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!

Hi, all!

Just wanted to suggest a fabulous site for tracking your food/water/exercise. It's Livestrong.com, and go to the MyPlate section. I've used this before and found it really helpful for keeping me accountable, so I'm starting it again. You can put in your height/weight and weight loss goals and it will tell you how many calories you need a day to get there. It's very user-friendly, so I hope you all enjoy it as much as I do!

Day 12 Post-Op and feeling FABULOUS!

I see the doctor tomorrow and definitely plan to mention it. I'm still on liquids at this point (hopefully until tomorrow). Others have suggested it may be GURD. I will let you all know what he says tomorrow.

Thanks for the support.

Deb

Hang in there!! I went 6 days with no weight loss (and I was very careful with my food choices, well, except once...) but finally the scale shows a loss today. I've also started walking on a treadmill, so that probably gives the body a nudge, too. Doc says nothing much exercise wise for the first month, so I just walk about 20 minutes.

Amy

Oh, AlyGurl--me, too!!! My TOM is due at any moment, my weight loss has completely stalled, and it's all I can do not to eat everything in sight!! I have managed to avoid PBing, but I am fighting head-hunger and TOM cravings every minute of the day. *sigh*

I guess it all depends on the person. I have been sleeping on my sides since the night of my surgery. I am a side sleeper so i just drifted onto my sides while i was a sleep anyway. I did place a pillow beside my belly before drifting off a couple of times, but I have not had any problems there.

Lisa

I was banded on the 20th and wanted to ask if and when I would be able to lay on my side that the port is on. It is still really sore and hurts to lay on me side. Any tips?

Also I saw in previous posts the term PB'ing....what does that mean?

hey ladies,

So I'm 4 days out and starving! Not sure that I can make it till Friday for full liquids. I'm weak and extremely tired due to lack of calories I'm sure. The plus side is that I'm hardly sore and having a much better experience this time around. I have my port in my chest, anyone else opt for this? It seems to be a lot less painful than the stomach port was . I had never heard of this being done before. I literally had dreams of pizza last night, so hungry! My stomach feels like it's turning inside out.

Ok, I'm almost at the end of day 4 and I have been feeling pretty good for the most part. I had the worst gas pains that felt like horrific heartburn for 2 days then overwhelmingly bloated yesterday. Now today from just drinking clear liquids I have diarrhea (tmi I know). I can't tell if I have hunger pains or if that is just the feeling of the band around my stomach, lol kind of a strange predicament. Do you think I will be ok to start full liquids tomorrow since I have been keeping liquids down and feel like I am past the gas pains for the most part or should I stick to 5 full days of clear liquids? I know everyone's diet is a bit different. Mine is 5 days clear liquids, days 6 & 7 full liquids then puree for 2 weeks then on to regular food for 1 week prior to my fill at 5 weeks. I am so excited for this life changing journey and to have fabulous people to share it with. I would love to see some great ideas for pureed food if anyone has some.

I was banded on July 15th! Had some complications following surgery. Ended up with Pancreatitis. No fun! I have been feeling a lot better the last 2 days. I actually got around to putting on makeup and doing my hair. I am sure my boyfriend will be thrilled with this..lol. My surgery went okay, although when they got in to place the band they found I had a hiatal hernia. Apparently it was so bad the surgeon contimplated on putting the band in. Needless to say, I am banded! It's been a little rough this last week as there isn't a whole lot of food choices to work with. Sugar free pudding, jello and cream of wheat. Yummy! (sarcasm). Each day gets easier and have lost 11 lbs so far in a week. My clothes are starting to fit different already. I think this is my motivation right now. I was in the hospital for a few days after surgery. I had super low O2 sats and my blood pressure was way low. Anyone else have issues after surgery?

Hope everyone is doing well. Seems to be pretty quiet on the post-op side lately. I grabbed some multivitamins today - I'll wait to buy a larger quantity until I know where my deficiencies are (I'm guessing that I'm going to need Iron). Still taking my calcium twice a day like a good little patient. <<hugs>>

Amy

I was banded on July 15th! Had some complications following surgery. Ended up with Pancreatitis. No fun! I have been feeling a lot better the last 2 days. I actually got around to putting on makeup and doing my hair. I am sure my boyfriend will be thrilled with this..lol. My surgery went okay, although when they got in to place the band they found I had a hiatal hernia. Apparently it was so bad the surgeon contimplated on putting the band in. Needless to say, I am banded! It's been a little rough this last week as there isn't a whole lot of food choices to work with. Sugar free pudding, jello and cream of wheat. Yummy! (sarcasm). Each day gets easier and have lost 11 lbs so far in a week. My clothes are starting to fit different already. I think this is my motivation right now. I was in the hospital for a few days after surgery. I had super low O2 sats and my blood pressure was way low. Anyone else have issues after surgery?

I didn't have issues post op but they found a hiatal weakness while they were banding me and had to fix it. It's definately slowed the recovery process a bit.

Hooray! Staples are out and purees are in! Had some tuna with reduced fat olive oil mayo, and it was sooooo good.

Once I explained the heartburn sensation, they had me do a barium swallow, to make sure everything was in the proper place, and it is. So not sure what happened, but never want to feel that again!

I was banded on July 15th! Had some complications following surgery. Ended up with Pancreatitis. No fun! I have been feeling a lot better the last 2 days. I actually got around to putting on makeup and doing my hair. I am sure my boyfriend will be thrilled with this..lol. My surgery went okay, although when they got in to place the band they found I had a hiatal hernia. Apparently it was so bad the surgeon contimplated on putting the band in. Needless to say, I am banded! It's been a little rough this last week as there isn't a whole lot of food choices to work with. Sugar free pudding, jello and cream of wheat. Yummy! (sarcasm). Each day gets easier and have lost 11 lbs so far in a week. My clothes are starting to fit different already. I think this is my motivation right now. I was in the hospital for a few days after surgery. I had super low O2 sats and my blood pressure was way low. Anyone else have issues after surgery?

Cream of Wheat sounds amazing right now!! Absolutely amazing and delicious! I can hardly read the words CREAM of WHEAT without salivating! lol.

Amy:

I always love it when you respond--you always say just the right thing to make me feel better! I do so love this support group. Yay, July Bandsters!

I'm clinging to the idea that my standard monthly water retention would usually make me gain 3-5 lbs, but this month, I'm just staying the same weight. I'm hoping that means that when this TOM is over, I'll have a net loss.

Hang in there!! I went 6 days with no weight loss (and I was very careful with my food choices, well, except once...) but finally the scale shows a loss today. I've also started walking on a treadmill, so that probably gives the body a nudge, too. Doc says nothing much exercise wise for the first month, so I just walk about 20 minutes.

Amy

So you're waiting until you know what your vitamin deficiencies are? I just assumed I'd have them and started chewables: a multivitamin, calcium, and iron. I also found some gummy fish oil pills at Costco. They're supposedly tropical fruit flavored--and sometimes I can't even detect the fishy undertaste (sometimes, though . . . ick!!).

I'm considering tracking down other chewables--pre-op, I took a lot of supplements to help deal with PCOS symptoms. Now I'm hoping the weight loss will help; but in the meantime, there were some (like biotin and inositol) that seemed to make me feel a lot better. But I have learned to loathe taking pills!

What is everyone else doing re: vitamins?

Hope everyone is doing well. Seems to be pretty quiet on the post-op side lately. I grabbed some multivitamins today - I'll wait to buy a larger quantity until I know where my deficiencies are (I'm guessing that I'm going to need Iron). Still taking my calcium twice a day like a good little patient. <<hugs>>

Amy

I've been doing the liquid calcium twice a day and now the gummy multivitamins once a day. I just had to buy some because I had quite a few samples of the multis, so I've been taking them since surgery. I have a feeling that I'll be buying iron soon, as well as a possible adjustment in my thyroid med (I'm still very sluggish since surgery). I saw gummy fish oil pills at Trader Joe's last night and I thought they sounded yucky! You're brave!!!

Amy

So you're waiting until you know what your vitamin deficiencies are? I just assumed I'd have them and started chewables: a multivitamin, calcium, and iron. I also found some gummy fish oil pills at Costco. They're supposedly tropical fruit flavored--and sometimes I can't even detect the fishy undertaste (sometimes, though . . . ick!!).

I'm considering tracking down other chewables--pre-op, I took a lot of supplements to help deal with PCOS symptoms. Now I'm hoping the weight loss will help; but in the meantime, there were some (like biotin and inositol) that seemed to make me feel a lot better. But I have learned to loathe taking pills!

What is everyone else doing re: vitamins?

Whew....this is truly a test of my willpower. I don't have restriction and ate out for lunch today. Aye. I could have eaten the entire plate (and usually did), but ended up with a palmful of onion strings and 4 small chicken tenders. I wanted to eat everything!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! My tummy isn't grumbling, so I know I'm not hungry, but dang...I just want to open up the fridge and rip open the take out box!! Exhale....I can do this. I am doing this....whew......exhale....I miss the "full" feeling but I know it will come soon. Having to stop mysefl when I'm not full is really hard. I know I'm preachin' to the choir here...