Angel11

It was awful today. I realized I need a new job so I started filling out apps tonight. I haven't had a headache or heartburn since surgery. Went back to work and in 1 day I had headache and heartburn in 2 hours. Ugh. I feel terrible.

So sorry to hear that! Stress will take it's toll on the body! I can vouge for that! Good Luck on the job search! I'm sure you won't have an issue in the medical field.

Ok bandsters.. after a day of needles with dental surgery in the morning and my first fill in the afternoon' date=' I can tell you that I almost didn't feel a thing when the doc put the needle in my port! My port is 1 inch below my largest incision, and he took about 30 seconds to find it. It was the tiniest little pinch as the needle went in, and then I didn't feel a thing! But I do have the say, the needle is HUGE. I started to sweat when I saw it but it really was nothing. And the good news was I am only on liquids for today. Tomorrow I can go back to normal food. Yay!! My doc seemed very surprised though when he asked me if I had been hungry and I said yes.. Hmmm. According to his scales I had lost 3lbs in the two weeks since I saw him last, but according to my scales, I have stayed the same. But I have since realised that his assistant weighed me with the shoes on a fortnight ago, and he weighed me without my shoes. So I'm fairly confident it was my shoes that lost 3lbs!!! I have felt a little less hungry since the fill but I think that could be just my head telling my tummy to do better now I've had a fill [/quote']

Yeah, I'm glad you survived ; ) I hope the fill works for you! You need to put your feet up & relax. What a day (with needles). My nerves would be shot! LOL

Yay! Getting my first fill today!!

Yeah! Let me know how it goes!!! Mine is in 4 weeks.......

Thanks Jama. I'm sorry you had a rough day. I heard that stress can make the band tight. Has anyone had this happen?

I hope its true because my left side is hurting (sore). Every time I take a deep breath. I hate to call the doctor, I just seen him yesterday. He said, where I pointed to was where my stomach was located. Maybe I pulled a muscle? Thanks for the info. I hope you have a better day tomorrow!!

Today it hit home how much I miss overeating. My brother was killed 18 years ago today and it is a turning point because I was 18 when he died. I have officially lived with him as long as I have lived without him. I so just want to go to mcdonalds for a mcgriddle for breakfast' date=' lunch a Mexican food combination plate, supper sushi and an udon platter, and a large blizzard for a snack. Yes 'treating' myself is what got me into this mess and swallowing my emotions. Now I have to feel something other than overheating pain. The physical pain is much easier to deal with than emotional. I used to distract myself with working too much and school. I think I kept going to school to distract myself from dealing with the past. Now I just have to deal with emotion. Ugh. Need prayer today.[/quote']

I'm praying for you!!! Oh, I'm so sorry! My heart just aches for you :'( I totally understand the emotional eating. Try & remember the good memories with him...that may ease some of the pain during this time.....I was wanting to be an emotional eater today. Today was my first day back to work & I feel like I was hit by a train. I cannot eat because my stomach is tight. I'm miserable.

YES! That sounds great! Who are your surgeon's if i might ask? i'm with Dr. Ricks out of De Peres in STL

I sent you a private message. How you feeling?

Getting banded tomorrow at 9:35!!! HOLY COW

So exciting!! I'm so happy for you!!! Sending well wishes & prayers, your way!!!

YAY MID WEST!! I am actually in illinois about 10 - 15 minutes from STL' date=' Are you close to me Jama?[/quote']

I live in Illinois too! Also 10-15 min from St. Louis ; ) Cool!

Hi Jama!

I am doing much better. My energy is finally turning a corner and I started exercising today. I am down 15 lbs since surgery and I still have 2 weeks off! I'm going to enjoy them! I'm glad you are doing well and I understand the chips. I would love to eat a blizzard right now. Ice cream was my thing!

Way to go! That is awesome, 15lbs!! Enjoy your 2 weeks. That is so nice to be off that long. Glad your getting your energy back!

Getting banded next month. Looking for other newbies.

Love reading all your posts healthydnp! How are you feeling?

Has anyone 'cheated' with the food? What I mean is, I had 'egg salad' today. However; suppose to start this Thursday, with eating scrambled eggs. Hope I didn't hurt anything. Also, I found myself licking potato chips for the flavoring. I must have a food addiction. 2 weeks on fluids has me going crazy thinking about food.

How is everyone doing? I hope things are improving each day. To those of you still anticipating surgery I wish you the best! I am today officially 2 weeks post op! Every day is a little better than the next. I still struggle some with pulling and pain at my port site' date=' but each day is a little better. Tomorrow I get to move to soft foods diet, I am excited to be able to expand my food choices. I returned to work last week, it went okay, I was pretty tired when I would get home though! Hoping this week will be better. I have so far been very fortunate not to have any issues with eating or with nausea, hoping this trend will continue as my diet advances. I am just taking each day as it comes, knowing it will get better, keeping my eye on the prize![/quote']

Great News! I feel the same ; ) Still sore, but keeping my eye on the prize too ; )

How is everyone?

I'm finally feeling human again ; ) How are you doing?

I am officially banded now! Surgery wasn't too bad - not at least in my experience since my last one was a major spinal fusion with 6+ hours in the OR. The worst part so far has been tightness of breath. Ive been using my spirometer regularly to open my lungs. The small bit of Protein shake I've had so far tasted amazing after 3 days of sf Jello. I'm sore but already walking around the block which helps.

The doc did find a hernia which was repaired. Question - for those with hernias' date=' did it add to your recovery time? I planned to take a week off work, but that was band only. I'll ask my doc too but curious what others experiences[/quote']

Welcome bassetluv! Hope you have a speedy recovery! I had a hiatel hernia repaired, along with my lap band. Not sure the time off. I have been off almost 2 weeks. However; I felt, last week, ready enough to go back to work.

I'm more than ready now. Good Luck & Take Care!

I was banded on 8/14. It does get easier with each day. I'm also going back to work wed. Time off has flown by! Not from St. Louis but not too far. I live just outside of KC.

Yeah! A day before, I was banded ; ) Yes, time had flown by! How are you feeling? You are not too far. I actually live across the river in Illinois. Not that far.

I can honestly say, day by day, I feel better. I'm at 12 days Post Op & finally feeling good. I actually got dressed up & put make up on today. I had a terrible day this past Saturday. Advice for everyone. Take it day by day. This is a major change in our lives. I have my first post op visit, tomorrow. I'm curious, about how much weight I have lost the past 2 weeks. I know, life can only get EASIER ; ) I'm going back to work this Wednesday. Looking forward to my usual routine. Thank You, to ALL my bandster buddies. I love reading all you posts. Anyone from the St. Louis area? Just throwing this out there again. Take Care!

Not sure what all you are allowed but here are some things I did. Scrambled eggs (keep them pretty moist)' date=' cottage cheese, yogurt, pudding, applesauce, mashed bananas, mashed potatoes. Some other things I did, I took canned chicken and minced it up very fine as much as you can, then mixed it with a little chicken gravy. This worked well for me having it with some mashed potatoes. Other things I could have was cream of wheat cereal, cream Soup and a way to add extra Protein to things like that is to mix dry milk powder to them. Hopefully you can get some ideas from these.[/quote']

Thanks for the tips! I'm moving to these foods this week. I'm excited!

How is everyone doing? I hope things are improving each day. To those of you still anticipating surgery I wish you the best! I am today officially 2 weeks post op! Every day is a little better than the next. I still struggle some with pulling and pain at my port site' date=' but each day is a little better. Tomorrow I get to move to soft foods diet, I am excited to be able to expand my food choices. I returned to work last week, it went okay, I was pretty tired when I would get home though! Hoping this week will be better. I have so far been very fortunate not to have any issues with eating or with nausea, hoping this trend will continue as my diet advances. I am just taking each day as it comes, knowing it will get better, keeping my eye on the prize![/quote']

Great to hear, musica73!!!

How's everyone doing? I'm 8 days post-op and im still having a hard time. Need to know if anyone else has felt like this. I feel really weak from not eating but then if I have something I get nausea and just feel ho rrible for hours afterward. I had my first follow up today and the Doc said everything looks great but I don't feel great. Is this just me?

I feel the same. I'm on 10 days Post Op & still don't feel up to par. One incision is very sore. I don't know if that is the stitches healing or if I pulled something? I know, I'm not drinking enough & not getting all my Protein in. I'm so over the liquids also. I had a meltdown today, (while my family was having McDONALD'S), & I had my pureed Soup. I just wanted a drink of Coke so bad & a bite of a McChicken. I just walked away. I'm very weak too. Also, the temperature where I live is very hot. So walking is out of the question for now. Even when I walk, I get weak very fast. I just know, things will get better in time for both of us. Hang in there!

Hello to all from Joe in NYC. I was banded two weeks ago today' date=' and had my first esophogram and first follow-up appointment. Things are going well, down 25 pounds in a month - I did 2 weeks of Protein Drinks pre- op. I'm scheduled for 1st fill in two weeks. Looking forward to getting to know everyone.[/quote']

Welcome Joe! Way to go on the weightloss! I was banded 10 days ago. I meet w my doc on Tuesday. I'm curious how much weight I have lost. I did the 3 day pre op & lost 6 pounds. Hopefully, I have lost more post op ; )

Hi Again all!!! I hope everyone is doing well!!!

tomorrow I start my 3 day liquid diet! I am very fortunate that I don't have the two week liquid diet that many bandsters have ( I think that would kill me )

As time begins to dwindle down to surgery day' date=' a lot of questions are starting to arise that are scaring me!

[*']Will my personality change? ( hope not!)

[*]Will I enjoy the new attention? (probably not)

[*]Will people still see me as smart and caring, or just pretty and thin? ( probably not )

[*]Will my relationship with my long term boyfriend change? ( hope not!)

[*]Will I give up on this, like i have on EVERY OTHER DIET? ( god, that scares me)

I have always seen my fat suit as a curse, but the closer I come to taking it off, the more I realise how much I care about it.

The last week or so, I have really begun to analyse myself, and I have had overwhelming feelings of missing this body (to the point of crying!) This is the body I am so used to, how can I be happy and adjusted in the deflated version of this body??

Anyone else had these feelings?

All those questions you have asked yourself, I personally have asked myself too. There is a part of me that wonders how I will react with positive attention. I have also become accustomed to being overweight. However; I'm now ready to get rid of the 'extra baggage' per say...... I'm ready to enjoy things that I have missed out on in the last ten years.....I'm ready to get my 'old self' back.

Good luck, on your new journey! Sending well wishes your way!!

Hey everyone' date=' just checking in. This is day 3 post-op and today I woke up feeling almost human. Very little pain, just soreness at the port site. No nausea thank goodness - my doc gave me tons of anti-nausea meds which I guess really did the trick. I'm really tired and want to rest a lot but overall things seem to be going well![/quote']

Great news!! You're on the road to a new healthier you ; )

Hi...Today marks my one week anniversary from surgery. I was banded on August 16th. I underestimated the amount of pain that I felt this week. Thank goodness I am seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. Did anyone else experience severe pain in the rib area when breathing. At first I assumed it was related to the gas that was put into your body during surgery. (and maybe that is the reason)' date=' but still today I have a pain mainly on the left side rib cage area when taking in a deep breath. Overall feeling so much better but still have a lot of swelling and pressure. About how long can I expect the swelling and pressure to last?...Thank you!!! P.s. I just joined this forum today and am so excited to be apart of this lap band group. How exciting to have a place to go when you want to feel connected to people who will share with you in this journey.[/quote']

I'm having the SAME issue. My surgery was August 15th. I see the surgeon this coming Tuesday. I called the doc office & they told me prob gas pain. I had hernia surgery also.

Hi everyone' date=' I'm Amy. I start my 3 day clear liquids diet today and will have surgery on Monday. It's been really helpful to read everyone's experiences so far.[/quote']

Welcome Amy! Sending well wishes on your surgery Monday!!

For some reason it's a no-no on my pre op diet!

Bananas are listed on my post op acceptable foods for week 3 &4.