Greetings to all!

Here is a place for us to meet up after our surgeries for more specific post-op discussions. Hope to see everyone here!

Great idea!! Thanks for sharing

I don't think I've shared this, but my #1 recommendation is.....< drumroll > Glass custard cups with lids (by Pyrex or Anchor)!! I bought them at Walmart (4 cups and 4 lids) for about $9.50.

These are great because....

---They hold 1 C each, making my 1/2 C meals very easy to "eyeball"

---When I make a meal, I make a couple of extras, slap the lids on, and freeze them

---They're easy to eat out of

---Dishwasher safe (lids and cups)

---Contents don't ever stain (because they're glass!

GO BUY SOME!! I have two sets now (8 cups) and I'm going to buy another two sets tomorrow. So helpful!

http://www.walmart.c...torage/15114589

I did the pre-op diet and didn't lose any weight the first week. Some people say its because I was eating so much less than normal that my body was in shock and didn't want to give up any weight in case we needed it later! lol Point being that you were only banded a few days ago and your body is adjusting to some big changes as well as using its energy to heal. I wouldn't worry right now, the first few weeks after surgery should be focused on healing. I am sure the weight loss will come for you

Hi i was banded July 13.... I am still in pain...and even though i am barely eating i dont feel like i am losing any weight, Is it too soon? lol i didnt do the 2 week pre-op diet,,,, i was too busy going to eat everywhere and everything i wasnt going to be able to eat once i got the band. Not sure if that was a great idea... But it's the truth. I am determined to have this work for me, but i am doubtful and i dont know if that will be my demise. I am following everything just switching to mushies in the diet. Day 1 & 2 i did NOT do the strict 3 meals...i ate and sipped when i could...i guess now is the time to pay attention to the 3 meals etc...

Congrats and welcome to everyone who got banded this past week!! For those of you who feel miserable, it gets better!!! I am 2 wks and 2 days post-op and I feel great! No discomfort at all and my little band is working wonderfully. I eat about 1/2c to a cup of food, depending on how hungry I am...I try to remember to stop when I feel satisfied and not full but that's a learning process for me. I did have a bit of a stall this week....but I finally dropped 1.5lbs today so I feel ok with that for the week...although I would like it to be more, I think we all feel that way lol.

Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!!

I'm so glad to hear you're feeling good. I'm going out to eat tonight for the first time (PF Chang) and I'm nervous about it. I've already looked at the menu online and I know what I'm going to order I'm like you - I'm just not focused on the scale. Although it is nice to lose the weight when I do, I have to remind myself that it will not magically melt off every day. My main concern is getting good nutrition and being healthy. The pounds lost are just kind of a bonus at this point. I'm having fun with my blog. It is so nice to look back to when the journey started and to read my thoughts and things I've discovered along the way.

Amy

Congrats and welcome to everyone who got banded this past week!! For those of you who feel miserable, it gets better!!! I am 2 wks and 2 days post-op and I feel great! No discomfort at all and my little band is working wonderfully. I eat about 1/2c to a cup of food, depending on how hungry I am...I try to remember to stop when I feel satisfied and not full but that's a learning process for me. I did have a bit of a stall this week....but I finally dropped 1.5lbs today so I feel ok with that for the week...although I would like it to be more, I think we all feel that way lol.

Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!!

Hey all July Banders,

I apoligize now if I upset anyone.....but I am at the point of saying "What have I done?" I know this feeling will pass, but I don't feel well, I don't feel "right", I always feel like I have indigestion or heart burn (i have never had either), I still don't know if I am hurting from hunger, healing pains, or gas, or hernia repair and since Wednesday evening, I am pouting even watching a Kentucky Fried Chicken commercial!! Again, I know this will pass, but I do hope that this "not quite right" feeling goes away soon.

On the up side, I am down 15 lbs since last Thursday, but I still can't hold in my stomach and walk up right!

Please, early banders, tell me it will get better!!!!

Lisa

Lisa, i'm a bit late in my reply but things will get much better!!! I was banded on the 1st and i'm almost back to completely normal! I went for my post op appt yesterday and things are good. They told me not to be concerned about my weight until I started getting fills...so i'm going to weigh once a week and be thankful that I"m healthy and alive I, too, wondered if i made a mistake...i think once you heal some you will really start to feel better!!!

OK July Bandsters...here's my 15 days after banding update!!!

I'm feeling like a normal person!! I can go out to a restaurant and be normal I had hummus at the cheese cake factory last night and it was soooooo yummy. I have restriction a tiny bit...with thicker foods. And esp if I don't chew well. I was even able to have a margarita last night. Empty calories I know...but just 1. ANd i terribly miss beer so a margarita was nice.

So....I'm down 15.6 lbs (or so) and I'm feeling really good. I go on vacation in 2 weeks and decided to delay my first fill until I get back...even if that means i gain a few lbs. It will be on August 8.

I go to Kings island amusement park in mid-september and my first mini goal is non-scale...it's to be able to ride the kiddie roller coaster with my son...for his first ride

OK toodles and ttyl!

Hi guys,

1 day since banding and my incisions are so sore! Everytime I get up out of bed they ache for an hour. I've been mostly sleeping because I just feel pretty miserable over all and it's a way to escape. Plus, my pain meds make me to dumb and tired to do anything like read. I don't think I have too bad of gas pains (yet) except a lot of tightness in my chest.

Tell me this gets better...every minute I'm awake drags on like an hour and it feels like this is never going to pass!

Shauna

Hi Shauna,

SInce I'm only a couple of days ahead of you, I can say it DOES get better. I also had the hernia repair and that tightness is a good description. I still feel it if I take a deep breath, but the pulling at the incisions every time I move in bed, get up from sitting, etc. is now gone. I stopped the pain meds on day two when I came home. They made me sooo sleepy, I couldn't stand it. But I can relate to the feeling that sleeping is a way to pass the time and escape a bit. Just allow yourself to sleep, or lay in bed feeling sorry for yourself a few more days if you need to. I think you'll feel much more "alert" and lively in a few more days. If you don't, we'll all help you deal with that.

This whole thing definitely hit me harder than I anticipated. It is a capital B "Big Deal" to have abdominal surgery, even if it's less "invasive" than bypass. That's why reading posts from people just a week down the road is so helpful. If others made it through, so can I...and so can you!!

Jenny

Hi guys,

1 day since banding and my incisions are so sore! Everytime I get up out of bed they ache for an hour. I've been mostly sleeping because I just feel pretty miserable over all and it's a way to escape. Plus, my pain meds make me to dumb and tired to do anything like read. I don't think I have too bad of gas pains (yet) except a lot of tightness in my chest.

Tell me this gets better...every minute I'm awake drags on like an hour and it feels like this is never going to pass!

Shauna

Just lay around and rest. Sip fluids continuously whenever you're awake, never miss a pain med dose for the first 2 days (and yes, liquid Lortab tastes terrible). We all know it gets better because we were all just there 2 weeks ago. Remember that you're only a day post-op and you're not expected to feel comfortable or all peppy. The tight tummy feeling (hard to get in and out of bed, or a recliner) goes away after 48 hours (generally). Everyone is different, but one thing is the same - everyone feels disoriented, medicated, and has no appetite for the first two days. That's a promise. It gets better, or we wouldn't be here <HUGS>

Amy

Hi guys,

1 day since banding and my incisions are so sore! Everytime I get up out of bed they ache for an hour. I've been mostly sleeping because I just feel pretty miserable over all and it's a way to escape. Plus, my pain meds make me to dumb and tired to do anything like read. I don't think I have too bad of gas pains (yet) except a lot of tightness in my chest.

Tell me this gets better...every minute I'm awake drags on like an hour and it feels like this is never going to pass!

Shauna

Hi Shauna,

SInce I'm only a couple of days ahead of you, I can say it DOES get better. I also had the hernia repair and that tightness is a good description. I still feel it if I take a deep breath, but the pulling at the incisions every time I move in bed, get up from sitting, etc. is now gone. I stopped the pain meds on day two when I came home. They made me sooo sleepy, I couldn't stand it. But I can relate to the feeling that sleeping is a way to pass the time and escape a bit. Just allow yourself to sleep, or lay in bed feeling sorry for yourself a few more days if you need to. I think you'll feel much more "alert" and lively in a few more days. If you don't, we'll all help you deal with that.

This whole thing definitely hit me harder than I anticipated. It is a capital B "Big Deal" to have abdominal surgery, even if it's less "invasive" than bypass. That's why reading posts from people just a week down the road is so helpful. If others made it through, so can I...and so can you!!

Jenny

Hi Shauna,

I had my surgery the day before you and then rode in a car 6 hours to home the next day. I have no idea what I was thinking. Today the pain is much better (2 days after surgery). My port incision is extremely painful though. It feels like someone is ripping my side off with hot pokers. I also discovered a fine rash on my stomach this morning. So I took a Zyrtex and put cortaide cream on it. Later I took another pain pill that's discovered that the rash is caused by my pain meds. The rash raised up and spread after I took them. So no more pain meds. except children's liquid Tylenol. I hope you feel better soon. Hang in there. We are with you.

Hey all,

Day 4 post-op afternoon and feeling pretty good. I did some gardening, cleaned the house, and went to a pool party last night (no swimming, of course). I've been napping everyday and just praying that this full sensation doesn't go away. Although it's a tad annoying feeling like a stuffed turkey all the time, it beats the heck out of hunger, right?

I'm down 10 lbs since surgery, though I'm sure it's a lot of Water weight since I just can't get in too many liquids. But 10 lbs still sounds like a pretty good first week!

I'm craving some ice cream in a bad way...do you think sugar free would be ok?

Congrats to all the newly banded. Hang in there, y'all!!

Shauna & Jenny, Congrats!! All I did for 2-3 days after surgery was rest and drink lol My port incision hurt so bad even the pain meds didn't stop that and sleeping was done in 2 hour increments but by night 4 I was feeling pretty good and could roll over on my sides without much pain. It's tough the first few days but at two weeks out I feel I had surgery months ago instead of weeks. I'm excited for all of us, we are gonna do so great!!!

Hey April, I'm about an hour away from you in Copperas Cove I craved ice cream too, this heat is killer for that. What I did was get some lemon juice and ideal (I don't like splenda) and mixed up some lemonade and froze it and ate it later. it's great for the heat, plus it counts as part of your liquid intake for the day! Hope that helps!! Congrats on the 10 lbs, thats awesome

Hey all,

Day 4 post-op afternoon and feeling pretty good. I did some gardening, cleaned the house, and went to a pool party last night (no swimming, of course). I've been napping everyday and just praying that this full sensation doesn't go away. Although it's a tad annoying feeling like a stuffed turkey all the time, it beats the heck out of hunger, right?

I'm down 10 lbs since surgery, though I'm sure it's a lot of Water weight since I just can't get in too many liquids. But 10 lbs still sounds like a pretty good first week!

I'm craving some ice cream in a bad way...do you think sugar free would be ok?

Congrats to all the newly banded. Hang in there, y'all!!

I'm ten days out and while my stomach has completely healed, my legs are still like rubber and painful like I just worked out too much. It's difficult to walk. I see the Dr. on Monday, so we'll see what he has to say.

I'm only three days post-op and moving around a little bit more. Have managed to only take children's tylenol today. Will definitely take the pain meds tonight; tried to sleep without them last night, big mistake. I was doing okay until my cat jumped on my stomach...ouch. Couldn't get mad, she was just trying to get in her normal sleeping spot.

The only incision site that is sore is the port site. The rest don't bother me at all. I have been able to sleep on my side, but getting to my side is the hard thing. Feels like my side is pulling and tearing.

Haven't really been all that hungry...eating three times a day about 1/2 cup at a time. I have a cup full of either decaf ice tea or Water with me 24/7. Definitely getting the liquids in. Suppose to have two Protein shakes a day...haven't managed to pull that one off yet.

Tomorrow afternoon going to the local diner for their famous creamy chicken and rice Soup. Of course I can't have the rice or the chicken, but the creamy soup will be a nice treat.

I did go get a pedicure yesterday. My feet looked awful. Probably a bit too much activity, but makes me feel a little better.

Looking forward to getting to the point where I don't feel tight and full 24/7. Thanks for all the updates so we know what to expect. Hang in there for those that are only a day or two out. It really does get better.

Tammy