CherieRyde

Be careful with the pineapple. It's hard to digest. Peaches on the other hand ....

I've been struggling with this stage too and am actually back up to 232 because everything is so damned fattening. Also, being in Bander's Hell isn't helping. OH! With the eggs ... I've learned that you have to be VERY careful and chew a lot. Even if you think it's been chewed enough, chew more. I thought the eggs I was eating were not just mushy enough, but also chewed enough, and they got stuck. I can now say that I've experienced Sliming. I felt like my cat after she's had a really nasty medication shoved in her mouth. For veggies ... baby food. I get the stuff in the squeezable pouch. It' not bad. It's not GREAT, but it's not horrible either.

Congratulations! I'm sorry that your husband isn't on board. That's going to make recovery a little more frustrating. HOWEVER. You CAN do this without him. You'll do fantastically, and he'll just do what he's going to do. Stay strong.

Good morning everyone!! I've noticed that I'm extremely happy now that so many things are going right. I'm 1 month caffeine free, eating healthier than I did before, and not missing much outside of my salads and Brussels sprouts. I thought that this would be much harder at this stage than it is for me, and I couldn't be more thrilled. I'm assuming that this is the Honeymoon Period at work, but I hope this is part of my new normal. Have any of you guys experienced this?

This is a normal part of the healing process. It goes away, I promise.

I'm happy to help! By the way ... by the end of week 2, you'll feel mostly normal. There will be some residual pain at the port site (slightly left of your belly button) but this is completely normal. Also .. fluctuating between being constipated and having the runs seems to be the current new normal. LOL

I read in another post that the port pain lasts anywhere from 3 to 6 months. Mine hurts sometimes too, but I've noticed that it's only when I move certain ways.

I found it! That was fast. Now. Remember ... no matter what is stated below, listen to your surgeon. All of them seem to have different ideas of what's ok. 1) Stock up on broth, Propel, RTD Protein shakes, and children's liquid Tylenol NOW. Remember, you are supposed to drink 3 Protein drinks a day. 2) Clear out that colon the night before your surgery. If you aren't comfortable with the idea of an enema, then stay on a liquid ONLY diet for the last two days. Otherwise, an enema before bed time is highly advisable. The medications they pump into you during surgery in addition to the pain meds post op dry everything up. Trust me ... you do NOT want to be constipated post op. That pain just adds to the other pains you will be experiencing. 3) Make a little nest out of a recliner for yourself. Laying down in bed sounds like a grand idea ... until you need to get up to go to the bathroom. There are so many muscle groups that are supported by your abs .... things you never IMAGINED were connected in any way. Trust me. It's easier to get out of the recliner. 4) Walk up and down your hallway as soon as you can tolerate it, but do NOT try to go to the store with anyone. You will want to go if only to get out of the house. BAAAD idea. Sit on your patio/deck/porch if you want a change of scenery. 5) If you can, don't let your self get too hungry. Keep going with the fluids. Just be careful to not over do it. It's a hard balance to find, but find it. Dry heaving because you are too hungry sucks just as much as throwing up because you drank too much. 6) Make sure that you have someone who can help you out for the first week at least. I'd be a WRECK right now if my husband hadn't arranged to work from home for the first 2 weeks post-op. 7) Pain is going to be a constant companion for a few days. There are different things causing the pain, but it all hurts. You have incisions (I have 5 of them) in your abdomen, they pumped you full of gas so that they can see everything and may not have gotten all of it out, you have the band and port (aka foreign bodies) taking up space where there was nothing before, and you will be hungry. There's really no way to prep for this. The only advice I have is to stay on top of your meds. This WILL pass ... it's just going to suck a little while you recover. 8) Connect with someone who has already been through it. One of my biggest supporters is a lady who had the Gastric Sleeve done earlier this year. She shared her experiences with me, and they have been pretty much on par with what I'm going through now. Just this morning I pinged her on FB and said "Emily .... I got desperate because it HURT ... and I gave myself an enema. 4 DAYS of constipation .." and she knew exactly what I was talking about. She is simply amazing. So, yeah ... connect with someone that you can ping at any moment. 9) Beware of your "enemies". Their names are : Burps, laughter, hiccups, nausea, extreme temperatures, and laying all the way down (ie without extra pillows to keep you propped up). I call them your enemies because they WILL make you hurt. It's all part of the recovery process. this won't last forever, so keep your head up. You can do this. 10) Remember that this pain is only TEMPORARY. Seriously. So far, this has felt like the longest 3-4 days ever. BUT. The end is in sight. I know that I can make it through this. You can too.

I actually posted some of my "I wish I had Known"s not long ago. I'll look for it and copy and paste it for you.

I have no answers. I just finished my cycle and some how managed to gain 2 pounds. I have NO idea how I did that, but I did. Ugh!

I can't say that I've ever heard mine. I CAN feel my port from the inside when I move certain ways though. Hearing/feeling your band move though ... I'd call your surgeon's office to ask about that.

YAY YOU!!!

Oh, Sweetie! Call the doc and ask them to rewrite the script for a liquid version of the meds. I have to tell you though .. it tastes like cherry cough syrup. Something else we did, I had my husband get some liquid children's tylenol for me. They have 3 flavors to choose from, it's pretty sugary, but it works. Also .. YES .. drink prune juice. It's AWFUL being constipated while you are still healing from surgery. Take it one hour at a a time.

Good Luck!! We'll see you on the other side!

I lived on shakes and had the soups as snacks. There's really no other way to do it without everything being nasty.

I'd let your boss know that you have surgery scheduled on x day and will need x amount of time off for recovery (for me it was 2 weeks) and leave it at that. Not eating with the others is easily disguised by going for walks during lunch. Good luck, Sweetie.

I needed to take a break for a moment from the band discussions to reflect on the loss we as a whole have just suffered. When I say "we" I'm referring to those who have been fans of Robin Williams since Mork and Mindy. He was a genius. He was an alcoholic. He was HILARIOUS. He was severely depressed. He was incredibly talented, and our world is a sadder place without him. RIP, Robin Williams. You inspired me in so many ways.

I can feel mine without having to push down very far at all. Remember that everyone's body composition is different. Just because you are siblings doesn't mean that you have the same amount of fat in the same places. Don't freak out.

I was going to keep it private, but I decided that I was going to go public about a week or two pre-op. The comments were across the spectrum, and my brother called me in tears BEGGING me not to go through with it. He called me again the night before my surgery to say that it wasn't too late to change my mind ... and I told him no. That I needed to do this. He said "OK. Just don't die on the table. I love you." my friends have been AMAZINGLY supportive, and I have a few friends who have had either lap band or gastric sleeve surgery. One of my friends said that her ex-wife had the roux en y gastric bypass surgery, and she's been a MAJOR support for me. So, it depends on what people have experienced, have heard, and are willing to hear.

I was just wondering how you are doing as well. Keep in touch!

I had that same issue. Part of the issue is that you've not learned yet how to drink without taking in air. for the next week or so, you will begin to realize exactly HOW much air you swallow when you talk, cough, hiccup, sneeze, yawn, eat, and drink. I've started using the Gas-X dissolving strips to help with it because it HURTS. *hugs* It'll get better.

I've been drinking the Atkins Advantage RTD shakes too. They are pretty yummy.

@jlj110 I'm waiting until I loose my weight before we even TRY any of the Harry Potter stuff. We are planning our next Disney trip for sometime in 2016, and I'm SURE that I'll be ready for ALL things FL by that time. I may even pack my bikini and show off all of my Mommy Stripes! I think it'd be all kinds of fun to have a Banders' Day at Disney one year.

You too?? I'm a 42H. The lap bar fit just fine .. no issues. But the shoulder harness just would NOT close. I tried EVERYTHING to get it to close. The jerkfaced kid checking the restraints told me "You should have tried the seat at the gate before getting in line". I asked him WHERE it was because I didn't see it at all, and he got really snotty and said "Well, then you weren't looking. There are several all over the place and one at the entrance." Of course I responded with "No, I wasn't looking for something that I didn't know EXISTED. I've never been here before, and you DON'T get to talk to me like that. I can't help it that my tits are too big for the restraints, but YOU can most certainly help your ATTITUDE." Of course, my friends stayed on the ride while I skulked away and pouted. The damned things NEVER seem to get smaller when I loose weight. I just never knew that they'd be THAT much of an issue. Needless to say, I've not tried getting on any roller coasters outside of Disney again. Which reminds me. I've never had issues with the restraints at Walt Disney World. Just as an FYI.

I was banded on July 30, and I've not really lost a whole lot. I guess it depends on the person and their body composition.