bandster12345

I can remember back to being 270 pounds and literally feeling crushed by my weight. I hated how I looked and felt I was so unhappy. Sometimes a friend or family member would lose weight and it was a reminder of everything I couldn’t do. It was heart breaking. I was happy for them of course BUT sometimes due to the shame I felt it was hard to show.

I agree with this. I'm still at the beginning of my weight loss journey, but I can equate it to my infertility issues. It took 5 years to get pregnant. I was so upset over it and every time a friend or family member got pregnant, it just reminded me that I couldn't. It was crushing. I was truly happy for them, but at the same time, it was debilitating for me.

Maybe your friend feels the same way about losing weight. Maybe she's struggling. After all, you got banded so you must've struggled with it at some point, too.

What is the goopy stuff in your hair?

It's the stuff that's used to keep the sensors attached to your head. They pull the sensors off, but leave all of the goop in your hair. Seriously, it was a disaster. When I got home and jumped in the shower, it took a while to get it all out. I really had to scrape it off and work it out.

I've had 2 done. They were terrible. I hardly slept. I don't know how they'd expect me to with all of the wires connected all over my head and body. I was hooked up and told to go to sleep around 7 pm. Huh?! I can't fall asleep at home at that hour, they thought it would happen in an uncomfortable hospital bed with no freedom of movement? I couldn't even get my glasses on over all of the wires on my head, so watching TV wasn't an option. I just layed there. Around 6 am, the nurse took everything off and sent me on my way. Just an FYI - there will be a ton of goopy stuff in your hair. I wish I had a hat to put on over it. I pulled it back as best I could and went home looking like hell.

I did not feel "normal" enough to drive until day #9. I had a lot of nausea and port pain for that whole time.

I haven't had this happen yet, but anticipate it next week. I'm a teacher and had surgery this summer. I can handle telling co-workers how much I've lost so far if asked (it's noticeable already), but NOT about the surgery. I don't think it would be appropriate to tell students anything, so I'm hoping they won't ask.

I've only been on solid food since Thursday and I'm chewing so much because I'm afraid of getting stuck. Between the lack of chewing for the past month and the excessive chewing now, I'm hurting! Anyone else go through this?

I'm 1 month out today and I'm feeling great. I do feel some restriction and will go for my first fill in 2 weeks. I'm down 25 lbs so far! I've already put together 2 big bags of clothes to donate because they no longer fit. More importantly, I'm down to half of the Metformin I was on pre-op and my morning fasting number is down by ~40 points! I'm looking forward to seeing where this journey takes me. I may not post a lot here, but I read your posts all the time. Thank you for the indirect encouragement and advice!!

I'm 4 weeks post-op tomorrow and I'm also very hungry. I did not have anything in my band when it was placed. I'm counting calories using MyFitnessPal and am trying to drink lots of liquids to keep me from eating. I go in tomorrow for another post-op checkup and I should be put on solid foods at that time. I hope eating real food again will help. I have another 2 weeks to go before I get a fill.

Wow. Thanks for the honesty. I have had a c-section, so I know the pain. I believe I have a pretty high pain tolerance, but I'll never know til surgery happens.

If I don't do it at the end of Sept. (I have plenty of sick time accued) then I have to wait until Christmas break or completely miss seeing my family at Thanksgiving time (and my grandmother is in her late 90s, so I really want to go).

You've given me lots to think about, thanks.

Not a problem! I didn't want to scare you, I just wanted you to hear another experience. I read about many people going back to work so soon and even met a couple at a support meeting who were only 4 or 5 days post-op. They looked great and said recovery was a breeze. Had I gone on that advice, I would've been in trouble! I experienced a lot of discomfort and nausea and there's no way I could've driven myself to work and gotten through a full day. Teaching is not a desk job and takes more energy and movement than people think!

I had waterproof bandages on my incisions (Tagaderm film patches). My surgeon said I could take a shower the day I went home from the hospital as long as I didn't take the bandages off. I waited another day though. He also told me to let the bandages stay on as long as they were still in tact. They lasted just about a week and then I replaced them with the same exact thing. The hospital gave me a supply to re-apply them 2 or 3 times.

I did not start feeling better (enough to drive) until day #9. Even then, I got uncomfortable pretty quickly. As a fellow teacher, I'd recommend trying to back it up to a school vacation week to give yourself the suggested 2 weeks for recovery. I would not have been good to go back to work and do my job well at 1 week post-op. I'm a very energetic teacher and am on my feet most of the day.

I do have a high pain tolerance but this really knocked me down. I also had a hernia repair at the same time so I don't know how much worse that made my recovery. I thought my c-section recovery was a breeze. This was much worse!

I was lucky that when I finally decided to do this, it fell right into place to have it done over the summer break. Had it not worked out, I would've waited until the Xmas break to take advantage of that time I'd already have off.

Good luck!!

I just tried them tonight. No one is going to confuse them for real Pasta, but I felt like it was good enough have again. Next time, I'm going to use them in a baked dish . . . maybe a faux-lasagna or baked "spaghetti."

I was told that I could start walking on the treadmill at my 2-week checkup. No strenuous activity or weight lifting at this point. I'm 3 weeks post-op now and can do 45 minutes on the treadmill every day, but I'm not up to where I would normally be speed-wise.

I don't know if I'd be up for a 10k in just another 3 weeks.

At what point did you stop being so aware of your port? I'm 2 weeks post-op and feel it all the time. It's still hard to wash my feet when I shower because when I bend over, I can feel the port move and it gives me the creeps. I had an appointment today and was told that some people will always feel it, while others with start to "forget" that it's there.

Just curious of your experiences. Thanks!

Why did you guys have staples did u have a open procedure or ur surgeon just goes with staples ?

I didn't have an open procedure. My surgeon chose to close the 4 incisions with staples. When they came out today, I was told that my incisions look fantastic. They weren't crusty or weepy, which I guess happens a lot from what I was told.

That is encouraging. I am 2 days out and wondering if I did the right thing. I keep telling myself I did but because of the pain and now hunger I wonder.

I could've written that same thing. In the first couple of days, I was in a lot of pain and had so much nausea. I really questioned myself on whether or not I did the right thing. Day #9 was the turning point where I felt like myself enough to get out of the house and be with other people. I'm still only 2 weeks out, but I do feel better. I'm hungry though! I've been on liquids for just shy of 4 weeks now (including pre-op diet). I'm ready to move on to mushies/purees. I'm hoping to get that "ok" today when my staples come out!

Yay! I'm 2 weeks today and am getting my staples out this morning. I'm feeling better each and every day

My surgery was 2 weeks ago today. I did not really start to feel relief until day #9. That was my turning point. The pain started to subside, the nausea got better, and the gas started coming out. I actually think that the Gas-X made it worse! I feel better when I don't take it.

I haven't had to tell anyone because I am a teacher and had the surgery over the summer. I'm not sure how I will handle it when I go back to school in a few weeks. I really don't want co-workers to know because it would inevitably make its way to students. There are a lot of gossipers at my school!

I haven't posted much here, but I've been lurking a lot!

I was banded on 7/25 and the range of emotions has gone from googling "lapband removal" when I was so nauseated and in tons of pain . . . to today where I finally feel like myself again and even left the house for the first time. I'm glad to be feeling better and look forward to the next step. I've been on liquids for over 3 weeks now (both pre- and post-op) and I'm ready for mushies!! Only 5 more days

Wow! So great to hear this at the beginning of my journey for inspiration

I agree about the positive surroundings. I'm just not ready to tell people yet. I know my extended family will be supportive as my aunt had bypass 2 years ago and they were great with her. I think the hard thing will be when I go back to work and the people I interact with on a daily basis start to notice a weight loss.

I was also on liquids for 10 days prior to surgery. I was banded on the 25th. I don't even want to eat anything. I'm allowed to add yogurt and Protein Shakes today and it's been hard to even consume my morning yogurt. Not because it hurts, but because I just don't want it. My port site is really bothering me, but everything else is feeling ok.

I was banded yesterday, too. I spent the night in the hospital and came home this morning. I'm able to sip Water and take my liquid pain killer. The spot where my port is has so much pain though. It hurts to breathe deeply or to move around. I also have to lay on a bunch of pillows to be on an incline. I'm not able to lay flat.

I've been lurking for a few weeks and finally joined just now. So, hello!

I'm being banded on Thursday! My surgeon requires a 10-day liquid diet prior to surgery. It's been so hard, but I'm doing it. I've already lost 14 lbs during this liquid diet phase. My clothes are already getting loose and it's very encouraging. I haven't told many people IRL about choosing this path for myself. I'm really not ready to talk about it and don't know I'll ever be. Only my immediate family and my BFF know. I'll be turning here to talk with others going through the same thing. I look forward to getting to know you!