JellyBean

I am trying to be patient, but I started to notice increased shedding right before my surgery, (probably from stress b/c I broke up with my boyfriend the month before) and in the 2-3rd month it is now full blown hair loss! It's so depressing. I wanted to control the shedding before I get my first fill, so I am just on maintenance on what I've lost. I've been taking Biotin every day and I am taking Iron, Vitamin E and B Vitamins. This has happened before and I was prescribed Nizoral by the dermatologist. That worked wonders, it blocks something call DHTs that makes the hair fall out. Bought Nioxin and tried it for the first time today, the conditioner is wonderful! And I'm hoping to see results sooner rather than later. The only thing is Nizoral is extremely drying, and I chemically relax my hair, so I can't use it too often. Nioxin seems more moisturizing. Anyway, hope it works.... I really don't want to wait a year for this hair to grow back, I'm hoping to stem the tide, so I can get my first fill and start losing again (slowly this time!!!):phanvan

I'm in! I am 8 weeks post-op and haven't had my first fill. So I'd love to get to onederland by the end of June, and need incentive to get there without the benefit of too much restriction. I joined Weight Watchers to kick me in the butt, too. Hopefully with the both WW and this thread I can lose just enough until I get my first fill sometime this summer. I haven't truly seen onderland for 9 years. I'd love to see what that looks like again!

How is your weight loss? Total lost 30 lbs (including 12 lbs preop) Have you had your first fill? Not yet, banded in Mexico and waiting as long as I can to get 1st fill. Had a lot of swelling and restriction 3-4 weeks post-op. Now not so much, but trying to make healthier choices. Has any one noticed your shrinking? Yes, definitely, by now almost everyone has noticed, they notice that it's been fast, too. My Bf said he really didn't notice, but I just think he's jealous! Complications or issues your having? One week post-op I had a stuck food incident that scared me silly or shall I say straight? I think that's why I was able to lose more prior to a first fill. In fact that incident and the tightness and restriction in general is what is making me leery of a first fill. I like being able to eat fruit and salad and whole grain toast. I try to stay away from white bread. But this weekend I have been pushing it a bit, so I joined Weight Watchers to try and continue maintenance and slow loss. I bought a pedometer and I am walking more, it feels great. My blood pressure has been high, I attribute it to the high sodium soups I was eating for weeks, and maybe just to the trauma of surgery? I'm trying to get it under control :cry Godspeed to all the rest of the March bandsters!

Congrats on your wonderful loss! You must be so happy to be within spitting distance of your lowest weight. I am curious (because I too lost a lot on a low carb diet a few years back) Do you find that you eat similarly to the Atkins days or do you just eat a little bit of everything without regard to whether its got lots of carbs? For myself I find I eat a little of everything but I still feel a little guilty b/c I think I should still try to keep the carbs on the lower end. Again congrats on your loss!!:clap2:

I was banded the last day of March, so its been 41 days so far. No fills yet, as my doc is in Mexico and I'm waiting at least 2 months till I'm really healed. I was very restricted until about the 4th or 5th week. Then boom I was able to eat most things, though I haven't really tried bagels, white bread or pasta. Since I've been on solids I gained four pounds, b/c at one point I was 31 pounds down not 27, but that lasted a day :phanvan . So, I joined Weight Watchers and I am trying to follow the bandster rules to the best of my ability (the no drinking an hour before and after meals has been the toughest rule to comply with for me). I am also trying to up my activity level so I can maintain and and even slowly lose until I can get a fill. My biggest challenge is now that I'm not restricted, and I am PMSing, I am ravenous! I also realize that I have to provide my own food (at work) and can't rely on eating out which was okay when I was restricted (lots of shakes and soups) but dangerous now. And I have finally gotten rid of those last few temptations in my house that weren't temptations when I was restricted, b/c I wouldn't have touched it with a ten foot pole but are dangerous now that I can eat. (Okay, okay I still do have one sleeve of Girl Scout Trefoils in the freezer, but I've only had 2 and I am making them last. ) I am keeping my fingers crossed until June or July when I hope to get my 1st fill. Good Luck to all the rest of the March bandsters!

Three to Four weeks after surgery may not be too bad, I was one of those who traveled back home to NY after going to Mexico and though a bit of work manuevering my luggage and flying home, I was okay. I just vegged the next whole week. It really depends on what you are going to be doing while abroad. The first 2-3 weeks if you can just sit home and totally heal you should be okay to do a trip to one destination to go to some meetings or leisurely sightsee. But if you are going to a lot of cities and dragging lots of luggage or having really long days, I'd put it off. Also, depending on when your doc lets you eat solids, finding mushy foods might be a tough, I guess you can lug around canned protein drinks, but what a hassle!!!

Wheetsin, I'm curious, what kind of foods did you eat weeks 4-7? Just trying to get a handle on what would be easiest to eat... Thanks, JB

Kabeerah, Don't be afraid, I guess just continue with caution. I am much better today and don't feel the lump in my throat or the band at all today. I attribute this to 3 things: First I took a PepCid, I guess my sis was right it is probably heartburn; secondly, I made sure I walked a lot and thirdly I slept sort of sitting up, making sure that my head and shoulders are raised. They even say to sleep this way for people who suffer from plain old heartburn without the band. I've lost 22 lbs so far and I am so happy about this loss that on a no symptom day like today I am thrilled. :nervous I'm not even that hungry, I had my procedure exactly 3 weeks ago and next week I can slowly introduce solids. I'm scared to death but will stick with soft foods first, just in case. I've been dying to have Soups with chunks in it so maybe I'll start there. Good Luck!

Kristin, JellyBean was my ex's nickname for me (he's Butter Bean), it's a great name for a kitty. I talked to my sis today who is a doctor (she went with me to get the band in TJ) and she suggested that I take Prilosec -OTC and that I get more walking in (I've slacked on getting in my 30 min. like I was right after surgery). She said the lump is a result of the esophagus muscles going the wrong way and suggested it might be acid. Although it doesn't feel like acid to me, just a lump. She said to call the surgeon if it doesn't clear up in a few days doing this. So keep your fingers crossed!

It felt like it got stuck at the stoma and like it was really tight and a bit of a burning sensation, it lasted for 15 hours!!! It wasn't really stuck after the first few hours, because I got Water through fine but I guess I irritated my esophagus and the feeling stayed with me long after. I was so good after that broth, sugar free pops, etc., even aloe vera juice. But sometimes I get a lump in my throat and it's there all day, I hate this sensation so much that I think if it lasts longer, I may get rid of the band. I didn't want to feel the band all the time. And I don't think you are supposed to. I have this crazy theory that it feels worse if I don't sleep with my head raised almost sitting up. When I sleep any other way, I feel the tightness/lump more. It may be a build up of acid, tonight I'll take some Pep-Cid and drink hot tea with lemon. I can only hope it will be better tomorrow. At this rate though, I am terribly afraid to go to solids next week.

I am almost 3 weeks post op and I am also on liquids. Right now I have Protein shakes, a premade shake called glucerna, Jello, broth, Soups, soy yogurt. I can start solids next week, but I had such a bad experience with a medium to soft boiled egg on day 7 that I was scared straight and have been very good ever since. The only problem is that I think I am not getting enough calories or nutrients either. I sometimes have a constant lump in my throat and can feel the tightness of the band. So I avoid even drinking Water. Do you have that same issue? I haven't felt that hunger hell yet either. But the smells of food drive me crazy anyway and I do so miss eating solid food.:cry

Way to go Diane! :clap2: your pics are amazing and your loss thus far is awesome!!! Thanks for sharing your pics, it is so inspiring!!!:banana

Hi, First let me say I know it was a dumb thing to do. But I am a week post -op and everything has been fine. I'd been doing Clear liquids for a week and been having no problems. Although, I am pretty hungry and today I was looking forward to eating yogurt as an approved added food. Like a dummy I read somewhere on this site that about a soft boiled egg and I thought, well maybe that might be a nice thing to have, since I am lactose intolerant. I even food proccessed it so it was liquid like egg beaters, but of course it didn't seem warm enough for me so I microwaved it! Brilliant huh? Well that of course made it harder so it was back to the food processor to reliquefy it. I had a few bites of this now mousse like substance and I regret it. I got the golf ball feeling right away, and started sweating. But, I regained my wits and heard that I shouldn't eat or drink anything. I just walked around and waited and waited. I called the Dr. after 2 1 /2 hours he said that I should walk around and not eat or drink anything. It's now been 7 hours I am not in pain and not sweating but the feeling like its still right there in my chest persists. I am now getting thirsty. What should I do? I am afraid to call my Doc again in case it just goes down. I read through and heard about the meat tenderizer thing, but waiting to see if it will just go down. Has anyone had anything stuck for a really long time without sliming or PBing? Will I have to go somewhere to get the offending few bites out? Its the weekend of course, now and I'm just scared. I don't need a lecture, b/c I know better now and I'm so soon after surgery my doc does not want me to PB b/c band could slip. Sorry I am so long winded, I think I'll be okay but I need reassurance and other bandster's experience. Thanks...

Thank you all for your great advice after 10 pm (nine hours later) I took in some tiny sips of Water, then I tried warm water with the meat tenderizer, then I must have walked about two miles inside my 1 bedroom apt.! Then I tried to flap my arms like a chicken and stretch. :clap2: Finally, I just went to bed and prayed to St. Jude and the Virgen Mary to let it resolve before the night is out. (Okay so I'm dramatic, but I had visions of having this golf ball feeling forever, and ruining my band). At 3 am I think I felt like it was going to be okay, at least the tightness in my chest went away. I'm now on liquids for a few more days until I feel 100%. I'm going to get aloe vera juice to heal up some of the irritation. Thanks again for those who replied, I feel so much camraderie from this site and it's okay to laugh at my story, in retrospect it is funny, but whew I'm glad its over! :high5:

I am from New York and I just got surgery Friday in TJ, right now I am staying with a friend in San Diego resting by her pool. I went with my sister who is a doctor, too and I was glad to have her with me. I am a bit of a worry wort and wanted to ease my anxiety. That being said, I could have seen doing it on my own and I saw others who had done it alone. Dr. Ortiz' new facility is immaculate and state of the art and the hotel was very nice. They take care of you fairly well and the area by the hotel was pleasant. Still it is so nice to have another person there with you to lift heavy stuff, keep you company and to generally reassure you. I paid for my sister's flight (she came from Iowa) and it was worth every penny.

I was banded yesterday morning by Dr. Ortiz. Overall, it has been okay, except the gassy pains here and there in my body as well as dealing with the fact that you need to burp but it doesn't go anywere, that is the most frustrating feeling. My scars seem tiny already and the wounds don't hurt that much. Just really tired and like the last poster I am trying to resist the urge to crawl up in a ball and sleep it all off. I am so excited, but I don't know what to expect, I feel like Alice and Wonderland. Of course I know what's possible, because I overload on information, but I just don't know what to expect out of my body. My sis being with me was a big help, but she left tonight so here's a shout out to all my fellow bandsters, its like no other experience in the world. A note to those considering Dr. Otriz, his new facility is gorgeous. Very clean new and comfortable, that helped with my experience.:eek: :eek:

Thanks for your response you made me feel a lot better about that stage. Congrats on your 14 lbs! Wooohooo! Way to go!

I am leaving tonight for Mexico, my surgery date is Friday the 31st. I hope all goes well, I am more than a little nervous and I'd appreciate positive thoughts. My sister is coming with me but she has to leave Saturday. Hoping I could get through the clear liquid stage. What kind of liquids has helped everyone else get through that first week I wonder? I love this site, I've learned so much, lurking, but now I am officially posting. I hope everyone's March surgery is a rousing success!