Katy517

My swelling under my left breast from the internal bleeding and hematoma hasn't gone down at all. The pain hasn't subsided either. I saw my surgeon today for my initial post-surgery appointment and he tried to aspirate it assuming it would be full of blood. The aspiration did nothing. He said that we'll follow-up in a week and that it should get better on its own. I've also got to follow-up for a c-diff test since the diarrhea hasn't gone away yet either. He didn't approve me to return to work. Leave it to me to have complications I guess.

Chicken broth and various cream soups - just don't get the soup to boiling or it will turn into a gooey thick mess. Also with Crystal light, milk and juices. I've even added it to my yogurt and apple sauce. Unfortunately, I've got a full six weeks of full liquid diet so I've not been able to experiment much. The sky is the limit though and the powder is really quite easy to work with and mixes well with almost zero taste added.

Agree completely on the herbal tea - it's so comforting and soothing to sip on and also helps to stay hydrated. Chewable multi-vitamins, whey protein powder, Crystal Light, no sugar added clear juices, blended light yogurt, sodium free broth and sugar free jello were also on my shopping list. Also, keep your walking shoes and comfortable clothes nearby and handy to take plenty of walks. It will definitely speed the healing process. Good luck.

That's really sweet that your husband wants to stay home with you for after-care. I stayed overnight at the hospital and was pretty much cared for by family the day I came home from the hospital. After that I was on my own and dealt with it pretty well. Good luck.

I want renewed good health, but that's a very general thing and encompasses so much. Something specific that I've wanted for a very long time now is to be able to visit the Grand Canyon (for the 2nd time) and this time be able to ride the mules down into the canyon. They have a 200 lb weight limit so that wonderful experience was lost to me on my first visit.

All insurance companies have their individual standards and guidelines. The bariatric coordinator I worked with told me that many follow the lead of Blue Cross-Blue Shield though.

I tried the Jillian Michaels vanilla too, but it only had 20 grams of protein, which for me is just too low. I really want to get at least 25 grams for each protein serving that I digest.

Very close! Pretty sure that's where my boss lives now. Cheers.

You used to be able to get an energy powder supplement at Starbucks, but no longer. I don't believe they've ever had Protein powder. Absolutely, Starbucks, Caribou, Peets and many of the mom and pop coffee houses sell espresso options sans milk too like doppios. I miss my Starbucks so much. Haven't had my daily five shot espresso 'Starbucks doubleshot on ice' with sugar free vanilla syrup and skim since 4/9/10. It was practically calorie-free, but my doc says no caffeine until six weeks post-op. I think I may miss that beverage more than even regular food.

I received a letter from my insurance company (copying my surgeon's office) notifying me of approval.

I've tried a few protein supplements and really like the Ultimate Nutrition ProStar Whey Natural flavor best. It blends very well with both hot and cold beverages and adds very little taste at all to most things. With some things like Crystal Light it adds no flavor that I can detect at all. Has 25 grams per serving Ultimate Nutrition.

I was told by my nutritionist to begin taking vitamin supplements as soon as I began seeing her, which was six months pre-op. My surgeon told me to begin taking them immediately after surgery.

if-you-dont-lose-weight-your-finances-will: Personal Finance News from Yahoo! Finance Article is a collection of various studies indicating that obese folks spend more and earn and save less money than their regular sized counterparts.

I was banded on 4/15 and still really don't have much of an appetite.

You might try some of the Trader Joe's low sodium cream soups. They're full of goodness and so far have no chunks at all.

My doctor does have an unusual protocol. I try not to think too much about it or I would pretty much bonkers now. Thank goodness for variety of soups.

I was banded 4/15/10 and am on this full liquid 'phase' for a full six weeks. I also wondered about how much I should be ingesting at any one sitting. So far I don't have any problems keeping liquids down. My nutritionist told me to just pace myself and try to take 30-45 minutes to consume my 'meals' so I do that with yogurt, protein drinks, soups, etc.

That's a great idea. I hear nothing but good things about that organizations.

Thank you - and I'm very happy that your pain has finally subsided. It's definitely troubling.

I went to the doctor today because my port area pain is getting worse not better and the swelling eight days post-op is more pronounced than ever. It was diagnosed as a complication from surgery and the doctor surmises that I probably coughed and ruptured a blood vessel causing excessive internal bleeding and the hematoma that's causing me such pain and discomfort. I've not seen anything similar reported here. Anybody know if this is an uncommon complication? The doctor really seemed surprised at just how swollen and bruised I still am at this stage.

Hi. I'm sure that both your co-worker and sister really appreciate your generosity Unfortunately, you can't take a federal tax deduction for the gifts. Tax deductions for charitable donations are only allowed if the receiving organization has a 501©(3) designation. Giving to individual recipients doesn't qualify for deductions.

My pain at 8 days post op has been getting worse rather than better and that just doesn't seem right to me. That being the case, I called my doctor's office this morning since the surgeon told me to be sure and call if there were any problems. I told them that I felt like I had a broken rib and that the past few days it was a standard pain and not just when I bent over. They asked me to come in right away to see another doctor in the office since mine is not in today. The visit proved interesting as the doctor said that I did indeed have much more swelling than is normal at this stage. He attributes it to a hematoma resulting from a broken blood vessel. He surmised that the bleeding probably happened as a result of a cough. The good news is that it is not infected. He recommended only rest and time to heal it.

I have found that back sleeping on my bed is THE ONLY comfortable sleeping position for me since banding.

Thank you and good luck to you too. As to going back to work, my surgeon requires two weeks minimum for all patients and I'm very happy he does. I need to R&R and am still in a lot of pain at the port area. Thank you for the vote of confidence! Yes, I will get through this and I will follow the program. It's my God given opportunity for a new lease on life and I'm not going to mess it up.

My surgeon's standard is for everybody to stay overnight. It was good for me to do so.