something2think

The first two weeks post op were pretty rough for me. I had a lot of pain until about 3 weeks, now at 4 weeks I feel great..I'd say 100% back to normal.

Me too. I stalled week 3 to 4 and just started losing again and hope it comes off easier. I started doing 1.5 hrs of cardio to make it move which has really drained me considering I only eat 600-900 cal a day, but it worked and I am down 1.5 lbs in 2 days. Lesson learned is that I shouldnt let a number determine my happiness!

add me "judykimchee"

, I empathize with how you feel. My dad had the gastric bypass 10 years ago and every time I talk to him on the phone, he asks me how much weight I have lost a few times during the conversation and makes a comment on how i would have lost more if I had the GB. Whatever! Parents just have a way of losing their filter when they talk to their kids and I am sure she doesn't mean to hurt your feelings intentionally.

I got one right after surgery from all the antibiotics. I called my PCP and he called in a script for diflucan. I also take "pearl" acidophlus ( a probiotic) and they have a special formula for "female health" u can get them from wal-mart or any pharmacy or health store. Just a warning to be careful if u r having sex...you can pass it to your male partner. how's that for TMI!

I am 3 weeks post-op and STILL have pain-- a muscular pain that has really prevented me from doing much. It is the left to my belly button and wraps around to my back. I thought I had a kidney infection but when I saw my Dr. at my 2 week po appt last week she said that it is common (especially in women) to have the pain go through the back and it's because the muscle they cut through is deep and starts near the back. Well today I was out for a walk and all of a sudden I felt a "pop" under my left incision and I stopped in my tracks. WTH? Then I moved again and POP! and then pain seared through my muscle wall as I felt a tearing sensation. I was bent over like a freak standing on the sidewalk. Finally I relaxed enough to walk slowly home and I called my dr's answering service. They patched me through to the on-call doctor and he told me that it was probably a stitch popping and I would be susceptible to a hernia later. He asked me if the incision was red or oozing and I had to go look in the mirror when I noticed that the area looked very different-- since surgery it has been dimpled in where the incision was and now it is flush with the rest of my skin! so it is very obvious that the stitching to my muscle came loose. He told me to take some pain meds and monitor the area--as long as it does not start oozing or forms a bump I should be ok. I just pray that this popping of the stitch releases me from the pain I have been experiencing- because I seriously feel like the biggest weenie when I read that others have no pain after surgery and I still can't bend or move without stomach and back pain at 3 weeks po. Thanks for letting me vent!

Hi I started eating soft foods yesterday and I find no problem eating 4 oz of food! I am concerned because I read other people can only eat like a tablespoon at a time... I take small bites and really chew (I used to have the lap-band and am used to take small bites and chewing well) but I can easily eat 4 oz of beef stew (cooked in a crock pot for 4 hours- really soft) and it will have me full for hours, but I am worried that it's too much too soon and when all the swelling goes down I will be able to eat too much? I never had a problem with liquids, from go in the hospital I was able to swig and can practically chug a clear liquid. Any advice?

U look fabulous! Congrats on your loss and becoming a runner! Thank you for sharing!!

Omg they DoO work! Thanks for sharing! I am buying a pair now! Where did u buy them?

Hi chacha, I had my original lap-band placed sept 2007. I had the band removed 2/21/12 and then my sleeve 2/28/12. The band removal is easy and quick...my surgeon said it took him 20 minutes max. If u look on YouTube there is a video of a surgeon removing it and it's only like 6 minutes long. The sleeve takes a little longer but they also do a leak test and do more work. I wish you the best! It's a world of difference from the lap- band bc you have immediate results vs having to wait for fills. You should expect to be in more pain initially after the surgery than u remember from the band, but u will feel better each day!

If u are not far from surgery it cld be a muscle. My doctor said back pain is common because the muscle they cut through starts deep, near the back. So when patients start moving around more at 2 wks they get a lot of side and back pain. She said she gets so many calls bc people swear they have a kidney infection. Bingo that's what I thought too!

I asked my dr's assistant how many days she recommends ppl take off and she said 3 weeks. So I took 3 weeks. I couldnt bend over until about 2 weeks po. Just started sleeping on my right or left side at 3 weeks. Talking about this reminds me that today is my last day of " freedom! Back to work tomorrow

Skinny jeans paired with a short shirt. I currently wear skinny jeans, but with a long shirt covering my butt and stomach so a short shirt will mean success! plus some fabulous dresses, high heels, bathing suits, sleeveless shirts, shorts, skirts! the list can go on and on.

At least the 4oz keeps me full--for hours which is something I never experienced with the lap-band (always stuck and hungry). Also, since I started eating mushies it has pushed my stall and I started losing again. LOL- it's only been one day.

I am in the same boat as you--we want to start out family ASAP. I was told 12-18 months, but that being said, he also told me that there is no harm to the fetus if I get pregnant before-- it is that you won't lose the weight as intended if you get pregnant (you won't get to goal). 12 to 18 months is the golden time for you to lose the excess weight.

Loose skin depends on so many factors--including genetics so I think you will get a lot of different answers. About 10 years ago I lost 100 lbs on my own and I was only 24 and I had the apron of fat around my stomach. I had a panniculectomy--got my insurance to pay for it and everything. The other places I have problems with loose skin are my arms (batwings) and under my chin from losing my double chin, it gets a little wrinkly there. I use firming butter and skin firming lotions a few times a day. I am not sure if it helps or not, but I have been using it for years! I just got the sleeve 3 weeks ago, so I have a ways to go until I really have to worry about excess skin

I was sleeved 2/28 and am 10 days out so I am still on liquids. I am thrilled w the weight loss...but want to eat something....chew something so bad! My mouth waters when cooking dinner for my fam and don't even get me started on t.v. Commercials! At first I was shocked at the pain and was wondering what the heck I did to myself but the pain is a lot better now!

Great!

Everyone is different--some say the surgery was a breeze. I am 1 week post-op and have to say that I was SO surprised at how much pain and discomfort there was compared to when I got my lapband (or any other surgery I have had - tummy tuck, gallbladder, 2 lapband revisions, female surgery). I guess there is a reason they keep you in the hospital. My husband was home from work for 2 days plus the weekend after I got home from the hospital and he was such a big help--I couldn't have done it without him. I was only able to walk at crawl pace. I am relatively young (34) and worked out 5-6 days a week bf surgery doing aerobics/boot camp/kickboxing for an hour each day plus an hour of strength training 3 days a week-- because I was in such good physical shape (although fat) I thought I would just hop right up and be running around- WRONG! I would recommend you try to stay in the hospital at least 2 nights so they can be there to help you and then maybe by day 3 you will be well enough. Heck I may be wrong and you will be fine, but I think that you have to prepare for worst case scenario. I live in Dallas-- I will volunteer to drive down and help you if you need it! please don't hesitate to ask!

My dr said he expected me to lose about 80%. because I had the lapband and lost 100lbs and bc I was so successful w the band (bf it kept breaking), he expects me to get to 180-185. My start weight was 267. Everyone is different and success depends on many variables.

I was fat but healthy as far as blood pressure and cholesterol etc. I worked out 5 days a week but just ate too much! I also had the lap-band for 5 years which was no longer working for me. Before the lap-band I did have occasional high bp, but was not medicated for it.

I had the band for 5 years and had two revision port surgeries (1 or leak and 1 for flip). My port gave me a lot of pain...so much that it would be a really bad muscle spasm (think charliehorse) in my abs and I looked like a fool trying to get the muscle to relax. It even happened to me the day of surgery in pre-op when I got my lap-band removed...I couldn't lay in the hospital bed in an upright position. Now that my band is out..nomore pain at the port site. I did lose 100lbs w the lapband but I also travelled a lot plus I lived in Europe last year and could not maintain fills. That combined with breaking my ankle and leg and being in a cast/boot for 10 months I put on Abt 50lbs that I lost w the band. My prob was it stopped working and the damn thing kept getting a leak and wouldn't hold restriction. I had my band removed 10 days ago and was sleeved 4 days ago. Everyone is different but I have to tell u that based on my experience the pain and discomfort after the sleeve was 10x worse for me. I have had 8 operations and don't usually take the painkillers at all but for the sleeve I called the dr and asked them for a stronger pain med then they prescribed. It's a lot more invasive than the lapband and I find I get winded quick. Each day is a little better though... Oh and don't weigh yourself right after surgery. I GAINED 10lbs from the iv fluids and whatnot just from surgery..that was tough to see. As for Vitamins...my dr has me on Bariatric Advantage products, a thin lemonade nectar with a scoop of crystals for multiple-vit and also a b12 sublingual and vit d chews and calcium chews. Good luck to u!

The brand "teez-her" makes ones w sleeves. They sell them at Macy's and they r amazing bc they r like a real shirt but with a tight shaper built in!

Hi all, I am scheduled to have my lap-band removed in one week (2/21) and then be sleeved one week later on 2/28. I have had several problems with my lap-band including 2 port revisions and now again I have another leak and need a port revision and haven't lost any weight in 2 years. I was initially very successful with the band and lost about 100 lbs. Slowly I have re-gained the weight and have put on about 50. I hope the sleeve will give me restriction again and get me to my goal weight and to be where i deserve- to feel like a normal perosn! http:\\thinspiration4me.blogspot.com

Ok, I am 2 days post-op of getting sleeved! The pain-- ouch! I had my lap-band removed 10 days ago and that was a cinch surgery. Right now I am on Clear Liquids then full liquids until 3 weeks post-op. I will keep y'all posted on how things go. Best place to follow is my blog where i will post regularly. thinspiration4me.blogspot.com