jessicastatzer

Hi All, I thought I would check in and see how everyone is doing. We had a death in my husband's family and had to be out of town on the day my first fill was scheduled for. I had to cancel and reschedule and finally got filled last Friday. The fill was no big deal at all and was painless. The doctor gave me 4cc. I still have very little restriction and can basically eat about 3/4 of the amount I could eat pre-surgery. I get to go back for a second fill on July 31 and are hoping for a little restriction after that. I'm feeling a little bummed because I have only lost about 25lbs since surgery day. I teach and go back to work in a couple of weeks. I don't think you can tell a huge difference in the way I look and I think all of my coworkers will be expecting a big change in me after summer break. I know it is a long process and I'm hanging in there but I guess its just human nature to want more faster. Oh well...off to the gym!

I hate..hate...hate..hated the protein shakes also. I had to rely on skim milk to get me through the healing phase. I tried at least a dozen different brands and wasted a lot of money. Now I just work to get my protein with real food.

I am approximately 6 weeks post-op and have not had my first fill yet. Since beginning "real" food I have not found food that is intolerable.So far I can eat anything. I've never felt "stuck" and bread and other foods that other people seem to have problems with go down for me with ease. Is this because I have no saline in my band yet? Can I expect the food intolerances to start after my first fill? When did you have your first "stuck" experience?

I am about a month post-op and started laying in the tanning bed last week. I am wondering if keeping my post op wounds/scars uncovered in the tanning bed will help my scars look more or less obvious? Also, are there any other possible negative side effects from tanning those areas until they are completely healed? All of my skin glue is gone and I am healing nicely but the wounds are still very visible and some what fresh looking. If you have tanned your stomach after surgery please give me your opinion!

I'm there with you! I am at a stand still with my weight loss and needing a fill badly. I am not eating as much as I was pre-surgery but I am definitely eating more than just a cup of food at a time. The doctor told me to expect this. I have joined the gym and are hoping this will help me hold on until I finallly get my first fill on July 1.

I am about a month post-op and waiting not so patiently for my first fill on July 1. I had restriction for the first few weeks after surgery while on liquids and mushies but now I am on "real" food and I have a "real" appetite to go along with it. While I am still eating less than I was before I am still eating more than just a cup of food at a time. The scale has stopped moving and its like regular old dieting before the band again. I have joined a gym and hired a personal trainer and just trying not to sabotage the weight I have already lost until I can finally get filled!

I am a bit over 3 weeks post op and I made a strange discovery today. One of my internal stitches is sticking out of my port incision about 1/8 of an inch. It appears that my incision is actually healing around it. I had not noticed this prior to today because I had scabbing and lots of skin glue. Now that most of the scabbing is gone and all of the skin glue has peeled off I realized it. I am calling the surgeons office in the morning to make them aware. Anyone have any thoughts as to what they will do about it or how big of a deal this is?

I agree...about 2 weeks and the swelling should be gone and you'll start feeling like you again.

I took 5 days off. I was still weak and tired from taking in so few nutrients. The soreness at my incisions was manageable. I didn't really start feeling "normal" again until about 10 day post-op and was still crashed out on the couch watching a Lost marathon 3 days post-op....would have hated to think I had to go back to work then.

I am scheduled for my firt fill on July 1. I asked my doctor if I needed to follow any special instruction before or directly after my fill and he said "no...we'll just give you some crackers and water afterwards to make sure they go down ok."

Hi all, Today officially makes 3 weeks with the band. I am writing to see if anyone else is experiencing the same things as me. My surgeon told me to start "real food" this week. He advised me to do it slowly and add one new food at a time and see how I tolerate it. So far I have not had problems swallowing or digesting anything since the surgery. I feel good. Last night my husband made some nice lean steaks on the grill and baked potatoes. I ate about 4oz of steak and half the potato. I am finding that I am able to eat more and more without that full feeling coming on so quickly. I am still not eating the amount of food I was pre-band but I can tell that I would easily be able to get back to that point without a fill soon. My weight has been teetering between 215 and 212 for about a week and a half now and that is very discouraging. I'm visiting all of the gyms in town today and deciding on which one will be the best fit for me. I know I will look for any reason not to go so I want to pick one that is the most convenient and enjoyable! Good luck to everyone.

My weight has also slowed down coming into the 3rd week of life with the band. I am also on pureed foods and moving to real food next week. Since starting pureed foods I can tell that I am getting hungrier and are able to eat more. My surgeon told me to expect to be able to eat more and more until I get my first fill on July 1. I plan to start going to the gym next week and I hope that will help me to start loosing again.

Make chicken fajitas for your family. Pass up the tortilla shell and give the chicken, peppers, and onions a turn or two in the blender. Have some mashed up refried beans with it and you'll be in heaven!

How about trying "clear soup" from a Japanese restaurant or "Egg Drop Soup" from a local Chinese restaurant. Different flavors of yogurt, refried well mashed up Beans, cottage cheese with apple sauce or mashed banana, 100% juice, scrambled eggs. I was allowed all of these during my second week. I am on my 3rd week now and I am adding things like well shredded chicken breast to my diet and I'm in heaven.

I had an early morning appointment with my surgeon today. He advanced me to "Phase 3" foods which means I can have meat now...yeah!!` For dinner I made chicken fajitas and black Beans for my family. I shredded the chicken onions and peppers and mashed up the black beans for myself. It was the best tasting thing EVER! I also met my Protein goals for the first time today with the addition of "real food" to my diet. I am done struggling with the Protein shakes. They are not working for me...I will just have to be extra diligent to get my protein in the form of solid foods and skim milk!:grouphug: My first fill is scheduled for July 1.

How about a swimdress. There are some pretty cute ones out there.You can honestly find some pretty fashionable one if you look hard enough....not the old granny style. Check out this one at LL. Bean Empire Swim Dress: One-Piece at L.L.Bean

I don't have a follow up until Monday which will be nearly 2 weeks after surgery. I have had a really hard time with the Protein shakes so I called the Dr.'s office and the nurse told me to go ahead and try tomato and egg drop soup and also yogurt and fat free pudding. I have been on those for a few days now and its going well. I hope the doc will tell me to start on "Stage 3" foods next week which will include things like pureed chicken and vegetables. I'm not hungry but I am tired of drinking the same thing every day! I've lost 8lbs since surgery day but that all came off the first couple of days. I've been at a stand still for the past 4 days.

I also made it out of the house for a little bit yesterday. I called the surgeons office and told them I am having a really hard time drinking the Protein shakes. Someone there suggested trying something called New whey. You can find it at GNC and it comes in these 3oz viles. It is like a syrup or thick melted popsicle. They are fruit flavors without the milky substance. One vile has 42g of protein. They are gross and also make me gag but they are only 3oz so its much easier to suffer through! They also told me to try some tomato or cream of chicken Soup so I can take in some nutrients and calories. The soup made a big difference and I'm starting to feel like I'm regaining some energy. My stomach is less sore every day and I am only taking Tylenol for the pain. I had planned to go back to work Monday and I think I will be OK if I can regain a bit more strength and energy over the weekend.

:thumbup: I hate the protein shakes!! I just can't take them...they make me gag. I know I can't live on just juice and water alone for the next 1-2 weeks so I am really worried. I don't want to let myself get weak and sick from not taking enough nutrients.

My husband purchased a large back brace for me which I am wearing turned around back wards and really loosely attached. The support helps with the muscle soreness...especially when getting up and down.