Just wanted to pick the brains of some other post-op peeps. Hoping everthing I am experiencing is normal. I was banded Monday...

• Still have a lot of pain in the largest incision (port, I assume) whenever I sit up, but the other insicions are fine.
  
• Still pretty gassy, but not really painful. I can feel it all moving around in my belly.
  
• Have been told to only drink 2 ozs of fluid at a time, but am able to drink more.
  
• I thought I would have no appetite, but I am occasionally getting growling and hunger pains. Not too bad though.
  
• I want to lick the television everytime a food commercial comes on!!
  

Otherwise, I feel okay. Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.:huh2:

completely... youve only been banded 4 days.

take it easy :huh2: it gets better.

Chelsea,

Everyone is different. I wasn't hungry at all post-op for about a week and a half. Then I started trying to lick the TV screen. I would suggest following to the letter the eating plan that your surgeon has given you. You may be hungry, but I bet that you can't eat as much as you think. God bless.

Am I normal, you say? Well that is a question I've asked myself for a long time without any real answer. lol

Honestly your progress sounds routine. Hang in there and perhaps it's best not to torture yourself too much with food commercials.

I, too, was banded on Monday. My port incision is definitely much more tender than the other four.

I am able to drink quite a bit at a time, although I do take small sips.

Today, I suddenly have the urge for a grilled cheese sandwich (something I don't ordinarily eat, by the way), For some reason, it popped up in my head and is happy staying there.

I refuse to watch television, because I know I'll lick the screen!

A question for you: When you swallow something thickish (like a Protein shake or V8 juice), do you sometimes feel it in the center of your chest?

I'm jumping in here...I was also banded on Monday and feel great relief about how food commercials are affecting others as well as me.

My incisions are healing and starting to itch.

I say yes to when I swallow that I feel a heaviness in the center of my abdomen but not in my chest. In fact, I feel quite bloated in my abdomen right now and wonder if this is gas?

Have had gas but no bm...concerned about that but hear it's normal.

I am not a back sleeper so finding comfortable sleeping position has been hard.

looking forward to better days ahead...

It all sounds normal to me...I was banded 7 days ago...my port still is tender but not as much as before...it is slowly subsiding. I have just been changed from clear liquids to full liquids (which included strained creamy-type soups and skim milk). The pain in your chest is normal....I do have food cravings throughout the day but they will get better once you are able to put something of substance in your mouth. Try and get some protein in you...Like Isopure drinks or protein powder. you will be fine...and make sure you dust off the television screen before you lick it....or maybe that will help...if you lick the screen and it tastes like crap it might curb you appetite for what you were looking at...ha ha...you might have something there

About dust-as-food: I don't know if any of you are familiar with the BBC show, Little Britain (I'm a fanatic), but on the show is a character named Marjorie Dawes, who is the leader of a "Fat Fighters" group (not unlike Weight Watchers). She's not exactly a toothpick herself, and berates members about their weight, humiliating them in front of one another every chance she gets.

Anyway, in more than one episode she goes over a list of foods that are low in calories. "Feeling peckish?" she asks. "Try a bit of dust. Zero calories!"

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About sleeping: I have been sleeping on my sides as well (more comfortably on my left than right). Am I not supposed to?

I'm more worried about the coughing fits I have. Will they do any damage to the port? :wink2:

I was banded last Friday - finally feeling like myself again. The biggest pain I had was with the gas. I found out that when I sat up or stood up the pain would go to my shoulders or chest, but when I couldn't stand it anymore I would lay down and the pain went away almost instantly. I know its not good to lay around too much. My port side is still tender and is actually located in an odd place, about 3 inches below my bra strap, right where my tummy roll is - very uncomfortable! But the good news is - I've already lost 10 lbs. since surgery!

Hi fellow banders, had mine last Friday the 4th, so far I am doing fine althought that that I was having a heartattack last tuesday but it must of been gas. right over my heart and really hurt. I train Labs for hunting and I thought I might have torn something but am find after a restlness night. So far all my dealings have been like I have been reading. It has been 6 days and I have losed over 9lbs. Is this normal?

Hi there, I was banded Monday also. Everything you describe applies exactly to me also - so I guess we are normal :-)

I have some very serious bruising down the left side - but the incisions and areas around the right side are almost invisible already.

You are all pronounced NORMAL! But maybe we should ask some of your friends for their opinions!

Hang in there guys, it gets better! And you'll be eating in a few weeks and Yuck, won't feel like you have to lick the TV!

The first few weeks, I was beginning to think all commercials were about food. Now I don't even notice them.

Someone suggested Tivo or taping TV shows and then playing them back so you can skip the commercials. Sounds like a great idea to reduce the visual torture!

Good luck