Hello All! I just got my band on this past Monday, 1-22-07. :clap2: :clap2: :clap2:

I keep asking myself if I have done the right thing and then tell my self that I have done the right thing. It just happend so fast. Went to a seminar on 11-15-2006, did all the pre-op testing the following week, got a cpap machine just after New Year's along with my approval letter. Scheduled the surgery, did the 2 weeks of pre-op liquid hell diet. I just wish I could eat something. Today, 2 days post-op, I was finally able to get down 6oz of chicken broth in just under an hour. Warm liquids seeem to go down better. I'm still having pain, but no shoulder pain so far. I'm keeping my finger's crossed. Any advise for this new stage in my life would be appreciated. :help:

198/185/150/125

Highest/Surgery Day/1st Goal/Final Goal

in another day or so--you'll be feeling like a new person! you can still have Optifast shakes--so have some of that for some Protein. diet iced tea, and things like that are good. TAKE YOUR PAIN MEDICATION!! don't get uncomfortable--better to stay ahead of the pain--then try to get over it once it comes. you're not HUNGRY are you? i wasn't hungry at all for at least 4 days after surgery.

just take it easy--you're recovering!!

congratulations!

best wishes,

girlin

nyc

I'm not hungry at all. I feel stuff all the time. I'm having a tough time getting my water in. Yesterday, all I could manage was like 20 oz of water, 4 oz of Apple Juice and 2 oz of creme of chicken soup. Today, I wanted to try something different, so I had dear Hubby go and get some chicken noodle soup. I strained out all the solids and was able to get 6 oz down in just under an hour. So that's a relief.

keep sipping away on something. i found diet iced tea or diet lemonade very refreshing. the 3rd day after surgery--i finally dragged myself out of bed==and down the block to get my nails done. felt MUCH better. you will too! you have definitely done the right thing--wait till your clothes are looser and you can get around easier--life is going to improve--quickly!

Hello All! I just got my band on this past Monday, 1-22-07. :clap2: :clap2: :clap2:

Me too! Everything seems to be going well, although I'm having a harder time with liquids today. I think it might actually be gas, so I've been getting in some Maalox. Good luck to you!

Maria

:clap2: :clap2: :clap2: You are so right about feeling like a new person. Today, I feel sooo much better. Still taking it easy though. I can now get liquids down a little easier. I am still having gas pains in the upper center of my tummy. Anyone got any ideas on how to rid my self of this? I am currently taking Gax-X and trying to walk. Last night, I was finally able to get out of the recliner to the couch, so I tried the bed and could actually lay on my side without too much pain.

i would say take PAINKILLER--it will definitely help! and hooray on being able to move around in bed more comfortably. EVERY DAY NOW, from here out, will be easier and easier. i am AMAZED at how things work now--so much better--and i feel FULL when i eat a LITTLE, where i used to SCARF DOWN THE WHOLE PLATE and think to myself "is that all there is????!!!" i had some lingering pain where, i think, the band is around my stomach--today, all of a sudden, it is much improved---life gets better by the day!! don't worry about where your pain is coming from--take the dr. prescribed meds--that's what you have them for!!

:mad:

The pain meds make me sleepy.:notagree So if I take the pain meds then I don't even feel like getting out of my chair. I just took 2 Gas-X's, prior to today I could only manage 1, as I had such a full feeling. I wasn't able to eat or should I say drink much. I just sipped all day and did the best that I could. Today, my tinkle was really yellow, so I know I need to get the Water into me and soon. Good thing I can drink better today. So the goal is to get the water down and see if I can get my Protein drink in too. I have managed to eat 10 oz of cream of chicken soup and about 8oz of water. Just opened up a new water. Cheers!:mad:

How are you coping/doing with your band?

yes, you NEED to be drinking a lot--try iced tea, cranberry juice, v-8--really anything (except acidic juice--like orange, grapefruit)...

as for sleepy--you're RECOVERING--you're supposed to be sleepy!! sleep!! it's good for healing. take the painkiller--feel comfortable -- and sleep. i slept most of the first week. i loved it!

i'm doing well with band so far--my first fill will be 2/21. i am on "mushy" food. i have to admit--i haven't had much MUSHY food--mostly i just take very soft regular food (mac and cheese, or soup with stuff in it) and chew it up really well. for lunch today--went to chinese restaurant and had chicken chow fun--very soft noodles and little pieces of chicken. chewed it up--no problem--only ate about 1/3 of the plate!! big change for me!!

How long were you on liquids and how long will you be on mushy foods?

Took you advise and took the pain meds around 2:30pm and it helped for sure. I layed down in my room to watch some TV becaue the family was cooking out Hamburgers and they didn't want me to suffer with the smell. That's why they cooked outside. No worries here, still not even interested in food. Anyway, when I layed down, I fell asleep around 6pm and didn't wake up until like midnight. I did go back to sleep and woke up at 6am. So 12 hours all together, WOW, must have been tire and didn't realize it. Do you still have pain where the band sits when you eat/drink? I'm still having a tough time with liquids, with getting enough. Any words of wisdom? By the way, thanks for all your post. I really need someone that I can ask questions, that know exactly what lays ahead for me. I'm looking forward to feeling normal again.

Dee:help: :nervous

i was on liquids for 2 whole weeks. now i'm supposed to be on mushy foods (for 2 wks) --and i've had very soft food--but i haven't put it through a blender or anything. i still have shakes for Breakfast, and sometimes for dinner. i've had thick Soups and some very very well-cooked chicken---and i've even had things i shouldn't have--and all has gone down with no problems.

keep working on the liquids--just keep some by your side and sip, sip, sip. if you are sleeping 6 hrs and then another 6 hrs--have someone wake you up (if you're sleeping during the day) at 3 hr intervals--get up--take something to drink. you just have to force yourself to drink. you don't want to get dehydrated--that is bad for your system. i also took (for an indelicate subject) some peri-colace (over the counter at the drugstore)--you might want to look into that after 7-10 days.

i FINALLY feel very normal--this is almost 3 wks later. the feeling of "something inside me" has gone away--that's good too (unless it is that the band just FELL OFF MY STOMACH and is resting on some other organ and not doing anything--i swear that i can eat ANYTHING now...)

keep taking those pain drugs as long as you need them. i'm totally a believer in being COMFORTABLE.

I'm not sleeping at all during the day. Mostly just watching TV and walking around the house. I also took some Milk of Mag. for the lack of BM. I don't feel like I need to go, so better to make it easier for when the time does comes. I am sipping all day, but still can't seem to get the Water going. I'm scared to drink to much at one time for fear it will hurt or screw up my band by overfilling my pouch?

I have to travel my 3rd week out and was worried about what I should or should not eat. Keep me posted on what works for you. I figured I would eat soups, Yoplait's smoothies, Protein drinks, but lunch will be with the rest of the training class. So I need lunch ideas.

:hungry: Does you "main" stomach just growl and growl? My body is making the strangest noises, weird for sure. I read on another Band site that one girls mom asked her if the noise her tummy was making was her full noise or her hungry noise, hehe, I thought that was soooo funny and now I can relate!

i am traveling--this is week 3. i am in houston. i just ate WAY too much for lunch and feel overstuffed and uncomfortable. ugh.

you can't really overfill pouch on Clear Liquids. drink, drink, drink. don't make yourself SICK with drinking--just make sure you're well hydrated.

i have been eating things i shouldn't--not exactly all mushy--but regular food--trying to chew it up REALLY well until it's liquid before swallowing. it's been a whole new experience eating as slowly as i have been eating.

yes, my stomach was growling a lot until this week. it's much better now. i think it has to do with only eating liquids--and maybe healing from the surgery. i also had occasional light burps, and hiccups. the stomach growling is a little less now--although i can't hear anything in it now--it's TOO DAMN STUFFED WITH food. ugh ugh ugh. bad.

at least i don't feel like THROWING UP--then again...maybe that would be good. (no, it wouldn't)

anybody else wanna jump in and discuss week 3?? please do!

I will be traveling alone flying from Dallas to Mission, KS. Were you OK with wheeling you luggage around? I plan on packing as light as possible to keep the weight down.

What kind of stuff have you been eating?

I feel so much better today. No naps so far and my Creamy Soups are going down much better. I was able to take a full 8oz in one sitting. Gotten in 32 oz of Water so far today. I may try for one more water bottle before hitting the sack. It sure is good to hear that you are doing well. The Milk of Mag. worked, OMG, won't do that again. Crap, my intestines are rocking and rolling. Next time 1/3 the dose for sure. I know, TMI. Thanks for the post and have a good rest of you trip. Any trip suggestion would be appreciated.

Thanks,

D:D

I'm surprised you got banded at 195 lbs and that it took such a short time to qualify. I'm being told It may take me almost a year. What type of insurance do you have, or did you pay for it yourself?

-Prebander

Current weight 264

I started out at 198LBS back in November. I have wonderful insurance at where I work. I have United Health Care POS. It's not like all other insurance's. UHC only administers our plan. My company is self funded. In order to get approval I had to have co-morbidities (sp). I had boarder-line high BP, sleep apenea, high chol., and a family history of heart problems. My older brother died in 2000 at age 50 of a heart attach. My oldest brother just had a quad bypass on his heart. So this is what got my ball rolling in my mind. I don't want to have to have these problems in another 10 years like they did. My oldest sister had the stomach bypass surger and has lost like 80-100 lbs. I have nerver asked her exactly how much she has lost. She looks so good and most importantly, healthy. I don't really know what my doctor submitted to my insurance, but I'm thinking the sleep apenea and high BP is what got me my approval. Hope this helps. Oh, also, I kinda fibbed on my height so my BMI would be higher, they never did measure me. When asked how tall I was, I just said 5'2", I think? I think the doctor's office wants the approval just as much as I did. My friend at work that just had it done in August of last year said her bills have added up to around $30,000.00 and the self payers pay only $15,000.00. So I can see the Doctor's motivation to get approval?

I'm 6 days post op and I'm feeling almost back to normal. Just a little pain in my incision when I turn wrong. I was finally able to sleep on my right side and I am looking forward to being able to sleep on my tummy, my favorite position. Oh, and eating much better. The swelling of my band is definately going down. YEA!

Dee

198/180/120

Highest/Current/Goal