HarleyNana

I'll be almost 2 wks ahead of you. Welcome aboard the "band" wagon. Good Luck.

OMG, I thought I paid a fortune out of pocket $15,750, which included a year of fills, here in Newport News, VA. I have also heard the reason ins co's are not paying is because the surgery is reversible and it's still considered in my state as experimental stage.

I'm a new bander, only 8 days post-op, and I would say, just from hanging around this site, 99% have also tried every diet and we all love sweets and fatty foods. The secret I've been told, and hope to soon learn first hand, is the band is a tool to help us manage those binges, overeating and making bad choices. IMO, if you made it 14 wks on liquids, you're quite a woman, (8 days, and I'm chomping at the bit for mushies, but in moderation), so it seems to me you have what it takes to be bandster. Good luck!

What a beautiful family! Your daughter and son are adorable, the dh is quite a looker just like his lovely wife. Your family must be very proud of you.

Generally, before Dec 6, I was pretty discreet with my "breaking wind" as my mother would say, but I had my first big blow out last night, I thought I'd blown my dh out of the bed, fortunately he was pretty toasted and never knew. Don't know where that odor came from, never smelled any liquids like that.

Gee Babs with everything else you had going on, this is not the info you needed. Sorry I don't have any advice, but I do care and hope all is well.

Well gals, I can finally join the Monday scales challenge, today makes 1 week. I've been weighing it every other day, though I will have to cheat when I go to doc this week. I know I'm at a great advantage right now, being a new bandster. but I'm enjoying the ride....down Betty, my DH just came in with a box of Dunkin Donuts for me to take to the office, as soon as he saw my face he knew he'd screwed up and apologized. I thought, well, I could suck that filling through a straw, then my band said, (NO, don't do it!) Just got off the scales, -16.5 lbs, :banana :banana :banana :banana :banana (includes the 3 lbs of fluids I gained in hospital) That now makes me a onesy and very glad I didn't suck the filling out of that donut, LOL. Dec 7, Day after surgery 215 Today 198.5 Oh yes, I will be good!

Thankfully, my doctor told me anything I could suck through a straw I could have. It's amazing what will fit through a straw and NO, I'm not using a straw. Only 3 days after surgery, which was Dec 6, I had a real pity me day and night. I even went to bed @ 8:00 I was so miserable. If I'd had to stay on Clear Liquids, I'd probably be unglued by now. TG, I have never had slime or golf ball, but I DO know after a few licks or sips (I use a spoon for everything) I've had enough. It's amazing how long you can drag out eating a smidgen of soup or thin sausage gravy, with the sausage removed. I don't do milk in any form other than cheese, obv no cheese here. I have found s/f popsicles to be my bands friend too, when I get that urge I need something now, I reach for a popsicle, it's crunchy, sweet, and it fills that void and gets me past that rough time. I would suggest all new bandsters find something that will be their diversion from the no no stuff. It seems every doctor has different rules and guidelines, we're all in charge of our own bands, and it's up to us to repect ourselves and our band.

I haven't had any problems taking pills at all, the pain med was huge, I did cut into 3 pieces before taking. I usually take a couple swigs of Water, then swallow pills, then couple of more swigs to help disolve it, or maybe that's dislodge it...what ever I haven't had any problems, but I don't want erosion to happen either. Marie, thank goodness, my doc fixed my hiatal hernia while he was installing the band, boy has it made a difference. Tums use to be my very best friend, in the car, beside the bed, next to my chair, on the kitchen counter, in my purse, well you get the pic.

Theresa, I tried that with my surgeon as well, I told him it would be a nice surprise to wake up and find these droopy eye lids gone, he laughed...didn't work, still got em.

The morning of the surgery, last Monday, Dec 6, I drove myself to the hospital because I had to be there @5:30 in the am, (boy was my dh upset because I didn't wake him until I was leaving), I told him to come to the hospital around 7, because my surgery wasn't until 7:30. When he and my mom got there, I was sitting on the bed, watching Today Show. My mom asked if I was nervous, I said no, I know this is meant for me to do, although I was a bit tensed when the iv was started, hate needles! I have to admit the few days prior I was questioning myself, then a calm came over me and it was ok, and it was OK! They rolled me out of the preop section, made a right turn, then that was the last thing I remembered until I woke up in my room. The only pain I've had has been in my left shoulder and for some crazy reason, my left breast. Now almost a week out, the shoulder pain comes and goes, but does not last long. As for my incisions, tender for a few days, but now up and down's a breeze. I did gain 3 lbs of Fluid while I was in the hospital, but I've lost that, plus 12 more lbs, so a -15 lbs, I'll take it! I wish you the best and a speedy recovery, we'll all be thinking of you.

I use to have diet Coke running through my veins, about 2 years ago I got tired of it and started drinking bottled water, now I have a bottle with me constantly and have it delivered to my house by the cases. Although, I use to be able to gulp down half a bottle at a time, now it's tiny sips and it takes so much longer to get through 1 bottle. When I go to a restaurant, I ask for a dish of lemons and sprinkle tiny bit of sweet n low, and it went down so easy, haven't tried since the band. I did have some light lemonade today, omg, over ice, it was the bomb!

Way to go Jen. Hope you're feeling as well as your post indicates. I received my band on Monday and I'm still fighting the shoulder gas pain. It goes and comes, but when it's on, I get quizzy on the tummy. My first two days were better than my day 3 and 4, but today has been very good. Oh yea, on my day 4, I was down 13.5 lbs. I'm sure most of it's Fluid, but it's still good to see those digital number drop. I had to do a double take, even got off the scales and back on to make sure I didn't mess up. Take care of yourself.

Had my preop visit yesterday and I was shocked when the DR told me where he planned to place my port. All along I have had this vision of it being lower left of belly. He said it will be under right rib cage . I kept asking him if I was going to feel this when I was sleeping, or trying to sleep on my tummy. Oh yea, Blossom, I asked him what size and he said the 4cc. When I mentioned the 10, I had to laugh out loud to his comment, "Well, you're not that big", so we'll use the 4cc. I asked him. do you now how long it's been since someone said that to me? Suppose to meet my proctor Dr. Jeffrey Allen, Monday, 6:00, am, surgery promptly @ 7:30. It seemed so far away, my the time flies, I will be on my new journey by noon, and Ryan, hopefully, I will find out what I might have been.

Thanks for the site, found lots of good information, also added to favorites. Now about those milkshakes.

Ok, about those "milk shakes, thinned", are those regular milk shakes or home made with skim milk? I'm desperate for some Protein, I hate milk, YUK, the thought of drinking a Protein shake makes me ill, although, even though I hate milk, I do like milk shakes. Any suggestions on how to make a healthy shake without that protein taste. Thank goodness I can have Jello now. Had a popsicle (sugar free) today and thought I'd gone to heaven. ps Anybody tried that "bullet" blender they advertise on tv?

Betty, hopefully the doctor hit that sweet spot everyone raves about. That would be great through the holidays. Also, it's good to know that needle doesn't hurt, I don't think I'll ever get over that one I had on Monday for my IV's, still can't get a watch on from the swelling. Blossom, he probably just wanted to look at those pretty blue eyes one more time!

Babs, I'm glad you were pleased with your visit and I hope things are looking brighter for you.

I had those on my legs from the time I returned to my room until the morning of checkout. Actually, I referred to them as my leg shackles. I guess I'll go walk, walk, walk...Thanks

It's 12:06 eastern time, I'd say you're officially a bandster now. Congratulations!

Gosh, that's all that's been on my mind today is, "am I getting a blood clot", I have a new pain up the left side of my neck and behind my left ear. It happens every now and then, but then it goes away. The only pain I had after surgery was the left shoulder pain, which still goes and comes. My incisions do not hurt at all. I move around a lot, but I don't consider it really walking. Does doing laundry count, LoL. Then someone told me to look for a red spot, that would be an indication of a blood clot. Then what did I find right next to my right temple, a red swollen spot. I think I'm doing it to myself. What do yall think?

Hey guys, just wanted to let everyone know I sailed through the surgery just fine, no tummy gas, but the left shoulder gas was a biggie! While the doctors were in there, they found a hadal hernia, fixed that and did a liver biopsy for my pcp. Most of you probably remember me telling you, I am the first adj bander in my area, and the first for my doctor. Dr. Allen from Ky was the assisting proctor. I met two other people that had it done after me, of course I had to introduce her to this site, I'm sure she will be joining soon. So, now it's just me, my band and all of you wonderful supporters. I had my dh stop by Dunkin Donuts had a cup of coffee with splenda, ummmmm. Went right down, slow, tiny sips. and it's still down an hour later. I'm so swollen with fluids, I feel like the Michellin man. Thanks for all the prayers and thinking about me.

Thanks everyone, I did very well, no tummy bubbles, only shoulder pain, big ache, but the pain gone by this am. I think all the prayers did the trick. This is such a wonderful support family! Thanks again

I wish you luck, I hope your banding goes as easily as mine did. I'm 36 hrs out and doing great. I asked the doctor to check for hdl hernia, which he found and fixed, as well as a liver biopsy. Keep walking after the surgery, I couldn't wait to get out of the hospital today. My biggest pain was my IV, so make sure they put it in a comfortable place, because it will be used a lot! You really don't need to take a lot, because you're not there for long, I wore my gown and housecoat home from hospital. Again, Good Luck.

I can hardly wait. Although, I'll be happy to just comfortably fit into what I've been overfilling, LOL. Another inspiration.