I was banded on Friday. Its now Monday. I'm feeling very gassy and bloated. I'm often gassy and bloated when I don't eat, so I moved on from the Clear liquids only to the next phase: yogurt, strained Soups, Carnation Instant Breakfast, etc. It has helped some. I haven't had any nausia or spitting up. But my belly still feels enourmous from gas and possibly from some swelling from the surgery? I took some gas pills and they helped me sleep, but they don't seem to be helping much today. The doctor said I would experience gas for one or two days post surgery.

Comments? Suggestions?

Ok, did some more reading and it looks like even if I can tolerate eggs and mashed potatoes, eating food like that right now might interfere with the band healing in the right place. So, I'll stick to liquids for another (expletive deleted) week. But its killing me.

Naw, stay on liquids but you can eat anything you can blend into a liquid. The bean soup didn't give me gas.

OMG.. I wanted steak so bad! I could hardly get one full cup of liquid down but I was sure I could eat a COW! LOL!

Toss some bean with bacon soup in the blender and turn it into a thick creamy soup, then heat it up. Trust me, you'll be back here hugging me and thanking me. It saved me and many others when we were where you are now!

(I'll be waiting for that hug!)

This is so funny to me because I have been craving a burger on the grill with ketchup and tomato so desperately the thought is making my mouth Water. The problem I can't get in more than half a cup of anything and I DON"T EAT RED meat :rofl

Oh, now that's funny right there. I don't care who I am!

The bloating and swelling seem to be passing. I can actually lean forward now without being unbelievably uncomfortable. And its been 10 days. How 'bout that.

I'm a little concerned about one of the incisions. I was closed with glue and the surgeon (as competent as I think he is) revealed AFTER the surgery that they'd only been using the glue for a few days. The glue looks good on four of the incisions. Its that fifth one, the big one, that concerns me. This biggest incision, even right after the surgery, just didn't look closed enough to me. But I didn't get a good look at it until over six hours after the surgery, which is too late to improve how well a wound is closed. After six hours the best you can do is keep it from getting infected. After just a few days the glue on the big wound started splitting. I was aftraid bacteria would get under the glue. After a week I decided to just pull the glue off of that wound so I could do a better job of keeping it clean. Every day I wash with antibacterial soap. I let it air dry, rather than wiping with a nonsterilized towell. I put on Neosporin twice a day with freshly washed hands. Then I put on a big bandaid that's really meant for scraped knees. The big bandaid allows air to get through, but keeps my non-sterilized clothes off the wound. I think air needs to get through so it will stay dry and form a good scab, which I see is happening now. So far it doesn't look infected, but its going to be a big scar.

In other news, I'm frustrated that I've lost so little in the past few days. I did great at first. I lost 5.5 pounds in the first week, but I've only lost .5 pounds in the past 3 days. I know that Water weight fluctuates, so I'm trying not to be too annoyed, but I thought I'd have a big loss this week, too and I don't think that will happen.

I'm now on mushies. Even though I said before that I didn't feel much restriction, I have to admit, yesterday when I went to lunch at one of my favorite restaurants, I went in starving, but I couldn't eat anything after just one cup of Soup. That cup of soup used to be my appetizer; you know, what I would eat before I really ate. So, the band is doing its job. I'd just like to see a bit more weight loss, man!

Don't worry about the weight loss part of it right now. You are healing, and besides you have lost some weight already. Congrats for that!! :clap2: :clap2:

When I switched to mushie I ate cream of wheat. On the side of the box they have a recipe for making it for babies. That's what I had. That whole serving I ate and it was more than enough. I got some I Can't Believe It's Not Butter spray, and sprayed each bite. I like my cream of wheat with butter and salt, but after 2 weeks of liquids that stuff was like filet mignon!! LOL! :welldoneclap: I also blended any kind of soup I could get my hands on. Lentil soup, wedding soup, anything. I also blended baked Beans. I didn't suffer any additional gas problems, at least none that I noticed. :rolleyes :biggrin1:

Good luck and congrats again! You're doing very well! :clap2:

I'm a little concerned about one of the incisions. I was closed with glue and the surgeon (as competent as I think he is) revealed AFTER the surgery that they'd only been using the glue for a few days. The glue looks good on four of the incisions. Its that fifth one, the big one, that concerns me. This biggest incision, even right after the surgery, just didn't look closed enough to me. But I didn't get a good look at it until over six hours after the surgery, which is too late to improve how well a wound is closed

Glue has been used for years. Dont worry they use it to close spinal incisions, chest skin closures after open heart, all types of cuts and if they felt it needed re closed or more glue you have 24 hours to do a closure!!

I hop you feel better soon!!

Glue has been used for years.

I'm not questioning how long glue has been used by surgeons in general. But the doctors in that practice had only been using it for two days. I had asked them to use staples, and I thought that's what would happen, so I was suprised when I came out of surgery and found that I'd been glued. I would not have thought much of it, except that this one incision does not seem to have been closed and glued very well. My main concern is infection. Once I get past the danger zone for infection, I'll be less concerned about it. As I said, I'm going to have a big scar, but the only time that's going to be an issue is if I wear a bikini and if I lose enough weight to feel confident in a bikini, the benefits of the surgery will be so much greater than any scar! I don't think the scar will be hideous, but it will be noticeable.

Do you have any steri=strips or butterfly type bandages? If not use a bandaid and tape upward to relieve the pressure from the site- that will help decrease scaring as much as anything right now. After it has healed, start rubbing it twice daily with your facial moisturizer and it will lessen the scarring.

I'll see if I can find some butterfly bandages. Good suggestion.

The incision seems to be scabbing over nicely and does not appear to be infected. I may stop using the bandage tomorrow.

As for the slow weight loss, I stepped on the scale this morning and had dropped another two pounds since ... yesterday. This after having lost only .5 pounds in 3 days. So, my theory that this is Water weight fluctuation is probably true. The weight is coming off. I probably shouldn't weigh myself every day as the water weight fluctuation can be misleading. Maybe once a week is better.

Step away from the scales!! I did the whole weighing my self daily and just about went insane & got so discouraged. I finally decided once a week would be suficient, but that didn't last long. So, I used jeans to measure if I had lost weight or not. When I got into a new size, I'd weigh myself. I care more about what I look like in my jeans than what is on my scales anyway.

Step away from the scales!!

What great advice- I m pre band fat and afraid of the scales, isnt it funny that post band you loose the fear of the scale!! It becomes an intresting time consuming device. LOL

When I came home from the hosp I was so swollen and bloaded even my sweat pants were tight. I was bloated for at least 2 weeks. I also took gas x and used ice/heating pad for my discomfort. I really looked fatter after my surgery. I slep on my back for 1 week then moved to my side. I was put on soft food 10 days post op. This included jello, eggs, mash pot, creamy soups. It was heaven! make sure you get your protein drinks in, It can be hard at first but it helps you feel better and its good for you while you heal. Im 6 months out and I still do a weekly shake with some fruit. Also the walking does help, I came home from the hosp on thurs and sat I was walking my block (very slow) but doing my laps!

Keep up the good work!