lisacaron

Kyle, are you getting enough protein? Usually that is the culprit in hair loss. If your not getting enough start to up your protein content. I like the premiere protein powers and their ready to drink protein drinks they have a high content 20-30 per drink. They also make protein bars with the same amount of proteins for 200 calories. My husband and I both were taking extra biotin supplements about 5000 iu daily. He no longer takes them and just does the mulit vitamin but I still take them as I like to keep my hair and nails long and strong! He does not take any extra calcium but as a woman I take a supplement of chewable calcium tabs nightly. I also take the Alive for women daily and extra vitamin C, B12, D and Zinc daily but more because I have a low immune system. I hope this helps you.

If you are truly hungry eat something just try to make it a good choice and a healthy food for you. Bandster hell is the worst and I had it right out of surgery. Instantly hungry and no restriction or swelling. My Dr. also gave the fills slowly once a month and it has taken me 9 months to get to the "green" zone where I am not hungry and eating smaller portions. Everyone is different and there are some here who have never needed a fill and they are doing amazing and have great restriction right out of surgery. Don't be discouraged just do your best and know your going to get there, it's just going to take some time but slow and steady wins the race every time, so long as you stay the course and keep with it. If your hungry eat something break your meals into more mini meals through out the day so your keeping your hunger at bay. Don't wait to be ravenous before eating because that will lead you to want to over eat or make a bad choice of what to eat. Your going to do great!

I will be totally honest with you I was off for 10 days after my band surgery and I wish I had taken the full 2 weeks. I was pretty tired when I started back to full days of work. Go easy on the pain and meds and try to switch to tylenol, because you are only binding things up with vicodine and it's going to make passing gas and moving bowels that much harder. Best of luck to you all and know that soon this too shall pass

What I have noticed is that if my band is feeling a bit tighter milk and thick products like even ice cream though I don't eat much of either will take a bit longer to go through the band. They tend to give me a slimy feeling when they go down but I have always had an issue with dairy like that. I have bad allergies and the milky products tend to make more (gross factor here) mucus for me. The same I find true for some of the red/cherry flavors. I don't know why but even the additives to Water like Mio don't sit right with me. I pretty much stick to the Mio sweet tea, water, or coffee with a touch of creamer. Our bands can be fickle and what works one day might not the next.

Awe, Thank you Bandista! I like the truffle idea!! I'm not into having anymore cake that is for sure!! We had planned to "escape" for the weekend after everyone left on Saturday but as some left more straggled in after so we had to cancel our get away plan. Maybe this coming weekend we can get away and hide just for a day or two

Hi Jennifer, If you are in terrible pain, my first suggestion is to give your doctor a call ASAP. Moving around is going to help move the gas that is used during the surgery. I know it's unflattering but passing it is what will ultimately bring relief. Here are some tips and tricks that will help break things up and also help sooth your stomach. Surgery is not nothing, and who ever told you that should be slapped. This was a major surgery to your organs and though you should heal well and quickly it's not nothing and you need the time, the rest and the TLC to allow your body to heal up correctly. Warm tea (decaf) no milk will help you to break up the gas. You can sweeten with sugar substitute of your choice but try to steer clear of the dairy in it. Lemon is great if you like it that way. A heating pad to put on your back and lie on will also help with the soothing and if you have a hot Water bottle you can put that on your tummy but not on the incisions. If the port is hurting and a bit swollen ice packs work awesome on that. You can take some gas ex and/or some beano, if your drinking lots of Protein shakes and or pudding with milk products try taking some lactaid that will help you to break up the milk protein which causes extra gas if your sensitive to it. You may not have been before surgery but after while you heal you may be more so. Get the chewable ones so you don't have to swallow pills. Ice pops (sugar free) are also helpful for internal swelling and healing and they taste pretty good too. Good luck and as I said in the first line if the pain is unbearable please call your doctor and check in with the office for advice. Feel better soon.

Hmmm Very interesting article. Thanks for posting that! I have always had issues with my stomach and digestion from the time I was born till today. I take pro-biotics and now they seem to be in everything and everywhere, which gives a little more validity to this articles point. The sad thing is that what should be "whole" food is anything but and the things that literally grow on tree's cost more then the junk that is manufactured today, it's no wonder people are so much more overweight then they were in the past.

So I found out this weekend that cake and I no longer get along. We were having a nice family celebration on Sat for my birthday which is this Tuesday. Hubby bought me a bakery cake nice canola filling. Normally I would love this, and I have had cake before since being banded, but I really wanted ice cream cake this year. The hubby thought that was kiddy cake and wouldn't my guest like a real bakery cake better, but you know my whole week prior had been packed full of stress and emotional roller coaster ride my band is feeling mighty tight. When I tense up under stress my band tends to tighten up along with the rest of me. So I had a couple of bites of what was a really amazing cake and guess what...yup it got stuck. I didn't want to get "sick" in front of everyone so I suffered with the pressure as it kept trying to pass by. I knew the only way that cake was going was back up and out in the most obnoxious way possible. UGH what a pain literally!! Thank goodness soon after the cake everyone departed and I made a beeline for the ladies room to evacuate the cake. I think that was enough cake for me for this year! If we have anything on Tuesday night it better be ice cream, cause I am NOT going through that adventure again. Who cares what others think or like I am a kid at heart anyway and it's MY birthday !!! I was thinking of having them take out a tiny bit of Fluid, but I think most of the time I am OK and when I am not tense and stressed out I'm feeling pretty good about my restriction.... What's your thoughts?

The band requires lots of training for the doctors and the doctors staff to be able to operate the band and provide after care to surgical patients. Most doctors don't want to put that time and expense into it. We also live in a world where we want that quick fix, that instant result. You get that with the sleeve and bypass early on in the surgery. It's the long term maintenance that becomes the issue. Having to take special Vitamins every single day for the rest of your life without fail. Making sure to eat right which we all need to do but in the case of the sleeve and bypass once you stretch your organs there is no "fill" that can bring back the restriction for you. I chose the band because it was adjustable to my life and my needs, and I use it as the tool it is meant to be.

I have allergies to just about every darn thing! I take 2 allergy pills a day just so I can live in my house with the pets and the dust etc. So the answer to your questions is NO. Drainage does not block the band and does not stop it up. If your band is too tight you are going to have this type of issue, but that would also mean you are having trouble swallowing saliva and/or water. In the mornings I wake up much like you a bit stuffy and a bit of post nasal drip and my band is tighter. I don't eat anything first thing the morning. In fact I won't have any solid food until around 10 am. I usually wake up and have a cup of hot coffee and then when I get to work I have another cup of coffee while I warm up. By 10 I'm settled the stuffy feeling is gone and I'm ready for some solid food. During the day I'm pretty good even with a bad cold or allergy attack, so just keep an eye on your fill level if you have trouble drinking or eating mushy foods then your too tight, and a small unfill is needed to ensure you don't get stuck on allergy drainage.

Yes friend keep an eye on that, you do deserve it and more important you need it. That said, if it's affecting your life and your wallet is impacted rethink it before you buy it other wise enjoy it!!

OK I feel like a quitter. I like the warm coziness of my bed in the morning and I hate waking up when I don't get a good enough nights rest and it's dark outside. I spend too much of my day on my butt behind my computer flexing my mental muscle but that's about it. I try to keep motivated to get me to the gym and get a work out in, and sometimes I make it and sometimes nope it's just not happening. I know it's my own fault, I'd really like to get a nice solid routine going. Put everything on hold and just do it, it sounds good but when your not feeling it, it's dam hard to do. It's an area that for me needs some REAL focus....I wanna be a loser not a quitter!!

Verna, You just had major surgery. It's only 1 week post op and you should not be eating anything at all if your doctor has you on fluids only. Warm fluids are staying down and that's great. You probably have a lot of swelling and don't forget you had lots of fluids in the hospital as well. It can take up to 2-3 weeks for body to acclimate to all the changes going on. As Tina said don't be surprised if you even gain weight over the course of the month. Take it slow, let your body heal right now. This phase is all about healing. Soon enough your going to be running around and eating solid foods that will help you to lose the weight. Slow and steady, you already made it past the first hurdle congratulations! Now give yourself some TLC you deserve it.

I'm 90% sure she knew I'm sure she did know. She also doesn't care. It's not her problem he's married and she's got her sight set on him. She may not even "want" him, but is just one of those people who always wants what they can't have and are willing to destroy anything on their way to getting it only to discard it once they have it. The big key here is to find out why your husband feels that he needs to turn to someone else, and to see if you can mend the communication and lack of trust that has come from this. As you said this is not the first time, but it is time to get to the root of it. As for this woman, leave her out of it. She only has as much influence on you and your husband as you and he allow her to. Using her name or any other person who he texts name is only giving them more power to push you further apart. Find out what's wrong between you and your husband that is your main objective.

My morning are a bit tighter and so I try to keep to something that while soft enough to not get stuck still requires chewing and has some substance to it. Most of the time it's a Protein bar. This is also a good way to up your protein consumption as many of them have from 10-20 grams of protein in them. This is my "go to" if I am in a rush, or if I am not going to be eating for a long stretch of time. I try to always keep one in my pocket book in case I find myself out and hungry so my choice is not coming from a vending machine or a fast food joint. Whole fresh foods are always better, but this is a good choice in a pinch. As far as the level of Fluid in your band, I would have the doctor check things out for you. Either with a barium swallow, or fluoroscopic to see where you band is and the rate of digestion through the stoma. I have read here that many people have thought they had a certain number of CC's in their band only to find that was not the case. So if your feeling your not at an optimum band level, speak to your doctor and ask to have it checked out.

Great advice! So very very important to get up and walk and to keep walking even when you get home. Thank you for posting this!

The truth is that yes you will have some energy loss in the very beginning of your journey. While you are on the 2 week liquid diet before and perhaps after surgery. You will feel a bit tired and drag a little as your body detoxes from the "junk" foods and starts to adapt to eating high Protein and quality food. After surgery we are all tired for a bit, we just had major surgery. Once you heal up and your body has adjusted your going to feel amazing and have so much more energy provided you keep your nutrition up and follow your doctors recommended nutrition plan including any Vitamins they may tell you to take. Over all your going to feel better once you lose some pounds.

I understand, don't fret though. I find when I am in those situations, I will order appetizers and not a full dinner this way they can't see how much is left on my plate, and if there are extra appetizers I can say hey these are great so and so would you like one? I do that when we are at big events as well, if they are not sit down dinners and if they are I just move things around the plate and/or ask for a container to put half in. Waite staff never questions, and I always give them a "special" tip at the end of the event.

Your a sweetie! Congrats on your surgery and take care during the healing phase. Soon enough you'll be up and running around

Thank you for this. It was what I really needed to read today. I have been noticing there are a few holes in my approach and I love the thought of raising the fences. I spend so much time doing things for others and I often forget to tend to my own backyard!! I'm going to survey things today and make sure to correct and adjust properly!

I'm glad you are taking the time to go to therapy. It is never easy to take a step back and away from what is going on, but it will help you to get some perspective if you can. Take some time to be with yourself for a bit. Some quiet time and ask yourself what YOU really want from your relationship and your life as well. What are some of the things that are not working for you, and for you as one part of a couple. If you can be a bit objective in your answers and give yourself some specific references to those things it will help you. While your doing this try to steer clear of blame and anger. Examine it as if you were examining a friends relationship or one from some reality TV show. Do it from an outside point of view. Then you might be able to see what some of the issues in the relationship are and work on them in therapy. Usually when a partner stray's outside of the primary relationship it's because they are seeking to find something they are not getting from the primary relationship or they are trying to get away from something that is hurting them in the primary relationship. This does not put blame on your or him, the point is to try and find the root cause of the disconnection between you. I have been down this road before and I can honestly tell you that there were two sides to the "cheating" in my first marriage and the truth was that I was relived he strayed outside of the marriage because it gave me a good reason to end it once and for all. We had been together for 20 years 3 kids, we "grew up" together well I grew up and he didn't but our "marriage" was over long before we were divorced. Growing up in a strong Italian family...we don't leave our husbands. We stick it out we do it for the kids..we do it for all the wrong reasons. I watched many unhappy relationships in my family for years and I did not want to be one. The cheating and the betrayal is hard to cope with, but in the end I realized I had a hand in that too. I pushed for it, because it was the only way I could be free. Today I am happily re-married to a man I met after my ex and I separated and we have a healthy, loving relationship where we are on the same level and take the time to check in with each other to communicate everyday. Best of luck to you, it might be hard in the beginning but anything worth fighting for is never easy. No matter where you find yourself just be true to yourself and to your heart and you will be happy.

Let us know how you are doing after you see the doctor and what his prognosis is. Did you need any fluid removed from your band?

Wait and speak to your doctor at your post op visit to see when it's OK to get back into a "work out" routine. I waited for 6 weeks and 8 before lifting anything heavy. Your mission right now it to heal. Even though your feeling awesome I did too right after surgery. Inside your body is healing and adjusting to a new apparatus that is not part of your biology. Walking and moving around is excellent, keep doing that and soon enough you will be sweating it out in the gym. If you feel you want to up the amount of space you can move in try going to an indoor mall or around an office or school building. I know when I can't get to the gym I'll grab a co-worker throw on some sneakers and walk around the building for a couple of miles. 5 times around our main floor is one mile so we do that a few times walk up and down the stairs from the concourse to the third floor and sometimes I think that's a better work out then spending an hour in the gym. (I think I count it as an hour and it take me 30 min to dress undress shower and redress so the gym time is really only 30 minutes on a good day Good luck and keep feeling great!

LOL I hear ya there. I think lots of times it's spell check that changes the then to than it must like it better than then.

You are pre-op? So you haven't had your surgery yet...and you are having a gastric by-pass? You are on the lapband board, and I think what members are replying with is good information but they are also post op and banded. If you are satisfied eating small amounts of food now, and you have not had your surgery yet that's great! Maybe reach out to your doctor and let them know how your feeling and what's going on for you. Best of luck with your upcoming surgery.