fluffycat

I have always needed an afternoon nap from as far back in my life as I can remember. My family thinks i am just lazy and believe me I have tried to fight it for many years--to the point of taking medication for narcilepsy. If I work out and have not had my nap and feel tired--I will struggle through the workout and still feel tired at the end of it. So i have a new plan. I will nap for 30 - 40 minutes after work if my body wants to. It does wonders! Then I have the energy and motivation to hop up and exercise for 30 - 40 additional minutes. Of course, dinner has to be preplanned and fixed so the family can function without me. After all I am not as hungry as I used to be so why am I still on their schedule? If I skip the exercise, I will have to make it up with a double session on another day. Also, if I crash in the evening in front of the TV I can still do some stretching on the floor. That doesn't take energy and feels really good.

I was banded on May 22nd and yesterday started to jog a little. The problem is my weight of course. After losing 12 pounds my lower back no longer hurts. My next goal is to lose another 10 pounds in July so my hip joints won't hurt as bad. But my left knee is killing me! How do you all handle running? Doesn't your joints hurt you? How about the next day--aren't they throbbing?

I was banded on may 22nd and have not had a fill yet. Earl has come to sit on my chest too. Most of the time it is when I rush and eat too fast. Even if I am chewing my food up well or not having a conversation. The 1st time I wanted to panic because I didn't know how to fix it or how long it would last and I was going into a very important meeting. The 2nd & 3rd times were wake up calls--chew, chew, chew and s l o w down. It also helps to stop eating every once in a while to reassess what's happening inside that pouch. You know Earl comes in different sizes and I would rather deal with tiny Earl. Its a learning experience.

Janet - you are my new hereo! Wow such determination. I have always feared the scale and still will not get on. It's not only harder to lose weight when you are older with slower metabolism; but also, we have tried and failed so many times over our lives that it is a mental mindset. I kind of feel like I expect defeat because of all my past experiences. LBT is a great motivator. The before & after pics make it all so real and believable. I will definately turn to this before food.

I haven't gotten a fill yet so i haven't really experienced the PB and slime. I am sure if pain is associated to certain foods I obsess over, I will no doubt learn to avoid them. I am also 53 and my blood pressure and wait has been climbing in recent years since menopause. My mother's family is prone to diabetes so it is just a matter of time for me. I probably would not have considered surgery but my gyn told me at my annual visit in February that my weight and health problems were going to exaccerbate in the future. Just because of age and metabolism slow downs. I have lost 11 poounds since surgery and am so excited. Its not as much as others post but for me it is great. Just to go down and 10 pounds at that. Do you know how hard 10 pounds has been in the past? I have been on ketosis diets for weeks to get that result. With every pound comes encouragement and determination. It is going to be a long slow road. I am so glad you all are here for support.

That was really profound and enlightening. I will try to take Dr. C's advice--bite by bite. The exercise reasoning makes sense too. I was just on the thread for OA looking at the 12 step process. Your advice makes more sense to me than "cognitive behavior therapy". What's that? OA says to eliminate sugar, wheat & flour. Easier said than done. Maybe I will take one at a time and replace it with some exercise.

I don't really overeat or binge but I just eat the wrong things in small portions on a regular basis. All the time--a few chips here, a few spoonfuls of ice cream, small piece of cake, etc. i pretty much can eat the wrong things (in small portions) at any and every given meal. which means it all adds up and packs those pounds on. I guess that qualifies me as a food addict. I could never give up sugar or flour so I am just not ready for this. Maybe i am hoping the band will give me better portion control but ultimately i make the food choices.

Does anyone know anything at all about the fill center in Moultrie, GA?

My doctor said except for walking to wait about 4 weeks. He does not want my ab area to be stretched or any strain put on that area.

I know where y'all are coming from because I am there too. I "strayed" from my liquid/mushy diet after the 2nd week. i am so afraid I will stretch my pouch or the band will slip. I can eat anything--bread, pasta, whatever. The band helps me to eat less than before and slower but not any different foods. What am i gonna do; this is my absolute last hope. I won't get near a scale. Its all mental.

i haven't had my first fill yet and so there is no restriction. I can't get my head from thinking about food--all the time. Its become an obsession. i don't know if its because a "diet" is imminent in my near future or what. I just wish it would go away!

The shoulder pain went away finally only to be replaced by that left side stitch. Kind of in the lower back but above the waist. Not all the time either. Yesterday I went to a church dinner and ate way too much. Since I don't have any fills yet, the food kept going down. But later during digestion; my band flet like a rubber band that had been stretched out too far. The port was actually pulling against the ab muscle where it is attached. Not a good feeling but a lesson well learned.

its because the fluid will wash the food out of the pouch into the larger part of the stomach. And with no food in the pouch, you wll be hungry again in no time.

I feel the exact same way. I am supposed to be on mushies but not only am I hungry; but food cravings are driving me crazy! I have had pizza and cake even. I have got to get control over my head.

I haven't found anything on this site yet about having sex after surgery. How long should I wait after getting banded? My doctor never addressed this and I really didn't think about it--its my husband!

I was banded on May 22nd and have lost 10 pounds in 10 days--the most ever in my entire life in such a short period. Tummy still doesn't feel good though.

I am 10 days post op and that pain can be excrutiating. Its not all the time but always the same left side and can go up into the neck. Like if you breathe too deep it hurts. Is that gas?

I did not wear a bra for the first week. My doctor told me not to -- the underwires can really hurt. I wore a sport top that had some support in it. Shoulder pain is finally subsiding. No more pain meds. I can even bend over. Sleeping on my left side is difficult;can only do that a short time. Glad everyone is recovering so well.

I was banded on May 22nd in Mexico. That shoulder pain started the 1st day I went back to work which was this past Tuesday--5 days postop. It hasn't let up yet. I walk all the time. I think I walk too much. I use a hot water bottle at night and it helps. Surgery is serious business and I was naive going in but too late to change my decision. I think most of us feel that way going into the OR and then into recovery. It will all get better. I am looking forward to a new lifestyle. Glad to hear everyone's stories. This site is wonderful!

I was banded in mexico on 5/22/08. I met 3 ladies who had been banded the day before. One of them had a 14cc band and the doctor filled it during surgery with 10cc. It was explained to me that US doctors fill very little either bacuase of cautiousness or greed. But this doctor did not want the women to become discouraged by that so he filled it initially so she would be restricted and start losing weight in a relatively shorter period of time.

I heard oatmeal was good for that--lots of fiber

I had my surgery yesterday and can't imagine going home the same day. I am still very sore. It hurts to sit or lie down and it hurts to get back up again. Everything went very well. Dr. Zapata said it took about 30-35 minutes. That's incredible. My patient coordinator recommended TOKS for consumme tonight. I was so hungry. It was heaven. Probably shouldn't have, but it had the best shredded chicken and rice. I couldn't resist. I was so careful though and so far it agrees with me.

Well, I did it and there's no turning back now. I was looking forward to the band until they wheeled me into the OR room. OMG, I had 2 c-sections over 16 years ago and have totally forgotten that experience. The lights were so bright and then it hit me--I am going to be cut! Upon waking my throat and mouth was so dry and I couldn't cough. My abdomen was burning. If felt like such a big baby. I walked 15 minutes an hour for 5 hours. Finally PB'ed that nauseous gas up. And now its all downhill from here. I am still in Mexico and go home tomorrow. I came by myself and feel very brave and empowered. Still sore, can't bend down to pick up anything. But ok!

Me too - Jax, FL Is the fill centers in Gainesville open? Does anyone have any feedback on it? I need my first fill in a few weeks.

I just got banded and am still looking for a fill doctor on the east coast of Florida--around Jacksonville or even south Georgia. Dr. Shariat in Jax Beach was on the list from Dr. Zapata but only because he accepts Mexico patients. He is very expensive and no flouro. I presented the idea to be Gyn but no reply. why is this so difficult? It seems to me to be a great capitalist venture. What is the darn hangup in the US with health care?