Bensmum1109

We are your support system, absolutely. We can get you through this whole process, and there has to be someone on this board who lives in LA. If not, I am in San Francisco and if it doesn't conflict with my ridiculous work schedule, I'll come down and drive you home myself!!

Hi Stephanie- I am a closet bandster. I told my colleaugues at work that I had an intestinal blockage and needed surgery for it (I actually did have an intestinal blockage, and my post-op liquid diet took care of that :-). This not only explained my time off, but also my liquid diet and subsequent weight loss. Now I am telling my colleagues that I am so happy with my weight loss that I am going to keep working on it. Fortunately when you are banded the weight loss is not as drastic, so it all makes sense.

That's a great NSV!!! You are my inspiration today :-)

I just read the USA Today article (thanks, Yvonne!!). What really freaks me out is that if Sharon did have the band, she could really do herself a lot of damage, because I just read an article where she admits to still being bulimic!! Thats a bad combination.......

The only true restriction I have had so far was right after my surgery before the swelling went down. I haven't had any since, so ironically I just have to "diet" until I get a fill :-) But I am pretty sure most bandsters have little to no restriction before their fills.

Don't worry about the constipation. You are barely building any bulk when you are on liquids. As for the nausea, my doctor gave me a presription for Reglan and it was great. It totally relieved my nausea. Decaf green tea helped as well. Doctors are so different!! I had no pre-op diet restrictions, and after my surgery I started on thin, not Clear Liquids. I was on thick liquids week 2, soft foods week 3, and regular food as of yesterday. I was also very hungry from day 5 until about a week ago. But hang in there!!

I am having the same problem and was about to post a similar thread. I was banded 9/16 and the pain feels like I imagine a heart attack would feel. It's actually in my upper chest by my left shoulder, and I do get it after I eat. It lasts most of the night :-( I wasn't sure if it was because I am beginning to convert to solid food and that maybe it was getting backed up. I guess I will just keep taking my Prevacid and Tums. Did you all know that Extra Strength Tums have 800 mg of Calcium in each tablet?? My doctor requires me to take 1500 mgs of calcium as a supplement, and all I have to do is eat two Tums :-)

I wish you all the best, DeLarla!! This sounds like a terrible thing to go through!! Call my surgeon, Dr. John Feng at SF Laproscopic Associates. www.lapsf.com Maybe he can help you, and if you have to come to San Francisco I have a beautiful guest room :-), and live 1 mile from wine country.

Zicam is great, and works best at the first sign of a cold....

It's perfectly normal to be scared. But this is the safest surgery there is, and you will be fine!!! There is plenty of help for you on these boards, and lots of experienced people who can answer your questions. Good luck!

The best cold medicine I have found is Zicam. You can get it on swabs that you swab the inside of your nose with. Also, Dayquil comes in a liquid form which tastes ICKY but it also works very well!!

I have the best husband in the world :-) I have posted on previous threads that my husband and I are "beer snobs". We really love a good beer and taste and collect micro-brews just like wine connoisseurs collect good wines ( we do that, too :-). I have read about the dangers of carbonation and I know that many doctors, including my own, really want you to stay away from it. It broke my heart to make the decision to have the band surgery knowing that I may never have another beer, but of course my health is way more important! So last night, I opened the refrigerator to get a drink, and stared wistfully at the Gordon Biersch Marzen inside. It is beautiful, crisp fall weather here and there is nothing better than the malty, caramel taste of a Marzen in October. So, my husband took the beer out of the fridge, took a pint glass and poured the beer straight into it so that it formed a big, creamy head. He then took another pint glass and stood at the sink for a good five minutes, pouring the beer from one glass to another, waiting for the foam to settle each time. He then handed me the beer. Almost all of the carbonation was gone, and it actually made the beer taste better!! I drank it slowly and savored every single drop. Now I know beer is empty calories, so I won't make this a habit, but I am so thrilled that once in a while I will be able to enjoy a beer. If you are a beer lover reading this, try this technique and see if it works for you.

HarleyNana, my surgeon is more adamant that I stay away from citrus juices than beer. Something about the acidity?? I live in California for God's sake- the though of never eating fresh oranges again BUMS ME OUT!

Banded 9/16 and I am down 21 pounds so far (6 pounds pre-op, 15 pounds post-op)!!

1. Does the lapband slow down your metabolism. I've read that it holds food for longer... I believe it actually speeds up your metabolism, since you really need to eat small meals at least three times a day. My metabolism was wrecked because I often skipped breakfast and lunch, and pigged out all night!! 2. What can I expect to be able to eat after the surgery? Will I forever be eating soup and what not or will I be able to eat normally again? Some people do have problems with certain foods, but within 3-4 weeks you should be able to eat almost anything. Just very small portions. And to make the band most effective, you need to eat in a certain order, Protein first, then veggies, and then starches, fats, carbs, or sweets. That way, you only have room for a bite or two of the bad stuff :-) I am three and a half weeks out and I am eating scrambled eggs, Beans, and minced meat in addtion to my Protein shakes. 3. What is the best thing about the Lap Band? I have not only lost weight, but this process has really made me want to adapt healthier eating habits. I'm getting my life back. 4. What is the worst? Haven't found anything yet. Get back to me after my first PB :-( 5. What do you wish you would have known before getting into this? Nothing. I did a ton of research! And what I didn't know I can easily look up on these boards!! That's why I love LBT!

Congrats, Angie!!! Feel better. I had the same problem with the nausea and decaf green tea helped a lot.

There is actually a Torrid store at my mall and their clothes are adorable!! I am more of a catalog/online girl. My favorite is Newport News, and the nice thing is that most of the clothes I buy (I am a 16) come in smaller sizes, so as I shrink I will still be able to buy the same things!

I named mine "Cinch" Because it will help me cinch my belt a little tigher :-) And it cinches my stomach :-) And with my band as a tool, it will be a cinch to lose weight!

It's good stuff. One of our favorites. But I just realized how silly I am going to look when we actually GO to GB. Sitting there in the brewpub pouring my beer from one glass to another :-)

My husband massaged my shoulders and that helped a lot. I also read on another thread that papaya tablets help?

Well, Maggie, I am sexually active, so understandably a little nervous. We have an 11 month old (11 months today!) so between getting this weight off and our little one, we would like to wait a while. I think our timing has been OK, though, so the fact that some of you have had a similar problem makes me think that it's just due to the surgery and quick weight loss.....

I had surgery at 9 a.m., and left the hospital at 4. I was pretty sore and stayed in bed for 3 days, and then I worked from home (fortunately I can do that!!) for the rest of the following week. I would not trade this experience for anything!! No issues at all with the anesthesia. I did have some gas pains for a few days in my shoulders, but the painkillers made it feel pretty mild :-)

I have a bunch of stretchy camisoles with the shelf bra in them from when I was pregnant. I wore one of those with baggy sweats and a hooded zip-up sweatshirt. I was out of the hospital same day and had a 1 1/2 hour ride home. I was perfectly comfortable. As for pre-op chores, I made sure my family had plenty of easy to cook food, and I had my housecleaner do an extra clean the day before (I have housecleaners come once every other week normally). If there is one thing I could strongly recommend, it's that you hire someone to clean your house, even if it's just a one time thing. Your family should be taking care of you!

I did almost the exact same thing!! When I was 17 days post op my husband was very sick, and on my way home from work I called him and asked him if he wanted me to pick anything up for him. Sympathetic guy that he is, he sent me to KFC. Have you seen the "flavor station" commercials for their wings? Those commercials have been haunting my dreams :-) and I am typically not one to obsess about food. So I pick up his chicken and 6 wings. I was only able to eat 3, and I chewed the hell out of them. I threw the other 3 away so I could not eat them later. I got right back on the wagon, and that's all you can do. I am still losing weight, I satisfied my craving, and I am not going to let it ruin my goal. It was just a little bump in the road for both of us, and this road is not going to be smooth, right? At least we all support each other, and that makes things easier!

Although I do have co-morbidities (hypertension, high cholesterol, and severe arthritis exacerbated by my weight), my surgeon would have done the surgery simply if I was 100 pounds overweight. If you are 5'6" and 233, it's reasonable to say you are 100 pounds overweight. Even if your goal is 140 (that's my goal as well, and I am 5'5 1/2"), go to another doctor and tell him your goal is 133. Also, it will definitely help to tell him that you have a family history of heart disease and/or cancer. My surgeon initally told me that this is definitely a consideration for the surgery, regardless of my current health. I should note that I am a self-pay, so my surgeon gave me the surgery even though I only had 72 pounds to lose and was a 34.9 BMI. But again, I definitely have the co-morbidities.