, even if it's only up and down the hallway. Try gently raising your arms over your head as a kind of mini-stretch too. This will help move the gas around, and the pain will ease. And it's hardly the worst pain in the world. I didn't have much pain from the surgical sites - indeed, most guys don't seem to have a bad time with pain post-op. I didn't bother to fill the Vicodin prescription, I was fine with liquid Tylenol, which I took only on the first day. I also got some muscle cramps, which eased iwth a hot pad. And I took hot baths; you're not supposed to let your surgical sites soak in the water, but I'm fairly heft and fairly tall, so even when I lay in my tub, my wounds were above the water line. I just soaked for a while, then showered normally. Any questions you have during your recovery, just shout 'em out here - there's plenty of us here to share our experience with you. And, brother - sorry about that catheter!

elsid, of course you're going to be able to eat and enjoy food a year from now! It just might be a bit different from what you're used to now. The band, once it's filled, makes some foods hard to eat - many people have problems with steak, lobster, drier poultry like white meat chicken, some greens etc. But some people are able to eat lobster every day - it's different for every bandster, and the only way to find out what you can eat will be to try it. My surgeon, Dr. Fielding, is a foodie. He's had his band for 7 years, and is still a foodie - in fact, he leads trips to restaurants to teach bandsters how to order and to eat. Look on it as an adventure: you might not be able to eat all of the stuff you used to eat, but you're going to be able to eat plenty of food that you love; and you're even going to find new foods to be passionate about. It's a new way of living, but you're going to be just fine! Come back when you can and tell us how it went, OK? And we're here if you have any worries or complaints - we've all been through what you're going through, and we all help each other around here. Smooth sailing tomorrow, and get back here and let us know what's up with you, OK?

I think in the early days - unless it's what you're craving, soup is a waste of time, particularly if it's clear soup, which has minimal Protein. Let's be frank, in terms of what we get to "eat"/drink, the first few days post-op pretty much suck. Try not to separate the 64 oz and the protein! Again, I love Isopure because it's a way of getting in both fluids AND protein. 1/2 cup of clear soup gives you just a half cup of liquid, without much in the way of protein. It's better to be sipping at that iSopure and that Water, and maybe a thinned Slimfast Optima, during the course of the day. Also, look, it's not the end of the world if you don't get in enough protein for three or four days. Just keep drinking your water, the swelling will go down, it'll get easier, and the fluids will go down easier, your hydration will improve and so will your protein intake. That 64 oz is the ideal, those 80 g of protein are the ideal, but, practically, it's going to be hard to take that in in the first few days. Just hang in there, and know that it'll get easier and easier, and soon you'll be clamouring for steak! And Terri: it's going to be WEEKS before you have to worry about timing your Fluid intake before and after your solid food intake! You have to have your first fill before that! Just relax, let everything calm down in your guts. You're going to be just fine!

Yeah, Christine - enough with the nerves! You've seen us all take our turns, and we've all been fine. And I went in at about 450 lbs, positively dwarfing you! Your cardiologist is being very careful - if they thought there was any chance that you'd have a problem with surgery, you think they'd let you go through it? It's elective surgery, not an emergency - you could have it six months from now! If there were any issue of safety, ANY ISSUE AT ALL, they'd make you wait until they felt they had you in souped up condition before letting you have the surgery. It's a piece-of-cake surgery, they're giving you the thumbs up, this time tomorrow you'll be banded, so No More Whining! You're going to be fine, and then you're going to be better than fine! Except this time tomorrow you're going to be Whining About Gas Pain! The lifting thing you're going to have to be careful with. As, like, a bachelor, I don't know how high-functioning a 22 month old is. Are they big? Do you think the baby can sleep with you in your bed? Moms here will have more insight into this than me, but I'm thinking it might be easier to boost the Little Bundle of Joy up onto the bed, and help him/her down, rather than having to heft them into and out of a crib. MOMS OF THE MASTER THREAD UNITE! Use your Momly Powers to advise Christine!!! As much as possible, you want to avoid picking things up. I believe that the problem isn't that your sutures will tear, but that the deeper layers of the wound might not heal as tightly, and you might, years down the road, develop a weakness in the lining of the abdomen, and a hernia there. Still, you have, what, five days with your husband on Tyke Hefting duties, so that's a good healing start. Still, the less you have to lift for the first month, the better - our guideline was nothing over 20 lbs for one month, and much lighter for the first couple of weeks.

I don't believe in punishing others for my mistakes! Temptation will always be there, and my resisting or succumbing is about me and the lessons I've learned and the insight I have into my eating. But eating the tasty rib meat, I was reminded of Paul McKenna talking about how overweight people tend to go "unconscious" when they eat. I wolfed it down, not stopping to savour its ribby goodness, or the gloopy sweet sauce. It was about eating to scratch an itch, not eating for pleasure or even for nutrition. I shall watch Paul McKenna again tonight (SUndays, 9pm, The Learning Channel), and take in his messages of conscious eating to satiety.

Brothers (if any brothers there be) and sisters! AH HAVE SINNED!!!! I had a pretty decent fall from grace yesterday. One of the things about living in a city like New York, is that, whatever your vice, all you have to do is pick up the phone and it'll come to you. Someone slipped a menu from a local barbecue restaurant (you Southerners stop smirking! There IS decent barbecue to be had in NYC!) (although, admittedly, not from this particular place) under my door yesterday, and I broke down and ordered from them. I had a half order of ribs, a bite of corn bread, a couple of tablespoons of mashed potato and some grilled corn with butter and cotija cheese. I felt only a small amount of the requisite guilt afterwards - when all was said and done, it wasn't HUGELY caloric, and it was high in Protein. But it was also high in carbs, and more volume than what I'm supposed to be taking in on my mushies stage. I don't think I did myself any harm, either to the band or to the weight loss arc (my intake for the day was still less than 2000 calories, and, at 435 pounds, I have a little room to play with), but I did learn my lesson. For one thing, I was full - really full, for the rest of the afternoon, all of the evening, overnight and into the morning. I don't have restriction yet - well, maybe I do a little - but it was a lesson that I don't want to eat as much as I can, nor as much as I used to. The second thing follows on from that: I was hoping to go for a while without a band fill, but if I'm going to be pulling stunts like yesterday's, I'm kidding myself. My MD does the first fill at four weeks; I was going to delay to see how I felt, but when the office opens tomorrow, I'm going to give them a call and set up an appointment for a fill. For clearly, I am still weak as baby veal...

Hope, have you found Isopure pre-mixed drinks? I'm a real believer in them because 1. Good source of Water 2. Excellent source of Protein - drink one and you've almost got your protein intake for the day taken care of 3. They're clear They're not tasty, but they're also not any worse than most sports drinks. I'm a believer!

Hansy, Benefiber is safe - anticipating that little problem, I asked the medical team before I checked out of the hospital. Indeed, they recommended it long term, noting that it can be hard to get in enough Fiber with a band. Go easy with it, and do your best to take in a good amount of Water. For the first few days, when you're not 100%, intake of fluids and Protein is a bit challenging, but you'll find that you rapidly get better at it. I do believe that walking helps your guts get moving, get back to normal. Someone posted that their doc insisted that everyone do at least 30 minutes a day walking - I think that's a reasonable goal, and I think that you'll find, once you're up and at 'em, you can go longer. Just keep sipping slowly at that glass or bottle of water throughout the day. As far as weakness or dizziness goes, I think it's just your body getting used to exercise again after having been resting for a few days. Go slow, one step at a time, and focus on getting in your fluids and your protein. I promise you, you're doing a lot better than you feel right now! Just take it easy - if you feel dizzy, sit down again - but I'd bet you'll feel much better today. As far as church goes, you could go a little early to avoid the crowds, and, if you have to, stay sitting throughout the service. And whether you go or not, God will understand the situation. Whether you're giving thanks at home or in the church, the message will be received...

Yay, Lisa! Way to slip in under the barrier! Last of the Shrinking Shamrocks! And Harley! Way to grab that exercise! I'm really impressed with you trying to catch that foal!!! I don't know much a baby horse weighs, but I doubt *I* could catch one! And once you catch it, what do you do? Carry it around the paddock a little bit? Hold it in front of you and do sets of Colt Curls? I tell you, we city types love our gyms, but I'm beginning to think that it's the country folk who really know how to get a great workout. Also: BENEFIBER! The sooner the better...

Well, it's still really cold in NYC - I'd like for it to get back up into the 50s before I start walking regularly. I've been walking to or from work - a mile - but it's not fun in the low 40's, so sometimes I've been skipping that. I picked up one of those Linda Sansone DVDs, WALK YOURSELF THIN, or something. Basically, you have to walk along to Linda Sansone. It came with a peculiar belt-type thingy, attached to which are two handles tethered to your waist by a length of elastic; the idea is that as you walk along to Linda, you're pumping your fists up and down with gusto. The belt thingy is too small for me, but I guess I'll figure out a way to attach the elastic and handles to my own belt, so I can pump along with Linda and the other fit-walkers in her studio. I shall open it tomorrow. Maybe.

Frances, I think that being able to hang out - and cook/eat with - a banded friend is a great advantage! I'm sure the two of you will be able to spur each other along... Rhonda, the best way to tell if you're getting enough Fluid is by how much you're peeing. Ideally, if you're getting plenty of Water, you should be peeing quite a lot of pale urine. The less frequently you have to go, and the darker your urine, the better it would be to increase your water intake. It sounds to me like you're not getting in enough Protein. Lack of energy can have many causes, other than poor nutrition, but I think most of us are encouraged by the doctors to aim for a protein intake of at least 50 - 60 grams per day. Go below that for too long, and if you're not taking in much in the way of calories, eventually your body will begin to cannibalize its own Proteins. And that might be OK for a few days, but eventually you'll be come weaker and lose hair etc. So I think it'd be a good idea to increase your protein. One of those pre-mixed iSopure 20 ounce drinks holds 40 g of protein - polish one of those off and you're almost there! Add a Slimfast Optima, and you'll hit 50g. Now, if that's all you've taken in, you've hit your protein intake requirement, but only taken in less than 400 calories. You've got a bit of room in there to take more in - ideally some more protein. And if you're drinking too fast, slow down a bit! There's really no hurry.

Butterflylady: I think it's safe to say that when dogfood commercials on the TV are making you hungry, it's time to turn off the TV and go outside! Texas, it sounds as if you're going to be giving Harleygirl a run for her money...

Cathyl, that indeed sounds yicky, and like something worth keeping an eye on. It's not unusual to get a bit of discharge from a wound like that, but if it was white it doesn't sound that much like true infected pus. But I figure if the wound stays tender, if it gets red and firm, if it starts to ooze bad-smelling green pus, or if you start to feel ill, it would be worth getting someone to have a look at it sooner rather than later.

Chica - that may well be the case, but I just SO don't feel like eating in the AM. I'm actually following the example of my doctor. He himself was banded at 310 lbs, and has been stable at 210 for the last 4 years. He doesn't have anything other than coffee in the AM. That said, there's all sorts of information about the importance of Breakfast, and I know I *should* have something. I just, uh, SO don't feel like it! I guess, since your MD is so all-fired-up about it, I'll try having a swig or two of yogurt smoothy in the mornings, see how I feel about it during the course of the day. Kerri - which iSopure are you talking about? The clear iSopure pre-made ZeroCarb beverages taste no worse than most sports drinks, but have the huge advantage of containing 40 g of Protein. More importantly, the iSopure are thin, whereas the Slimfast Optima contain 10 g, and are thick as mud. I found it so much easier to drink the iSopure than the Slimfast. Again, in the short run - in the first three or four days post-op, I don't think it's a huge deal - but your aim should be to get as much protein in as you can, so the more of that iSopure you can get down, the better. And if you're active, it shouldn't be too hard to get down a bottle or two of the iSopure along with your Slimfast. You're up for probably 16 hours a day! Even if you're hitting only a sip or two of iSopure an hour, you'll make great progress with your protein intake! Anyway, I suspect that the point is moot, since my bet would be that you're going to be feeling a lot better today, and will be moving around and naturally increase your intake without even thinking about it.

Kerri! Don't worry about choking down the Protein drinks. Just keep your general Fluid intake as high as you can, and take your time with the Protein. If they're thick - like the Slimfast Optima shakes - you might find them easier to drink if you thin them with a little Water. I like Isopure because it's as thin as a sports drink, without an intense feeling that you're consuming something. But take your time with the Slimfast Optima-type beverages, nurse a can over a few hours. It's only for the first few days that we have difficulty getting in fluids - it eases within three or four days. And it's important that we get our water, even more important than our protein. SpecialK - I think you may be getting pre-op and post-op advice confused. There's no worries about "flushing out" your protein drinks - could you perhaps be thinking of the advice to not drink before or after eating once you have band restriction, because the liquid makes the food leave the stomach faster, and reduces the full feeling? That's irrelevant at this stage. It doesn't matter how much water you drink - your protein is going to be absorbed just fine. Indeed, I htink that in the early post-op period, the water is more important than the protein - you can go without protein for a while, but you can't go without water for very long. Plus you go into surgery a bit dehydrated. I'd say focus on getting the water in, and let the protein intake increase gradually as your body accomodates to the band. Personally, I don't even try to have anything with protein until midday - I just don't feel like it. I drink some water - if I were a coffee drinker, I'd drink coffee - in the AM, then get my first protein fix around noon. Teri - good going! I hope that today is 100% pain-free! I believe that if you let go of the feeling of being Post Surgical, and get on with your life, you'll be amazed at how well you actually feel. And Harley's right about the drinkin' and walkin'... mrodr, I found those protein shakes pretty filling, if not 100% delicious. You just have to accept that it's not a particularly fun ride, the liquids thing, but it's temporary, and it's very important for your surgery. Carol - those bloody tickers are a pain in the neck! I ended up having to delete and start a new one. You can get to the ticker page by double-clicking or clicking on your ticker in one of your posts. Then you have to enter your password and click on Edit Your Ticker or something, and it'll take you to a page where you can add new info. I have to say, it's something I struggle with every time - that damn ticker won't be satisfied until I'm publicly charting my ovulation cycle!

Rick - you got your date yet? I'm a couple of weeks out. I managed liquids pretty well, and the doc graduated me to pureed foods at my 10 day follow-up visit. I must admit, I've been pushing the definition of "pureed foods" a little - I've had things like pork carnitas, basically braised shredded pork. I have been pretty good at avoiding things with real texture. I've done a pretty good job, too, at staying within the 1300 - 1600 calorie a day range. I had my weigh-in at my followup on Monday, where I found I was down a total of 38 pounds. I weighed myself today at work (don't ask), and found I hadn't lost anything further. But I think I have - I'm able to buckle my belt one notch tighter; it may just be that the scale at work is set slightly differently to the doctor's office one. Since I'm going to be following my progress on the work scales, that's the one I'm going to refer to from now on. Anyway, I feel good. My scars are looking good - I finally have scars! I feel a lot more rugged now - previously all I had was a scar on my knee where I gashed myself falling while snow camping as a boy scout, and a scar where I'd hacked open my thumb while having a brandy fight at college. And I'm back at work. Uh, :shades_smile: So, fully functional, I guess! Oh, one not quite functional thing - I'm having to increase the Benefiber in my diet, if you know what I mean... How're all the other recent bandsters doing? And Neal, you going to put a more recent TT photo up?

Chica, I take your point, but it's not as if dudes are used to having ourselves cut open and sewn up, either. I think it must be something to do with the amount of fat or the distribution of fat or something. jktbnelson - I'm sure your surgery will go nice'n'smoov, and hope that the trip back home will be relaxed and hasslefree. lynn! Get moving! You'll feel better! Your body likes the feeling of everything settling down into its normal place. And Kerri? How're you feeling this afternoon? Any relief? Have you been walking and moving? Because I bet that'll help.

And how much have YOU been moving, Harley? All of our bits are connected, and the more we move, the easier it gets for all of our bits. It's interesting - the women seem to suffer more pain than the men. I wonder if this is because the men are fatter and the incisions are better insulated. Or maybe it has something to do with males tending to have larger muscle mass. I think that women, in general, have a higher pain tolerance then men. I guess, also, the men could've been playing things down, but there really are very few complaints of pain in the Men's Room threads. And I had pretty much no pain. But I'm worried about the stillness of my guts. I started Benefiber again today, and I'm going to take it regularly (pun: not intended).

Yay, Teri! Welcome aboard the Band Train! Have you started moving around? The more you move around, the better you feel, and the more you understand that, really, you're just fine...

Seriously, Frances - my idea of the perfect Easter would be your husband and his brothers trying to drag you off the horrid sister-in-law as you jammed yellow marshmallow Peeps up her nostrils while yelling "HOWYA LIKE ME NOW, BIIII-ATCH???" I've actually not really been pureeing things. I've thought about the texture the food needs to be, and just made sure things were soft. Anything soft would work - an egg dish, Pasta, hummus with soft pita (chew thoroughly). Obviously, the ideal thing would be something you could share with everyone. Although, depending on what part of the world you're from and your Easter traditions, there may be things you can have, like mashed potatoes, or sweet potato casserole etc. The important thing is to take soft stuff, make sure you chew it thoroughly, and don't eat too much.

Yay Texas! Welcome back! For me, the first day was the bad day, and the second was bad only because I didn't get any sleep that night because of the nursing staff in my monitored room. Rhonda, good to hear you've got the hang of consuming liquids with your new band. Can you move your chair to where you can see the dishwasher and yell out helpful tips like, "NO, chowderhead! The bowl goes open-side DOWN!!! How many times must I tell you this? Don't make me get my Taser!" etc.

Whoa, Frances! What FANTASTIC weight loss! Mad respect! I say, screw bringing a soup! When she starts up, just dive across the table and throttle her! She's bigger than you, sure, but with your weight loss, you have the advantage of SPEED! Hit her low, she'll go down like a ton of bricks! It'll be an Easter Miracle! You'll become a family legend! That said, bringing food you know you can eat is a good idea. A soup, sure, or maybe a casserole - I'd bring something I loved so I wouldn't feel deprived. And since you're in the mushy phase now, you might want to go with something more solid than just a soup. Soup for Easter would make me sad! (Sorry new banders - my heart goes out to you.) Just don't go overboard on eating whatever you make! And don't get too full! I worry that your sister-in-law might launch her counterattack after dinner, when she senses you're drowsy...

I was pretty phlegmy at first, too. I think much of that was coming from my throat, though, and not my lungs.

I do admit that the spirometer is a bit of overkill, but it might be an extra help in persuading the reluctant to keep breathing. Breathing is so much easier when you're standing up. Just square your shoulders, breath in slowly for a count of five, really letting the air fill up your lungs so you feel it all the way down your sides, hold it for a count, then exhale for a count of six. Et voila, a perfect deep breath! But if you're walking and breathing, that'll really keep your lungs clean and aerated.

Kerri Marie - I'm so impressed by your abundant signature flair!!! Two tickers, a custom Shrinking Shamrocks design PLUS a MySpace link? You rock HARD!!! Here's the URL for the I CAN MAKE YOU THIN show: I Can Make You Thin : TLC I really do think this show has something to offer us bandsters; the band is not the answer to our problems, it's the stepladder to help us reach that answer ourselves. And part of that answer is relearning how to eat.