Ewmclaug213

Down ~50 pounds since May 3rd!!!!!

Congrats Creekwood! Keep making the May Bandsters proud.

I started walking last week' date=' but my knees are killing me (I've never had trouble with my knees before). I decided to join a gym today so I could use the elliptical instead of walking. It kicked my a**!! Anyone else having trouble with exercising again? It's such an important part in weight loss, but it sucks that it can hurt.[/quote']

Drehn I also had challenges starting to exercise again. I went walking a few times and then started jogging very slowly. I have always had knee problems and they are continuing. I suggest walking on a treadmill or outside. I've heard setting the treadmill to a slight incline will get your heart pumping well. While the elliptical is gentler on your knees it is not an easy exercise :-). Good Luck!

So that feeling finally went away last night and I had a pudding cup. Now on to today' date=' I drank maybe 1/2 cup of my Protein shake and have had I pudding cup and am having a different type of pain- mainly in the middle of my back- I'm assuming this is still gas related. I'm extremely tired today as well. Second day back at work and haven't slept the best the past 2 nights.[/quote']

Utk I agree with the others that think your stuck feel is due to swelling. I was banded 5/3 and got the intense 'heart attack' feel with a cup of cottage cheese. I try stretching my arms over my head while standing. It eases the pain but you will still have it for over an hour. The pains in your back could be gas related. Try liquids again for a meal or two. It may ease the internal irritation and then go back to mushies. I'm definitely not an expert but went through the same thing very recently. Good Luck!

I am in transition from one insurance to another' date=' I was supposed to have my first fill appt tomorrow but I haven't heard from my new insurance yet. My question is does anyone know what a fill costs out of pocket? If I reschedule this I can't get seen until July 5th Thanks.[/quote']

I've heard about $100 pretty consistently.

Yes' date=' I have been feeling hungry. I'm supposed to be on liquids until tomorrow but was starving so added in some mushies. I've had refried Beans with shredded cheese and a little sour cream and taco sauce. Also scrambled eggs. I just had cottage cheese "lasagna". Cottage cheese, Pasta sauce, mozzarella cheese and parmesan cheese. I eat 1/2-3/4 cup at a time. I feel like I could eat more most of the time but don't want to push it. I have my 2 week check up tomorrow so we'll see what they say I can have. What have you been eating? When can you advance from mushies?[/quote']

Thanks for the refried Beans idea! I've been eating over cooked veggies, cottage and string cheese, Protein shakes and tuna salad. These seem to do me well. I also tried some carbs for variation (rice, Pasta, French fries) I can only eat a few bites so it seems to be ok.

LAP-BAND® Diet

Once you have progressed thru your post-op diet of liquids and pureed foods' date=' you will once again be able to eat normal foods.

Eating with the Lap-Band

The biggest change will be in the size of your meals and the new eating behaviors you will have to adopt. The Lap-Band will help control how much food you can eat, but it will be up to you to make healthy food choices.

The LAP-BAND® procedure works best with solid foods to decrease hunger. Solid foods stay in the stomach pouch longer, so you should feel full after eating only a few ounces of food.

In order for your body to remain healthy and function properly, it will be important to choose foods are high in Protein and nutritional content. Your diet will ideally include:

[*']low-fat Proteins (select meats, fish, skinless poultry, eggs)

[*]fruits and vegetables

[*]healthy breads and cereals

[*]dairy products (good source of Calcium, but choose non-fat or low-fat)

[*]heart-healthy fats

Your doctor will work with you in developing a new diet plan. Some of the important guidelines for eating with the LAP-BAND® are:

[*]Eat only three small meals a day - this is all you need. Do not snack between meals.

[*]Eat only solid foods at mealtime - this is how the LAP-BAND® works to restrict food.

[*]Eat slowly and chew your food thoroughly, about 15-20 times a bite, until it reaches a liquid consistency - this will help to create the feeling of fullness and make it less likely for food to get stuck in the LAP-BAND® pouch.

[*]Stop eating when you feel full - eating too much can result in pain, nausea and vomiting. It can also stretch the LAP-BAND® pouch.

[*]Choose healthy foods - make sure you are getting enough Protein and nutrients.

[*]Do not drink while you eat - this will wash down the food and you will not reach the feeling of fullness, defeating the purpose of the LAP-BAND®. Do not drink for 30 to 45 minutes before or after meals.

[*]It is important to drink plenty of fluids during the day in order to stay hydrated and replace the Fluid that is lost due to weight loss. If you become dehydrated you may experience a loss of energy, lightheadedness, dry skin, and nausea. You should choose low-calorie liquids and try to drink about 6 - 8 cups of Fluid a day Water is a good choice, but other drink options include low-calorie, non-carbonated liquids, such as artificially flavored drinks, broth, tea, and black coffee (without sugar). Avoid drinking fluids with meals as they move food thru your LAP-BAND® pouch too quickly.

[*]http://www.lapband.us/lap-band-diet.html

Thanks for posting this! I just asked a similar question on another thread. I am almost at 2 weeks post surgery and find myself feeling hungry more often. What did you eat 2 weeks after surgery to feel satisfied? The liquids are not keeping me as full as they did just a week ago:-)

I did take some antacids yesterday. I don't know if it helped or it was just time passing but so far I do feel a little better. For some reason the pain seems to be more intense after 3 pm or so.

Is anyone else starting to feel hungry? :-) I am about 12 days post op and starting to feel more and more hungry. What sorts of foods are you all starting to eat. I feel like I'm a little bit passed the mushy foods phase.

This is a fantastic accomplishment. I am 8 days in and feeling more excited then ever. Congratulations!!!

Yes my back had been the majority of my discomfort. Glad I'm not alone with the pain when laughing. Definitely hoping this wknd is great' date=' for us both.[/quote']

ANewMe and Creekwood I know I have sneezed EXACTLY 6 times since my surgery :-) I am trying hard to avoid them now. Laughing also hurts but strangely so does talking for extended periods of time. It's Day 8 for me and I am feeling great. I fully encourage anyone that is on the fence about this surgery to do it. While the recovery was uncomfortable at times it was nowhere near as painful as I originally thought. Good luck to all!

this sounds really uncomfortable... is there anything to be done for it? I know I have read others taking Gas-X. Hope you recover soon... thanks for sharing your experiences with the rest of us' date=' too - it helps to know what to expect.[/quote']

I did take some antacids yesterday. I don't know if it helped or it was just time passing but so far I do feel a little better. For some reason the pain seems to be more intense after 3 pm or so.

I was banded today and so far feel great! I had some gas pain/ incision/port pain earlier. BUT' date=' it was never very bad. I'm just relaxing, sipping on Water, eating SF Popsicles, watching the REDS beat the Braves (hopefully!), and walking, walking, walking! When my gas pains were at their worst I walked around a while, took a gas x strip, moved my shoulders around, lifted my arms above my head and moved them around. It definitely helped. But, I realize that I have been very lucky so far! Good luck everyone!![/quote']

Glad to hear things are going well! I continue to be very fortunate and only have gas pain. I've felt no nausea and my incisions get aggravated infrequently. Yesterday (Day 4) I think I was actually hungry. So far this morning I am better. Best of luck to you all.

I have been on medifast/health wise products and SF Popsicles/jello. They are all very low in carbs w/ no sugar. As of yesterday I'm allowed to eat a very lean meat' date=' non-starchy vegetable and salad daily. Good luck!![/quote']

Thanks Creekwood! I made it through and was banded on Friday. Good luck to you. Some of our comment are on the Day 1 Post op thread now!

Hey May 6 banders...Are you ready for tomorrow? I'm so excited! I haven't been nervous at all' date=' but I'm sure tomorrow morning will be a different story. Good luck and keep us posted on how you are doing post-op.[/quote']

Good luck Drehn! You'll do just fine. I remember getting the IV connected, talking to my surgeon, going to the OR and then waking up in recovery!!! Absolutely no pain for me.

I hope you are feeling better today. I'm feeling pretty yucky. I felt hungry yesterday but the thought of having anything is making me feel sick today. I know this will pass and just ready to move on!!

The gas pains are still moving around in my upper chest and some neck pain (could be from my pillow position though). Tried cream of chicken Soup today as I was feeling hungry for the first time. I think I will stick to broth and Jello although it did go down ok. I hope you start to feel better. I am taking bigger sips of juice and hot tea too. Thanks for the support!!!

I was just banded yesterday' date=' May 3rd. I'm doing pretty well. Very sore and tired. Excited to have finally made it here though. I lost 25 lbs from my initial consult to surgery which was 3 1/2 months. Looking forward to more weight loss but more importantly being healthy![/quote']

Congratulations! I was banded on 5/3 too. Seem to be doing pretty well so far. The abdominal cavity gas pains from the air they fill you with were rough yesterday and today I started feeling very little pain from the procedure itself. I haven't had much of an appetite so it has been very easy to stick with the liquids :-). Let's hear from the rest of the May 2013 banders as you complete your surgeries!!!!

I have 3 days left until the big day! I was lucky and only had to do a 7 day pre-op diet. What types of meals have you guys been eating? It seems as if everything has sugar or carbs in them.

Hi, I just confimed my date of May 3rd too. This is so exciting! Good to see all of you.