ShrinkyDink

Well today was supposed to be my last day of clear liquids, and I had done well until yesterday when I started feeling shaky and dizzy. I can handle a rumbly tummy while I heal but that body hunger feeling is horrible. Today it was 10 times worse, shaking, sweating, spots in my vision etc. and I called my doctor for permission to move on to full liquids a day early. Took him a while to call back and it's a good thing he said that was fine cause I did it without waiting. I put some cheesy potato soup in the blender and I tell you it's the best thing I've ever tasted. I felt better within a few tiny bites and it went down just fine. My whole outlook is different now, amazing what a little potato soup can do! Now if that stupid scale would just move. I'm still swollen from the surgery, my belly looks like a blown up whoopee cushion, once that's gone I bet I'll be down 7 or 8 pounds though. Pain is much more managable the last couple days too, still very sore but I haven't needed the Vicodin since Saturday morning. After one more week on full liquids and mushies I'll be able to start adding real food and then we'll see how this really goes!

My hubby is considering doing this, actually has been thinking about it longer than I have, but he's in the stage where he keeps thinking of reasons not to. Before my decision I went along with his lame reasons because mine were just as lame, but now that I've done it, I'm trying to help him see how much it would help him. If he decides not to for a silly reason, that's his choice and I'll love him just as much, but I'm still working on him!

That is so awesome to hear. I was also banded on the 12th and haven't been so lucky, I've felt pretty crummy. Looking forward to feeling like you in the next few days though!

If it's been 2 days I bet it's swelling in your throat, seems like any food stuck there would have gone either up or down in that much time. Maybe the breathing tube, or something you drank along the way irritated it or you could have the start of a respiratory infection. Hope you can get it resolved soon, that sounds really uncomforatble.

They don't leave anything hanging out, you will be covered with sterile drapes everywhere except where they are working. I promise you they will respect your dignity. I'm a medical professional and have never seen anyone make inappropriate comments about a patient's body or treat them in an undignified manner. I understand feeling embarrassed, but it really will be ok :thumbup:

I was extremely worried about this, I'm a major diet coke addict, but I honestly haven't wanted it at all since my band 4 days ago. Could be because I'm feeling so full/bloated/gassy and the craving will come back after that passes, but I hope I'm over the hump and will be able to leave it behind me. My brother says it doesn't bother his band if he sips it slowly and only has a small glass and not too soon after eating, I guess it affects people differently, some say it gave them a lot of gas pain.

I know what you mean, I find myself noticing heavy people more than I did before and wondering what their story is, how they got heavy, if they are trying to lose or if they've given up like I had. I know when I was there, somebody telling me how they succeeded did nothing for me, I was happy for them but felt so defeated in my own battle that I couldn't see any hope in it for me. I also notice thin people and wonder about them, are they a lucky one who has always been thin or have they been through something like this? What I notice most though are the people who are about 40 pounds overweight, I want to tell them to look at me and do something now before it takes over. Though I also know that when I was at that point I knew I needed to nip it in the bud yet I didn't.

Judie that is awesome! You give me hope. I was banded the same day and I've lost one pound and gained it back, fluids I'm sure but still discouraging. I'm still having a lot of pain but it's better day by day. Big high five for you! (btw, what's AF?)

Dangit, I'm feeling so crummy I wanted to at least see the scale moving, ok, I'll be patient (*goes off to pout in the corner*)

I was banded tuesday, and I know I still have bloating and blah blah, but gosh my scale hasn't moved a bit! I was down a pound one day but back up the next. I'm barely able to sip enough juice and broth to stay hydrated, yet I'm not losing, what is going on!

So glad so many of you came through this with minimal pain, I think I had blinders on and assumed I'd be like you and not like the few who said they had a lot of pain, but boy was I wrong. I was banded tuesday and now on saturday I'm still taking vicodin every 4 hours and in lots of pain. As far as catagorizing it my worst pain has been... 1. Migraine headache that I thought I literally wouldn't survive in 1993 2. Lap band surgery 3. Childbirth times 4 4. Hysterectomy So I don't think it's from not having anything to compare it to. I think some of us just get lucky and have the right combination of circumstances and physical make up to come through it with minimal pain, and some of us don't. I'm sure looking forward to a week from now when hopefully this will all be bearable!

I'm actually looking forward to cravings, I've had so much pain the thought of eating makes me sick. I'm very surprised I haven't had much of the dizzy weakness you get from very low intake though since I'm hardly getting any calories in at all, I'm barely able to hit my fluid requirement. I am getting better though, baby steps!

I feel like if you were to push on my stomach I would deflate like a whoopee cushion, major bloat!

I'm so thankful I have my husband home for the week, he's taking such good care of me. I'm quite a bit better today but I had such bad pain and nausea during the night I was up and down every hour or so. No way I could be taking care of the kids yet. I really was very surprised at how rough this has been. I once had a migraine headache so bad I didn't think I'd survive the trip to the ER, it was the worst pain of my life, childbirth took a distant second place to it and hysterectomy took third. This surgery has solidly passed childbirth and taken second place as the worst thing I've ever been through next to that headache. Not trying to scare anybody, but maybe I would have dealt with it better if I'd expected this much pain. For those few hours in recovery I loudly regretted it (my poor nurses), once I was past that worst part and got things in perspective I now know that it will be worth it.

If I had been able to stay overnight with heavier meds this would have been much easier. I'm not so sure the going home a few hours later is a good thing. Having the IV so I didn't have to worry about getting fluids in would have made a huge difference, and yesterday my pain was so bad. I do wish I could have stayed, but it's done now and I am feeling better today. Still not good but better.

Wow cleaning bathrooms! I haven't even showered yet. I get up, sip a few ounces of broth or juice, and go back to bed. What a weenie I am lol.

Gosh I hope you can find somebody to help with your son, I feel a lot better today but nowhere near well enough to take care of a 3 year old. I'm so thankful my husband was able to take a few days off.

Well it's done and I'm home! I was unprepared for how much I would hurt, it's been really bad. I was a huge baby in recovery, kept crying and saying how stupid I was and why did I do this to myself. My nurses were angels though and they took excellent care of me. Both the trapped gas and the incisional pain are just awful. They discovered and repaied a large hiatal hernia and I assume that's why I'm so much more sore than expected. I'm sitting here trying to sip on my broth but it's hard to get more than a sip or two down, I guess I'm pretty swollen and irritated in there. I know I'll be glad I did it in a couple days, but right now I'm just miserable and wishing I had made a run for the door when I could. Anybody else find they were unable to throw up after surgery? I've had a couple bouts of nausea, and it was nothing more than violent dry heaves. Very little was in my stomach but nothing at all came up.

I know after my hysterectomy last year I felt like that for at least 10 days or so, I would expect the band to be the same way. Any time they invade your body like that you need extra rest to heal.

Guys I'm so scared and I'm so hungry from nothing but liquids the last few days. My head hurts and I'm nervous and blah blah blah! I feel like I just want to go to bed so the time will pass without having to think but it's only 5:30 and i don't think I'll sleep tonight anyway. I don't even know what I'm scared of, the unknown I guess, or changing my life so drastically. I know I'll be fine and I'll be glad I did it but right now I'm feeling really crummy, and dangit I'm starving! :wink2:

Day five of the stuck scale now, how can I be taking in 700-800 calories a day and not losing? Oh well, surgery tomorrow!

I've already rewarded myself with an awesome new handbag for losing my first 20 pounds! I'm going to try to hold off buying new clothes besides a necessary thing or two through the winter, and by spring I hope to be under 200 and will be going on a major shopping spree! When I hit my 150, I'm going to splurge on myself and get laser vision correction surgery. I've put it off forever because of the cost, I'll be so glad to get rid of my glasses, as it is now I can't walk across the room without them, so that will be a truly new me!

I'm with you on tuesday Vera, see you after it's all done! Race you to 150!

That's exactly what's happening to me! I was doing well on the low carb before, but since I started the 10 day protein shake diet I've stalled. Doc said I would probably lose 10 pounds in those 10 days but I've only lost 3. Boo!

Thank you for the reassurance, I sure hope it works out that way for me, I'm worried about it.