mylapspirit

I recently got banded and I would recommend a complete week to recover, learn the new way of eating, and to rest. There are some restrictions after surgery like no driving, no lifting for 4-6 weeks,no vaccuming for 3 weeks, no steps for about a week. Also, depending how long you need to be on pain meds they make you very drowsy. I am about 10 days out and I am just starting to feel like myself again. I only needed the narcotic pain meds for 2 to 3 days though. Good luck to you on your new adventure. shelli:)

Well said Faith. I know several people that have had Gastric Bypass and they have gained all their weight back. I know one lady that had the bypass and never got to goal and gained back 30 pounds. She says she wished she would have had the lap band because it can be adjusted for up to 5 years(I think that is correct info). I have seen some of the gastric bypass patients at support meetings and they look like death warmed over. They have deep dark circles under their eyes and just look like skin stretched over a skeleton. There is also one lady in our church who had it - she does look good - but she developed an Iron defiency and now has to go for iron transfusions once a week or maybe once a month. When I was researching WLS I said to myself that if the lapband didn't work for me then I would later have the gastric but now I know it will work for me, its up to me to make it work and now I know that I will never have the gastric bypass. The lapband is a tool and if you follow all the bandster rules you will reach your goal! I think the gastric IS the easy way out - but to me it is wayyyyyyyyyyyyyyy tooooo scary-------------- Good luck to you and hope you will make the right decision for yourself. shelli:)

I meant Gloharmar - welcome!

Hi Cindy and Lohamar, Welcome to our thread. shelli:bandit

Hi ya'll, Well it is Day 10 of Phase 1 and I don't know about you but I sure am tired of shakes and Soups. I am getting very excited about eating pureed foods. Dang I just need some real meat. I guess I really am a carnivore. I know - I know the meat will have to be pureed but I will be so happy just to have some texture if you know what I mean. Had my follow up appointment with the surgeon yesterday and he said I was doing really well. I am down 23 pounds since 8/14 so I have nothing to complain about there. I am permitted to return to all my activities except I have to wait one more week for swimming, and I can't do heavy lifting or vacuum for two more weeks. Now that it a darn shame not to be able to vacuum - heh! I have read all your posts and everyone sounds like they are doing pretty well too. Thanks for all your support and keep those posts coming. We will make it together!!!!! shelli:girl_hug:

Hi Dave, Welcome to this site. It is fantastic having all these people to talk to and compare notes with. I had that throat thing to for about 5 or 6 days after surgery. I think it is from when they put the tube down your throat during surgery. If you start running a fever though you might want to check with your doc about it. Did you get that plastic breathing coach from the hospital? That kind of helps too! Hope you have a speedy recovery Dave and keep in touch. shelli:girl_hug:

Glad you found us over here. You sound as if things are going better for you and I am so happy. Sounds like you are on the mend if you are going shopping. Awesome! Shelli:girl_hug:

Claramae, sorry to hear about you daughter. This is your time to recover from you surgery and concentrate on you but I know there is no way you/we can turn our back on our loved ones. My son is also a recovered alcoholic so please know that I can sympathize on how worried you are about your daughter. If there is anything I can do for you please feel free to write me. Congratulations on your weight loss of 14+ pounds. It is so exciting isn't it - every morning we wake up to a new and smaller and healthier body!!! I have to go to the doctor this afternoon for my 1 week check up. I am hoping he will move me up to pureed/mushy foods as the Protein shakes and Soups are getting very tedious and I have been only eating about 500 calories per day. Last night I was soooooooooooooo hungry for the first time. Claramae, please take care of yourself and hang in there - okay. I look forward to hearing more from you soon. shelli:girl_hug:

I like the one where you are sitting down - the third one - us fatties always look bigger when we are sitting down because the fat pushes up or something. You will be setting a great example for your children when you live a healthier life and they will admire you. Enjoy the lap band adventure. Take care, shelli:girl_hug:

Hi! We didn't have to wear the socks or stockings but they put the air cuffs on and they felt really good. Like a massage or something. They were a little noisy though. I had a transformer bariatric bed - it was so cool. The nurse would push the buttons and it would slowly reshape itself to a big chair that you could slide out of with the side bars. Only problem was that only half of the staff could figure out how it worked. It was an adventure to be sure! shelli:D

Hi Everybody, How is it going today?? Happy Labor Day for all in the USA. Well today is going better than yesterday. I weighed myself today(after promising my doctor I would only weigh once per week)(well, today is a week). WhooHooooooooooooooooooooooooo! Feel pretty good but got a little tired this afternoon. One of my friends brought over some homemade cream of asparagus soup. So I warmed that up for lunch and then of course strained it and it was really yummy. Measured out 1 cup but was full just after 1/2 cup. Still getting bloated after I eat. Have to ask the surgeon tomorrow how long that is going to last. Making sure I get all my Protein grams in. I am going to go for a walk in my neighborhood as soon as my stomach unbloats. Write and tell me how everyone is doing! I am down 19 pounds since 8/14 and down 30 pounds total since 8/4. Feeling very proud right now and glad I stuck to that horrendous preop diet. Take care everyone and talk to you tomorrow. shelli:girl_hug:

, Didn't your surgeon send you home with antinausea medicine? Are you pushing liquids especially Water or flavored water like Propel? I hope you feel better soon. I also was banded on the 27th but haven't had too much pain since Thursday. Take real good care of yourself okay? shelli:girl_hug:

Welcome to lbt! You will love this forum. Everyone is so nice and helpful and gives so much encouragement and information when you need it the most. Congratulations on getting your band(bella) and enjoy the new adventure. shelli:girl_hug:

Hi newly banded? Around your port area does it stick out or does it stick/sink in? Just curious. Don't want to panic here. Thanks, shelli:girl_hug:

Hi herghost, Yes gas, and when I overdue my left shoulder hurts terribly but that pain goes away after resting. How do you keep your Protein Powder from curdling in hot liquids? shelli:girl_hug:

Hi Candle, I think you might have a point with the broccoli. First time I had it was today. Tomorrow I plan to start my day off differently with my Protein shakes again. Might as well not mess up a good thing going. Other than the heartburn I feel pretty good. My husband says I am moving around alot better and I don't feel any pain when rising from a chair or bed. sleeping really well even without pain meds. Still get very bloated after eating though or should I say sipping. When do you have to go back to the doctor? I go Tuesday for a 1 week check up. shelli:girl_hug:

Yes my tummy is beginning to look like one big bruis, yellow, purple, blue especially at the port site and where I would naturally bend - natural waist line. Ugh! I didn't have alot of pain but I still have some tenderness. shelli:eek:

Hi ya'll, Woke up this morning and didn't feel like eating so I started the day out with just a cup of herb tea. About 3 or 4 hours later decided I needed to eat something so I had a cup of strained cream of broccoli soup. After that I took my meds with plain Water and now I have had heart burn ever since. Has anyone else experienced this? I can count the number of times in my life that I have had heart burn so I am a little worried about this. As a precaution my surgeon has me on 2 Prilosec per day and 2 tums. Do you think because I started my meals out with soup instead of my Protein shake this could be the cause? I think the Full liquid diet is getting a little tedious (I know I shouln't be whining because I have another week to go). It is 5 pm. and all I have had today is about 140 calories. If anyone has any advice please advise. How is everyone else doing today? shelli:sick

Yes I can still get a pretty good gulp of water in but I have not been filled yet. I am trying to just take sips of water all day long. Check with your doctor if you're really concerned. take care, shelli:ranger:

My surgeon came into the holding area and took my hand and I blurted out how wonderfully soft his hands were. He said yes his wife complains because she gets stuck with all the yard work and gardening. I felt stupid for saying such a personal remark but then he said he would take really good care of me and I felt better. All I can remember after that was how kind all the OR nurses were to me because I was so frightened. They held my hand until I fell asleep and had such compassion in their eyes. I saw real kindness in that hospital from all levels. From the housekeeping staff all the way up to the surgeon and the anesiologists, etc. And such cute male nurses too! shelli:ranger:

I am so sorry that you have been thru such an ordeal. I hope things settle down for you now and you can concentrate on a speedy recovery. My DH is also lecturing me constantly but I figure he must care about me or he wouldn't bother. I will be praying for you that all goes forward from here. Take really good care of yourself and write when you can. Huggs. shelli:ranger:

I hope you feel better soon. Drink as much water(unflavored or flavored) as you can - this might help with fatigue. Take care, shelli:girl_hug:

that should be feel not fell

I have 8 incisions including my port but 7 and 8 are really close together. Not much pain though. I fell lucky or have a high threshold for pain - lol. thanks shelli

Candle, You are doing awesome! I had that scratchy throat thing too but it finally went away. I am not allowed to have pudding or yogurt until Phase 2. How long do you have to stay on your "Phase 1"? Ours was 3 weeks but he changed it to 2 weeks because his patients were getting really hungry at 2 weeks out. Next is Phase 2 which is called the pureed food stage. I bought some Stage 2 Baby Foods today which we are allowed, in preparation, but i still have 8 days to go. I am so glad to hear that you are doing so well. Here's to a speedy recovery for both of us.:bounce: shelli