Firecallie

Kathy, Congratulations! That is awesome. Keep up the good work.

Happy Birthday Alexandra! Have a fantastic day!

Good to know! Thanks Cindy.

Carolyn, thank you for the post. It makes ALOT of sense and you are right. So right that i'm going to print that out and keep it so when my mind starts working against me hopefully it will serve as a reminder. Thank you

Congrats! I feel the same way. I had surgery the 18th and feel great aside from a bit of soreness around port but that's nothing more than a bother. Now i'm just worried about erosion or slippage.

I am 4 days out of surgery and feeling GREAT (yay!) but now once again my head has gone to food. It's a bad habit that I need to get out of. What's for lunch what's for dinner ect. It's like it is the main event of my day (my days off anyway). I'm not hungry...I know this but I cannot change my thinking. Ideas, solutions?

Please ease my mind. I've taken 2 vitamins and have had about 3 bottles of water today. Will I get sick from lack of nutrition. I cannot stand soup and today haven't been able to make myself eat it. So i've had virtually nothing to eat all day. I'm sitting here thinking "this is only day 4, you can't do this for 10 more days...its not healthy you'll be sick by the end of it". Tell me that this isn't true...and it's just my head wanting food.

Thanks guys, I think i just needed to get away. I lit some candles hopped into the shower and now feel much better...Thanks for the reinforcement!

I think that's what they are called anyway. The strips that you are supposed to let fall off on their own (I think they are like stitches).

Thanks for the advice. It's not that I cannot have it everything i've tried seems to go down fine, it's that I cannot STAND soup anymore. And alternatives are not coming to me. Currently i heated up some spagetti sauce and am giving that a go so that's something I guess. Heaven knows I cheated on clear liquid phase (until day 3) I know I cannot cheat on this or I may damage my band.

Thanks for the ideas. It is horrible, today I have had water, a sip of a protien drink (and I litterally couldn't hold it down because of the taste) and this morning around 8 (watery strained chili 1/3 cup) that's all. This is horrible, I would rather not eat than have soup right now (I hate soup) but I know that is not good for me and cannot do that to myself...now saying that and actually going and getting something to go in me are two different stories. *sigh*

Day 4 and I feel great. Finding myself getting a bit bored though.

Well i'm not a college or grad. student but I was about 2 years ago. I think that today (day 4 after surgery) I could comfortably sit in a lecture based class. As for walking from class to class, walking is good for you so that shouldn't be a problem. Yesterday I was able to go to a friends house and go to a movie at the theater. Everyone is different though Goodluck!

Yesterday was okay, today was okay but tonight i feel very very BLEH to put it mildy. How many days did it take you until you significantly better?

Do you have to take protein drinks, vitamins, and what not for energy after the band or does the little food that you are able to eat suffice?

Good to know! I needed that last night was rough (i think it was gas pain). Today was great for me. Even went to the movies (almost cried because I couldn't have the popcorn (my favorite thing in the world <--kinda sad really). I even contemplated buying some, sucking on it and spitting it out (how horrible is that!?!) but i didn't, i enjoyed the movie and felt better about myself for it. Heres to a good day tomorrow too!

3lb a week is FANTASTIC! Wow! Don't be to hard on yourself you sound like you're doing phenominal. Liquid diet is for liver shrinkage and for giving your stomach time to heal, it is NOT a healthy way to lose weight! Celebrate the positives and give yourself time. Hide the scale for awhile and enjoy life!

That's awesome! Congrats!

Cheri, I did read your post and was SO sorry to hear about that. It sounds as though your friends REALLY care about you just don't understand your situation right now. Don't worry about the surgery everything will go GREAT! And I think ultimately your friends will hopefully support you whether they agree with it or not. I had a friend who found out (insane story) and she didn't like it but she is supporting me and has been great. Thank you so much for your post, it's made me feel great! Sounds like you're pretty busy before your surgery so hopefully post op you'll enjoy the relaxing part of it all. Keep in touch, keep your spirits up, and keep us updated!

I am really suprised at how easy this all has been. I am sore in the stomach area but that is all. I was able take water immediately (in fact was dying for some), breath in that STUPID tube thing , and walk pretty easily and now just waiting for everything to heal up. Tonight has been a long night though, I can't sleep for more than an hour or two at time. Bleh. Question: Do you have to sleep on your back? Does a heating pad help more than an icepack?

Duyesaka, I have a strong sense of what you are talking about. I am the same way. I don't like anyone really close to know something is wrong, or how i'm feeling, but at the same time I want them to realize that I don't feel good, and that I am scared and am just putting on a show. It's insane and unhealthy (for me) and yet it is just who I am. Thankfully I have not had many problems with the band yet. This is day three and I feel great! I am aware of 1 incision (i think that's where my port is) and that's about it. Before hand I was TERRIFIED! I was scared that I would go through post surgery blues, regret my decision, never be normal again, worried about the loss of food, worried that I would always be sick feeling because I would not get enough food into my system. Worried that I will not lose weight. Thankfully though I have not taken any pain medicine or Gas X (i don't enjoy medicine) but I don't feel like I needed it. My back has been a bit sore and uncomfortable from me always being on it (in bed or in a chair) but even that hasn't been terrible, i haven't had any problems drinking my Water or doing my breathing. So as it stands I am VERY excited about my decision. I think I did the right thing and I feel great! I still have a few concerns but they are falling to the back of my mind. Hang in there, it's scary before hand, but your surgery date will be here before you know it and hopefully you too will be thinking that it is not as bad as you had anticipated, and that it was well worth it! We are here for you! Keep in touch and CONGRATULATIONS! YOU ARE ALMOST THERE!

Good to know! I do not enjoy those things, but I guess i'm going to have to make it work for a while anyway.

Stephanie, I'm day three as well! I decided to spend the days at my moms house and she keeps me company and drives me around and what not (plus I don't have to clean up after myself). As for the sleeping I can totally relate! It is HORRIBLE! Last night I dreaded nightfall because I couldn't sleep for more than 2 hours the night before, but it is getting better. Hang in there normalicy is on it's way.

You have come this far, you can make it a bit further. My doctor said that the purpose of the liquid diet is to keep it from slipping. Would it really be worth it to eat and then have it slip out of place on you? Liquid is HARD...I couldn't even do it on my pre-op phase, but I couldn't imagine how upset I would be at myself to have spent all this money, cheated, had the band slip and then go through another procedure and recovery. I think it would be HORRIBLE. Everyone, if I come back in a few days saying the same thing and wanting real food please direct me to this post I made. (haha)

I was told to take the bandaid things off but leave the steril strips on till they fell off