Stephanie1972

I am SO excited for you! This is a very fun journey. You will find Dr. Bauman and his nutritionists to be highly conservative but this will pay high dividends for you in the long run...I'm an advocate of Dr. Bauman and his philosophies. As far as the fills, he will do them NO MORE OFTEN than every 6 weeks. I had my first fill at the end of May. It was painless really...He does the fills directly in the office (although for my first one, he had trouble finding my port, so to be safe, he did it at the hospital under x-ray). All future fills will be done at his office...Do you have a heating pad and sugar free popsicles? The heating pad was my saving grace....

The haters wouldn't dare! It's the haters who either post the crap you're talking about OR condone horrific habits!

I was banded on 4/16 too...I started exercising the day after surgery, but primarily walking...sometimes you have to crawl before you walk! Take it easy...on the bouncy stuff...walk fast and up inclines to get that heart rate up, but don't jump around...

You are normal, and NO...watermelon is not ok! It's not considered a liquid...I can't have any fruit until 7 weeks post - op. Did your Dr. give you a list of acceptable foods?

Heather, who is doing your surgery? I was banded on 4/16 by Dr. Bauman...My words of advice are simple, yet so important: 1) The day after surgery, make sure you're up and walking...walk 60 minutes that day, and every day after, even if you walk slowly! 2) Make sure you have a heating pad. It will relieve any tenderness you have in your belly from the port. That's typically the most sore because it'll be attached to a muscle. 3) Have all of your liquids ready to go before surgery...Sugar Free Popsicles were my savior! Crystal Light was also my "water" 4) Make sure you have your Protein shakes tested before surgery. You'll likely need them for a long time because protein is so important...so, test drive some of them and then pick your favorite. I happen to like GNC's Wheybolic Extreme 60 in chocolate...it's very good

I was banded 4/16 and have lost 44 lbs. My first fill is on Thursday, the 28th...I hope to have restriction. Right now, it's just a diet...

Wow...your post was touching. I too am an ex smoker (6 months out) ex BIG drinker and ex-BIG eater. What vices are left? Where do we seek solace in times like this? Well...it's been hard, however...I am more in touch with my body than I ever have been...watching it get smaller, measuring it, putting makeup on everyday, reading a good book while sitting at starbucks in a corner drinking a decaf coffee...taking my dogs for a walk and knowing they are having the time of their life, doing internet research about lap-band recipes...looking forward to great tasting food, not quantity...reading US weekly, People, all those fun but silly magazines...I would recommend you make a list of all of the things you would like to do, but don't feel you have time to do, or feel you are or were too heavy to do...what if exercise...perhaps running was your vice? What if you "trained" for a 5K? This is a difficult road...I miss drinking. I haven't quit, although my doc says no alcohol for a year, so technically I have quit, but I miss it...but then again, I never have to worry about beer or liquor showing up on the scale. I used to! Additionally, I don't have to take my inhaler anymore because my asthma is gone because I quit smoking...the fact that health is not a major source of stress anymore keeps me going...Good luck. I will pray for you. Oh, and find yourself a church that you love...get involved...volunteer...keep yourself busy.

My surgeon is extremely strict, yet conservative. He firmly believes that you need to walk 60 minutes per day, starting the day after surgery. He is fine if you walk really slow and he's also fine breaking it up into 6 10 minute walks. The day after surgery I walked 20 minutes 3 times...after 3 days, I was walking 30 minutes, twice...I get bored walking so every day I break it up into 2 30 minute walking sessions. I have had quite a bit of success since April 3rd (down 40 lbs). Walking will not hurt your band, it will only help you get that gas out of your system and jump start your success...

If your doctor says soft foods, why are you not eating soft foods? Your body needs to heal. Now is not the time to "test" the waters. The pains could be gas and it's possible that you did something to the band. If you're not better in the morning, call your doctor. If you do feel better in the morning, don't make the same mistake twice while you're healing.

I have gone shopping in one of our spare closets and found 5 business suits that now fit...and are loose! I will need an entirely new wardrobe in 25 lbs...that's not far away I was on the maximum dosage of oral medication for diabetes before moving to insulin. I have not taken 1 diabetes pill since the day after surgery and after meeting with my endocrinologist Monday, I am OFFICIALLY off of ALL diabetes meds! At the doctor, they also measured my waist and compared it to when I first became a patient there (1 year ago). I had surgery 4/16 and have lost 8 inches in my waist My DH and I went on a short trip last weekend. I did not have to hide my seatbelt under my leg. It fit!! I have enjoyed exercising HARD for the first time in my life. **It's amazing how this is just flying by...how miserable I was just 4 weeks ago...and how different my life is today. I actually look forward to getting up and putting on one of my nice business suits!

I have heard that caffeine and surgery pose healing risks. I would take his advice for surgery. Could you try some decaf? I have learned to enjoy that...

That did happen to me. It was uncomfortable to breath for a about a week or so for me...I think it's still the anesthesia. I would recommend coughing periodically to get that stuff out of your lungs. Also make sure you're walking. That will help.

I got mine at GNC and love it. It's called Wheybolic Extreme 60. Each scoop has 20 g of protein. I get the chocolate. The vanilla is very good too, but I prefer the chocolate...it only has 4 g of carbs per scoop.

I'm sorry to hear that Was...did you have erosion? The complication rate for the band is generally very low, which is why I opted for it...does anyone know what caused your complications? Congrats on your great weight loss anyway!

You feel this way even though you lost 103 lbs?

I was extremely low too when I went in for my lab work. I asked my doctor if I'd ever been low before. He didn't know because Vitamin D is not something that is tested for on a regular blood panel! 1 billion people worldwide are Vitamin D deficient and most don't even know it. I was prescribed 150,000 IU's per week for 4 weeks and now I'm on 50,000 per week. After much reading, the benefits of Vitamin D being at normal levels and the risks of it being deficient, are reason enough for everyone to ask their doctors to check them...you're not alone!

I would stick to the diet your doctor has requested. I would make SURE you're getting at least 60 g of protein in. If you must supplement with shakes, then do that. And yes, I would walk twice a day for 30 minutes each time. I would give yourself 1 day off. If you have a dog, use it as an excuse to give them exercise. If you don't, borrow someones dog, lol...use an Ipod or something. I HATE exercising but I am now looking at this differently. I have neglected my body for way too long. It is time to embrace it. Your body is very strong, underneath the games that your head may play with it. Push your body to work harder for you. I promise you'll get results...today is just a day...the number on the scale today will mean nothing to you in a year when you are healthy in body and mind...

I would crank up the exercise intensity to 60 minutes/day 6-7 days a week...your metabolism has slowed down because you're not getting many calories. You'll need to kick it into gear through exercise.

I would increase your excercise to 60 minutes daily 6-7 days a week. That is my doctors expectation. I have been following it to a T. Not only do I feel great, but I've had some weight loss too (now I am still only 2.5 weeks post op) but the exercise is shrinking my waist!

I would wait to shop for mushie's. By the time you're on them, you will feel good enough to go to the grocery store. As for liquids, I would buy: Low sodium chicken and/or beef broth Crystal Light sugar free Jello Sugar Free Popsicles (I ate these a lot and still do) Skim or 1% milk (probably a full gallon) Reduced Fat Peanut Butter (for your Protein shakes) Every doctor is different. My doctor was all about Clear Liquids for 2 weeks, so I couldn't do Soups and such... Good luck! This is a fun journey. Plus, you're being banded on my wedding anniversary. That means it'll be an extra great day for you! :-)

Sam, he put a TINY in your band. Hold a rubber band in your hand and put it in your hair. It doesn't hold your hair in place. Now wrap it around your hair twice...it creates restriction. It takes time to find your sweet spot. The spot at which 2 or 3oz of food makes and keeps your full. I highly doubt your band has slipped. Good luck and nice weight loss!

It's probably that your port area is still tender. I was banded April 16th and mine is still a little tender too. If you don't think it's that, I had sharp stabbing pains in my side when I leaned a certain way. It ended up being gas.