Shira

I'm back on MFP and would love some support.

TheBestSR

thanks!

I had my surgery there 8 weeks ago. I was supposed to go for my second fill last week - the day after the hurricane - which obviously didn't happen. I have to call and find out when I can reschedule it. Do you have any information about when they will re-open or if they are open off-site? Thanks! Best of luck with your recovery.

I use it as a spread on crackers. I follow the package directions to make it but usually add a drop more Water in order to thin it out well so it can spread easily on crackers. It's not as "rich" and heavy tasting as regular Peanut Butter. I really enjoy it!

Glad to hear that you are all doing well. I am only 6 weeks post op but I can assure you that every day away from the surgery it gets easier and easier and you feel that much better. In a few weeks you will be past the "surgery mentality" phase and well on your way to recovering and hopefully just thinking of managing your food and starting to get fills. One thing that has been a tremendous help to me is working with a nutritionist. I can't recommend this enough.

Best wishes for a speedy recovery!

Good for you or resisting that temptation. I think the best way to approach it is saying "for now" I won't have it. It doesn't mean "forever", it just means that for today, that food is not an option to you. I think it's unrealistic to think that you'll never have another slice of pizza, but very realistic to remember that 3 weeks after a major stomach surgery that pizza is not an option. Take care of yourself! Congrats on all your wonderful progress!

I think you've done great so far. I lost 10 on the pre-op and mine was 2 weeks long. I think you should just stay the course and not worry about the numbers. I have learned that this is a process and it takes time for your body to adjust. I see people write on these boards over and over - "don't focus on the scale" and although it sounds counter-intuitive, it's true. Just follow your doctors orders and focus on fueling yourself with healthy food and nutrients after the surgery and you will set yourself up to succeed.

Best wishes!

Best of luck to all of you about to have surgery. I am only 6 weeks out and couldn't be happier with my progress thus far. I have lost a total of 31 lbs (inc pre-op liquid diet) and I feel great. The liquid diet is HARD but important - it gives you a great jump start on the weight loss and definitely helps shrink your liver to make it easier for the surgeon to operate on you.

Remember to just rest and take good care of yourself after the surgery.

Set yourself up to succeed by organizing everything in advance and making sure you have what you need both at the hospital and once you get home.

Best wishes!!

Best of luck to you. Remember to follow your doctors specific orders. Take your meds, give yourself time to rest and recover, drink lots of Water and get out of bed and walk around as much as possible. Congratulations on the new beginning.

ThebestSR. feel free to add me. 6 weeks out of being banded and down 31 lbs total.

I'm 6 weeks out from my lap band surgery and would love to connect as well. You can friend me or email me through this site or on MyFitnessPal.com (where I track my food and also have other lap band friends supporting me. My user ID there is TheBestSR.

Glad you are feeling better! Every day away from the surgery is a big change for the better. Keep walking and sipping and you will do great!

Not sure what pain meds you are on but maybe you can get something stronger from the Dr? This too shall pass... it will take a few days but just try to rest and walk around and drink Water to keep yourself hydrated. Best wishes for a speedy recovery. By next week this will hopefully be a distant memory!

Good for you! Hope you are feeling good. Remember to take it easy, take your pain meds, sip Water and walk as much as you can. Congrats!

I had the same pains for a few weeks after surgery and now I feel like i have a permanent stiff neck.

I found a fantastic heating pad on Amazon that conforms to the shape of your shoulders and neck - I can't recommend it enough. It's made by Sunbeam and it's called the Renew Heat Therapy Neck and Shoulder wrap. It has been my lifesaver!!

First off, I want to say thank you to you and your husband for his service to our country. God Bless him and everyone of our troops!

Second of all, I echo the previous poster who said that this is your time to recover and heal. I just had my surgery not even 5 weeks ago. The most important thing you can do is just rest, recover and follow your Drs orders to the best of your ability. Every day will get a little bit better and in a few weeks you will be back to yourself. Make sure you are:

Walking

Drinking

Having your Protein

Tracking your food and exercise to be accountable

Taking your meds if you still have pain

Remember- this is a process and I have seen that it takes a lot of patience. Take care of yourself. Remember to call your doctor if you have specific questions.

Best wishes.

I ordered a belly band on Amazon. There are a few different styles and they make them in plus sizes. Don't forget your heating pad and also to take a small pillow with you to the hospital to press against your stomach while you sleep and for the car ride home. I took one of my kids big stuffed animals and it helped a lot!

Here is a yummy recipe for noodlesss lasagna I got from my Doctors office for the mushy phase. I love it:

2 heaping tablespoons of Ricotta cheese low fat

1-2 teaspoons of Pasta Sauce any kind

1-2 ounces of shredded lite mozzarella cheese

Layer, microwave for one minute, mix and enjoy

Mine was done in my doctors office by the nurse practitioner. (NYU hospital in NYC which is a bariatric center of excellence -so I feel confident about the practice)

Congrats on your surgery. Remember to take your pain meds, use Gas X strips or chewables for the gas pain, walk around a lot, sip Water all day long and take it easy. A heating pad was also my best friend after my surgery a month ago. We are all here for you!

Best wishes.

My doctor advised me to avoid lettuce - in his words "It's like chewing paper" and can't be chewed to the consistency of applesauce and would therefore be hard to digest. It also has very limited nutritional value.

My doctor advised me to avoid lettuce - in his words "It's like chewing paper" and can't be chewed to the consistency of applesauce and would therefore be hard to digest. It also has very limited nutritional value.

I had my first fill 2 days ago and I would describe it as totally uneventful! I literally couldn't even feel the needle going in since I still have no sensation in that area because of the incisions. (I had my lap band 4 weeks ago). I hope it goes well but I just wanted to share my experience since it was really, really no big deal. The nurse literally just did the injection and I got up and left. I feel great now and had no side effects. Best wishes for an easy fill!

Have you tried Carnation Instant Breakfast - sugar free packets or ready made bottles? The ready made ones taste like chocolate milk. Best of luck!

Would you be able to get any of these meds in a liquid form? If so, I suggest calling your Drs office and changing your prescription. Even tylenol comes in a liquid for adults.

Another suggestion I have is to bring one of each of your actual pills to your Drs office on your follow up - show the nurse or whomever sees you the actual pill and get their advice about if it's too big, if you need to break it, etc. I did this and it turns out that 3 of the 4 things I showed her were fine and the other one she said I just need to break. Good luck.

I think it's completely rational to have these fears! We all do. I found it helpful to pray and to ask others to pray on my behalf. In addition, I think the idea of getting anti-anxiety medicine is wise- ask your surgeon about it.

My other suggestion is something I saw was offered at the hospital I had my surgery at- NYU. They have a department that basically specializes in Pre-op coping strategies. I saw a brochure that said they teach relaxation techniques for anyone going through chemo, other treatments or surgery. There is a social worker and they offer classes or meetings or CD's etc. I know it's a long-shot but might be worth checking to see if your hospital has any patient services like this. You aren't the first person to feel like this and you certainly won't be the last!

Hang in there and think positive thoughts!