JaimeLou113

If i stall out for a few weeks, I go back on liquids to jump start myself again. I see that again in my future very soon....like Monday

My surgeon says to stop 5 minutes before.

Did you have a hiatal hernia repaired at the time of surgery? Many obese people have these hernias, where the stomach invades the chest cavity through the diaphragm. You may not have known you had one. It gets fixed during surgery, because they have to pull your stomach down to place the band. If you had a hernia, they tightened up your diaphragm, to prevent re-herniation. The tightened diaphragm will cause the lower rib cramping.

I was told to stop drinking 5 minutes before. Not to contradict your doctor, but I'm just saying......

I was also banded on March 19th. I am 5'9" and started at 350 (before the pre-op diet). Last week, I was 310. I don't count calories, as my program focuses more on learning to recognize your green zone. I drink 1 - 2 liters of Water a day. I walk 2 - 3 miles a day, and do 30 - 60 minutes on the elliptical a couple of times a week. I also work with a trainer twice a week. I am also obsessed with the scale. I weigh first thing in the morning, naked, post-pee, pre-drink/eat, pre-shower, with the scale in the exact same place on the floor (ruling out as many possibilities for discrepancy as possible ). I have noticed that the days after training when I'm a little sore, and any morning I wake up feeling bloated, I weigh considerably more. I started taking Gas-X before bed to minimize the bloating, and that's helped to even things out. I also changed the batteries in the scale, just in case that was contributing to the fluctuations. I went to support group last week, and was given a tip by a bandster who has been really successful. She told me to make sure I ALWAYS eat the Protein first. She also said to start setting the stopwatch on my phone, to start timing how long it takes me to eat, how long I chew for, and how long I wait between bites (I have trouble with slowing down on eating). And, she said to drink, drink, drink BEFORE I eat, and that will help to make me less thirsty and less likely to drink during the meal (I'm not very good at that either). Last thing she said was to stop eating at night....never eat after 8pm. If I have to, slowly drink a Protein shake. I've been trying all of these things the last week, so we'll see how well it works out for me. But, I'm really happy with my results so far!

I am 5 weeks out, and I have never been so gassy in my life. I have found that if I take 1 or 2 Ultra Gas-X soft gels when I go to bed, I am so much better. I was waking up so incredibly bloated, it was painful, and I would spend the first 3 hours of the day passing it. Started with the Gas-X, and it is so much better. I don't wake up bloated, and it seems to keep me from getting gassy throughout the day. Soft gels work better than the chewable tabs.

Ok, good to know I'm not the only one! Thank you!

Hello, all! Hope everyone is doing well. The last month has gone by fast, and I've been doing really well. Until today..... I went for my first fill today. I only got 2.5 cc (long story), but I feel horrible. My stomach is crampy. I have that pain that radiates up into my left shoulder. I'm just plain uncomfortable. I can drink ok, and I guess it's a good thing I'm not allowed to eat until Thursday...liquids only. Bottom line, is this supposed to suck this bad? LOL Thanks!

OMG! Yes! It started today at work. I thought it was because the pants I was wearing came up a bit higher, and may have bee irritating my incisions. Super annoying and painful!

Found this online. Hope it helps! TOTAL GASTRIC VERTICAL PLICATION (TGVP OR PLICATION) Total Gastric Vertical Plication (TGVP or Plication) is a fairly new restrictive, laparoscopic technique that reduces the size of the stomach and limits food intake. The Plication involves sewing one or more large folds in your stomach, in which the stomach volume is reduced about 70%, making your stomach the shape of a tube. The sutures used are non-absorptive and there is no cutting, stapling, removal of the stomach or intestines, or uses any foreign implants. This creates less risk for complications and also allows for full absorption of vital nutrients (no malabsorption created). Although this is a newer procedure, the current statistics show a loss for most patients of approximately 62-67% of excess body weight. You may hear other surgeons explain that this procedure is reversible, but it has been shown that when the sutures are removed, scar tissue may have formed around the folds of the stomach, preventing it from returning to its original shape (think of it as the sides of a balloon sticking together). Due to this fact, this procedure should be considered as a permanent weight loss surgery.

My friend had surgery a year and a half ago. She also had a really hard time emotionally. She has recently started counseling to help her deal with the emotions she had been pacifying with food for so long. Her recommendation to me was to start counseling as soon as possible after surgery, so that it doesn't pile up on me all at once. As some of the other posters have suggested, it may not be a bad idea for you to contact someone at school, or look to see what your insurance will cover in the way of mental health services. This is a happy time, and you should be happy! I hate that you're not....it makes me sad, too. We need to take care of ourselves in many ways. Don't neglect your head and your heart <3 Hang in there! It will get better!

I am sorta lucky to have my life very compartmentalized. I have work people, friends, and family. I haven't told any of my family (complicated relationships). I haven't told my boyfriend (didn't want to hear "but I love you just the way you are!" I know that, but I don't love me this way, and that's all that really matters). I told them I was having a hiatal hernia repair (which is true....they repaired it during the surgery). I've only told a few friends....the ones who will keep their mouths shut And, I told everyone at work....mainly because I didn't want to play 20 questions every day. Yes, I'm losing weight, and you already know how. I didn't want to field, "Oh what diet are you on? How much are you exercising?," blah, blah, blah, every time I turned around. Figured telling them was just easier. Did you tell people?

Thanks, Ladies! Kelly - How are you feeling?

Hi! New to the group....I was banded on March 19th. How's everyone doing?