Poodlelover56

Aldo my port is very prominent too

I could shower right away because i had the derma bond. Check with your doc I'm still in the mushie stage. Im 12 days post op I eat scrambled eggs with 1/4 c mozzarella cooked in. Yummy and 24 gms Protein. Refried Beans w dollop of sour cream oatmeal Had broccoli cheddar Soup from panera bread today Sf pudding Mashed potatoes I've been tracking my protein, cals and carbs. I see the dietician next week. I'm down 20 lbs since pre op.

Wow! Good for you to do it together. Keep us posted!

Glad to hear it! So how do you feel now?

Going back to work thurs. I'll be 15 days post op. I only work part time but I am a nurse in a very busy pediatrics practice, so I just wasn't ready to go back sooner. My energy is still really up and down. And I didn't want to expose myself to all the germs in my office while I'm still not feeling strong yet. I think everyone's recovery is very different. Listen to your body, rather than what you think you should be doing or feeling. Have sex when you are up for it. My husband was ready last week, but he didn't have his stomach banded! Lol.

Pixie, Are you sure what you are feeling is restriction, not just loss of appetite? Did your surgeon give you a fill when he banded you? I have no saline in there yet, but I struggled just getting fluids in that first week because I had no appetite. I'm 12 days out, on mushies, and feeling better. Give it time, but definitely check with your surgeon. I am also still feeling very exhausted at times. I'm going to try the B12 sublingual tabs. Feel better! Arlene

Lisa, your blog is inspirational! And your nutritionist hit the nail on the head! Congrats on your success. I am almost two weeks banded this Wednesday. Eating mushies, tracking protein, cals and carbs. I don't have my first official meeting with nutritionist till 11/3. My bariatric center ( north of Boston) has a " heart and wellness" center that all bandsters have to go to once a week for 12 weeks starting a few weeks post op. It's nutrition counseling, exercise , Nd meeting with NP. I'm looking forward to starting that. I'm down 20 lbs from my first meeting with surgeon on 8/17, so I can't complain. Just keeping my eye on the prize and my mind focused on what I can eat, not what I can't. Keep up the good work! Arlene

At this stage, why go out and torture yourself ? It's so much easier, early on, to just fix hinges at home. I'm 11 days post op and started mushies this weekend. While my son was having his grilled teriyaki chicken, asparagus and potatoes, I had some of the potatoes and I made refried beans. My husband had already eaten but he sat and had some of whatbi had prepared. It was a cozy feeling just being in my own kitchen with my family. Be kind to yourself, especially at this fragile time when healing our bellies is so critical. And for me, I'm kind of happy to not go out for awhile. Restaurant food is almost always full of salt, fat, and sugar. I ate enough of it to get me to this place. Time to hunker down and eat healthy.

How many carbs do you stay below? Right now I am 11 days out, just started mushies. So I am keeping track of protein so that I hit 60 a day and cals, though I have been under 1000 just because I'm not eating much. I see the nutritionist next week. I don't know what she will recommend or how she sets you up.

What kind of a food/diet plan are you on?

Maybe your husband could be a little more sensitive and not eat them around you. Atleast during your early stages here where you haven't broken your bad eating habits and you are still learning how to eat with the band. I am lucky because even though my husband is thin, he prefers to eat healthy, which makes it easier for me. I'm only 10 days banded and just started mushies. But I didn't go through this surgery to not be successful. So good luck to you. Take care of yourself.

I would really try to focus on how far you have come. 100 lbs lost is amazing! But maybe you need to think about not wanting to slide back. Weight gain is a slippery slope. And vacations can really de-rail an over eater. Have you talked with your surgeon about your issues with the band? You will feel so much better if you get back to a good place with your food and exercise. You have worked so hard to be where you are. Those of us newbies need inspiration! Don't let us or yourself down! Good luck!

I was banded on the 12th and I am still having a lot of pain in my left shoulder , sometimes excruciating. Saw doc for 1st post op yesterday and evetything is good. Advanced me to stage 2 , so I am doing chobani yogurt, eggs, cot cheese. Along w the shakes. The shouldervpain has been the toughest, occasionally taking percocette coz nothing else gets rid of it. I read online that it is not uncommon to have the shoulder pain for several weeks. I'm only 10 days out, but impatient to have it gone! But I am happy to be advancing my diet.

Although I am not italIan, I am very much a foodie. Food has always been front and center in my thoughts. So, before I had surgery ( I'm only 9 days banded), I did a ton of research. By that I mean, I read three good books which were super informative, and started searching around on this web site and listening to the real life stories. My hairdresser also put me In touch wih a client of hers who was three years banded and down 100 lbs, and also Italian. She told me that she still enjoyed cooking for her family, but now she simply didn't eat that much. She described her post band life as "now I can have my cake and it too". She just doesn't eat that much. And remember, no one in your family really cares how much you eat. They just want to be together as a family. So good luck making your decision. I hope this wasn't too much information! Arlene

I agree with the protein for your healing. Also, do as the doc instructs, keep it clean, wash your hands any time you have to touch it, even if you are wearing gloves. Also, signs of infection would be a fever, redness, pus or pain at the site. I'm sure you will heal up just fine. Just monitor yourself closely. Arlene, nurse from Boston

I was banded on the 12th and had a few days of diarrhea , once I started going, when I was 4 days post op. For me, I think it was the whey protein I was adding to my carnation drinks. I stopped it and the loose stools stopped. Good luck!

Wow Joyce. Sorry for your loss. I'm sure your brother is shining down on you with love and admiration for taking this giant step to improve your life. Best of luck!

Thank! The gas x didn't help me and I don't want any more pain med. Want to keep my bowels moving.I'll see what the surgeon says. On the plus side, I'm down 19 lbs since starting the process on 8/17. Most of that has been the three weeks of liquids. Are you on mushies yet? Arlene

I was banded Oct 12th and my biggest problem is the gas pain that comes and goes from left shoulder and my left side below ribs. Sometimes it's incapacitating. I see my surgeon tomorrow. I hope to advance to atleast mushies. I don't know why tis gas is so persistent.

I am 7 days post op and still having the left shoulder gas. And tonight I started to have what feels like a gas pocket on the left below my rib cage. I feel like my body has been invaded but I am trying to stay positive that this will all resolve soon. Gas x didn't help me. Pain med helped more last night than tonight. The NP suggested ice rather than heat. Good luck. We are all in this together!

Hope you feel better soon! Hopefully the antibiotics will kick in soon. Take care.

I was the same way. I am 7 days post op and still can not get 3 carnation shakes down. The nutritionist told me yesterday that if I am staying hydrated, not to worry so much. Just make sure that you are hydrated enough to be peeing atleast every 6hr. You will gradually be able to tolerate more fluids. Are you taking your pain meds? Pain can cause you to not want to drink also. I was still having awful gas pain in my left shoulder. The nurse practitioner yest advised me to take my percocette. I took one and felt so much better! I didnt think it would help the gas but it did. Hang in there. It will get better! Arlene from Boston