ElfiePoo

If you click on my ticker below, it will take you to the ticker factories website. Underneath the little box where it says to 'enter your pin', there's a choice to 'create your own ticker'. Just follow the bouncing prompts to choose which graphics you want. Then it will give you two choices of codes to cut and paste. Choose the IMG code. Put your cursor in the box, hold the control key down and hit the 'A' key. This will select everything in the box. Then hold the control key down and hit the 'C' key. This copies it. Now come back to this forum and click on the 'User CP' at the top of the screen. On the left side, scroll down until you see "Signature". Click on it. Paste the text you copied into the box by holding the Control key down and then hitting the 'V' key. Save it. Voila...all done. .

It's possible that the pill was stuck and now what you're dealing with is some temporary swelling. How are you this morning? P.S. I'd call the doc and ask for a liquid med and not take any more chances.

How many cc's in your band and how many does your band hold? Without the proper restriction, your band isn't even a tool...it's just a piece of plastic. Even once we have restriction, we may still need adjustments along the way. If you are hungry (should be able to go 4 hours or so after a meal without being hungry) and/or able to eat to excess (more than a cup of food), then you don't have restriction...assuming you aren't drinking with your meals and/or eating slider foods.

My doctor was quick to remind me that this may seem like a 'nothing' deal because we're in and out within hours, but it is major surgery nonetheless. It takes time for our bodies to heal from trauma to the body and the anesthetic used during surgery. Be patient with yourself. Do get up and move around. The more you do, the faster you will work the toxins out of your body. Do drink your Water. Your organs work more efficiently and you'll feel less exhausted. I was back at work the day after surgery...and promptly went home after 2 or 3 hours and took a nap. The following day it was better and continued to get better every day. You will too. :cursing: .

Sarah, I felt the same way. Then I calculated how many calories I needed to maintain my surgery weight vs. how many needed to maintain my goal weight of 140. I was dismayed to find that it's only somewhere around 300 calories a day...not enough to even lose 2 lbs per week. However, if I drop my calories down to 1200 per week, that gives me the 500 per day I need to lose that 2 measly little pounds. Keep in mind too that it's not immediate. You may have been on clear liquids for a week and a half, but what'd you eat the week prior to that? Another consideration is how many calories in that liquid? Additionally, your activity level (calories expended) may have dropped as a result of postop recovery. Are you just as active now...or less so? Bottom line is that our loss or gain comes down to simple math -- calories in vs calories expended. Remember, this is a band...not a bypass. Our weight loss will be slow and gradual and most (there are exceptions) people really don't start losing until they've reached restriction...which, depending on how soon and often you get your fills, may be months...if you let your doctor set the schedule. .

They just need to hang out with a better class of people...period. My husband's family are all thin and they are the nicest people I have ever known. Courteous, respectful and truly caring of others. I am so blessed to be a part of this family. My family (aunts, uncles and cousins right on up to my grandparents) now...geez. With rare exception they are all overweight and all *biotches*. They're an advertisement for euthenasia. Hmmm...interesting. It just occurred to me that the sweet branch of my family are not overweight. So much for stereotypes. :cursing:

Oh, and I don't think the food is digesting in the upper pouch. It only digests when it finally slides through to the main part of the stomach where the digestive juices are. I could be wrong, but this is my understanding. .

You may just have temporary swelling. I'd just do liquids (protein shakes and soups) for a few days to see if this resolves. .

Make sure you're taking *tiny* sips of Water, but if you still are having trouble with water tomorrow, I'd call them and get a slight unfill. They may not even need to take out more than .25cc...but you must be able to drink water. We can go a long time without food, but even a few days without water can lead to death. I think I read somewhere that 3 days without water and the body's organs start shutting down. .

My doc only required a one day clear liquid diet preop and then 2-3 days on each phase (clear, liquid, puree, etc.) postop. I was back on solid foods by the end of the 2nd week. .

Shoot...I'd just rather eat the food and enjoy it. Even though you aren't swallowing, you are taking in quite a number of calories despite that. If I'm going to get the calories, then I want my tummy to be satisfied too. I can't eat regular pizza because the dough gets stuck, but my son loves those Totinos pizza rolls and I had about 6 of those this weekend. Satisfied my craving for pizza, had an acceptable number of calories, and filled me up. .

Congratulations...and you without restriction yet, too! Way to go! .

I was never overweight until I hit the age of 13...and then I put on 30 pounds in one year because I was always ravenously hungry. I now know it was because that was when the hormones went crazy and my lifelong journey with hypoglycemia started. At any rate, during those crucial early teen years I saw myself as 'fat'...even though I have some pics of myself at my aunt's wedding when I was 15 and all I can say is, "man, was I hot!" When I was at my top weight of 330, I knew I was grossly fat but was still shocked when I saw pictures of myself because that was not what I saw when I looked in the mirror. Even at 260, I never 'felt' as fat as pictures portrayed me. .

Congrats on hitting goal!

From your mouth to God's ears. It's nice after 2 months of yo-yoing, first with restriction, then not, then with. This one may be 'it'. .

Thank you...my point exactly. .

I'm not going to argue the definition of exercise vs. healthy active lifestyle but there is a difference in most people's minds. When we talk about an active healthy lifestyle, we don't talk about target heart rates, cardio, how many minutes a day, times a week, etc. That is all beside the point. Exercise or a healthy active lifestyle, while beneficial in many ways (which I agreed to in my OP), will only help you lose faster by burning more calories, building muscles that burn more calories and increasing metabolism...but it's not *necessary* to lose weight. Losing or gaining is simple math (assuming there is no medical reason such as hypothyroidism, etc.) -- calories in vs. calories out. It's just not logical (nor possible) to be 200 pounds and eat the calories necessary to sustain 140 pounds and say you won't lose weight. Yes, inactivity slows the metabolism. That's why, when figuring daily caloric needs, it's important to note the activity level...but a slow metabolism doesn't stop you from losing weight. It just means you'll lose more slowly...but you will lose. Even if you go on a starvation level diet, you will lose weight even though your body becomes very efficient at conserving calories and you'll lose more slowly. Just look at the walking skeletons in areas of the world where famine is a way of life. Calories in vs calories out. Exercise or any activity will only accelerate the process. I'm not trying to convince anyone to *not* exercise. More power to those who do and even enjoy it. I merely am trying to blow this myth out of the Water because I believe it actually hinders people's weight loss. Too many people give up before they start because they're told that unless they curb their eating *and* exercise, they won't lose weight and they don't want to exercise. When the truth is that they only need to reduce their calories to lose weight...exercising just gives a bonus. Only when we understand that our weight is directly related to what we put in our mouth, will we be successful at taking it off.

I have those. My husband jokingly named them after my 3 sons...with the deepest and longest being named after our third son. The stubborn child with the will of Iron. .

Congratulations!

Hang in there, Kels. If you're diligent about getting your fills until you get to restriction, this too shall pass. Your doctor should be able to give you a fill every 2 weeks as long as you can eat to excess and are hungry. I had my 6th (or was it 7th...lost track) fill last Thursday and now have 8.5cc in my band. In the past, by this time restriction would be gone because it was temporary due to swelling. As of this morning, I still have restriction and I can tell you that there is no hunger. Even better, no constant craving for food. Just remember to follow the guidelines and get your Water in every day *and* your Protein. I drink a low carb, low cal Protein shake in between my meals and mid-evening to boost the protein and I think that's been a big help in eliminating the cravings. .

LOL...I went looking for my little Snoopy this morning and couldn't find it. Thanks! .

That's my problem...it gives me time to think...of all the things I could be doing if I wasn't walking on the treadmill. .

Betsy, I am sorry you seem to be offended by my post...but I stand by every word. I was very clear that my definition of *exercise* was a formal regimen such as a gym or program such as you would do with a trainer, etc. I was also very clear that we do not need such a formalized program, but that a healthy active lifestyle was an acceptable substitute. So I am not passing on faulty information, nor shortchanging myself by using 'inaccurate' labels. The math doesn't lie. If you cannot lose weight without exercising, then you are eating too many calories for your body's needs...assuming you do not have a medical condition that is causing it...and that's the bottom line. Also, as I said in my post I was not arguing the merits of exercise or an active lifestyle.

Same here. I bought one for the family back when I knew I was going to get this surgery (November 09) and just started using it in January. It is soooo much fun but I'm telling you, that hula hoop one is a killer! I spent about 30 minutes on it just trying to beat my husband's score and the next morning...whew! Talk about sore hips! .

ROFL...I'm picturing people rubbing my buddha belly and asking about my weight. Oh wait...the buddha belly is gone! Good thing because I'm thinking a punch in the nose would be the only appropriate response. I didn't have to tell everyone. I told my husband, who told his mom, who told the rest of the family including the aunts and uncles in France. I told my mom who told her family and friends in New Zealand. God only knows who they all told. Thank heavens I didn't have a particular problem with people knowing. .