djw6171

I live in Harford County (Forest Hill) and work in Baltimore County at CCBC-Essex campus. I had Dr. Averbach at St. Agnes and would recommend him to anyone, I love him!

I have not been doing real well. I got my first fill on 10/3 and had done really well up to that point. After my fill, I lost just a couple more pounds but have been at a standstill. I can tell I am eating more than I should and I know I should control that but my lifestyle is just so aweful. I work 2 jobs and have 3 daughters. I am constantly on the go and sometimes make poor choices. Anyway, I got on this site for the first time in weeks and you all have made me feel great. I am not alone in my slow weight loss and I am not the only one who makes mistakes. I just got off the phone and made an appointment for another fill and I am determined to get back on track. I am greatful that during this time I have not gained a single ounce back but I am more grateful that I have this site to go to and see that I am not doing aweful and that I can do this!! Now if I can just find time to exercise I will be on top of the world. Happy Thanksgiving to you all!:drool:

I wish I knew how much I was going to need this site and my friends on here! I wish I knew to be more realistic about the weight loss. I wish I knew how it felt to have food "stuck" before it actually happened. Chew really well!!! I wish I knew how much it would change my life, feeling better physically and emotionally.

Surgery Day - 202 lb, size 18 Today - 179.2, unsure of size but I know my pants are too loose and I love it! Can't begin to find time for a real exercise regimen but I am working on it but I do feel so much better physically then I did before!

I am at a standstill as well. I was banded on 8/18 and had a 3 cc fill 6 weeks later. I need to try to get another fill because today I ate an entire reuben before feeling full. I know that was not the best choice but as a paramedic on the road and not eating for 7 hours......

Lilith, Let me know when you are available to walk. My daycare is in Belcamp so depending on schedules, would love to have a buddy to stick with. djw6171@comcast.net Deanna

Lilith, I had my procedure at St. Agnes with Dr. Averbach. I have nothing but fantastic things to say about him, his staff and the entire process. I was banded on August 18th and have had no complications. If you have any questions, feel free to e-mail me at djw6171@comcast.net. I am in Harford County (Forest Hill) and work in Baltimore County.

One thing my doctor let me have at that phase was chunk light tuna in water (the itty-bitty pieces). I lived on tuna.

First, congrats on getting banded. I was banded 2 weeks ago Monday and I sometimes have to still remind myself to eat. I do get hungry, usually late morning, because I cannot eat anything first thing in the morning, then I get hungry. The rest of the day, I have to make myself eat. My doc tells me a minimum of 800 calories with 50 g of protein. That is the hard part. Good luck and keep enjoying not being hungry!!!

Well, I have been banded for 11 days now and still feel great. I have not cheated on the liquid diet, except for the accidental noodle or two that got into my mouth when eating soup. Here is where I am paranoid. I lost weight initially but am gaining. I know it is because I am not getting enough calories. Yesterday I got less than 300! I just can't force myself, I'm not hungry. So I'm thinking of starting my mushies a day or two early just so I can get my calories! I know I can really only do that with the advice of my doc but I need to get those calories in and I just can't with liquids. Any ideas?

So, I was banded on the 18th, 9 days ago. Monday I returned to work. I teach at a college and had to stand and lecture 3 hours in the AM and 3 hours in the PM with 6 hours office work in between. You can bet I was scared to go back. Well, Monday was not bad. I got a little sore after the 2nd class. Yesterday was great. I feel like being up and moving and being busy has helped. The shoulder pain I had is all but gone and my belly barely has an ache. I know that not everyone handles pain the same way and everyone is not as lucky as I feel I have been with this but for all who are struggling, take heed, it WILL get better. I really think that getting moving, even taking a short walk around the block, helps. Oh, and I've lost 14 pounds so that is an encouragement, too. (I know that will slow when I progress to real food). Good luck to all.

I can sympathize! I was banded 9 days ago and the other day we were out shopping and stopped for lunch. I decided to try the broth from cream of potato soup and I thought I was going to die! I felt full, bloated, gassy and just plain sick. Went back to CLEAR broths for now. Everyone is different but listen to your doctor and your body and you will do ok.

So, I tried to be as "normal" as possible this weekend even though I was just banded last monday. Saturday my husband wanted to go out for the day so we drove to Lancaster to do some shopping. I felt really good until I made a big mistake at lunch. I drank my tea through a straw and had broth from creamy soup. My shoulder/gas pain came back with a vengance. It took about 2 hours to feel a little better. We stopped for dinner on the way home and I had broth from vegetable soup and drank from the glass and felt grea. Yesterday we had a wedding to go to. I knew I would not be able to eat anything at the wedding so I drank a protein shake before I went and I did fine. The dinner was filet mignon and crab cake with potatoes and green beans. I did not touch a thing but my husband (the one who calls me lazy for not just dieting and losing weight and who is obese himself) ate his AND my dinners!!!! Today I am back to work and I really feel good. I am one week out and I got a good night's sleep in my own bed last night (bye-bye recliner) and I am ready! I hope I can make it through a 13 hour workday but I feel like I can do anything right now. I hope you all are doing well and that I have encouraged you a bit.

I have a friend who is a nurse and says that GBMC is not the place to go. I would push for St. Agnes with Singh and Averbach.

So today is 4 days since banding and I actually feel functional. I was supposed to return to work for 1/2 day today but had to call last night and back out. Had a rough day yesterday with shoulder and port pain. Well, last night I got hubby to go get me Gas-X, something recommended on this board. I took two before bed and was able to sleep all night! I have no pain in my shoulder this morning and I am only feeling "burning" around my port, especially if I move the wrong way. I am planning on trying to get out for a bit today and see how I do. I have a wedding to go to Sunday and back to work for 2-13 hour days Mon and Tues so hopefully this feel-good pace will keep up. For all of you struggling, I hope this is a sign to all that it does get better.

Thanks, all. I will continue to take care of myself. I have no choice about the long days but my boss knows what is going on so besides my actual teaching time (9-12 adn 6-9),I can take it easy. So far, I have lost 10 pounds as well! I know this pace won't stay but it sure is nice motivation and helps to not regret the decision during the pain!!!

Very common with pain medication-rebound headaches. If you can,depending on the pain med you are on for your surgery, add some tylenol,that may help.

I am having the exact same thing and have been told by my doctor office that it is the gas. It is getting a little better every day.

OK, you made me cry! That is so awesome. I was just banded Monday but you have reinforced to me that this will work. Congrats, you look GREAT!

So glad to read your story. My experience,minus the shoulder pain, has been pretty good too. I am really excited about this new chapter of my life. I know we are not supposed to be getting on the scale but I have lost over 8 pounds since Monday. I know that is not normal and will slow when I get off liquids but it is the encouragement I needed. Good luck and glad to see such a great story!

My shoulder pain trumps my stomach pain 24 hours a day. It is the first pain I mentioned in preop and the only pain I cannot get under control. My nurse told me that it is trapped gas from the surgery but I know it could also be referred pain from the abdomen as the nerves are linked (kind of why people with gallbladder problems get shoulder pain). My oxycodone does not touch the shoulder pain and I wish I could find relief!

Just a guess from my years in medicine but if there was no real pain, I would bet you just loosened a stricture, or scar tissue. Definitely check with your doc though, he / she is the expert.

So I posted earlier that I hurt on the opposite side of my port but I think I am wrong. He told me where he would put the port but I can feel the tubing and the port where I hurt so I think something changed in surgery. As for the leg pain, I had it too, in my calves. It worked itself out quickly with a little walking.

Wow a lot of teachers on here. I, too, teach. I was banded on Monday the 18th. I have to attend a 4 hour meeting tomorrow, 5 days out and teach Monday, 1 week out. I teach at a college and I teach morning and night classes 3 days a week which has me there 8am until 10 pm so I am a little anxious about my ability to handle it. Hearing these stories was encouraging!!!!

I was banded the 18th too. As for the hunger, I don't think that is what I am feeling. I think I am actually getting full when I drink a little because the feeling gets worse. As for the dizziness, make sure you are getting some calories and, if you have a history of high blood pressure and take medicine, make sure your blood pressure is not low. I have not been able to take my blood pressure medicine since the surgery because I am eating so little and getting so little sodium. My doc is a little different with diet, I am not on a "clear" liquid diet but a "full" liquid diet that includes protein drinks, skim milk, pudding, yogurt and even very runny oatmeal. I can only eat a couple ounces of any of these before I feel stuffed. As for the adhesive, I know this is wrong but I actually sit and "scratch" it off. There is commercial adhesive remover for skin, it is kind of oily. If you have someone who can go to a pharmacy and ask for it, it might work. I am much more sore than I would like to be but a lot of my pain is in the shoulder. I was told that I have gas trapped in my shoulder from the surgery and OMG it hurts. The stomach gets a LITTLE better every day. I am hoping to go to work for 4 hours tomorrow and full day on Monday. Good luck to all!