judych

yes, its quite normal to have that feeling like you want to burp and cant... if you walk or put your hands on the back of your head and try to burp productively that may help you. i use my arms above my head everytime i need to burp and cant. that works well for me. sometimes just walking will move it as well. i think that feeling is tied in with soreness or inflammation around the band... which we have immediately after surgery or sometimes after a fill... even if we have a stuck episode. Keep moving as much as possible. dont stress about the volume of fluids you are drinking now... just quietly manage as much as you can... in my experience it took a few weeks for me to recover from the surgical aspect of it.. but, mind you, im 66. you would have quicker recupe powers i would imagine. but, if you havent, thats o.k. you need to listen to your body... dont fight it. if you are taking some vitamins and doing everything right your body will recover when its ready to do so. you may feel for a time that youve done the ''wrong thing'' by having the band in.... it seems thats normal enough. i think that most of us have had that feeling. i know i did have. I dont think i had that feeling for long at all. i know that the immediate results with me and retaining fluid were truly amazing. i lost nearly 12 pounds in a week just shedding fluid from my body. ... so, even if you dont feel that things are happening... believe me, they are. Dont worry about weight loss immediately after surgery, or in the weeks after. The important thing is to allow time for your body to heal. Normally after surgery it takes six weeks for healing to occur, and at some levels, im sure, it takes longer. STick to your drs and your dieticians instructions. They know best what you should be doing. Dont worry about trying to exercise too soon... that will come soon enough and you will know when its right to do that, without pushing things before its time to do it. Gentle walking if you are that way is great for starters. Dont over do it. Your diet isnt complicated... simple clear broths, then slightly heavier soups... ive added various thickeners with veges in mine. i noticed that my hunger was an issue so i put potato ..mashed, into my soups. i also put plenty of flavour, like salsa, in mine as well. i happen to like savoury/spicy. i went through a period where i was hungry... but honestly, im not sure what was true hunger and what was head hunger. you will find that issue as well, im sure. Just for now i think thats enough for me to post... lol.. not that ive given you every thing thats been goign on with me. im post banded now going on four months... You have had two major ops... so your body is going to take a while.... take it easy and have a peace about it all. i assure you, everything will fall into place as you walk this journey. good luck. judy

you are doing everything right. continue to take it easy... you will get healthy again... this will pass. be kind to yourself. Dont stress. we have all been here and worked our way through it all. I guarantee you... before you know it all this adjustment time will be over and you will be feeling on top of the world.

are you able to start taking them again... or arent you supposed to have them anymore?? im sure others will have some suggestions for you, im just wondering why you arent back on them?

it sounds like you have had a stuck episode. its not a nice experience. did you bring anything up? Im having problems after my second fill... which was only 1cc. i had 3 ccs already in a 10 cc band. when iwent back just over two weeks ago for my 1cc fill i was still losing weight but slow. (the way i want it anyway). the dr was pleased, but decided to put that extra 1 cc in. Well.. that was over two weeks ago, and im still having a lot of problems. For two nights runny Ive slimed and vomited... and ive had real issues trying to eat. it takes me over an hour to get a small amount in. so.. this morning i rang my dr and tomorrow morning i go in for an unfill... hopefully only 0.50 cc. The first fill i had it took me about ten days to get settled again, thats why ive waited so long this time. If you are sore in the chest or sore when you eat.... can you give it a rest by just having some liquids for a day? i know that sometimes that does help a lot.

... are you taking a vitamin supplement?? I remember how tired i was for quite a while after surgery, i wasnt exercising either. i still get tired, even now. I wouldnt be too concerned. Just give your body time to heal and adjust... this new way of eating... and living... is a biggie. Theres more to it than we realize. Hormone changes (dont understand why but there often is..) and all that ... as well as healing from surgery. Rest up as often as your body tells you it needs to. Take supplements and your protein shakes... and eat what you can manage. Time is a great healer. Im just 3 1/2 months out from surgery now... im still feeling some effects at times. Thats o.k. im prepared to wait, as long as it takes. judy

im afraid there are no magic quick fixes... use a heating pad, keep up the meds and most of all... just relax and give your body the time it needs to heal. ive been there... there is no short cut im afraid.

smalltown... thats a shame you werent informed enough. im afraid that is an issue for a lot of us. there are so many areas with this surgery that need to be covered that its difficult to cover each one before the knowledge is needed. So... we just take one step at a time , learning all the way. Thats why this group is such a blessing to everyone. Experience is the best teacher.... have some patience and some confidence that you will get there. Keep posting and reading on here and you will learn all there is to know... just as i have done. cheers.

..i reckon anything can be pureed within reason... i go for something with more flavour.

you're welcome. i know what its like to have a furr baby thats dependant on you... i have one as well. lol. i take her very seriously... to me she is another child and i do for her just the same. I hope that the lump is gone very quickly. you dont need this . just getting over post op and all the changes is enough to contend with. good luck

like you said... this period is bandster hell and there isnt a lot you can do to get around this one. Your will power is goign to have to be used a lot , even when you are through the hell period. New eating habits, all that stuff, and will power is important. Give your body a chance to heal... its early days yet. Everyone is different. i lost about 14 pounds the first week, but, im 66, have high bloodpressure, a lot of fluid and swelling in my lower legs and feet. that first week saw the fluid leave me. You may not have fluid.... however, your body will respond as soon as its ready too. the band procedure is worth it... every moment of every day... it is worth it. Hang in there.

im three months post op and im having salads with fresh dill.. yummmm.. im not sure if i could have managed beforehand... i just didnt feel ready to have any then.

try not to stress out about it. i know it seems overwhelming, mainly because there is such a huge range, and what do you buy??for me?? i bought a liquid multi Vitamin ... and its great. i also bought SLM Protein powders... they arent too expensive and i also used greek yoghurt in them. i didnt use milk at all. i had no issues about what to use and i live in an isolated area in country australia. What to eat when on a hectic schedule?? my suggestion?? always have a pack of cuppa Soups in your bag... especially in the immediate post op stage. i had many trips into the city which is a long way away for us. This was immediately post op. my husband had to eat so i just took cuppa soups with me and asked for a mug of hot Water in the eating places we were in. i had really filling meals and it was no trouble at all. i hope this helps. judy

i used a lot of salsa and garlic seasonings in my soups.. i bought creamy chicken... ive also used soy sauce in them for extra flavour.. ive mashed a very small quantity of potato or pumpkin in them as well. If you can get the flavour its nicer... not so bland. i cant stand bland food.

this is a good post... thanks Tina.

Donna12.. i agree with you. this morning we worked out how much weight id lost in three months... its 35 pounds. that would have been impossible for me any other way. Talking about that lump you have.... what a nuisance, especially if it limits you with your activities i would let your mum take care of your dog if its still hard for you to do it. ive got a niece who had lapband done the same time as me. She ended up with a huge lump over her port.. it was as big as a grapefruit and it was oozing. she was put back in hospital, it was lanced and she was given antibiotics via drip. it was a real nuisance for her and did make things miserable for her to start with... so i understand you must feel miserable with it as well.. i hope its fixed real soon.

..what about the clear fluid that is in blood??..

thats sad you are having some issues with communication with your wife. Did she have the band surgery as well?

you are right cazzy... and i had forgotten about the band loosening up a bit as we lose. At the moment, to slow down weight loss, im having a couple of squares of chocolate nearly every day.. and also the odd glass of wine. my weight loss is still happening... I dont want to lose any quicker than i am now.thats good advice about just having 0.05cc removed... i never thought about that. i have about 16 pounds to go... and about three months i want to do it in.

was it a haematoma?

..and im content, mostly, as well.... good post Shoshanna. . im two weeks out from a fill of 1 cc and having difficulty eating. ive been eating mashed potato and Soups... but im feeling now its time i should be back on solids. Oddly enough, i can eat a small amount of bacon plus on fried egg of a morning.. but it takes me over a half hour. Tonight i had a chicken burger (small) , a small potato in its jacket plus a tablespoon of salad on my plate. i was so hungry. for the first 1/4 hour i was miserable trying to eat. i persevered, waited, and in the end i managed to eat what i had on my plate. i had some light sour cream and fresh dill as well... it was about two cups max id say, but it took me an hour to eat, at least an hour. chewing up to fifty times each time, as i got further into the meal i felt better. im not sure what goes on with that... but just over an hour and i had finished my meal and felt great. satisfied for the first time in weeks. i know that im supposed to get up and leave the meal after 20 minutes.. but honestly... i was still starving and had eaten no more than about six small mouthfuls. not enough. im not sure this time whether that 1 cc was overdoing it. im giving it another week and if things havent looked up im having it removed. i had 3 ccs already and was losing.. slowly but surely.

please dont eat any more baked potatoes... at least not for a while. i know what you are going through post op. its jolly well hard going. Just start back on your liquids again. Can you add more spices to your Soups? if you can satisfy your taste buds with more flavour it will make things better for you. when i was on full liquids i put mild salsa in my soups, garlic powder, you name it, i used it lol. when i took a mouthful the flavour stayed in my mouth long after i had swallowed. thats important i think. it enables you to savour your food even though your food intake is limited right now. How sad that you dont have anyone at all to share the lapband experience with at home.... and, yes, you are right, this group is marvellous, and we do care about each other. Keep posting. you will always get support here Only my husband knows ive had surgery... and i have three children, my mum still is alive, plus three grandchildren. My youngest daughter knows as well but she doesnt live here. If i didnt have hubbie to share it all with and use as a sounding board, i would feel very lonely i think, so you are doing really well. just dont do yourself any damage though... go back onto your liquids, and like i said, add more flavour if you really need to. Best of luck. judy

goodness me, thats a lot of tablets. No, ive not had a single meds either before or after surgery. i had a hernia as well so im really glad im getting away with no meds for reflux. Are you going to get your band checked?? having these reflux issues... could it mean a slippage..do you think?? it needs to be thoroughly checked i think.

no worries EllizabethAnne.... if you want to email me about anything feel free to do so. Yes i think one pound a week is great going as well. I am concerned about fast weight loss because i know that the gall bladder can become a problem if weight is lost too quickly... especially with women. Plus the fact that im too old now to carry that sort of quick weight loss very well, and i still want to look good as well as feel good. im 66.

iguess you just need to look at the positive side.... that you wont have to worry on vacation.. im sure the dr will see your point of view if things change.... just take each day as it comes. ive just had my second fill two weeks ago.... i was losing weight but he decided to put 1cc in me. im still waiting to get over the problems that i experience post fill..... im not having any more fills if i continue to lose. im not exercising yet im losing about one pound a week.

would you believe it takes me two weeks to recover from a fill? even just 1cc?? im down on protein and must start making shakes until i can get back to normality again.