How is everyone doing??

[CWinkler340 29]

I am 2 weeks out from surgery!! very nervous!

[angemc 85]

I am 2 weeks out from surgery!! very nervous!

Have you started pre-op? I'm two weeks post-op and worried that I'm eating too much because I have been so hungry. But feeling great and looking forward to my first fill on the 29th.

[CWinkler340 29]

i start pre op on the 25th! Are you feeling normal pain and comfort wise? that first fill im sure will be a HUGE relief!

[PoohBear22 6]

4 days post-op. ugh!!! So not feeling well right now. Not sure if I'm "eating" to much broth at night and maybe that's what's making me feel so yucky at night or what but during the day I'm starving and at night I feel horrible. What am I doing wrong?

[musica73 34]

Best of Luck CWinkler! Hopefully your pre-op will go by fast. For me it was a little slow. The anticipation of surgery made the time drag by. I am now 9 days post op and go back for my first dr visit today. I started the "mushie" diet phase yesterday. It was wonderful to have something besides liquid! Everything is going pretty well except for some pain around my port area. It comes and goes. I will be very glad when it subsides! I am also looking foward to when I can sleep on my side again! Ugh! I hate sleeping on my back. My advice to you is be sure you follow your pre-op diet, it will definitely help in post-op and be sure you get up and moving as soon as possible after surgery. Also, ask the hospital about a anti-nausea patch. Mine gave me one that I wore for two days. It helped with any nausea. It was wonderful. Hope all goes well with you for your surgery! There is a lot of great support here!

[angemc 85]

i start pre op on the 25th! Are you feeling normal pain and comfort wise? that first fill im sure will be a HUGE relief!

Yep I feel great! I woke up on day 7 post-op and felt like myself again. And every day after that just got better and better. Now at 15 days, I wouldn't even know I have a band apart from the lump I can feel under my skin and the fact that I can't eat as much!

[angemc 85]

4 days post-op. ugh!!! So not feeling well right now. Not sure if I'm "eating" to much broth at night and maybe that's what's making me feel so yucky at night or what but during the day I'm starving and at night I feel horrible. What am I doing wrong?

Pooh Bear that's exactly how I felt!! Hungry but horrible when I ate. Inm fact I still feel that way!! The feeling of fullness is definitely different after the band. You don't get that normal "full" feeling, you just start feeling really yukky in the chest.. well that's how it is for me anyway. I am finding it really easy to over eat, and then I pay for it. I am keeping my meal sizes small but just feel so hungry because I haven't had any fills yet. And if I have eaten too much, the horrible feeling lasts for hours before I feel better and most often happens at night. I have had two nights where feeling so crappy has stopped me from sleeping till 5 in the morning. Maybe try smaller more frequent meals? That helped me with feeling so hungry in the second week post-op

[newlife4me@48 8]

I am scheduled for tomorrow and I am a little nervous ... Plus I feel as if I am starving!!!

[soccerturtle 7]

Angemc and PoohBear22 thank you for sharing how you've been feeling! What a relief to know I'm not alone in this! I was totally miserable post-op for 6 days. Our "pain meds" my doc suggested was Tylenol! I was in excruciating pain those first few days...I was miserable and grumpy from being hungry but feeling like garbage I also had massive heartburn pain that woke me up at night every night post-op til just yesterday. I now take 2 antacid pills first thing in the morning and that has made a huge difference. Now, I'm hungry and my stomach growls and rumbles and burns and then when I eat (about a cup of mashies) I don't ever feel "full" I just feel pressure and tightness in the center of my chest. It's been a rough adjustment to this. I guess I always thought I'd feel "full" and then stop eating and not get hungry for several hours. That has not been the case for me. I'm hoping this changes once I start getting fills...glad we're in this group together! I'm down 12lbs total (pre and post op). Good luck to each of you!!!

[PoohBear22 6]

Hi Angemc.......this is so crazy. I mean I keep saying "eating" but the truth is its only Fluid. Shouldn't Fluid go right past the band? Why does it make me feel so horrible to have a half bowl of broth? Is like I feel horrible all the time, I can't win. I feel horrible from not eating, headaches and hunger pains and then I feel horrible when I do "eat". Maybe I'm just pushing too hard, trying to feel normal too soon. Today is Day 5 post-op.......and it's been my crying day. I've been crying all day. Crying wondering if I did the right thing, crying that I won't feel better, crying because everything I see seems to do with food and all I want to do is eat something.

I must say that being apart of this forum has helped ALOT. I've only told 4 people in my life about the surgery and 2 of them live more than 1,000 miles away and non of them have ever gone through anything like this. Without you guys I would truly be all alone in this. Heck today was the first day I actually told my Mom about the surgery.

Soccerturtle.......Congratulations on your 12lbs. That's awesome!! You must be proud of yourself.

[PoohBear22 6]

Ps. Maybe I'll try the antacid thing and see if that helps at all.

[soccerturtle 7]

Ps. Maybe I'll try the antacid thing and see if that helps at all.

PoohBear22 I totally felt that way you do 5 days post op!!! Everything was MISERABLE all the time!! I had heartburn, I was STARVING, I was sooo tired from not eating and then I would drink my broth and feel awful afterwards! It was like I was never comfortable or pain free so I started questioning the entire procedure but I promise you every single morning you wake up you'll feel a little better than the day before. Every day you'll feel a little less yucky after each time you eat. Each day is a little better than the day before I promise you it does. For now know you are supposed to feel like crap because let's face it, we have done some traumatic things to our poor innards lol! I think I wasn't prepare for how much pain and discomfort would be involved immediately post-op. trust me, it's all a part of the journey...just take it easy and be kind to yourself. Have faith that you made the right decision for yourself

[PoohBear22 6]

Thanks so much Soccorturtle. When did you have your surgery? How are you feeling today? Are you eating yet?

[soccerturtle 7]

Thanks so much Soccorturtle. When did you have your surgery? How are you feeling today? Are you eating yet?

You're so welcome PoohBear22 I was banded on 8/7 and had lost 6lbs with the pre-op diet and then 6 pounds since then to date. I am eating blenderized food and trying to "eat clean" (organic chicken broth, steamed broccoli, baked chicken breast, shrimp, sea week salad) all blenderized to baby mash lol. It's delicious food but I can honestly say I HATE the texture! I like food and I like to eat and that's one of the reasons I'm overweight but I've decided I can still eat lots of foods I just can't eat the unhealthy stuff any more (French fries, burgers, cheesy lasagna and other pastas). I've also had LOTS of blended watermelon which is basically like watermelon Water it's sweet and delicious! I've also discovered feta cheese and eat that bc it's lower in fat/calories and stronger in taste to it helps me get my "salt fix".

I didn't tell not a single person I has this surgery because, sadly, I don't have people in my life that wouldn't pass negative judgement on my decision to get banded and I think that's been the roughest part. I don't have support from family or friends and that's hard. I'm so happy I have all of you here! You've been so wonderfully kind and supportive! Thanks for your encouragement

[angemc 85]

Angemc and PoohBear22 thank you for sharing how you've been feeling! What a relief to know I'm not alone in this! I was totally miserable post-op for 6 days. Our "pain meds" my doc suggested was Tylenol! I was in excruciating pain those first few days...I was miserable and grumpy from being hungry but feeling like garbage I also had massive heartburn pain that woke me up at night every night post-op til just yesterday. I now take 2 antacid pills first thing in the morning and that has made a huge difference. Now, I'm hungry and my stomach growls and rumbles and burns and then when I eat (about a cup of mashies) I don't ever feel "full" I just feel pressure and tightness in the center of my chest. It's been a rough adjustment to this. I guess I always thought I'd feel "full" and then stop eating and not get hungry for several hours. That has not been the case for me. I'm hoping this changes once I start getting fills...glad we're in this group together! I'm down 12lbs total (pre and post op). Good luck to each of you!!!

My pain meds after day 2 were ibuprofen. I stayed overnight in the hospital and they gave me good drugs there, I wish they had given me some to take home.. I could have just slept the week away!! I have only had heartburn once and some antacid did the trick. It definitely is a strange feeling being full, although hunger feels the same. And I'm finding each day that I need to eat a little more than the day before to keep the hunger away. My first fill is next week on the 29th, which is three and a half weeks after my band day. Im nervous about getting it done (I HATE needles) but looking forward to having that feeling of not being interested in food that everyone else talks about. Although I'm also hearing that it can take quite a few fills to find that "sweet spot" My doc said he will do a fill every 4 weeks until I'm in that green zone