girlinnyc

Definitely take that pain medication! that's what it's there for. they also say that it's easier to keep ahead of the pain--than to catch up with it. so what if you're a little woozy--you're SUPPOSED to sleep and heal. and drink liquids. Unless you have reaction to the pain meds--i say "better living through medication." i've just finished 2 wks after surgery--and i was sure uncomfortable for the first week. glad to have that vicodin! it gets better people--but you don't have to grit your teeth--take the medication--you won't become a drug addict on one week of meds. even if you take it every 4-6 hours--no problem. just be COMFORTABLE!

I had my first meal out at a restaurant--and it was my first "mushy" meal too. i ordered an omelet--with feta cheese, potatoes, leeks, spinach. i ate just under 1/2 of it---little tiny bites, chewed very well, tried to wait an amount of time between bites, skipped most of the spinach (because i was afraid it might be too fibrous)--had no problems. i also ate 3/4 of a slice of toasted whole wheat bread (i know, not very mushy) with butter--no problem. i felt like i could have eaten more--but i resisted--because i am afraid of getting the dreaded PB or the feeling of something stuck--and PAIN. that's what the band is doing for me--reminding me that there could be BAD CONSEQUENCES to overdoing it!

Jodie, Karen Carpenter died before you were born--but i'm sure you've heard her songs at Christmas time--they're still on the radio. I'm curious--what is your chosen career that you can't be successful in "until you lose weight"? the only career i can think of that definitely has a weight restriction is JOCKEY. The horses need light riders--but--other than that--any other career I can think of--INCLUDING MODELS, has opened up to people (even women) who may not look PERFECT. Regards, girlin nyc

Please let us know what the dr. advises. I am very interested in hearing that you're ok--because i'm newly banded--i want to hear about what happens down the road. I hope to hear that you saw the dr. and things turned out well. Even if they don't turn out well--please post about it. Thanks, and best wishes, girlin nyc

I think you should get to the dr. ASAP--he might make you have an esophogram to check band placement, etc. did you call the dr. yet? Please call him/her!!

i hope you feel better soon--my worst day was the 2nd day after surgery--then it got much better after that. thank god your vision is returning! call the dr. with any questions--after all you just had surgery a couple of days ago--they should be willing and able to talk to you about any concerns! that's part of what you pay for!! take it easy!!

they want to know if you know what you're getting into. whether you're ready for the restrictions of living with the band, and if you seem to be reasonably committed to this process. it's not a huge deal. they just want to see if you're "normal"--and not expecting that the band itself will be doing everything for you--that you have reasonable expectations about the surgery and the outcome. good luck!

did your dr. not want you to stay on a liquid diet, at least for awhile, after surgery? then move to mushy food--then to solids? you might want to do that--give the band time to heal, and so on. i first nibbled on "solid" food yesterday--a soft omelet, just about 1/2 of it. i have heard the "i felt like i was having a heart attack" comment from others--and it scares me to death. hope you are feeling better now. why not stick to liquids--such as protein shakes and soups for now--you will feel full-because you are so newly banded. write me, if you want more ideas. best wishes, girlin nyc

have you gone to a pain specialist? i know what you mean about chronic pain making you mean--i have seen a pain specialist--i have a nerve pain in my foot--and i take lyrica--which is a replacement for neurontin--these are for nerve pain--and i think they help (though every now and then, the pain breaks through and i go wild--want to cut my foot off)--but pain dr's definitely do take your pain seriously. look some up on the internet--in your area--see if you can get an appt. with one. did you talk to your other dr(s) about sending you to a pain specialist? ASK! best wishes, hope you find a dr. to help you with this chronic situation; i definitely know how you feel. it's TERRIBLY unpleasant. my sympathy is with you, girlin nyc

needles are SO minor--just look away--and think of it as a PINCH--which is all it really is! you'll be fine!! take a deep breath at the time--and relax--it will be easier! best of luck!!

today i had soup--2x. once for lunch--only about 1/2 cup of soup. and that was fine. but THEN....a few hours later (probably 4.5 hours), i had BIG plate of soup--probably 2 cups. TOO MUCH. ugh. it's about 7 hrs later and i have no desire to eat ANYTHING. i was wayyyy too full from that soup---and i could immediately feel the effects from the band or my stomach or WHATEVER--about 5 min after i downed that entire thing of soup. ugh. major mistake. also, on friday--had esophogeal spasms. probably from how fast i ate "dinner" (1 optifast shake AND some more damn soup) on thursday night--again, i immediately realized--"that was NOT good"--and suffered for it right through friday afternoon. now--i DON'T want to be known at the surgeon's office as "that P.I.T.A. patient again" (for those who need to know definition of p.i.t.a.--write me privately) and i hesitated to call them -- so i reached out to someone here, and got back the "esophogeal spasm" explanation--and yep--sounded just like what i had done to myself. so--by not eating anything filling for the morning--and taking 2 advil--i eventually felt better. i MUST get used to the 1/2 cup limit. it's just that NOTHING that small EVER filled me up in the past. it's so NOT ME (bitter laugh). well--the measuring cup is about to be my new best friend. and although tomorrow, sunday, is one day short of the 2 wks past surgery day--and technically 1 day early to start mushy food--i think i want to start it AT HOME--just to see if i can eat it. i DO NOT want to be at work, trying this out for the first time. (ok, ok, i COULD just eat soup at work for lunch, as i've been doing---but i KNOW myself--and i KNOW my temptations...). then again---after today's fiasco with the 2 cups of soup---maybe i SHOULD just stay on the "soup at lunch" plan i've been on. i really haven't been hungry. ok--another lesson learned. ouch. but still--i don't HATE the band inside me--it's not that the pain i've felt has been so overwhelming that i want it ripped out of me--it's more like "ok, you've GOT to learn how you'll be feeling with this---and learn to live with the limits." i WANT limits-this is what i signed up for...so, in a weird way--it's all GOOD. eventually---i'm going to "get it."

today i had soup--2x. once for lunch--only about 1/2 cup of soup. and that was fine. but THEN....a few hours later (probably 4.5 hours), i had BIG plate of soup--probably 2 cups. TOO MUCH. ugh. it's about 7 hrs later and i have no desire to eat ANYTHING. i was wayyyy too full from that soup---and i could immediately feel the effects from the band or my stomach or WHATEVER--about 5 min after i downed that entire thing of soup. ugh. major mistake. also, on friday--had esophogeal spasms. probably from how fast i ate "dinner" (1 optifast shake AND some more damn soup) on thursday night--again, i immediately realized--"that was NOT good"--and suffered for it right through friday afternoon. now--i DON'T want to be known at the surgeon's office as "that P.I.T.A. patient again" (for those who need to know definition of p.i.t.a.--write me privately) and i hesitated to call them -- so i reached out to someone here, and got back the "esophogeal spasm" explanation--and yep--sounded just like what i had done to myself. so--by not eating anything filling for the morning--and taking 2 advil--i eventually felt better. i MUST get used to the 1/2 cup limit. it's just that NOTHING that small EVER filled me up in the past. it's so NOT ME (bitter laugh). well--the measuring cup is about to be my new best friend. and although tomorrow, sunday, is one day short of the 2 wks past surgery day--and technically 1 day early to start mushy food--i think i want to start it AT HOME--just to see if i can eat it. i DO NOT want to be at work, trying this out for the first time. (ok, ok, i COULD just eat soup at work for lunch, as i've been doing---but i KNOW myself--and i KNOW my temptations...). then again---after today's fiasco with the 2 cups of soup---maybe i SHOULD just stay on the "soup at lunch" plan i've been on. i really haven't been hungry. ok--another lesson learned. ouch. but still--i don't HATE the band inside me--it's not that the pain i've felt has been so overwhelming that i want it ripped out of me--it's more like "ok, you've GOT to learn how you'll be feeling with this---and learn to live with the limits." i WANT limits-this is what i signed up for...so, in a weird way--it's all GOOD. eventually---i'm going to "get it."

Stacy, Usually your surgeon's office will sell them. i believe optifast is only available through dr's offices (someone correct me if i'm wrong). they come in pre-mixed boxes or envelopes of powder that you mix w/ Water. Best regards, girlin nyc

Stacy, there's no way around it--you're going to be grumpy for a couple more days yet--and then, suddenly--you won't be as hungry! it's amazing! so hang in there--you CAN do it--it's only 11 more days--and soon you'll be in single digit "days left"---yes, visions of sugarplums (or spaghetti and pizza) will dance in your head--and you'll think about them while sipping optifast ....i know--i did. i thought of BACON. of all the weird things--something i don't even EAT...put the optifast in the blender with ice--and then pour it over some MORE ice--the frostier it is--the better it tastes! good luck! girlin nyc:)

actually, i DO belong to the gym--but i am taking it easy. the dr. said no lifting weights (which i like) for 6 wks--i COULD go on the treadmill--but eh. and i look like i've been kicked by a mule. don't want to have to EXPLAIN to anyone in the locker room "no my husband DOESN'T beat me". i will walk at lunch today--going to MOOD--the fabric store of Project Runway! need some velvet for new pockets for old coat!

seems like this "massive sinus infection" is really hitting everyone (on the east coast). my sister has it--and has had it for quite sometime (which is why she is NOT ALLOWED NEAR ME). she finally had to see an ENT dr. for some steroids AND antibiotics. i hope you feel better soon!!

i mix my shakes in the blender with a lot of ice, then pour them over ice--really helps them taste better-whatever the brand you use. (i use optifast--which i get from the dr's office; i like the premixed chocolate). good luck on your upcoming surgery!

wow--you are doing FANTASTICALLY well--i'm going to have to read this whole diary--there must be some GOOD inspiration here. just reading your list of descending numbers makes me feel "i can do this!!" you go girl!

i went back to work yesterday. not too bad--because basically i sit at computer all day--can get up when i want to/have to--and i left not TOO long after 5 pm (6--only 1 hr...not too bad). i came home and IMMEDIATELY took painkiller--not that i was DYING or anything-- i just wanted to be more comfortable. i figure--i have painkiller--i may as well use it. :heh: well, i was comfortable all right--fell during the first 10 min of American Idol (which i'm sure was no great loss)--and woke up for the 11:00 news. today was better--but that's probably because i slept late--as my first stop this morning was not work--but the hospital for the esophogram. an easy test--they just make you stand against a machine, and you drink some strawberry flavored glop (a few sips) while the machine films you. then i took the films and report to my surgeon's office (all this at the hospital--so no major traveling between locations)--for a post op check by the nurse--then made appt for first fill (feb 21) and finally to work. i have been eating more creamy soups--au bon pain potato & leek soup--awesome. i had corn chowder for lunch today--i'm sure that's NOT a recommended item for the 2nd week--but it was ok--i tried to avoid the corn--and just have the soup (and carrots and potatoes--very soft). yesterday, i was much less hungry than today--but today, my diet wasn't well-managed, as i was running around too much. this evening i attended my first "users group" of lapbanded people. it was jam-packed! nice people--some of whom i've talked to here-i met in person. some interesting topics were brought up--i probably would have been more comfortable if i could have EATEN first (too much planning to make that happen)--was RAVENOUS when i got home. ate, really fast, an optifast shake AND a bowl of mushroom soup for dinner--way too much food. now i've got a big pain in my left side--by my waist--can't decide what that's from--took MORE painkiller--and i hope i can now go to sleep--it's pumpkin time--12:00!

i went back to work yesterday. not too bad--because basically i sit at computer all day--can get up when i want to/have to--and i left not TOO long after 5 pm (6--only 1 hr...not too bad). i came home and IMMEDIATELY took painkiller--not that i was DYING or anything-- i just wanted to be more comfortable. i figure--i have painkiller--i may as well use it. :heh: well, i was comfortable all right--fell during the first 10 min of American Idol (which i'm sure was no great loss)--and woke up for the 11:00 news. today was better--but that's probably because i slept late--as my first stop this morning was not work--but the hospital for the esophogram. an easy test--they just make you stand against a machine, and you drink some strawberry flavored glop (a few sips) while the machine films you. then i took the films and report to my surgeon's office (all this at the hospital--so no major traveling between locations)--for a post op check by the nurse--then made appt for first fill (feb 21) and finally to work. i have been eating more creamy soups--au bon pain potato & leek soup--awesome. i had corn chowder for lunch today--i'm sure that's NOT a recommended item for the 2nd week--but it was ok--i tried to avoid the corn--and just have the soup (and carrots and potatoes--very soft). yesterday, i was much less hungry than today--but today, my diet wasn't well-managed, as i was running around too much. this evening i attended my first "users group" of lapbanded people. it was jam-packed! nice people--some of whom i've talked to here-i met in person. some interesting topics were brought up--i probably would have been more comfortable if i could have EATEN first (too much planning to make that happen)--was RAVENOUS when i got home. ate, really fast, an optifast shake AND a bowl of mushroom soup for dinner--way too much food. now i've got a big pain in my left side--by my waist--can't decide what that's from--took MORE painkiller--and i hope i can now go to sleep--it's pumpkin time--12:00!

wow that's AWESOME weight loss! :clap2: good luck on your surgery--i'm sure it will go well! best wishes, girlin nyc

Tammy, if you take the right amount of shakes per day (for me it was 5 Optifast shakes), the first say, 2 days will be rough--and then your appetite will calm down on its own. if you're working--your mind will be busy with work--ask your dr. if you can have any fresh or cooked, non-carb (no potatoes, corn, peas) vegetables during the day---and it's doable. believe me, i did it. i wasn't HAPPY, no way--but i did it. i didn't shake--i was irritable--but then amazingly--my appetite calmed way down. i was surprised--i thought "why could i never do this BEFORE having it required by upcoming SURGERY?" --well of course, i had done it once before, for a few MONTHS even--but--of course, in the end..gained all the weight back and more--many more years of yo-yo dieting followed---so---here i am--banded. but--the pre-op diet is doable--even without appetite suppresants. you'll do fine! i promise! -Girlin NYC

hope you feel better soon! take care of yourself!!

i think you need to sit up for awhile. not good to lie down that full. try sitting up in bed for awhile, ok?