RestlessMonkey

I slept on my left (port LOL) side the night of my surgery, and on my stomach the night after my surgery. No problems. BUT I was motivated to do so; I feel it helps prevent adhesions etc. And my personality is such that the sooner I get 'back to normal" the better I feel.

mine doesn't use it and doesn't seem to need it, at least with me anyway. The man is a wizard.

Ok mine was REALLY not that bad. I just couldn't get comfortable. It felt like a cramp (like the ones you get in your calf?) but in my "innards"...just under my right breast. It STARTED with a cramp (like that) in my back! The first one only lasted an hour or two. Over one year I had 2 more "attacks" and the last one lasted 12 hours! (and it is a cramp, actually; your gall bladder spasms trying to squirt bile out and it can't because of blockage of some sort. instead of relaxing it contracts and stays contracted. It isn't fun) I know most people say it was the worst pain in their lives so I thought mine couldn't be my gall bladder, but it was. and you can't really "prevent it"...once it starts to act up even watching your diet etc is dicey. They say its best to just get it removed (I was reluctant to give up a functioning organ! LOL) I never missed mine...no issues post op etc.

I agree with Plain (as usual, sigh! ) LOL anyway soap won't infect you, germs infect you. But while you are healing most surgeons tell you to NOT scrub or wash your surgical sites. I was told to just let water wash over them. Your doc can guide you!

I cheated on my first diet and lost 15 pounds anyway but didn't get the band. I learned to follow the rules REALLY WELL from that. So maybe, maybe not. Get with the program. Think of how horrid you'd feel if you "came to" in recovery and were told "You didn't get the band, dear, your liver was too thick". It is horrid. It is not worth it to "cheat". When they say cheating only hurts you, well, they are 100% right. And realize that almost NO ONE thrives on those austere diets. If we could go without food easily we probably wouldn't be here. So no one "breezes through" and loves those shakes etc. But the successful ones can suck it up and stick to it for a while, because we have to! You aren't alone, but you can do this!

I'm not sorry at all. I've lost more slowly than I thought (and I thought it would be slow) but it is coming off and I'm very pleased. My only regret is that I didn't have this option 25 years ago.

You're safest to ask your surgeon. Mine made a point of telling us no BC pills preop and for a while post op, but all surgeons are different. Find out from yours what's best for you!

If you are salt sensitive it doesn't take a diet high in sodium. Per my PCP I have to keep my salt UNDER 2000 mg a day (and that is not easy. Just read how much salt is in the things you eat each day). It may take more than "a bit of weight loss" to impact your edema! Just hang in there!

For me, as I've gotten more restriction, this is easier and easier to do. If I am eating, now, and forget and drink I almost ALWAYS get stuck and it's a nightmare. It is much easier to pass it up and wait per instructions. hang in there!

Good luck! There ARE of course people who have crossed the border, gotten banded, and had good experiences. And those people are intelligent people who thought it through and made the best choice for them. I don't mean to imply it's a hot bed of hell and disease! BUT I would not do it. Plus it's harder to get aftercare (the fills are what make the band work) if you get it done away from home, as I said. If you can get it done near you, that's probably best, as long as you find a good surgeon etc!

Check with your doctor! -- your primary!

Protein is protein. If liquid protein weren't used like "protein" then the supplements we drink would be useless. If in doubt call your doc; but I think yes you got too much and shouldn't consistently get that much unless you aren't worrried about developing other long term problems. (that was a big complaint about Atkins, as I recall)

I found this on the 'net, and it is in keeping with what I've learned at nursing school: She says that's because a diet in which protein makes up more than 30% of your caloric intake causes a buildup of toxic ketones. So-called ketogenic diets can thrust your kidneys into overdrive in order to flush these ketones from your body. As your kidneys rid your body of these toxic ketones, you can lose a significant amount of water, which puts you at risk of dehydration, particularly if you exercise heavily. That water loss often shows up on the scale as weight loss. But along with losing water, you lose muscle mass and bone calcium. The dehydration also strains your kidneys and puts stress on your heart. And dehydration from a ketogenic diet can make you feel weak and dizzy, give you bad breath, or lead to other problems. It says you should get your .36 gm of protein for each pound you weigh. I don't think one day will really hurt you, but 1. drink plenty of water to flush the ketone byproducts from your system and 2. try to keep it closer to the 60-80 gms a day we're told to get! (too much can give you gout, too...in fact, my doc had me take a med while I was doing the preop diet to make sure I didn't develop it)

Not me! I am sitting here eating turkey right now. I DO have it with something moist like a little gravy or BBQ sauce and that does the trick. And SMALL SMALL little bites and chew chew chew. If I were so restricted that I couldn't eat beef and chicken I'd get unfilled; I'd die on fish only. Just die.

I THINK those are the old style band and mostly used now in Mexico, but not sure! I hope you find your spot soon!

My doc had me drink EAS Carb Control Advant-EDGE shakes. The chocolate ones are ok! He specifically said NOT myoplex though, don't know why. The EAS Carb control do have 17 g protein and are low fat low sugar. Try them...

SpecialK is there anything specific about the surgery I can help calm you about? I've had 3, and I'm ALMOST an RN! (graduate in May I hope) So I can maybe soothe your fears a little. If so, feel free to PM me!

how big is your band, and how much saline is in it? Until that band is tightened it is not doing a darn thing but sitting there, for most of us. Just like a belt...you can hold it loosely around your waist and not feel it. But cinch it up and NOW you've got some restriction! Same way with the band. I don't believe the band opening the doc showed you was yours. With one fill I personally had 1.5 ccs in a band that will hold 14. I did not feel ANY restriction until I had 5.5 ccs in there. Odds are your fill did nothing.

I'm a 54 year old 5'5" female who weighed 405 when I went to my seminar. I WISH I would have had this option at 23 years old! Just listen close, see if you can follow the rules....like following a preop diet if you're given one, following your doc's post op rules about what you can eat when, avoiding sodas and beer because of the carbonation...and exercising some every day. If you want this badly enough to modify any behaviors like carbonated bevs etc, then go for it! The surgery for me was fast and relatively painless. It's been great and I'd do it again in a snap.

if it were the band it wouldn't be on the left side (the band is around the top of your stomach...it is centered and usually just a bit below the area between your breasts) Left side pain is probably your port. Breathing deeply and walking will help things heal smoothy, rather than you getting adhesions and so on. still call your doc, ok?

Call your doctor tomorrow and ask. It's probably gas but hard to diagnose over the internet...especially since most of us aren't docs either! :crying: Keep breathing deeply anyway...you need to for your lungs. You're probably just sore from surgery.

You are all very lucky! I came to in recovery relieved (that I had the band after my 1st try) and HUNGRY! And I stayed hungry (but stuck to doc's protocols) until I got mushies! Just enjoy it while it lasts! :crying:

Just because some don't have to take it doesn't mean the rest of us don't (as I'm sure the other posters know!) I had to drink glasses of mag citrate (too vile for words! LOL) so I know your pain. I'm sure you've been focused on the surgery and beyond! You'll do great! :crying: Good luck!

Not every fat person is an "addict" I find that insulting. You can call me fatty but don't say "addict". I overate for reasons I researched through therapy; ADDICT was never a label that fit. Some are addictive, just like some of us are brown haired. Some are lazy, some work like maniacs. Some are tall and some drive Fords. Some drink too much and some like to paint. We're DIFFERENT we're not a label. I'm like I was prebanding except now our grocery bill is smaller and I eat less.

Not me. I love it. I only wish I could have gotten in when I was 30.