:lovechoc: I am 4 days post op and although I had my mind made up to do it, I have some regret due to the discomfort and pain I still feel. Just wondered if there were others who had regrets within the 1st 2 weeks post op but at some point stopped regretting and is now happy with their decision and what was the turning point? I am in no way planning to turn back, but gosh I'm so uncomfortable around my incisions and internally uncomfortable and just want to know from others experience, when does the discomfort go away and you feel NORMAL again? On a positive, I am losing weight.

OMG! I hated my band the 1st. week, and than the 2nd. week came and it was better, and than on the 3rd. week I was pretty much back to myself. I love my band now, losing weight and loving it. banded 7/23. It might suck now but it does get better, i promise. Hang in there and my thoughts are with you.

I LOVE THIS FORUM!!! I find it to be so encourgaing and it really lets you know you're not alone on this journey. Thanks for all your replies. One more question, did anyone have a problem with not having a BM DAYS after surgery? I haven't since my surgery 4 days ago and that's not normal. :teeth_smile::shades_smile: Any suggestions?

Hey! Yes, it is difficult the first couple of weeks. I promise it gets so much better and you will not even be able to tell you have the band, except for your appetite being smaller and not feeling hungry so often. I was banded on May 7th and so was my best friend. That first couple of weeks while your body is healing is and hurting is sometimes hard. It seemed like the port was poking me, it hurt whenever I turned or twisted. But for me it seems like one day I woke up and was not hurting anymore. I love it and it was the greatest thing I have ever done for myself!! I have lost about 42lbs so far and am so happy and feeling GREAT!!! After the pain subsided and once we started on regular food, we did not feel much restriction and as we got closer to our 1st appt for the first fill, we were so hungry and wanting to eat all the time. With the first fill we did not feel that much restriction and we were sometimes hungry but were so excited for the next appt. After the 2nd fill we did have more restriction and it was noticeable. After a couple weeks the band loosens up and we were ready for our 3rd fill. It has been so great this time, the restriction seems perfect. I get full and it lasts a long time, no stomach growling, no feeling deprived from not being able to eat like I used to. I don't think about my next meal. Our dr has us limiting our carbs to 30 per day and high protein. It really helps with the appetite suppressing. My food intake now is coffee in the morning, sometimes scrambled egg with cheese or 1 cheese stick, 1 protein shake like EAS chocolate or Atkins low carb chocolate delight and dinner, usually some chicken or other meat and vegetables. I really am full and satisfied and best of all......loosing weight!!! We have noticed that a lot of the work is in our heads and retraining ourselves from the years of overeating and not eating properly. We will all learn to Eat to live and not Living to eat. My friend has the problem with BM's. Alot of the medicines you can take are high in carbs so be careful with that, but the dr office suggested that she use Miralax and it has no carbs and you can increase your fiber content with vegetables etc... Hope that helps. This site is great for support, keep reading and asking questions. We are all at different stages with our bands. Good Luck and best wishes to all of us!!!! Take care :thumbup:

Just wondered if there were others who had regrets

Hell NO :thumbup: Got banded almost a month ago and for the fist time in my life Im not starving 24-7

loves his band ------> Renob

Oh and dont sweat it your pain will go away as will your extra weight!

I LOVE THIS FORUM!!! I find it to be so encourgaing and it really lets you know you're not alone on this journey. Thanks for all your replies. One more question, did anyone have a problem with not having a BM DAYS after surgery? I haven't since my surgery 4 days ago and that's not normal. :thumbup::thumbup: Any suggestions?

Yes, having a BM after surgery is not typical, at least not in my case - you're consuming all liquids so there's nothing to really come through solidly (so to speak). It's ok. You may even get some diarrhea (ugh) as your system starts to work itself back into groove. I heard that was normal also. Don't fret. So far everything you're going through mentally and physically sounds normal. Better days lay ahead!

I had regrets/doubts my first week or so. I think I had "post op blues" or something. I thought "oh my gosh...what have I done to my body?!" I would cry for no reason at the drop of a hat. I was very emotional the first few weeks. I felt much more confident of my decision once the pain and soreness diminished. I am almost 2 months post op and doing well. The only regret now is that I didn't have the surgery done sooner.

OMG - I could have written that!!! That's EXACTLY what I went through. Those feelings are verrrrry normal and will pass, I PROMISE!

i had my band in march,and the first 10 days or so were tough,,,sore,,,.but it gets better.

No regrets! I even went into surgery with no nervousness! Miracle for me b/c I hate the unknown and had never had surgery before!

There was a moment the night of surgery when I was home. My 2 year old daughter had a complete meltdown at bedtime. It'd been a long day, mama and papa were gone when she got up (we had to leave at 4:30AM to get there by 6!) and my mom was with her all day. Then we get home that evening and mama's not 'right' and sleeping all the time, can't pick her up, etc. So by the time it got to bedtime, she just completely fell apart. My mom was trying to take care of her, I'm almost in tears and all DD and I want is for me to hold her.

I finally got a thin pillow, sat in the rocker and had my mom carefully put her on my lap with the pillow between us. It took almost 2 hours but we finally got her to sleep. She'd been crying so hard for so long she was still kinda doing that light sob/gasp thing in her sleep. I held her for a long time before mom put her to bed. While this was going on I was wondering what the hell I'd just done to us!

But that's the only time I questioned it after surgery. Since then, DD is doing great, goes to bed like a big girl. Helps mama get stuff off the floor, lifts her own butt for diaper changes on the pad on the bed (I have a 10lb lifting restriction), helps get herself dressed and undressed, etc. If she wants to snuggle she says couch and climbs up gently and very carefully climbs onto mama or snuggles up next to me being very careful of my stomach area. She's great!

So, other than that moment the night of surgery, no, I can't say I've regretted it at all. Even with the pain, discomfort and food issues!

I am having regrets also. I had surg. on tues the 2nd. I am hurting and I notice that I am always hungrey. Does or have anyone else felt that way. I almost wonder if I am doing something wrong?

I really never had much pain so my regrets weren't in response to that but more in the line of: OMG what I have I done to myself, should I have spent all that $$$ (self pay) and what if I fail at this too. That lasted only a bit and now I have absolutely no regrets, down 60 lbs in 3 mos and feeling great. My only regret now is why didn't I do this sooner?

I was starving until I started mushy foods, not head hunger either, but stomach growling, feeling weak, etc. Don't worry, it is normal; once you start regular food it will get easier. And from what I've read, after fills it's even better.

I'm so glad to have read your message. I had my surgery 4 days ago and was regretting this as well. While still in the hospital I wanted to tell the doctor to take this thing out of me. I have been very uncomfortable and hoping it is just gas, but I also have a pain going down my chest everytime I need to burp and cant. As reading everyones responses Im looking forward to feeling better. Is it normal to start craving food after 4 days of surgery?

Yes I craved food after 4 days. Can't eat alot, but I needed something with substance. Try sticking with more protein/less carbs. Also, I finally am starting to feel better. I still have a little pain when I feel a burp coming on and then it doesn't come out. I guess that's normal. I also still get some left shoulder pain that I really can't stand. Hang in there. I can't wait til my 2nd week is over so I can see how I feel then.

I'm so glad to have read your message. I had my surgery 4 days ago and was regretting this as well. While still in the hospital I wanted to tell the doctor to take this thing out of me. I have been very uncomfortable and hoping it is just gas, but I also have a pain going down my chest everytime I need to burp and cant. As reading everyones responses Im looking forward to feeling better. Is it normal to start craving food after 4 days of surgery?

Edited September 8, 200817 yr by health4life

WOW!!! You are doing great!!! Congrats and thanks for the response. I'm thankful to report I'm feeling better now.

I really never had much pain so my regrets weren't in response to that but more in the line of: OMG what I have I done to myself, should I have spent all that $$$ (self pay) and what if I fail at this too. That lasted only a bit and now I have absolutely no regrets, down 60 lbs in 3 mos and feeling great. My only regret now is why didn't I do this sooner?

See what a great job you have done already in just 4 days. Pain has to go away eventually. Keep it up and look at the end of the tunnel of pain.