Cocoabean

Call your surgeon's office and speak with the nutritionist. There might be a glucose paste you can use or something.

This is gross, and stand over a sink or toilet when you do it. Chug a few ounces of water. It will go down, swirl, and come back up. Generally bringing the offending item with it. It isn't really a vomit, Just an urp and out.

Ah, pain meds are wonnerful things! Happy to hear you are doing well. Did you do a revision at the same time, or just the removal?

Thanks for the update, I guess your surgery was today. Sorry I did not get a chance to read. I was out of town for training. All the best for a speedy recovery!!

I've been through the who body scanners, nothing to report. I did bring a container of electrolyte powder. it was in a 16 oz jug, that threw them for a loop. Turns out powder reads like liquid on the x-ray. On my way home, i took it out of my carry on, all was well. (I always bring an empty Water bottle through, I fill it up in a drinking fountain once through security. Much cheaper than paying $4.00 for a pint of water.

I would say my port is bothering me a bit. Let the doctor decide what tests need to be done. An upper GI doesn't show the port. I feel the doctor should determine what needs testing, he has the MD after his name, I don't.

I think goals are great, but my problem with "number by date" goals is that if we fall a few pounds short we feel that we have failed. If you make it to within 3 pounds of your goal weight, you have truly succeeded, but will you consider yourself a failure? I hope not. 2 pounds per week every week is unlikeky. Sometimes we can do everything exactly right, and post a gain on the scale. I don't want to be a downer, but to me a goal of following band rules and contuing to lose is great, also, but not as tangible.

A fill can cause swelling, so sometimes we experience some restriction then it goes away. For me it was fill 3 before I had anything lasting. Everyone is different.

You probably have some swelling, and are retaining fluids from the IV. If you are not in pain and able to drink fluids you are most likely fine. Keep watch for the things on your discharge instructions.

Have you had any tests done to check the placement of your band, like and upper GI? They can check the restriction of the band with that as well. Have you tried eating three meals a day without Snacks in between, but perhaps they are larger than 1/2 cup? I don't measure out volume, I eat until I am not hungry. If I eat until I am "full" I am in pain. Satisfied is good for me. I still use the word full, but I don't stuff myself these days.

Up until my second to last fill I could drink while eating. Now, if I drink with food, it is likely to upset the balance and cause a stuck. I like the "cork effect" name, that is just perfect for what happens to me. Prior to that fill, it didn't make a difference at all. I'd not get hungry sooner. But if you cause yourself to get stuck a few times, you'll quit drinking with food, trust me!

If it is stuck, generally you won't be able to swallow your spit. It may have stuck a little bit on the way down. That can cause some irritation. You might ask if it is available in non-extended release, and you can do two doses a day. If you can, take it in the evening. Many bandsters are tighter in the mornings.

I call that the post-fill learning curve! Glad you are figuring it out.

The way I help determine between head and true hunger is: I ask myself if I would eat a can of green beans at that moment. If I am truly hungry then the beans sound good, if I think no, I want chips...then it isn't hunger.

I don't understand your question. Are you to be on clears and you want to add Protein Shakes? Unfortunately, I'd say not, if your surgeon ordered clears, then clears it is. If he said liquids, then anything that will go through a straw (don't use a straw, but that consistency). If you don't understand his orders, give a call to the office and check. If you are on clears and starving. Call and ask if you can advance. My surgeon let me move to full liquid several days early because I was healing very well. Don't advance your diet without permission.

My surgeon told me I probably would gain weight before my 1st fill. He did not require me to be on any special diet after I was back on solids. His feeling was why would he expect me to white knuckle it when the band was not adjusted to help me? With my band adjusted properly, I don't have to struggle to eat right.

Most surgeons do an info seminar. Mine covers mortality rates during his, both of the WLS world as a whole, and his practice specifically. Your surgeon should be willing to talk about these things. Also, research your surgeon on your state's medical board's website. The deaths mentioned earlier had problems with aftercare. If you google them, then search the California Medical Board for the doctors involved, you will find very interesting reading. ANY surgery has risks, especially if you are having general anesthesia. You have to measure the risk to benefit for yourself. For me, the benefits far outweighed the risks. I did a pro-con sheet.

Almost everyone worries about slips early on. But in reality they are pretty hard to cause. Vomiting is the biggest cause of a slip. You are feeling hungrier or able to eat more because swelling is going down. Don't worry so much, advance your diet as allowed, and heal. You are doing great!

The liquid post-op diet won't satisfy. Some people aren't hungry post, some are. I woke up hungry! By day three of clears, I was ready to eat my dog. When my doctor called the evening of day three I told him so, and said the dog was just lucky he could move faster than I. Doctor took pity on my dog and let me move to a full liquid diet. Clear liquids go right through the band. If you don't have much internal swelling, then even Protein shakes will go right through. Some people experience a bit of restriction right away due to their anatomy or swelling, some don't. I did not. Those couple weeks of post-op before I got back to real foods were not fun. It wasn't as bad as the pre-op, but close. And as others have said, Milk of Mag for the bowels works very well. Just a sip should do it. Feel better soon!

Was it seriously a piece of cornbread? I doubt even if you told your surgeon he'd blink at you. But do remember, they only person you cheat is yourself. To me, the worst part of the whole process was the pre-op diet. You don't have a band to help you, and you have to eat that cr@p. When I was back in my room after my surgery, my surgeon came in to check on me. He told my husband and me that he could tell I had done very well on the pre-op diet because my liver was very small and easy to move around. He said that I made his job easier, and the surgery safer for me. That made me feel so good to hear!

You know, I had a truss as well, now that I think back. I can't remember how long I wore it. The hospital gave me a stuffed moose called "Barimoose" to hold against my abdomen when I coughed to clear the anesthesia.

You are only four days post-op. Don't regret it yet! You need to heal. The shoulder pain is the gas they use to fill the abdomen so they can see what they are doing inside. Gas-x will help it to dissipate, as will walking. Gas-x sounds odd, as the gas is in your shoulder, not your digestive tract...but it will help. It will also help the burp issue. A heating pad did wonders for me. It was my best friend for a week. Keep taking your pain meds, don't let the pain get ahead of you. When you get to level 3 of 10 take another dose. That is what it's for. You should start "turning the corner" and feeling better tomorrow or the next day. If you had a hiatal hernia repair with your banding, a bit longer.

I make that face when I get stuck. It helps, really it does! But first I have "the look" as my husband calls it. You might be pulling a stitch. As scar tissue forms, it should get better. Unless you have a Realize Band, that port uses clamps not stitches, but the scar tissue still holds true. Hope you are feeling better soon!!

My surgeon allowed me to go from clears to full liquids on day three, then regular foods as tolerated at one week. that was 4 years ago, though. And that was after talking to him at the three day mark, and seeing him at one week post-op. Have you not been given any feedback at all from his office? I think I'd go for the toppings of the pizza if they are somewhat mushy. Take small bites and chew like crazy. But that is me!!

My stomach is fine. I have a bit of bat wings, but not so bad that I "need" plastics. Sleeves cover it just fine. I'll never wear tank tops, but oh well. I have scars on my forearms that I prefer to keep covered most times anyways. Insurance won't generally cover my issue. Sometimes it will cover abdominal skin if its removal is for medical needs, like infection where it rubs. I carried my fat everywhere, I always had a small waist (proportionally speaking!), and my upper arms were large-ish. You can sort of see it in my avatar photo. A lot depends on where you hold your fat deposits, how much you have to lose, your age, and genetics. Rate of weight loss really does not affect how your skin bounces back, according to my surgeon. I have before and after pics on my profile..but nothing showing my skin. You can see my shape, though.