I love that title...Thanks Demmemoon!

March 2007 Bandsters! We have finally been banded!!!:confused:

We thought we'd never have this surgery behind us and here we are at the start of April and some of us are already at or close to the 1 month mark. Now, we are moving on to fills, real food, exercise, and watching those pounds melt away! I am looking forward to hearing about everyone's experiences. Keep posting!

G&R-

I too shoot for 1200 calories a day but it's more like 1500. I lost a lot quickly after surgery, close to twenty pounds in 3 weeks. But in the last two weeks I've jumped around the same few numbers on the scale and not losing anything. I'm working out and still trying to be good but I could eat giant portions like I used to. OMG, I want sugar too. I reduced that back in January and now the cravings are killing me.

I'm frustrated. Logically I know my body is getting used to the loss but I want a fill and I want the first fill to work. Know what I mean?

I've dropped two pant sizes, down to a 26. I have 24s and 22s waiting for me in the closet. After that I'm going to have to buy clothing! Yeah! Good you for tracking your cals, even when you don't want to. Are you on Fitday.com?

Today, I tried something different, I cut the shake out 220 Cal/36 Protein, cause i was eating enough protein and I wanted to save the calories for pizza tonite. I don't know if I'll be able to eat pizza after fills, so I treated myself, but want to keep those cals to 1000, especially since the scale isn't moving much. I also bought suger free cookies and Hersey chocolate. 1 or 2 of each fixes that sugar jones. And (I can't believe I'm going to say this, compared to my take on food 2 months ago):clap2: a peeled apple at night has also helped the sugar jones. I'll try fitday.com-thanx for the tip.

Mary, Try to remember (I NEED TO KEEP REMINDING MYSELF) that if you are working out - Muscle weighs more than fat. Hope I can come to your party too. One thing I keep in mind is all this good eating prior to the first fill IS GOING TO PAYOFF, IS GOING TO PAY OFF, IS GOING TO..............

I talked to my bariatric nurse again today about my scarey incident posted earlier. Besides the possible irritation of a stomach nerve from the fill, the pain/passing out could have been caused by my taking Nyquil just before going to bed and it just sitting in my pouch. She recommended flushing out my pouch with a glass of water if I take Nyquil again at night. I wanted to mention this as a warning.....Don't take Nyquil and go directly to sleep :notagree . It could cause :faint: . I'm feeling much better now, and full on just liquids again :clap2: .

I'm glad you are doing betting sophie!

I take the most potent sleep drug out there and I always wash it down with some water after I drink the solution. I like to feel it go through my band before I lie down. Besides, the stuff tastes nasty. I think its a good idea to let all meds go through and have another drink or two before lying down.

hi,

i have to tell you...i dont know why i'm posting on this thread as i sometimes feel like i'm talking to myself....(sorry for being so direct but in past when i kept these things in..i ate over it)

i am posting because maybe if someone has the same problem i had...it can help

i was having trouble eating anything in the last week (even mushies). the weird thing is the first 2 weeks i was fine...

i was really concerned so i went back to the doctor on thursday and he did a fluroscope and everything was fine

the nausea +pain would start as soon as food hit my esophagous. lo and behold...yesterday i was able to eat my first little bit

i had a pretty big hernia and they think the recovery of this may have something to do with it

anyway the upside...i havent been hungry and weight has been coming off. but the downside is..i've been shaky and a bit weak.

so hopefully this is over...

Josie, I've been thinking the same thing. That this is more like documenting a journal rather than interacting with others. Thanks for speaking out on the issue. I want to encourage anyone lurking to please post. Lets be a support to each other!

Do you feel ok with liquids? If so, I'd be sipping on protein drinks all day to keep your strength up. Take it slow on getting on solids. The fact that you were able to have a bite of food yesterday and your fluro looked good is encouraging. My Dr. gave me liquid medication for nausea (promethazine). It really helps. Hope you feel better soon!

Josiebies , thanks for the tip on night time meds. I have thought that it takes a longer time for my pain meds to kick in at night, ( for my fibro not band related) but then all of a sudden they hit like a stone and they are are over welming, now I know why. I thought it was all in my head...LOL

Glad you are feeling better, that must have been very scarey to pass out, not once but twice. Foe your Dh also. Really try to get more protein in , from what I have read this should help.

Kyethra: Sorry to hear you have to have another operation. It take so much more out of us when we have fibro. Hope you are feeling better soon. I know what you mean about our bodies feeling older than we are.

You seem to have so much on your plate( no pun intended) good for you to be able to keep up with it all. Some days getting dressed is exhasting for me. Very frustrating to say the least. I try to stay possitive as the world goes spinning so fast past me & enjoy the simple things.

Josiebies, the first few weeks are touch and go sometimes. Even on mushies, if too thick they will hang up so to speak. I had to stay on liquids for the first two weeks, then thin, to creamy mushies for another two weeks. Doctors post op diets are different. Just like some take longer to heal and some can eat one thing that another can't tolerate. My doc want to take it light and easy on the pouch the first month. I have chatted with a few that say they always start out with something hot or very warm to warm up and relax the esophagus and the band. If that returns, try that and see if that helps. By the way did your doctor say anything about it?

Hello Everyone!

I hope everyone is having a great weekend. The weather in Chicago is GORGEOUS!!! Well, I had no problems tolerating solid foods after my first fill. I don't know what I was so afraid of! I have OK restriction but could use a little bit more. I am eating about a cup of food at each meal so I guess that's not too bad. I go back for my second fill on 4/30. I'm glad I don't have to wait too long! My mother and I are going to Las Vegas Mother's Day weekend so I am hoping I can lose at least another 10lbs by then. I can do this!!!

Had my first fill yesterday afternoon (1cc in 4cc band), and everything seemed fine. Liquids were going down well, etc. I was sleeping maybe 1 hour, and woke up to terrible stabbing pains in my upper stomach. Worst pain I've ever had. I got up and went in to the bathroom and ended up passing out twice in there (due to the pain, I think). I remember waking up partially in the bathtub. It was truly terrifying. I've never passed out before. Thought I was dying in the moments between conciousness. My husband heard the crashing around, and found me passed out again in the hallway and helped me up, then I felt really nauseated and spit up some acidy tasting, clear liquid. I sat up most of the night for fear of waking up to the pain again if I went back to sleep. Plus it hurt when I would try to lay down anyway.

I called my bariatric nurse this morning, and she thinks the pain might have been caused by a nerve ending in my stomach that may have been irritated by the fill and also the extra pressure when lying down. I'm drinking liquids now and can feel them trickling down, so don't think I'm too tight. I plan to see what happens today before I decide if I need an unfill or not. This was truly upsetting. Feeling good so far today, though. Had 1 cup of soup and 1/2 cup of tea and so far, so good. I will see if I can lay down for a nap later, or not. Hoping this doesn't happen again.:phanvan

OH MY! I have never heard of that. Seems like you are still eating and drinking OK so it doesn't sound like it's band related. I hope you are feeling better now!

So my gall bladder is comming out on Wednesday.

The rapid weight loss, first from surgery, then not eating cause I've been too freaking sick to eat, has been interesting. Sure, every time I hop on the scale I'm down. But I'm getting flabby some places. I also almost find it hard to believe I've lost fourty pounds already. Ok, yes I am a size smaller in jeans and so forth, but it is almost too fast to seem completely real. I think I will be pleased if after surgery my weight loss rate slows down some. Maybe I'll even gain a few pounds back. Thats ok too. Right now I just want to focus on being healthy. It was probably the initial rapid weight loss that caused my gall bladder to stop working right, after all. Of course no one thought I would lose so fast initially, esp me and then the chances of my Gall bladder having problems never ever occured to me before surgery either. My surgeon says its pretty low incidence with the band. I'm one of the lucky ones. Now I know that I can't have it removed twice, but it does still make me nervous about continued fast weight loss. Apparently there is one medication, actigal or something like that that is supposed to help prevent stones in this sort of situation. But I don't have stones! Or at least none that showed up on the ultrasound.

:wow2: Almost 40lbs!!! That is FANTASTIC!!! I hope your surgery on Wednesday will help you feel better so you can really enjoy your victory!!!

Wow! It has been one month since surgery! Has anyone had second thoughts since being banded? I'm reading all the posts from people who are having difficulty and wondering if it will happen to me. I am not having any difficulties at this point - knock on wood.

I'm not having second thoughts, not at all! Although, I think it's common to have second thoughts especially around this time when we've had the surgery, but no fill. It can get very frustrating trying to at least maintain the weight you've lost and not gain. I gained a pound last week while waiting for my first fill. I know it's not alot, but when your goal is to lose weight any gain can get frustrating. The only thing that keeps me going is knowing that it is only temporary!!! :clap2:

I talked to my bariatric nurse again today about my scarey incident posted earlier. Besides the possible irritation of a stomach nerve from the fill, the pain/passing out could have been caused by my taking Nyquil just before going to bed and it just sitting in my pouch. She recommended flushing out my pouch with a glass of water if I take Nyquil again at night. I wanted to mention this as a warning.....Don't take Nyquil and go directly to sleep :notagree . It could cause :faint: . I'm feeling much better now, and full on just liquids again :clap2: .

I guess I should have kept reading...lol! Well, I'm glad it was something simple and easily solved! :clap2:

hi,

i have to tell you...i dont know why i'm posting on this thread as i sometimes feel like i'm talking to myself....(sorry for being so direct but in past when i kept these things in..i ate over it)

i am posting because maybe if someone has the same problem i had...it can help

i was having trouble eating anything in the last week (even mushies). the weird thing is the first 2 weeks i was fine...

i was really concerned so i went back to the doctor on thursday and he did a fluroscope and everything was fine

the nausea +pain would start as soon as food hit my esophagous. lo and behold...yesterday i was able to eat my first little bit

i had a pretty big hernia and they think the recovery of this may have something to do with it

anyway the upside...i havent been hungry and weight has been coming off. but the downside is..i've been shaky and a bit weak.

so hopefully this is over...

I have posted many messages that were totally ignored on this thread and many others so I know that feeling. Keep posting if only for the reason you mentioned...to help someone who maybe having the same problem!

I hope everything heals up soon and you're feeling stronger!

someone is reading it even he or she doesn't feel the drive to comment. I find readins stuff helpful.

As far as nausea meds, if you aren't happy with what you have you could ask about zofran. Its the strongest of the anti nausea meds-- its what they usually give chemo patients. I'm not sure how well it would work long term though.

Are you getting your hernia fixed?