EricaLyn

Vicodin makes me sick to my stomach too. I was banded May 13th and didn't take any pain peds once released from the hospital. I had a one night overnight and during that time they gave me a total of 1.5 ounces of Oxy (3 separate times). Other than that, no pain meds and I didn't have a sick stomach. Right after surgery is recovery I felt a little queasy, but they put a motion sickness patch behind my ear and I was good to go the rest of the time. Maybe switching pain meds will help. Vicodin is tough stuff and makes me feel like I've ridden a monster roller coaster a dozen times in a row. Major barf. Hang in there. You just went through a major surgery. It does get better and you'll feel great before long. Congratulations on the surgery!

My doctor told me about someone who wanted the band taken out just because she didn't want it any longer. No reasons, she just didn't want it and paid to have it taken out. To each his own.

My husband and I waited about 10 days before we had sex. I was comfortable enough by that point with the way my incisions were healing and how I was feeling. I think it's just the way you feel. You'll know what feel right and what doesn't. Have fun!

I was told to eat as much SF popsicles, pudding and Jell-O as I wanted. Typically I have a SF Jell-O or pudding once a day as a snack. I drink Crystal Light iced tea by the gallons. Is this bad? I've never noticed anything wrong with it. I use Splenda in my hot tea - about one or two cups a day. I had read that excessive amounts of fake sweeteners is what's bad for you. There are so many do's and don't. Remember just a few years ago coffee was bad for us? And so were eggs. Now they're back in fashion. I can't keep up!!

No blood taken before surgery and none needed after surgery. They did do blood tests and took some samples, but that was it. I don't even know my blood type. I asked my PCP once if I could get my blood type and she said, "No, that's not necessary. No sense in paying for a test for something you don't need to know about." HUH?

You'll be in my prayers! You should know, you will have hunger sensations. You might not have them for a few days after surgery, maybe even a week or more, but you will start to feel hungry. Don't panic. It won't take as much as it used to to fill you up. And once you're filled, it'll take even less. The hardest thing for me has been changing my head hunger over my stomach hunger. Just last night I wasn't hungry in my stomach, but my head - oh my head - I wanted to EAT! My husband ate chicken and a huge, beautiful salad and I just wanted to grab it from him! I had a lot of iced tea last night and kept telling myself that it's in my head. You'll make it through this. Keep the faith. Ask God for help. You are fearfully and wonderfully made - He knows what it takes to satisfy you. Ask Him for help and you'll succeed! Congratulations on starting your wonderful journey! It's worth it!

18 pounds since surgery is great! We're to expect 1-2 lbs per week. You're right on track!

Unfortunately your brother may just be jealous. As much as I'm sure he loves you, you're going to be changing and that may not be sitting too well with him. People don't like it when we change. We're familiar and comfortable and if we change, we may change our opinions and perceptions of them. I'm sure once your brother sees your hardwork in losing weight - eating right and exercising, he'll change his tune. Some people just need to be educated. Hang in there. You're off to a good start!

If it's a minor slippage, you may not know. Why not keep your focus on healing and staying on your post-op diet instead of being paranoid. At your follow up appointment your doctor will inspect your incisions and your port area. Let your doctor determine how you're doing and until then, focus on healing. Our bands are sewn onto our stomachs and our ports are well in place. Enjoy your journey and don't let fear get in the way. Stress isn't healthy and only causes our bodies to retain and build on fat.

Why are you beating a deadhorse, LateBloomer? Apples2 apologized. Can't we let it go? And the pre-op diet is to shrink our livers. Our big, fatty livers get in the way of the banding of our stomachs. We need the pre-op diet to shrink our livers. Plus, it doesn't help to lose some weight before major surgery. My feeling is - a little self control before the surgery is a big indicator if the band is right for you or not. The band isn't a cure all and will require a great deal of self control once in place (if it's going to work at all for the one banded). A pre-op diet isn't all that hard when compared to how we'll have to completely change our eating habits once banded. Also, the study you gave a link to. It's for Gastric Bypass and it's from 2005-2006 (not that current) and the pre-op diet is for 13 weeks. Most lapbanders have a 2-3 weeks pre-op diet. This article isn't really matching apples to apples.

I understood what you were saying, Apples. You are correct - everyone should do what their own doctor recommends and not what someone else did or what their doctor recommended for them. My doctor has me doing things that don't match others on this forum and I do wonder why it's different for me, but alas, I follow his orders. He knows best. I think we can learn from each other on this board, but we need to be careful in what we recommend. The best of everything to those on this weightloss journey. My advice to those who haven't been banded yet - follow what your doctor and/or nutrionist prescribes. You can't go wrong if you do it that way.

You don't have to crush pills between your teeth. You can get a pill crusher to grind up your pills. Just make sure your pills can be ground up. Time released pills may have to be switched out for the crushable kind and/or liquid pills may need to be prescribed in place of time release.

I lost 17 pounds pre-op. It took me about 5 weeks to lose that on a 1,000 calorie a day diet. I didn't exercise much due to my obesity. Post-op I've lost 13 pounds. I was banded May 13th. I have been exercising more now.

So I was just walking by the vending machine as I passed through the breakroom and noticed my reflection. I have to say, for being 284, I look pretty good. I've always weighed heavy (drat!), but I don't look my actual weight (thank God). That isn't to say that I don't look overweight (cause I really do), but you know what I mean. Anyway, I had in my head that I wanted to weight 170 and I still do, however I got to thinking just now about the last time I lost weight. About 10 years ago I lost 100 pounds - I got down to 210 pounds and I looked smokin' hot. I felt great, I was running, I was wearing a Misses size 12/14 and I was happy. Why in the world am I now pushing for 170 when 210 felt so good?! I know even 170 pounds is overweight and 210 must surely be in the obese category, but I really don't care. I think I'm tossing my 170 pound goal and for right now, I'm shooting for 210. For me, this is another non-scale victory. I think I'm getting to know the content, happy, accepting thinner girl that's inside me. It's a good day!

Hi Julie - I'm only 5'4", but my limbs are very long. My dad is 5'11" and my arms and legs are the same length as his limbs. I'm big boned and have a broad back as well (gee, thanks dad). I know that 210 is not completely acceptable, but I remember being this weight 10 years ago and feeling and looking really good. I know I weigh heavy (I really do!!) LOL, so being 138 lbs like "the chart" says just isn't a reasonable goal for me. You're so close to goal! Congrats! What an accomplishment! One day I'll be there too!

My doctor wanted me to shrink my liver as well. He put me on a 1000 calorie a day diet. Breakfast - 1 Slim Fast shake lunch - Lean Cuisine dinner - Lean Cuisine SF Jell-O, SF pudding and 100 calorie yogurt. I was allowed salad greens with lemon juice (I couldn't hack that so I used a Vinegar/Pom juice dressing which was 35 calories). SF popsicles were allowed as well. No diet soda or regular soda. Water (and lots of it) and Crystal Light. I lost 17 pounds before my surgery. I was on this diet for 3 weeks.

There is a lot of information on this site. Feel free to ask questions and pick people's brains! I'd also start your pre-op diet or a modified version of it. Try not to get the "last supper" syndrome and gain weight before your surgery, which you'll just have to lose after surgery. Start exercising now (if you're not already). Get used to eating slowly, sipping Water and taking small bites. Start incorporating SF Jell-O, pudding and low-cal yogurt into your eating habits now. Do research on shake recipes and liquid diets. Congratulations on taking the first step towards a healthier future!

I gained 40 pounds before being diagnosed with hypothyroidism. That was on top of my already overweight body. What a drag. Having hypothyroidism really does screw with your body. The pounds were just flying on and I was eating very well and excercising. It was so depressing. Now that I'm on my medication the weight gain stopped and I had to bust butt to get those 40 pounds off. Hang in there.

Just to let you know - after my surgery was over the first question I asked my husband was, "Did the doctor say my liver had shrunk enough?!" My husband told me that the doctor had come out after surgery and told him that it went well and my liver had shrunk quite a bit, but it was still a little fatty. I guess I expected that (hello - I'm still overweight) and even though I'd hoped that I'd shrink my liver down to nothingness, I knew that wasn't a reality. My doctor told my husband that he could really tell I'd done the pre-op diet. It's easier on your doctor and you if you do the pre-op diet. Good luck!!

I think it just depends on a lot of factors - genetics, how much you exercise, how long you've been overweight, etc. I've seen some who had skin sagging like a 90 year old and I've seen some who's skin bounced right back. I've been overweight for most of my adult life so I'm figuring I may need a tummy tuck, but I'll cross that bridge when I get to it. My deciding factor on getting the LapBand wasn't how my skin was going to look after losing the weight. My deciding factor was stroking out, having a heart attack or losing my eyesight and feet to diabetes. I'll take saggy skin over heart disease and diabetes any day of the week! BTW, I'm already off my diabetes meds. Wahooo!

Leslie2Lose - Thank you for saying what I've been thinking! Lately there has been a lot of negative postings and it's just so depressing. I find myself scanning through the posts and then just closing LapBand Forum in disgust. The other day I really did consider not logging into the site ever again due to the negativity. Thanks for posting what I've totally been thinking.

Well, my doctor said if I didn't shrink my liver before the surgery there would be no surgery, so I had to stick with my pre-op diet. Mix up your liquids - try different shakes, Slim Fast, Atkins, etc. LiseTheLooser here on the LapBand Forum has a great recipe for a shake that taste like a Frappachino. Use a vanilla or chocolate Slim Fast shake, ice, low fat or skim milk and blend. Yummmers. You don't have many days to be on the liquid diet, so you can do it! It'll be over before you know it.

You are so right! I think once I'm comfortable at a certain weight (210) that the remaining weight will just come off. Eventually. I agree that I need to be at a healthie BMI and I do want that, but this entire process is teaching me how to be content. What a concept! I'm learning how not to obsess about the numbers and just work on how I feel. Thanks for your opinion and advice. You've accomplished a lot - thank you for sharing with me.

LOL I'm totally not shooting for a bikini either. I just want to feel good in my one piece! As for advice, you probably already know all the rules and stuff, so I think my best piece of advice is to not be hard on yourself. I guess I say that because I'm my worse critic - it's never good enough, fast enough, skinny enough, etc. I'm learning through this experience that 1) the weight is going to come off when it comes off, 2) the numbers may not go down, but the inches are, 3) I may have a double chin for awhile longer (drat!), 4) it's okay if no one notices - my husband does and so do I, 5) look for non-scale victories, 6) you may slip up, but that's okay, move past it and keep on and most importantly, 7) change your mental picture - see yourself the way you want to be!