JustWatchMe

Thank you, and Happy Mother's Day to you, too!

Debbie3sons, congratulations!! I'm so happy for you!!!!

I was banded March 13. I was on full liquids 6 weeks post-op and banned from the swimming pool for four weeks. Got my first fill at 6-1/2 weeks and then was back on liquids for two days. I would normally be scheduled for my second fill three weeks after my first, but that would put my second fill just days before a trip abroad. So we're waiting to do my second fill until I return from Europe. I've been advised not to eat one hour before, during, or one hour after the flight due to swelling and tightness that occurs when you fly. I can and should drink water in flight. I'm very glad I got a fill before my trip, although I was nervous before I did so. Go for it. Get your surgery. There will never be a perfect time, so stop waiting to start your life. It's so worth it. Good luck.

What do you know. Amazing.

2muchfun tells it like it is. My clear liquids was short (5 days) but my full liquids post-op was 6 weeks. It wasn't easy, but it got much easier the less I tried to bend the rules. Besides the surgical healing, which is REAL, this strict time is also meant for breaking habits and developing discipline. I was told not to snack. Three meals no snacks. I thought what the hell, I'm on liquids, who cares if I have a liquid snack? So I'd toss in a glass of buttermilk, or a pudding, between my protein shake meal times, or before bed. Without fail, those were the days I struggled harder with hunger. Snacking woke up my appetite. Yes, even liquid snacking. I was told don't skip a meal and make yourself overly hungry. I thought, I'm too busy at work to take a break. I'll just work through lunch and ignore the shake in my desk because then I can have those calories added to my dinner allotment. Not smart. I'd sit down to my liquid dinner and guzzle it and feel unsatisfied. I'm not perfect and I mess up often. But when I listen to my body and listen to my band and listen to my doctor and listen to my NUT, things go better and it truly gets easier. Good luck.

Im a newbie too, and I am in awe of the successful banders here. Just what I needed to see today!

Safety first! This is serious stuff you're signing up for. Give your body every advantage to come through the surgery without complications. It's hard, I agree. But you will need even more discipline than that after surgery while you are on liquids for weeks. Embrace it, surrender to it, and know that this, too, shall pass. And you'll be so glad you did when you begin to see dramatic, and I mean dramatic, changes in your body size, your breathing, your sleeping, your hunger, your complexion, your mood, all within the first month post-op. It's real, and it's waiting for you. As RuPaul likes to say to his drag queen contestants, "Good luck... and don't f&!@ it up!"

Great article. I learn something on this forum every day.

Update: had emotional day today as expected. Saw my younger daughter and trekked most of her college stuff home and up the stairs singlehandedly. I'm so grateful for my weight loss, as I wasn't out of breath at all. Will make the trip again in three days to bring her home for the summer. Had a heart to heart with my mom during the long car ride about some serious stuff. Nothing like four and a half hours to talk stuff out. Had lunch at Cracker Barrel and tried their chicken salad for the first time. Yummy! And when I looked up moving boxes in MyFitnessPal, it awarded me more exercise calories burned than my treadmill walking. Unfortunately, this evening I am up two pounds, added to two pounds up the day before. I have swollen ankles from the long car ride two ways, so some of it is fluid. But I can't help thinking the pork chops are getting their revenge. LOL

Had my first real bout of head hunger today. I battled it a bit, but succumbed as well. I had two pork chops for dinner, when one would have been fine. Although the total damage for the day was only slightly over 1200 cal, I'm still unhappy with having eaten twice the amount of meat I needed at dinner. My band didn't stop me, either. I think the restriction I was feeling the week of my first fill is wearing off. Anyway, I know exactly why I was eating. I'm feeling very emotional about my upcoming trip to Italy, when I will see my daughter for the first time since January. She's been studying abroad for the semester, and I have missed her terribly. Also tomorrow I'm bringing home some of my younger college daughter's belongings from Missouri. This will be a crazy week, completely busy, and I'm beginning to feel overwhelmed. I'm leaving on the road trip for Missouri at 5:30 AM tomorrow, and taking my mom with me. We will have a long emotional conversation on the ride, and I know that is wearing at me as well. Sunday is a Mother's Day family outing that is stressful as well. I'm anxious about money, college tuition, family members fighting, and all the bills that are coming due in May that I have to pay before we leave. I have so much to do in the next six days and I'm frozen on the couch. I didn't even really enjoy the pork chops all that much. Just needed to put this out there. Thanks for listening. Time to get my butt on the treadmill.

Oh my gosh. You are not kidding about the skirts floating. I made it through this Aqua Zumba class but I had to laugh with my friend each time our skirts were floating to the surface. You're right. The next time I will have a different style of suit for exercise!

Some exercise helped. I'm so preoccupied that the walking didn't even seem endless, like it usually does.

Congratulations on your surgery. Welcome to banded life! I hope you feel better soon. Keep in touch here, try to walk a lot, and take good care of yourself. Keep posting!

Wow it's always something. Good luck and let us know how it goes!

Running out the door but had to share this with my peeps. For the first time ever I can fit in the company casual Friday approved corporate Izod shirt they gave me when I was hired. I've never worn it before and this is a milestone. I'm so happy!

Discomfort is normal. However, pain means call your doctor!

This is the largest men's size, but I'm wearing it proudly today!

Careful and keep in kind that pain meds will constipate you and sometimes not right away. Keep talking to your medical team and let them know your pain levels. Good luck.

Wow, wow, wow!

Thanks for keeping it real. I've been doing so well since surgery, but the past few days have had trouble getting my butt on the treadmill. That's how it starts. I commend you for asking for encouragement, so here it is. I decided months ago that since nothing changes if nothing changes, I wasn't going to go into this life change with the same behaviors I did in the past. Namely, let how I feel rule what I do. "I don't want to exercise" isn't a conscious decision not to exercise. It's a fleeting feeling of today. I choose to make the conscious decision to override that feeling. Every single stinking time I do this, and choose the thought-through, smart decision over the fleeting feeling, I'm making progress and working those habit muscles. Eating, exercise, social interaction, you name it. I am NOT a slave to my feelings. Where the head goes, the body will follow. Fake it til you make it. Do it anyway. Pick a slogan. Any of them that work! Thank you for reminding me that I was slipping into "feelings rule" mode this week, and that's a dangerous, slippery slope for me. Matter of fact, that slope is about a 150-lb weight gain slope. Been there, done that, bought the size 4XL t-shirt. Good luck and stay connected!

Good luck!

@@lecouch, I hope you feel better soon. I'm 8 weeks post-op and was told no more NSAIDs for life. It's been a little difficult since Tylenol doesn't work as well on my arthritis, but as the weight is coming off, my joint pain lessens. NSAIDs can do a number on your stomach and for some people they have contributed to band erosion. Take care and speedy healing. PS: I already went from two BP meds to one, and went off Prevacid as well.

Hoping all is well today. Good luck and keep posting !

Congratulations and thanks for the inspiration !