rcoleband

Hi Everyone, I am Renee. I live in So California. I have a 21 year old daughter that just graduated college (Happy, Proud MOM) I am a corporate trainer in the pharmaceutical industry. I love being me, just want to be less of me (Smile) I enjoy music, traveling and mind/logic games and puzzles.

AThinnerDenise I can relate to that. I have had to sit there for 2 hours once in misery. So I totally understand you giving birth analysis when I finally got relief. I am 3 weeks out today. I did not have a problem before but a major one the past 2 months. I had another surgery prior to my lapband surgery and constipation is an issue. I use to drink aloe vera juice all of the time and stopped. The taste is not too bad or you can mix it with other juices. Good luck to all!

WOW, I agree with one of the other posters. I was banded on 6/18 and I was an inpatient, so I stayed one nitght in the hospital. I was ok in the hospital but the next day after I went home. I was nautious and vomiting. I vomited about 3x and began dranking maalox total complete. It helped with the nausea. I also so bad gas in my chest and a bad pain in my shoulder. My first week and one half was not pleasant but trust me it gets much better. I am 18 days out from surgery and doing great. No pains of any kind even in the port area, so trust me it will be much better. I know your agony, I did a post entitled " Will I ever feel normal agan?" and 18 days out, I feel pretty good. Hang in there. I know you had a bad start but believe you me, it will get better and you will loose weight. Good luck and keep us posted.

I know that I am only 5 days out but I am just wonderding will there ever be a time when I just have the band and I not know that it is there? Most of my misery is from the Gas. I pray this will go away. I do have a full feeling I drink about an ounce of liquids every 15 to 20 minutes. But I just want to know if I will ever just have my band and not have side effects from having my band? Will I ever feel as if I have no band at all? Except if I eat too much?

leslier041906, DOnt try to compare yourself to others. I know that it is hard but we all having varing other issues that may increase or speed up weightloss in the beginning. Like me, I have jaw surgery and can really only do liquids and just started mushies. This will keep me steady loosing with or without restriction. In addition I have not had regular food since 4/29. So try not to compare and do what is best for you always. Good luck, I know that you can do it and the weight will come off.

Trust me you will all make it through. I have been on liquids for 8 weeks and now on mushies. I had jaw surgery and could only do liquids. Trust me after not eating solid foood for so long, I don't know what to eat anymore. I survived on juices, Water and yogurt. Today was my first day grocery shopping in two months and most of my cart was fruit as that what has been the basis of my nourishment for the last 2 months. It is interesting to say the least that you will begin to gravitate towards what your body is use to eating. With all of that said, do the liquids and use this time to try to retrain your mind to crave the good stuff. The down side to all of this for me is that I cannot grind food well enough with my back teeth to come off mushies any time soon. Hang in there, we can do it!!

My issue is that I am very short on energy. I have been off work since 4/24 because of jaw surgery and I had my lap band on 6/18. With that said I have been on liquids for 8 weeks. I am starting mushing but after about 2 or 3 hours of anything. I am zonked for the remainder of the day. I ride my eliptical for about 20 min a night and I feel good while on it but when I get off, taking a shower and putting on PJ's are a major chore. Just wondering if anyone else is experiencing this. I know that I have had a lot of changes to my body in the past 2 months but I have to return to work on 7/14 and if my energy level is like this, I do not know, how on earth I will make it through the day. Just looking for sugestions if any. Thanks

Thanks for the Iron suggestion. I do take B12 and I take liguid Vitamins with iron but I might need more. This tired thing is getting, well you know, tiring, LOL Went to the Dr today and she gave me a b12 shot, said it should help. She said that I should be ok on iron.

I think you should not rush it. I am not back to work just yet but that is because of another surgery. Listen to your body. If you can take the time off, take it. It is better to be as close to 100% as possible. But being tired seems to be one of the top concerns with going back to work. Good luck!!

This was sooooooo funny to me. I know they are the medical experts but we actually have the band and we share our experiences. I think MD's need to read these posts. It might give them more insight into what we go through.

I was also banded on 6/18. I feel pretty good considering, it started a lil rough for me. I have felt restriction since surgery. My surgery day weight 250lbs my weight today 241 lbs. I am just starting mushies. I've had a lil mashed potatoes, and yogurt so far and all went down ok. I go for my first fill on 7/22. NOt sure if I will need it at this point. My port incision is not completely healed yet. Exercise- been walking (not a whole lot I am healing from two surgeries and energy is at an all time low) Sat- walked the mall and Sun 30 min on the elecptical, I feel good while doing it but that is all of the energy that I have for the remainder of the day. I have been on liquids for 2 months because of my jaw surgery. I am scheduled to return to work on 7/14, I am a lil nervous because of my energy level, hopefully, I can get more nutrients from food and not all of the supplements that I currently take. Well that is my story, overall, I feel pretty good.

I too have only told a handfull of people, my fiancee, my ex sister in-n-law, and an ex co-worker that I am still good friends with. My mom, my 21 year old daughter and a host of others, I have not told yet. As with many others on here, I dont want the scrunity. The good thing about me, is that I had jaw surgery two months ago, so I blame the weight loss on that (and it is true I did loose 30 lbs because I was on liquids only) any subsuquent weight loss, I will say that because of my jaw and not having food for 2 months, I have adopted a new way of eating. This will not be a lie, its just that I also have the help of my band which no one needs to know about.

Congrats on your band. I just got mine on 6/18 so I can only help a bit with some of your questions. I did not have dry mouth at all, so I am not sure about that one. If I had to go to work the monday after my surgery, I probably would have not made it. Some people are able to but some are not. Just listen to your body. I am fortunate enough to be off work from another sugery until I am 4 weeks out with my band. This will give me some time to adjust. Your first bowel movement all depends. I did not have one until 3 days after and my second one 8 days after. Even though you are on liquids you can still have one, just think babies do it all the time. I just think they are a lil more infrequent for us adults on liquids. I really did not spice mine up too much, I am sure others did. I mainly had Water, protiens shakes, whey protien shots, OJ, Snapple white tea. I have been on liquids for 2 months because of a previous surgery in May so I am just ready for liquids to be over. I am sure others can give you a better idea of how to spice it up. I have slept in my recliner chair, it is much easier to get up and out. I do know others have spoke of it being uncomfortable to sleep on their right sides because of the port. Lying on your stomach, depends on when it is comfortable for you. I am 10 days out and I still have not tried to do that. NO STRAWS, it adds air. The small sips are ok. To add the tracker, click on anyone's tracker and it will take you to the website to add it. I did not feel any hunger at all and for the most part I still do not. 1 ounce use to fill me up, now I am up to about 2 ounces at at time and I feel restriction. I use to take mine 3 times a day but I broke out in hives and stopped all meds until these hives go away. I am like you, I try to tough it out a bit but I have been on hydrocone for the past two months, dont want to become an addict, LOL. I hope that I was of some help. I am sure others will give you some great advice as well. Take care and keep us posted.

Thanks for all of the comments. I have not had any allergies to anything. Also for regular allergies, I had accupuncture preformed about 3 years ago and I have been allergy free since. As far as food I am still on liquids and have been for the past 8 weeks due to a prior surgery on my jaw. I am not sure that I can take a bath yet, all of my incisions are not healed. I received meds from my regular MD she prescribed onitment and pills, they are very tiny but a high dose because I was so itchy. So far so good, the only time I get itchy is if I start to get warm, so I keep my house like a liltle chilly. I was just nervous if I was allergic to my band, that would be the worse.

I do not think it is wise, that was the whole reason we got the lap band because we know it works, in addition, you are not really sure how safe those products are and the quality of the manufacturing process. Pretty pkg and a nice bottle does not make it safe. Be careful.

Yes the shoulder pain, is a PAIN, LOL. Heating Pad, Meds and Walking. Good Luck!

grace i am curious if you have lots of excess skin? My starting weight is similar to yours but i only want to get to 175. Does loosing it slowly help with the excess skin? Thanks that was one reason i choose lap band an not gastric bypass

Phoenix I laughed so hard when I read your post. I agree but it was sooooo funny. Thanks for the laugh I needed it. Golden Spoon Frozen Yogurt- The best

AprilE, I was only referring to normal as in not in constant pain. If I have gas that I can burp up, I am cool, but this gas, that just sits in my chest and literally stops me from talking and swollowing, I do not want to expereince that the remainder of my life. I will be happy when I just have my band and I dont think of it every minute of every day.

Hi Barbie2007, Thanks for your words of encouragement. My main reason for the band is that could loose the weight but never keep it off, so I hoping to loose and keep it off this time and I am sure most of us are. The only meds I am on is a diuretic, I retain a lot of Water, no hypertenstion, diabetes or meds for any other reason, so for that I am thankful. I will be excitied when I have passed this stage and just have my band and moving forward. Thanks for the encouraging words.

I am sure you understand the reason for my question. I am not too hungry, the Water and drinks are ok for now. I hope that you feel better soon. Keep in touch so that we know you are ok.

I think most of the pain everyone speaks of is the gas that they use to see inside of you. I have not had any pain from my incisions all of my pain has been in my chest from the gas. This is not your regular gas TRUST ME on this one. I am 5 days out and beginning to feel better. NewKimberly, I think you will be ok if you do not have the gas. I wish you well and good luck. Keep us posted.

Thanks, because I am having those same feelings. Like "What have I done to myself?" That is why I asked the question. It is hard not to feel that way when you are in so much pain. Thanks for your comments, they give me something to look forward to. Good Luck All

Hi All, Thanks for the replies. And yes when I was referring to normal, I was referring to not having to worry about my stomach and the gas. I really appreciate having you all to talk to. I am just drinking liquids, I do not get to move to mush food until another 9 days. My stomach feels full all of the time so it is ok for now. I am assuming that as I heal my stomach will not feel as full. I just had Jaw surgery on 5/1 I did 30 days of liquids through a feeding tube, I feel if I survived that I can survive these next two weeks. In addition I can only eat soft foods, so I really have not missed food too much. I wish eveyone success and keep up the great work.

HI All, I am 5 days post op and still dealing with the gas. It has been miserable. I am praying within the next few weeks this will go away. Not being able to burp, the pain in my shoulder is not too bad. I am not sure about any of you but the promise of returning to work rather quickly had me to believe that the pain in minimal. I guess it is but the gas is KILLER!.. I am off work for another surgery but if I had to go back today, I could not make it. I hope everyone the best and that we all get better!