LibraJennifer

I suffer from heartburn now, as well. I don't like takeing pills, even asprin, so I sought holistic remedies such as drinking a glass of milk, or eating greek yogurt right when the heartburn symptoms came. (This only gave momentary help.) However, after about 2 months of this Ifinally went to see my doctor (also banded) and he recommending OTC Prolisec 14 day treatment. I tried it and on the first day, the heartburn went away. Sometimes it pops up again if I eat late at night or if I eat foods that are harder to digest or spicy. For this, I take Tums and eat yogurt and drink cold water to relieve it.

I made fun of yoga for years and then tried it (with a great instructor) and fell in love with it! It is definitely dependent on the instructor and type of yoga. If you like zumba, try at least one Vinyasa yoga class. It is flow type yoga that is sort-of like a dance, not just random poses. I like doing one day at the gym and the next at yoga it really stretches all the muscles that you compress during running.

You can eat some Pasta and bread... just don't over do it unless you'll feel it just sitting there. I eat pasta, rice, rice noodles, breads (not too doughy) regularly, however in moderation (maybe 4-5 pieces of pasta). The softer the pasta, the easier, just remember that it is not a source of Protein and it is not good for your hips and thighs. As for the vegetables - I'm the opposite. I had so much trouble with chicken, turkey, steak, etc that I have become vegetarian after the band. I can eat almost all veg and fruits, except spinach used in a salad. I can eat cooked spinach, but raw spinach gets stuck. Try smaller bits, reallychewing, and taking longer to eat a meal. A salad that used to take me 20 minutes to eat now takes me about 2 hours.

I didnt take anything with me. I went in in pajamas and came out in the same thing. Toothbrush would have been nice, but I was too happy to leave the hospital (I just don't like hospitals). The hospital gave me liquids and propels. Make sure you fill the prescription prior to leaving! Good luck!

I thought that it I was going to lose at least 8lbs. I actually maintained my weight after the first month. The doctor told me that most people gain some weight in their first month.

Mederma is pretty good, it has lightened my scars very fast.

I have 2 incisions, one on my breast bone about 1" and one through my belly button about 2". I bought Mederma about a month after surgery to reduce the scars. Now the top incision is about 1/4" but barely noticeable. The belly one still hs a pink color, but is getting to normal and it is completely smooth. Its weird cause one side of the cut looks like nothing and the other is still noticeable, lol.

Good luck to you! I had no pain, including the incision sites, except for the gas pain in my left shoulder. If you walk around it starts to break up and you feel better. I didn't have any other issues that hurt. I did get winded very easily the fist week post-op, Walking more than 1.5 miles at one time was out of the question, lol.

I ask for it without any rice and chew well!!

I was never told to stay away. I used to not drink it, but now I am drinking it again. I think the problem with coffee is all the sugar and milk that we put in it. Watch what you put in the cup and you shouldn't have any problems.

I was on liquids for two weeks, but they could be anything as long as it fit through a straw. Maybe you can try that version of liquids to help. Then you can eat soups/ bisques, and pureed food.

Here are some tips: Write down all of your foods and exercise so that you see the food you are eating. Try Lose It for you iPhone/pad/pod Eat foods that take a while to eat. (I take a long time to finish a chicken nugget-size-peice-of-chicken, so I try to eat similar items to increase the time it takes for me to finish a meal) Replace your current Snacks with good once - tomatoes, cucumbers, hummus (hard to substitute, I have this problem too, but def necessary) Go for a walk during lunch, at least a mile to help clear your head. Everyday try to increase your distance while decreasing your time. Exercise at a gym and watch the calories burned display. After seeing how much effort it takes to loose 200 calories, you may reconsider what you are eating.

I was on liquids for 2 weeks after surgery and then 2 weeks of mushies. I followed the doctors orders because I was scared of any problems with slippage. At the end of the 2nd week of liquids I was hungry!! I ate non-clear liquids, like bisque Soups (this was ok by my dr), but never veered of course of the liquids. You completed 2 weeks of liquids before surgery, you can handle an additional 2 weeks. Just think of all the extra weight you will loose!