Yoda

Really sorry to hear about your loss. I can understand why you would be having second thoughts. But, as you said you are otherwise as "healthy as a horse" and that makes all the difference in the world. If you need to postpone it to cope; do so...but don't wait too long. As you mentioned, it is better to nip the obesity in the butt now rather than later when you might develop some co-morbidities. Bottom line, only you will know what is best for you. good luck

Hiya, 5 days out for me. I have been regularly taking children's liquid gravol for nausea....just in case!!! I'm soooo parnoid about vomiting I didn't want to take a chance!!! Only once did I feel pretty nauseous...I took gravol right away and I as fine. I'll prob keep that up for another 2 days. I think though that it was the pain meds making me nauseous and I'm not taking those anymore, so I'll prob be okay!!!

Kim I was diasgnosed with PCOS about 6 yrs ago. You are getting a lot of misinformation. You MUST see an endocrinologist. Metformin/glucophage has NOTHING to do with pregnancy or whether u want to get preg. or not. I am on Metformin...not sure if it helps....but can't hurt. Side effects were nasty until they lowered the dose and then fine. I'm still on metformin (was banded 4 days ago)....I hope to eventually get off it (and the hypertension and high cholesterol pills). You don't have to take the birth control shot (unless you are looking for bc). You can just as easily take progesterone and it will do the same thing (in terms of trying to regulate the hormonal issues). Also, your ovaries don't have to have cysts to be diagnosed with PCOS...I know...weird, eh? I have most symptoms of PCOS...except (thankfully) the hair issue. It's a terrible thing to have...it is a viscious circle and is the main reason I was recommened for this surgery. Anyways, there are a lot of excellent sites that explain PCOS in great laymans terms....u should check them out...before you see a specialist so you have a better understanding of it all. Good luck.

Kim I was diasgnosed with PCOS about 6 yrs ago. You are getting a lot of misinformation. You MUST see an endocrinologist. Metformin/glucophage has NOTHING to do with pregnancy or whether u want to get preg. or not. I am on Metformin...not sure if it helps....but can't hurt. Side effects were nasty until they lowered the dose and then fine. I'm still on metformin (was banded 4 days ago)....I hope to eventually get off it (and the hypertension and high cholesterol pills). You don't have to take the birth control shot (unless you are looking for bc). You can just as easily take progesterone and it will do the same thing (in terms of trying to regulate the hormonal issues). Also, your ovaries don't have to have cysts to be diagnosed with PCOS...I know...weird, eh? I have most symptoms of PCOS...except (thankfully) the hair issue. It's a terrible thing to have...it is a viscious circle and is the main reason I was recommened for this surgery. Anyways, there are a lot of excellent sites that explain PCOS in great laymans terms....u should check them out...before you see a specialist so you have a better understanding of it all. Good luck.

LOL @ MelAnne....that's good, I guess. It makes sense since you are only 4 days ahead of me. As far as I know, you are the closest to my date...so I'm also curious how things go for you.

Okay, here's the scoop. I was banded 4 days ago. It is 6:30 pm where I am right now and here is what I have put into my mouth today: 8:00 am: medication (teeny pieces swallowed with small sips of water) 8:10 am: 1/2 cup Water with Protein powder (sipped slowly) 11:10 am: 1 single stick nf fudgsicle 1:30 pm: 1/4 cup chicken consomme Also, throughout today I've had 15 ml of liquid gravol (on two occasions), 2 gas X chewables and 15 ml of children's liquid tylenol...and of course I've sipped on propel all day (vitamin enriched water) I feel like it should be time for "supper"....yet physically, I don't feel like I can swallow anything....I haven't even been able to sip some water for the last 2 hrs. I don't know if I feel "full" or if it is something else going on. I feel pressure/fullness (lack of a better term) right beneath my breastbone (beneath one of my incisions...I don't even know if that is my port location...not sure WHERE my port is!). Anyways, this "pressure" is making me anxious....I'm afraid to eat (as I said, I don't think I physically can swallow anything right now). I don't know what indigestion feels like, so don't know if that is what this is...(but, how could I have eaten enough for that to have happened anyways?). I'm thinking I haven't eaten near enough...last couple of days I've had only about 300 calories per day (if I'm lucky). Yesterday I got 40 g of protein...today only 20 (at breakfast). I guess I need to know...is this normal? This pressure/pain thing happening now? Is it "normal" for it to be making me unable to eat (drink)this soon?. Should I be concerned. I thought I had all this stuff "down" after all the reading I've done in here but now that I'm experiencing this pressure feeling....I'm getting anxious. I think it is the golfball (?) but how is that possible considering what I've oulined above that I've had all day? Should I force down some supper (ie. Protein Drink?). I'll stop rambling now. I look forward to any advice; I've grown to rely on this board so much (maybe too much!). Tks all.

absolutely...in this day and age, there are sooo many great machines out there (ie. elliptical) with which you can get just as good results from running (in terms of weight loss, muscle building and cardiovascular fitness) but without the harm, pressure and possible injury on your joints etc that actual running can do to you.

LOL @ Photo! I know that from my dad mostly! Reruns and all! I'm turning 42 in a few months though! Have to pinch myself when I say that though! I lived in Germany in the late 60s and one of the only TV stations we got played Tarzan all the time....funny...his tarzan yell sounds the same in German!

Congrats and welcome back Roberta. You're only 4 days behind me!

Well, there ya have it then!!! (ummmm, not that I have anything against Tarzan; he was afterall, one of my many heros when I was a wee thing).....ahh, that good ol' Johnny W.

I guess I haven't been here long enough to come across a troll. No worries though, I will not engage!!! *jots down note to self..."do not engage trolls"*.

I guess I haven't been here long enough to come across a troll. No worries though, I will not engage!!! *jots down note to self..."do not engage trolls"*.

Lisa, Maybe the lady who would thunk her chest thought she was Tarzan???!!! Hey...it could happen!

Interesting article indeed. Sad how everything can be such a viscious cycle.....grrrrr. Tks for sharing.

Oh great....my husband will just love this new "normal"...LOL>...Yeah, I can understand the hormone thing (I also have PCOS); I just hope it goes away soon. hmmmmm did I hear anti-depressants??? hmmmmm NO FAIR!! I DIDN'T GET ANY HAPPY PILLS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Great. Tks all! I did take the bandaids off and feel much better about it!

Tks Lisa...I"ll try that trick with the steri strips once it is time for the to come off (if they haven't already fallen off on their own).

LOL, I hear ya Donna...I've only been banded for 4 days and all day all I can think about it chips & dip....*sigh*....as if I would even physically be able to eat those!! I keep telling myself to get thru just the next minute...needless to say I'm getting sick of hearing myself say that!!! Like you, I crave the saltys, not the sweets. Anyways, it sounds like you are back in control....I HOPE SO!!! If not, get some tape and tape your lips shut!!!...or put a padlock on the "treats cupboard" and swallow the key!!! (ewwww!). Seriously...STAY STRONG!!!!! If you fold, I might follow suite and I don't WANNA!!!!!! You can do it, you can do it, you can do it....WE can do it!!!

Well, I'm on Day 4 and doing pretty good, think. The big hunger pangs went away by the end of day 2 (thank god). Had my first shower yesterday and it felt good. I'm surprised (knock on wood) at how well the incisions look. I just have 2 icky spots that blistered up from the tape that are now open and nasty looking (not on or near the incisions though), so I'll just keep an eye on those. Thankfully I can carefully roll onto either side now to sleep...that helps a lot since I am a terrible back sleeper. My neck pain has also gone away, so I'm happy for that. As for the gas, I really don't think I'm getting any gas pains...at least nothing that I notice. After I "eat" (ie. slowly drink 1/4 cup of consomme) I feel a little bit "golf ballish" (if that is what that is)...like a "I'm so full" feeling which I guess just means that my stomach is still swollen in there (since I'm not filled yet). I had difficutly taking my pills by crushing them (ewwww...taste horrible!) so I've been just cutting them up into tinier pieces and swallowing them; seems alright. I think I've been drinking enough liquids...sip sip sipping away. Although I think I'm only getting about 300-400 calories a day right now. I am getting 40 g of protein a day. The only prob (other than dealing with the physchological issues of wanting to eat some chip and dip!!!) is that I'm VERY VERY VERY irritable. (lol maybe because I don't allow the chip & dip?). I find that I'm on the edge a lot of the time (for the last 2 days) and despite my husband being the sweetest person who couldn't do more for me if he tried, I find myself either biting at him or wanting to bite at him FOR NO REASON. *sigh*....I hope this passes because it is so not fair to him. Yes, we are open and communicate about it but it still makes me feel sooooo bad. So, that's my update. Hope everyone else is doing well whether they too have just been banded or about to!!!! May the Band be with You!!

This is probably obvious, but make sure you have REALLY good shoes for running; in this case you really do get what you pay for. Also, shin splints will be worse if you run on hard surfaces (ie. pavement). You should try and run on a soft surface such as an indoor or outdoor track or even grass (be careful on grass though, as the surface can be uneven which can cause other problems like sprains if you turn your ankle). So...shoes and running surface!!!

WOW, thanks so much for sharing!! Way to go!!! Congrats! You truly are an inspiration!

Holy crap man, I can't believe how irritable I've been over the last two days (banded on 21 Apr). I mean, realllllllllllllllly irritable...anything and everything is sending me over the edge. My husband is the most sweetest, gentlest, kindest, loving person and he has been (& is) so incredibly supportive going out of his way and going above and beyond for me (as he always does!) and yet I WANT TO BITE HIS HEAD OFF FOR NO REASON. I know it is because he is the only one around (no kids) and I feel "safe" with him...but I feel like such a rotten person when I bite at him. He sooooooooooooo does not deserve it. I just feel on the edge of exploding ALL the time for the last couple of days. What is WITH that? I know, some of you will say it is because of the lack of food etc...but I've had this "lack of food now" since 7 Apr (2 week pre-op liquid diet). Did any of you develop this extreme irritability? And if so, plse tell me it goes away sooooooon.

I am getting so many mixed signals (not necessarily from here...but from what people around me and "old wives tales") about whether to leave my incisions covered or not. Kay, I was banded on 21 Apr. I had my first shower (as recommended by Dr) on 24 Apr. After the incisions air dryed, I put big bandaids on them just to keep them covered so they aren't exposed to "dirt" (you know what I mean...no, I"m not rolling around on the lawn!). But the other half of me tells me I should not have bandaids on...that I should leave them exposed to the air to promote healing. HELP!!! What is the correct method? I need a professional opinion on the "way to go". I don't want to slow down the process and don't want to keep them covered if that isn't the best thing. You RNs out there...what did you do?

Mine is scheduled for 2 June; exactly 6 weeks to the day.

I'm doing better...the hunger has subsided a LOT.