Elisabethsew

Since you can't measure your urine output at home like we do in the hospital (I'm an RN), go with the color. What you want to see is a light amber color. If you see bright yellow, dark yellow, or an orange tinge to it, DRINK, DRINK, DRINK!

Hi Mickie, You've had some very difficult stressors in your life and we're conditioned to make ourselves feel better with food. It's only natural for you to turn to what's familiar and makes us feel GOOD. That said, I think you need to stop dwelling on whatever mistakes you made in the past and concentrate on focusing on your truly WONDERFUL weight loss success. Go back to a "one day at a time attitude" and take some time to plan your meals. You can have what your family has but set a SMALL plate at the table for yourself and don't go back for seconds. Water loading can also help. While you're preparing dinner, grab a bottle of water and start drinking to fill yourself up before you sit down to eat. Remember to eat slowly and stop eating when you're satisfied and NOT stuffed. My dietician says to have 2 ounces of protein to one ounce of a carbohydrate. If, after getting "back on the wagon" you find that you're not feeling restricted, you should consider another fill. Finally, come here and read the posts for support. Happy Easter. Since it's the season of New Beginnings, your return to the board was very timely. Best of luck to you.

Happy Easter! I hope to resist the temptation of the food and candy and concentrate on the meaning of the holiday. Have a wonderful celebration!

I had my IV in the same place as you did and have the same symptoms but they are improving everyday (surgery date was 3/30). I still have a faint black and blue area that tracts the line of the vein and get twinges in the wrist. Some of the IV medications that are given are caustic to the vein and can cause inflammation or a chemical phlebitis. Sometimes the IV infiltrates when it slips out of the vein. If the pain becomes progressively worse as opposed to gradually better, it's time to see an MD.

Four years ago I lost nearly 250 pounds through diet and exercise and only kept 90 off. Now that I am banded, I hope to lose and maintain the loss. I know there are MANY big weight losers here.

The first 3 days are the worse and then you leave "withdrawal" and it gets better. What else are you allowed to have? I was on full fluids but hate yogurt so the dietician allowed to have lite ricotta cheese (4 oz) once a day. Good luck. Drink, drink, drink....

Try sipping SLOWLY a cup of warm liquids and see if that eases the discomfort.

It sounds like you just need to go slower or maybe start with an "easier" solid food. My surgeon told me today that it's not until you begin eating solids that you experience what having a small pouch does. I had complained that I did not feel full and had no problems getting anything down (started on soft diet 2 days ago). He told me what I am experiencing now is right on tract and that when I start solids (just under 3 weeks from now), I will feel resistance. Here's hoping! LOL.

I went for my 2 week post-op visit today and, after the surgeon weighed me (yes, HE weighed me) he said, "Down 30 pounds already." Apparantly, he uses the weight that he records at the consultation meeting as the starting weight. Not me, I used the weight I was just prior to going into the OR as my starting weight so I lost 13.6 pounds in 2 weeks... NOT 30!

As a health care professional, I am surprised (and annoyed) that an RN would try and sabotage your decision. Her (or his) job is to support the decision you and your MD have made and to educate you on what you might need to know concerning pre-operative and post-operative management. All people who elect to have weight loss surgery have to weigh (no pun untended) the pros and cons of which one is best for THEM given all the facts. Regardless of the type of surgery, we all share a common goal of wanting to lose weight so we can live a healthy life.

I had surgery on 3/30/06 and I STILL cannot sleep on my left side (my favorite position). On about Day 10, I could sleep on my right side but, even now, that is not very comfortable. I had my post-op visit with the surgeon today and commented to him that my stomach/abdominal area was still swollen and that I really could only sleep comfortably on my back. He replied that some people can take up to 4-5 weeks before the swelling is down completely and, at that time, can sleep in all positions. So............ I wait......

For people, like me, who have a lot of weight to lose, looking to the finish line can be overwhelming. Therefore, it makes sense to set short term, achievable goals. I look at weight loss in terms of small goals of 10 pound blocks and that's also how I look at clothes sizes. Rather that dreaming about what it would be like to fit into a bikini, I concentrate on just being able to fit back into the clothes I have that are several sizes too small. My ultimate goal is to get to a healthy weight. Perhaps when I get THERE, I'll make a new goal of being able to one day wear a bikini in public. For now, that thought is too scary. LOL.

Thank you all so much for your kind words. Chris... I see Dr. Geiss and hope I can do as well as you have. Congratulations on your progress. It's also nice to see another person here from Long Island. Was Dr. Geiss your surgeon as well?

Welcome! You'll find a lot of information here to help you come to an informed decision.

You can get great quality for sale prices at QBOutlet.com and I believe woman's shoes go to 13WW.

At 9:30 AM, I went for my first post-op appointment and lost a little over 13 pounds in 2 weeks. :clap2: The surgeon said the incisions were all healing well (I had self dissolving sutures and a dermabond seal as I am allergic to adhesive tape) and told me to come back the first week of June for evaluation for a fill. I told the surgeon that I was feeling no restriction (I have been on a soft doet for 2 weeks), did not need to chew food a lot (as if you can chew soft food - LOL), and did not feel full. He stated, "That's exactly how you should be feeling. Only solid foods stay in the pouch." So, it's 3 weeks of soft foods for me and then I get to introduce solids on week 6. I waited until today for a first weigh-in but plan to jump on my scale ASAP to determine what the difference in pounds is between his and mine. Thank you all for your wonderful support.

Your pictures are proof that if you follow the program, success WILL follow. Congratulations!

Hi Steve, Congratulations on your successful surgery and I'm sorry to hear about the loss of the job. For now, concentrate on healing and getting in the required amounts of protein. I look forward to you sharing your successes and 19 pounds is an excellent start.

Hi Mouster and Fiona, I wish you both good luck on your surgeries and a speedy recovery. It's the beginning of a whole new way of life.

Welcome Josie! I hope all goes well with the tests and that your band proves to be in the right place.

Hi Mandi, I was banded the day after you and agree that it's hard to resist temptation. For the first 5-6 days food was no problem because of the swelling. Now that the healing process is well underway, I don't ever feel restricted or full. I started soft foods today and see my surgeon tomorrow for the first post-op visit and weigh-in. We're human and the band is just a tool. Forgive yourself, make better choices, and move forward.

My best advice is to follow the pre-op diet. You'll want the surgery to go as smoothly as possible so you'll need to do your part by shrinking your live so the surgeon can do his job.

What you are describing sounds more like a hiatal hernia. Acid reflux (GURD) is caused when bile acids from the stomach reflux up into the esophagus causing a burning pain that, when very severe, can mimic cardiac chest pain. You might want to see a gastroenterologist (GI specialist). Feel better.

I did not have the "participation fee" but I did have to shell out $200 for an hour with the dietician and $250 for an hour with the psychologist than insurance would not reimburse. My fills are covered with the surgery with no additional costs other than the co-pay and there is no limit on fills.

My friend was scheduled for lapband surgery the first week of May last year and ended up having his appendix out on 4/29. He had the lapband surgery on July 1 and did fine so I don't think you'll have a problem going forward as scheduled.