She Smiles

Ahh I see! I will try my luck at one of the bigger chemists in the city tomorrow Thanks!

Thanks Becky, I'm not sure why a prescription is needed for paracetamol though, do you think if I went into the chemist and asked for it, I might be able to get it? Or is it something that the chemist has to make up specially?

I had to wear compression stockings the day of, and day after surgery to avoid blood clots, but thats all.

I did exactly that. My original date was the 18 Dec. When I went to see my surgeon for my last pre op consult, he said he could fit me in on the 22nd November, which was only 2 weeks after. I jumped at the chance. I just wanted to get it done ASAP, I figured that way I would be 4 weeks ahead of myself if I took the earlier date. If you can organise your family logistically to cater for the earlier date and you are mentally and emotionally prepared, then go for it. Your new life starts the day you leave the hospital!!

No worries, glad to help I was given a heads up by my nutritionist that it might be an issue, so it was about 3 days before I decided I needed to take some action. Even now, my bowel movements are a lot less (even though I am eating a lot more veggies than I was before), so if I go a couple of days with out any action, I have some benefiber and its all sorted with in a couple of hours....

Mix some benfiber into your liquids. Or try some pear or prune juice if you want to try something more natural. Both of these options helped me and it was such a releif after they worked lol!

I would head back to the surgeon and explain the situation just as you have here in your post. He/She might have thought that the fill you had would be sufficient, but you can never tell until it has "settled" and you have lived with it for a while. From what you have said, it sounds like you could do with a little bit more cos the band isn't acting the way its intended to.

Hi my fellow Aussies I'm just wondering what you guys take when you have a headache/pain that needs to be resolved. I have been taking "pain stop" medicine when I have needed it, but its meant for Children so doesn't really do all that much. My Dr has said that aspirin and nurofen and even panadol in tablet forms are big no-nos, because they can erode my pouch. So any advice you can give on the matter would be much appreciated. Thanks guys!

Thanks Jack and Suzy. I am feeling rather chuffed with myself hehe NSV = non scale victory

THis is just my 2 cents....you could get a small unfill (maybe .1 or .2cc) and see if that makes any difference to the vomiting, you'd probably still have a fair bit of restriction, and would be able to eat a small amount, as is intended when the band is installed. I totally understand your desire to get down to your target weight, heck thats why we are all here , and I am sorry if I sound like I am lecturing, I'm not intending to do that at all. However, you may not realise that not only are you risking your band (it could slip with the vomiting), but you are risking your health too, you need SOME food or your body will go into starvation mode and you won't lose any more weight, its a defence mehcanism our bodies use to keep all the calories it can when its being starved. Please please speak to your surgeon. If you have proper restriction, are eating properly and exercising, there is no reason why you won't be able to get down to your goal weight. *hugs* look after your self.

Congrats! Its one of the hardest things I ever did, but I too quit last new years after 12 years of smoking. I found that by telling everyone I was going to quit, I kind of "forced" myself to, because I didn't want to be a failure! I've been having cravings this past week, which has been weird, but I am putting it down to the new good/better foods I am eating (or something haha). My Dr and my surgeon both said to me when I told them I had quit - YOU REALISE YOU CAN NEVER EVER SMOKE AGAIN, NOT EVEN A PUFF. EVER. And I never ever will, thats all it will take for me to go back again, I know that. Its such an addictive habit with so many negative repercusions and not really any good ones! Well done on overcoming that, and stay strong - the rest of your life starts now!! :clap2:

Today I thought I would hit the shops and see if I could get anything in the after Christmas sales. I don't really want to spend too much money on new clothes, because I am hoping that they won't fit me for long, and that it will end up being a waste if I buy a whole new wardrobe at each new size I fit into. Anyway I went to David Jones (Australians will know the store) to the bigger girls section, where I have bought most of my casual clothes over the years, they make funkier type t-shirts and tops and pants for us younger crowd. So I was rummaging through a table of tshirts that were on sale. I used to fit into a XL from there so I thought I would try a Large, why not, I thought I've lost a big of weight?!?! It was WAY too big! So then I tried a Medium! Still a little too big, given a couple of weeks, it would no doubt be swimming on me. So I bought a SMALL!!! Its a tighter fit than I would have worn at my biggest, but heck, I have a waist and hips again (As opposed to being a big beachball shape!) So I am going to show off my curves. I guess the next step from here is to start shopping in the "normal" sized section, size 16, here I come!! :clap2:

They do the stitching pretty darn fast, maybe I can get them over to take in some of my pants that are getting too big for me hahahaha :bananapartyhat:

What an awesome effort! Well done! I don't think I have been a size 10 since I was about 12 years old!

Holy dooley that is awesome (I'm not squeamish at all! hehe). Aren't those little laproscopic robotic "hands" nifty!!

I have had one fill and felt a little bit of restriction for a few days. Now I can eat anything and a lot more than I woud like to be eating, thats for sure. I haven't lost any weight in the last week and a half *sigh*. The earliest I can get in for another fill is the 17th, so I am trying to make the best food choices I can, but its hard when I have discovered I can eat anything!

Mine is a 10cc.

Walking. Walk as much as you feel able to. I found it was the best thing. I'd just walk around in circles in my lounge room a few times every half hour for the first few days and then gradually built up to being able to being able to go for 15 -20 minute strolls.

Thats such a brilliant idea! I'm going to suggest Chinese each time I have to go out to eat!

Two weeks after surgery I was allowed the softest of mushies and then ate mushies for two weeks progressing to well cooked food of any kind chewed REALLY REALLY well. Every Dr is different though, go with what yours has advised

I take a soluble one every morning without fail. It is the one thing that my Dr says we can't cheat on or avoid. I'm too much of a worry wart to tempt fate, so its part of my daily routine now. Its never too late to start!

Well the pancake eating went fine!!! I ordered one buckwheat pancake (which I only ate 2/3 of) which had a small slice of bacon and a poached egg, and hollandaise sauce on it (evil, I know, but it was a treat!). I ate really slowly and teensy tiny bites, just in case. All my friends ordered the same meal, but with 2 pancakes and 2 eggs and they ate the whole thing. It felt so good not being my usual piggy self (like I was preband) and had food left on my plate and felt FULL :clap2: Then I came home and went for a big bicycle ride a couple of hours after

I think what you are explaining is pretty normal, but if you are concerned, there is no harm in calling your surgeon's office to check. Try to drink as much fluids as you can, even if you don't "feel" like it (I found it really hard to drink the amount my Dr recommended in the first week or so). You need to avoid getting dehydrated. And yes, walk, as much as you feel you can (don't over do it!!). Even if its just a few circles around the house or yard every hour or two. I found my pain dissipated a lot when I made sure I was doing this. Good luck!

Thanks Cam. I hope I have as much sucess with my band as you!

Gayle, thanks also for your advice and concern I assure you I have no intention of eating this kind of food as a regular thing (it would probably make me feel ill!!). This is a one off Christmas celebration, and I tried my darndest to try to get them to go somewhere else with better options for me, with no sucess :cry !! But I figured can't live under a rock forever, I've missed so many social events that have been wholly centred around food (BBQs. Xmas lunches, morning teas etc etc) in the past 2 months, I think I am running out of reasons and excuses about why I can't go lol! I really feel that I am doing all that I can to treat my band with the utmost care, and that is exactly why I thought it might be worth asking if anyone else on this fantastic forum could eat pancakes :huggie: I agree whole heartedly with the no drinking with meals - I have never drank with a meal since my op, my Dr says its a no-no, and thats what goes! However, Australian Dr's seem to have a different attitude to US Dr's as far as carbs go. My Dr actually encourages us to consume a small amount of complex carbs each day, especially if we have gone from doing NO exercise to some (which I have!). But that said, I think I still might ask for the eggs (that come with a pancake, of course lol), I can always take my friend up on her offer to gobble up the left overs! :hungry: