Elisabethsew

Wow, thank you so much. You just made my day!

Bottom line, call your OB/GYN and ask him/her. Mine allows patients to go back on 3 days after surgery so follow your MD's instructions. Because of PE's, I can no longer take the pill.

I am one of those people who just forge ahead. Perhaps it's because I have NEVER been thin. I was a fat baby and a fat child and a fat adult. Rather than retreat, I just went forward and achieved what I wanted to and have many friends. That said, there is no denying that I AM different from my friends and other people of normal weight. I don't appear in public in a bathing suit, I can't shop in the stores they do, I can't relate to beeing "to full" to finish a donut. Since I don't "fit" into these situations, I either stand on the side-line for support or opt not to attend. Confidence and motivation come from within. People are attracted to other people with high levels of confidence, high motivation, intelligence, humor, the ability to be empathetic, humble, etc. It's amazing how these traits "grow" as the body "shrinks." Be who you are and lifelong friends WILL appear in your life.

Because the pill can be a causative factor in the formation of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary emboli (PE), many surgeons or consults require you to stop the pill before surgery if you're obese. Obesity is another causative factor in DVT and PE as is immobility (on the OR table and post-op). Once you return to your usual level of activity, it's fine to go back on the pill.

I take pills everyday since post-op day one with no problem.

I did 8 oz ready-to-drink medifast shakes. My pre-op and post-op liquid diets were FULL fluids so I could have tomato soup, pureed soup, yogurt, pudding, ices, etc.

Congratulations on a WONDERFUL achievement!

Some people post their starting weights when they begin the pre-op diet while others use the weight right before surgery as the starting weight. Also, some people hold a LOT of water and can easily lose 20 pounds in a 2 week post-op diet. Restriction is another variable. Some people get a first fill at 4 weeks, some at 6, others at 8 or more. Some are partially filled at the time of surgery and some never need a fill. Focus on YOU and what you're doing... measuring/weighing food, exercising, logging food, etc. Comparisons deprive you of your uniqueness and can hault motivational levels.

It seems like your esophageal motility is enhanced by thicker/solid foods and sent into spasm with liquids. If that's the case, try things like cereal for breakfast and a salad for lunch.

Quitting a job to pursue a career you love and being your own boss is a dream come true. I'm on Long Island and Manhattan in Sept. is VERY nice. The Waldorf Astoria is very classy and in a great location. With your drive and enthusiasm, you'll be sitting in that show, front and center. Congratulations.

Welcome and congratulations on your success.

Welcome! I suspect the RN you speak of was verbalizing her own thoughts and might have been jealous that you were being proactive in doing something to improve your life. I'm an RN and don't regret having the surgery.

I sometimes get that "first-bite" syndrome in the AM and at dinner time. I find if I have something warm to drink like a cup of tea before I eat, it helps to ease that syndrome and allows me to not have to adjust my level of fill. As already stated, eating to satisfaction and eating to full are 2 VERY different things. I used to fill a bowl all the way up with cereal, add milk, and wonder what I was going to eat next. Now, I dip in my one cup measure to the cereal, add 4 oz of skim milk and I'm set until lunch. Losing weight is very much in the head. The belly is controlled by the head.

Congratulations. Remember to force yourself to get out of bed and walk as soon as you can post-op to expand your lungs, get the circulation going, and prevent gas pains. Don't be afraid to use the pain medication and stay hydrated. Update us as you recover.

I am an RN and we use lots of pain medications to treat patients... torodol, morphine, demerol, dilaudid, MS contin, percoset, percodan, darvoset, vicodin... Your surgeon will order the appropriate med for you.

Well, if you go all out with the special Big Dogs boxers, I'm 100% certain they forget all about their husbands. LOL. How many fills did it take for you to get "proper" restriction? I go back the first week in Sept. and think I need maybe another 0.5 cc or so.

It sounds like you're ready for a fill but maybe not 3 cc's. Since you are not eating much on some days, you might want to start with 1.5 or 2 cc's. Best advice would be to discuss this with your surgeon.

I haven't received the email but will check it out while people here chill out. Thank you for the information.

I believe Vicodin is the most frequently used post-op pain reliever. It's important for you to list codeine as an allergy. It's not a rare allergy and your MD has many alternatives to relieve your pain. Don't worry!

Can you give us some more info? How much did you start at? What size band?

I know how you feel. Until I got restriction on fill #3, I wondered what everyone thought was so great about the band. If you're able to eat anything, feel no restriction, and haven't lost weight it might be time to: 1. Measure and weigh foods 2. Log what you're eating 3. Get back to exercising 4. Get a fill that gives you proper restriction You started at a lower BMI so don't compare yourself to anyone. I learned that lesson myself. At 46, I'm not going to lose like younger people and I certainly don't lose like some people with BMIs as high as mine. Since I'm not in a race with anyone, I only have something to prove to myself. Talk to your surgeon and get that next fill. You'll be a loser again in no time. NEVER GIVE UP!

I'm the one who mistakenly called you "DeCarla" in the thread I think you're referring to. It's great that things are going well for you in the business industry and It's nice to see you're back posting.

It doesn't sound like you need a whole lot... maybe 0.5 cc's?

It's sad when people stoop to bashing people's religious beliefs but I guess some (not all) people feel a need to express their views in a less than diplomatic and respectful way. I see no problem with religious debate... as long as it's just that, a debate.

I am a 100% confused Catholic bandster. LOL.