Betsyjane

Getting the weight off might also assist with the pain!

Tai Chi class Monday and Wednesday. Water aerobics Tuesday and Thursday. Slacking off on weight lifting and elliptical, and committed to start back with them Monday.

Yep. Been there. I have Lupus and my arthritis from it is bad! I never thought I'd survive on Tylenol. I've heard that some folks work with their doctors to figure out a way to take NSAIDs with something to hlep their digestion. My experience is that after a brief period of having the band, my arthritis paid decreased enough (odd, eh?) that Tylenol is plenty, and sometimes I don't take anything! It's been a real surprise.

Not unusual. Sometimes the first fill absobs into the dry band and when you go for your next fill, they'll find you have almost no fill at all! The other common thing that happens is tha toyu lose weight around your actual stomach so the band becomes loose and needs mor efill. 1.5cc is a hefty first fill. Be sure and check that your pouch looks the same size as before on flouroscope and that you haven't dilated your pouch. I did that once after a big fill. After 3 days of liquids, it was back to normal. But probably after a first fill, you're looking at one of the two r4easons in the first paragraph and not a dilation issue.

Assuming you aren't self pay so pricing isn't #1, I'd prioritize it like this... 1. Whoever has done the most lap band surgeries. 2. Whoever has no black marks anywhere on this website. 3. Proximity for fills. You can find support and nutrition here and in local support groups. To me, the #1 for a surgeon is to get the most competent surgeon at doing this procedure.

I have Lupus and have had to have pain killers. Dr. said Tylenol only. It comes in both liquid (for your first post op days) and chewables (Tylenol Go Tabs), that I take now. Oddly, since about 3 weeks after surgery, I rarely take pain meds! Go figure!

Hi Mach. I was sore too. They put that stupid tube in your throat during the operation. It will be back to normal really quickly now. Did they give you one of those breathing things to use to help you get the Fluid out? If not, you might want to ask them for one. It sure helped me. (I'm sure someone here knows what those are called. If not, I'll go look it up.) Sound slike you're normal. What helped me the most was walking, resting, liquid Tylenol, and a heating pad.

I love your Bushism.... I do know that for me, I have to sit at a plateau for awhile and adjust and then move on losing weight. I don't consciously do it, but it seems to be my pattern. Maybe I'm trying to let my skin catch up. :-) I guess some folks need a longer adjustment. Anyway, my goal is all weight gone within a year at the most. That's an average of 1.8 pounds a week, done in fits and starts. And I can already feel the slow down...so I'm getting more serious about exercise and compliance every day....

Oh, and when I feel particularly tight, I order something mushy for dinner out. I know we're supposed to eat difficult foods and chew chew chew, but I can pretty much tell now when I'm too tight to handle a beef and veges...so it's fish and cooked veges, or turkey chili...something like that.

Ditto on shrimp! And stringy cooked spinach. You know my band is a fickle thing. Now that we've gotten to know each other, I am too restricted to do anything but a shake in the morning, and sometimes I feel tight all day. Other days it feels like I could eat anything and everything for dinner. I know when I start to slime and PB, water usually makes it worse for me. I hate to say it (and I really don't get things stuck often), but I've learned now to pop things back out when they get stuck, so all I need is a discreet paper twoel and an "excuse me". We're all different. I had no idea it would be SUCH a learning curve! And I'm so grateful for my band.....

Hi Gina. Welcome to the gang! You never know with fills. Some poeple are swollen for awhile and a bit too restricted. Some people don't feel a fill for 2 weeks after they get it. some have too much of a fill and need a slight unfill. Time will tell. As long as you can get your water in while you're waiting to see... Congrats on your 20 pounds!

Glad you're going to see the Dr. Could be something simpler like a minor slippage that could be fixed by a brief time of being unfilled. Ya never know. Good luck.

sugarbear: About your second thoughts, please remember that the incidence of complications with the band is very low. It seems like more because this is where we come to get support when we need it. Most bandsters are just out living their lives and not posting.

My Dr. said 50% loss on average, but I ain't average.

I also occasionally do a liquids only day. My hope is that it shrinks the pouch a bit, but it may just be magical thinking on my part.... Anyway, it feels right....

I think the ideal is to eat and reatin fullness until the next meal. For me, though, there is good snacking and there is bad snacking. Good snacking is a bite or two of meat to make me feel full again until meal time. Bad snacking is eating the wrong thing or grazing, both of which I unfortunately do very well. I do better when I don't snack at all, but some days, I just need something challenging to eat that will lead to more fullness.

No problem. Or your dog can be here for the day....either way.

Need any help with anything Wednesday? In the back of our Tai Chi notebook is a list of the positions of First Part which will be our first test. I dug up an old Tai Chi book here and it has pictures of each position with exact body placement. If anybody wants a copy at some point before July, let me know.

Back to the basics. Good idea. Let's see if we can agree on the basics first, and then pick a few improvement goals for the week. eat slowly chew chew chew Protein first, veges second no liquid calories no simple carbs no Water after eating lots of water during the day aerobic exercise stretching weight lifting small plates and utensils calorie counting or fat counting or carb counting or protein counting no snacking smile and laugh alot

Never had fake nails. Taking calcium and a regular multivitamin. Went through menopause years and years ago. Hmmm. I'll go read the Mayo stuff. Thanks, everybody.

I haven't had hair loss, but I have peeling fingernails. anybody else? Any cures?

My commitment for this week, Sunday through Saturday. I hereby commit to exercising every day but one. I hereby commit to no snacking between 2PM and 5PM (my biggest challenge). I will report back next weekend.

I am making a commitment for this week. I hereby commit to doing some form of exercise all but one day from this Sunday through next Saturday. In the same time period, I also commit to no snacking between 2PM and 5PM (my big challenge). I will report back next weekend.

I hereby commit to doing exercise This Sunday through Saturday, all but one day. I hereby commit to no snacking from 2-5 PM (my hardest time) for the same time period. I will write down those 2 things each day as I accomplish them, and will report back next weekend.

Yeah, but exercise with Lupus also gives me a high fever and puts me in bed for awhile. Happens every time. I'm a great packer. I always go with some wrinkle proof separates that all go together, usually in navy and cream, rolled up so they don't take up much room, and then whatever special event outfit....