SanDiegoPhotog

Did your doctor give you a 24-hour number to call him? My surgeon has a number to call for after-hours emergencies . . . if you don't have that, then I would go to the nearest ER.

Well, since you're talking about your port, then I don't know how to tell if your stitches have come undone internally -- but, honestly, if you just had revision surgery and it's still bandaged, I wouldn't be pushing on it and moving it around. I'm squeamish --- the thought of it just gives me the heeby jeebies. Good luck, though. I hope the revision works out for you.

It sounds like you are talking about 2 different things. If your port has flipped, then I believe your fill doc tells you when you go in for fills. If you are talking about the stitches on your band (like during the first 6 weeks post-op), then you try to minimize the movement (or distention) of your stomach during digestion by sticking to your liquids/mushies post-op diet as instructed by your surgeon. Also, you stick to his rules regarding lifting and exercise, etc. If your band has slipped, I believe there are specific symptoms that you would be experiencing that would signal cause for concern. HTH

Nance, How tall are you? I'm noticing that our "numbers" are kind of similar. I am 5'7", I started out at 263. Got to 247 for the day of surgery and am now down to 228. My goal is 150. I'd be happy there, but if I got down to 135 I'd probably throw myself a parade I'd be so thrilled (but that's a dream).

You know what, Nance . . . I had a feeling that was going to be the case. Darn it all . . . . that mushy stage just had me eating too many carbs, I think. I had a really difficult time cutting them out during that stage. And I *know* I'm one of those people that just does not tolerate carbs well. I've just never been able to restrict myself to such low calories before like I am able to with this band (even unfilled), so I thought the low calories would be enough. I am going to try cutting out some carbs this week. I'm also waiting for that blasted time of the month and I'm hoping it will help me release all of this Water I seem to be retaining, too.

well, my stomach has stopped with the major rumbles. however, 1 month post-op and I could still win some intense burping contests!

My first apptmt after being released from the hospital was 4 weeks post-op. At that apptmt, my doc said I could swim . .. but then, I hadn't asked him if I could do it any sooner.

I was really nervous yesterday. I was supposed to be getting my first fill. Before he got started, though, I told my surgeon that I had been coughing and that I had some pain in my chest. So . . . he listened to my lungs, prescribed me a z-pack of antibiotics, and told me that I could get my fill next week if my respiratory infection was gone. :biggrin: I was bummed, because I'm hungry -- I'm staying under 1100 calories a day, and working out, but I'd have loved to get my fill. But, he said that if he gives me a fill and things are tight in my chest and I cough a lot, my band could slip and he wanted to play it on the safe side. So . . . fingers crossed for next week!

While it may be nothing, coughing up blood is typically NOT normal. I'd call your surgeon immediately at the very least.

All of your ideas sound great. I kind of like the new hairstyle/pampering one myself.

I just flew from San Diego to Kansas City and then back again with no issues. now if only I could keep my ankles from swelling. :biggrin:

It breaks my heart to read so many threads about the awful things people have said to so many fellow bandsters. There are so many unsupportive and misinformed people out there who are raining on people's parades. I was so fortunate to have super supportive people around me when I announced my desire for the surgery and later when I actually had it done. I thought this could be a place where we could share all of the wonderful and positive things that are happening in our lives. I'll start . . . but I'd love to hear yours . . . - I went on vacation and lost 3 pounds instead of gaining 10. - I'm down 2 whole pant sizes. - I have more energy. - I'm happier. - I'm not a slave to Diet Coke or the drive-thru anymore. - I exercise. - I went to lunch with a group of ladies and ate the least out of everyone (never would have happened before). - I am starting to like my body. Can I just say that I L-O-V-E my band???!!!!????!!!!!! If I can do this, so can ANYONE. What are your positives right now???

I get the same amount of burps with the straw as without the straw.

I am by no means an expert, but I got stuck at 31 pounds lost. I just started logging my calories at thedailyplate.com and I discovered that I was only eating 600-700 calories, which, for me, is way too little. I was totally in starvation mode. I added in a Protein shake and an extra lowfat yogurt (I'm still on mushies) and I try to keep my calories at about 1000 - 1100. I lost a pound right away when I did that. Now, I'm on vacation, so I don't have MY scale to tell me where I'm at, but my clothes are fitting bigger, so I think I've lost some more. I'm also exercising a lot more, so I have to CONSTANTLY remind myself that I AM adding muscle. I'd suggest logging your calories to see if you're coming in too low. Wouldn't that be nice if you could actually eat MORE and start losing weight again???? :wink_smile: Good luck!

I am traveling right now and I'm super emotional. My MIL made dinner tonight and there was nothing I could have since I'm on mushies. My bathing suit fell off the rack it was drying on and got dirty, so I couldn't go swimming while it was being washed. I feel super homesick and spent the day in tears for seemingly NO reason at all . . . so DH took me to go get food I can eat and he in turn hit a pole with the side of his dad's car. Yeah . . . it's been a LITTLE emotional for me, too. ;( I feel your pain!

I chose UCSD to go through this process based on the surgeon's expertise, the information on their website, and the information presented at their mandatory seminar. Today was my "surgical evaluation" and I have to admit, I think I am kind of regretting my decision to go with them. I don't even know if I am stuck here or if I have any options. I have two problems with the process so far. One is concerning weight/timelines and mis-information. At the seminar, because I have no co-morbities, I was told NOT to lose any weight and was told that maybe I'm not as tall as I think I am -- because I have a borderline BMI for insurance approval with no co-morbidities. That was 3 weeks ago. I diligently did NOT lose weight (even though I have been SUPER motivated to lose weight and am excited about this process). At the seminar, I was also told that I would be required to endure a 2-week liquid diet to prove that I was committed to the process and to shrink my liver. Fine, no problem. Between the seminar and my appointments, I spoke with the office regarding timing and was told that with my particular insurance, it usually only takes 3 days or so to get an answer on approval, and then from there it's usually only a matter of a few weeks to schedule the surgery, provided that I am a good candidate. NOW, I am being told that in addition to the 2-week liquid diet, I have to lose 5 pounds in 4 weeks, that my insurance will take 4-6 weeks for approval, and that if I can lose 5 pounds, then I still have to go on the liquid diet for another 2 weeks and that I'm not looking at a surgical date until this summer. I AM PISSED! I had 3 lousy weeks between the seminar and my appointment today that I could have proven to them that I can lose 5 pounds. Hello? I'm 100 pounds overweight . . . don't they know that I can pee 5 pounds in one day???? I fluctuate 5-10 pounds with my period! But no . . . I'm on a "trial" period. Whatever. So, on one hand they say that I am a good candidate for surgery and then on the other hand they're telling me that I need to prove I can lose 5 pounds before they operate. Fine . . . I will definitely show them their 5 pounds. But FOUR weeks to lose 5 pounds??? You know the beginning stages of a good program of eating right and exercising . . . 5 pounds definitely comes off a lot faster than 4 whole weeks. UGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I have no doubt that I can lose 5 pounds. I just kind of wish that I wouldn't have had to sit around and wait for this news. I could have had the 5 pounds lost by now over the 3 weeks I just sat around doing nothing. My other problem with them is the overwhelming amount of people I had to see today. I was told, yet again, misinformation. I was told that I was going to get a surgical evaluation, a psych evaluation, and meet with the nutritionist. they scheduled me THREE appointments listed on my paperwork. NO . . . I met with ELEVEN people today . . . one was a jerk . . . and NONE of them were my actual surgeon. 1. Nurse 2. Surgeon (not the one performing my surgery) 3. Psychologist (not a very nice one) 4. Psychologist 5. Physician ? 6. Nutritionist 7. Associate Nutritionist 8. Nurse 9. Surgeon (a total ___hole--again, not my surgeon) 10. Surgeon/Physician??? I don't even know who he was. He could have been the janitor for all I knew at this point. I just knew that he wasn't my surgeon yet again). 11. Patient Advocate I must have answered the same questions at LEAST 5 times. And the only really compassionate people were the nutritionist and the patient advocate. They also REALLY got down on me about my BMI . . . and I don't want to get in trouble for insurance fraud or anything, I just want to get approved for the surgery . . . so it's everything within my power to tell these people, "HELLO???? I'm freaking taller than you think, I'm wearing the heaviest jeans I own, I'm wearing TWO shirts, and I've just had approximately SEVEN glasses of iced tea!!!!!!" I mean, honestly. I felt like I had 11 people looking down at me today. It was not at ALL what I expected. It was not at all the same feeling I got from the seminar. I'm sorry I'm just really upset right now. Please forgive me. I understand that this is a long process and that it's not a miracle cure and it's not a fast fix. They just painted a very different picture from what I was told today. I even went back and read the handouts from the seminar and nowhere does it say anything about having to tell 11 people why I am fat over and over. Nowhere does it say anything about any way to prove to them that you can lose weight except for the liquid diet. Which, TRUST ME, I am sooooo ready to begin. Oh, then to top it off, one of the surgeons told me that if I was self-pay, then I wouldn't have to take 4 weeks to lose 5 pounds. In the same breath, he told me that this isn't an insurance requirement, but something that *I* need to do to prove to them I can do it. UGH. I'm so mad right now. Thank you for letting me vent here. I have really been so inspired by everyone's amazing results and dedication. I am thankful for this place. Any advice you can give me about switching surgeons or good centers in San Diego, I'm all ears. Thanks in advance.

I am apparently in "bandster hell" right now where my swelling has gone down, but I have just about no fill (2ccs in a 10 cc band), so I'm hungry and pretty much have a wide-open band. Well, it put me into a plateau because I was losing weight like mad on liquids. So . . . I decided to get aggressive on my own. I decided to log my calories on thedailyplate.com, log my exercise, step up the cardio a bit, and increase my protein/water intakes. No, the scale still hasn't moved . . . but I'm determined. Yeah, I could sit around and wait for the fill in 2 weeks, then another 4, then another 4 or whatever it will take to get me to my sweet spot . . . . but I don't have patience. I just don't. So, in my downtime, I have to use it to my advantage and just know that the hunger will only be for a short time until I to proper restriction. That knowledge (a forseeable future) is the only thing that is helping me to not scarf up anything and everything in my presence. So, I guess you're like me . . . kind of at a crossroads and trying to decide how much work you're going to put into it or how much you are going to rely on the band. I decided to put in the work because I know the waiting would kill me . . . HTH

Okay . . . I'm day 5 or so with no weight loss, even though I've hardly been eating anything. I setup an account on thedailyplate.com and I am going to try logging my calories to see where they are coming from and to see if I can break this plateau. I think my body went into starvation mode with the liquids and now that I'm eating mushies, it's just clinging on to every calorie for dear life. How did you keep your Protein intake up with these mushies? I'm finding everything soft that I *want* to eat is laden with carbs. sigh.

My doctor advanced me to the mushy stage . . . and let me tell you, I was VERY excited to have something besides liquids!!!!!!!!!!! However, he did not discuss quantities with me and I don't want to make any mistakes. Over the weekend, I tried mashed potatoes and lowfat yogurt whips. Both went down fine (the mashed potatoes didn't the first time . . . I got nauseated. But the second time a couple days later were fine). The problem I see is that my swelling is down, my 10cc band with 2ccs in it is fairly wide open, and I can see these mushies going down a little TOOOOOOO easy, if you know what I mean! I am 18 days post-op and I'm actually feeling hunger. Can you tell me what your typical "mushies" day was like? I know this time is supposed to be about healing and not weight loss, but at the same time, I don't want to stop the weight loss, either. Please help! Thank you!

I have been pretty sporadic about taking my multi-Vitamin over the past few days. I'm trying to make it a habit, but those Flintstones Vitamins just taste soooooo gross to me. Last night I felt like I had fruity chalk from those things just sitting in my throat. Is there anything better? Perhaps with LESS flavor?

Thank you for your response! And thank you for reminding me that I'm not a failure . . . Trying to figure this out while trying to explain it to my own DH, too, is somewhat difficult. Thanks for the advice.

My original plan called for 2 weeks clear liquids, 2 weeks full liquids, 2-4 weeks of mushies, and then 2-4 weeks of soft foods. However, I had my 2-week check up at 16 days post-op and my doc said I was recovering very well and that I could advance to soft foods, which he described as "anything I could mash with the back of my fork." Little does he know how strong I am and how much damage I can do with the back of a fork! hahaha! But in all seriousness, I was excited to be off of liquids so I had a teeny tiny bit of mashed potatoes and I was totally nauseated. So, I'm on a self-induced super mushie stage. I took 2 days off of mashed potatoes and tried them again today. They seemed to be just fine -- no nausea or anything. I would say: a. follow your doctor's orders and then b. even if your doctor's orders permit you to advance to the next stage, proceed with caution. I've read elsewhere on this board to add one new thing a day . . . so that way, if you do get sick, you know precisely which food was the culprit. I am assuming tolerable foods are also going to change with each fill . . . so I don't think we can ever *really* know for sure! Good luck!

Hi Lizzy, I am doing great! I saw Dr. Bhoyrul yesterday. I was down 14 pounds since my surgery date and he was very pleased with my progress. I am down a total of 31 pounds from my high weight. I feel great. I have a ton of energy. Dr. Bhoyrul advanced me from full liquids to soft foods yesterday, so I had a 1/4 cup of mashed potatoes. they were the best tasting thing I've eaten in WEEKS! However, I did get nauseated afterwards, so I'm not eating them again for like a week. I did try one of those yogurt whips this morning for Breakfast and it went down easy with no nausea. I'm just so glad I don't have 2 more weeks of liquids only like I thought!!!! I'm sending you a PM.

I, too, appreciate the explanation. I was banded June 4 and I've noticed that as the days go by, I'm feeling a little bit hungrier and hungrier. I guess that means the swelling is going down! I'm actually still on liquids, so that's a challenge in and of itself. I can't wait for mushies!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It sounds like both of you definitely need to see your respective doctors as soon as possible. I'm sorry I can't be of much help beyond that! Good luck.