JuneAct2

Your doctor could probably tell by your demeanor that he didn't need to beat you up! You were doing a pretty good job of it yourself! You really got yourself worked up! Just hang in there and keep doing the right things and it will all work out just fine!!

Check out this website www.dailyplate.com You can track your calorie intake as well as calories burned. It can be a real eye opener when you track your food! I am not a nutritionist, but IMO you are not getting enough calories. Good luck to you.

No one on here is going to suggest you NOT call your doctor; me included. It can't hurt to call them. With that said, you are probably okay. You might want to back up to liquids for a day in case you have any swelling. Your doctor can better advise you. I haven't been stuck that bad yet, and only twice have I gotten food stuck. Both times were chicken, and both were because I hadn't chewed the food enough. First time I was laughing and accidentally swallowed. I knew before it got there it wasn't going to be good. The second time I wasn't thinking and swallowed my food to answer the phone. I ended up hanging upside down on the side of the road trying to get it unstuck. It was horrible! Now, I only eat while sitting at the table and I don't eat "finger foods". And, I remembered the rule about cutting my food the size of a nickel and chewing it to the size of a dime! Works great! Hope all goes well for you!

Relax and give yourself time to heal. The first few weeks are for healing; NOT weight loss. Even without complications it took a couple of weeks for me to feel back to normal again. Make sure you are getting enough water, and follow your doctors orders TO THE LETTER. There is little or no fluid in the band right now so it's not working yet. Your band needs time to settle in and the sutures to heal that hold it in place. Rest as much as you can, and if your doctor allows, walk some each day. I will say the first couple of months are the hardest, and the weight may not come off as fast as you want, but once you start getting fills and getting some restriction, you'll feel better and lose weight faster. Be patient. You've just had major LIFE CHANGING surgery. By the summer you'll be feeling a whole lot better about things! Best of luck to you.

I used Atkins Advantage Protein Shakes. They're really good. I'm 4 mos. post-band and I still have one for Breakfast. I lost 11# in 8 days drinking 6 shakes a day! Best of luck to you!

I think that's just not true. Your friends most likely didn't mention it because they see YOU, not your size. They like you for who you are! Be happy to have friends like that! Hang in there! We're all going to succeed!!!!

When I started going through menopause (at age 42) that was one of the FIRST symptoms. I have very thick hair and I was losing almost as much hair in a day as some people HAVE. It's worth checking out. Adding my estrogen patch did wonders for me! Here is a list of symptoms: Simple symptoms may easily be ignored but it's important to note that these symptoms have been reported by women experiencing menopause. If you have any of these symptoms, discuss them with your doctor during your next checkup. Hot flashes, flushes, night sweats and/or cold flashes, clammy feeling Irregular heart beat Irritability Mood swings, sudden tears Trouble sleeping through the night (with or without night sweats) Loss of libido Dry vagina Pain during sex Crashing fatigue Anxiety, feeling ill at ease Feelings of dread, apprehension, doom Difficulty concentrating, disorientation, mental confusion Disturbing memory lapses Incontinence, especially upon sneezing, laughing; urge incontinence Itchy, crawly skin Aching, sore joints, muscles and tendons Increased tension in muscles Breast tenderness Headache change: increase or decrease Gastrointestinal distress, indigestion, flatulence, gas pain, nausea Sudden bouts of bloat Depression Worsening of existing conditions Increase in allergies Weight gain Hair loss or thinning, head, pubic, or whole body; increase in facial hair Dizziness, light-headedness, episodes of loss of balance Changes in body odor Electric shock sensation under the skin and in the head Tingling in the extremities Gum problems, increased bleeding Burning tongue, burning roof of mouth, bad taste in mouth, change in breath odor Osteoporosis Changes in fingernails: softer, crack or break easier Tinnitus: ringing in ears, bells, 'whooshing,' buzzing etc.

I'm in! I need a good challenge! Name...........Start lbs..........Current..........Goal.......To Go Barb12590..........176.................176...............170.........6 Bklyn1984...........263.0..............263.0............253.........10.0 Bobbie155...........255.8..............255.8............245.........10.8 Burgygirl.............230.2..............230.2............220........10.2 coloradobanding...236.................236...............220........16 crzytchr..............239.................239...............229........10 gingerbug...........179.8...............179.8............167.8......12 irishgal...............197.................197...............185........12 Janesays.............214.8..............213.6............202.........11.6 JuneAct2.............198.6.............169.5.............155........14.5 KikiVal315...........212.5..............212.5............206..........6.5 Kristilaw.............264.................264..............250.........14.0 lcwils01..............223.................223..............215...........8 lindar172............229.4..............229.4............219..........10 Long2BThin.........202.4..............202.4............192.4........10 mair...................225................225...............215.........10 Merda................270.................270...............260.........10 mljalways...........215.................215...............200.........15 MsNickelback......179.................179...............167..........12 pvtash61............???..................???...............200..........?? ValJean..............266................266................254.........12

I'm so sorry you're having to deal with food issues AND daughter deploying. Sending a loved one off is one of the hardest things we do. You miss her. You worry about her. But, just remember, she is very well trained to do her job. And, chances are she loves what she does. You have to leave it in God's hands now. I sent my ex off to Saudi during Desert Shield/Desert Storm. That was probably the hardest 7 months of my life. The other wives and I learned to lean on each other while they were gone and just do the best we could. I can't imagine sending one of my children off. I, too, would be devastated. Now, since you can't go with her you'll have to find something to do besides eat! Find a hobby. Maybe something that supports the troops. I'm not sure how close you live to a military installation, but check to see if there are support groups for military families where you live. It doesn't even have to be the same branch of service as your daughter. Go online and check out some of the groups that send care packages to the troops. They always need volunteers. Also, there are websites looking for pen pals for deployed troops. Whatever you choose to do, focus on staying busy and out of the kitchen. Use the time she's going to be away as a "goal post"! Set yourself some health and fitness goals to reach by the time she comes home. Surprise her with a new healthier mom! This IS a hard time for you so don't get too down on yourself. You'll both be in my prayers. Take care.

Renee, Go over to the Food and Nutrition Board. You'll likely find some good info there. Did your doctor not give you information on what he wants you to eat? Or did you see a nutritionist before your surgery? These will be your best source of information. Good luck to you.

I agree with those who say check with your doctor. I am allowed Snacks, and during the mushy stage I could have SF puddings, SF popsicles, SF Jello, etc. Once you are on solid foods again try string cheese, LF turkey or chicken, a boiled egg, or LF cottage cheese. These are pretty good Protein choices that will keep you full longer. They will be your friend until you have enough fills to reach restriction. I am tight in the mornings so I have a Protein shake for Breakfast at 7am. Then at 9 I'll have (Breakstone's) lowfat cottage cheese. It is 90 calories and 11 or 12gms protein. I stay full until lunch with this plan. Good luck to you.

My husband freely admitted he would be jealous when I lost the weight. But, he is very excited about the new me that is emerging. I go to parties now that I avoided before.We go riding on his motorcycle now. And, I just have more energy! Most men ARE babies. We already knew that. So, just keep reminding him of the fun you can have together...and remember to DO the fun things together. Also, telling him how great he looks will distract him and he'll forget he was jealous!! Best of luck to you!

Yes, you are in bandster hell! A couple of things that will help...drinking plenty of water and staying busy! If your doctor gave you instructions on calorie intake, track you calories and make sure you are getting ENOUGH. When you make the transition from liquids to mushies it's not uncommon for weight loss to slow or stop. Be patient! Once you have enough fills to be restricted, and you stick with the rules, the weight will start to come off again. Hang in there! Ya'll can do this!!!!

You DO realize that you'll be on a liquid diet after surgery as well, don't you?! You do realize you'll have to exercise a little restraint after surgery?! You can't just decide "well I wanted it!" And, you know what?! You WILL want things you're not supposed to have! Deal with it! You need to give a lot of thought to whether you are ready for the band. Even with the band, you are setting yourself up for failure if you don't follow your doctors orders. It's not a magic bullet! Doctor puts it in and presto you lose weight. It still takes work on your part. I hate that you cheated yourself, but I can't see giving you sympathy on this one! I hope you will stick with the program and that everything works out for you.

Days 2 and 3 were the worst for me. I had horrible carb withdrawals! I drank Atkins RTD shakes.My doctor allowed up to 6 per day, and Yes I drank all 6 of them EVERYDAY! It did get noticeably better by day 4 and by the end of the week I just wasn't really hungry anymore. I only had 2 weeks of pre-op liquids, but then 2 weeks clear liquids, and 2 weeks of thick liquids/mushies (cream soups, mashed potatoes, etc.) post-op. I didn't eat real solid food for 6 weeks, and I lived to tell about it! It DOES get better! Hang in there!

It's perfectly okay to be nervous before surgery. This is a major change in your life and no one expects you NOT to be scared a little. But, don't be scared over the buffet! It's just not worth it anymore. You have a lot of ground to cover before you even look at the buffet table again. Save the money you'd spend on the AYCE buffet and put it in a piggy bank for the new clothes you'll have to buy! Use the time between now and your surgery date to gather healthy recipes, restock your frig with healthy foods and if eating out is a big part of your life, check online for menus of your favorite places and know in advance (like when you're NOT hungry) what you will order when you go there. Planning ahead will make the transition easier. You'll be on liquids after surgery. Follow your doctors orders on this. The weeks after surgery are for healing and that is the purpose of the post-op diet. Then you'll gradually add in solid foods again. You'll feel restricted for a few weeks. Then you'll find that you're really hungry. This is bandster hell. For the first couple of months you won't have good restriction in your band. This gives it time to heal. You may not lose weight, but this is normal, too. Try to stick to an eating plan during this time. Drinking lots of water helps, too. Then as you get fills and reach restriction you'll realize you're not hungry all the time anymore. This is GREAT! Okay, so this was more than you asked for, and if you have any questions, feel free to ask.

My liquid pre-op diet was up to 6 Atkins shakes per day. Plus lots of water. Everyone's diet is different so follow your doctors orders. But, if it's similar to this, just space out your drinks throughout the day. I like the shakes and still drink them for breakfast most mornings. I tend to be tight in the mornings and I just don't have time to sit down and take the necessary time for breakfast. They are convenient and they taste surprisingly good!

Now that you mentioned it, I noticed mine turning as well. Maybe it's from all the "chocolate" protein drinks. I still drink the Atkins RTD shakes for breakfast, and my favorite ones are made with "real coffee". Guess it's time to get out the Crest White strips again!

My doctor/clinic recommended Opti-Fast (available through them, of course), but I chose Atkins RTD shakes. It was cheaper and available everywhere, and since I was self-pay for the surgery I had to cut corners where I could. That said, I was allowed up to 6 shakes per day, and lots of water. What worked the best for me was to divide out my day between shakes. 3 hours apart starting at 6am, and ending at 9pm. The first day was easy. Day 2 and 3 were the worst. Fortunately, those days fell on the weekend and I tried to sleep as much as possible. By day 4, I was good. I knew it was for a limited time so it made it more bearable. It also helped to break the "eating" habit. This will come in handy when you're on liquids after surgery. Stay busy, and OUT of the kitchen if at all possible. My husband agreed to fend for himself while I couldn't eat. That helped! Good luck to you! And, ask all the questions you want! That's what we're here for!

I like the Atkins shakes. The mocha latte is my favorite, followed by the Dark Chocolate. My band is tight in the mornings so I have one for breakfast instead of solid foods. I actually crave these things now! Who would have guessed that?!

You didn't give the specifics of your pre-op diet, but this is what my doctor ordered. I was on liquid protein shakes for 13 days. The clinic I went through recommended opti-fast, but I decided to go with Atkins shakes. I could have up to 6 shakes per day, plus water, SF jello, SF popsicles and chicken broth. I spaced out my protein shakes 3 hours apart all day. 6am, 9am, noon, etc. The first day was okay. Days 2 and 3 were hard. I figure it was carb withdrawals, but I survived it. I lost 11 pounds in the first 8 days. Then the surgeon had me remove my hormone patch and the weightloss stopped until after the surgery. I am now down between 25-30 pounds and I feel great! I am off all meds! It is very important to follow the pre-op diet AS PRESCRIBED by your doctor. Even if it's hard, do it! It will also prepare you for the liquid diet you'll be on after surgery. By planning your meals you break down the day into manageable pieces. Don't look at it as not being to eat for two weeks. It's practice for taking care of your band for the rest of your life. One other thing for now...stay busy! Use the next two weeks to clean out closets, clean out junk food from the cabinets, restock those cabinets with appropriate healthy choices. Use the time to work on your mindset! This is a great thing you are doing for yourself. Make the most of it!

I would do it again in a minute! I have absolutely NO REGRETS! As for all the things you read on here, keep in mind that for the few here with problems/issues, etc. there are thousands more people out there with NO problems with their bands, who are getting on with their lives. Best of luck to you.

That doesn't make you a whiner! Call your doctor NOW! You are too tight. They may only have to take out .5cc's to make it better, but don't wait for it to get worse.

Several times in the first week or so, I'd feel like I was choking when I laid down on my back. But, after that the feeling subsided. It WAS pretty scary at the time though! Are you able to drink plenty of fluids? If not, call your doctor. You definitely don't want to get dehydrated. And yes, the swelling will go away, and as you lose weight your stomach will get thinner, too. Answering your questions is what we're here for, but always check with your doctor. All advice given on this website is purely our individual opinions and not medical advice.

It has been fairly easy for me as well. Now, the waitstaff at restaurants have a hard time with it! They really get stressed out when you don't order a drink! I have to tell them repeatedly that "No,thank you. I am SURE I would not like a drinK"! If you can get past them, you'll have it made!