Success in lapband

I wish I could eat that little and be satiated. I am no expert but that is not alot of food, and you may be slowing down your metabolism, but heck that is what got me in the predicament in the first place.

Chris: I was at the boat and RV show too and kept keeping an eye out for you. Then we went shopping (our typical Sunday Costco, Walmart, Albertsons, Best Buy runs) and yes I am pooped when I come home too. I have just given in to the fact when I get grumpy I take 11-12 mil of loritab, and everything becomes OKAY. I went back to work on Sat. and Yes I am here today (Monday) as well too. I hate sitting idle. My port lump has gone down some. My weight is still up from surgery date Not to concerned I know it will come off) So when are you going to start really excercizing? Like go to the gym excercizing? What is your walking distance goals this week? Gail is getting ready to go in to surg this week and you know how we all get the quiet right before the big day. I can say though yesterday and today seem to be the best days I have had so far.

Yes, and at my 1 week post op appointment the nurse removed all the bandages. She said 3 days post op my body makes the best in the world skin glue and the little bandages were not doing anything that my body could not do from inside where my stiches were. Apparently when you go laprascopic surgery your stictches are inside. My port is where I also bled the most.

That is funny cause I follow you like a lost puppy too! They weighed me (just for medical records) as I changed into my gown to go into surgery, it definately was not to ever verify I lost 10%

Yeah I think the getting out of bed is a "given". Gas pains and stomach growling is on an individual basis but all of us has some degree of it. I was banded on 3/1 and the gas pains did not start until 3/3 AM, I can't wait until they go away, I keep a hot water bottle close or heating pad or just massagethe area as much as I can, knowing it will soon pass too. I have been watching my caloric intake and there should be NO REASON I have gained but on post op day 3 I stepped on the scale and I gained 5 pounds. I know it is water weight, because there is NO WAY it could be anything else.

Well..... I am heavy on top and it is where I carry all my weight. I was banded on 3/1 and my port is a buldge, which I expect to gradually go down as the swelling goes down, thus I would not be able to notice the port site other than knowing where it is suppose to be. I have seen other peoples port spots and they always say they must really feel for it and know what they are feeling for before they find it. I was a little surprized when mine was a buldge, but am not worried, considering the swelling etc. I just am assuming that your swelling is gone behind the port and therefore your port is neatly nested where it is suppose to be.

The most delicious homemade vegtable beef soup in the whole world It make a whole pot so be careful 1 onion cut into 1/2" pieces 4 carrots cut into coin sizes 2#'s of really good marbled boneless beef ribs meat or boneless 7 bone roast meat chopped into 1" pieces 3-4 medium sized red potatoes 1 huge can of V-8 1 large can stewed tomatoes 1 carton of chicken broth fat free 1 regular can of diced tomatoes 1/4-1/2 bag of barley (otpional) 10 shakes of worchesire sauce. 1 bag of frozen green beans 1 box of frozen corn pour oil into pan and lightly brown carrots, and onion. Remove from pan and brown meat on all sides, add back in the carrots and onions. Pour in the v-8 juice and both cans of tomatoes and 1/4-1/2 bag of barley and 1/2 the worchesire sauce and the chicken broth and green beans and corn. Cook for about 1 hour at a fast simmer but less than a boil with lid on. Taste and add pepper as needed add more worchesire sauce if needed, sometimes I even add a few dashes of tobasco at this point. add diced potatoes and cook until potatoes are done. I took my portion without beef and put it in the blender, everbody else just served theirs into a bowl YUMMY! Even after this was in the blender it was delicious, I know it was not really high in protein but I got my protein source elsewhere for the day.

So I had surgery on 3/1, if you want chicken really really bad, put a piece of really moist cooked chicken in the food processor and make it dried baby food add some mayo and take the tinyiest itty bitty teeny weeny bites you ever have eaten almost taste size. I had to do it this afternoon, and no prob, but it got rid of the feeling I had to do it. I probably after 3 swollows ate 1 teaspoon full.

Was your port a buldge right after surgery and now the buldge is gone??

The incisions are "tight" just like yours, but I know that the clear bandaid over my skin will keep things where it is suppose to be. You know what is really wierd? My skin "smells" like the operating room and I have not been able to get rid of that smell yet, even after bathing; Maybe it is my imagination.

Tracy I was banded on 3/1 and today is the first day I have felt "better than good" However I have taken 2 doses of Loritab (pain meds). I went back to work post op #2. I was definately stiff and definately could not wait until I was off of work. I did not walk my dogs tonight of fear that this good day will turn into a not so good day. I have a viroucious appetite, and am eating everything in very very small quantities. My port is the only problem area, I carry alot of my fat in my upper body and so my bra (holds my heavy boobs) really irritates the port incision and I have changed to a very loose bra and I just pray that I don't flip the port because the port is a bulge. I still say a couple times each day that I still can't believe I "did it", I guess I always imagined I would get so far and then back out. We went to Costco (weekly grocery trip) and my daughter and husb. both ate lunch in the food court and I was not bothered but I was enjoying the effect of the "just taken" pain meds. I kinda like walk 2-3" inches taller just thinking that I am "on my way". However I know that I am VERY swollen, because even my "fat pants" did not even come close to buttuning up this AM. I am having gas issues in my shoulder and can't wait till they subside. I am feeling good enough that I planned a 4 day trip to San Diego Sea World and San Diego Zoo. I am excited because all of my life I would NEVER go anywhere because of my weight. Now I know that I am not conderably thinner, it is just the thought of what I think about myself. I am kinda amazed at myself for even thinking these thoughts, they are all surprizes to me too! How are you doing Tracy~share with me!

I was banded on 3/1 and I had cottage cheese on 3/3. I on about my thrid bite swallowed a little premature and felt the hurt in my chest, it lasted about a minute and I made sure I mushed up the next bite.

Gail While I was grocery shopping today, I thought about you. I thought this was the last Saturday or Sunday you will ever be "fat". And next Sat and Sun you will be healthier than you were today. What an incredible embracing feeling that you will have once it is all over. I am making homemade veg. beef soup for dinner, and the broth is heavenly! I will make a special batch for me and throw it through the blender without the beef (I don't eat beef anyhow), so this is an incredible meal for me and it is good post op too.

This procedure is typically considered an out patient surgery, unless your insurance (medicare) requires you to stay overnight. Also if you have sleep apnea because Dr's want to monitor the oxygen level of your blood they want you to stay 24 hours until the anesthesia is 100% out of your system. I stayed overnight because of sleep apnea and never had an issue but if you are overly tired from the anesthesia and have sleep apnea you won't be able to wake up to get better oxygen. I know so much because I challenged my dr.on this because I did not want to stay overnight, but I am sooooo happy I did.

I agree not to drink from straw;but I drink from a water bottle all day long at all times, I find that I get a mouthful then swallow littler drinks. I have not had trouble with air but keep in mind burping hurts as well as hiccups.

Hey guys still on the mushy stage of life. If you are interested in a healthy mushy. I found garlic cauliflower in a steamer bag, cooked it and used my boat motor or bullet to mush it up and ate it. It was better than mashed potatoes! Black Beans with onions and a bit of garlic mashed up is also very tasty and good for you.

So if you guys wanna know the down and dirty about this surgery. I was banded at 630pm on Thurs and I could have gone back to work on Friday,the only thing that hurts is the pressure and the lump (per se') the port causes. As a matter of fact I did go shopping all day when released from surgery ctr on fri am. The very best thing you can do is walk walk walk, you might get stiff but sit down for 5-10 minutes have a drink and get up and go again. I went to work Sat am and I could not lift anything heavier than my fork (ha ha) I took 2 doses of pain meds~just to manage pain~ I get grumpy when I don't feel good, but I was moving. I did get a little gas pain on Sat which lasted about 15 min. but that was it. My port buldges and I was concerned but apparently so does other peoples until the swelling goes down and that is what is causing the pressure. It is right under where my bra sits just below my left breast. If my breasts were not so big I don't think my port would hurt as much. I am apple style body so I carry all my weight from hips to shoulders. I guess if I DID NOT HAVE to be a work I would not have been there but I would have been doing something else. I walked my dogs 2 miles once I got home from work and once I took off my bra pain disappeared. I ate some cottage cheese as a snack because I was hungry and did not chew really really well and felt my band resisting, so the next bite got mushed up more in my mouth before swallowing. I gained 5# from surgery but have pee'd more in the last 2 hours than I have in the last 2 days, I think the scale will be different tomarrow~it better be. And I finally went #2 tonight. I had to get creative on a way to get myself out of bed for the last 2 days, and just manuevered until I figured a way without my port tugging at my chest too much. I just scheduled a vacation to san diego zoo and sea world on 3/13, which involves alot of walking so obviously I am not hurting too bad. I am happy I did it and am looking forward to being healthy again. I have eaten less in the last 2 days than during the liquid phase for prep surgery and during the liquid phase I was starving and now I am not feeling starving~if I get hungry I just mush something up and eat, but it is not as often as you would think. I am drinking 2 shakes per day and 2 Snacks and 1 mushed up meal. If you have ANY questions at all I will answer as clearly and forthwith as you can stand.

I had surgey on 3/1 and my band must be WIDE OPEN, I feel no restriction at all. Had blended up ciopino for dinner tonight, also trying to increase the Fluid intake. I am using bariatrix shakes for 2 Meal Replacements per day and then a warm blended up dinner at night. Walked 2 miles today.

I booked my vacation to Sea World and San Diego zoo today so I must get conditioned to do all the walking we will be doing on 3/14. I want to be able to walk 5 miles without sitting down prior to 3/14, if the weather holds out I will have to add to my walking regimen everyday.

Okay if your port is a lump I am doing just fine then. Typical man (dr.k.) probably did not realize he put it right where my bra strap pushes against it. When I go post op appt I will tell him to consider this next time he places port on a woman who carries her weight on her upper body verses hips. I also carry my weight around my middle just like you. I love your recipes Go STEPH!! I went to work today and worked all day with 2 doses of pain meds 11ml each. I came home and walked my dogs about 2 miles, just had to walk slowly. I swear I have not cheated (there is no way I can) and since day of surgery I have gained 5 1/2 pounds. I have not gone #2 yet, so if I don't tomarrow I will buy something that helps me along in that department. I have been doing shakes 2x a day and pureed dinner. I eat alot of fish and chicken so tonight is pureed Cioppino (fish stew). I am going to try and get in 64 oz. of Water in tommarrow, prior to surgery I was drinking more than 80 per day no problem. I just am not thirsty right now, but I am not excercizing like I was prior to surg. either and I would down 46 oz. during that alone. Interesting enough I got gas pains in my shoulders today, I thought that when everybody else would complain about gas pains this late post surgery they were confusing it with something else but I got them. Chris when are you going to start to excercise or go back to work?

Chris Did your port are ever pertrude? Mine does not stick out unless I stand, I am thinking of going to get a corsit type of something today. I slept good last night, but rarely do I ever wake up. I am following your lead on the hearty Soups and think i am going to try the shake this AM; thanks for the tip. Do you feel any restriction or can you feel your stoma at all I can not, I don't feel any restriction or swelling or anything like that other than the port, which eventually can be fixed it just looks funny and pulls on me.

Gail; That is interesting, I too last week had to reload Windows and lost everything on my computer, that was the first time I ever had to do that, and I had the exact same thing on my mind: I am addicted to Lapbandtalk.com LOL! Are you staying in Sparks after your surgery for a couple days? Or are you going home to Hawthorne? I would suggest stay here for a couple days because you will feel every bump in the road all the way home. Well maybe not, unless you take the pain meds.

Chris; All my scars are warmer than than everywhere else. It is 940pm and I am not in any pain but I think I just over did it today. I only had to take pain meds when I was out and about and as soon as I got home. Since then everything has been fine. I hate to ever think that I am too sick to do anything and fight it to the end. I still keep telling my dh that I think I am dreaming! I am so excited about this opportunity to finally get my weight under control. Nobody knows anything, not even my sister or brother, I just tell people I have had hernia surgery because I lift tables and chairs all day long ~ party and convention set up and tear down rentals, so it is a believable story. I have no prob with drinking fast or eating at normal speed. I am hoping I feel restriction like you did on day #3. I bet that was the most awesomest feeling in the world! Good for Steph getting creative! Is she a RN as well? I had 2 bites of cottage cheese tonight ~ just to see if I could and no prob. I also had Soup and some SF Jello. I took a nap around 6, and I have not napped in 2+years, had terrible nightmares and have felt ok ever since.

Yep you are exactly right! I have girlfriends who have had laproscopic surgery, and all of our scars are in the same vicinity.

The places where they cut to place the lapband. I should have said "scars".