lisacaron

@@Weightogo123 You may still be a bit swollen in there especially if you were having trouble before and then had some Fluid removed. I'm sure you went back to liquids for a bit after having the fluid removed. My doctor usually recommends when putting fluid in or taking some out to have liquids for 2 days at least, then move to mushy for a few days then soft then back to solids. It will usually take me a good week or more before I will go back to eating solid knife and fork foods. I had only one incident where I had to have fluid taken out and that was because I was sick at the time and didn't want to put my band at risk. So I went in and had 2cc taken out. They put them back in slowly .5 at a time over the course of a few months so my band and my belly had plenty of time to settle into it. Sometimes I think my Dr. are overly conservative and then on the other hand I am also grateful that they are because I think that it's possible to move too fast with a fill and not give the belly and the band a chance to settle into the fill and that could be a bit of what's happening now for you. My advice would be to give a few days on liquids and soft and then if you still can't progress back to solid foods without them coming back up give the Dr. a call again and have an x-ray check and maybe even a tad more fluid out if needed. Let us know how your doing!!

@@ddsweighin228 Why were they not able to take out all of the Fluid? If you are not able to eat and drink why would they put more back in? It sounds like you possibly have a large amount of fill in the band and your stoma is irritated and you are quite possibly swollen inside which would cause food and drink to be restricted from passing easily through the stoma where the band sits. It's a good idea to have the barium swallow done to see what is going on in there, and I"m sure the Dr. won't be putting more fluid in if your swollen and still having trouble eating and drinking. Good Luck and please let us know what the doctor says when you go for the swallow.

@@Fiddleman Great that you are an active guy! If you want to keep being active get yourself to the orthopedist and have them check out this knee problem for you. Delaying with something like that is only going to make matters worse. You don't want to cause damage if you don't already have some. They will be able to schedule any tests that you might need as well as give you some ideas of what exercise to do to strengthen and help your knee heal from what ever is paining it. Let us know how it goes!

@@laur21 the Premier Protein is pretty good. Make it really cold and that helps. Don't smell it or over think it. If you like smoothies blend it up with some ice. Once you are banded you are going to need to be on this diet probably for at least a few days if not a few weeks, so it helps to find something you like now because you don't want to be gagging on shakes or anything else after surgery. There are some product like unjury that have no flavor and you can mix them into you favorite beverage, though I have not tried them I hear good things about it. Good luck let us know how it goes for you!

Ah, I understand. I asked because if you were newly banded I wouldn't want to interfere with the Doctors diet protocols. 30 pounds down is great, I know it doesn't feel like much but it really does take time to get to know your band and how to work it. When was the last time you saw your doc for a fill or an assessment? Maybe give them a call and get back in there to see if you need some Fluid put in and try a "reset" go back to band basics and created a good structure from there that works for you. The beauty of WLS is that we are not stuck on a diet, but we need to structure a meal plan for ourselves. I have my fitbit set to go off on alarm at 12:30 to remind me that I need to make lunch and eat it. I get engrossed in work and then I am starving later and can either eat too much or too fast and cause a problem for myself. So now I make sure to have a plan before that happens. Often times I don't have the time or take the time to make lunch so I'll have to hit the cafe here and today it's a cup of turkey chili and a small green salad with little raspberry vinaigrette dressing and feta cheese. My mornings are usually a Protein bar because I am on the go from 6 am till about 10-11 and that is an easy unwrap and go with a cup of coffee. My main meal is usually lunch, if I hit the gym after work my band is tight and a full dinner doesn't sit well or have enough time to digest before bed, so I'll have a shake and/or a bar for dinner or something small at the diner like eggs. Myfitness pal and spark people have some good ideas and can help you structure some meal plans, or put them into your smart phone to keep a solid time frame and structure that often helps me as well.

@@*Lexie* Your doctor has you lose the 15 pounds on a "special" diet in the begining to show that you are committed to sticking to the after surgery rules and to the way your life style is going to change. They asked the questions they did because there are some who do follow the pre-surgery diet and think they can do this all on their own and they don't need surgery. Your answer was right on point. If we could live on a liquid diet forever and lose all our weight we would have done that years ago. Most of our diets failed once we stopped "dieting" and the weight came back with friends to spare. Having WLS is a life style change. A permanent one that you have to be ready to be committed to for the rest of your life. I understand why you feel defensive, but you are not a bad person and you have not been bad because you are overweight. You are part of this special group of people who are all affected by obesity and doing something about it. You are a survivor and a winner, and no one more then you needs to understand and appreciate that and all the work it takes to get there! Congratulations!!

@@nyree74 did you have a nutritionist as part of your medical team when you were banded? How long have you been banded?

@@Rollo So the key here is not to eat until you are "full". You want to stop eating when you are no longer hungry and satisfied. If you are eating until you feel stuffed and full then you are over eating and you don't want to stretch out your stomach. If you do that you can prolapse the band and cause some real problems for yourself. A good rule of thumb is to take 20 minutes no more and no less to eat your meal, putting the fork/spoon/knife down between each bite, chewing and swallowing the bite before starting on the next one. When you plate food use a small plate and don't pile it high. Eat what's on the plate and time yourself so it takes you 20 minutes to eat it. Slow down if your finishing too quickly, and once your done with the plate of food in 20 minutes. Relax and access your hunger level again in an hour. Have a glass of Water, or beverage and then if still hungry have a small snack. Do some research on portion sizes and you will get the hang of it.

@@CupofJojo I don't think it's a bad thing not to have a "desire" to eat. I do however worry about your health and nutrition if you are not taking in the proper amount of nutrients. Is it that you don't eat because you have no want to eat or simply can't eat? Are you having a want to eat unhealthy foods vs nutritious food? If you can eat without complication than I would try to plan the healthy meals and sit down and eat them at regular intervals even if you don't "want" to eat them do it to fuel your body and maybe make an appointment with the psychologist to see if it's a mind thing or something more physiological that is going on. If you have complications with eating or eating certain foods, then I would advise you to call your doctor and ask to be seen for a follow up exam. Being healthy means fueling your mind and body, and I'm sure you didn't have this surgery to be weak or ill. We are here for support, let us know how things go.

@@Ivowtodoit all that was said above was great advice! The big thing these first few days is to keep hydrated and try to get some Protein in. When your feeling ready take a few sips of your shake. Use a tiny medicine cup to take sips so your not gulping and causing more air and too much Fluid to go down at once. Most of all give yourself some TLC and allow your body to heal from this major surgery. That's your job right now..healing. Weight loss and fills and all that will come later.

@@sevenb07 coffee can cause more acid production and you definitely need a bit more Water if you are only getting in one bottle a day. I know I have a similar hate for drinking water. I use mio drops in my water and I love the sweet tea one that helps me get more Fluid in through out the day. I also will drink some decaf, but that still can cause extra acid production. If you are having reflux at night, I would let your doctor know they can also give you something to help that. Sometimes it's because we eat too late or right before bed, it can also be an indication of a too tight band...but if none of that is the case for you and it's just extra acid the docs can tell you what to take to help calm that and stop that reflux in the mornings

I agree with you @@AZDee WE ARE WORTH IT!!! It doesn't matter what it is, WLS or new hair cut or new clothes after we lose our weight we have to do the right thing by ourselves to be happy and healthy. It's not always easy but it is always worth it. My husband and I just signed up for year of personal training and you know...it's EXPENSIVE and yes there may be some plastic surgery needed down the road and you know what we are worth it! We have taken care of our family's our children our parents our jobs and we don't do much in the way of things that take care of "us". So this time we put our health and vitality first and spend the money and booked the trainers, now I just need to rocket fuel to get through the work outs !

I agree with the enjoy part CG. Both you ladies look pretty young to me and having a good time while out with friends is not a bad thing especially when your young and recovery is not so brutal Life is short, that said please be responsible with your enjoyment and take others and yourself and your body into consideration. Don't drink and drive or drive with someone else who has been drinking! You know friends don't let friends drive drunk...OK PSA over. Make sure that you are hydrating since alcohol can severely dehydrate you especially in the sun and cause you to feel sick and dizzy as well as causing some Water retention later that may make you heavier and bloated. Keep track of the calories, so you know if you are gaining where it is coming from and then you can always modify accordingly and have a GREAT summer!!!

I drink from a straw all the time. Especially if out in a restaurant. If you have gas pains after stop and try again after a few weeks months as you heal. Everyone is different.

Give your doctors office a call. Often there is someone on call and they can give you some advice and tips to help you out. Never be afraid to call the doctors office they are there to help you.

You can get good ones in so many places. The key is to try them on and to make sure they are for high impact. Victoria Secret makes some good ones, Hanes, Jockey, Under Armor, Champion. You want to be sure that they don't give you the uniboob and that each breast has it's own pocket or cup. You want to have the compression so they are not hanging about and bouncing. So snug works. In a "generic" sizing S, M, L, XL though you might think our size needs that XL it's too big. (at least for me it was) jumping up and down there's too much movement so I had to go down the size. The best ones even though they may have that racer back for the support, they also have a bit of hook and eye closure to the band so you have the flexibility to make it snugger as you loose and also as the garment stretches. Cause as we know bra's are not like our jeans they don't shrink in the wash they tend to stretch out more. Prices online are good, but try to get to the store and try on what works for you and then you can order online. If you have an outlet store near you those are great also. All our body types are different even if our size is the same, so you really want to get in there and try them on. I know jumping around in a dressing room in your bra is not high on the list of fun activities...but the girls are worth it

So ladies, I was doing some research and gearing up for my first 5K. I was feeling a bit insane but I have decided that my health has to find a place in my life, and since I work the best under pressure I decided to jump in with both feet and signed up for this 5K which is being sponsored by my job so there is NO way I can back out or not finish it because everyone will know and well I spend more time here then I do at home so I'll have to make sure I do it and well! So in preparation I have been doing some research and you know what I read, and if I can find the article I will post it, but the jist of it is that any time you are working out. Walking, running, biking, elliptical what ever your work out is you need to have a good sports bra! You need to have those girls supported and the more intense the work out the more structure you need to the sports bra. The reason being that our boobs basically are held up by ligaments and skin. We have pectoral muscle, and building that up helps to keep the girls in their perky position. That said however supporting them during a work out so they are not bouncing up and and around and pulling down (thanks gravity) will help with prevent that saggyness that comes as we lose weight and exercise. Do you buy that? No...well trust me ladies invest in a good sports bra! They can be $30-$70 depending on the make and the type of bra you get. For intense work outs you want the GOOD one. It's cheaper then a breast lift, and let me tell you...I bought it! I see a breast specialist for other issues, and they had advised me of this years ago...and so I got the low impact ones..and as my work outs increased in intensity so did the make and support of my bra, and my size has gone down from a 42 DD to a 38 DD. My breast tissue is still right where it was...still the same cup size even as my circumference shrinks. Support is a BIG thing...now I am looking into some tummy support as well...I want to see if that works to minimize the "sag" I'll let ya know what I find out.

@@hershey4 I would not assume it's anything to do with the WLS. Go and see your Primary doctor, they can run a few tests including an x-ray which will show the placement of your band and the port as well as be able to rule out any other issues that might be going on. If it's a band/port issue then I would contact the Dr. that did the surgery, but go to the Dr. you are covered to see. Tell them you have pain and it's in your side and back and sometimes on both sides. I could be many many things, including something to do with your kidneys. ( I say this b/c the pain radiates to your back on both sides, but I am not a Dr.) See your regular doctor and go from there, let us know how your doing and what your doc has to say. Feel better!!

I have to say that I agree with April, this would be a deal breaker for me too. I try not to be judgmental of people and for sure we all make mistakes. This is beyond making a poor choice though. Driving drunk is putting the lives of those you have taken an oath to help in harms way. Yes under the influence judgement and choices are skewed, the poor choice this fella made was getting to that level of intoxication where he thought it was OK to put lives at risk. Hopefully he will take some time off, reassess his choices while doing his penance for his actions according to the law. People are forgiving, but for now...I think it is totally justified for his patients to have a hair on fire reaction and schedule surgery with one of the associates. Even if he is not a drunk, he certainly in no frame of mind after this incident to be performing major surgery on anyone.

Great to see all my band-mates from Dr. G's office here I agree hubby and I love him and his office!

I'm curious - is this a new phenomenon - vets leaving? Or has this always been the case? It is not a new phenomenon and it's not that it has always been the case. That said, when you answer the same questions over and over, and you hear new WLS patients asking if I did this right or that right or are looking for absolution for eating pizza 3 days out of surgery it's hard for a veteran to keep posting reply's that are supportive. Then for those that do post and try to let a new WLS patient know that NO it's not OK for you to eat pizza 3 days out of surgery only to get responses back that are nasty it becomes clear to that Veteran that they need a break. Some drift off the forums for a while, they might read what people are talking about but they won't post and they won't share much, and that is sad because they have lots to share. We have to remember that the written word on a forum is not like sitting face to face with your friends and family, and that certain tones can be inferred even if that was not the intention. So I find it best to take everything in stride and remember that if they didn't want my opinion or that of others then they should not have posted on this site Veteran or no, I don't consider myself to be any better or worse then anyone else on this site. I have something to learn from my Peers, from those who have been here longer and those who are brand spanking new to the site and and to WLS as well as those who are just "thinking" about it. No matter what my background and education in this area or any other area's happens to be, I don't think I am above learning something from just about every post. Even if it happens to be the things NOT to do and I don't hold back from sharing my experiences, my thoughts, ideas, teachings or understanding on any subject. All that said though...I am out living my life as are most of us. I am here when I can be and I interact as often as I am able, because it is a support for me as well as for others. Having a site like this is an awesome thing for me since it's always here 24/7 and I can find time to check in and get a refresher when I need it any time day or night. It's here for all of us and we just need to remember that it's a support sight. There is always room for a rant or rave about something, but there is no tolerance for non-supportive behavior that is what drives all people away not just the veterans. Hope you all have a happy and safe Fourth of July!!!

@ WOW! Give the office a call and see if you can schedule with one of the other doctors. No matter where he ends up at this point, you are safe thank goodness! Even if they push you back by a few days, it's better then the risk if this guy doesn't know right from wrong...Let us know how you fare with the other Dr.'s in the practice.

@@Jack Looks like something interesting. There is something to be said about our sympathetic nervous system, and the power of intention. That said, I don't think anyone could make me think or feel like I went through something as eventful as Weight Loss surgery without having to experience all the things that we go through to actually get to the point of surgery. Or the with the fear and uncertainty that comes with having the surgery, healing from the surgery both physically and emotionally. Learning to live and work in tandem with our new tools that when we don't comply lets us know in a very physical and often emotional ways as well that we are not in compliance. It's not a bad idea to sit with someone for a time, unloading what upsets you, and listening to positive suggestions and creating some relative intentions into your life. If your interested, there are several self hypnosis applications and programs you can download and do this yourself and enhance your experience with your band or WLS tool on a subliminal level that won't hurt your wallet. If you are having mental and/or serious emotional issues, I will say it is worth it to see a professional before delving into any type of hypnotherapy.

Love those photo's! Thanks for letting me share in your journey! Can't wait till we can get together again