crogal

Yes I still see Dr. K for after care. Was there yesterday actually not at Dr. K but at Dr. Halls for a possible fill but didn't end up getting one. He wasn't there and also my band has been feeling tighter in the past week or so much after I made the appointment.

I have the same prob. I'm 30 (in one week, I'll be 31!) and I just got banded 5 weeks ago today actually. It's my 5 week bandiversary (ew, I never thought I'd use that term but I guess it works). What do you know? But I don't really know anyone who's been banded either. I shouldn't say that b/c I've gotten a few nice and helpful emails (I mean, like 2) from here w/ questions and suggestions which has been amazingly helpful since I was the only one from my hospital's support group w/ lap-band. It was not fun to be the only one. Half of the people there didn't even know what it was. So if I can help answer any of your questions (along w/ these other people who prob have more experience), I'd be happy to do so. I could also use the support, big time. We all can I think. So I'll be your banded friend too! ps- I'm pretty kickin' w/ or without the band :scalesno:

Really?? You don't know how much better that makes me feel. Were you also thinking that your stomach was getting stretched or is that only my paranoia ? I'm trying to remember to eat slowly and a few ounces at a time, esp in this soft & blended phase, but unfortunately my mind hasn't caught up w/ my body yet so habits are winning. You look wonderful by the way! Thank you for your input and congrats to you!

I'm a month and 2 days post-op. I'm in the 'soft & blended' phase along with some crispy foods. But I haven't experience any probs such as nausea, etc so I tried to eat some bigger portions of foods like chicken, even pasta, still about 1/2 the size of portions I used to eat but certainly larger than the 3/4 cup at one meal that my nutritionist recommended. It's hard to measure certain foods like that for me like if you get a quesadilla or something that isn't liquid. I'm so scared that I've messed my new stomach or that the band will slip b/c of this. My scars across my stomach are even feeling tight the past few days making me think my stomach is growing. Maybe I'm just paranoid but I almost want a CAT-scan or something so I can see that I haven't done any damage. And I'm scared that I don't have the willpower for lack of a better word to do this. Sorry so long, this is one of my first few times posting but I'm really scared. Anyone have any advice or opinions? I'd really appreciate it as the fellow who is overseeing my support group and the nutritionist are both leaving so I feel very vulnerable without a lot of support (and I was the only lap-band patient out of 15 people at the support group meeting so I felt out of the loop so to speak).

Pebbles, I was so scared about the after pain but if you stay calm and breath a lot and have faith in your doctors and the meds they give you, it is absolutely manageable. Trust me, I'm a scardy cat when it comes to pain (low, low threshold) but I personally surprisingly felt little overall pain. I'd have to say the worst was and is at my incision port site (I was banded a week ago today!) and by far the most frustrating pain was the gas pain in my left shoulder area (treated by Gas-X, take it before the pain is full-fledged). Other than that, nothing. Just be sure to follow all the nurses and doctors orders and walk around as much as possible and def eat SLOWLY! It certainly varies from person to person but that has been my experience so far. Much, much better than I expected.

Today is my one week band-iversary. My surgery was at USC University Hospital in L.A. by Dr. Namir Katkhouda. Feeling great. Since my pre-op diet to a few days ago when I weighed myself, I'm down 12.5 lbs. and feeling fine. My mom is by my side helping me in recovery. I'm having some pain in my shoulder (not gas anymore) near my left breast when I take a deep breath. Also I'm burping a lot and it hurts. Anyone have these problems? I also just felt hungry for the first time two days ago after being on full liquid diet for the past 4 days. Congrats to all the other fellow newly banded people here! I'm glad to have found such a great on-line support group.