Amisha

That's an *excellent* problem to have! Congrats! All these little victories may not seem like much to the great unwashed, but I for one revel in them. Keep up the good work!

Ariel, me too! I never noticed how my boyfriend inhaled his food before being banded. Okay, he doesn't actually inhale it, but it seems to me like he does, because I eat so slowly now. Same with when we go out. I look around the restaurant and literally lose what little appetite I had just watching people eat. I'm trying not pay any attention, but it's going to be tough. Smarq, me neither. I didn't have any of the cravings I used to during menstruation.

Awww Irish. That happened to me too. For a couple weeks after I would cry at the drop of a hat. Then I would laugh hysterically. Then I would cry again. Then I would alllllmooooost cry but then BOOM! more hysterical laughter. It was tough. My bf thought they had given me a lobotomy. Fortunately, it did pass. I'm not sure what's behind it, other than a huge shock to the system for our bodies (and minds) to adjust to. But it gets better. Just hang in there and enjoy the ride as much as you can. It'll be worth it in the end.

Since being banded, I have encountered some weird, wacky stuff. What about you guys? What's the weirdest new development for you? I'll go first...yawning! It's so weird. I can't feel the band, I have no abdominal pain, I barely even remember it's there anymore unless it's mealtime. But every time I yawn it feels like someone kicked me in the side of my stomach. Ever tried to stop a yawn? It's impossible. So strange...

Had my first fill this morning. I was eskerrid because I loathe, detest and despise needles with the red-hot intensity of a thousand burning suns. HOWEVER, it was SO easy I didn't even realize it happened. Our doc has a poster hanging on the ceiling listing tips for success and while I was distracted looking at that, she completed the whole thing. I was like, "Whaaa? You CAN'T be done!" I was positive she was just tricking me...you know, "We'll just make her THINK she got a fill and that will keep her satisfied. Ahhahahaha!" Like a placebo. But nope, it's been done. wOOt! Now the bad news. I was a little nervous about my first meal afterwards because even before my first fill today, I was feeling some restriction and had one or two occasions where I got "stuck". I ate SOOOO slowly and chewed SOOOO well, it bordered on obsessive. AND STILL, still I lost it and had to rush to the bathroom. :redface: Ack. I didn't care for that, no sir, thanks all the same. I'll have no more truck with any of that. It was my first time so it kinda freaked me out a little. That was lunch and dinner, I'm happy to report, went much better. I managed small portions and didn't have a single problem. Maybe it was just nerves? Anyway, doesn't matter, I made it! Hooray!

Thanks, but I think I figured out the problem. I started my period today. Ugh! it hurts like walking on glass doused in gasoline and lit on fire! Has anyone else from the June lineup had their period yet and if so, was it bad? I have some serious pain in my lower right abdomen. I'm guessing maybe it's my ovaries, since I have PCOS, but it feels WAY more intense than it usually does. Holy hell, I don't know if I can handle this.

Hey Junebugs! I was banded June 11th. Surgery went well, no complications. Healed up nicely. Barely even notice my port anymore. I still feel some restriction, though I do occasionally get crazy hungry. My first fill is scheduled for the 9th. Here's the thing though: I take Metformin for insulin resistance. Okay, well I'm SUPPOSED to take Metformin. I haven't actually taken it since the surgery cause those pills are bigger than a baby's head and I'm a little scared they're going to get stuck, even when cut in half. Lately, I've noticed it seems like my blood sugar just spikes the hell out when I eat. I didn't really have a problem with this before. I never had to regularly check my blood sugar or anything. But since the surgery I have had times where I literally cannot hold my head up, I'm so tired after eating. Happened today. I had a *very* light lunch and still, immediately after, I got so tired I nearly fell asleep on my desk. I came home from work at 5 and slept until 8. I could barely make it home to my bed. Is anyone else experiencing anything like this? Any idea what it could be? Do you think it could be related to the surgery or is it most likely from not taking my Metformin anymore? If so, why didn't it do that to me if I went off it a few times prior to surgery? (I'm horrible about taking pills. I forget a lot.) Also, I'm having problems with the whole "little bit of food goes a long way" concept. I'm so used to making these epic meals and snack fests when I get hungry. I'm finding it hard to break the habit. I end up making or ordering or shopping for WAY more food than I can possibly handle. My schedule is often very chaotic and rather than going shopping way in advance, I sometimes find myself needing to eat with no food in sight. Then I have to run out and grab something because if I get too hungry I get the shakes. My eyes are literally bigger than my stomach. I end up eating a few bites and then I'm so full I can't even look at it anymore. Then I feel guilty and horrible that I threw away so much food. How are you guys dealing with this? Are you finding it tough to break the habit of making/ buying/ordering a lot of food, thinking that was going to be necessary to fill you up? What tricks have you tried that have worked for you? I know I should just order or buy a little bit and then if I'm still hungry I can get more, but at the time, when I am buying it, I find that I'm hungry and therefore, hungry = lots o' food. So I buy it and there I go again, vicious circle. Any ideas? Thanks, guys and gals!

Stephanie, you make a good point. I think it will be easier for us to be more sensitive to this issue once we get the weight off, since we've all been there and we know how tough it can be. But it could be a challenge too, one that we must rise to, to remember how awful it felt and never make it worse for anyone still struggling. I also get so tired of the stereotypes you face in your job. Some of my favorite: overweight people sweat profusely. We can't run. We eat all day every day and have zero self control. We're lazy. Oh, please. So untrue. Amy and L2BT, I feel for ya. Just hang onto the hope of a better tomorrow and let it make you stronger and more determined. We'll soon be breezing down those aisles like a breeze with no trouble at all. I hope. I admit I am worried that no matter how much weight I lose, I will never shake those feelings of insecurity.

Just wanted to take a minute to say thanks to those of you doing all the organization for our group. I really wanted to jump in somewhere and start posting after I joined, but there are so many different forums and threads that I was a little overwhelmed. I didn't even know where to start. When I got the invitation to add myself to the list I was so excited! It made me feel like I finally landed on a home for me in this huge community. Thanks for all the hard work you guys have put into this and making me feel so included and welcome! Please let me know if I can do anything to help!

Mine is scheduled for July 9th. It can't possibly come soon enough.

This is a rant, and a long one at that. I just wanted to warn you in case you would rather, I don't know, get a root canal or something else more pleasurable than reading this. I was banded on June 11th. The first week after was difficult, but now it's so much better. I've got a lot of energy and I barely even notice the port anymore. My appetite is still there, but it's nowhere as bad as it used to be, pre-surgery. As long as I eat slowly, I fill up quickly and don't get hungry again for quite awhile later. I am not losing anymore weight, though I lost ten lbs in my first week. However, my clothes are already fitting better. I feel good about those things and I'm really anxious for my first fill on July 9th. It can't come soon enough. So what's the problem? It's not a problem, really. Except that I just got back in town from a business trip and it renewed all those feelings of self doubt and dread I've grown accustomed to through the years. I hate traveling. I hate it! I hate tiny airplanes that fold you up like a pretzel in a pill box. I hate narrow aisles and my big butt! I hate walking ten miles in a hundred different directions, afraid my feet are going to give out. I hate going to fancy dinners and cocktail parties with young, thin women with their young, thin dresses and their stupid, young, thin hair and makeup. I hate feeling like I'm the ugly gorilla in the corner desperately trying to fade into the background while simultaneously wishing someone would notice me and talk to me. I've always said that I don't understand how someone so big could be so invisible to everyone else. I'm attractive. I know I am. That's not vanity, I just feel as though I'm an attractive woman and I have a lot to offer, dammit! I'm smart. Articulate. Funny. Witty. I'm well-read. Well-traveled. I have opinions. Dreams. Doubts. Fears. I'm a freaking human being. I don't know. I guess it just brought me down from my high. It dehumanized me and made me remember, against my will, that the world is not a nice place if you're not a perfectly "normal", acceptable size. It reminded me of all the ugly prejudice out there and how, in the year frickin 2008, people, that it's perfectly acceptable to discriminate against overweight people. Everyone is so concerned about being PC and not offending anyone, but they don't give a second thought to offending me. They have special menus and elevators and movie theater seats and cultural awareness programs for disabled people. They have interpretors and translated menus, signs, books, and movies for foreigners coming to our country. They make every allowance possible to ensure none of those people are inconvenienced or excluded. But I don't think a single one of them ever thought, "You know, it might be a good idea to make seat belts for people who might not be a perfect size 1, thereby eliminating the embarrassment of those imperfect bodies trying desperately to buckle said seatbelt before others notice their fear and horror that it might not reach." People don't want to talk to you because they're afraid your fat cells might rub off on them or something. Gah! I'm not disabled, of course. I got myself into this mess and I am damn well capable of getting myself out of it. I'm working on it. And I'm not for more government interference, by any means. I think it would be a mistake to start making a super-sized version of everything, just to make overweight people more comfortable. I think it can be a good thing to be uncomfortable once in a while. It's what motivates us. Pushes us to do better. Achieve more. It certainly reaffirmed my belief that I've made the right decision for myself. It made me mad and sad and uncomfortable and resentful. But it also made me more determined that next year, at this same conference, I will not experience any of that. I will take that pain and disappointment and I will turn it into triumph and joy. So, those discomforts and prejudices do serve a valuable purpose. If the system stepped in and removed all those things then I might not ever have the motivation to do change myself for the better. I'm just saying, it would be nice, just for once, to not go through this misery every single time I travel. To feel comfortable and healthy and accepted. To feel beautiful and capable and worthy. I know that's asking a lot, but what the hell, ain't I a person too???

Oh god, Dawn, do I relate! Also, I travel a lot for work, so I won't miss: 1) Getting on the airplane and feeling like I need to apologize to everyone for taking up so much space. 2) Sitting on the airplane and feeling like I'm spilling over into and crushing my seat mates to death. 3) Seeing the worry and fear in people's eyes as I approach their seat, and always, ALWAYS interpreting that as fear and worry that they will be the seat mate I am crushing under my massive size. 4) Worrying about whether or not the seat belt will fit without an extender. 5) Not being able to join my work colleagues in the hot tub or pool after a long day. 6) Not being able to wear those cute little black dresses and strappy heels that other women wear to our cocktail parties and fancy dinners. 7) Giving speeches and presentations where I feel like people are not focused on what I'm saying and the value I give to the organization, but instead, thinking about how grossly overweight and uncomfortable I am. and more, I'm sure. Now I'm depressed thinking about it. Gotta get on a plane for a 4-day fancy shindig in Colorado tomorrow...:grouphug:

Way to go! Hope it's fun, but be careful, wear your helmet and clean underwear, etc. etc. Congratulations on your success!

Yeah, I should have been more specific. I meant fruit I could actually sink my teeth into, like a juicy nectarine or peach. I was afraid someone was going to say I would never be able to eat them again because they might gum up the works or something...

Oh gosh, thanks for the great suggestions. I had eggs again today because I forgot all about posting this and didn't check back. I'm glad I remembered because I'm definitely going to try some of these suggestions tomorrow. One question though: when can I expect to be able to eat fruit again? I *really* wanted a nectarine tonight.

Excellent, thanks!

Nevermind, I answered my own question. In case you guys are interested, this is the PCOS-specific forum. Cheers!

Heather, the last time I got mine renewed I had been on a downward trend and lost a bunch. The lady at the DMV noticed the number went down from the previous weight significantly and commented on it. She was very encouraging. Unfortunately, the weight didn't stay off and I lost my license so I had to go back to get a new one. Even though she deals with a gazillion people a day, I was CONVINCED she would remember me and chastise me for not keeping the weight off. Of course she didn't remember me from Eve, and she also didn't comment this time. I guess weight gain isn't something you get an 'atta girl' for...go figure. I was honest about the new number though and having to stick that damn license in my purse made me even more determined to do something positive for myself. Funny, the little things that motivate us, or make us ashamed.

Everything in moderation. At my one week Post Op visit with my surgeon last week I asked the same question. I LOVE iced tea. She said I could have all of it I wanted, so long as I didn't sweeten it with real sugar. Defeats the purpose. She also said not to use it as a replacement for Water because it is a diuretic and won't help with staying dehydrated, which is very, very important and can't be underestimated. Good luck!

My doc has set me loose on "soft foods" and I'm at a loss. I've searched the forum, but have had trouble finding what I'm looking for. I'm getting mighty sick of eggs. I don't think about it until I get hungry and then it's too late to do any shopping or preparation of anything other than a small omelette. So I eat that and then forget about it until I get hungry again and then realize, "Oh yeah, all I have that I know for sure I can eat is eggs. Blech." And the pattern repeats. Does anyone have any recipe ideas for this stage or is there a post already covering this someone can refer me to? Thanks!

I'm kind of new here. I wonder if they have a "PCOS Group" yet. It would be interesting to keep in touch with each other with progress and tips and things that work for you, in the interest of providing relief, or perhaps dire warnings, for others. Possible? Maybe someone who has been around longer could tell us...

My weakness was Pepsi. Before being banded (admittedly only a little over a week ago) I loved a tall glass of Pepsi with ice more than I loved rainbows, kittens and possibly the baby Jesus. I have never liked coffee so soda was my coffee. I would drink it before work in the morning and all through work and in the evening, right up till bedtime. It was the worst kind of addiction for me. It made me feel nasty and gain weight and have headaches and just generally be miserable, but I kept drinking it anyway. When I made the decision to be banded I asked about this in detail, because I couldn't see myself living without it. My surgeon explained that it would be painful to drink, due to the carbonation and could cause stretching of the pouch and slippage, among other problems. The nurse, who was also banded, confirmed that she had tried soda after surgery and it caused her to go down on her knees. The pain was so intense. They assured me I could drink iced tea though, which is the only beverage I love more than Pepsi, so I gladly gave it up. A little more than a week in I'm not really missing it that much. I don't think about it really. I know it's not available. It will be painful. It will defeat the purpose of going through what I did. Today at lunch with my son I watched a guy drink his Pepsi from across the room. He probably thought I was bonkers or something because I couldn't take my eyes off his glass. That's really the only time I thought about it since surgery. I think he thought I was checking out his bojangos or something. I just keep telling myself it's battery acid in disguise and that helps me. Good luck to all of you who are struggling to let it go though. I know if I didn't have tea to fall back on they would have to wheel me away in one of those nice, white jackets I keep hearing so much about. (Mostly from my mother.)(Cause, you know, she's crazy so she should know.)(Long story.)(I'm shutting up now.)

Hi Kelly, Hello from Seattle! My sister lives in Sacramento. I was just there at the first of the month. It's hooooottttt there. I suffer with PCOS as well. "Suffer" being the operative word there. It's a bear, isn't it? I was just banded on June 11th, so I'm a relative newbie myself. I can tell you I was scared half to death to do this, but more scared NOT to do this. I knew I had to get a handle on my health before it was too late. The surgery was so quick I couldn't even believe it when I woke up and they said it was done. I won't lie to you, the first couple days were tough. liquid diet. Abdominal pain. Nausea. I was pretty miserable. However, it didn't last long, it was bearable and it was pretty much a cakewalk compared to some of my cycles when my ovaries are staging a mutiny against the rest of my body. Now that it's done, I feel great. I've already lost ten lbs and I feel so much better. Some of that is just mental - I'm relieved at having hope after having none for so long - but some of it is genuine physical improvement as I've been walking literally every day since being banded and food is no longer the only thing I think about all day, every day. It's a very personal decision though. Each person is different and what may be right for some, might not be right for others. I'm sure you'll find your own way, what works best for you. If I can help by answering any questions you might have about the procedure, let me know. You can PM me if you'd rather. I'd be happy to help in any way I can. Good luck!

Hi Copper, I beat you by one day, the 11th. It was a rough couple days just after, huh? Felt like someone killed me and I forgot to lay down and die. Doing great now, though. Glad you're doing well too. Congrats!

:::waves::: Hi Patricia! It's SO nice to hear from another NWWLSer! I love the staff there! I'm only a week into being banded, but I already know this is going to be great. Good luck to you, I hope to run into you again.