ladyjp

I just started being able to sleep on my port side and on my stomach a few days ago and I was banded on april 22nd. Its so great to be able to sleep any way i want to now - that was probably the hardest adjustment for me.

thanks so much for the posts... I'm really letting that sink in that I just need to heal now and will have this to use as a tool forever. Its funny - not having more than 1000 calories and there is still the tendency to beat myself up...lol. But I'm doing ok - and yesterday had homemade soup.

I had my surgery on April 22nd. At first I seemed to be losing, but now I have put on a few pounds - I'm feeling like its water weight (I know I'm not drinking enough - but its so hard to get it down). I was on an anti-inflamatory for 2 1/2 years prior to the surgery (mobic - 15 mg - pretty strong). My legs are definitely looking puffier than prior to surgery. I also have a pulled hamstring (I think) and have had to take it somewhat easy with walking, but I am trying to walk a little more every day. When I spent more time in bed, my feet were elevated and they didn't get swollen - now they are feeling swollen - but not a tremendous amount. I'm thinking that the salt in the soup isn't helping - so yesterday I made my own. Has anyone experienced this? I go to my doctor on wed. I know I am eating about 800 - 1000 calories a day.

My burning sensation comes and goes when I move in one of my incisions, but its fine and not at all severe. I think it just happens when there is too much pull against the inciscions. My doctor has a very structure plan of eating post-op that involves 2 days clear liquid, 2 weeks full liquid with 4 shakes a day, lots of Water and one meal of lite yogurt or ffsf pudding and another with Soup - pureed and strained... after that comes 2 weeks soft foods - very small amounts at a time... and then comes the introduction of regular food - also taking it slow. He also says no red meat for 6 months. I haven't lost much since i'm home, but I know i need to move more and drink more...every day i am increasing.

thanks so much for responding everyone... turns out that by today, I really started feeling better and less bruised and bulgy... but the posts really comforted me in the meantime. I slept better last night too. I'm loving this band - makes me feel so good about what is to come!!

I had my lapband on April 22nd - 7 days ago. I've been doing ok - but still sore at 2 of the incisions and still not able to sleep comfortably cuz I usually sleep on my side or stomach and move around a bit at night. I'm getting a little concerned, cuz one of the incisions that hurts the most has some black and blue under it and I feel like in that area is a bulge? Does that happen to anyone? I'm having no trouble drinking liquids and having smooth Soup or lite yogurt. I get nervous that the bulge shouldn't be there ... then I calm myself down, saying its probably still some swelling... then I"m worried something moved... HELP!! Can some of the banders with more experience tell me if I should call or go see my dr? My post-op visit is 5/6. I would say that I have some pain, but its not terrible. I still feel like the stiches pull on that incision the most. (especially when I pull myself to a standing position after lying in bed ... ouch! ) Please someone calm me down about my bulge and the fact that i'm still swollen after 7 days? I don't have problems with hunger at all - one day i totally forgot to eat and just had Water and one shake and then realized it was 8 pm! I'm really trying to get in a few shakes a day plus one yogurt and maybe one or a half can of soup. This board is a blessing when I have questions ... sometimes I can get answer from reading previous of others, but this time I guess I need to hear some opinions. Thanks! ! !

I'm on my full liquid diet and most of the soups pureed don't appeal to me, but I do like cream of potato soup. My local stop and shop doesn't carry it - do they still make it? Does anyone know what chain or where I can order online?

i left it up to my doctor to choose the band he preferred for me, since he uses both. He tends to prefer the lap-band, but has been using the realize band when people request it, or at times he will choose it for someone. Is it possible that the success rates have to do with the support and not the apparatus itself? I feel that for the most part, I am responsible for my own success either way at this point. I only have the band a few days but I am glad that my doctor chose for me. MOst of all, I wanted him to be comfortable with what he was doing at the point of surgery and now the rest will be up to me.

I was banded on the 22nd of April and am feeling some gas pains and some pulling or burning near the incisions. Other than that, I'm pretty good. I started on a semi-full liquid today - having 2 shakes, some water, some clear broth and I might have one more protein shake. I did have to run to the bathroom when i first drank the shake, but my stomach felt a little more settled and I think it helped with some nausea I had been feeling. I'm amazed that people go right back to work or can walk an hour in wall mart (i couldn't do that before the surgery...lol). but i've stayed mostly in my room and have walked around in it to get most of my needs. I alternate between a chair and my bed, trying to find a really comfortable spot - but not exactly finding it. I can not WAIT to be able to sleep on my side fully and my stomach - I have been trying to stay on my back mostly cuz it does hurt the insision area if i go on my side. I have to set up my ticker, but I did start this journey before going to the surgeon for the first time at 390. Was 367 - 377 during the sixth month wait. And now, after the two weeks of full liquid and the 3 days since the surgery weighed in at 348 this morning!! yay! I keep reminding myself how good it will all feel as my journey continues ... I think we are all very brave!!

That is such a cool explanation ... oh i'd love lots of energy!! I'm still waitin for mine... lol... had my band done on 4/22 and feeling ok - sometimes gassy and sometime a little nausea - but nothing terrible. I need to walk more. I did start with some medifast today and felt better after having something in my stomach.

congratulations Jerseygirl - that is so exciting! Good luck on your continued effort - its awesome!

I read through this section to see what I had missed ... I saw that people posted about coffee - I tried giving it up, but I felt awful and decided to have one cup in the morning with a small amount of half n half and my dietician from the surgeons office said it would be ok if i just drank a cup of water to compensate. Also, I did get the magic bullet and its very very convenient. You mix the shake right in the cup you drink it from - so no mess. But I did hear that after the surgery, I might not be able to tolerate mixing the drink with ice because it creates gas. So we shall see! Good luck to everyone!!!

thanks help1977 for the great idea of lemon and splenda!! I was worried about the liquid diet, but it wasn't as bad as I had thought. I've done 10 days so far and my surgery is in 5 days! I just decided that I would manage through the first couple of days of hunger ... and not be afraid of the feeling. Between drinking the shakes and drinking the water, I always felt like I was taking something in ... so its been ok and I don't feel very hungry at all now. Good luck to you!

I'll be happy to get to twoderland first !! (i'm referring to the people talking about onederland - congrats to them)

I was shocked when they found that I had apnea. I started using the c-pap machine and I found that my whole demeaner had changed - i had so much more patience and I feel like my old self again ...I no longer snore and I"m so much happier (and so are my kids!!! ) lol. Good luck to you.