Maddy1

You will be ok, just hang in there. You should expect to have some discomfort. You just had alot of IV fluid pumped into you and your drinking throughout the day, you will urinate alot. Plus, honestly, if you aren't taking in alot of sodium, you have some "water weight" that will come off. The dryness in your mouth is left over from meds they give you to decrease your saliva during the sedation. You aren't going to feel great for a little while, but one day you will wake up and it will be so much better.

I also don't have any restriction at 3.5 in a 10 cc band and am also hungry alot, going to gym 4-5 days a week. I get my third fill on Friday so I am hopeful for improvement.

I talked to my doctor about that and the port flipping as I have heard about both. Their practice has a very low rate of problems with both those issues as well as with stretching of the pouch. The doc said that they sew a portion of the stomach over the band to help secure it, the low profile realize port is attached within the muscle wall and that the pouch should stretch to accomodate the 1-1/4 cups of food to eat about 4 times a day. It is chronic over eating (larger amounts) that may over time contribute to stretching out the pouch. It is a center of excellence. I am out only 2 months so no issues at this point.

I asked my doctor about this just last week. She said the pouch can hold about 2 oz. (1/4 cup) but stretches more than that. If the food is chewed well and eaten slowly, as we are instructed, she said I should be able to eat 1-1/4 cups of food and probably about 4 times a day.

Every person is unique in terms of what they need. I was still having significant pain at 4 days and only just starting to be able to get up out of a chair by myself. However, I am 60 years old and that could have affected things. I had plenty of leave accumulated so I took 3 weeks and it was great for me. Even though I felt better early in that 3rd week, I had the time to adjust to a mushy diet and I was well on my way when I returned to work.

OK, I'm a nurse and have been there myself as with employees. The most likely cause of your discomfort is muscle strain from all the vomiting. It will get better in a few days. You most likely have had the Noro virus (also called Norwalk virus) which can vary in intensity of symptoms. Some people have it way worse than others and it spreads quickly, five day incubation period after exposure. Clean bathroom and kitchen surfaces with 1:10 bleach/water solution. General cleaners don't kill the germ. Hope this helps.

You are so right, but doesn't stop the feelings! I look at meals in restaurants on advertised on TV and I say to myself, "no way I could eat that much food", "that steak sandwich looks great but I feel greasy and know I wouldn't enjoy it the way I once did." I can tell I am changing because my thoughts come back to what is right for me, but the old me still trys to stick in their 2 cents!

You will find many people here who will respond to comments or questions you post. It is a very good support group! Have you had your surgery yet? How are you doing?

So many great stories and comments. I find them so helpful. I was banded Jan 9th and had to wait 6 weeks for fill but now I can have them every 2 weeks until I reach some level of restriction. First fill of 3 cc, no improvememt, Second fill this last Friday of 0.5. It started as 1.0 but I had a slight hesitation when I swallowed water and Doctor insisted on taking 0.5 back out. She was very concerned that I might end up being sick over the weekend and she wouldn't be available to help. As the days have passed, however, I still don't feel any difference and I am trying not to be disappointed. When you look at my total weight loss since 1/9, at 27 pounds she thinks I am doing just great and shouldn't be worried. I am exercising a lot as well, 5-6 times a week on cardio, weight training alternates on days, lower body one day and upper body the next. We also tried a Zumba class last Friday. My friend and I, at 60, are clearly 20-30 years older than everyone else in the class and it shows! But we will go again until we can do it!

Have you re-thought what and how you are consuming your food? You obviously seem to have some restriction so you may have to consider what you need to do differently now.....smaller bites, more chewing, going slower, etc. It was very easy for me, without any restriction, to not pay as much attention to these things. With each fill, you may need to change or reassess your eating.

Doesn't seem like a lot of food but if you are concerned, one place to look at is your activity level. Are you exercising? Weight does come off a little faster if you are.

Low carb is challenging but its good for diabetes and lowering glucose levels as well. Avoid potatoes, rice, pasta, white bread and not too much bread all around, crackers (in small quantities and whole wheat). Check out a list of high glycemic fruits and veges on line and keep those lower on your food consumption list. Use a sweetner, my favorite is splenda. I track my carb intake and keep it around 60 gms a day which is approximately 4 carb exchanges for diabetics. It has dramatically lowered my glucose levels and I feel great and no breath issues at all. Also really helps with weight loss.

It is really true that most take-out food is very high in sodium, fat and carbs. My dietician states that even if you are eating good foods but you increase your salt intake it will show in weight gain. Everyone is right, take it as a learning experience about snacks and take out food and just move on. You aren't the only person who probably learned this the hard way. Congratulations for getting right back up and on track.

I took off 3 weeks, and I really needed all that time, maybe because I am 60. You don't have to give a reason to anyone except to say surgical procedure. My doctor's office only writes "abdominal surgery" with a return date. No one has to know anything. However, I had so many questions about my time off that I used the "hiatal hernia" excuse.....it was the truth (I did have that repaired during surgery), I just didn't mention everything that was done. No one bugs me at all about it now.

I have had the Realize band for 6 weeks and no problem also. My surgeon likes them better, something to do with less complications. However she still uses the Lap Band on very large men (it comes in 14cc?) if they need that size. No problems with mine.

This is such a shame, I get to talk to someone WHENEVER I call which has always been within office hours. The doc, the dietician, the nurse all say call if you have any questions. I am so sorry you have experienced this.

I am so excited at my one month anniversary....I have lost 25 lbs since I started the 2 week pre op diet and subsequent surgery Jan. 9th, my BP is down to 110/70, my resting HR is 57 and my A1C dropped a full point to 6.4. My doctor says if this continues, at my next appointment in 3 months he will start to reduce my medications! And I am even going to a gym and working out 1.5 hours. I just can't believe it. I am so excited!

You can get approved by someone else.....don't take a chance. Those charges are ridiculous. I was self pay and it only cost $10,000 thru a center of excellence. I live in Delaware on the East Coast. I'm a nurse and I can tell you that far more complex surgeries don't cost anywhere near that much. Think cardiac bypass? Your safety is the most important thing, even if you have to wait a few months.

Some days I just couldn't get them all down as well. It works out. I also struggled to get in all the protein and fluid after surgery. Now I am one month out and its fine. Just hang in there and do the best you can.

As soon as you get to regular food and off optifast or just protein drinks, the diarrhea will go away. It is a very common response to the weight loss drinks and surgery. I had it nearly 2 weeks with Optifast and after surgery for about 10 days and then it seemed to stop. Now I am a month out and have the opposite problem!

I went to Walmart and discovered I had to have them order adult strength. Apparently they only keep children's liquid on the shelves. I would have had to drink alot of that for the equivalent of one dose of the adult strength.

Have you tried gum? Helps me.

Other factors to consider....how old are you? I am 61 and took three weeks. The first week I was in so much pain (was only given Tylenol with codiene for pain) and couldn't even get out of chair or bed without help. The second week the pain was significantly better but I was still working at getting enough liquid in and getting rest, easily fatigued. The third week I began to walk and rebuild my stamina. Also a nurse like you. So I went back after 3 weeks off and felt wonderful. But some people go back in one week and do ok. My doctor said if I had the time, take it and I was very glad I did.

Protein powders can be very expensive. Walmart carries Pure Protein 100 Whey in a variety of flavors (my favorite is chocolate). I add one scoop of Protein Powder with 1 cup skim milk, 1 pkg Splenda and a hand full of ice to my blender and blend until the ice seems to be crushed. Its cold, creamy and very chocolately for half the cost of the unjury protein powder. My Walmart (and I live in a small town) carries it in huge jugs for $17.99. I have also added 1/2 banana or 1/2 cup strawberries or 1 T of Peanut Butter, all of which are ways to vary the taste. AND you get 25 grms protein for the power and another 6-8 for the milk and you are over 30 for the day. My other favorite is Isopure flavored drinks in the bottles. Grape Frost is pretty good and 40 grms protein for a 20 oz. bottle. Mostly I driink 1/2 a bottle for liquid and for extra protein.

For protein powder drinks, you can get Pure Protein 100% Whey for $17.00 for a large, large jug at Walmart. One scoop with 1 cup skim milk, 1 splenda and a handful of ice blended in your blender make a nice, chocolately shake that tastes great at about half the price of the isopure. However, I too really enjoy the Isopure clear protein drinks in the bottle, especially grape. I drink at least 1/2 a 20 oz bottle daily to boost my protein intake (I am just 16 days out from surgery). They are expensive but you can shop around.