Birchmoon

I was banded on Oct. 8th this year, and things have been wonderful...until this morning. I had a carnation instant Breakfast, and within minutes I had severe stomach pain. I thought maybe I was becomming lactose intolerant because occasionally milk does make me sick. Well, around lunch time I grabbed a few grapes, which also brought on the pain. Then just Water, and that brought it on too. :cursing: I need to drink, but it hurst so much I can't bring myself to do it. I have not had a fill at all yet, and my band is totally empty now. I've been going to the bathroom all day, so I know I'm not blocked. The pain is most severe immediately after trying to eat or drink something, but even when I'm not, it's still very tender. I looked up symptoms of different band problems and nothing seems to fit. I'm not throwing up, and I haven't at all since the surgery. I'm not burping or spitting anything up at all. Any ideas? I appreciate any help. thanks! Heather

I just had mine earlier this month and I'm curious how people who have had it a couple years are doing. How much lost, how fast, did any of it come back?

I got home 3 days ago! Had surgery on the 8th of this month, but had to spend some extra time in the hospital because of a fever and my past complications. I'm happy to be home and "eating" again. lol. If you call pudding and pea soup eating. I bought these tiny little Gladware containers and put my meals in them. With the 6 weeks of Optifast prior to surgery, I lost 35 lbs. before I even got the band! On the day I got out, my total weight loss was 44 lbs. From 280 to 236! WOO HOO! I've gone from a 28 to a 22...too bad my shirt size hasn't changed a bit. 44 lbs. and my chest hasn't shrunk one ounce. :tongue_smilie: Oh well, I guess in a few years when I get the skin removed I can see about breast reduction too. And there will certainly be a lot of extra skin to work on by then. Ugh. I was on prednisone for 10 years, and my skin has lost its elasticity...so I'm looking like a half full hefty bag right about now. I'm adding protein powder to everything I eat, but I eat so little that I also got some of these little things that look like test tubes and have 42 g of protein each. I'm still gonna buy some Unjury Chicken Soup. I got a sample of it and it's pretty good. Very tasty, and really filling. Congrats to those that have had their surgery, and good luck to those who will very soon! Heather BTW as for the cheating...well, we're all human beings. This is a habit most of us have had for our entire lives. We can't expect to just drop it like it's nothing. Quitting overeating is like quitting anything else bad for us that we are addicted to. I had 6 weeks of Optifast...and nothing else. And I replaced 2 of those shakes with dry turkey wheat wraps. The key is to not beat yourself up about it and just take it as a slip up and move on. :tt1: I had my surgery on the 8th of this month....and for the last 2 months all I can think about is FRIED CHICKEN!!!!! lol.

5 weeks today and 27 lbs. gone already, and my surgery isn't even until october 8th. :thumbup: 6 weeks of Optifast is difficult, but I know what I'm in for after surgery, and I am so much closer to my goal. It feels pretty good.

I understand that everyone here feels comfortable with their docs, otherwise we wouldn't let them operate on us...but I've already lost 15 lbs, and I haven't even had the surgery yet. By the time I get the surgery on october 8th, I'll have lost between 30 and 40 lbs...so I will get to my goal weight an awful lot faster. 6 weeks of optifast is harsh, but it's a test...for me. In this time I can show myself that I can do this 100% with no doubt in my mind at all. I've done 6 weeks of a liquid diet...a month of post op won't be hard at all. I'm thankful for the pre op diet personally.

I wouldn't feel too bad about a few weeks....I had to do a year and a half of medical tests, psych evals, monthly support groups, a 10 week weight management course, join a gym, and see a dietician every month....my doc is making me work my fat butt off for this surgery. After your insurance company approves you, what's the process then? Will they schedule a date for you? I went through a VA hospital, so the process is very different. Just curious.

It's official...I searched this board and I, Heather, am the ONE person doing a 6 week liquid diet. :biggrin: 800 calories a day, Optifast...nothing but splenda and extracts. I'm so jealous of all you 2 week diet people. Nah...actually I'm "sort of" glad, because 6 weeks will be enough time to prove to myself that I can do it, plus I'll lose a lot of weight prior to surgery....but still....

I've just started a 6 week Optifast diet. NOTHING but Optifast...except noncaloric flavors and splenda. It's hard as heck, but I gotta say I appreciate it. I've been working on this for a year and a half, and this next 6 weeks will show me how much strength I have in me. My doc does this also as a sort of trial. After 6 weeks of this, I am superwoman and can do anything! :biggrin: Plus, my doc has a 100% success rate, and I trust him with my life. He makes his patients jump through hoops of fire, but in the end, it's worth it for me. Besides, with losing weight before surgery, I'll be closer to my goal sooner after surgery. Already lost 8 lbs in 4 days!

I have had one for years, and my docs have told me that it will be fixed during surgery. I wasn't sure if they did it for bands, but I asked monday and they said yes, it will be fixed. Thank goodness, I'm so tired of everything I eat (well, drink lately) coming right back up my throat. bleck!

That sounds very dangerous to me. The pre-op diet serves many purposes...one of them is to make sure that you can stick to this, another is to shrink your liver making surgery easier. If your surgeon doesn't think it's "worth the fight" he doesn't know a lot about this surgery. Be careful, please.

I tried vanilla in diet root beer in the freezer for a couple of hours and it sort of froze, not solid though, just had ice flakes in it. lol. And it was AWFUL!

Tonight I tried a little vanilla extract and 3 splendas in the vanilla shake, and it was tolerable. Better than the vanilla in anything else, ugh, that made me want to get sick...Can't wait to go shopping and pick up some orange diet soda and some more extracts. Wish i could put fruit in mine. Just for something solid! Hahahaha!