HopeWorks

PAIN AROUND THE PORT AREA - I think? For four days now I've had this sharp pain in my stomach - on my right side - around my port area maybe, but that could just be coincidence. Not sure if this is band related - or just something else. I'm in my 4th week and just on pureed foods - but I've stretched it to include soft foods that I can puree in my mouth. This pain couldn't be from slippage, could it? I've never thrown up and don't eat past feeling full - but I can also take in 1 1/2 cups before feeling full. I guess I'll call the doctor if it's not better by Friday. Do you guys think that I have an infection around the port?

DRINKING: So, who knows what the story with alcohol is? Is it allowed? Will it affect us differently with the band? I'd rather find out by other's trial and error - not mine. Thanks!

Until Oct 2.

I'm two weeks post-op. Suposed to be on full liquids, but have been cheating a little. As long as It's not causing me any pain - do you think it's okay to add pureed foods like spinach soufflé, mashed yams etc?

Hey, I get that "DH" means something to do with "husband" - what does it stand for?

INTERESTING SIDE EFFECT.... (Warning - this could be too gross for you - if weak stomach, stop reading now). Well, for the past 3 or 4 years I have had to wear panty liners on a daily basis - just to stay fresh and clean (was not peeing pants - just discharge). Thought it was age -- you know, getting close to peak of sexuality -- or something like that? NO, as soon as my body was free of all the added sugar stuff - I was a clean puppy. It's unbelievable! But now that I've begun to add pudding and thicker soups and honey etc....i-t-'s b-a-c-k! Aaaahhh! QUESTION: can I really live a sugar-free life? It's obviously what my body wants me to do. I got the band so that I wouldn't have to be so diligent about what I put into my mouth, knowing that I'd only be able to put in a small amount. But now this! Hmmm - not sure how to proceeded.

KNOW WHAT YOU MEAN, but I refuse to liquify real food. My reference binder from the doctor has all sorts of recipes in it and for the Pureed week(s) it's just recipes for real food and then ends with....and blend until thin! There is no way I could eat that - sounds like something from Fear Factor. I'm trying to make it through liquids by eating well seasoned soups - like bean/bacon (that one can be blended because some bean soups are smooth and some have the beans whole), cream of potato, french onion, split pea. Also, I made instant pudding yesterday and added protein powder. Thought that it would be gritty from the powder -- but it wasn't! It was great! But, I did attempt to add protein powder to my one, 3/4 cup of coffie that I have each morning - and yuck - it just all clumped up and lay on top of the coffee? Oh well.

WOW! Great reason to do what the Dr says! Thanks!!!! I was thinking, well if I don't feel any pain, then it must be going down just fine. Yikes.

I was just banded a week or so ago. :nervous Can anyone explain the chewing thing to me - I understand that it's so that the food can get from the upper pouch down to the lower stomach. But...I remember hearing that another part of the reason was to help in digestion. Q: doesn't the lower part of the stomach do most of the digesting (or at least the remaining required digestion)? Q2: if you don't have a fill - won't the passage between the pouch and stomach be larger - which would require less chewing? :hungry: Thanks for any help! :kiss2:

Well, now I'm hungry too! It's the oral thing for me - need to bite/crunch/chew on something. I can eat 1 1/2 cup soup now. Dr. says I can't have pureed foods until October - yikes! No way I'm going to be able to just eat soups, shakes, yougert and popsicles until then. Can anyone explain the chewing thing to me - I understand that it's so that the food can get from the upper pouch down to the lower stomach. But...I remember hearing that another part of the reason was to help in digestion. Q: doesn't the lower part of the stomach do most of the digesting (or at least the remaining required digestion)? Q2: if you don't have a fill - won't the passage between the pouch and stomach be larger - which would require less chewing?

I've seen hotdogs a few times - thought those were a no-no? Didn't think those were digestable?

I ATE A POTATO CHIP TODAY! I chewed it so well that it was bascially a liquid? Just soup and juice and yougert is driving me mad.

I don't like shakes - a pain to prepare and I don't like anything frothy...so, I bought Pro-Stat 64, a liquid protein, from my surgeon's office. Was so excited, because I thought I could just take a teaspoon here and there and get all my protein in for each day and then just eat the soups, drinks that I liked. But ---- this Pro-Stat stuff is so nasty - like drinking down pork spit or ground chicken bone, feathers and skin....ARRR - ANYONE ELSE HAVE THIS STUFF - HOW DO YOU GET IT DOWN - DO YOU MIX IT WITHSOMETHING THAT HIDES THE TASTE? I'm 6 days post-op and also had a 1/2 cup of coffee. I can't ask my doctor this question because he'd say NO COFFEE at all! So, I'll ask you guys - anyone have any idea about powdered creamer? It has 0.5 g fat, 1 carb and 0 sugars...but, the ingredents are corn syrup solids, partially hydrogenated soybean oil. What do you think? Been eating plain yougert with honey, strained bean soup, cran-grape juice, tomato soup made with milk. But 1/2 hr after I eat (and I only eat maybe 1/2-3/4 cup) I feel so full! I can't imagine eating one bite of mushy, let alone real food - HOW COME I'M SO FULL WITH NO RESTRICTION? Is it just that I'm eating too fast, because chewing isn't the issues since this is all liquid-type stuff?

My family had pizza for dinner tonight. Smelled so good - I just had to have a bite! So I did. Well, I took a bite, chewed it up and tried not to swallow - then spit it out. How desperate is that! Ahhh - crazy!

WantLapBand - that's so wonderful! I went through a denial too - was rejected two days before surgery...then had to wait a year for my company to switch insurance companies and then had to go through 6 months of "monitoring" for new insurance company. Consider yourself lucky! But, still make sure it's what you want for yourself - don't just concentrate on getting approved and then once you are, you aren't even thinking about the changes you'll have to accept. The long wait made me really think about what I was trying to do to myself. Good luck!

Jeeze Jamie - I am so scared to eat anything - I feel like I'll be eating chicken broth my whole life. The few bites of pea soup and pudding I've had have made me feel sick to my stomach an hour after eating them...maybe it's all in my head?

QUESTION: anyone use asprin? I know we're not suposed to, but it's the ONLY thing that will take my headaches away and I've had the same one for days now.

It's obvious to me that my nausua is from eating things with a thicker consistancy - pea soup, pudding. So, I'm going to stick to the clear liquid type foods....at least until I can get a script from dr. Started taking tablespoons of liquid protein (I skipped the powder, because I don't like shakes) - oh my goodness is that awful stuff - don't know if I'll be able to keep it up - yuck, yuck, yuck!

ItsGottaGo! I forgot to ask, is anyone else having runny stools all day long. Obviously, I don't have the constipation problem, it seem to be the opposite, since I got out of bed yesterday. Anyone else?? Yes - this is my issue - stomach is gurgling and gurgline nonstop - then the runny bms. Pain meds are suposed to cause constipation so I don't think that is it - not sure what is causing it - just all the liquids I guess.

I can't believe I did it. I may be having a bit of buyer's remorse. Surgery went fine - coming out of the anaesthesia wasn’t fun – don’t like that feeling – I think I still feel some of it in me. I get up every hour and walk for 10 min (active walking) – think that’s enough? My stomach is gurgling and gurgling nonstop. I stayed in the hospital one night and felt fine – sipping on water, juice and popsicles. Tried a little jello and chicken broth – seemed okay. Got home and had some strained pea soup – probably too much – feel nauseas since then – hours and hours ago. Can’t get rid of a headache – taking liquid Tylenol – the liquid vicadin makes me feel too queasy. Complaining too much? I'm not in any real pain - my side is real sore - but nothing I wouldn't expect. I just feel wiped out - very vunerable. I'm sure it will get better.

I go in tomorrow - didn't have a pre-op diet - thank goodness - food fest up to yesterday - have to just be on liquids today (plus the laxitive to clean me out for tomorrow). I know it's gross, but what if the laxitive doesn't do a good enough job????

AAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRR - If Erika hadn't asked Julie if they needed to hold on to the key with both hands, Janie would have one the first round of the HOH competition - then she would have beat Mike on the second round! I can't believe it!!!! I really hate both Erika and Mike - Erika back stabed George, Daniel and now Janie. Mike is just a creep. I'm so dissapointed! The only thing that will make me feel better is when I see Janie in a blockbuster movie or TV show - she needs a big payoff for being on this show! Mike is a selfish creep - I really doubt he'll come though and split the $ with Will and Janie. What do you think about that?

Wow - so sorry about all the troubles! If nothing else, your problems help the people with no real problems feel better about the "little" things that come with banding.

Wow - we are all so much alike! But...what about "why people are not fat" - is that something that has to be investigated/questioned? There are allot of people who are "normal" sized and have issues - I think it's unfair to relate eating with any issues we may have - I mean, our issues are the same as thin people's issues - belive me - they have issues too...they are just wierd about otherthings (keeping their kitchen really really clean, or owning a different set of dishes for each type of meal, etc). I think that there is something to be said for not depriving yourself. We're always being told, at least as women, to take care of ourselves - treat our selves - induldge ourselves...that we serve so many others - so do something that we love. Well, I love food - so that's what I do. I could spend $200 and sit in a spa for a couple hours - but I don't - I shop, plan a meal, cook it to perfection and enjoy it! I'm always going to enjoy and indluge in great food - just in much smaller amounts.

Anyone in SEPT going to be banded and Forest Heath in MI? :omg: Also....I have a tad of a sore throat! I'm dosing up on Vit C, Echinacea and Rosehips! - any other suggestions?????