Ezzysmom

Since my surgery I have never been able to feel my port, nor did I even know where it is, UNTIL NOW. For the past two days I have had some soreness in my right upper stomach muscle as though the port (which I can now feel under my skin) is pulling on it every time I move. It is causing some pretty prominet soreness which hinders my ablility to do every day things like lift my son and housework. The pain isn't unbearable but it scares me because I am afraid something is out of place or something. Is this normal? What should I do? I see my doctor tommorow. Anyone else have this? What was the outcome? Thanks

I just had my second fill last Friday. I have a 4cc band and there is now 2.3 ccs in my band. I don't feel any difference at all. with this much in my band shouldn't I feel something. I still have very very little restriction. I could literally eat as much as I want without feeling full, as long as I chew my food well. I am doing every thing I am supposed to do like not drinking before, with, or after meals. How long should I wait to ask for another fill?

My nutritionist told me not to count calories in the beginning, just to make sure and get enough protien. For me it was 70gms of protien and still is.

I have only been banded since 3/30/05 and I am going to the gym 4-5 times a week. Since I don't have a fill I HAVE TO DO THIS in order to keep from gaining the weight back that I lost during liquids. I can't wait til May 11th when I finallly get a fill because I am soooo hungry but crossing my fingers that as long as I continue to excersize I won't gain the weight back before then. I am one of those people that doesn't mind putting in some extra time at the gym if it means getting to eat a little something yummy. LOL.........plus I feel sooooo much better.

I am just two weeks post op. When can I start doing crunches? Or when would it be safe rather?

I was told by my nurse at the hospital to let Water run down on the incisions during a shower and then afterward ad some antibacterial ointment to them. I was just curious how the rest of you were told to care for your incision???? And by the way, you all were right.........the nurse said I could have removed the dressings days ago. Thanks

Yeah Tanya, sipping is the hardest part for me. I am curious,what is your diet like. I just wonder if mine is ok. I am supposed to have three protien shakes a day but I have a hard time stomaching them. I am supposed to get 70g of protien and I am getting that but I am not using all three supplements for this. Today I had one protien supplement shake, 1cup of egg drop Soup, 1 small low carb milk shake w/ a scoop of beneprotien and my calories added up to around 1000. Does that sound ok? Or is this too much? Thanks.

Thanks guys......just needed to know because it's already been 6 days and thats long enough for me. I just want to be on the safe side but I think trying a couple of positions might help. Thanks for all of the advice guys and gals.

I am about 5 days post op and I was wondering..........when is it safe to have sex already??????

Thanks

I just wanted to post that in the chinese resturants they get the eggs to suspend in the broth by mixing a little cornstarch in some cool Water and adding it to the boiling broth. At least this is the recipe I follow and it turns out exactly like my neighborhood chinese resturant makes it.

When I left hospital on Wed. th 30th my nurse said that I could remove my dressing from the surgical wounds when in two days so I did this Friday. She said that after a shower, however they had to be replaced. So now it is Sunday and I am so sick of all of this tape and what not. It is the tape that is bugging the crap out of me and really tearing up my skin. Any idea when I can leave this stuff off for good? I don't want to take any chances. I still have steri strips on my 6 little holes tho and I know those shouldn't be removed at all. Any advice? I am going to call my dr tomorrow but just checking to see what yall think.

WOW, this is BIG! This almost made me a little emotional reading your post. YOU GO GIRL!

Thanks everyone! You guys are right, it does get better everyday. Princess, to answer you question, I am on full liquids which means Jello, broth, protien shakes, and very thin, strained cream Soups. I was only on clear liquids for the first three days.

Tam,

I am sure your surgery will go fine and I will be thinking about you. I know what you mean about everyone being busy when you need them. I didn't know what I was going to do until my Sister offered (she has downsyndrome and doesnt work so she was the only one who isnt busy). She is leaving Wed though so I dont know what I will do after that. My husband does everything but he has to work too. On wed I will still have a week left to go before I am supposed to lift my baby again. Today he sat in my lap for a little while though and it was so nice.

Thanks everyone for your warm responses. It means so much because it's nice to have people who understand what you are going through.

Hey Tanya,

Looks like our lives changed on the same day . I also became a bandser on the 30th of March. I am moving slow as well, but just think pretty soon we are going to feel so good and full of energy. I am so excited! Nice to meet you and it's pretty special that we share the same band date. Just curious, what time was your surgery? Mine was schedualed for 8am but didn't start til almost nine. I went home around noon. We should keep in touch to kinda help eachother through since we have the same timeline. Nice too meet ya!

I was banded Wed. and just haven't felt like coming up the stairs to our office to get online until today. The first day I thought "Oh this was a breeze compared to my C-section 7months ago," and then day 2 hit. OMG I was miserable! Oh well, then yesterday I felt 100% better and today I even walked around the block with my sister and my son in his stroller ( she has Downs and has been staying with me to help me with my baby since I can't lift him, She has been sooooo helpful, don't know what I would do without her).

So here I am, a bandster and I am pretty excited about it. Of course right now the liquid phase doesn't seem so bad but I know that soon it will become difficult. Yesterday, my inlaws had a cookout and I had to watch everyone eat hamburgers and hotdogs while I tried to get down a protien shake, but it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be, although I know this will change soon. I can't wait to get to mushies! I am counting down the days.

My surgery was at 8am and I got to go home around noon. I was pretty surprised by that but at that time I was ready to go home and get a nap. It has been pretty difficult when I have to look at my sweet little boy and know hat I cannot pick him up. he weighs 19lbs and I am not supposed to lift anything over 10 doctors orders (as I am sure you all know) for two weeks. I have held him a couple of times but he is in that phase where he can't sit still so he jumps around a lot and accidentally kicked me in my tummy so I have to be careful. It just breaks his heart that I can't lift him. But like I said my sister (and hubby when he is not working) has done pretty much all of the lifting for me as far as getting my son out of his crib and putting him in his jumperoo and high chair. Anyway, my surgery went "smooth" according to my Dr.s so I hope my recovery follows just as well. I can't wait for the gas and bloating to go away tho so I can actually feel like I am losing weight, lol and not pg again. How long does the gas usually last? Well I have rambled long enough. thanks for listening.

Can the Soups be used in the liquid stage right after surgery?

Very happy for you! Keep us posted!

All I can say is WOW! I have never had such warm responses on any forum I have ever been on (I used to frequent a forum that dealt with infertility issues before I got pg w/ my son). I just want to say that you all have made me feel so welcome on this board. From reading the posts on this board for several months, I have learned that people here are truely, and genuinely caring. I am so thankful for that. I look forward every evening to having conversations with all of you. Only one thing though. Does anyone know how long after the surgery you have to wait to climp stairs because my computer is upstairs. Oh No! How will I ever make it if I have to wait to tell you all about my surgery and get your feedback every day of my recovery? I hope the wait won't be too long. Thanks again everyone. I am so much more optimistic now.

.....And about the chicken.........in hindsite I realize I could have done MUCH MUCH worse.........

Oops I meant the second best thing because having my son was the first!

Thanks Molynn and New Hope for your replies. I am no longer nursing my son, but sometimes I wish I was. I miss it very much.

As far as the pre-op diet I am on, right now I am on the 8th day of it. The first seven days consisted of two Protein shakes a day and 4 oz of lean meat along with a cup of steamed veggies at dinner. The last three days (first day was today) are to consist only of three protien shakes a day and sf popcycles and Jello or broth. Today was VERY VERY difficult because it was Easter. We had three places to so that our son could hunt eggs and show off his outfit (with Mommy and Daddys help of course he is only 7months old on the 5th of April). So anyway, at each place of course there was a plethera of food. food has never looked so good to me!!!!! LOL but I resisted and I did not cheat, not once! I am proud of myself but I found myself a little depressed. You know I keep seeing all this talk about our "relationship with food," and I guess that phrase has really impacted my life the past weak or so because my relationship with food is ending, at least as I know it. But my relationship with life is just beginning and so that is one way of looking at it. I used to think that learning how to breastfeed my son was the hardest thing I have ever done, and up until this point it was. THIS IS THE HARDES THING I HAVE EVER DONE, but also probably the best! Thanks for the support! I look forward to gaining a few friends on this board. By the way, does anyone know how to change your signature???????????? I don't even know how to access it. Thanks

I have only posted on here a couple of times so I know most of you don't know me. My name is Amber and I am having lap-band surgery next Wednsday. I am excited but getting a little scared. I guess mostly I am scared of failure because I am on this 10 day pre-op diet and tonight had such strong cravings and hunger pangs. I allowed myself to cheat (just a very small peice of lean chicken breast) and I feel so guilty about it. I keep telling myself if I can cheat like this now then what about after the surgery when swelling has went down and I am just before having a fill. Will I be able to keep from gaining weight back that I have lost in the liquid phase? I am so very scared of failure especially since we are paying out of our own pockets for this. Don't get me wrong I am very excited as well just having some of those "pre-surgery gitters" you all talk about. I have done very well on this diet until today when I cheated a little tonight. I suppose I shouldn't beat myself up about it. Does anyone on here ever get so overwhelmed by how much weight they have to lose? I just had my first child (one of the reasons for wanting to get healthy) almost seven months ago and after having him I lost thirty lbs weighing about 250lbs. Since then I have gained 30lbs although not changing my eating habbits, and still this gain. I did find out however, that I have a VERY VERY underactive thyroid for which I am now on medication (have been for almost a month now). I just wish I hadn't gained that thirty lbs because it is going to be so hard to lose. Gosh I am so glad there is a board like this that I can use to vent. I really appreciate anyone who reads this post. I know you guys hear a lot of what I am saying over and over so thanks again.

Yes I am taking Metformin at this time but I am hoping that once I lose weight I won't have to anymore.

LOL the Band for animals............hilarious but in this world.....it would not surprise me at all.....hehe.

Wow,everyone on this board is so nice. Thanks for all of the replies and advice.

I plan to have another child if possible but if not, we will adopt because we have always wanted to anyway. There are so many children out there who need a loving stable home. We already decided there is no use in spending all of our money again by having IUI, when ultimately we concieved our son on just Clomid alone, not to mention all of the emotional stress it put on us. We have a four month old son so we dont plan on having another child anytime soon. I plan to get to my ideal weight first which will be at least a year or so I am sure because I am not even banded yet.

To answer your question Blacknamaste, there are many symptoms of PCOS, some of which include, Hirsutism, which is excessive hair on the face or other parts of the body where women do not typically have hair, depression,irregular menses or absence of menses, absence of ovulation, weight gain and obesity, infertility and many other symptoms but this is all I can think of currently. PCOS can only be diagnosed by having a transvaginal ultrasound which can be done by your OB/GYN or reproductive endocrinologist. If you have PCOS there will be what is commonly reffered to as a "string of pearls" around your ovaries which are Fluid filled cysts which can prevent ovulation. This will be easily seen on the monitor if you have it. IF you feel it is possible you have PCOS you should request an ultrasound by your doctor. Lets hope you dont have it but is very commen and it can be treatable. Hope this helps.

Yes after a while with out kids........our animals became our children. I used to refer to my cat Zues as "my first born son." LOL I know that sounds crazy but I never thought we would have a child.........I was wrong!

Amber

Thanks Trish and Marie. Oh I am so relieved because I was so worried about this. How wonderful to know that I can get a fill after having the baby. Of course I would be VERY lucky to be able to have another child tho because I have PCOS and hubby and I tried for almost five years to have our darling son. We did all of the fertility work ups and such and finally I got pregnant on Clomid so don't give up Trish it will happen for you. My suggestion is to see a good Reproductive Endocrinologist once you are serious about trying though. Thanks so much for the info and good luck to you both!