CherieRyde

Did your nutritionist not give you a diet to follow?

Yeah .. go back to liquids. Soups, Protein drinks, etc. You've moved too fast for your body, and it's telling you as much. Also, pay attention to the way you feel while eating. I usually know within 2 bites if I can tolerate a specific food that day. If I can't tolerate it, I feel like I'm struggling to swallow the bite. Almost like it's too dry or thick. Finally, make sure you are *NOT* drinking while eating. I usually sip on my drink while I wait for my main dish (avoid eating the salads or whatever they bring to you first), and then I push the drink away or ask the waiter to take it away when my main dish arrives.

I've learned that the feeling you described comes back with fills. You will know when you are hungry. One minute you are fine, and the next you feel like "OMG I need to eat NOW or I'm going to pass out right here!" I've compared this with the experience my friends who have had other WLSs have, and it seems to be the same across the board. Also ... there will be times when you can feel your food going into your stoma and through the band. It's .... weird.

LUCK!! The surgery is a piece of cake. It's the rest of it ... We'll see you on the flip side.

I prefer straws, but I don't like the gas issues I have after using them. *shrugs*

@@cumbfrog I also have BCBS. The policy we have allowed my band to be free. There are other hidden fees as well, but BCBS paid 90% of those. Your surgeon will give you a list of evaluations you need to complete before they send the whole packet to your insurance company. I had to have a psych eval, a lung / breathing test, a meeting with the nutritionist, and a meeting with their exercise specialist. Good luck with everything!

*sends hugs to smarti210* That sounds awful! I've had a similar experience with ground beef and rice. But everything you described reminds me of Gastritis. THAT was heinous! Maybe liquids tomorrow is a good thing. Give yourself time to heal.

Candles aren't allowed. I had my iPhone with me so that I could read, play games, or play music until time to go. My husband was with me, so he took all of my personal items to the waiting room with him. Also, they had tvs in the rooms so that I could watch whatever I wanted. Groceries .... I picked up a bunch of broth, baby food veggies and fruits (especially prunes), and prune juice. You WILL be constipated for a bit from the meds they give you at the hospital, and for as long as you are on pain meds. pureed prunes and prune juice are your FRIENDS. I also have some cranberry juice to help with urination. I've been doing 1 part prune juice to 2 parts cranberry juice, and it's extremely helpful. Good luck!!

Failed - I'm so sorry that your surgery failed for you and left you so bitter. However, there are several of us who are seeing success. Several of us who are HAPPY with our surgeries. Several of us who appreciate actual, helpful conversation rather than hysteria and drama. Just because you had a bad experience doesn't mean that the rest of us in this forum are going to have the same experiences as you. So please ... share facts, numbers, and documentation. Please keep the hysterics to yourself or share only with others who are in your same boat. Because, in all honesty, I can't relate. Nor do I wish to. I would rather be supportive of those who are in this journey with me .. with those who accept that sometimes things don't work they way we want them to, but don't go all Drama Queen when we politely disagree. Have a great day.

I've gotten stuck while eating soft breads, any kind of beef, a couple of rice dishes, and dry turkey and chicken breast. I take small bits, chew like crazy, but some things are just not allowed to be in my diet anymore. *hugs*

I'm so sorry that your spouse isn't being supportive. I can't say that mine isn't supportive, because he is ... and he's amazing. What I CAN say is that even with his support, I depend more on myself and this group than I do him. Yes, he's happy for me. Yes, he'll walk with me most nights. Yes, he's aware of my needs when we decide to go out for dinner. But no ... his support doesn't have an impact on my success because I'm the one who has to do it. I'm the one who has to push my backside out of the door for my walks. I'm the one who has to get off the couch to exercise. I'm the one who has to measure my meals. I'm the one who knows when I've had enough food. I'm the one who knows how much Protein I've eaten, and how much Water I've actually had to drink. So, while it's nice to hear him say "You are doing a great job, Baby." or "Where would you like to go for dinner?" .. the reality is that I own this. So .. own it. Don't listen to anything negative he has to say. Try not to let his apparent disinterest bother you so much. We are here for you.

I've found that breads in general get stuck. It's *not* a happy feeling. Since I want to avoid that, I've stopped eating bread. I do, however, add ground flax and chia seeds to my breakfast protein shakes so that I can still get my fiber in.

I typically eat raisin bran at least once a day and that keeps things moving. I've stocked up on pureed prunes to get things moving again later this week, and once I'm back on real food, I'll have my raisin bran again.

Good luck!!

Yeah ... it's all over the place.

Holy COW!! The changes in my body are so very noticeable and I'm beside myself with excitement! Yes, I've lost 26 pounds, and that's so incredibly awesome, but the OTHER successes are even more important to me. * I've dropped from a size 24 to a size 20. (Sadly, this means I have to go shopping. I hate shopping.) * I've dropped from a 42H bra size to a 40F ... and am currently wearing a 40DD sports bra that I've not been able to wear in THREE YEARS! * I have more ENERGY to do things that I need and want to do. * NO MORE UPPER BACK FAT!! This morning when I put my bra on, it felt like the strap was caught on my fat. It's happened so very often that I've gotten used to checking the mirror to see where things are hung up and maneuver it around the fat rolls. But this morning when I looked .. the strap was simply TWISTED, and there was NO FAT for the strap to be caught on!! WHAT?? * My hubby is very .... appreciative of my shrinking form. I'll just leave that as it is. What awesome successes have you guys achieved?

My first fill was at 6 weeks. I was supposed to have another fill last week, but he wanted to wait until I recover from my upcoming gallbladder surgery. Don't stress. Instead, be grateful for the extra healing time and roll with it.

Port site pain seems to come and go. I'm just over 2 months out, and every now and then I get a twinge.

OMG hiccups were my enemy! This now makes me nervous about next week. I'm having my gallbladder removed on Wednesday, and I'll have the same incisions I did for my lapband.

The woman in the video is really ... clueless. Listening to her makes me wonder how she got through the screening process.

I'm feeling kind of spoiled now. My doc suggested the band and sleeve. I told him which one I preferred and why, and he agreed. I've also seen him at each appointment, and he's the one who does my fills.

Day 3 of any surgery is always the worst day. You should start feeling better soon. If the pain doesn't start going away or if it gets much worse, go to the ER. Good luck!

I'm *sort of* close to Elgin. As in, I'm in Aurora. How is everyone?

YES! I stay away from the processed crap as much as I can. It all tastes like plastic, rotten food, and chemicals.

I agree. 2 weeks is a LONG time to be on a clear liquid diet.