Hi!

I'm 18 years old and was just banded on Wednesday the 7th of May. So far I haven't been feeling too bad, besides the immense pain in my left sholdure. I need a little inspiration from others reminding me that this is all worth it. Please someone let me know when I should be back to normal activity. Not limited in what I can do.

I'm also kind of hiding out right now. I have a lot of friends, but they are all twigs. It was hard growing up in a situation like that for me. So before I had this procedure I arranged for myself to "run away" I actually had a fight with my mom, and wound up being "kicked" out of my house a few weeks before my actual surgery. So my run was 700 miles to Ann Arbor Michigan to go live with my dad. I feel like I need to tell my friends since I should be going back home in about two weeks, but I'm nervous about it.

Samantha:

You'll probably feel almost as good as new in about a week. After that you might not have the energy you used to have, but it comes back over time. Then you can do everything you always did except overeat. If you try to overeat you will puke it back up and have pain, so don't bother.

As far as your family issues, I hope things get better. I cannot imagine having my Daughter living far from me.

Take care and hope you feel well soon. Let me tell you that getting some of the weight off makes you feel better both physically and mentally. I think that exercising helps too with both the mind and body too.

Sue

Thanks a lot for your words. They really are helpful! Within your first couple weeks how much weight did you lose?

Sam -

As Sue said it will get easier. I found if I got up and walked that helped me out a lot. I am now walking 3 miles a day and I really need it. The energry level will increase in time. I was banded on 3-24 of this year and am almost 7 weeks out. I feel so much better now and I move faster then I have in the last 30 years.

Let your friends know when you get home. You just might be surprised they may be of help.

You will be just fine. Remember why you did this and what you are trying to achieve for yourself. Good luck to you.

i'm dying with the sholdure pain... I seriously need to find something to help out with it. Any suggestions?

I have heard a heating pad, frequent changing of positions--lie down for awhile, then sit up....and lots of walking help the most with shoulder pain. It hits some people really hard, and others like myself had none....

Hang in there, and hope your friends make this an easy thing for you to do---that you find them to be extremely supportive. It is much easier to do when those around you are as excited, and happy about your decision as you are.

I cannot remember how much I lost in the beginning, it is not really a time to worry so much about weight loss, as it is about healing with proper nutrition, and sticking strictly to the post op diet given to you by your surgeon. It is VERY important!

Your band was lightly stitched into position, but only in order to allow scar tissue to form and hold it in proper placement. Anytime you eat food, the stomach has to work and churn, and knead to digest food, and that interupts the formation of the scar tissue. It does not always show up right away, many times it is months or a year down the road, and your band slips---because it had extra room in the scar tissue formation. Although, slips CAN be caused by other things, and often the cause is totally unknown. It is still not worth the risk of doing something they know can cause slips.

The best advice is to walk as much as you can! It is a great way to help your residual gas pains, and also a wonderful start to an exercise program---which speeds weight loss!

Congrats on your banding, I love seeing young people take control early----great choice! It will make your life so much easier, and healthy!!!

Welcome to LBT!

Kat

Welcome to bandland Sam, I'm 2 weeks out & feel great. Plus 27 lbs lost makes me feel even better. I'm surprised you are banded so young. My Dr. doesn't give surgery unless you've yoyo dieted for several years. Are you self pay?

Hi Sam- what you're feeling is normal. :Dancing_wub: When I was sitting in pain the first few days I kept wondering to myself- when will I hit the point where I believe it was worth it? Because, certainly, while you're in pain you're not believing that it was. It took me a few weeks to adjust to new food choices and life changes, but I did finally hit the point where I realized it was worth it. Even if I only lose what I've lost up until this point, I still believe it was worth it! I never would have done it alone. Girl, the pain gets better! I promise. Just don't laugh! :tt1:

Every day gets a little easier, and every step becomes a little lighter!

Hi, I had pain in my collar bone for a few days after the surgery. They told me it was from the gas they used to inflate the stomach area for the surgery. If I kept up and moving it didn't seem to hurt. It also helped when someone would massage it for me. I would try the heat pad but I think you just have to wait until the gas is absorbed and dissipates. It should not bee too much longer though hopefully tomorrow. :tt1:

Hello--

I, too was just banded and pretty young. :tt1: Sounds like you have kind of an unsupportive social network, which makes me sad. I know how hard it must've been growing up around all "twigs." The shoulder pain gets much better, just keep moving. My doctor has me on Clear liquids until the 15th (Thursday). Not too much fun, but I'm hoping it gives my body plenty of time to heal. The clear liquids aren't too bad. KEEP WALKING, it eases that shoulder pain. Also, if it gets bad, use a heating bad and GAS-X helps me a lot.

Good luck and you are in my prayers.

This is totally worth it. You will be feeling great very soon. I, like you, did not tell many people what I was doing. I have opened up more in the past week and everyone has been very supportive-- try telling your freinds, you might be surprised at the support you get. As for weight loss, everyone varies. Start walking and I bet it will melt off quickly at your age. You have a great life ahead of you free from extra weight-- look forward to it and enjoy it.

What helped me was to 1. WALK WALK WALK and 2. Lie down on the side that hurts. It was only really bad for about the first week. After that not so bad. Also eating the GasX strips like candy helped me. As for telling friends, all my girlfriends are so frickin tall and skinny they would never understand and I haven't told anyone but my hubby and mom. I just order soups when I have to eat out with people otherwise they notice me picking and not being able to eat a lot.

Thanks everyone for all of your help. As I may have mentioned before, it really makes me feel better. You'd be suprised at how long an 18 year old could yo yo diet! But that describes my life. Ever since fourth grade I've been on Diet after DIET. I had actually talked to my doctor when I was 16 about the Gastric Bypass surgery, but had chickened out. We had even found a doctor and everything that would do the surgery. I was lucky and my insurance pays for everything. I even found out they pay for a tummy tuck!

Thanks a lot for your words. They really are helpful! Within your first couple weeks how much weight did you lose?

Sam:

I just looked back and I didn't track it that closely back at the beginning, but I lost 17.5 pounds the first month after I was banded. I lost 38 pounds in the three months before banding so that's why only (ha ha) 17.5 the first month post band.

I'm not sure how much you weigh, Sam. I recommend that you think about it a pound at a time, or a day at a time, if you need to lose alot. It can be so overwhelming to think about it if it's a big number. I started by needing to lose 164 pounds, and now I'm down to needing to lose 40. If I had to keep thinking about 164 I don't think I could have done it, mentally.

Good luck, and let me know if you have any more questions. I have a daughter whose just 3 years older than you.

Take care Sam.

Sue

I totally agree with the "one pound at a time" perspective. I need to lose in excess of 150 pounds but I don't even care. Today, the scale went down another pound and I am elated, because that brings me a pound closer to my old pants (or insert your own NSV... my big NSVs are my wardrobe. I have TONS of clothes transitioning from when I got bigger, so through the transformation, I'll have a new lil wardrobe each milestone).