HeatherO

It helps to get both banded and R&Y patients back on track and it definitely gets you back to "feeling" your pouch and renewing your mindset.

Thanks :0) This is my second, but since my first is 16 years old . . . it is almost like my first all over again. I have been scared to regain, especially with a mostly empty band . . . but so far it has only been 2-3 pounds since September so I am good to go. Banding has even been a blessing for me empty, lol. I have been very lucky.

How interesting that you should say that. Now that I have given it thought, I realize I had migraines regularly before banding, worse right after banding and then they were miraculously gone. Perhaps there was more to the problems with my overindulgence in diet coke/dr. pepper than just caffeine overload, lol. I am certainly healthier now than before and I drink mostly Water. It could have been the sugar substitutes I was drinking to excess daily.

I agree with Jachut that red wine is healthy in moderation. I don't drink alcohol anymore but I do take in a light dark grape juice to try and take in some of those same benefits on occasion. I did get a warning from my doctor that you have to be careful with alcohol intake due to transferring addictions. Some of us are obese due to food addictions or emotional eating, and if we are not careful it might be a little too easy to begin over indulging in alcohol. However, taken in moderation and considering the calorie content while avoiding carbonation is not a bad way to go.

I agree with RestlessMonkey, call your doctor. It seems a little unusual to have pain in those specific locations at 2 weeks out. Usually those of us who still have pain have it mostly around the port area or in the left shoulder/neck area. It seems like 2 weeks is a little far out to still be getting rid of the gas you would have received at the time of surgery.

Congrats on getting back to work. In some ways it is easier when you get back into the swing of things to get used to dietary changes. It sounds like you are off to a great start.

I think the placement is a little unfortunate if the weight of your underwire pushes down on it and causes discomfort. Mine is never sore anymore but now that I have lost my weight, I can see where it is if I don't have a shirt on and it can easily be felt. It might get better over time. At 2 months out I was still getting the occasional port pain from abdominal exercises. Can you give it a "rest" sometimes by wearing no bra or a sports bra when you are at home and don't have to go anywhere? Perhaps you can get a new non-underwire bra that might feel a little better as well.

If it makes you feel full and works, then that is what counts. :tongue2: That is why I went back to shakes in the morning for Breakfast when i have tight restriction . . . because I am full until well after lunch time and have had some nutrition as well. A person can never argue with what you know is working. I think it is only a problem when you go back to dieting and dealing with perpetual hunger again that might set you up for difficulties. If I tried a shake of any kind for dinner . . . I am sure I would be hungry in less than an hour after.

I had migraines too but I think it was more from dietary changes than the band. I only had them in the early weeks post banding and they went away as my body got used to my diet (I also suspect being a heavy diet coke drinker that I had to pay the price for going from caffeine overload to almost none). I was only allowed to take Tylenol for them but it never helped. You may want to ask if there is anything else you might be allowed to take that might help you make your way through.

Almost everyone plateaus for at least some of the time usually after 2 weeks up to the first fill. It is not only normal it is expected to happen even if the doctors don't always mention it. Just keep following the rules, don't lose hope and the weight will start coming off again. Your body just needs to catch up after surgery.

I follow 3 meals and only had a snack if I was hungry. I would typically have one low-cal snack (sometimes just veggies) after dinner because that is when I was hungry again. At first I started measuring food but now I just go by feel and I know how much I can eat by the signals in my stomach.

Now that I think about it, my method is just an extremely low tech version of the sinus rinse suggested by kgloverii. However, it works for me and I was a pretty constant sinus sufferer before and spent tons of money on OTC sinus meds.

I had a lot of sinus issues before but found a way to get rid of them. After I take a shower, I cup my hand and snort a little warm Water up my nose around 3 times and clear it out. My sinus problems have dissappeared. This might sound weird or uncomfortable, but it is not after you try it a couple of times . . . and it is only water. It made all the difference in the world for me.

My first bite syndrome is that the first thing I eat when I wake up will get stuck easily. I can get around it by drinking a hot cup of tea or coffee first and having something like a bite of yogurt or something soft first, waiting a while, and then eating. You ususally dont get this until you get to tight restriction.

My doctor told me never to drink it as it will stretch my pouch . . . so I just don't want to risk it. I paid too much for this surgery and it is too important for me to risk it for a little carbonation. If this is the biggest sacrifice I have to make for better health, so be it.

Checking the fill level is so quick and easy as a means to see what is in there. I ask them to check mine every time I go now . . . but I did have to ask them to do it because they don't normally pull it out as standard procedure. I am not sure that the fluoro would show so much regarding a leak unless you have such a big leak that they can see an increase in the flow from your pouch to your stomach over the few seconds that they are watching it.

By the way, for all of you re-dedicating violets out there, there is a thread regarding using the 5 day pouch test as a restart for the holidays. http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f178/starting-holiday-detox-early-anyone-wanna-join-me-84070/ I have done this before and it works great to jump-start weight loss and get back to banding basics.

I really, really truly need to rededicate myself after the holidays. I went to work today . . . and can you believe there are new cookies and treats that are more tempting than last week (I have a weakness for peanut butter buckeyes). Anyways, it is time for me to start charting my calories and intake again. That is the only thing that keeps me on-track after I have fallen off the wagon for too long. I need a fill but they said they will not give me more than .25 cc's a month at a max and that is not guaranteed due to pregnancy (official policy is an empty band). I am really essentially bandless right now without a fill and woe is me. The thought of using a dog cone around the neck and having unbendable elbows as a means to reduce calorie intake still has me laughing, that was great. :0) TracyinKS, I am so happy your phone was answered and you can get it back. I would be sooo lost without my phone because I no longer have peoples phone numbers anywhere else, lol. Technology has improved my life . . . but what would I do without it??? I think I might just venture over to the gym today for a step class. Have a happy Monday everyone!!!

As you get a little further along in banding, sometimes you need to increase motivation. If you read this diet, this is a special diet for our pouches post WLS. It is really helpful for both our bands and our mindsets to get back in the banding frame of mind . . . and you may lose a few pounds on it as well which is definitely motivational as well. It isn't dieting for dieting's sake and many of us who have even made it to goal use it as another tool to stay on track . . . just like our bands are a tool, sometimes we need to sharpen it when we get complacent. Everyone gets a little complacent as life goes on since we are all human. I just read on a newbie post regarding ability to get in enough Protein or liquids that you mentioned eating Meximelts from Taco Bell at 4 days after surgery to help with post banding depression. It is true that banding reduces your intake and that many people can lose some weight without dieting and eating anything they want. However, those of us who have long term success and our able to maintain it for the long term have to commit to following banding rules and post-op diets, eating healthy foods, trying to eliminate depression eating, and occasionally recommitting to our band lifestyles through "diets." I wish you the best of luck for your long term success with banding.

There is an over the counter medication called Nauzene that I have found at Walmart and the local grocery stores. It works really well and can be useful in a pinch until you get a script for your doctor for anti-nausea meds. It is a chewable tablet that tastes good and is band friendly . . . best of all, it works.

What an awesome idea to start of the end of the holiday season before the 1st of January. I wish I could join you after gaining 2 pounds over the holidays but my OB would have a cow. The 5-day pouch test diet is really wonderful. I have gone through it before and it really helps get you back in the banding mindset. I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to get back on track since there is nothing I have found that works better. Good luck to everyone today.

Newlife, you are in my thoughts and prayers as well. I wish you the best of luck that the baby will be OK.

I agree with distance and cutting off contact. It will just make it easier on everyone. Part of being tempted with another happens because our lives sometimes fall into ruts. Talking to your husband about feelings of vulnerability is one way to combat it, but men are not always sure how to handle these kinds of conversations. However, perhaps just spicing up your love life a little and trying to reconnect with your husband can help you to overpower these other feelings. Perhaps a romantic dinner, overnight get away with a jacuzzi room, or just trying to go back to the way things were at a spicier time in your marriage might help.

I think just being there for her and supporting her decisions is the best way to go, whether it is banding or not.

Someone new is always exciting. Just go with the flow and see how it all ends up :0)