kyethra

The vagus nerve is cranial nerve (actually the longest cranial nerve) and I think the only part of it that would be near the band is the part that goes into the larynx and then all the other major organs including the esophagus and stomach. I don't know what you are asking exactly. If you have the vagus nerve stimulator I suggest you ask your neurologist about it (or psychiatrist) as they would know oh so much more than I would. I have no clue what if any impact or dangers the band would have on the nerve and thus the stimulator. I imagine it would be very little-- the nerve would not be cut into as the organs are not cut into there BUT I don't know where the nerve is I just have a vaugue idea. I don't know where it is in relation to the abdominal wall. And if the band wouldn't be a problem, what about complications, etc? So if you have or plan on getting the stimulator these are all questions and things you should bring up with the doctor who is doing that or who treats you regarding that condition ( I assume epilepsy or depression). I know it wouldn't be proper to do both surgeries at the same time. One is neurosurgery-- the vagus stimulator-- the other is bariatric. Two different surgeons. If you have issues of some sort with your vagus nerve I would ask your neurologist or psychiatrist about the band-- I have a damaged nerve ending and I needed to have my port on one side and not the usual side to avoid complications. And my brother's neurologist (he has epilepsy) can usually advice how his epilepsy, the diet to help control his siezures, or his epilepsy meds will effects other medical issues. So I'm not much help am 1? And if your doc doesn't know much about lap band, bring him or her a packet of info on it. Good luck!

I want to know if its possible, or rather if anyone has ever gone down to a shoe size they never had since before puberty? I've been wearing size 12 since the fifth grade... (always did have big feet and hands, and then later on, boobs) I would love to be able to shop in stores for shoes other than payless. I doubt it would happen as back then I was shorter and thinner, but...

Yup that is what PB was like for me too. So far I am on only liquids but I have a ton of restriction. Second day post op was the first time I PBed. I drank too much at once. It was when I was taking pills and I washed them all down... But then a while later I got the feeling.. and it was uh oh feeling. I don't know if you get reflux at all t but it was sort of like that. I also threw up a couple of days later. First it was the tightness in the chest. But it was tighter than I get with my GERD. And it did feel different... A lot of pressure. And then saliva and stuff started to come up. And then I pbed foam a few times (now that I am over it and no longer worried I think its pretty damn cool) Then it was all over after a while- like thirty minutes-- and I took a tiny sip and kept up with well spaced tiny sips the rest of the night. And I was sore afterwards. Since it was so early for me I had to stay on clear liquids another couple of days. A couple of days after the first incident I did throw up some slimfast. Just a couple of sips worth. I was having a post nasal drip moment or two and I was trying to spit it all out (sorry if I am making anyone gag here) but it made me gag and that made me vomit. I actually felt a lot better once I did vommitt. Cause I had been standing over the sink for about 15 minutes before that worried about not throwing up or another long incident but it was quick the second time. Then when I was all done with my nose I went back to sipping on my slimfast and it was just fine. I have had a couple of other incidents where I wasn't sure what way something was going to go. In those cases I found that sometimes a sip or two and a few spits into a paper towel or two as well as a heating pad on my chest helped it all continue going down nice and smooth. I also encourage myself to burp cause it seems I sip burp sip burp, etc. I have to drink pretty slow. Today I went out to dinner with some friends and I had some milk with unjury mixed in. It took me as long to drink that glass of milk as it did for them to eat their dinners. Heavier stuff like applesauce and pudding actually seems to go down easier-- its got gravity to it maybe So I am just sipping and breathing and sitting up straight. I have another week until mushies. Maybe I convince the doc to let me have cottage cheese a little early... But yeah, you know something might or might not happen before it does. That feeling is your cue to go the bathroom or wherever you prefer to spit up. I've taken to calling it spit up at home cause sometimes i just need to spit something that came up out-- like mucus I guess. And I try to have lots of napkins or baby towels. Sort of like a baby.

I wouldn't mind losing a couple of cup sizes and going back down to a D cup. Thats what I had in the eigth grade and I was a lot thinner then and a couple of inches shorter so I figure its not out of the realm of possibilities... Because right now I wear a 44 and its a DDD. or at least a DDD seems to do the job cause a DD sure has spill over issues. I refuse to even ponder DDDD. And my boobs have been sagging since I was 17 so I suspect losing weight won't help the issue much. Its one of these things I've accepted as an inevitble truth-- my boobs are too fond of gravity. My arms are already sort crepe like and flabby. I'm probably going to need some work done once I'm done losing weight. My breasts are fabululous, they just might need some upkeep and surgical assistance to stay fabulous in the years to come.

Karen, I am sorry to hear about your father. Tell them you are very ill or as much as you feel comfortable saying and that you will be in to visit as soon as you possibly can and that you really wish you could be there with them, but you just can't today. I'm sure they will understand. And I think in a day or two you might feel well enough to go in-- just don't put yourself in the hospital. I was Banded 1 week ago-- and I'm a slow healer compared to a lot of these gals. I remember on Monday I asked my husband about a baby shower we had been invited to-- I asked when it was because I felt up to going even if it was the next day or whatever. I could have gone that day too! Apparently it had been the day before and oops he didn't think I would feel up to going and DH had fogotten to give the gifts we had gotten the hostess too! I think about three or four days post op is also when a lot of the swelling went down and that made it at least easier for me to move around and I was less sore after that too. I know how difficult your situation must be, just try to sleep the best you can, it will help you heal.

It could be... people on certain kinds of diets (including strict atkins) are more prone to bad breath. If you want to know if you are in ketosis then you can test your urine with keto sticks. My brother was on the ketogenic diet for five years as a teen to help control his seizures and since then he has been on a strict version of the atkins. They are pretty similar, only the ketogenic is stricter.

It depends on your Body Frame. Do you have a small medium or large body frame? Google the term and you can figure it out by measure your wrist and elbow girth, etc. Now if you have a small body frame then the kind of weight you are talking about is reasonable. But if you have a large body frame then you would be too thin at 130 pounds most likely. I'm 5'8" and I know I would be too thin at 130 pounds-- I have a large frame. I don't think I would want to go lower than 150 pounds, not in order to still be able to have a lot of energy and muscle and so forth. So these are things to consider. Also the surgeon will need a five year or so history of failed diet attempts, etc.

I currently use benefiber. It disolves in liquids really easily so I just mix some in with my protein shake (unjury) or my husband's ice tea or whatever. You honestly can't tell its there. I've been taking fiber for years-- its good for the digestive track ( I have a minor case of IBS and it really helps with that and I don't get enough in my diet without supplementing it.

So today I am in a lot of pain and its not from any of my incisions. Its actually not on my entrapped nerve ending that i have in my abdominal wall but its near that spot- just over from it, actully, so I suspect that is the main culprit and that it is referred pain. It directly underneath an incision and the incision is where I usually get referred pain and other issues (like a node, muscle tightness, etc) so I guess that maybe since that spot isn't currently available due to its healing my body went ahead and picked the next best spot for reffered pain or something. None of my incisions hurt anymore at all though except for my port one and that one isn't so bad. But today this nerve ending stuff is just agonizing-- I put a lidocaine patch on all offening areas but its not working yet. If this pain keeps up I'm going to need something stronger than vicoden. Yesterday I was able to get up and do the dishes, but no today. I really can't move around with it like this. I'm so glad my surgeon listened when I asked him to put my port in on my right side-- he did. The offending nerve ending is on my left side. I would hate to think what it would be like now if it were on the same side as the port! If the pain keeps up I can see when my anesthiologist in the chicago area can see me-- thats only a two hour drive. And if for some reason he can't figure it out there is always Mayo pain clinic... Wish me luck with my lidocaine patches. All of you gals are going back work and here I am still in bed, I feel like such a wimp!

From what I remember I think they said that in meals I will eat about 1/2-1 cup of food at a time (less if I am satisfied sooner), but no more than 1 cup. I have to look it up in my booklet again to be sure. I have a nice detailed booklet the dietician gave me! So I think it really does depends on your doctor and maybe exactly how he or she does thing in their protocol and all that. Personally I am nervous about the whole not drinking while eating things. What if I want something really salty everyonce in a while or something with a little spice? What if I want to eat popcorn? Can I rinse my mouth out if I don't swallow stuff? Or maybe rinse it out and take a tiny sip or two? Dh and i like tai food for example and I usually have them make mine extra mild because I can't handle spice but everyonce in a while--- whoo! its a bit spicey for me (and probably me alone). I've always drunk a lot with meals (I tend to get a dry mouth) so I hope this part isn't too hard!

Oh that sounds yummy! I'll have to try it! Ive been thinking of tuna myself! Thanks for the recipe.

Thanks so much for the candid photos! Its threads like this that help keep me inspired as I am starting out with my band. I can fantacize about how I will lose all my weight and then get whatever procedures I need done and turn out looking great like you guys! It really helps with my morale! Plus it satisfies those voyeuristic tendancies LOL Im joking about that last bit... But as I am now unless my skin ends up being super elastic I bet I would want to get a boob lift (D cups since the eight grade when growth finally started to slow...) and my upper arms done. Not sure about tummy or lower body until I lose weight! But with fabulous results like years I'm not afraid of the saggy skin I know I might get cause I now I know I can get it taken care of and look great! And still have nipple sensation! Thanks!

No, I had a dream about doing stuff like that... LOL. They are very realistic dreams though. My current eating includes liquids only and some yoghurt and pudding-- all the lowest fat versions. Now I do intend on eating ice cream before too long, when I get to the proper stage in a couple of weeks, but the kind I'm saving in the freezer has no nuts in it. I might be fantacizing or dreaming about eating foods like pizza and crab alfredo and dougnuts and other forbidden food but right now I am being a good girl and sticking to the rules. I thought about cheating with some cottage cheese (I'm a big fan of the stuff but I don't get that until mushy stage), but I know better. According to books I've read, at least annecdotally, if one is lost in the wilderness and pretty much starving when that person does get found he or she has to be careful not to eat too much at all at once right away. Apparently that can be dangerous and even kill them. But I bet for the people who are wondering around starving, they aren't thinking about that. I bet the people who are wandering around are thinking things like "If I were at the seafood buffet at the Rio, what would I eat first?" Its sort of like that for me. All the food I talk/think about may sound lovely but its just a fantasy because I know better. I need to go through the baby steps first. Though I am thinking maybe we should have hit Vegas again before I was banded... but that is neither here nor there.

they come in plus sizes... I wear their 3X. http://www.welovecolors.com/Shop/Tights.htm Plus size is for their colored solid, color splash and metalic splash only though. Its one of the categories near the bottom of the page.

I actually have this ben and jerry's apple pie ice cream I have been saving to try... LOL I feel so proud of myself saving it like I have been. My nose does not get along with my band. Today I was experienceing some post nasal drip. Its a problem I have- I have sinus and allergy problems. Since the banding on Wed I have been taking oral guiafenesin and little tiny sudafeds (usually I take one big ole combo pill that is a 12 hour guiafenesin and sudafed combo). I also take two nose sprays and zyrtec and hydroxezine. But since I'm on the liquid vicoden i'm just taking the hydroxezine more and not the zyrtec (they are actually chemically related, zyrtec is derived from hydroxezine). But I still get nasal issues. So tonight some post nasal drip struck. So I was standing over the sink spitting it out and waiting for it to go away but it didn't work and it ended up irritated my tummy and I ended up throwing up. I only had about two sips of slimfast in me so it wasn't a big deal and I felt better afterwards. But I was miserable for a while because then I was burping constantly and tons of gas and pressure and then I got the hiccups. What I did was first I tried some kaoepectate. That really helped soothe my tummy. Then the stupid hiccups wouldn't stop so I had a tiny bit of creamy Peanut Butter because that always works for me and it worked this time too. So then I took another sudafed since I had thrown up recently after I took the first one and soon I was doing better. About to go to sleep here. But man those sinuses are going to cause trouble if I don't watch it...

I know exactly what you mean. The mess affects so many things... including weight and food and exercise. If I can't find my workout clothes then I can't go to the gym, etc. And in the past the more organized i have been the overall better my life has run. I think its going to be a bit like losing weight. I might want it to happen yesterday but the truth is that it is another transformation that won't happen overnight (unless I can get on one of them shows or something) and its going to be long hard work... Less weight, less mess, better life is going to be one of my new mottos I think.

I do sort of do that... That is one of my issues that I am working on. I would love to convince him to have someone come in for an initial cleaning to get the place in order. I know i could keep up with it if it would start out clean. He doesn't want to pay anyone either. He promised he would get it organized by the time I moved in in August. He did not do that. Of course I also promised I would have my stuff organized when I moved it-- I didn't do that most of my stuff is still in boxes and the garage. It drives me crazy. I want my stuff. Especially my good hiking boots. And we had excuses- he was busy with work, I had a broken hand and injured hip and stuff that summer, etc. Either way we didn't do what we said we would.

This afternoon I went to my clinic's walk in clinic hours because of the whole blood in urine and low fever thing. But according to the basic dipstick the only signs of the obvious UTI everyone thought I had were just the blood in the urine and the fever. :phanvan The doctor said that if I wasn't allergic to most antibiotics he would give me one but since I was he didn't want to since there weren't obvious signs of an infection. So he looked at my incisions and pushed on them a bit and my back and tummy and so forth and thought the blisters I got from the tape were interesting (I just reminded him, well I do have a lot of allergies...) and decided I would be ok for a couple of days while they did a culture on the urine and my regular doc can call me after the results come back. But if I get worse go to the ER, etc. So I went back home and rested some more. Was all irritable then too-- the mini makes me some jolts here and there and not a super smooth ride. So then I rested and calmed down and so forth. had some thinned out potatoe Soup that pureed and I put in some unflavored unjury in it for extra Protein. It was pretty damn good. And I had a slimfast earlier and some cranberry juice. And there is my Water... Oh and I had pudding to take my pills. I know my calories are surprisingly low but I am just not that hungry right now. I would totally go for a milkshake though (thinned out of course so not too thick)... I adore ice cream and ice cream products so I think having a shake during my liquid phase would be apropriate. What I need to know next is does ice cream itself count as a mushie? And I know I can't eat too much ice cream. I'm being really good about that even in my dreams about measuring out only half a cup into a little dish and then chewing any nuts or bits really really well and not going back for anymore not even a spoonful because yes those do count. LOL.

No it is not all him, not by any means. But I feel that he has bigger issues surrounding it than I do. And he whines about it but doesn't do anything about it and he is perfectly capable of doing stuff... At the moment thats making me angry. I'm not depressed. Sometimes things will depress me, but I'm not depressed overall. I'm in couseling too to work on some issues that I do have. I don't think its a big marriage problem either. I think the biggest issue here under it all is my husband's issues with depression and anxiety. One of the ways that manifests itself- a big way- is with the house. There are other ways too, but right now this is the biggest. And because they are interated they aren't completely separate issues. Another big issue that relates to the house is discipline and routine and that affects both of us as a couple. For example, if we set aside one hour, or even twenty minutes a day, and used it to clean the mess monster we would start to get ahead and see the changes before too long. But for various reasons we don't do that. I don't want to do it all bymyself because I feel it is OUR mess and we should work on it together, etc. I recognize that that isn't totally mature thinking on my part, and while I know that routine is my friend I do have a very hard time with one. One reason for that is because of my crazy sleep schedule. THough I am going to try a new med next month which will help I do hope. But its also partially just lack of discipline-- I see a need to do it but I don't do it for various reasons. One is laziness and so forth. So thats one thing I need to work on. I also want to hire an organizational coach for some rooms like the bathroom and other areas that I know I will find impossible to do myself and that DH will likely not give due attention to. I managed to organize the kitchen myself (Ok there is one stack of paper and one box of mess left to go through) but it took about four months and it was tons of hard hard work and effort for me. Due to the nature of my LD I have a super hard time with physical organization. I worked with an organization coach before as an undergrad and found it very helpful-- she taught me strategies I still use, but DH thinks it isn't a good idea that it would be embarassing, a waist of money, of time, etc. I recently found out he now routinely turns down dinner invitiations from other couples because he thinks we will never be able to reciprocate. I found that depressing. Or when I ask him to help me get some sliding shelves for deep cabinets or other things to help organize I feel like I have to convince him to move a mountain because he really wants to do it instead in a someday renovation project... But I think this is just part of his anxiety actually or something. Right now I feel like DH is more part of the problem than he is part of the solution. I feel there are a couple of reasons for that. One is bad habits- thats one of the reasons that are always at the heart of disorgation. I have bad habits too. But I think the bigger reason is his depression/anxiety. I also think we aren't communicating or interacting the best way possible about this issue. For example, I don't think he is really listening that well because he thinks I am not saying what he wants to hear about it. And thats true. But I think thats because his priorities maybe aren't always clear or are confused and I think that also might go back to his mood problems. So yeah I'm all pissy about the house and his not listening to me about it. Or when he doesn't take his ADD meds and then hes all over the place and gets nothing done anyway and is agitated about that but doesn't want to take the meds because on rare occasions they make him aggitated. I guess I feel frustrated and I'm also irritable right now after the surgery cause I don't feel good. ANd poor DH is my target... But I also feel like this is am important area of our lives. And most importantly I feel like DH needs to address his symptoms re his anxiety and depression. They won't go away if he gets one more thing done (he likes to tell himself that)... there isn't a magic wand or anything. And I wish I could get him to just agree with me on that. Thats probably the biggest issue. He can't see himself like I see him because trust me, if I acted like he did, he would want me to get counseling. One book I have and find helpful (and sometimes suggest to DH that he reads it- he never has time :welldoneclap: ) is Organizing from the inside out. [ame=http://www.amazon.com/Organizing-Inside-Out-second-Foolproof/dp/0805075895/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/002-6222209-8012036?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1174263581&sr=8-1]Amazon.com: Organizing from the Inside Out, second edition: The Foolproof System For Organizing Your Home, Your Office and Your Life: Julie Morgenstern: Books[/ame] I'll talk to him again. Maybe I can ask my therapist for tips to get him to go if he won't go at my urging. Or I can make it a couples counseling thing if he won't go on his own... I think therapy is really worth a try for him and he just seems to not want to do anything some days.

One thing my surgeon mentioned as a pro for the band was that is was reversible. Say they come up with something even better in five or ten years- something just great. He said rather than just waiting for that and gaining weight he said that band was a good way to go cause if something better does come along you can always upgrade, so to speak, with the band, what with it being reversible. So if it isn't just right for us and in 7 years something that is better is developed we can go ahead and get that with the band. With the bypass thats not really an option due to the whole permanent nature of things.

tie die is fun. I have some tie die type tights I am rather fond of and some other really bright ones I got from www.welovecolors.com they really pop with a black dress or denin skirt or anything actually... nice for the end of winter, beginning of spring. Thats one thing I am looking forward to as I lose weight-- more stockings and stuff available to wear. I want some good thigh high fish nets. Of course that means I should get a garter belt too as we all know that thigh highs can be a pain without one... My adventures for the day include getting dressed and then going to the walk in clinic so someone can test my urine and get me on an antibiotic. Fun times here... And then telling my DH he needs to clean some stuff. I opened my cymbalta into a pudding today (the lowest sugar and fat kind) and I feel decadent eating it... Who wouldn've thought...

So today is my fourth day post op and I'm still pretty restricted on an unfilled band. For example, even on liquids I have to sip nice and slow because I am noticeing restriction with them. I PB'ed my second day post op because I ended up drinking too much at once and stayed on clear liquids a couple of extra days after that. So how long until I get less restriction? I mean this would be way too much restriction on a permanent basis. If I wanted to exercise for example, I would need to be able to gulp down water. I can't do that now. And sure I can sip on my slim flast if I do it nice and slow, but what about if I go to mushies or just to thicker liquids let alone actual solids? It will get better, right? I guess I'm a little nervous that maybe the doc put too small of a band on me or something though I think he wouldn't do that being an experience lap band surgeon with a good rep and all. But I'm a big person- I mean I have a large frame and stuff in addition to being fat and what if the band is too small? I would really hate to have to do this all over again to put in a larger band... So someone tell me I'm being silly please and when the restriction will ease up?

I've got blisters near by incisions and those feel a bit odd... But I do know off this feeling you mention. Healing feeling. But my blisters seems to be some sort of allergic thing to the tape I guess. I'm wierd like that. I also have some sort of UTI or something-- lots of blood in my urine and a low fever. I need to go the walk in clinic tomorrow and make them test the urine and give me an apropriate antibiotic. I know I'm odd. Other's get itchy. I get blisters and bloody pee. I also barfed foam the other day... It will all be ok though because 1) I am losing weight on this thing and 2) I will still be able to eat ice cream. This is the paradox that keeps me going.

So the swelling seems to be mostly all gone down today finally. Yesterday I noticed that on a lot of corners where I have the incision sites taped (these are square bits of clear stuff with masking tape on them) I was getting blisters. So what I did was cut away the tape where there was blisters. A few of the blisters popped- mostly the bigger ones and of course there was cross pus and all but I put antibiotic ointment and bandaides over them and then a lot of the smaller ones didn't so I am just leaving them alone. Probably some bizare allergic reaction. I have sensitive skin. Then right now I am also finally starting on the full liquid phase. I stayed on Clear liquids for longer because I had a PB on day two post op when I drank too much all at once. So now I am slowly sipping on a slim fast. It never tasted so good before. Last night I was drinking Protein Water and at some points it was hard to remember to go slow because I was thirsty but I managed. When I drink I usually get a nice burp in return. Sometimes there is some pressure for a moment or two and then some more gas comes up. I guess I have pretty tight restriction! I sure hope it loosens up in the next week or two! Also right now I am still having dreams about food but they have changed. Before it was always food and then I would wake up starving. Now since my PB I have been having more nightmares. LOL. Like I dream that I ate a slice a pizza really fast and of course it is yummy but then I remember that I now I have the band I can't eat a slice of pizza really fast like that- just gulping it down so I am waiting for it... Or that I ate a soft solid too early but I was really careful and only had one bite. Or I discovered a huge tub of ice cream of ice cream in the freezer (chocolate cheesecake swirl with rocky road) and then I dished out just a half a cup and worked on chewing really well because I was afraid of upsetting the band. So now all my food dreams feature the band as well as food. This is a definite change. And when I wake up I always take a moment and sort of wonder what I might have eaten and then I realize that off course it was a dream. I meant to go to the walk in clinic today because I think I have a UTI because of all the blood in my urine lately (a bit freaky I'll admit as I'm not used to that) and also I started running a low fever (99.2) last night but its stable at least. And I called the doctor on call at my clinic and they said walk in should be able to handle it and not send me to ER ( I don't feel up to sitting around for hours there. I just don't. I'm not sick enough or well enough at this point... You know what I mean), since it sounds like a basic UTI. But today I slept through the hours that the walk in clinic was open (8 am to 8pm)... hey sleeping is what I do especially when I don't feel well. And tomorrow I will try again. I also sent my DH out for cranberry juice. So of course I am worrying about antibioitics now and what form they will take. I am allergic to most antibiotics-- at least the ones I have taken. Basically I can taken the erithymiacin derivitives and clindimyiacin (erithmiacin itself makes me projectile vomit so I like to avoid it). But those tend to be big pills or make me nauseated with stuff or whatever. So I don't know if there is a liquid form. I figure I would ask for zithromax as that is the least pills and side effects. And I don't want to be adventurous and try a new class of antibiotics or whatever because I don't feel up to the whole not breathing swelling rash stuff. This of course assumes it is an UTI but what else could it be? I swear when I wipe after I pee there is more blood than Urine, probably TMI. But it is sort of interesting too. And no, it isn't my period. I also finally lost a couple of pounds. I had somehow managed to gain weight after the surgery. This was pretty disconcerting especially since I was on no food and clear liquids and all. But then yesterday I was two pounds down finally. I haven't changed my ticker yet because I haven't felt like doing it yet. I also think the house is getting even messier around me. My husband said a pile of clothes collapsed in the laundry room and I don't think he did anything about it. The kitchen doesn't look good at all. He is working on putting in a newer, bigger, tankless water heater (we have a tankless that is fairly new but it doesn't keep up with our water needs esp since we are doing a bathroom renovation). So there are pipes and stuff all over. *Sigh* I'll get on him tomorrow. I'm going to be still down and resting at least a few more days so he needs to do more than he usually would, not that he would do a lot...

So the swelling seems to be mostly all gone down today finally. Yesterday I noticed that on a lot of corners where I have the incision sites taped (these are square bits of clear stuff with masking tape on them) I was getting blisters. So what I did was cut away the tape where there was blisters. A few of the blisters popped- mostly the bigger ones and of course there was cross pus and all but I put antibiotic ointment and bandaides over them and then a lot of the smaller ones didn't so I am just leaving them alone. Probably some bizare allergic reaction. I have sensitive skin. Then right now I am also finally starting on the full liquid phase. I stayed on clear liquids for longer because I had a PB on day two post op when I drank too much all at once. So now I am slowly sipping on a slim fast. It never tasted so good before. Last night I was drinking protein water and at some points it was hard to remember to go slow because I was thirsty but I managed. When I drink I usually get a nice burp in return. Sometimes there is some pressure for a moment or two and then some more gas comes up. I guess I have pretty tight restriction! I sure hope it loosens up in the next week or two! Also right now I am still having dreams about food but they have changed. Before it was always food and then I would wake up starving. Now since my PB I have been having more nightmares. LOL. Like I dream that I ate a slice a pizza really fast and of course it is yummy but then I remember that I now I have the band I can't eat a slice of pizza really fast like that- just gulping it down so I am waiting for it... Or that I ate a soft solid too early but I was really careful and only had one bite. Or I discovered a huge tub of ice cream of ice cream in the freezer (chocolate cheesecake swirl with rocky road) and then I dished out just a half a cup and worked on chewing really well because I was afraid of upsetting the band. So now all my food dreams feature the band as well as food. This is a definite change. And when I wake up I always take a moment and sort of wonder what I might have eaten and then I realize that off course it was a dream. I meant to go to the walk in clinic today because I think I have a UTI because of all the blood in my urine lately (a bit freaky I'll admit as I'm not used to that) and also I started running a low fever (99.2) last night but its stable at least. And I called the doctor on call at my clinic and they said walk in should be able to handle it and not send me to ER ( I don't feel up to sitting around for hours there. I just don't. I'm not sick enough or well enough at this point... You know what I mean), since it sounds like a basic UTI. But today I slept through the hours that the walk in clinic was open (8 am to 8pm)... hey sleeping is what I do especially when I don't feel well. And tomorrow I will try again. I also sent my DH out for cranberry juice. So of course I am worrying about antibioitics now and what form they will take. I am allergic to most antibiotics-- at least the ones I have taken. Basically I can taken the erithymiacin derivitives and clindimyiacin (erithmiacin itself makes me projectile vomit so I like to avoid it). But those tend to be big pills or make me nauseated with stuff or whatever. So I don't know if there is a liquid form. I figure I would ask for zithromax as that is the least pills and side effects. And I don't want to be adventurous and try a new class of antibiotics or whatever because I don't feel up to the whole not breathing swelling rash stuff. This of course assumes it is an UTI but what else could it be? I also finally lost a couple of pounds. I had somehow managed to gain weight after the surgery. This was pretty disconcerting especially since I was on no food and clear liquids and all. But then yesterday I was two pounds down finally. I haven't changed my ticker yet because I haven't felt like doing it yet. I also think the house is getting even messier around me. My husband said a pile of clothes collapsed in the laundry room and I don't think he did anything about it. The kitchen doesn't look good at all. He is working on putting in a newer, bigger, tankless water heater (we have a tankless that is fairly new but it doesn't keep up with our water needs esp since we are doing a bathroom renovation). So there are pipes and stuff all over. *Sigh* I'll get on him tomorrow. I'm going to be still down and resting at least a few more days so he needs to do more than he usually would, not that he would do a lot...