allykat

So I was banded on 2/27 and for some reason, my doctor has you wait 7 weeks for a fill. That means I don't get a fill until 4/16! I haven't had any type of restriction in about 2 weeks or better. I can eat everything just fine. And yes I know just because I can doesn't mean I should. I really am trying to eat better, and I've been doing an okay job at it. But I'm sure not loosing, except for the same 2 lbs. over and over again. I'm getting really worried that this isn't gonna work for me since I haven't lost anything since moving off of liquids! Please tell me that this is only temporary. I know that I haven't made the best food choices, but I've been a heck of a lot better than I was pre-band. I am eating less, but it is really just from will power, not restriction. I really want my fill now!

Leslie, sorry your vacation ended with you being sick. You are right - that is so not fair! You deserve a do-over! :wink_smile: As for the appointment, I was like Bamboo...mine was pretty simple and straight forward. I waited in the exam room at Dr. B's office and a bit Palmyra, but nothing too bad. Take a good book just in case! The magazine selection was pitiful!

Wow - I guess I should count myself lucky that my preop stuff at Palmyra lasted maybe an hour or an hour and a half at the most. I know for a fact I didn't want long enough to finish a magazine! LOL! Georgia Girl and Para Girl - glad you enjoyed your vacations and are back now!

Oneder Woman - good luck with the assessment! Mia - I agree with everyone else...don't be so hard on yourself. You have done a great job on the weight loss and sometimes, unfortunately, it doesn't happen according to our time tables. I am so bad about saying that I want to loose X by such-and-such date and if it doesn't happen, I end up so disappointed in myself. That is so stupid! Instead of being happy with what I do loose, I think I "failed" because I didn't reach my magic number. Don't belittle what you have accomplished. And whether or not you are 300 on your wedding day, you will look and feel beautiful. I agree with the person above (can't remember who now!) who said to change up your diet. That works well for me. If I do low carb and hit a stall, I add some carbs and it usually gets it moving again. If I am eating too many carbs, I back off and add protein. Now having said all of that, my scale has refused to budge for 2 weeks other than going up and down with the same 2 lbs. It is very frustrating, but I am trying so hard not to get discouraged. I know in my head that I haven't had a fill, but sometimes, it is hard to remember that. I don't get one until the 16th! That seems so far away!!! Is it normal to have to wait 7 weeks after surgery? Should I call to get moved up? I have seriously no restriction at all right now. It is all will power that is keeping me from eating way too much.

Congrats, Leslie! Enjoy the beach, Georgia Girl!

Congrats on having your dates! I know how excited you are! I also booked something pretty exciting - our family's Disney World vacation for Christmas! I've been in the spring, summer, fall, and just prior to Christmas but have always wanted to go for the actual holidays. Well, we booked it yesterday and the good Lord willing, we'll be there! I'm excited to go and hopefully be a good bit smaller than I was on our trip last November!

That's a nice pic, Leslie. I don't know if it is the angle or what, but it seems those 15 lbs have made a big difference!

And that means I'm eating like CRAP! Quick history, my doctor moved me straight to soft foods after 5 days on liquids because my body didn't react well to no food. After a week on softs, he gave me the okay to move to regular foods. Just to go slow and chew well. I'm doing that, but what I have found is that I have trouble with NOTHING! I'm not eating as much as I did preband, but I'm also not eating as nutritious as I probably need to do. I was doing low carb for 2 months prior to surgery and I miss it. Do you think it is too soon to go to just a low carb diet again? These carbs are killing me. I haven't gained any weight back, but I'm not loosing anything either. I am so scared of NOT loosing weight, especially since I was self pay. I know that realistically, the band isn't working like it should without a fill, but I still feel like I am falling into old habits. I want to nip this in the bud NOW!

I was banded last week and although I know that several bandsters have had that feeling of regret, I am having a really hard time with it. I have cried every single day that I've had this band. I don't know what is wrong with me. I really researched this and wanted it sooo bad! But now I feel like I have made a huge mistake. My DH was little less than supportive on my first day and made some comments about how he didn't think I needed this and how he had issues with me having a device inside my body. He has since apologized and has been sooo supportive, but I feel like that messed with my head. And now I'm absolutely miserable. I just feel like I want this out and I want to go back to how I was. What in the hell is wrong with me?

I'm much better. After my dr. moved me to soft foods that next week, it made a huge difference. He thought that the liquid diet really messed up all my hormone, glucose, and electrolyte levels, and that was probably why I was feeling so freaked out. I felt immediately better after getting some more solid nutrition. I don't get a first fill until 4/16, but I feel good about my decision. I haven't lost any additional weight since right after surgery, but I know that is normal and I'm not freaking out about it. I think my success is too soon to call with the band since it isn't working for me yet, but I have every hope that it will. Can't wait to be an 'after'!

Can we take motrin? It really wasn't mentioned by my doctor and I was prescribed 800 mg today to take 3x a day. Long story short, my daughter kicked her leg back the same time I walked by and it bent my thumb all hte way back. Thought it was broken, but it is just really swollen and sprained. I have anti-inflammatories for a week adn a thumb splint for a week. Typing is FUN with this on, so excuse the typos. I had them swap the 800 mg horse pills for 400 mg ones. I've looked it up online and some say it is okay and some say not to take. Anyone know?

I decided to call my doctor's office and talked to the nurse on duty. She said it was okay...that I may want to take Galvesgon (sp?) to coat my stomach if it bothered me, but with no fill and no restriction, I'd be fine. I think the no to nsaids must be as a routine thing, and not for something like this. I do need the anti-inflammatory of this, as my thumb has lots of swelling.

Thanks, Brina. I called and talked to Missy (I think) and she said it was okay...that I may want to take Galvesgon (sp?) to coat my stomach if it bothered me, but with no fill and no restriction, I'd be fine.

Leslie - congrats on scheduling your surgery! I know you are nervous, but eveyone is right...it is easy to recover. Pamela - have a great vacation Quick question - can we take motrin? It really wasn't mentioned by Dr. Bagnato and I was prescribed 800 mg today to take 3x a day. Long story short, my daughter kicked her leg back the same time I walked by and it bent my thumb all hte way back. Thought it was broken, but it is just really swollen and sprained. I have anti-inflammatories for a week adn a thumb splint for a week. Typing is FUN with this on, so excuse the typos. I had them swap the 800 mg horse pills for 400 mg ones. I've looked it up online and some say it is okay and some say not to take. Anyone know?

Thanks, everyone! It was hard to do low carb when you are on soft foods, since it seemed everything recommended by my doctor was a carb item. I've been on regular foods for a week, and I've taken it slow with meats and trying new veggies. I think I am ready to eat low carb now that I've passed the salad test yesterday! Going to the grocery store today to stock up on low carb foods so that I will be set!

Oneder Woman - I went back to work on Tuesday after surgery on Wednesday. That first week, I was pretty weak, but that may have been due to the problems I had on the liquid diet (my glucose and electrolytes bottomed out and it was really making me feel freaky). By week 2, I was feeling perfectly fine and started exercising. I had to travel this past weekend for my daughters' dance competition, so I scheduled my surgery 2 weeks prior to that at Dr. Bagnato's advice so that I'd be 100% by then. Brina - I haven't lost anymore weight either other than what I lost that first week after surgery. I actually went up 2 lbs. after eating regular foods again, and I'm fighting to get those back off. I keep telling myself that the band isn't really working for me yet without a fill, and I know at this point, it is all will power. I know how you feel though...we've been so up and down with our weight over the years that any movement on the scale is bound to screw with our emotions. We will get there! Ladies - I'm glad you had fun at lunch yesterday! Wish I could have joined you but Albany is an hour from me and I had to work yesterday. I need to look up my date for my appt. at the Obesity Treatment Center and see if anyone else has an appointment around that time.

Well, I'd say keep drinking the Water and the bloat will go away. I didn't have that problem this month (also my first TOM since surgery) but I did have intense cramps, somthing I usually don't have trouble with. Man, I was in pain! I even took a half-dose of the surgery pain meds! I hardly used that after surgery, but I was seriously hurting a few nights ago. Hope you feel better!

I did low carb before surgery and it works great for me. However, since moving to regular foods, I have been on carb overload and I am eating way too many of them! Can I join you guys? I did have oatmeal this morning, but it was whole wheat, so not the worst carb in the world to eat. I just feel better when I'm not full of carbs.

Hey Brina, glad you posted this! I can tell you that right at the 2 week mark, it was like the flood gates had opened and my appetite came roaring back. I was HUNGRY! Right around there is when Dr. B gave me the go-ahead to start with regular foods and once I started eating regular foods, it was a bit easier. I am eating less than I did pre-band, but the scale isn't moving. I'm trying not to get freaked out since I know I have no restriction until that first fill. But just know that as you eat more substantial foods, that hunger will go away. I do notice that I stay fuller longer now than I probably did pre-band.

I was released just a few hours after surgery. It is really interesting to see the responses and how different it is with each doctor. The first doctor I met with had you stay overnight. I guess it is entirely up to how your doctor operates...no pun intended!

I started back exercising last week with all the best of intentions of continuing this week, but I have been sabotaged by sick kids! I had to come home early Monday and was home yesterday, too. Today, it rained (I've been walking for exercise). Maybe Thursday, Friday and Saturday will be my days for this week!

I don't blame you for being discouraged. I was once that way myself. I was all psyched to have it when I found out my insurance wouldn't cover it. I was also ready to give up. But I didn't. I knew this was right for me, so I found a way to do it self-pay. I'm not saying that to say you too should do it self-pay, because I know that isn't an option in your situation. But what I mean is if you truly feel this is right for you, then consider seeing some of the doctors your insurance will cover. It doesn't hurt to just go meet them and talk to some other doctors. If my insurance would have been accepted by someone, I'd have used it in a heartbeat (it was excluded in my policy.) I hope it all works out for you.

Leslie, I'm glad to hear your appointment went well and that your dad is being so cool about supporting you. I really had no idea how important the support of your family would be until after I had the surgery. On your DH, I would sit down and have some serious heart-to-hearts prior to surgery. My DH really wasn't in favor of it, something he really didn't come right out and say prior to the procedure. I knew he had doubts, so I sat down and just laid it all out...told him how much I weighed (he had no idea, the clueless sweet man!), how being this heavy makes me feel, what I hoped to achieve...I really think it helped him to get it, but it was still difficult with him right after. I would recommend taking him with you to an appointment. DH didn't go with me prior to surgery, and the day of surgery, he was really weird. He ended up being a little freaked out by the port in my chest, the incision, and just the idea that 'something' was in me. He went to my follow up with me and I think that helped him a lot. In his mind, he still loves me the way I am and I know he wishes I wouldn't have had the surgery, but he did seem to get it so much better after that appointment. I hope it all works out for you and that he truly "gets it"! As for me....I haven't been around much. I was out of town this weekend for my daughters dance competition. They both did great and all their numbers scored platinum and high gold awards. They also qualified for nationals in July. Kameron from "So You Think You Can Dance" was one of their judges and a workshop instructor, so they were pretty excited to meet him. It was a great trip, but my eating was horrible while out of town. I am struggling to eat healthy right now. I had eliminated most carbs from my diet, but had to go off that when I was on liquids and softs. Now that I am eating regular food, it is hard to turn away from those nasty carbs again, but I know I have to do it. I'm bummed that I haven't lost any more weight, but I guess I should just be glad I didn't gain either. Anyway, I am feeling down in the dumps today. TOM is here and I'm home with a sick child.

I've just been giving the okay to eat regular foods and wouldn't you know it...I have no trouble with anything! We were out of town this weekend at our daughters dance competition and the schedule was crazy. We had to eat on the go many times, which meant eating less than healthy things. I did take yogurt and I ate that for breakfast and snacks, so I guess that is better than nothing.

I'm 2 weeks banded and the last few days I have been so hungry! My portion size has been really small and up until here recently, I was getting full on just a little. Now, it ain't happening. I am HUNGRY! I'm embarrassed to say that I had a few of my daughters french fries (chewed them really good - but still!) before eating my baked potato. Figured half would be enough, nope, ate the whole thing (it wasn't a huge baking potato though, it was one from Wendy's). 30 minutes later, I had pudding. What is wrong with me! The only thing I can think of is the exercise...maybe I'm burning more calories so I'm hungry. My doctor moved me straight from Clear liquids to mushies and softs last week. I go back tomorrow and I am really hoping he okays me for regular foods. I know it is a shot in the dark, but a girl can dream! I feel absolutely fine, and the fullness in the throat/chest I was feeling last week after every meal is totally gone.