lo2us

I'm trying to get 40 grams a day through oatmeal made w/ 1 cup skim milk in the morning, egg omlette w/ff cheese and deli turkey slice, and 4 oz baked chicken for supper and a yogurt. If I'm behind I'll drink a glass of skim milk, it has 8 grams of protein. I know you can buy extra protein skim milk in some places, I use to get in Ky at Kroger when I lived there but can't find it here. I drink low sodium V8's for veggies if I don't get any throughout the day.

Way to go sunlight and keep hanging in there! We're going to do the yard sale thing tomorrow!

COngrats on all the new bandsters! Here's something to all you High BP meds takers: I've been out of surgery 3 weeks and my doc took me off all BP medicine today! Keep at it and if you feel dizzy at all get it checked out!

I hate to keep beating a dead horse, but I visited my PCP today to see how the half dose of BP meds are going and he took me off them all together! WOOHOO!

No more BP meds! The PCP told me to monitor at home and if it goes up to take a 1/4th of a pill. I really wasn't expecting that at all, I just thought he'd tell me Dr. H was right and keep taking that half, but my BP is still reading in the 50's and 60's on the bottom even after decreasing the dose for a week. I'm so happy! Went to water aerobics and it was fun, but a little more tiring than I thought it would be so I just stayed for the 1st class. It looks like everyone is just plucking along! Keep up the good work!

Somedays my port site is fine and somedays it is annoying. If I move just right I aggrievate it. I had my doc check mine out last week and he said it was fine. I don't know if you can feel yours yet, but mine is hard, round and flat and it doesn't wiggle when I poke it. I also have another incision that does that hurting sometimes thing too. They usually feel better after a day or two. If it's still hurting after 2 days, I'd call my doc. Today was the first day that none of my incisions complained to me with pulling, soreness, itching, or burning.

I'm still in denial that the scales are saying -31 lbs too! I'm dumbfounded that this might actually work! I've got a LOT to lose. I think people who have higer BMI's tend to lose faster at first, at least that's what I've read. Going from eating lots of crap everyday to pretty much 3 shakes a day shocked my system right at the beginning of the 2nd week. I've never tried anything that extrem since I've been an adult. I tried to make the most of the liquid diet and stick to it as strictly as I could stand and exercise (a little) to be in shape for the surgery. I knew that once I started on mushies things would slow down, and I figure it will slow even more when I start eating real food next week. I will say it was a huge relief to wake up from surgery and NOT be hungry for like 7 days afterwards. My orginional goal was to lose 30 lbs by the start of school in August. I'm going to add another 15 on to that now. Now that I've posted it, y'all can hold me to it!

I've dropped a size too, but more importantly, I can wear my wedding ring again! It's still a little snug, but I CAN get it on and off without any trouble. Also, my shoes are loser...huh...are we SUPPOSED to lose weight in out feet? I hope so!

Water aerobics were called off tonight...right when I walked through the door! Mom and I are painting the kitchen cabinets now and I'm down 2 lbs since starting mushies last Thursday. I was getting kind of nervous for a few days! My regular doc called today and wants to check the bp thing out for himself, even though I'm already cutting my pills in half like Dr. H said and feeling much better! I'm supposed to go meet with him on Thursday morning. Thanks for all the support and I'm glad everyone's doing good. TX hogwild, just hang in there and keep up your nerve...I thought I was going to give up waiting to get to the surgery. That was truly the hardest part so far for me.

GO LISA!!!! That Aveeno oatmeal body wash will do wonders to help with the itching if you haven't tried it! My son and I are sensitive to weird laundry ingredients too! We keep that stuff and benadryl on hand at all times. I'm starting my water aerobics class tomorrow night, but I'm a little afraid of climbing up the ladder and pulling myself up to get out and from what I've seen of the pool, there are now graduated steps to get in and out. The do have a big crane though...hmmm. I'll just use my legs as much as I can. I'll let y'all know how it goes and if the other teachers that I work with who are taking it with me will have to help haul my big tosh out of the pool!

Thank you vlynn! Sunlight my stomach has calmed down on the gurgling since I've been on mushies. If you're like I was and having trouble drinking all that slim fast, you can buy a more expensive protein drink called myoplex (pre-mixed) at Wal-mart. It comes in packs of 4 for about $10. It's about 17 oz and has 42 grams of protein per drink so all you have to do is choke one of those down a day and maybe a cup of skim milk for good measure. I started feeling a LOT better the very next day after changing shakes and getting enough protein in. It has vitamins like slim fast too. Let us know how you're doing. I'd tell Dr. K about those steri strips irritating your skin too. I think they help the glue hold the cuts together like stitches. Sharon, when is the Watermelon festival? I'd like to take my Mom if she's still here.

Minty - get some help if you can for those kids, day one through four were rough for me and I was really tired and weak. I have a 2 1/2 year old and there's no way I could have watched him. But maybe you're made out of tougher stuff than I? Captain Danbo - I'm 2 weeks out and I sleep in my bed with a huge pile of pillows. Our recliners help a little, but I prefer to do my reclining in the bed. I can lay down now, but it's a little uncomfy to lay flat. I've been about to sleep on my left side since I got home, so maybe try that gingerly.

I would call Dr. K again and tell her what your doc said. If you are worried and hurting, go to the ER anyway. I was lucky and didn't have any of that, but I feel for you. Did your doc give you any antibiotics?

I went for my 2 week post-op yesterday and my doc has already cut my B/P pill in half! I'm so happy! I was dizzy and having b/p's of 90/52 and so on. He also cleared me to swim and do water aerobics.

I called and found out that I have a 10cc band. My b/p is low again today even though I only took 1/2 a pill (which I cut in half again and didn't have to crush...woohoo!) My Mom and I are wallpapering the kitchen and painting it, and when I reach up I get dizzy. I'm sure it'll even out in a few days. If I'm not dizzy this evening, I may try to swim in our pool. I'm looking forward to it. Sunlight, hang in there.

Sunlight - I took the meds on and off the whole first week, they did help me sleep. Try to wear that awful cpap as much as you can, it helps you heal faster, but I know how annoying it is. The next few days are rough and just take it easy and try to walk to help that burping/gassy feeling pass. I've been hiccup/gasping and Dr. H. told me that was normal because they have to scrape the diaphram to get the band on and the healing is the gasping. Dr. H forgot to tell me the size of my band today, but he checked my port and I'm okay. He cleared me for water aerobics to go tonight. He even cut my b/p medicine in half! That was the best thing! I'm surprised at how small the scars are and they just look like scratches. I had pureed rotisserie chicken when I got home and Mmmmmmmmmmmm! Y'all tell me what else I can eat for mushies? I'm a little tired today and my b/p's been low so I guess that's what's causing it. He told me to chop up the pills now. I go back for my first fill on July 12th. I may get my hubby to take a walk with me since Gus is asleep for a while. How did the fills go?

I'm starving today. I'm feeling pretty good, but my BP has been below 100 on the top number and in the 50's the past few days and I'm light headed and dizzy every time I get up today. I'm going to tell Dr. H about it tomorrow. I put 1 tsp in my protein (Myoplex) shake today and man it sure is easier to get down! I did try a little pudding this morning and it didn okay. I may try some cream of wheat tonight if I get hungry before bed. I'll let y'all know what the doc says tomrrow! Good luck sunlight!

I brought my cpap, but they didn't use it. I went in at 6:30, surgery at 9:30, and was home by 1:30.

Okay folks, lots of questions for ya! I have about 3 days until I'm 2 weeks out and I am SOOOO sick of the shakes. I've lost about 13lbs since surgery, but man chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry is getting OLD after 4 weeks! Any suggestions. I started actually feeling a little hungry in the evenings too which is hard at bedtime, anybody else going through this. I can't believe I'm fantasizing about eating cottage cheese! Also, has anyone else been nervouse just before starting mushies? I accidentally forgot and halfway picked up my 40lb, 2 1/2 year old little boy today too, now I'm a little panicky that I messed up my port, but I didn't feel much of anything. Anybody know if you can mess it up and not know? Anybody else have their port kind of almost in the middle of their tummy and up high?

I've discovered my port is under my next to last incision on my left side. Though it's almost in the middle of my belly. I read last week that some docs are placing then more towar the middle in some patients. I laid down after I panicked and took a nap and it didn't move. I think it's probably okay, and I don't really have any pain or weird sensations now. I think it was gas and little panic! It feels flat and round whicih is how they're suppose to feel I think, right? Up until today I couldn't find it because I was feeling in the wrong place(too far over.) I can still feel it smarting ever so lightly when I move my abs. I'll make sure to have dr. H check for me if he will on Thursday! I need to lose about 4 oz and I will hit 30lbs. I like that my scale shows pounds and ounces, it encourages me when you think in ounces to get rid of a pound!

OKay, I forgot and picked up my son for a half second, you know swinging him by his arms between his Dad and I. Now I'm panicking that I flipped my port! It feels a little strange, but I could be imagining it. I don't hurt or anything!

Lisa, When did you start cutting those pills up and swallowing them instead of crushing? I'm getting sick of crushing my bp pill. Hooray for you and you little one! Thank you everyone for the kudos! I think I felt my first twinge of hunger last night, but drank some water and it went away. I'm not sure how I will walk today, I guess I'll do laps in the house. Don't worry Sunlight, there are people who are a lot weaker than you and me who've had this surgery and done fine. Dr. H. told us at my seminar they had done this on someone with a BMI of 84! I imagine that person wasn't in too good of shape. The nerves and this dang liquid diet are the worst part. Just know that when you get out of surgery, you'll be free of hunger pains for a little while! That's a plus! Aslo, pat yourself on the back for being brave and taking control. I know I've suprised myself by doing this! My Mom and her buddies from VA will be here tomorrow so I might be out entertaining the next few days if y'all don't see me on. You all hang in there and keep working hard!

Priss and Sugarbear, If all y'all can eat at a time is 4 or 5 bites of meat, do you still have to take in slimfast to get all your protein? I'm hoping to put that nasty stuff behind me! Welcome Sunlight, don't worry, it'll all be over with before you know it!

Now that I'm getting enough Protein I feel great. Still a little sore on my port. My Mom is coming down from VA this Friday to help out for a while and I'm really looking forward to it. My hubby me today he could really tell my stomach has gone down a lot which made me feel good this morning. I'm kind of scared of the mushies, that something might get hung. My doc's appointment is next Thursday so I guess I'll wait until then to try anything. Did you guys just jump right in with mushies 2-3 times a day or did you gradually add them, like a little each day? What should I buy at the store tomorrow to get ready? I'm looking forward to cottage cheese if that counts as a mushie? How's the fill?