vegasgirl44

I had surgery on 8-14, went for my post-op appt today, and my doc showed me pics of a giant hiatal hernia he fixed while in there. To say I was stunned is putting it mildly. I had no symptoms of any kind.....ever. But he said it's pretty common and I suppose a large population has them, especially if you're obese, tend to lie down after eating, burp a lot, etc....And it can get worse. So, hiatal hernia gone. Learn something new everyday, I suppose.

Charlie, try the fruit punch bullet and mix it with some Crystal Light fruit punch and it's pretty good. I've never tried the other flavors. Good luck.

Paula, I'm right there with you. I actually cheated yesterday and had cream of chicken soup 3 days early, but I'm back to clear liquids. I would suggest taking in more protein. Get those IDS bullets, mix half a tube with crystal light and sip it for a while. You need protein to keep you full. Yesterday, I was starving. Hence the soup. Today, I'm upping my protein and I actually feel ok....less weak also. Good luck!

littlefroggy, you must be talkin' to me! I gained 6 lbs in surgery and it's taken me since last Thursday to take it off. I think I've just about lost it all. Now, I'm back to my preop weight loss of 21 lbs. I saw a post of someone who lost 17 lbs in 5 days! I thought I was gonna cry! I think it's fluids and gas. My tummy looks like it's about 7 months pregnant. Don't be surprised if yours stays bloated for a while. Someone else had surgery on July 29th and she said her tummy is just now going down. I had to go back to my fat jeans for today. It's kind of discouraging, but just know that there are other people in your boat with you. Good luck! You will be fine.

Yikes! I forgot to say good luck to you tomorrow. You will be great! Bonnie

Debbie, just put your cursor over the graphic of one that you like. For instance, many people use different sites for different graphics. So, for the ticker, put your mouse over the ticker graphic, click on it, and it will take you to a site where you create a user and password and you can create your own ticker. It takes a little getting used to. I had to do it a couple of times before I got it right. Then when you are done, you have to copy and paste your code onto your signature line in your User Control Panel. Then pick any graphic you like for the August Allstars, and you pretty much do the same.

Misty, I can't even have my regular protein drinks until next week. I have to have clear liquids now and so I have to get that by my IDS protein bullets and Isopure. I just crave something will some real flavor and substance to it. Hence, the cream of chicken fiasco.

I'd be interested in the chicken salad freezing thing. I LUV chicken salad and if I could make a bunch and freeze it, that would be awesome. Keep us posted!

Cutie, I'm so jealous that you can have real food so soon after surgery. It just amazes me how all these docs are so different. I won't be eating real food till probably the end of September sometime. Geez! I'm still on clear liquids, but last night I got RAVENOUS and needed something with flavor so I made a can of special request Cream of Chicken soup and sucked it down. It was sooooo good. I feel like I cheated and I kept thinking "OMG! I hope I didn't ruin my band healing!" I do know I need more protein, so I'm gonna start sucking on those Whey Protein Bullets I bought, I guess. I don't need my damn hair falling out! Sheeeeeet! LOL!

I'm just so amazed at all the people who've lost so much weight since the surgery!!! I've still got about 1 lb to take off to get back to the morning of my surgery. But I lost 21 lbs postop. I know I'm losing, but I'm just so mad that I put on that much weight having surgery. Grrrr!! Yjgirl...did you lose any before surgery? I just find it astounding that you've lost that much weight in less than a week. Wow!

Lauralee, I know how you feel....I'm just trying to get the 6 lbs LOST that I GAINED the day of surgery! I am frustrated too, and can't imagine having to wait the 3 weeks that Mommymj had to wait for the swelling to go down or the MONTH for Hilda. Wow! I dread going back to work on Thursday. The people I told will wonder what happened and the people I DID NOT tell will just think I'm PREGNANT! It's funny because I just haven't read many posts talking about this particular problem, so I feel so isolated. I'm glad (but sorry for you guys, too) that there are other people who feel like I do. Thanks everybody!

cakegal, I guess you can be glad your scale is moving. I gained 6 lbs WITH the surgery and have finally just about lost it as of this morning. It's so frustrating. And I DO feel like I have a baby in there. Today will be the first day I wear my regular clothes to take my daughter to a doc appt and I'm afraid of how they will fit. It's not like I can suck it in. Grrr!!

Ok, I'm about 5 days postop and my belly looks like it's about 8 months pregnant.... still. I drink water and walk every day. I've tooted appropriately and BMd more than I thought necessary. I'm tired of this. Has this happened to anyone else and when did it go away? I don't see my surgeon till Wednesday. Any thoughts? Advice?:biggrin:

You know, you could be right! I would think that before I left, they would have told me about it. But most likely, they forget to take it off. And that's exactly where it was on me. So, my port site should be around that biggest incision then. I just can't feel it at all. See, Trish, that should make you feel better already. LOL!

I think that's normal. I have 6 holes. 5 of them are practically healed. The biggest one down closer to my waistline hurts the most and pulls when I get up. The funny thing is that I have no idea where my port is??? I don't know if that big one is the incision or not because when I got home, there was a strange metal button snap pad under my left breast off to the side. I wondered if this was the location of the port? Does the port location require stitches on the outside or just the inside? So see. Don't feel stupid. My questions are weird too, which I hope to get answered when I see the surgeon on Wednesday.

Wow! I can't believe you are home 4 hours after surgery! I know you feel great now and everything, but just take it easy. Sometimes day 2 can be worse than the op day. You don't want to overdo it. And I don't know about the dehydration thing. I was hooked up to an IV for over 24 hours. Good luck!

Jenbug, I hear ya! I could eat an entire rotisserie chicken right now. I have no idea why chicken, but it just sounds so good. I see my doc on Wed, and then I begin my second week postop of cream liquids. Not even mushies yet. Today is the first day I feel weak. I had gained 6 lbs postop and finally lost 3 of that yesterday, but today I feel like I need some real food. Trying to get the protein in with the ISOPURE drink. It tastes a little like weak KoolAid to me. And forget the 3 Tablespoons of this and that. I have been eating 2 Jello cups at a sitting, 1 cup of chicken broth, 1/2 cup Isopure, etc. I know the reason for the initial liquids is to help the stomach form around the band, but how could sucking on a chocolate bar prevent that from happening? LOL!

THis is crazy, but I feel so frustrated. If I was just on a high protein diet like my boyfriend, and I had a craving, I would just submit to it. But now that I have the band, I simply CAN'T cheat. It's not even an option like it is for him. I know that's the point. But for crying out loud! What I would do for a roasted chicken and chocolate bar right now. And I'm sitting here trying to figure out if I'm really hungry. I don't think I am, but the point is that I'm not satisfied. I just hope that in a few weeks when I start eating real food, I can be satisfied again.

I felt pregnant for days after and the only thing that is supposed to help is walking. However, honestly, I didn't see any benefit of the walking. I don't feel really bloated anymore. I spent the last evening tooting and having a little diarrhea which must have relieved that. They also gave me this spirometer that I'm supposed to suck on to exercise my lungs and prevent pneumonia. I think you should concentrate on the walking and Water. I think the first week postop must be the hardest. My biggest incision is still kind of oozy and I put gauze on it and re-taped it. I'll take preop chicken breast and salad anyday of the week! I miss roasted chicken like crazy right now. I'm so tired of this liquid diet I could just die! Blech!

I wouldn't worry about it. Sounds like you've done great and chicken isn't bad. Just make sure your day before is nothing but liquid. My doc required a bowel cleanse and I'm glad I did because the last thing I needed was having to worry about wiping my behind after surgery. I did exactly what the doc told me and lost 21 lbs before surgery and he said my liver was still big. You should be fine.

Welcome back! I was banded last Thursday and didn't have much shoulder pain and then BAM! today I felt like someone ripped my shoulder out of its socket! I got on the treadmill for 20 mts, took some Lortab, got my heating pad, and fell asleep. Feel much better now. Being on clear liquids suck! There is no flavor and meanwhile, I'm not starving, but I need flavor and something else. I feel like sucking on a chocolate bar. The first 6 weeks are gonna suck, especially when you gain 6 lbs like me since surgery day. Still can't wait for mashed potatoes! Whoohoo!

I was banded on the 14th and am only allowed liquids the first week, then thicker liquids like blended soups, V8, thicker protein drinks, and then the next 2 weeks I get mushies like mashed potatoes, etc. I think it's weird that docs require different things post-op. I was told that the band is to stretch slowly around the stomach and this is the reason for those stages. I sure wish I could have pudding right now. Man! I'm not really starving, but I sure could use some decent tasting food!

Josie, I have 2 kinds of Isopure Protein Drink. One is a whey protein isolate in a big canister and comes in chocolate, vanilla, etc. The other is a clear, fruity, drink that I bought in glass bottles. I have 3. I've only tried the fruit punch and that is the one I'm drinking these last few days. I am only allowed clear fluids the first week, so this is the one I am drinking. I bought them at GNC.

Peaches, I'm not sure who you were asking but I know that per my nutritionist, for the first week, I am to have 3 Tablespoons each of broth, Isopure, and jello for each meal. I can alternate and have crystal light. But I'm having such a hard time getting in 8 glasses of water a day that I can't hardly get in the other stuff. I have to admit, I could really eat right now. I even took a cashew and chewed it up and spit it out and it was sooooo good. But at this point, I'm concentrating on getting in the water and exercise. I could eat jello all day long though.

Just water. Trying to drink as much as possible. 8 glasses is my goal, but I only got to 5 yesterday.