LapBandit

You guys are funny. I stink at cooking too! But, I've become a master with my George Foreman grill! I can do THAT. Cooking chicken any other way is a big "huh?" to me too!

Oh yeah...there are tons of threads on this topic! I never had laproscopic surgery before and that in itself can cause gas pains plus the band surgery can also irritate some nerve that causes shoulder pain, just like the gas does. So...I got the double-whammy and it wasn't fun at all. The good news...it only lasted a few days for me. I walked laps around my house every hour for at least 3-5 minutes. I also used a heating pad (some people say cold compresses feel better for them, but heat worked better for me) and I don't think it helped but I took chewable gas-x pills. Unfortunately, I agree with Berry...nothing helped me too much except time. But, of all the things I tried...the heat helped the most for me.

I think you probably just over-did it a little. I over ate once during mushies and I felt yucky for hours. But, when something is actually stuck...it usually feels different for me. It's an intense, heart pounding sorta thing and yours sounds like a ehhh, my pouch is too full kinda thing! I'm guessing you'll be feeling better soon. Good luck!

Cool! Yes, Target and Walmart definately run on the small side so it's probably really a size 24!!!!!!!! Incredible! Yeah, I know...I'm insane for even checking right now. I just checked...my Basal Metabolic Rate is around 1,750 calories a day just to keep me alive so to gain I would've needed to eat 10,500 calories over the past two days to have actually gained two pounds. Show me a bandster who could do that and I'll dance around town naked!! But, we all do it...we see that darn number on the scale and get freaked!!! Plus, I'm bummed. I just found out tonight that I'm losing my health insurance at the end of this month. Now, we've got a stupid Health Savings Account with a $1200 annual deductible. So, I'm pretty much screwed. That news plus TOM means I am really grumpy right now and need to vent!!!!!!

Oh yeah, nuts can sometimes give me heartburn. Maybe because of their high fat content??? I don't know...other than the fat, nuts are pretty harmless so it's not like eating a jalepeno! Weird! You're OK today though, right?

Mine's right. Thanks Molly. You did have an awesome week! Welcome to the challenge losinjusme...the more the merrier! Well, I'm not sure...I know it's TOM so I've got "issues" right now but I was UP two pounds this morning. I'm trying not to freak out until I check in on Thursday for my week 7/8 check in.

I know...this process is hard. Patience is NOT a virtue I possess either! Hang in there and see what happens in a day or two. If you're like me, it might take as long as a week before I can judge whether a fill is right or not. Good luck!

Me too...salads work fine for me. But yes...the first time go very slowly and chew well!

I ate a little baby Cereal immediately post-op but found it wasn't really necessary. Cream of wheat worked just as good for me during mushies. A word of caution...I was told that baby food can be high in sugars. It was not recommended as a mushy at my doctor's office. You'll be able to eat other things to help get you through this stage. Here's some ideas: Sugar free/fat free pudding made with skim milk. Cream of Wheat-very thin. Soups Jello (ick) sugar free popsicles Sugar free applesauce Low fat riccotta cheese Small curd cottage cheese Low fat yogurt Protein shakes You'll get lots of great ideas from other threads from others who have been through mushies! Good luck!

I agree...my doctor does not require a full week of liquids post-fill. But, day one is liquids then day two is mushies and/or taking it slow and easy with regular food if you feel up to it. But, as always...follow whatever you were told by your doctor!

OK Paula--breathe! I'm not sure this means there's a problem. My restriction can be all over the place too sometimes. According to your signature you just got this fill today? If so, my restriction is really messed up the first couple days post-fill. I'd give it a day or two then yes, if you still feel there's a problem then definately call your doctor's office. Otherwise, I'd hang in there and see what tomorrow brings. Good luck and let us know how you feel tomorrow.

If this is your first time with heartburn then I'd say don't worry too much. It happened to me once so I chewed a couple rolaids and it went away. Now, if it continues then yes you should call your doc about it. But...I did have heartburn once and I'm fine!

Groin...ouch. Getting fills must be a pretty personal experience! You can discuss this with your doc to see if they offer any other options. Mine is on my right near my ribs, under the bra line. I don't have any problems with it there. I've heard all kinds of stories about which side and where exactly their doctor's like to put the port but I have not heard of the port going in the groin area. There's nothing wrong with this...I'm just saying I've not heard about this location being used before.

My incisions were pink and had a little greenish pus so I had called my doctor about it. I was told similar to you...they said it was probably OK as long as it wasn't red, hot or painful. Mine turned out OK but looked a little gross for a week. As far as the scale thing...I love my scale. Plus, I learned a cool trick from a mag...take a dumbell and set it on your scale to see if it accurately reads the weight of the dumbell. I set my 10lb dumbell on there once in a while to make sure my scale says 10lbs. It does, so I know it's accurate. Plus, you need to use it on solid floor (no carpeting or uneven flooring) for the best results.

WELCOME BACK MARIQUITA!!!! We've missed you! Losingjusme...you are getting so close to Twoterville. That is so cool! Molly-so you'd need to lose like 24lbs or so to hit the century mark by the fourth of july?? You can do it. It would be basically three months from now and so that would mean 8lbs/month. Yeah...with your new fitness routine you can hit that! I'm not sure what I'm going to aim for...probably 25 pounds as well. We'll see what mood I'm in once I see how I make out by the end of this challenge!!

Hey Molly, about a week or so ago I had a bad pill incident and it also made me sooo swollen and sore that I couldn't eat right the rest of the day. Even drinking water felt tight. But, by the next day things were back to normal. So, if you continue to feel poorly then I'd call your doc but otherwise, you might be like me and just need to give your insides a little time to recover. It was weird...I never have trouble swallowing pills but the other morning my darn vitamin went down crooked and it was hell!

OK...now I know where you're coming from. And, the good news...you're telling my story from a year ago. I think a lot of us had these same concerns. But, the thing I'll tell you up front (and it was the hardest for me to come to terms with) you will need to make yourself a priority. Sure, family, friends, work etc. are very important, but you cannot support these people if you aren't healthy. So, I made a committment to myself and said enough is enough. I've GOT to make myself a priority and I've GOT to get my health better. And you know what? Yes, there have been some difficult moments with friends and family and work dealing with the fact that I might not be able to do something they wanted me to do because I needed to work out or go to an appointment but they have dealt with it! Now, I'm able to get around better at work and be more efficient-they won. Now, I'm able to enjoy my friends and family more because I can keep up and I feel happier and more fun-they won. And most importantly, I keep busy all day and go to sleep content and fulfilled because I had the energy to do things I've not done in years-I won! You can do this if you want it bad enough! The payoff is a big one if you do!

I've been using a tanning bed without problem. My scars are pretty "set" (almost a year old now) so I'm not doing anything special to them but overall I've been just fine with the tanning. Except...I still don't have a tan!!!

Awww...that will be my one year bandiversary!!!!! Great day to pass the torch to someone else. Good luck! 4/18 is a GREAT DAY!

I agree...ick. But, I have talked to my surgeon about this whole loose skin issue and he pretty much said that there's not much you can do except exercise then surgery down the road. So, I use firming lotions and just let it all hang out!

Whether she got banded or whatever...she's got the money to pay for someone to hide her scars!!! The rest of us can only afford the Frankenstein approach to scar maintenance-ha ha!

What is it about life after surgery that scares you? Perhaps we can help. I can say that life after surgery has been a surreal dream and not the starving nightmare I worried it might be. I feel great, am looking better each month and have more energy than I've had in years! So, lay it on us...what's scaring you? Even PB's and all that other jazz we talk about is usually a case of the bark is worse than the bite! You'll have to make some adjustments and will have some "yucky" moments you might have to deal with, but I'd say the vast majority of us would agree that we'd do it all over again so it can't be that bad, right?!

Yes, my vote it to call your doctor. I'm sure you are probably one of the poor dears who is experiencing a lot of post-op swelling but since you can't seem to drink anything without issue then you may need to check with your doc to see if they put any fill in during surgery (my doc does this). If so, your band might be too tight. Either way...I would call them. Now about the not being hungry thing...enjoy that feeling. But, you need to get nutrition in whether you are hungry or not. So, try to sip Protein shakes as best you can and don't forget Water. Dehydration is nothing you need to deal with right now! Good luck and let us know how you're feeling!

I've got the big ol' VG as well and have successfully flown several times without incident. It did not set off any alarms through security. Now, the topic of the medic alert thing has popped up a few times in the past...I never ordered one but I wonder if it isn't a bad idea. My doctor's office has never suggested it, but unless they needed to do something that would break my band while trying to save my life then by all means...bust it baby! But, if there was an opportunity to help protect it from any sort of damage in a non-life threatening situation then a card/bracelet (whatever) might come in handy!

You're still healing so don't worry too much about losing. I know it's hard not to worry about it. But I didn't really start losing for a few weeks post-op. Besides, some of this must be water-weight because you would've had to have eaten a whole lot of mashed potatoes and protein shakes to gain three pounds in one week! LOL.