NEW BEGINNINGS

Welcome gonnaride.... I am right down the road from you in Jacksonville, I had my surgery on 3/16/09 with Dr. Pender in Greenville and love my band. I hope that all goes easy for you. I wish you the best of luck with everything. I love this website, not only for the support, but also kinda hard to think about eating while you are reading about other's journeys with weight loss. If you find any support groups in our area, let me know, the only one I know of is in Greenville and it begins at 4:00. Good luck to you, Friday will be the 1st day of the new you!

I wish I had another scheduled soon, my next fill is on May 29th. I asked my Dr about liquid or soft foods after my fill, he said I didn't have to change my diet unless I had a problem with something. I was kinda looking forward to some quick weight loss by going on liquids, but FOOD is so much better. Needless to say I had no problem, not even the 1st day. I probably ate as much as anyother day on the afternoon of my fill if not even a little bit more. I guess that I was just trying it out to see if any restriction. I know my day, well all of our days will come when we will only by able to eat that 1/4 of a cup but not for me yet. Well glad that this week is over, did get alot of exercise in. Weather here is so nice this time of the year. Hope everyone has a great weekend.

Well had my first fill and it was easy. I am so happy to know that it isn't a big deal. Don't think that he put much in. When I asked my Dr. what he had put in he told me not to get hung up on a number, that it is all about how you feel. So I think that it was only a little bit, I am not really feeling any restriction when I eat, maybe a little less hungry, but also didn't have any problems after the fill. I did ask about drinking water too fast. He gave me about 10 oz of water to drink after my fill and I told him I felt like I had been drinking too fast. He said it should take about 3 minutes to drink that amount of water. So I probably need to slow down a little bit, but still he made me feel that it was ok to drink more that just a sip at a time. Fab by 50 hope that you find out the same thing from your Doctor for us. Glad that we are both doing so well to be able to have banding done at this time in our life. I also had lots of chemo treatments and radiation that lasted almost 9 months. I couldn't understand how I could gain weight having chemo treatments once a week. So many other people lost weight. But I have always been overweight even as a child. Well I am off to SIP some water, take care to all!!!

I feel your pain, I mean really feel it. I am having the same problem and have been since 3/19 which was just 4 days after surgery. When it started I was only on liquids it didn't seem to matter whether I had food or not. Hasn't changed much since I started eating so I can't figure out what triggers the pain. Pain isn't as intense now, but still have about 4 hours every day. My Dr and everything I have read says that it is referred pain from something irrating the diaphragm, make no sense how something in your stomach only affects the shoulder. I had a CT scan done 3 1/2 weeks after surgery, which shows no problems with the band, my Dr said it wouldn't show a problem with the diaphragm, so hopefully the test you are having will show something. He says the only thing that I can do is wait and see if the pain goes away or he will go in and do exploratory surgery and if he can't see anything wrong he will have to remove the band. I had my 1st fill today, not much of a fill because of the shoulder pain, the Dr. didn't want to tell me the amount of the fill, said it was only a number. I feel it was very small since I have no restriction. I told him that it wasn't an option to remove my band, that he needed to find someother way to fix if it didn't stop on its own or refer me to another Dr. I have waited to long to get to this point and the last thing I want after all of this is for the band to have to be removed. I have a realize band and the rep for the band told my Dr that he hadn't heard of anyone having shoulder pain. I told him to log onto this website to see how many people had problems with this. My Dr. did tell me that he had one other person who had this problem and that he had to remove the band. He also talked to another Dr. who had done thousand of lap band surgeries who told him it usually goes away after several months. So that is what I am waiting for at this time. I hope for us both something is found to make it better or it just goes away on it own. I don't think that I can live with it forever. Please keep me updated about what happens either here or you can send me a personal message. Good luck to you, hope things get better for you. Joanie

Hey everyone. hope that you are all doing great! I was so excited this morning I was finally down 30 lbs, I can't believe it. I am getting my 1st fill on Tuesday, thanks to all of you who have posted about it, still kinda worried but am really ready. I haven't posted in awhile, but have been keeping up with everyone. Didn't want to be whining when weight loss is going so well. I did have my CT scan done to try and figure out why the shoulder pain is still here, everything appears to be where it is suppose to be, Dr says hopefully in another month or 2 things will get better. Fab by 50, I also am a water guzzler, I love water, but don't get enough in if I sip, so am also interested if it is damaging to not sip the water. Also, am a cancer survivor (breast) so we have more than water in common. This was my 10th surgery and never had issue with other surgeries like I have this one with my shoulder. Well hope we all have a great week! Good to hear from you all!

I am also interested if you let me know when. Thanks

I was banded on 3/16/09 and started with the left shoulder pain on 3/19. The pain was horrible. Has continued almost daily since. Some days are definetly better than others. 2 days ago had a CT scan done will hopefully get the results next week, my Dr also agrees that it is probably something pressing on the diaphram. Hopefully it will be something that will work itself out.

Thanks for the information about the 1st fill, I hope that everthing is still going good for you this morning and that it will be as easy for all the rest of us. The liquid motrin that you are taking, is that just the child's motrin or did you find some adult that is liquid?

Thanks, it is amazing how I know what to do and still do the wrong things. I am sure that is what got me into the weight situation that I am in at this time. My daughter is a Junior in college and I am using her baby spoon and fork. I need to make sure that I am using all the time and just need to slow down. Your are lucky that you have a support group, I have been trying to find one in my area, but haven't found one as of yet. My surgeon is not local and that is the only support group I have been able to find. Wish we were all in the same area and could have our own support group.

Hey everyone.... Hope you are all doing good. Still no weight loss for me, still up a 1/2 down a 1/2 for the last 8 days, guess it is just my body getting use to having some food again. I don't feel as though I have much restriction, if any, but I have always been a fast eater so am really having a hard time with eating slooowlllly. Last night was eating some fish and only 1/3 of a cup, I guess that I ate it too fast and boy did I feel bad. It was only for about 10 minutes but not something that I want to fill again. I really need to work on that, I don't ever want something to be stuck. Anyone else done this stupid thing? Hope everyone has a good day!

thanks gregnlr! Walking doesn't really make a difference one way or the other. Usually walk about 1.5 miles at least 4 days a week (I am workingon daily, can't wait for spring weather). If it is gas I certainly wish I would just have an explosion! It started on day 4 after surgery and for the 1st 12 days was only on 8 oz a day total of protien drink. So eating or not eating doesn't seem to make any difference. Now my diet consist of 1 egg for Breakfast, 1/3 cup cottage cheese or yogurt for lunch and 2 or 3 oz soft cheese for dinner, I can also have 2 tablespoon of reduced fat Peanut Butter a day which is really my favorite thing. So just hoping that things will work out, if it can possible be gas I will be soooo happy.

This was great to log on and have so much information from everyone. I also am stalled with weight loss. Since Saturday when I started my egg, cottage cheese and Peanut Butter I have gained 1 lb. Need to stop weighing, but still can't not step on the scale when I get out of bed. food wise things have been good for me. Did have a little uncomfortableness in my chest today, I think that I ate some cheese to fast. Didn't think that I really had any restrictions until that happened today, so things are good!! Had 1st followup on Tuesday, still having problems with really bad pain in my left shoulder. Dr said if not gone in nest few weeks will need to have a CT scan that something is probably pressing on my diaphram and he will need to either do surgery to reposition the band or port or remove the band. NO WAY do I want the band removed, it took way too much work to get to this point. I am praying everyday that things will work out. Glad that everyone is doing well, keep posting, it is so good to hear from you all!!!!!

I had surgery on 3/16/09 and the left shoulder pain started on 3 days after surgery and hasn't stopped since. I saw my surgeon today and he said that something is pressing on my diaphram and that is causing the pain. Said will do a CT scan and if that is the cause will do surgery and try to reposition the band, port or whatever is causing the problem, but if that doesn't help will have to remove the band. I am really attached to my band and that is the last thing that I would want to have done. Has anyone else had to have a band repositioned or removed because of this?

Grammylew: I am also from Jacksonville and just got banded on 3/16/09. Do you know of any support groups in our area? I was banded by Dr. Pender in Greenville, just allowed my 1st scrambled egg yesterday. Until then had been on all liquids since 3/2. Thanks for all the information!!!

Hope that everyone is doing well. Yesterday was my 1st day off liquids only. It was great, I didn't know how exciting it would be to have a scrambled egg! My 1st dr. followup is on 3/31. My 1st fill isn't scheduled until 4/28. I sure wish that it was sooner. Finally feel that things are getting back to normal. I certainly was suprised at how much recovery my body needed from this surgery. I am so glad that things are getting better. I think this was the 1st time that I have done something for myself and I am so excited about the future. Good luck to everyone, let us know how everyone is doing!

I can't belive how connected I feel to you all just because we have the same banding date. Thanks for all the support and information!! I too am having pain in my left shoulder. Have spoken to the Dr. office and now take tylenol when it starts. They never said that it was gas pain, but did say expected it to get better with time. If it wasn't for my shoulder I would feel great. Don't go back to work until Monday, my Dr. required 2 weeks off and since my work is slow decided to take advantage of the rest. Can begin soft foods on Saturday, can't wait. Have been on protien shakes only since 3/2. My 1st fill isn't scheduled until 4/28. Do you all have to take all liquid. crush or chew medication? Have been having a hard time finding all the required. I did find chewable gummy B-12 CVS brand that taste great. I thought is was just because I haven't chewed anything in sooooo long, but even my 19 year old daughter wanted a bottle. Am taking flintstone chewable and they are not very good, do like the tums for calcuim. Does anyone else have anything they are taking that isn't horrible. I would just so rather swallow a pill. My best to you all!!!!

I have been able to sleep on my side and also a little on my stomach. I really only have pain when getting up from the recliner, also have some pain in shoulders and back when I go out for a walk. I guess that I am lucky. Glad to know that others are on the just liquid diet. I will be glad when I can go to soft foods, but that is not until Saturday the 28th. Just need the strength to make it that long. I wish that I wasn't hungry....but I have had 2 hard days but at least is isn't every day. I have lost 19.5 pounds since I started my pre-op diet on 3/2 and am so thankful. Everyone stay on track and remember our long term goals. (I thought if I typed it, it would help me over these hunger pains!)

I am drinking something called opti source. Doesn't really taste bad, but my Dr. wants me to drink it for 2 weeks after surgery. I can't have anything else except water. You only drink 8 oz a day and it has a total of 800 calories. I am also worried about not getting enough fluid. Am having a hard time only sipping water (I guess I was always a guzzler). How much fluid is anyone able to drink at one time. Yesterday I was really hungry, but today is much better, even went for a mile walk. Has anyone had any problem with left shoulder pain? I hadn't had any pain medicine since 3/17 until last night. I was so painful I had to take pain medicine just to be able to stand the pain. It was worst pain than when I came home the day of surgery. I did find a post about shoulder pain, this is such a great website. Good luck to all and hang in, Think how happy we will be when we talk about how much we have accomplished. I can't wait until the payoff is here.

I also had my surgery on 3/16/09. I can't believe that the day actually came. I am so excited to be starting this journey!!!! Feeling good and able to get around now, 1st 2 days were hard. Having more problem now with being hungry that the 2 weeks before banding while using the optifast. Hoping this hungar feeling gets better soon. Hope everyone else is doing well!

I just had surgery with Dr. Pender on 3/16/09 so this is a new start of the rest of my life. I really like Dr. Pender and the staff at his office. I have always received answers to all my questions.