Alli in StL

I waited a couple weeks. My chiropractor did a more gentle adjustment the first time, and after that, it was back to normal.

Yes, it is normal to still have gas pains a few weeks after surgery. However, if you have a concern that something might be wrong, a call to your doctor is in order.

It's a great feeling, isn't it? I've had so much fun, just shopping in my closet. Congrats on the loss!

I was out for 2 weeks, but really could have used 3. For most people 1-2 weeks is plenty. My body just really hates surgery and doesn't recover as easily.

Out of curiosity, how would 4 cc of Fluid not give the baby enough room to grow? I've never researched pregnancy with the band as babies are no longer an option for me, so this has really piqued my interest. Congratulations, by the way!

My guess would be that your body is simply healing. The swelling is going down, so there is not as much pressure when you take a deep breath. If it's a big concern for you, call your dr.

Personally, I would find a different doctor. With the amount of money I put into medical care, I refuse to see someone that I don't feel completely comfortable with. Having a doctor that purposefully hinders medical treatment is ridiculous.

I wish I could join you at the support group, but driving to Festus in the evening would take me forever. I wish I could find a decent one closer to me.

I don't know why it's so different from dr to dr either. In my hospital's department, one surgeon requires 3 weeks of liquid diet, my surgeon only requires 3 days. You could always try some different herbal teas to change up the flavors. I don't know how much that would actually help though. I wish I had some magic solution for you! Just know that this is temporary and it will be worth it in the end.

As you lose weight, the fat around the stomach also goes down. This can result in not feeling as much restriction as in the past.

I'm good! I got a fill the day before yesterday and I can sure tell a difference. I'm sure I'll loosen up some more as the swelling goes down, but I'm thinking that I might FINALLY be in my green zone.

Roxa, how are you feeling? How's the liquid diet going for you?

If you are having that much trouble drinking anything, you're probably too tight. You should give your dr a call in the morning if it's still that severe.

It can be very encouraging to read everyone's stories about their surgeries and loss. What we all need to remember though is everybody is different. Some are ready to go back to work in just a few days; others take longer. Some lose quickly right out of surgery; some don't. I think the first few weeks after surgery were the hardest. We've just gone through this life-changing surgery and we want instant gratification! You will lose. Focus on healing, follow your doctor's plan, and the weight will go.

My dr also put 3cc in my band at the time of surgery. That is his normal process, but I ended up being so tight that I got dehydrated. Now I'm glad that my body is so sensitive to fills, but at the time, it was torture!

I got my candied ginger at my local health food store, but those preggy pops sound like a good option too.

For just a regular upset stomach (not related to being stuck), I either chew on candied ginger or drink hot peppermint tea.

I did that once. I was extremely sore afterwards, even in the port area. In my case, I did liquids the next day to give my body a chance to recover and I then I was fine.

My dr says the same thing. He says the reason is that your stomach can swell because of the adjustment. I actually add an extra day I there, because I tend to take longer for the swelling to go down.

Well, I got my fill this morning. I forgot to ask how much he put in, though. As always, my dr was fantastic. He was happy that I'd lost 4 pounds since my last appointment with everything I had going on. He reminded me (again) that slow isn't always bad. As long as I stay the course, I'll get there in the end.

I've had a heck of a time these last several months. I've had some health issues and dealing with the deaths of a couple of people very close to me. In the midst of it all, I haven't given the band or the weight loss much thought. My last appointment was 4 months ago and my dr and I decided to not add more to the band because I didn't know if I would be having surgery. It's finally looking like I will be avoiding surgery (yay!) and my next appointment is tomorrow. Even though I haven't had a fill in a while and I am not in my green zone, I've still managed to lose a couple pounds. I'm not sure how I managed that, but I won't complain! I am so glad I'm back to a point where I can really focus on the weight loss again. I am so confident, though, that if I didn't have the band, I would have certainly gained weight during this time, and a lot of it. I had been feeling sorry for myself because I hadn't lost more weight, but I'm done with that. I've lost 50 pounds! That's amazing! How can I possibly be upset about that?

Well, honestly, I never tolerated the protein shakes well. I'm very allergic to aspartame and don't tolerate other sweeteners very well, either. I do know that I had loose stools while on liquids. I just went with the theory of liquids in, liquids out. I think that it could be a side effect of a sweetener in your shakes if you're not using unflavored powder. Just make sure you drink drink, drink to avoid dehydration, but definitely call your dr if it's getting out of control.

It's possible you're too tight, but also possible that you're still swollen. My dr's guidelines are liquids the day of a fill, soft foods on day 2, and regular food on day 3. He has actually added an extra day in there for me as I tend to stay swollen longer. I think I'd call the office and see what they say.

My dr says it's because you can pull up extra air behind the liquid. He also says that it varies from person to person, so he doesn't have a hard rule on it. I use straws and don't seem to have a problem, but I know some people do. However, I wasn't brave enough to try straws right away as I didn't want any more discomfort than I was already experiencing after surgery.