I am happy to report that I am doing ok. I was really tired and sleepy the first two days. Just a little sore and ibuprophen seems to be helping, no more Lortab, but I have it if I need it. I have mainly had really bad gas pains, it started out in my chest, then moved to my ribcage, then to my mid back and under my shoulder blades. Today it is back in my sternum again and it just feels like there is a huge air bubble trapped in my esophogus and I cannot burp it up. Just really achey and pressure, some difficulty taking deep breaths. I am sure that it is my diaphram trying to recover. I have been walking and walkting, I guess it would be worse if I didnt. The nurses said that this was normal and that the gas pains move around like that. Weird, huh?! My incisions are healing fine, a little sore, not very bad at all.

Well wouldnt you know that Aunt Flo decided to come to town, THE MORNING of my surgery! I swear, I knew that would happen, same thing happened last year when I had my hip replacement surgery......UGH! I think this has really contributed to my severe cravings and head hunger. The worst thing right now is my head hunger, desire to eat real food! I am not physically hungry but I am dying to eat something that I can chew! I am desperately trying not to eat things that I know are not allowed right now. If I can just hold out til the 20th when I can start the mushies, things will be better, I am sure. Aunt Flo better hurry up and get outta town......she is driving me crazy! I hope that I do better with the head hunger once the hormones settle down.

Any way, I am hanging in there........even if it is by a hang nail - LOL!

Hugs to all,

Judie

Judie, Glad to hear that you are doing well. I too am still going through the urge to chew something, so I think it's a normal step in the whole healing process. Each day certainly does get better!

Glad to hear that you are doing good. The first mushie foods do taste good after weeks with just liquid. Hang in there!

I am feeling good, the wounds ich a bit but Tuesday was my Birthday, (being banded) I am feeling good and I am going to enjoy my time off. Chat with you all and report in my weigh in. I was banded at 274 lbs. I see the Dr. on August 25, and get weighed in. Only achy where the port is overall I am feeling well with gass!!!

Thanks Girls,

glad to know that my intense desire to "chew" is part of the process and others are going through this as well. I will just ride it out the best I can and get through it.......

Take care and be well,

Judie

Congratulations Judie!! I hope you are feeling better soon and manage to stave off your mind!

I was banded on the 7th and im soooo sooo hungry for real food, I keep watching the food channel dreaming about all the foods im going to make when i can eat... one more week of liquids the on to mushies, i hope i dont break by then as im struggling to hold food back

My mother, a veteran of abdominal and gastro surgeries, told me that my jaw would actually hurt from the lack of chewing after surgery. She said that her doctors recommended she buy a good nite guard (wal-mart) and use it for clenching exercises. She says it works!

OMG! That is so funny! I have been drooling over the Food Network also, salivating and planning which recipes I am going to try making......when I can eat regular food, of course. LOL! I have never watched food channels so much!!!! I had to just change it and NOT watch anymore food channels.......it was just getting to be just toooooooo much to bear anymore.

I'm actually looking forward to cravings, I've had so much pain the thought of eating makes me sick. I'm very surprised I haven't had much of the dizzy weakness you get from very low intake though since I'm hardly getting any calories in at all, I'm barely able to hit my fluid requirement. I am getting better though, baby steps!

Judie~

Welcome to bandland! Sounds like the surgery went well. You will get through the head hunger, it is a tough one. I think we will all have to battle that demon for awhile!

I really noticed how many food commercials are on tv! Wow, kind of like being pregnant and noticing that everybody else is too. I have tried to not watch as much Food Network in the last week - it is killing me, everything looks so good! I was allowed cream Soups yesterday and thought I had gone to heaven.

I was also banded on 8/12. Feeling somewhat better today. I also have the moving gas syndrome and right now that is the worst part. I also can't tell the differnence between gas pains/pressure and hunger pains. It's been a while since I've had neither. Yes, I also struggle with getting enough Protein and Water because I also feel somewhat full/sick.

I'm probably not moving enough, but I'm doing what I can. At least I can now sleep on either side without much trouble.

Anyone who says surgery is the easy way out, is way off man!

Hi Judie,

I will be banded on the 18th and was told that I could have Viactive which is a chocolate flavored chewy Calcium Vitamin (2 a day). My dr said that I will really enjoy it since I wont be allowed to really chew anything for a while. I tried one already and they really do taste great... Oh and I was also told to have Flinstone Vitamins one in the am and one in the pm until I am able to take regular vitamin pills. I am sure I will savor every bite after the surgery.

Also want to thank all of you for all the great information.

Jo Ann

Congrats on the surgery on the 12th, I was banded then aswell.

Im having a real issue with air releasing / burping. I keep getting a pain in my chest, so I start walking around to try and get the air out, it does after awhile but it's almost after I have been walking around for 5-10 minutes.

Is this normal?

I've got the same pains as you under the ribcage, like someone kicked you in the ribs-its bad in the mornings. My biggest problem is seeing my husband eat normal food-I would love to just taste normal food right now. He ate a chicken sand. from MickyD's yesterday and felt so guilty that I did too. I'm on full liquids until next wednesday, then I go to soft foods though I have to adjust what I eat because I don't eat dairy at all.

The dr. said to eat single eggs a little at a time during that stage when a lot of people are eating soft cheeses etc. My mother in law got banded in march 08' and was eating ricotta and tomato sauce the second week. I'm so sick of broth and protein drinks, I had to search to find a protein drink that didn't taste like vanilla or chocolate which I hate. I found one called Nectar its great, I got it at The Vitamin Shoppe. Tastes like watered down gatorade. Also i didn't want to weigh myself for a while then my husband told me to and I had lost like 5 lbs in three days. I can handle that.

Good Luck

I was banded on August 12th also and still have gas. I have found the gas strips work wonders for that moment you take them...Walking of course helps too...I thought the pain in my shoulder was finally gone but woke up with it back again this morning.....Im feeling better, and realize that all the pain is and gas is worth the results in the end....My family and I went to Target yesterday and all of the walking there of course released the gas, of course I couldnt or wouldnt hold it in, my daughter just about died, when mom let it go as she said...Thank goodness no one was standing close but even if they where I hate it would have still happened...lol....