JaxBandster

Welcome Carol! All I can say is that you can look forward to losing a bunch of those co-morbities! Congratulations on starting the process AND the full coverage! It may seem like a long time in the future but the wait will be worth it and be here before you know it! Welcome to the group!

Movin on I can definitely relate to you right now. I had my surgery on the 7th so we are pretty close. Tonight my husband will bring home Taco Bell for himself and my daughter. I'd about kill for real food right now but instead am still on Clear Liquids until tomorrow and then will only be on Protein Shakes three times a day until Friday when I can transition to soft foods. I also had a VERY close relationship with food. I love my carbs and I love the taste of food period! So much so that two full plates was within my range of consumption and hence why I am where I am today. Part of this process is that we have to change the way we look at food. Change our entire relationship with food. Eating has become such a pleasurable thing for us that it has become unhealthy. Much like an alcoholic, some people can drink and not have it interfere with their lives, others can't. We are like those people. It's a difficult thing to digest (no pun intended). Add to that the depressive aspects of surgery, general anesthesia and pain medications and things aren't looking too cheery right now. All I can recommend is to try and keep focused on the big prize and not the immediate gratification that food offers us. We will eventually be able to eat food again (yes even peach cobbler on occasion) but we will eat very differently than we used to in terms of both quantity and quality. We will eat healthier and be healthier as a result. We will love what we see in the mirror instead of loathing it. We won't have to struggle to get off a couch or be ashamed of our size for any reason. This period of time (the first month) is probably the most difficult for us. Hang in there, hook up with other people who were banded in February (there is a great group of people in the February 08 support group), who can relate to what you are going through. We will both get through this while enjoying sunny Florida!!! Hugs!

Crap Crap Crap Crap Crap!!!!!!!!!!!!! I just wrote out this really long reply and lost it!!!!! GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR Alright this one is going to be shorter! Hi! Yes I am fine!!!! I can't believe I haven't written here since surgery! I'm so sorry!!! Everything was a breeze and I am healing well I think. Still just taking it easy and not pushing myself. If you want all the details of my journey so far just click on the link in my signature and it will take you to my blog. It is good to read about how Dr. Cywes does his fills as that will be my next big step. Does he require clear or full liquids for two days after the fill. Right now I'm hating clear liquids! I get to start Protein shakes tomorrow and I can't believe how much I am looking forward to them! Protein should help with my strength and the hunger which I am already starting to feel. I have already lost 20lbs since my first appt one month ago, three of those since surgery on Thursday. It will be interesting to see how much I weigh this coming Thursday at my pre-op. Anyone else need to check in? Once I get back on food I would love to arrange a get together with all of us! (Right now it's a little difficult to be around people eating). Hopefully in a few weeks or so? I promise not to be so absent. I really thought I had checked in here but have been hanging out a lot on the February bandster support group and the Banded Bikers board LOLOLOL Talk to everyone soon! Make sure to read my blog!

Babedoe, I know from having experience with stitches before that when swelling starts to go down they have a tendency to start pulling. It will get better, just try not to move suddenly even if you feel like you can. It will take about six weeks to really heal completely inside.

Gibson Try not to worry. This was only the 6th obstruction out of 1,300 surgeries for her doctor. That is really low. While it was a complication, it was able to be fixed and she is well on her way and feeling better already. I know it's scary to read these before surgery but just remember they are very few and far between. Good luck!

I had to do that before my surgery as well. I avoided the complication stories as much as possible especially the serious ones. Others, such as pain in shoulders, or gas, or other things I wanted to know about and be prepared for. The serious complication stories were just making me too nervous and wondering what the hell I was doing! The nerves really kicked in about two days before for me. I told my husband that I felt like I had just gotten on a roller coaster ride, had strapped myself in and was getting ready for it to start moving. Waiting for that "lurch" that was going to take me to unpredictable places. It's a pretty good analogy and I stayed that way until they wheeled me into the OR and I shifted my fat butt onto the operating table! LOL It will seem sort of surreal, you will be short tempered and a little withdrawn and introspective, but you will wake up in recovery all sleepy and they will make sure you are comfortable. If you are experiencing pain or nausea, make sure they know. They will give you additional medication to make sure you are feeling okay. That is what they are there for. It's really going to be okay. :thumbup:

It could be a combination of things, but if you are keeping your carb intake low and exercising I think maybe I would try for a small fill and see if that does the trick. I don't know how much you are able to eat right now but it might help. If it's too tight then you can get some removed. It sounds like you are very close to your sweet spot though. Are you recording your intake in a food log? Sometime you may be consuming more than you think you are if your aren't tracking it religiously. You can also go back historically and see a trend when you do start to see weight gain, i.e. carb intake went up on a certain date, weight was up the following week. Otherwise, just try mixing it up a bit.

Scroll down the list of support groups and you will find groups based on geographical area. That would be your best bet. I know there is already a central Florida group there which is very active.

From what I have read here in the past, it sometimes help to change up your diet and/or exercise. Go real low carb for a while, or increase/reduce calories, run instead of walk, lift weights instead of aerobics, etc. Do you have good restriction? Do you need another fill?

I would suggest going to two other forums. The one for doctors and the support group for regions. That way you can talk to people in your area and find someone you are comfortable with who is close to you. Hope you find what you are looking for!!!!!

Randy, I hear you on "the incentive". I live about a mile from U.S. about halfway between Jax and St. Augustine. On the weekends there are always packs of bikes heading up and down the coast and I can hear them from here. Always gets my blood pumping and jonesing to ride again and join them.

Wow! Congrats on your first 10k!!!! You keep doing stuff like that and you will be sport bike size in no time!!!!!! Now I know why you like my bike. I have heard several people say that it reminds them of a Triumph, especially with the twin headlights. It's still all Harley to me though! :thumbup: I really have to stop taking the hydrocodone to sleep. I had a nightmare last night that someone stole my bike and I was kicking people's ass (literally) trying to find out where it was. :eek: I tell you what, it's another perfectly beautiful day today. I'm still not ready to ride just yet but I'm hoping to be back in the saddle by next weekend. Right now I think that jeans would be a little too binding around my midsection. Otherwise, I'm good to go. So yeah, if you get the opportunity to relocate I would highly recommend it! Keep on ridin safe!

That was so cool!!! I remember most all of those pictures from EasyRider and saw others I hadn't seen before. What is so cool is how he captures the essence of what it is to ride and also how many of those things I have done. Racing the train (it runs right along US Hwy 1 right down the street from where I live and I love riding along with the train), flirting with the truckers going down the road, (and yes even raising my shirt on more than a few occassions! LOL), and so many of the places that he has captured that I've been too as well. So very cool. Thanks!

I'm doing well thanks!! Still a little tender in the mid-section especially around the port area. I don't think I'm ready to wear tight jeans just yet :rose: I'm really working on my fluids today to try and keep my strength up. Today is day five of Clear Liquids and it is definitely getting boring and I'm starting to crave something different even if it's just a Protein shake! I will be able to start those tomorrow, three times a day until Friday when I can begin soft foods. I can't wait! Still having a little intestinal gas discomfort that I am taking Gas-x for. (It is uncomfortable to burp but I'm glad I can!) Liquid Tylenol during the day for general aches and pains. Don't mean to be crude but beware of the diarrhea. It's a simple cause and effect thing. Liquids in, liquids out. :crying: So just a heads up that will happen. Speaking of liquids, they are going down easier. I can still feel it when I take a sip when it goes down my esophagus and it sits for a second, then goes on through. Such a strange feeling. However, I know when I get that feeling that I'm good to take another sip. I am taking it very slow and not pushing my band. I'm a little tired today and I'm not sure if it is due to hardly having any calories during the past five days, venturing out last night to a friends house for a couple of hours, the medicine I took last night for pain to help me sleep (which didn't, I had a restless night), or what? Probably a combination. If I HAD to go back to work tomorrow and had a desk job I could with no problem. At least a half day. Fortunately I don't as I'm unemployed right now so I will just concentrate on healing. Stepped on the scale today and I'm down another three pounds since surgery so total lost since starting my pre-op is 20 lbs! Not too bad for a month eh? I'm glad to hear that the blog has helped. I know that I read a bunch of them before my surgery and it also helped me know what to expect. Hopefully mine will help others as well.

Good luck Leather! You'll do great!!!!!!!!!

As long as you keep your carbs down your liver will shrink. I have pictures of mine and it is beautiful!! LOLOL Eat that protein, it will help. Between possibly being sick and going through carb withdrawal you are a probably miserable right now. Believe me, it gets better. The protein really helps.

Good luck to all the Valentine Week Bandsters!!!!!!!!!! Take it from a Mardis Gras week Bandster, you will do great!!!!!!! Try not to be nervous (I know easier said than done) and we will see you guys on the banded side!

Wow, I'm so sorry to hear that you had to go through so much! I am glad to hear that you were able to go back in and get it resolved though and that you are still banded!!! Congrats! Hopefully things will go smoother for you now! I'll keep you in my thoughts and prayers!

I don't know but didn't you just want to smack that poor woman's sister???????? She was so over-bearing!!!!! The woman was already a nervous wreck and she wasn't helping at all. I felt really bad for her. The sister has some control issues I'm thinking.

Crystal Lite and Propel. Unfortunately there aren't too many options. If you weren't on a low carb diet before you started liquids you are also probably going through carb withdrawal which is rough. I was on low carb for three weeks prior to liquids and it helped with the transition. I am now three days post op and still on clear liquids. It is getting a little tougher (especially with those damn food commercials on TV) but I can start protein shakes tomorrow which should help make things a little easier. Don't worry, hang in there, you will make it. Just pound down as much fluids as you can and it will help you stay full.

This is very good advice. Make sure you stay away from carbs although I know that they are the easiest to get down right now. Eat as much Protein as you can. It will help with the hunger. Make sure the meat is very lean and very moist! Chew chew chew and eat slowly!

One more thing, if you had a hiatal hernia repair along with your lap band that will also increase the pain in your left shoulder. Take pain medication as prescribed for that. If that makes you too groggy or nauseous, take liquid tylenol.

Gas-x will only help with gas in the intestinal tract, not gas in your abdomen. For the CO2 gas you need to get up and walk and use heat. That will help. I got up and walked every time I woke up after surgery (last Thursday) and had very little to no gas at all.

Hi Lily! I was banded on 2.7.08 and will start my Protein shakes on Monday. My only suggestion is to go slow and listen to what your band is telling you. Eat only until you feel full. Don't push it. If you don't finish your shake or your cup of whatever, don't worry about it. Remember, this isn't like the old days where you have to clean your plate. Just try and get in touch with your body and be aware of the signs it is telling you that you are full. These can be a variety of signs ranging from tightness in the chest to a runny nose! LOL Everyone is a little different so you need to figure out what these "soft stop" signs are before you reach the hard stops that aren't so pleasant. The only way to do that is by going slow. We may have to learn our lessons the hard way every now and then, but I am going to try my darndest not to push my luck! LOL Good luck with your new band!

I would definitely go back to clear liquids for a couple of days until your stomach/esophagus is able to settle down. It may be enflamed and irritated from the retching. Call your doctor on Monday and let them know what is going on and that you aren't able to keep anything down.