JanetC

(( HUGS!!! )) You're post-op, so expect some general swelling (they pump you full of fluids & stuff for surgery). And after a PB, it's common to swell. I'd go to liquids for at least 24 hours, maybe even 48. Then slowly add mushies back in & wait a couple more days for solids. Take it slowly & let the swelling go down & learn any new adjustments you might need to make to your eating habits. If things aren't better in 2-3 days, I'd call your surgeon. Our bodies are constantly changing... and I do hear that the band is tighter / looser at different times of the month. Hang in there & let us know how it goes!

Wow. I'm so glad the habit was gone for 2 1/2 years! Congrats on that NSV! And congrats on putting the chips away, hehe. Having fallen, I wouldn't be so quick to recover... you rock!! I'm excited to think that some of my current habits may soon be a distant memory. Thanks for the hope!

Congrats Rox! Glad to hear you're doing well! Hope the gas pains are improving!! Walk, walk, walk, walk, walk!

That's awesome!! Congrats on your date!

Wow, everyone's doing so great! I love seeing the progress! I'm back to exercising again. We've been really sedentary for the last year, so it's hurting, lol. I guess it's the pain of learning to live again! I counted my calories this week & was shocked at how easily the liquid calories slide in, lol. I can certainly see why they say no liquid calories after the healing period! Can't wait to get through our 6 weeks & get started! PS If I missed updating something, please repost it -- I try, but sometimes I'm simply blind (or blonde, lol).

Hi Leah! Welcome to LBT!! First, tell us about your journey. Have you had any fills? Are you food journaling? Have you told your nutritionist / doctor about your lack of weight loss? Without fills, you're really just dieting again... so it's the same rules you've most likely seen before: 1. Get your Water in 2. Choose Protein first 3. Keep your calories down & your exercise up 4. Eat slowly Plus the addition of the the lap-band rules: 5. Chew forever! 6. Small bites 7. Don't drink with meals (at least 15 min before & 1 hour after) If you've had a fill & are following the rules, perhaps another fill is in order? I'd talk to your weight loss team! Good luck! Let us know how it goes!

My surgeon speaks of the lap-band as a tool. He used this analogy, that I loved: You're sitting at a basketball game, up in the nose-bleed section. While you're waiting for the game, you people watch. You see a person on crutches hop into the arena, far below. You see him struggle up one step at a time, pausing here & there to breathe & stretch. When he finally gets to your row & sits down next to you, do you lean over & say, "Wow! Your crutches really made that trip easy!" Of course not! You say, "Man! That was some journey! You did great!!!" So while the band may make my journey easier then sitting on my heinie & lifting myself up a step at a time, I'm still the one doing the work. Give me the right tool & I'll change the world! (Yeah, I took some liberties with that quote, lol.)

I'm not at all into that much exercise yet (some day **dream**). But I've seen folks on this board talk about actually needing to INCREASE your calories if you're getting heavy workouts. Something about "resting metabolic rates" & your body thinking it's being starved. I have zero clue what I'm talking about, but you might ask your trainer / nutritionist / doctor about it & see if there's a "metabolic breath test" somewhere near you that you could get done to see how many calories you need. Good luck & let us know how it goes!!

I was always heavy (in my mind). Always trying to lose weight. Always on a diet -- or just coming off one. I'd struggle & lose 10-20 pounds, go off for 2 weeks & gain 30, then get back into the struggle. Follow that pattern... I kept gaining 30 pounds in less then a month, lol, just spread out. Then I got married & Mikey gave me permission to be myself & eat. Wow. First time that happened! 100 pounds in 1 year, lol. I do know that I hit plateaus going up... I sat at 195 for a while (up & down several times)... and at 225. After that I don't know, my scale didn't go that high. But I expect to hit the same plateaus on the way down. Cool thread!

I really want Brenna to go, mostly 'cuz of her attitude. I'm guessing Kinnik will go. Are they voting 2 off again? I wasn't really listening to Ryan (a common problem, lol). I felt like all of the girls were too "old" last night. Everything they sang sounded... um... old, lol. I don't want to know that they can hold a note & have vibrato (good or bad). I wanna hear them SING!! I love Taylor too, he's so cool! And Will is definitely a Fred Savage look-alike in my book. Adorable! And I hated that Simon made Gedeon self-conscious about his smile last week! And... oh.... ACE. Can't wait until tonight!!!

Wow, you look awesome!! I love your smile!

Bariatric Eating has a "starter pack" that has samples of a bunch of different proteins: http://store.bariatriceating.com/ulprtapa.html But to tell you the truth, the one we use the most is Six Star Whey Protein (choc & vanilla) from Walmart (near the Slim-Fast & Vitamins, just off the pharmacy). It doesn't require a blender, though we like to crunch up ice with it. I find Six Star palatable. It's not a chocolate shake, but I can certainly drink it. As long as you're eating meat, though, you probably don't need the shakes. They're mostly for pre / post-op, to make sure we can get our protein in. Of course, if you don't like meat, bring on the shakes! Good luck with the insurance!

I'll give it a try! You're looking awesome!! Hamu's pics:

That's awesome!!! I can't wait until a beach towel is big again!

When I first learned about the band at work, Mikey's reaction was, "I love you as you are. It's surgery. It's dangerous. Don't take the chance." He was of course thinking of gastric bypass. After much research, praying, talking, laughing, crying & hugging, he had his done first! He's beyond supportive, even when he had ZERO gas pain & I was whining worse then a 2-year-old. We're excited-scared of the changes that the band will bring... and totally psyched to see what they'll be, if that makes any sense. At least we're changing together! Marriage rocks!

Wow, that's seriously scary! I'm glad you found the answer & I hope the surgeon gets it fixed & quickly!! Keep us updated!

Hi Jan P! (( HUGS!! )) Your post is in the middle of a different thread. Folks aren't really ignoring you, they probably just missed it. If you want to start a new thread (you get more responses that way): 1. Click on this link: http://www.lapbandtalk.com/index.php 2. Click on the forum marked: Lap-Band Complications (New Forum) -- it's the 3rd one down. 3. On that page, click the "New Thread" button -- it's near the top left. 4. Write up your issue & click the Post button & you're on your way! Welcome to LBT! About your gas pain: when they do the surgery, they pump your body cavity full of carbon dioxide to get more room to see stuff. It's a really cool procedure, but it results in all this extra CO2 that can't get out except through osmosis. So basically you have to wait for your body to absorb it.... Your diaphragm REALLY doesn't like it, but it doesn't have any nerves, so it refers it's pain, typically to the left shoulder, though some have the pain elsewhere. The best way to combat it (or so they say) is to walk, take Gas-X & keep the GI track moving (i.e. burp & pass gas as much as possible). The fact that yours hasn't passed in 6 weeks is really disturbing. And if it's getting worse, that's just not good! I would definitely tell your doctor what's up & get him to do an Upper GI or whatever he advises. We do have a foreign body inside us now... some of us don't tolerate it as well as others. Keep us updated!! raazzberry -- Are you doing any better? Any test results? (( HUGS!! ))

Congrats Wheetsin! Hurry back & tell us how it went! :confused:

Wow, congrats! Let us know how you're doing! We had one of each at our house: my hubby did great, I was a wuss. :confused: Tons of pain meds & whining, lol. I really expected it to be the opposite! :confused: Two weeks out & we're both good now, thank goodness! Hang in there & pamper yourself!! Welcome to the journey!

Welcome Gloria, glad you found us! Us Febsters keep trickling in! :confused: I'm sooo glad to hear you're feeling better Sunta! I've been really worried about you! Hang in there! Dancer, I'm with you on the not telling, though I was the worst about my mom. I built it up into this HUGE thing... but I knew if I hadn't told her by my surgery date she would be seriously offended. When I told her, it was really easier then I expected & a huge weight was lifted. She was really supportive & except for a million questions, my biggest fan. Of course, I can't speak for your situation. This entire process really is personal... I'd hope your hubby doesn't say when you have that time of the month, lol. And if he wouldn't tell about that... why would he think he can tell about surgery? :confused: On the other hand, he's going to be going through a lot of changes with you & the support of his family may be important to him. But then again, it's important that he know that YOU'RE his family, not his extended family. Yeah, ya know? I don't have a clue! But whatever you decide, it's your decision & I stand behind ya! :confused: At least the deed is done & nothing that happens can take that from you!! ((Hugs!!))

Congrats Tammy!! I'm soooo glad you made it! I've heard of folks having popcorn, but I've also heard that some can't. I know it's hard to be sure it gets chewed well -- those silly little yellow corn husk-thingies would hurt like the dickens in the wrong spot! If you decide to try it, only have a few pieces, chew forever & wait & see what happens. :confused: Good luck!

Welcome to the new bandsters! :confused: Oh Sunta -- I hear ya! I'm sorry you're feeling so awful!! Do be sure you're sipping TINY sips & try not to swallow air while you're at it. I TOTALLY don't recommend the following (it's against surgeon's orders)... but when I drink I have really sensitive teeth, so I don't close my mouth. As a result, I swallow TONS of air... and was feeling the worst chest pains. I thought I was having a heart attack! Alex suggested a straw (which I've used all my life 100% of the time, because of my teeth). My doc had said no to them, so I was cautious about it... but I seem to have beat the air!! I can now drink Water again, thank goodness! :confused: When is your follow-up appointment? If you're not better soon & don't have an appointment scheduled, I'd call your surgeon! Whatever you do, remember to relax, take it slow, tiny bites / sips & chew chew chew! (It's my new mantra, lol.) Hang in there!! (( Hugs!! ))

Welcome to bandland!! Be nice to yourself if you don't bounce back right away. Two weeks out I'm finally feeling human again -- I didn't think it would EVER happen! :confused: I felt the baby-on-the-hip thing... my surgeon said that the cut & stitches for the port are pretty major & to give it time to heal before freaking out. Hehe, he knows me too well! I did just notice this morning that I'm getting out of bed normally instead of doing a huge circle to get up. Time is an awesome thing! :confused: Anyway, all that to say to hang in there with the pain & congrats!!!

Congrats Heather!!! Wow, you rock! :confused:

What an awesome victory!! You make me excited to fly again! :eek: Congrats!