Bandista

So glad for you to get this resolved. Phew!

You may want to get to the gastro-intestinal doctor, too! What about wheat allergies? People suffer terribly with Celiac, etc. Even just a crumb can set off serious intestinal pain for those who have this allergy. So prevalent now. Hope you feel better soon!

Great suggestions above. My only suggestions are sense of humor, positive attitude, and the oomph to get up and get around as soon as possible. I really recommend the latter -- so important to do as much walking as you can. I felt like I needed to pee fairly frequently so I used that opportunity to grab the IV pole and take a stroll down the hallway and back again each time. By morning I was up to quite a few laps, then I continued that when I got home around and around our driving circle. I believe this really helped shake off the anesthetic and kick my body into healing mode. My doctor also gave me a prescription for narcotic painkillers which I filled but never used. In the hospital I had Ibuprofen in my IV and then once home I used some liquid Tylenol and tried liquid Ibuprofen a time or two (yuck!). My surgeon has no prohibition for NSAIDS but I try to take them as little as possible. Today I took a couple of Tylenol for arthritis pain, not an NSAID. I think it's helping a bit. Every body is different. I'm a tea drinker and was glad to have my own brand of tea with me. This is going to sound ridiculous, but I brought a juice bottle filled with our own Water. We have great water and I'm not used to the chlorinated stuff in a city. I had a CPAP machine so the water was for that but I also used it for my sipping as soon as I could do that. I had an eye pillow and a pillow from home -- both were comfort items for me. Things I took to the hospital that I didn't need: a book to read, my journal. I mostly took little naps, did the walking, then another little nap, etc. At home I really enjoyed having Popsicles. I got a brand from MinuteMaid called Soft Frozen Lemonade. They have sugar in them, but I prefer that to artificial sweeteners and in any case I was having so little it made no difference calorie-wise. I had never been an overnight patient in the hospital before (and I'm 52!) so I was a little nervous. It all was so much easier than I thought it would be. People are really there to take care of you and the sense of humor comes in handy for the moments when it's just sort of absurd -- like being wheeled around, etc. Good luck to you! Best decision I've made for myself -- I'm so, so happy at four months out. Best wishes for smooth sailing and a speedy recovery.

I'm an MFP user, too. Handle is sabinadublin and it's all Banders on my fitness pal list if you're looking for support. But you're right -- so many women! For this site, go find Catfish and Jim1967 and Terrypop and 2muchfun and Tomander and 50Junkie -- hope I'm getting names right -- all long-time male Banders and lots of others I'm missing. If you go "friend" them I think the site may churn up their posts more frequently and you'll see you're not the only guy here.

Gorgeous, but I'm hoping you won't need it again for several months as it's high time we got some warm weather! Spring in the air yet in NYC?

I occasionally use vitamin E oil. Trader Joe's makes one that's inexpensive and not too sticky. My husband had a big scar -- 18" abdominal for a back surgery -- and we got on to the vitamin E for that. Has healed nicely. My own scars are so tiny -- more like a little scratch, really. Good luck to you, and you'll look amazing in your it's bitsy teeny weeny bikini or whatever you want to wear. I'm with GoWalking, let the surgeon know. I hate it when nurses and nutritionists contradict the surgeon. It is not okay.

This is not a competition, this is each of us saving our own lives. We are getting in touch with our bodies and our behaviors, learning to stop beating ourselves up and to make healthy choices. If people create stumbling blocks to our happiness we need to really look at that. Why? Because finally, finally it's time to choose ourselves first and foremost. Choosing health and happiness means putting your own feelings at the top.

I used food to quell a whirring of anxiety inside and I was nervous about not having that available anymore -- taking the plunge. And I had never been an overnight patient in a hospital before, so there was that. Getting ready for surgery gave me the opportunity to really work on the eating issues -- identifying the why, when and where -- the noticing everything, acknowledging. And for the latter, the whole surgical process was so much easier than I had imagined. I kept a very positive attitude throughout and I think that really helped. I was really glad I upped my exercise beforehand so I had something to step right into -- I didn't want to but I did it anyway. As soon as I woke up from surgery I started walking and I think it helped me recovery very quickly. Best wishes to you and congratulations on making this decision to choose yourself and a happy healthy future!

I think it is great that you are examining that dieter's mentality which is so front and center -- the old I'm either on or off. This is my focus right now, ditching that thinking. For food, for exercise and, well, for lots of other things, too. I am labeled as a restrictor at my surgeon's office -- I saw the nutritionist write it up and had to laugh because there was so much I felt she didn't get but she sure nailed that one. On today, or off? I've already blown it so...... Etc. We know that old thinking and you are so right that it applies to other things, too. Like exercise. It's the thin end of the wedge. But please, please know this. You have made the choice -- you are choosing yourself and your healthy future front and center. You are not going to go into OFF mode because there is no on or off anymore, there is just this healthy new you making excellent choices. You're not going to fall off the wagon. There is just each new day and you're showing up for yourself. You're doing beautifully! Happy, happy birthday!

Sometimes the scale doesn't move as quickly as we would like -- important to know that it's all happening, bit by bit. So happy to be losing my Mrs. Winnie-the-Pooh physique: I did some number comparisons this morning at four months out: Waist -- down 5.5 inches (wow! that accounts from going from size 18 to 14 in pants) Bust -- down 4.0 in inches (bra shopping needed; getting desperate) Hips -- down 4.4 inches Thigh -- down 3.5 inches Arm -- down 3 inches (very happy about this one! That's a lot on one arm!) Neck -- down 1 inch

That is a beautiful number! Way to go on the 75 down. Such a great success story to start off my Saturday morning.

What about freezing some coffee in ice cube trays then using a few of those to get the shake consistency? Have not tried this; just an idea!

Goal for March 31st - 202 Weight on March 1st - 216 Weight on March 8th - 212 I have seen 210 on the scale this week but today I'm at 212. Not worried. I seem to get to a new number then dance up and down it for a while before another new low finally appears. Ten pounds in the three weeks left of March is a little ambitious but I think I can do it if I exercise like crazy.

Goal for March 31st - 202 Weight on March 1st - 216 Weight on March 8th - 212 I have seen 210 on the scale this week but today I'm at 212. Not worried. I seem to get to a new number then dance up and down it for a while before another new low finally appears. Ten pounds in the three weeks left of March is a little ambitious but I think I can do it if I exercise like crazy.

On Wednesday I will be four months out -- my workout partner took my picture this morning. Happy to be losing the linebacker look. A lot of contour has disappeared and I am feeling so much healthier. Now on to the next 35 pounds. My theme for this month: March, it's a verb -- get moving! I really want to be in good shape this summer. Happy weekend, all!

I'm pretty tall already so I'd have to be like eight feet. Great cartoon! Happy Friday.......

I wondered about positioning, too -- how about getting a physical therapist to have a look? Is it outside of the thigh? IT Band area can be very tight for some people and cause pain, and there's always good old referred pain, trigger points, etc. Hope you feel better soon!

Sounds like you're doing great! I was not hungry following surgery for quite a while but then it did return and I started the process of fills. I love fish and think you're on the right track there with soft fish, not overcooked. Talk about a beautiful Protein source! Good luck to you and congratulations on getting your band.

Hi Megan, congratulations! For the full liquids stage I really enjoyed a potato leek Soup made by a company called Imagine. It comes in a carton and we found it in the natural foods section of the regular grocery store. Creamy and delicious but no-dairy. I added some chili as I enjoy savory foods. I also really liked Miso soup a lot. Homemade applesauce. My surgeon described full liquids as those which would slide off a plate turned on its side. Thinned out cooked Cereal with maple syrup. Yogurt, etc. Hopefully they will have a whole list for you when you go in for your checkup! Good luck with everything and enjoy a nice quiet weekend with plenty of walking.

I think as humans we are looking for radical acceptance of who we are, without judgement. Inner beauty is so often overlooked and society is obsessed with supposed physical perfection. Sometimes there is so much focus on the container rather than what is inside. This makes me sad and mad. When I first gained weight it was a result of Prednisone -- fifty pounds practically overnight. I was 29, getting married and already alarmed at the bride-to-be attention. Now I had the attention of all the people who couldn't understand how I could have gained so much weight so suddenly. I felt a deep shame and anguish. After that initial fifty pounds, I went on every possible diet to try to rebalance my body and shed, but we all know how that story ends. Pretty soon that fifty went up to eighty pounds. Then one-hundred. I just couldn't shift it no matter what I did. Along the way -- and it's been a long way from age 29 to 52 -- I have had to contend with people wondering how I let myself go like that, why I didn't just do this or that to lose the weight, what happened to her, etc. Being the subject of this kind of attention has been very painful, and we all share that here. Weight is so visible; every one notices. I found myself craving invisibility. I wonder what it will feel like to be at an "acceptable" weight and how I will handle people remarking on that. It's all so personal. That's why I'm really glad to have all of you here. I can identify so deeply with this post and with all the comments here. I want to be able to hold my head up high and thank people when they offer me a compliment, but I don't know how to receive graciously. A friend was over yesterday and said that I looked great; I just went silent for a moment then moved the conversation along without even acknowledging it. I think this is how I've lived for a long time -- just not acknowledging my worth. The gift I am. So that's all part of this big project of reinventing myself and securing my healthy future. There's a reclaiming that's happening and it's a bit daunting. Sorry to ramble on so long. I guess this has all been on my mind, too. Transformation and what that means not only to myself -- that part I'm very excited about -- but also to the people around me. Thankfully my husband loves all of me and sees ME, my light, my wholeness, and he has all along. But my extended family, not so much. Choosing myself first now is bound to cause a few ripples, but I'm up for this. I'm up for ME.

Love chia seeds! Who knew the Chia Pet would turn out to be a Superfood? There is an article on-line called something like "the great chia versus flax seed throw-down." I love flax seeds, too, but chia wins hands-down. For one thing, they don't have to be ground up for the nutrients to be available to the body. Lower in calories, too. The longer they sit in yogurt, for example, the more gelatinous they become -- providing some texture. Sometimes I use both flax and chia seeds. Yummy.

Hi there, congratulations on your surgery and best wishes for a speedy recovery. I enjoyed hot tea quite a bit, as well as popsicles.

Keep in mind it all depends on what policy you have, not just the carrier. I have United Healthcare and the version my husband's employer purchased has a strict requirement of 40 BMI with no exceptions for co-morbidities. Skin of my teeth on that one. So glad all that's behind me!

It's so true that no one is really paying attention -- I've been pretty amazed by that. If you are ordering only a small thing, like a soup or just an appetizer, you can say, "I'm saving room for dessert!" Then at dessert time share with some one and only have a bite or none at all if you are on a strict regime. Every one loves sharing with me now because I hardly have any!

Hope you feel better, Tara. Sorry I don't know anything about the BRAT diet -- one diet I've never heard of! Doesn't sound very band-friendly, though. Ginger tea is pretty great for upper respiratory issues -- can some one grab a few boxes for you? Best wishes!