kacee

I too was banded 5-23. Are you logging all your food intake? That helps a LOT. You may be getting too many (OR TOO FEW!!!!) calories. I can go to just about 1000 before things slow down or stop. But if you are not getting ENOUGH calories your body is trying to conserve its intake and you may need to adjust up.

I work in the Space Program for those fun folks who build/maintain the space shuttle, service it, put it into space, and generally do everything to make sure the astronauts come back in one piece. (No, it's not NASA). I work in Cleark Lake area (Houston) close to Johnson Space Center in the Ethics Office (I've got MY EYE ON YOU!!!!!) which is a fascinating job. Been in the Ethics business (almost unheard of before 1985) for the last 15 years.

Brandy, if you are looking for something with more protein in it, I use Dymatize Elite Protein powder. It is VERY good. They have lots of flavors but I use cafe mocha. It gives you 24 gms of protein and then you get another 10 with skim milk. They have them at a lot of the health food stores (didn't have at GNC), especially the health food stores for body builders. I tried a LOT of the mixes when I was first banded and this was the best one I found. Most of them were YUCK.

Tiffany, doesn't that just stoke you to no end!!!! Congrats! You realy came out of the chute like gangbusters! Way to go girlfriend!!!

For every two people who have had slippage or erosion you will have ten who have not. Look at it this way. If you are morbidly obese now, where will you be in 10 years? Will you even be alive? If by some fluke you get the band and it erodes in 10 years....you will most likely be a healthy individual entering their 50's and if anything needs to be done with it, you'll be in good shape to get it done. The thought of erosion wouldn't have stopped me for a heartbeat!

If you are only going to eat once a day you definitely have to supplement with protein drinks or shakes. I use Dymatize Elite Cafe Mocha protein powder with 8 oz of milk and throw in some ice and blend. I have that every morning and I REALLY like it. I also drink Isopure protein drinks (clear) which come in about 8 flavors and served over ice are VERY good, and you can also cut them with a little water if they seem a little sweet for you. You need to be getting in about 60 gm of protein a day.

Walking cannot be stressed enough. You want to fart and burp as often as possible. Let it all out and rejoice in it! As your stomach gets less tender you can also do this.... get down on the floor on your stomach with a hard pillow on the soft part of your stomach down low, which will kindof raise your butt in the air a little. Relax against the pillow. The air will start moving toward your butt and you should be able to let loose a little. Heating pad and gas-x (I took the gas-x regularly all day for the first week). The left shoulder area seems to be a big reservoir for gas pains. Mine went up the left side of my neck too.

Amen to everything you said....and one way to applaude yourself is MINI-GOALS. Of all the things I have learned in this journey since my band, I think this is the most important. I used to go "Oh grief, I have XX (insert that horrid amount) pounds to lose???? No way!!!! It's like climbing Mt. Everest!" and I would rationalize never starting something I couldn't envision any success at. Self-fulfilling prophecy. THEN all of a sudden I realized I could celebrate EVERYTHING! 215 to 210? YIPPPEEEE!!!! 205? Hell yeah! One-derland??? That was good for a CRY! 195??? When was the last time I saw THAT? I have had so many celebrations it's hard to wipe the smile off my face! And they are still coming! And when they start to drag.....I make them even SMALLER! 177 to 175.8? You betcha!

Don't lay down when you drink or eat. I have found first hand it doesn't want to settle. Totally steer clear of pills for the first 30 days. Crush the ones you need to take.

I know it is hard to envision success. I felt a little apprehensive before I did it...after all, we are all here BECAUSE we are diet FAILURES, not diet successes. I just didn't see how I could "change" considering my past history. But it can be done. You do have to focus though. I think the thing that has turned me around is that when I screw up I know I get BACK UP ON THE HORSE and get back in the program and make up for my mistake. Always before...I gave up because I knew in my heart of hearts it was fruitless in the long run. Now I know it is NOT. I wake up and I still have my TOOL...it's there to help me. I give a little and it gives a little....and it works.

for me it was about 2 weeks out from surgery when it lessened.

THAT'S GAS!!!!! You are having the classic gas pains. I had very little topical pain in the area of my incisions, but the gas pain was pretty severe and for me lasted about two weeks. All that air pumped into your abdomen for the surgery is floating around in your body and trying to get out. Mine would go under my left shoulderblad and up the left side of my neck. Walking, heating pad and gas-x help.

I'd say try to eat more through the day. Your body may be in "starvation mode" and may be trying to conserve all its calories. It doesn't SOUND right, but they always say if you eat your body will stop trying to conserve and start processing.

I crushed mine for about a month or so. Then I started experimenting with the smallest ones, cut in half, then whole, then the larger ones. I can take ALL my pills now, whole.

Absolutely normal. Do NOT feel lost and alone. Get out here, get a pillow, settle into your chair and do some extended perusing of this site and you will find that there is NOTHING that hasn't been covered, felt, experienced, etc. You've got hundreds of people who have been and are going through the exactly same thing you are....all over the world...and luckily we have this wonderful internet machine to brig us all together in our little cyber-room to have one big yak session about it...while never having to leave the comfort of our homes. What a concept! We are here 24/7 so welcome!

I watched Dr. Oz on Oprah recently and they were talking about how much water to drink and the myth of the 64 ounces a day thing. His take on it is "If you can read a newspaper through your pee easily, and it is a light clear yellow, you're fine." Now I don't necessarily read through my pee on a regular basis but I understood what he was saying. Different people tolerate and need different levels of liquids to fortify their bodies. It's not one size fits all. I wouldn't be drinking just to get a "quota" down every day. Your body will tell you when it's thirsty, and keeping your pee light and clear will help as a guide. I know that when you are dehydrated your pee can come out very dark golden and more opaque.

Could be any number of things. Are you getting PLENTY of liquids and proteins in during the day? If not, that can make you lightheaded, nauseus and fatigued. Sugar drop will do it too. BP will do it too. See the "Beware and Be Aware" thread about BP.

bumping up

My Mom called me when this first came on and told me to watch. I've been addicted ever since. I think shows like this are good to educate people and de-mystique everything. There are still a LOT of people out there who don't know what a lapband or bypass is, and what they can do.

Years ago in college I worked at a top end steak house with a bunch of other college kids. It was heaven on earth! One of the waiters was a guy named Buck who was short and a little funny looking (definitely not your "GQ" kinda guy). However, he had the most insane sense of humor (I always wonder if he went professional as a comedian) fantastic personality and that boy could DANCE! When the bunch of us got off work and went clubbing...guess who stood in line to fight to be with Buck! Every one of us girls. His personality made him one of the most popular people in the restaurant, with employees and patrons. He was never wanting for dates. To this day, when I remember back at all the kids I worked with, Buck's face comes to mind and with it a wonderful glow inside me and a smile on my face remembering this fantastic guy....who most girls would have passed on the street without a second glance....

I've heard that along about the 5th year you'll wake up one morning and have an extra eye in the middle of your forehead. Well, okay, I'll deal with it....

"6 sleeps".....hahahahahaha I LOVE that term! I'll have to remember that one! My pre-op week was a blur and came and went so fast. This time next week you are going to be in BANDLAND!!!! We're waiting for yoiu on the other side! Welcome!

Nope. No hair loss at all.

I remember just being conscious all of a sudden. My throat was hoarse and I couldn't talk and I was a little nauseus so I flagged the recovery nurse over and asked for something for the nausea, which they immediately gave me in my IV line. I remember being conscious that I had little or no pain around my mid-section, but felt a little full and uncomfortable about mid-chest. That was pretty much it.

I don't go to the store nearly as much, but I only have to buy for me. I also find that I now cook something, I must divide it up and freeze it because there is NO WAY I will eat the food I fix within a short period of time. I eat a lot at work and I am trying to get over the hurdle that my eyes are WAY bigger than my stomach is now. I find myself tossing out food I can't eat, which is terrible (most of it doesn't make for good leftovers), so I am now trying to be very aware when I purchase food....like today I bought 2 egg rolls for lunch. The minute I took the first bite of the first one I KNEW that one egg roll was going to be it, and I gave the second one away. I need to get to the point where I recognize that I don't need to buy that extra egg roll or (insert any other food name here)....