rondajs

3/30/2007 OMG! The pain in my arm, shoulder and neck are unbearable. I have to stay tanked up on meds. The pain subsided during the night, but worstened during the day. I also have nausea today. Incision pain is not too pleasant either. I hope it gets better fast. I cannot stand many more days of this.

I am wondering if I should be concerned. I had my 2nd fill June 12. I was too restricted and she removed a little bit. I was fine for about 2 weeks until I had my monthly cycle. Then things got really bad. I couldn't eat very much at all. I frequently sat down to eat, took 2 bites and it hurt so bad, I decided it easier not to eat at all. This is my typical daily diet: Morning: 2 oz coffee (I would drink more, I just can't get it down) Achieve One Drink (sometimes I can drink the entire bottle over an hour or so) Anytime I drink, even Water sometimes, I can't get it down and just decide to spit it out. lunch & Dinner: 2 or 3 bites of chicken 2 or 3 bits of vegetables Those 5 or 6 bites of food, take me an hour to get down. Now I am suffering from a burning in my throat and reflux. Food and coffee seem to be the worst for the reflux. At first I thought it was just stress and lack of concentration while trying to eat, now I am not so sure. My husband told me this morning that I haven't eaten hardly anything the last few days. If my band were too tight, why wouldn't I have had problems prior to my cycle? Is there slippage or something else wrong or is it just stress? Thanks for any advice. Ronda

You might call Richardson Surgery Center. IGB may take Cigna.

Okay, it is true. I had a bite of a soggy tortilla roll-up and it had to come back up. That was a bad idea. Something made me want to try...

4/16/2007 All is currently good. I continue to lose weight. People are noticing. I am on mushies now. Trying hard to stick with that plan. I eat between 4-6 ounces, usually only one meal a day. I will just have a protein shake or Micellar Milk in the evening. I am not usually as hungry now that I have gotten off of clear liquids. I have learned that a flour tortilla or toast is not for me. GAG! Yesterday, I attempted both and was sick both times. I will no longer have the desire for either. That is a terrible feeling. I am thrilled that people are noticing that I am losing. It feels so good to know that it was not all for nothing. It was really great for my husband to tell me my backside was reducing. Woo Hoo. I have not been very good about exercising. Today I will begin. I bought some 4lb hand weights because I am noticing flabby upper arms now. I have to get busy so I don't have a problem later on. Yuk. I hate exercising, but that was one of the reasons for the bank...to help me lose weight so I felt like getting up and moving. I have noticed a change in my sleeping patterns since I got the band. Maybe it has nothing to do with, maybe it has caused a difference in my metabolism. At 9:00, I have to go to bed. I am exhausted. I will fall asleep wherever I am. I used to be able to stay up until 12 or 1:00 in the morning. Now I need to be in bed by 9 and sleep until 7. I have never required 10 hours sleep. I always did well on 6. What in the world has happened? Something to ask my doctor, I suppose.

4/16/2007 All is currently good. I continue to lose weight. People are noticing. I am on mushies now. Trying hard to stick with that plan. I eat between 4-6 ounces, usually only one meal a day. I will just have a protein shake or Micellar Milk in the evening. I am not usually as hungry now that I have gotten off of clear liquids. I have learned that a flour tortilla or toast is not for me. GAG! Yesterday, I attempted both and was sick both times. I will no longer have the desire for either. That is a terrible feeling. I am thrilled that people are noticing that I am losing. It feels so good to know that it was not all for nothing. It was really great for my husband to tell me my backside was reducing. Woo Hoo. I have not been very good about exercising. Today I will begin. I bought some 4lb hand weights because I am noticing flabby upper arms now. I have to get busy so I don't have a problem later on. Yuk. I hate exercising, but that was one of the reasons for the bank...to help me lose weight so I felt like getting up and moving. I have noticed a change in my sleeping patterns since I got the band. Maybe it has nothing to do with, maybe it has caused a difference in my metabolism. At 9:00, I have to go to bed. I am exhausted. I will fall asleep wherever I am. I used to be able to stay up until 12 or 1:00 in the morning. Now I need to be in bed by 9 and sleep until 7. I have never required 10 hours sleep. I always did well on 6. What in the world has happened? Something to ask my doctor, I suppose.

I am on the PreOp diet and have gained weight. Before starting, I ate 2 meals a day, breakfast and lunch. Breakfast was a small low-fat yogurt, a little bit of low sugar granola and a banana or some other fruit. Lunch as usually out while at work. Normally places like Luby's, where I never get fried foods. Rarely ever did I get anything fried. I am a big salad lover with a vinegarette dressing. Now that I have been having a little breakfast (2 of what is on the allowed list), a sensible lunch (tilapia or some other sensible meat), and those 2 shakes (made with 8 oz of skim milk), I have gained 2 pounds. I am not eating sweets, I haven't been eating stuff that I shouldn't eat. What is going on? Any ideas?

I was told today not to eat 4 hours before a fill and nothing drink 1 hour before a fill. My first one is 5/8.

I am amazed at the number of people that think that it is the "easy way out" There is nothing easy about it! It is very difficult to give up something you have had in any quantity all your life. Right after getting banded, all I wanted was a Happy Meal. That is so hard to pass up when you think you are starving to death. And I think most of us could woof one down in 5 bites max. Now everything has to be chewed and chewed. The pain after surgery is terrible, going out socially is now different. Feel good for yourself that it isn't the "easy way out" and you will be making good changes for you...not anyone else.

Oh goodness. I thought I was the only one that was hungry. I have been terrified that I am screwing something up, I had surgery on 3/29 and I had to move to at least something substantial once a day. I couldn't do Clear liquids. I was needing to have that all day long. Like 6 or 7 times a day and never was satisfied. I had to move right away to food once a day. Usually something like pinto Beans, butter beans. I even had some Pasta....shame I know. I only eat about 1/2 cup and then I start feeling full, so I quit. I can however eat the 6oz cup of yogurt. I thought something was wrong with me. I am so happy to know someone else out there is feeling my pain. Whew! Ronda

Okay, I have not been able to find an appropriate definition of either of these. Can you tell me what it is and how it happens and how you would know if it happens? Thank you.

I had to stop with the clear liquids. I had to move onto more substantial food. I was constantly starving. I had terrible hunger pains, headaches. I was banded on 3/29 too. I was told to call my doctor because I can eat food. I mean real food. Eggs, beans, fish. I had clear liquids for 3 days and on Sunday, I thought I was dying. Is there something wrong with me?

I work in the medical field and I have a wonderful friend that is a doctor. He has a patient that has had Lapband done and did trade one addiction for another. She went from giving up food to drinking, doing drugs and he doesn't even like to talk about her. So, I would say that it is possible to trade one for another. The thing to do would be to determine if you have an "addictive personality." Did you trade something for eating? In America, we do a lot of social eating. I wouldn't call that addictive. I would call that entertainment. Do you eat because you love the way food tastes? Or do you eat because you can't stand not to have something in your mouth? Do you feel the need to always feel full? Those questions are asked a lot in the Psych Eval.

04/08/2007 I feel fabulous today. Earlier in the week, I realized that I had lost weight when I put on my watch and wedding ring. They both slide around rather than being too tight. The greatest feeling of all was when I went to put on a T-shirt that I used to have to stretch to wear and I didn't have to stretch it at all and it fit loosely. What a fabulous feeling. I saw my aunt today that has also had Lapband done and she expressed concern that I could eat. I told her if I hadn't started with mushies, I would be starving to death. I was soooooo hungry. My stomach would start hurting, I would get a headache. I am supposed to still be on clear liquids. Can't do it. I only eat between 4-6 ounces. Although I can eat an entire 6oz. cup of yogurt. She told me I needed to call the doctor. So I guess I will do that tomorrow. I feel so lucky that I haven't thrown up, I haven't felt sick at all. I feel wonderful. Everyone told me that the pain would go away and it would all get better. It has. I am glad that I have done it. I still haven't weighed myself. I thought I would wait until my post-op visit on May 3. I may not be able to wait that long. I am going to try though.

04/08/2007 I feel fabulous today. Earlier in the week, I realized that I had lost weight when I put on my watch and wedding ring. They both slide around rather than being too tight. The greatest feeling of all was when I went to put on a T-shirt that I used to have to stretch to wear and I didn't have to stretch it at all and it fit loosely. What a fabulous feeling. I saw my aunt today that has also had Lapband done and she expressed concern that I could eat. I told her if I hadn't started with mushies, I would be starving to death. I was soooooo hungry. My stomach would start hurting, I would get a headache. I am supposed to still be on clear liquids. Can't do it. I only eat between 4-6 ounces. Although I can eat an entire 6oz. cup of yogurt. She told me I needed to call the doctor. So I guess I will do that tomorrow. I feel so lucky that I haven't thrown up, I haven't felt sick at all. I feel wonderful. Everyone told me that the pain would go away and it would all get better. It has. I am glad that I have done it. I still haven't weighed myself. I thought I would wait until my post-op visit on May 3. I may not be able to wait that long. I am going to try though.

I had surgery on Thursday and today I feel like I am starving to death. I am so hungry. I have had applesauce for breakfast, water, tea and beef broth for lunch. Is this all in my head or are these sounds from my stomach and hunger pains for real? :hungry:

My surgery date is 3/29. I am planning on returning to work 4/2. I sit at a desk all day so I do not have any lifting or moving around. Is that a realistic return to work date or should I take a week of vacation? I would like to know soon any of you were back to work please. Thank you.

Under what circumstances should one have a removal? I have been having this terrible back pain, chest pain and rib pain since Thursday. Not to mention the shoulder and incision area pain. Are these normal? I am wondering if I should have it removed. Is my body rejecting it? At this point, I regret ever having done it and I would never advise anyone to do it. Are these feelings normal too?

How would you know if your body is rejecting the band?

04/02/2007 I have concluded today that I could not advise anyone to have this surgery. I am having such a hard time. I have so much hurting on my body. My mental state is something else completely. All I want to do is cry. I am hurting, hungry, following the plans, having my vitamins, protein shakes (3 or 4 a day), broth or soup, GasX has become candy to me. Advil every 4 hours, Phenergan for nausea in the evening (I think the pain makes me sick). This has been the absolute worst experience of my life. If something doesn't get better fast, I will have to have this thing removed. 5 days and I still feel like shit. I feel like someone could stick a pin and me and I would fly away. Terrible....

I admit I do have a low pain tolerance. My pharmacy also has not gotten my liquid Prozac yet and I have been without. I finally took a capsule and emptied it into a spoon of pudding and now I feel a bit better...at least I am not crying. The nurse at the surgery center told me that since I was shorter, the pain would be more than for someone that was not vertically challenged. At 5'2", it has been terrible. My friend told me that my mind would play head games with me, especially where food is involved. It has been the most difficult thing going from eating whatever to not eating at all. I am starving for pinto Beans or butter beans. And I know each of you have experienced the very same thing and I am not alone. Thank you so much each of you for your kindness, guidance and wise words. I am hoping that this is what childbirth is like and the pain I will forget someday. I was going to get back to work today but I think I may just stay off a full two weeks to recover. I don't think I can handle the stress that my job gives. I would be breakdown queen.

04/02/2007 I have concluded today that I could not advise anyone to have this surgery. I am having such a hard time. I have so much hurting on my body. My mental state is something else completely. All I want to do is cry. I am hurting, hungry, following the plans, having my vitamins, protein shakes (3 or 4 a day), broth or soup, GasX has become candy to me. Advil every 4 hours, Phenergan for nausea in the evening (I think the pain makes me sick). This has been the absolute worst experience of my life. If something doesn't get better fast, I will have to have this thing removed. 5 days and I still feel like shit. I feel like someone could stick a pin and me and I would fly away. Terrible....

The absolute best things I have found are at this website: http://store.bariatriceating.com/ I love the vanilla Micellar Milk. The chocolate is okay but the vanilla is yummy. It tastes cross between vanilla ice cream and rice pudding. I also love the whey Gourmet Smooth Peanut Butter Chocolate. This tastes like a peanut butter smoothie. Sounds gross, but really good. Also the Matrix Cookies & Cream is yummy. I do not mix them with Water though. I mix them with Skim milk. Those are my 3 preferred items. If any of you are in the Dallas area, I bought the big container and do not mind sharing the Cookies & Cream or the Peanut Butter Chocolate. Let me know and we can get together.

I had 3 protein shakes already today. I decided to fix some runny MaltOMeal. I ate a little of that and feel so much better. I think I have to go from the clears onto creamy now. Thanks for the information.

Thank you for all your help. I did start my day today with a Micellar Protein drink and the hunger pains went away. I walked a lot yesterday and today I am feeling much better.