Melissa S

Wow. Thats great info... and great laughs... haha.. I'm still giggling over some of these comments... Does anyone know if they'll remove skin from any prob area? Since losing some I got a pretty nasty boil in the flab on my arm (sorry so graphic)... and with summer coming up I'm sure I'll get more.

Thanks for the encouragement. I think I'm just having one of those days... I feel very blah...

Yep.. I had the trotts for 3-4 days post op.

There was no way I could self pay. My process only took 2 1/2 months from my first consult to surgery. however... I would have LOVED to visit Mexico again....

yeah, I think I'll keep them. I'm just having one of those days...

:rant:GRRR.... went shopping today to get a new bathing suit for the summer.... got them home and neither one I picked fits right!!!

Dr Michael Peters Jr.. from CHRIAS in Newark, DE. But I would check with your Dr just in case.. I know alot of people on here said that their Dr says full liquids is something completely different. Better safe than sorry.

Michelle- Depending on what your Dr says is "liquids". My Dr says anything thru a straw is a full liquid... so I can have yogurt (fat free, no sugar added..and it must be smooth) and thicker soups (in the blender for no lumps)...

Wenjea- I knew my clothes were tight before so I don't really know what I was expecting... I even put on my fav. pair of jeans from 2 years ago just to see how far I'd get into them.. I was able to pull them up over my rear but that was about it. ... I'm going to the beach for the weekend just to get away... a "girls weekend"... which is what I think I really need right now... so, hopefully I'll come back with a little more positive outlook...

I got a little discouraged this morning... Yesterday I got down my summer clothes from last year... and this morning I had a chance to try them on... they just fit... I thought they would have been big on me by now. I know I'm only beginning this journey, but for whatever reason...that really got me down today.

HAHA! no, they didn't say what size straw.

Oh, believe me... I've been tempted to get creative... I've had to stop myself from saying this more than once... "with enough work anything could fit thru a straw"!!!!! HAHA!!! ...still normally 1 or 2 meals a day are protein shakes.

They say full fluids as "anything thru a straw"... but not to use a straw b/c of the gas... My "mushies" are still 3 weeks away... my Dr requires a post op of 2 days clears, 4 weeks of full fluids then onto mushies for 2 weeks.

mmmmm.... I'm sipping my lunch of Campbell's soup at hand velvety potato.... OMG... how goooood is this stuff!?!?! I was hesitant to try it....knowing my love for home made baked potato soup (kinda like a soup form of a loaded baked potato)..... I popped it into the microwave and added a little garlic powder, onion powder and black pepper... MMMMMMMMM!!!!! :hungry:

jfran- clear liquids (sugar free, low fat or fat free) = quick weight loss. and walk every day... for at least 20 min..

I also have glue... with small strips of tape covering them... the nurse said to just let them fall off on their own (I've lost 1 so far).. but if after 10 days they do not come of... to gently pull them off.

I dont know if this is something to worry about but... I have what feels like a golf ball size knot in my lower left stomach (not the port site). I'm a week out of surgery and I've been moderately active...nothing too strenuous. The other night my fiance (who has PTSD from the 14 months he spent in Iraq) had a nightmare and whacked me in the stomach...pretty close to where this knot is. Not sure if that is a coincidence or not.... Its sore, but not unbearably painfull...

I was banded a week ago today. I cant begin to tell you how much better I am feeling... gas is gone..and the only slight pain I have is where they put the port..and even that is not bad. I even helped paint over the weekend.. I was tired as hell after, but I did it. I've also been trying to get out of the house for a little each day.. walking mostly... I never thought I would say it.. but I'm really egar to get back to the gym! Dr said I have to wait at least 3 months for any weight training or ab work. I weighed myself this morning and I'm down 9 pounds since surgery.. wow. never thought I'd see that!!! I'm very happy I had the surgery and would do it all over again in a heartbeat.. OH... and as for the hellish barium swallow??? I too was subject to their acrobatic flipping table! Scared the sh*t out of me... I thought I was falling!!! They first had me lay on my back and took an xray..then they said... ok, lay still while we stand the table up. HUH? I felt like a circus act!! They tried to comfort me by saying.. oh, you wont fall.. there is only a tiny space between you and the machine... Oh, believe me, I COULD fall... HA! So they did the test and right away I felt like I was going to vomit... they brought out a cold cloth and I sat in the wheel chair while they tried to decide if they did it right!!! Apparently the image machine was on the wrong speed and the swallow couldnt be seen correctly! They had to take it into the back and slow it down and have someone else come read it! Finally they came out after about 10 minutes and said it was ok.. Oh, man... heads would have rolled if I had to do it again!!!

Thank you for the suggestion. I have some red Jello (I think it may be Black Cherry) here at home... I think I'll try that!!! I tried applesauce this morning... the first bite wasnt bad... the second was worse...and the third... UUGHH!!! SO... hopefully the red jello will do the trick!

Don't be discouraged.... I was also told that I had to do a 6 month medically supervised diet... I dont know if it was luck or just what BCBS accepts... but my dr submit my medical records charting my health improvements (my BP was sky high), emails back and forth to her and my gym paymet records from 8/05 to present... it took them about 2 weeks but they approved me. I was like you.. I wanted the surgery done right away and the thought of having to wait 6 months was something that felt like a lifetime away... my suggestion is.... start meeting with a Dr/Nutritionist right away... get on an exercise schedule...start losing on your own... if insurance denies you..at least you've already got a head start on your 6 months... AND you'll already be on your way to losing weight. Believe me... the time will fly by. When I first started the process they told me from my first appt with the surgeon to the time I have the surgery normally runs about 3-4 months.... it took me almost 3 months..and thats only b/c my schedule was wide open for appts... (I'm a stay at home mom/fiance) You'll actually need that much time to complete all of your appointments the surgeons and insurance require... Best of luck!

I say GO FOR IT!!! My grandparents were "remarried" in church for their 50th anniversary. When the were first married it was pretty close to your first "wedding" sign a paper- no rings... My grandmom always wanted a church wedding with the white dress and everything... SO, at 70 years old... my grandmother got the wedding she wanted.. white dress, photographer, dj and everything to go along with it... the whole family was in the wedding... my uncles and my dad even gave her away... it was very touching. She even sang to him on the altar (she has a wonderful voice)....

Not to worry... I was banded on 5/14... the bariatric RN called me yesterday (she had bipass done a couple years ago) just to check up on me... I was also worried about not getting in all of my Protein and fluids in...she said not to worry TOO much about not getting in 100% of the protein or fluids for the first couple of days... she said we would be way to swollen to be able to get it ALL in... but just do your best.

I found that kneeling down on my bed kinda moved the gas around. I also would on all fours while hugging a pillow... it would dislodge the gas from under my ribs and slowly work its way.... out. :-) Gas-x helped a little once the trapped gas started moving out from under my ribs. Walking also helped. Slow walking... don't over do it...

Last night I had my first "full" feeling. I had a 6 oz container of vanilla ff yogurt.. I ate what was about 4 oz and got a dull pain in my chest... it wasnt the trapped gas feeling I'd been having and I realize thats the feeling everyone has talked about when they start to get full. I've never been so excited to get a pain in my chest before!! HAHA! We went to Target to walk around and pick up a few things...needless to say I bought about 10 packets of FF sugar free pudding...as well as some skim riccotta to make some fake me out lasange (no mozzerella.. I thought that my be a little too tough to get down). It felt good to walk around. I'm also crushing my daily meds.. but I'm having a hard time taking them.. they go down just fine.. its the taste that is AWFUL... I've tried mixing it in a few things as well... any ideas?

Everyone has such great ideas for the mushies... I can't wait to try them!! My mouth was watering at the idea of having ff cheesecake pudding!! I'm having a really tough time with the trapped gas..and I've tried everything... walking, bending, kneeling, gas x...but it is getting a little better. Today is my first day on full liquids and I'm having a half of a chocolate protein shake..and I may try some tomato soup a little later. ...and as for the TOM and surgery... yup. that was me..... My TOM started last friday and surgery was on Monday... well, come Sunday night I thought it was gone... I should have known... my TOM has a fun way of playing hide and seek for a day or two... so, I'm sitting in the prep room..and I go to get changed ..and yup, you guessed it...there it was once again.