RestlessMonkey

You know, the first night most people still have lingering effects of anesthesia, and most aren't really sore yet (you know how it takes muscles a while to realize you've strained them?) PLUS pressure helps control bleeding... so unless you are really "fragile" feeling, sleeping on your side the first night (esp with a pillow to help "protect" and brace things) might be worth a try.

Mine's between 1/3 to 1/2 of the way between my "side" and my "middle"....on the left.

Both I think. But IV will need a BIG needle. LOL Maybe just in a cone....

So I'm like the Edgar Cayce, or Shirley Maclaine, of the board? Beth, I need some ice cream. Stat. LOL

So, I channel sanity? Is THAT it? Hmmm?

Don't whine girl You get to have all the fun.

You bet. You can lose as much as you want to with the band, actually, because you control how tight you want it, and so on. So good luck; you're doing exactly the right thing; learning about the procedures and figuring out which one will work for you.

I really think you have to decide for yourself...but from what you've said, it sounds like the band would work for you. I know some surgeons don't want those of us who are "larger" than about 100 pounds (or less) overweight to get the band, and to a point I understand why they feel that way. However, while I do believe bypass and the sleeve are both solid viable safe (as safe as any surgery!) options, I felt it wasn't for me. Like you, I felt the lap band would give ME the most control...the ability to have a piece of birthday cake without dumping, etc. I never had a sweet tooth, I grazed but only at night (odd huh? LOL) I really prayed, thought, studied, mulled over, questioned, researched, THOUGHT some more, etc before I decided to get the band. The upside of all that was that I have never looked back, never had even a minute's doubt or feeling of "Oh my gosh what have I DONE to myself?" I had a long haul to hit restriction but I think my loss is groovy and I know it will continue on now. I was worried about malabsorption (which is one of the big benefits with the bypass surgery, but not the band) and being older, for example, because the older we get the less efficient we are at getting nutrition from our food. While I was told "oh just take B12" I wasn't so sure. I think bypass saves lives. I think bypass works more quickly at "curing" type II diabetes, provided you haven't had it too long. I think the band works wonders too. That's why I said you should ask your surgeon WHY he thinks (if indeed he does) you should get bypass. If he just says "because you are too heavy for the band" well, that's wrong and you need another surgeon, frankly, one who will be on your side. However, if he has a good reason, related to you or your health, listen. Do what in your heart you think is best and right for you (that's all any of us can ever do) but listen. My surgeon presented bypass, the band, the sleeve, and the duodenal switch (which he doesn't do but told us about) at his seminar, then left it to us to decide. He made clear what "type" of diet/person/lifestyle, in his opinion, made a person more suited to one or another type of surgery, then he let us decide, as long as we didn't have a medical condition that would make a surgery dangerous or likely to fail. Sorry this is so long. I just wanted to tell you my process...I love my band. I may have problems with it some day, but that's all part of life I guess. I pretty well KNEW I'd have problems, bad medical ones, if I did nothing. Once I decided, it all fell into place, and seemed to be "meant" to be. Probably a coincidence! BUT figure it out the best you can, knowing yourself and what YOU want out of life, then go for it. :ohmy: I hope that helps a little. If you don't want bypass, don't be forced into it. Don't be forced into ANY elective medical procedure, if you don't want it!

Yes, I immediately grasped the "medical-ness" of it. :ohmy:

What a sweet talker you are. I'd hate, though, for your jaw to go "all wacky" so I'll, er, bite the bullet and wait for the "secret" weekend. :ohmy:

SIGH. Ok. For you, HH, I'll manage. And it is a DRY heat. :ohmy:

I had my surgery on Friday and was back in class on Tuesday and I felt WONDERFUL! I guess I'm either really lucky...or too hardheaded to know I didn't feel good. :ohmy: I wanted the band SO MUCH...and had already had 1 surgery just under 3 weeks before and didn't get it, so I felt marvelous once I had it.

I thought chips were sliders. Tostado chips go through too easily...so for THAT reason you may want to avoid them, but if you chew them up well, they don't bunch or ball up, they go through. And honestly I LOVE Mission low carb flour tortillas. I eat them several times a week. I do chew them well...but flour tortillas don't give everyone problems. Corn tortillas, again, don't ball or clump up so I think even if flour tortillas give you problems, corn tortillas (those used in enchiladas and flautas and tacos) would be "safe". Maybe to be indulged in only occasionally, but safe.

Maybe the key is "tough" meats...but I think a better way to describe them would be "dense". My prime ribeye steak (my Sunday night meal! LOVE it!) isn't tough :ohmy: But it does pack a powerful "fullness" punch. 3 oz and I'm good for 6 hours!

I'm still waiting to hear about Cabo. :ohmy:

You aren't a pig! (although petunia is Porky's girlfriend I love Porky LOL) You're just human. You need to tell to make sure you're OK, not to confess or any such thing, ok? :ohmy: If your Nutritionist blows it off (mine would've had a heart attack LOL) make sure you run it by your surgeon or NP ok? I'm sure you'll be fine but since it hurt you, and for so long (and cottage cheese IS a mushie) it's safest to get checked.

honestly, until you're restricted well and food doesn't go through the stoma quickly, you're probably ok as long as you don't gorge or binge on stuff. Your doc can give you the "final word" on this but I know that I ate "more" than 1 cup etc before I hit my sweet spot. I ate LESS than preband, but still "more". I just worked very hard to never get "stuffed" or that "holiday meal" full feeling. I'm not stretched; I'm doing well at 11 months out (and good restriction, FINALLY, since 5/7) So you don't have to wander around starved, just watch it and talk to your doc about it. Until you get restriction, it's not uncommon to be in your position.

As to drinking....actually most beverages don't help and can exacerbate a bad reaction to capsicum (the "hot" in peppers). Milk or ice cream can soothe it, though (high fat, high sugar)....so just have a dish of ice cream handy LOL j/k We were taught, growing up in El Paso, to use salt. It always worked for me.

As long as what you're eating is in line with your post op diet, then there shouldn't be a problem! Glad to know you are finally feeling better!

The postop diet is for healing and a major cause of band slippage is advancing the post op diet too quickly. I wish they'd call it something besides a diet so people who have dieted (and cheated, like me!) in the past would realize this is an entirely different ball game. Since it gave you so much pain, Petunia825 you should tell your doc what you ate. He may need to do some tests to make sure you didn't hurt yourself. i don't mean to scare you! Some docs treat this type of thing more lightly, some more seriously (ie the tests etc) but let your surgeon either laugh it off or check you out. The pain isn't a good sign.

LOL I know when I admitted that I think we had a mild earthquake here in San Antonio (area not prone to earthquakes LOL) Be sure and post or PM me what you find out, ok? As to the anxiety...if you do four by four breathing, it will abate...LOL :ohmy:

My first "soft" food was a chile relleno. However, we're all different. You've had many issues I didn't, so don't use me as a ruler! :ohmy: Your doc can tell you when.... but there is no reason for it to make you sick unless it made you sick preband.

Weigh2Fat...Why fills can take a while to kick in? Brace yourself....I don't KNOW!!:ohmy: LOL at myself...anyway...what I've read some say their surgeons tell them is that it can take the mind a little while to "realize" the difference. I don't know if that's true or even makes sense. But "delayed" restriction doesn't seem logical, does it? I don't have that (not everyone does)...but I'm going to put it on my list to ask my doc at my next appt (8/30)...and you ask yours next time, and maybe we'll get a concensus. OR maybe someone will know? It is a puzzlement.

HH does that 17K dental bill mean our secret getaway to Cabo is on hold?