Stephleupagus

Oh, the bellybutton thing would have freaked me out! You are so calm, cool, and collected. But it does look fantastic!

P90x is GREAT!!! You see results (and feel) them so quickly with it. I will say that it is hard, I still cannot do an entire thing exactly the way he does, but it doesn't matter, because I'm doing something! Do your best to keep up and you will see as you go that you will get stronger and be able to do more.

I'm a bit over two weeks post op and I get that too. I was wondering as well - I think I may be eating too much at once, perhaps? A couple times for sure it was gas, other times I think it's me eating too much. Ah, this is such a learning process.

Everyone is different. I know when I'm exercising a lot I have to increase my calories to lose weight. You should try increasing your calories. You can also try something called carb cycling, google it and it can really pull you out of a plateau. What kind of exercise are you doing? You may need to switch that up too. Doing the same thing lets your body get very good at figuring out just how little calories it must expend to accomplish something, so sometimes you have to change it to surprise your body. Add weight training. P90x is fantastic. Or Jillian's 30 day shred.

Yes get some gas x strips they will help a lot!

Honestly who cares about a scar? No one sees your belly unless you show them, but your fat is visible to all. The scar was the least of my concerns.

Having a pity party for myself right now. I'm only a week out and I just feel awful emotionally. I am afraid I made the wrong choice. I'm upset with myself for not just sticking to a flipping eating plan, because I am good at losing weight, just not good at maintaining weight. I could have done this myself! Why didn't I? I should have had some counseling instead of surgery. My stomach hurts today and I can't eat anything, don't feel like drinking anything. I am so afraid I am going to be one of the ones who will have tons of problems or can't eat lettuce, etc. I am wishing I could rewind a week ago and decide that I wasn't going to get the band. Did anyone else feel like this? Did you get over it? Did you feel better later? Any support or encouragement would really be appreciated.

2 pounds is 2 pounds!! That's exactly what you're supposed to lose in a week. Don't compare yourself with anyone - this is your own journey!

No real advice except to try the crystal light pure. It has no artificial anything, no chemicals, it's sweetened with flavor and not crap. It might help because there's no aspartame or other stuff in it. It comes in singles packets only, but you will find it next to the other crystal lite.

I can't imagine not having a supportive husband. I'm so sorry. It must be really hard not having your husband by your side. Is there any chance he would agree to sit down with you and talk about things?

I was told clear liquids the first 24 hours, and after that anything you can get through a straw. I was put on mushies after a week of liquids, however, I feel like i am better off with mostly liquid and some added mush. Like, I added some crackers to my tomato soup, that kind of thing. I was also told that rice, especially white rice, is an absolute NO NO NO with a band - it swells as it retains Water, and will absolutely puff you up and make you feel miserable. So it might have been that you chose the wrong mushies. No rice!

Wow congratulations!! That's a ton of weight in two weeks!

Walk walk walk!! I was on my feet pretty much the whole day after my surgery, I just could not get comfortable and that was the only thing that remotely made me feel better. Fortunately it worked since I only had gas pain that first day. Just keep walking, doing heating pad, and gas x.

Get some gas x (chewables) and a heating pad. Use them both every night for a few hours! I slept with my heating pad on my belly last night.

Me too! Mine went missing, though. I was supposed to get it shortly before I started my pre-op diet, but I think the low calories threw it off. Then surgery. It finally came (nearly a month late) three days after surgery, but it was super light and only lasted a couple days. I'd be freaking out except my husband also had a vasectomy more than a year ago. Come to think of it... I still feel relief every month when my period comes. LOL

So the tongue/mouth thing - I was going to comment on that today! When I wake I have the worst, yuckiest taste in my mouth. It tastes just like what my daugher's breath smelled like after she had her tonsils out. I suspect it's my insides healing, from the sutures where they stitched the band in place. Anyone else? It's getting better every day, it was pretty bad at the beginning. As far as fills.. it appears my doctor started my band with 3cc's. Does anyone else know what their dr. put in at first?

I want to change my life, not be on a diet forever. I want to be able to eat things in moderation, which includes things like pizza once and a while. I find a lot of people saying that they don't eat a lot of things now. Is that a choice, or because physically they cannot? As soon as I am told I cannot have something I immediately am fixated on it. I do much better knowing I can have anything, just in moderation. I was hoping the band would help me with the quantity of food, and prevent me from eating an entire bag of chips or box of Cookies, etc. and instead help me stop with one or two. Most of you seem like you actually diet forever and don't eat in moderation. Is that a choice or a requirement?

It is a cycle, isn't it? Things are stressful, busy, hard, you feel exhausted... and that cycle continues until you do something to pull yourself out of it. When I feel like you do, I know that it's my depression talking and that I need to go back on my meds (which I take during the wintertime, because I have SADD). The cycle is hard to break out of! For sure. It is something that takes great effort. However, once you make a small step you will feel tons better! As far as the exercise, it is something you just have to DO. Tell yourself that you will make time for yourself and do it. It sounds counterproductive, but I promise, you will actually get MORE energy by starting to exercise than you do when you don't. You will be tired initially, but soon your body will start releasing wonderful endorphins that will make you feel all kinds of good after you exercise! When I'm exercising every day, my emotional side feels better, my body itself feels better, I have more energy, and I'm just happier. It really works wonder on the brain and the body

Thanks again everyone. It was a new day today and I feel tons better

I'm one week out, had my post-op appt today. Was feeling pretty ok, until last night, when I started feeling like I had an air bubble, or fullness going on in my sternum/top of stomach area. What is this feeling? It doesn't hurt, but it's really annoying me and sort of uncomfortable. I can get liquids down fine.

Thanks, Annie.

Thanks everyone. That is exactly what I needed to hear. I'm wondering if it wouldn't be a good idea to increase my meds while I go through the beginning of this stage. I seem to be having minor freak outs and panic attacks every time something doesn't seem right.

Gas in my belly, or just gas in general? I have been over the gas pain since day two, so I'd be surprised to see it resurface today. Perhaps swelling? Why would I suddenly get swelling a week out?

Thanks everyone! I am very good at counting calories, and very active (I'd been training for a 1/2 marathon and running 8+ miles a week until my surgery). I really don't have an issue losing. What I have an issue with is keeping it off. I always end up going back to the binge eating, too large of portions, etc... and end up gaining the weight back. So I got a band to help me with maintenance. I was hopeful that the band would allow me to eat like "normal" healthy, active people do - eating everything, but in moderation.

I moved to mushy foods today, Merry Christmas to me! Had some tilapia and mashed potatoes with cheese in them. Super small portions. It is definitely going to be hard to change my habits; it tasted so good I wanted to eat more than I could. However, it all went down ok! So I must have done something right with the eating. I have my post-op tomorrow and will be doing some grocery shopping as well. I'm excited to get my ok to go back to the gym.